Otaku Witch

"Adventure?"

Hearing Dorothy’s inquiry, Mrs. Zora was taken aback for a moment and then began to recall.

A thousand years ago, when she was still a foolish Dragon Beast, one day she was chased by another powerful Dragon Beast and eventually panicked and ran deep into the misty valley, finally stumbling into an abyss.

Of course, the abyss is just a metaphor; it was simply a very deep cliff.

But the Chicken Snake Dragon, though it had wings, was as flightless as a chicken and couldn’t even glide for long. At that time, she thought she would fall to her death, but miraculously, she survived.

When she woke from unconsciousness, the first thing she saw was a pair of enormous Snake Eyes, so terrifying and majestic. As those eyes gazed at her, immense Fear arose in her heart, causing her to flee in panic.

Luckily, she managed to escape that deep abyss, and even luckier, she seemed to have been scared into enlightenment, evolving from a foolish Dragon Beast into a Sub-Dragon, acquiring wisdom.

The Fear she felt under the gaze of those enormous Snake Eyes became the source of her Pupil of Fear’s Strength.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Her gaze can instill the same Fear she felt that day into her targets.

Yet, because of the Fear she still hasn’t overcome to this day, she never dared to return to explore the mysterious depths of that valley.

Of course, even if she wanted to explore, she couldn’t, as the mysterious abyss seemed to have its own consciousness and disappeared. She once mustered the courage to try to visit, even if just to look around the outskirts, but she couldn’t find the way into the abyss again.

The secret of this adventure was one she intended to take to her grave, or—if the Dragon Swarm lucked out and birthed another Sub-Dragon—to pass down to a successor. But now, since this beautiful deity was inquiring, she thought about it and decided not to hide it.

"Lady Dorothy, here’s what happened..."

She explained the adventure in detail.

Well, Zora actually hopes to uncover the secret of that abyss, but she is limited in ability and likely lacks the fortune to re-enter and investigate the abyss. Yet the witches before her seem hopeful.

"I see, that explains it."

Dorothy patiently listened to Mrs. Yalong’s account, nodding repeatedly.

She just about understands everything.

"Mother Superior, this misty valley is actually the grave of a Snake Dragon King, right?"

The Homebody Witch turned and sought confirmation from the Mother Dragon.

She remembered that’s how Mother Superior introduced the valley at the hunt’s beginning, mentioning that the Snake Dragon King’s eyes are the best material for making Evolution Potion.

The Mother Dragon, who had been listening silently, immediately understood her daughter’s meaning.

"Dorothy, are you saying the abyss’s double pupils could be remains from that predecessor?"

Euphilia asked.

Though she was the ruler of the Ranch World, she couldn’t truly know the world like the Deities; many secrets were unknown to her, like the state of the Great Dragons’ tombs.

When Great Dragons die, Dragon Tombs form, decomposing the Dragon Corpse’s Strength to return to the world. One dragon falls, thousands are born, which is both custom and law in the Dragon Realm, an unbreakable rule even for a world ruler, to be respected.

Hence, the Mother Dragon knew treasures were hidden within all Dragon Tombs; Great Dragons are inherently treasure troves. But obtaining benefits from a Dragon Tomb is incredibly difficult, as the Tomb exists to repay the world, not to benefit outsiders.

Euphilia had recommended her daughter hunt in the Dragon Tomb Valley with hopes she’d luck out, but she hadn’t expected it would actually work.

Goodness, thank goodness her daughter didn’t kill this Sub-Dragon, or she’d have lost a tremendous opportunity. The remains of an Ancient Snake Dragon King are far more valuable than any Sub-Dragon or Dragon Beast.

Goodness, might this be retribution for good deeds?

The Mother Dragon pondered Fate’s wonders.

But she also considered information about the Dragon Tomb and began to explain.

"This is indeed the grave of a Snake Dragon King predecessor, and not just any Snake Dragon King—an Ancient Dragon King, properly called a Snake Emperor Dragon. Records suggest it fell in the Dragon Realm’s battle for the Dragon God position, a defeated contender."

"When the Dragon King ripped this Ranch World piece from the Dragon Realm as spoils, it wasn’t random. This grave is one of the Ranch World’s greatest treasures."

But once the Mother Dragon explained this, Dorothy couldn’t help clicking her tongue.

Goodness, the Dragon King chose this land, happening to have the Snake Emperor Dragon’s grave, and I now coincidentally need the Snake Emperor Dragon’s eyes...

Haha, what a coincidence.

The Homebody Witch thought with speechlessness.

Now looking at the Dragon King, she increasingly saw all sorts of problems.

"Tsk, should I perhaps find a way to talk to Yemengade, or Lord Arthur, Lancelot, or other Original Knights of the Round Table?"