What Lay Inside

"Alright, let's start by checking the immediate perimeter of the house. Are there any Kobolds we need to watch out for?" Ryan inquired.

"I'll check, Master Ryan," Doran replied, rising slightly and uttering a whispered incantation to activate his skill. "Far Sight."

Ryan had chosen to bring the two hunters specifically for the unique skills they possessed.

While Joan excelled in assassination and stealth, the hunters provided valuable situational awareness, giving Ryan a gauge of his surroundings.

If the Kobolds were capable of understanding and responding in the common tongue, they might have answered Ryan's question directly. However, for now, he had to rely on the hunters for information.

"It seems... there are none," Doran reported, his expression betraying a hint of surprise.

"Is it typical for your kind to rely solely on traps rather than guards?" Ryan pondered aloud, addressing the Kobolds.

“Krie!”

“… Alright, not everyone is needed to go to the cave, so we’ll leave some of you guys here. Doran and Spike, you are free to remain here and scout the perimeter. Even if we do not return after a certain amount of time, do not come after us, okay?”

“W-what?” Spike and Doran gawked.

"Hah, I'm just only saying that in case we get into the worst-case scenario, but don't worry, we'll be fine. You might even be surprised to see me emerge from the cave accompanied by a group of Kobolds," Ryan said, sporting a wide grin.

Doran and Spike couldn't help but be even more astonished. It was already daunting having to prepare for the worst-case scenario, but Ryan's declaration exuded unwavering confidence.

"Alright, Joan and the five Kobolds will come with me."

— — — — — — —

“O-okay, this is a bit of an issue,” Ryan muttered, slightly crouching his head and squeezing his way through the narrow opening into the cliff.

Given the small stature of the Kobolds, it was only natural that the entrance to their base was also compact.

In fact, out of everyone in the group, it was only the three five-foot-tall Kobolds who managed to get in with slightly more ease. Even then, it was still a tight fit.

“You don’t even need traps,” Ryan said, but his words came to a halt when one of the Kobolds suddenly stopped.

“Krie,” the Kobold said.

“There’s a trap there,” Joan whispered as she stepped out of the way. “Please move over to this side, Ryan.”

Fortunately, as they ventured deeper into the cave, the space gradually expanded, allowing them to stand upright after some time.

And soon enough, it became evident that there were numerous interconnected tunnels and passages. The Kobolds scurried about, moving from one place to another, engaged in lively chatter and whispered conversations as they carried out their tasks below.

"We could have taken other entrances?" Ryan inquired, referring to the Kobolds accompanying him.

“Kriee…” One of the Kobolds bowed its head apologetically, and the others followed.

"It's fine. I suppose the one we took was the least traveled, and it helped us avoid attention so far, didn't it?" Ryan said, peeking around and feeling a slight sense of awe.

It was evident that while some parts of the cave were natural openings, others had been meticulously mined to create a more expansive and suitable dwelling for the mountain inhabitants.

"I imagined that this was what a Dwarven cave would look like…" Ryan whispered to himself.

"theirs are indeed far grander than this squabble!" the Grimoire interjected. "The walls would be more fortified, crafted from stone and such. Your comment does the Dwarven people a great disservice."

Ryan was lucky that only he and Joan could hear the Grimoire's voice so far. Otherwise, it would have attracted the attention of every Kobold in the vicinity.

Before Ryan could respond to the Grimoire, however, a sudden hubbub sounded.

"Krie! Krie! Krie!"

The authoritative sounds from a single Kobold prompted the others to clear a path as several Kobolds hurried from a lower section of the cave.

They carried a variety of items, including pounds of meat, hides, and even long, twisted antlers.

"...it's from the Giant Buck!" Joan exclaimed, her expression tinged with bewilderment.

“The meat has mana in it, so it must have spoiled slower than usual and the Kobolds found and collected it before other creatures could get ahold of it,” Ryan murmured.

On their way here, they had deliberately avoided the path with the Giant Buck to avoid encountering any hostile animals, so they hadn't had a chance to check.

"That's a lot of meat... Still, where are they taking it?" Joan inquired, her brows furrowed. "Do they have a kitchen or something?"

"Only one way to find out. But if they're just discovering this now, then it has got to be their leader," Ryan remarked, a smile playing on his lips.

— — — — — — —

It should have been challenging to conceal themselves from the watchful eyes of Kobolds scattered everywhere, but it was entirely achievable thanks to Joan's current active Skill.

Shroud Presence.

Joan's Skill allowed her to blend into the background, and she had extended its effect to cover herself, Ryan, and the five Kobolds. Despite their sizes, most of the Kobolds remained oblivious to their presence unless any of them made sudden noises that disrupted the Skill.

They moved as silently as they could, and in no time, they found themselves standing in one of the largest chambers of the Kobold Base.

The chamber was adorned with a vast array of gems and precious stones that rivaled—if not surpassed, the royal treasury of the Finis Kingdom.

Yet, that wasn't what caught the attention of the group—or Joan, Ryan, and the Grimoire, to be more specific.

"...I-it can't be!" the Grimoire squeaked, breaking free from Ryan's grasp and hovering in the air.

Joan swiftly positioned herself in front of Ryan, brandishing her dagger in a defensive stance.

A crowd of Kobolds had gathered around the magnificent sight.

Lo in behold, in the center, stood a breathtakingly beautiful and majestic gold dragon.

All of the Kobolds brought the prized deer meat and other offerings to the creature in an attempt to please and soothe it.

However, that wasn’t even the most surprising thing of all.

“It’s a baby dragon,” Ryan said in amazement.