Player Chapter 28. Grumpy Dragon
The dragon shifted faintly behind him. Bound, but conscious enough to breathe.
He rolled his head sideways slightly.
"Don't try anything," he warned weakly. "We're friends now."
The dragon's tail twitched once.
[It cannot disobey a direct command under Shadow Contract.]
"Good to hear that."
He pushed himself up slowly.
He had to go back.
Golden flowers still uncollected.
Dinner approaching.
A Saint waiting.
And a fake vampire in temple custody who absolutely should not be assassinated while he was out here playing Dragon Slayer Simulator.
He rubbed his face with both hands.
"Hey, System."
[Yes, sir?]
"Do I have like… a shop?"
[Clarify.]
"Like for buying basic HP, Mana, and stamina potions. Trash tier is fine. I really need it."
He paused.
"…Not only for me. But also for that guy." He glanced at the dragon. "I can't leave him like that."
A small silence.
Then…
[…You are surprisingly considerate.]
"It's called common sense," he snapped lightly. "He is my first summon."
[Understood.]
"So? Can you?"
[I cannot.]
He froze. "What?"
[I am not a decision maker.]
Riven slowly turned his head upward like he was staring at a cosmic HR department.
"Can I negotiate?"
[Please state your request. I will convey your message.]
"…Convey it to who?"
[Astraea.]
He blinked.
"Her?"
[Yes.]
Riven's expression flattened.
"…The manager is Astraea?" he said in disbelief.
[Correct.]
He stared at the sky again.
Then sat up straighter.
Oh.
Oh this is good.
"Connect me to her."
[Direct connection unavailable.]
"I have complaints!"
[State them.]
He inhaled deeply.
"Oi, Astraea!" he shouted toward the heavens. "You kicked me into this game world, right onto the main villain's lap! Naked! You promised manipulative narration skills and I don't even have them yet! And now I just want a mobile shop and you reject me?!"
Silence.
The valley echoed faintly.
He stood up dramatically despite being exhausted.
"In modern VR games," he continued passionately, "even a level 1 player can access a mall shop and buy newbie bundle packages! I don't even have a beginner kit! Teleport me back to the championship stage! I quit!"
The wind moved slightly.
Nothing happened.
He crossed his arms.
"…This is unfair."
The System remained silent for a long moment.
Then…
[Lady Astraea has granted permission to access the Basic Item Shop.]
He froze.
"…Yes."
Negotiation succeeded!
He clenched both fists weakly in triumph.
[Your message has been conveyed.]
"Shop!"
A translucent interface opened before him.
Basic Item Shop.
No legendary weapons. No ultimate skills.
Just trash-tier consumables.
-Basic HP Potion 15 coins.
-Basic Mana Potion 20 coins.
-Basic Stamina Tonic 10 coins.
He nearly teared up. "That's beautiful."
[Your standards are low.]
"Shut up."
He checked his coin count. Thanks to wolf slaughter and dragon bounty, he had enough.
He bought five of each.
[Coins Deducted.]
He immediately uncorked a Basic HP Potion and drank. The healing effect was mild. Almost insulting.
But his body responded.
[HP +300]
Then Mana Potion.
[Mana +250]
Then Stamina Tonic.
Warmth spread into his muscles.
He exhaled slowly.
Better.
Not full.
But operational.
He stood up fully now, shoulders straighter.
The Night Dragon slowly raised its massive head, eyes locking onto him.
The contract pulsed faintly between them.
For a second, they just stared at each other.
Two idiots who almost killed each other five minutes ago.
Riven uncorked one HP potion with his teeth. "Open your mouth."
The dragon blinked.
Then scoffed.
Actually scoffed.
Its massive jaw tilted slightly away like a stubborn child refusing vegetables.
Riven narrowed his eyes. "Don't start."
The dragon's nostrils flared. A low rumble vibrated in its chest.
He stepped closer, completely ignoring how absurd it was that he was scolding a Legendary Level 52 Night Dragon like it was a grumpy Labrador.
"C'mon," he said, tone dropping. "You're bleeding. Blood attracts monsters. If you don't get better, you'll become a dragon corpse by midnight."
The dragon looked offended.
Like it hadn't just been stabbed forty-seven times.
"Open," Riven repeated.
A pause.
Then slowly, dramatically, the dragon opened its mouth.
"Good boy."
He poured the HP potion inside. The liquid vanished instantly as the flask dissolved into System particles.
[Basic HP Potion Used on Night Dragon]
[HP Restored: +300]
The dragon's wounds visibly knit a little. Not fully. But enough that the bleeding slowed.
"Another one."
He uncorked a second potion and dumped it in.
[Basic HP Potion Used on Night Dragon]
[HP Restored: +300]
[Bleeding Status Removed]
The dragon exhaled through its nose, the sound now less ragged.
Riven studied it carefully. He had stabbed it a lot. Very professionally. But still. A lot.
"Yeah," he muttered. "That's on me."
The System chimed quietly.
[Loyalty: Moderate]
He paused.
"…Already?"
[You healed it after defeating it.]
He patted the dragon's massive scaled head. The surface was cool and smooth, black scales shimmering like a slice of night sky.
"Hey. You good. You good."
The dragon grunted, low and steady.
Like… Obviously.
Riven snorted softly. "Well. You remind me of myself."
The dragon tilted its head slightly.
"Stubborn. Dramatic. Overreacting. Acts tough but needs food and rest."
A soft growl vibrated in the dragon's stomach.
They both froze.
The dragon slowly looked at him.
Demanding.
Riven stared back.
"…Yeah. You are exactly like me."
He sighed and reached into his inventory.
"Alright. I have something for you."
[You took out Boar Meat X20]
Twenty slabs of boar meat materialized in his hands and on the ground beside him.
The dragon's eyes gleamed.
"Don't inhale it. Chew."
The dragon absolutely did not chew properly.
It devoured everything in under thirty seconds.
Riven watched with mild horror and mild admiration.
"…You're expensive."
The dragon licked its teeth.
He folded his arms and really looked at it now.
Black scales like star-filled midnight. Wings folded along its sides like dark velvet.
It looked like a myth that chose violence.
And somehow… it reminded him of home.
Specifically, the helicopter in his family's estate. Yeah, the dragon was around that size.
He huffed softly.
Back home.
His parents.
His father.
His father's wives.
His siblings.
Too many siblings.
Half-siblings.
Siblings he competed with.
Siblings he teased.
Siblings who tried to beat him in everything or dragged him into their chaos.
But it was warm.
It was chaotic.
It was loud.
It was alive.
And for all the wealth, the fame, the Goldborne name…
It was genuine.
He scratched the dragon lightly between its horns.
"I guess that's why I'm cursed with a bad romance life, huh?"
The dragon blinked.
"I got money. I got fame. I got gamer skills. I got a warm family. But zero girlfriend."
He stared at the sky.
"Zero."