"Is it over? It suffered more damage than I intended."
I had successfully slain the Sea Serpent.
Floating in mid-air, I surveyed the scene below. The pearl farm had been half-destroyed.
The fishing village, at least, was mostly unscathed. Since I’d cast a protective barrier over the houses in advance, the shockwaves from my Susanoo had been suppressed to little more than a stiff breeze.
"Rest-san, are you all right?" "My Lord... is it finished?"
Celestine Crocus and a few of the villagers were calling up to me. I descended to the shore to address them.
"Yeah, it’s over. The Sea Serpent is dead." "I see... thank goodness."
Celestine let out a long sigh of relief. As a mage herself, she’d been waiting in the nearby trees, ready to intervene if the situation turned dire. I was glad I’d managed to end it without putting her in harm's way, especially since she wasn't accustomed to actual combat.
"And... I’m sorry," I said, turning to the villagers. "I’m sorry the farm ended up in such a state. I’ll provide the funds to compensate for the damage. Please, forgive me." "Not at all, my Lord! You saved this entire village. There’s no need for apologies!" the village representative replied, waving his hands frantically.
The villagers were holding large wooden buckets filled with seawater and something else. "The shells are safe, as you can see. Besides, the pearl farming operation hadn't really found its rhythm yet. We can recover from this easily enough."
It turned out that while I was using the farm as a decoy, the villagers had been busy salvaging the shellfish. The facility itself was half-wrecked, but with enough time and money, repairs were certainly possible.
"As for the repair costs, perhaps we should sell the Sea Serpent’s remains," Celestine suggested, pointing toward the carcass floating in the bay.
Split in two by the internal blast, the monster's remains bobbed in the waves, trailing blood and gore.
"It is a sub-dragon, after all. The scales, the meat, and even the blood—even with how much has been lost—will fetch a high price. We should recover it and contact a merchant." "Right. Good idea."
I used my magic to haul the Sea Serpent closer. While I was at it, I froze the entire carcass in a block of ice to prevent it from rotting.
"There. That should do it." "I shall handle the arrangements for the sale, if that is acceptable?" "Of course. I’m counting on you."
She really did think of everything. Having Celestine around was proving to be a massive help in more ways than one.
(I know she’s one of my prospective fiancées... but if we actually marry, her help with asset management alone would be incredible.)
I had Viola and Primula as well, but as the heir to the Marquis Rosemary House and the current head of the Count Clover House, my administrative duties and assets were growing at an exhausting rate. Having a capable woman like Celestine by my side would be a godsend.
(Though it feels a bit wrong to think about marriage in such pragmatic terms...)
Then again, it was a political marriage. Perhaps that was just how things worked here. As someone who still held onto my Japanese sensibilities, it was a hard pill to swallow.
"I believe the blood and organs can be used for medicine," Celestine continued. "Though it's a shame about half of it washed away." "A waste, yeah. But I wasn't exactly in a position to be picky about how I killed it. Wait...?"
"Gaa!" "Gaa! Gaa!"
A sound caught my ear. Drawn by the scent of blood, a school of One-horned Sharks had gathered near the wreckage of the farm. They were barking in low, cackling voices, their path blocked by the earthen wall I’d raised to trap the Serpent.
"...Well, it looks like we can recoup even more of the losses."
I wasn't sure if they'd make up for the lost dragon blood, but at the very least, it looked like we were having shark for dinner. I began casting my spells, turning my sights on the gathering swarm.