Eternal IX

Sta licked each chubby little finger one by one, then lifted his head and gazed at Haruze with an unsatisfied look. The Little Prince hurriedly covered the honey jar at his waist—it was something Brando had bought from a hunter before entering the Frost-dyed Forest, though a fair amount had already been used on the fairies.

"Want some more?" Brando stared at the fellow and asked, trying to draw his attention back. Sta turned around and nodded vigorously. "Mm-hmm!" Aloz couldn't help letting out a deeply dissatisfied snort at the sight. This fellow was truly disgracing the dragon race. She simply couldn't believe a proud giant dragon could be bought off with half a jar of honey. Half a jar of gems, perhaps. The Little Female Dragon thought resentfully, then turned and left without hesitation. She didn't want to stay here for another minute. If possible, she even wanted to pretend she didn't know him.

Sta remained completely oblivious. He merely gazed at Brando with eager eyes. That expression was naturally an act, and Brando knew it perfectly well, but he still found it somewhat amusing. "You don't have to look at me like that. You know what we want to know."

"...Mm, those guys ran off from the other side. That passage leads to an exit somewhere outside. I can point it out to you." Sta pretended to think for a moment, then seemed to have his memory restored by half a jar of honey and answered slowly.

Brando glanced at the direction he indicated without revealing anything, then asked again, "You must be very familiar with the area beneath here, right? After all, you've lived here since the Year of the Spider Venom. More than a century should have been enough for you to figure out every passage