Chapter 23: I Do Not Wish for My Elastic Blocks to Be Used Directly by Enemy Dragons

The next day.

As the first light of dawn began to break, Lind opened his eyes. Without electronic devices for entertainment, he had fallen into the habit of going to bed early and rising early each night. After all these days, he had gradually adapted to life in this other world.

Yesterday, he had hunted a few sheep and used the collected wool along with some wooden planks to craft a bed, making his nights significantly more comfortable. Victoria, seeing how cozy he was, had clamored for a bed of her own. However, her size and weight were far too much for any ordinary wooden frame to support. Left with no choice, Lind had spread a layer of soft wool across the living room floor, declaring that the entire floor was now her bed. This had earned him an affectionate nuzzle from the young dragon.

*Sigh. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a dragon happy to sleep on the floor.*

He glanced at the pile of wool rolled into a ball on the ground, thinking that Victoria was certainly restless when she slept. He would smooth it out again before bedtime; the cabin became stiflingly hot during the day, and the little dragon wouldn’t come inside anyway. At this hour, she was likely outside watching the morning stars.

When he stepped out of the cabin, the scene before him caught him off guard. Where there had once been flat ground in front of his home, a tall pile of soil now sat, resembling a small mound. Hearing the door open, a snow-white head poked out from behind the pile:

"Ah, Lind! You’re finally awake? Hurry, hurry! I’ve been moving this dirt for ages—this should be enough, right? Let’s rebuild the cabin!"

Faced with those sparkling, expectant eyes, Lind could only refuse with a hint of regret: "I’m sorry, but according to my plan, today is meant for going out to find slime to make bouncy blocks."

The light in Victoria’s eyes dimmed visibly the moment he finished speaking.

"Oh... okay..."

"Ugh."

Lind felt a faint tug at his heart. She had been busy all morning just because she wanted to build the house with him. Refusing her like this felt a bit heartless. However, to prepare the tools needed for the treasure-heist plan, he had to start collecting raw materials in bulk. He had spent the day before yesterday mining a massive amount of ore specifically so he wouldn't have to worry about crafting tools in the coming days. A person's time and energy were limited; once a decision was made to tackle such an important task, other matters had to be temporarily set aside.

Just as Lind was about to give in and postpone his search for slime, Victoria lowered her gaze and spoke softly:

"Then that’s settled. You go find your slime, and I’ll build the cabin with Shirona instead."

"Eh?"

Lind had already braced himself to spend the afternoon out under the scorching summer sun. Faced with his surprised expression, Victoria explained herself:

"It’s summer, after all. Only the early morning is cool enough to have the energy to work. While I really wanted to do things with you, whether it’s building the cabin or finding slime, if we finished one, we’d still have to tackle the other under the blazing sun."

"Instead of compromising, it’s better if we both do what we want. That way, neither of us will feel bad. When you get back, we can hide in the shade of that big tree nearby and cool off. How sweet is that?"

"Victoria, you..."

Lind was overwhelmed by a surge of emotion. He rushed forward, wrapped his arms around the young dragon’s neck, and pulled her into a big hug. *Goodness, she’s so understanding; it’s like she has a halo of maternal grace.*

*When you grow up, would you like to be my wife?* He fantasized happily.

"I—what’s wrong?"

Victoria was caught off guard. It was rare for Lind to initiate a hug like this. Usually, he accepted her nuzzling with a look of helpless resignation, as if he were quite reluctant. She hadn't said anything particularly profound, just voiced her own thoughts. Why was Lind suddenly so emotional?

"Nothing," Lind said, releasing her with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You’re just such a wonderful little dragon, that’s all. I won't dawdle; I’ll head out early."

"Oh, oh! Remember to come back early, too." Victoria waved her claws to say goodbye. "Don't forget to pick some dragon-melons if you see them on the way! We can eat them together in the shade."

"Got it..."

The first breeze of the morning carried him on his way.

...

"Lind, you’re tinkering with that broken box again. Can’t you take a break?"

"It’s annoying, I’ve only just started."

Lind frowned, pinching the limp green cube on his workbench, and couldn't help but sigh. Another failure. There were no Slimes in this area, so he couldn't get slime by hunting them to make the bouncy blocks. He had been forced to settle for a substitute, seeking out reeds and using the sap within their leaves. But he didn't know the proper ratio for the synthesis. He could only rely on trial and error, adjusting the variables bit by bit.

The floor around him was littered with failed, defective products. Either they lacked enough elasticity, or they wouldn't hold their shape at all. This would undoubtedly affect his escape route once the deed was done. The treasure-heist operation wasn't just about moving items out of the Red Dragon’s vault; the most important part was being able to run away with the loot...

If the dragon were a dim-witted brute who didn't notice its treasures were missing, they could stroll away at their leisure. But that was unlikely. The more probable scenario was that the moment they carried the treasure out of the palace, the Red Dragon would let out a furious roar, triggering an exciting, high-stakes "temple run."

With that in mind, having a pre-planned escape route—with bouncy blocks placed at key points to act as cushions, allowing them to traverse the mountain forests with speed—was far superior to just running or flying. Perhaps, before leaping onto a bouncy block, he could even look back at the furious, red-faced dragon and say:

"Didn't expect this, did you? This is my escape route!"

But that was just a daydream. In a real crisis, survival was the priority. Villains die from talking too much; heroes die from rambling. Lind wasn't worried about the Red Dragon using his bouncy blocks. After all, being small had its advantages. Even if a block could support Victoria, a single step from the Red Dragon would crush it instantly.

*I don't want the enemy dragon to be able to use the blocks I leave behind.*

To that end, he had to be precise, striving for the ultimate elasticity to perfectly launch the three of them—one human, one dragon, and one bird. It was difficult, but he had to persist.

Lind wiped the sweat from his forehead, slapped his cheeks to snap himself into focus, and prepared to try again.

"Maybe we should take a rest, *chu*?"

"No, I..."

Halfway through his sentence, Lind froze.

Because that wasn't Victoria’s voice. It was a more mature, refined voice, carrying a hint of charm that belonged to a grown woman.