The dragon's harem

Chapter 706 Aradʼs return to the village

Upon walking into his domain, Arad could see the faint lines of a large stone castle emerging in the distance. ”They got this far,” He smiled, sitting on Ginʼs head.

”It looks like they finished the walls and Keep. It still needs some time, but itʼs looking great,” Gin nodded.

Arad jumped from her head and landed on the ground, expanding his wings. ”Iʼll go take a look,” He flew into the sky, teleporting upward and reaching the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Arad looked down, his purple-glowing eyes jolting from left to right as he surveyed his land.

The castleʼs main keep rested on the peak of the highest mountain, with the wall spanning around the mountainʼs base, a long stone road leading from the ground to the top in a spiral around the whole formation.

The village rested right outside the wall at the mountain foot, beside Aradʼs house, where they grew around it like plants around water.

”Itʼs growing,” Arad smiled, closing his eyes to sense all the animals and monsters prowling the ground. Immediately, he could see and hear the whole area through their senses.

Aella, who was in their houseʼs garden hanging the laundry, looked at the sky as she sensed Aradʼs magic, ”Heʼs back!” She turned toward the house and called Mira, who was cooking in the kitchen.

”I see,” Arad giggled, ”Troubles always await. Of course, they wonʼt let a growing city without butting their heads in,” He lifted his hands. ”Shouldʼve waited until I came back,”

Inside the new tavern that recently opened in Aradʼs village, a stout man sat in the back seat with a drink, listening to the other patrons. But at that moment, he saw a squirrel hanging to the ceiling, glaring at him with glowing purple eyes.

In a back alley, a well-dressed man was talking with an old woman, ”Come on, itʼs a good deal. Do you know how much is this worth? You wonʼt ever find a better deal. You can even move to the best district in Alina.” He said with a smile, shaking a small bag of gold.

”I said Iʼm not selling my land. Itʼs not even mine,” The old woman shook her head.

”Youʼll regret it soon. This isnʼt a deal...” He paused, seeing a chunky, fat rat glaring at him from over a barrel, standing on his hind legs with glowing purple eyes.

Beside the villageʼs entrance, the villagers have built a slightly larger house for their delegate leader, the village chief. His job was to bring the villagersʼ concerns to Arad, or his wives in case something happened. That was far better than having all the villages flock at once.

At the chiefʼs house, two noblemen were visiting with a concerning document.

”Sir Luckry. I believe you can read this,” He slipped a long, old-looking document on the table in front of the village chief.

”My late grandfather owned the land around this area before it was overrun by monsters. I would like to get the papers for it fixed. Would you mind signing this out for me?” He smiled.

”I canʼt. Youʼll have to wait for Lord Arad to return. I did tell your servants this last week,” The village chief replied.

The noble sighed, leaning back on the couch, ”Iʼve been waiting for a week, you know?” He growled. ”This must be done. What kind of stupid crap youʼre doing here? You canʼt even do this on your own?”

”I do not own the land. I donʼt have a say. And I canʼt sign that paper. My only job is to inform Lord Arad or his wives of such concerns. I did inform Lady Aella about this, and she asked for you to come visit Aradʼs house to speak with her. Why didnʼt you go?” The village chief stared at the noble.

”That and this are different matters. Youʼre the village chief of this area. This is something you do,” The noble glared at him.

”No, itʼs not my job. Speak with Lady Aella, or wait for Lord Arad to arrive,” The village chief replied.

CLACK! The noble punched the table, ”Iʼm saying youʼll sign it...”

ZEEEEEEE! The front door slowly opened up with a painful creek as if it hadnʼt oiled in decades. From the opening, a black goat glared inside with glowing purple eyes. ”MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

****

Back in the tavern, the squirrel jumped from the ceiling, landing in front of the stout man. The man looked at the small creature with a smile, ”What are you doing here? I donʼt have any food for you,” He looked at the squirrel with a smile, but soon he started to feel that something was off as he stared into the tiny creatureʼs glowing purple eyes.

ZON! With a thud and a gust of warm air, a large shadow fell over the stout man. ”Youʼve been shopping around for a while. Did you lose something?” Arad bent forward, glaring down at the man.

CLACK! The man gasped, standing, and stepped backward, dropping his chair, ”Wait! What are you?!” He cried.

”Lord Arad!” The bartender gasped, seeing Aradʼs massive body appear out of nowhere in the middle of his tavern.

”Heard the bartender, whoʼs youʼre looking for?” Arad took a step toward the man.

”Nothing, Iʼm just relaxing around...” The man tried to explain himself, but Arad extended his hand forward, pushing two fingers into the manʼs mouth. CRACK! He pulled a tooth out, and the man cried, rolling on the ground.

”I already know youʼve been looking for people to buy land around the village. Who said you can do that in my land?” Arad squatted beside the manʼs head, staring at him, rolling on the ground in pain.

”Youʼve been the least troubling one, so Iʼll let you off with this. Next time, Iʼm pulling them all out,” Arad tapped the manʼs head then stood, ”Get the hell out of my land.” ZON! He teleported away.

****

”Iʼm not selling,” The old woman cried, taking a step back, ”Leave me alone, I need to go home,”

”Iʼm telling you, this is one of the best deals youʼll ever find. Just imagine a nice house...” The man kept talking, cutting her way until he heard something.

”Hoo? The best deal?” A large shadow came from behind the old woman, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, ”Whatʼs this one talking about, Grandma Zir.”

The old woman gasped, looking up to see Aradʼs head towering over her. ”Lord Arad!”

Arad looked at her with a smile, ”Itʼs been a while. Is this man bothering you?”

”Heʼs wanting me to sell my house. You own it, right?” She said with a worried face.

Arad nodded, ”I do indeed,” His eyes shifted toward the man, ”So why canʼt you understand that? Youʼve been bothering her for a while,”

”Sorry, if it isnʼt a deal then it isnʼt,” The man turned around, walking away as fast as he could. ”Sorry for any trouble,”

As the man raced away, he got stopped in place as Arad hugged him from the back, grabbing him by the neck. ”Twenty-five personʼs youʼve approached while I wasnʼt here. From them, you forced fifteen to sell you the land that they donʼt own. Am I wrong, Mr R,” Arad looked straight at the fat rat standing on the barrels in the corner. The rat shook his head in agreement.

”Twenty-six, I didnʼt count Grandma Zir,” Arad smiled.

”Sorry about that. Iʼll leave the village at once.” The man was about to start crying.

”What about the ones that sold their houses?” Arad whispered, ”Youʼre giving those back, right?”

”I donʼt own them anymore. Theyʼve already been re-sold to nobles...” He replied.

”Oh my, you donʼt own the land that you should be returning. That shouldnʼt be a problem. You also bought it from people that donʼt own it.” Arad giggled. ”Weʼre keeping the houses and the money you paid my people. Youʼll figure out how to deal with the nobles on your own. After you heal your fingers,”

”Fingers?” The man gasped.

Arad stared at Mr R., ”Call everyone, eat his fingers and toes then throw him outside the village. Make sure to eat slowly so you donʼt choke,”

A swarm of rats rushed out of the streets and barrels, dragging the screaming man into the shadows.

Arad turned around and approached Grandma Zir, ”Here you go,” He put the small gold pouch in her hand, ”He seemed to have forgotten about this. Itʼs yours now.”

”Are you sure about this?” She asked, staring at the gold with a worried face.

”Iʼm sure,” Arad smiled, ”Come on, Iʼll get you to your house,” He touched her shoulder, teleporting to her house. She looked around and turned to Arad with a smile.

”Thank you, son.”

”Donʼt mind it. Iʼm back so call me if you need any help.” ZON! Arad teleported away.

****

In the chiefʼs house, they all looked at the door and saw the goat staring at them. ”A goat?” The noble gasped.

Above the goatʼs head, Aradʼs face popped out, staring at them with the same glare as the animal below him, and soon another Arad appeared above Arad with the same glare.

”Lord Arad?!” The village chief gasped, ”Two?!”

”You,” Lower Arad said, ”Own?” Upper Arad said, ”A part of?” Lower Arad added, ”My land?” And the upper one added.

”GAHH!” Arad exhaled a gust of smoke as his eyes turned black, ”Your name isnʼt Zephyr or Loci, is it?”