The Unlikely Hero

Chapter 18. The Key to Survival

I walked through the illusion of Soran's Tower wall irritated, angry, humiliated, embarrassed, angry, hungry and very angry. Did I say I was angry?..

Yes, let me repeat it yet again – I was angry. I was fuming. I was about to unleash my wrath on the entire world, if only I had the chance. I mean, just think of it – I got burned by the magma river, was almost killed by a freaking dragon after he had ridiculed me thinking I was a 15-year-old boy, then lost consciousness and woke up Gods knew where feeling cold, tired, sopped to the skin as it had started raining and hungry as a wolf. Would you still be thinking about world peace in my situation?.. All I could think was... beef roast! And as soon as I thought of it, my stomach rumbled in reproach and protest and I grumbled along with it as I stomped across the halls of Soran's mansion.

They'd better have the dinner hot and ready or I might just slay them instead of that dragon. And how am I supposed to slay that thing?.. There's no way in this entire world, scratch that, the entire universe, that I'll be doing that.

With such thoughts running in my head I finally reached the room where I had met Soran in the morning. And I even did it with little difficulty! Well, fine, you caught me – many difficulties and mixed corridors... And, of course, the room was empty. I groaned and banged my head into the doorframe in frustration.

How the hell am I supposed to find them now?! My stomach rumbled again and that was the moment I remembered I still had a very handy spell of tracking magical sources. Surely it would track down a powerful magician like Soran. I concentrated and felt it up right away with unexpected ease. As I followed the source, I wondered how come I didn't do this before. Instead of walking around the huge mansion randomly I could have saved my time. But nooo, I just had to be stupid enough to wander around the house aimlessly.

It took me another fifteen minutes to finally locate the room with the strongest magical aura, well, if to be precise, the only magical aura in the entire house. The doors were shut and I pushed them open with a loud bang. I was hoping to see them lounging comfortably and drinking evening tea or something, but I was not expecting to find what I did.

Soran and Ralph were sitting at a long dinner table full of various dishes and eating something that looked utterly delicious! I gaped at them with my mouth open, my nose twitching at the divine smells that were assaulting my nose. Those bastards!

"My lady!" Ralph shot up from his seat and rushed towards me, his green eyes falling on my frame worriedly. "I was so worried for your safety! Where have you been for so long?"

I pushed past him as I practically jumped onto the dinner table, my hands grabbing the nearest piece of food and stuffing it into my mouth. My stomach rumbled with appreciation and impatience as I munched with my mouth full.

"Someone has a piggy appetite," Soran commented and I glanced at him fervently, mumbling something in between my chewing.

"My lady, it is not appropriate to speak with your mouth full," I heard Ralph say beside me but I merely waved my hand at him absent-mindedly. My rage had gone away with a puff as soon as I got my hands on some food.

"Indeed," Soran noted grimly. "I can see you will have to learn manners as well as control over dragon powers."

I almost choked on my piece of meat and started coughing, banging my hand at my chest furiously.

"You-" I wheezed. "You-you try going without food... for a day... then we'll talk!"

I grabbed the nearest glass of red liquid and gulped it down not caring much as to what it was. I figured it had to be juice as it was slightly sweet and tasted like cherries.