The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King (姫騎士は蛮族の嫁)

We've caught the ire of a troublesome foe.

There is only on type of dragon that breathes fire.

The masters of the Kurogane Mountains...

The flame dragons— a strain of true dragons—

the Guren Nairi!

A true dragon? Then it's as dangerous as a Morisuberi?

Yes. The difference being...

This one is neither wounded, like the Morisuberi was,

nor do we have a group of over ten warriors!

If we face it head-on you and I may survive, but Malcius and Cersei will die!

Die?!

Is there anything we can do? Does the Echo Dragon breathe fire as well?

This spirit is the embodiment of our yearning for flight.

And flight is the only thing it offers.

It seems we have no choice but to land and face it in battle.

Two against a fire dragon is madness!

You don't even have a helmet! The best choice is to flee.

A fire dragon shouldn't take any interest in a mock dragon in the first place.

Why is this happening?

What was that?!

The Quefto's anti-dragon guns.

They don't seem to be working!

A distraction is all we need!

We're landing!

The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King

Dying! I'm dying!

Lord Thundering Voice, are you all right?

I appreciate the assist!

But given who our foe is, I don't like our odds.

The sooner we lose it, the better.

Understood. Everyone, leave the guns and clear out!

Withdraw into tunnel four!

This way, ladies.

But...

You won't wanna look at it!

Have a taste of Quefto hunter technology!

Sera! Run!

Sera! Hold your breath and get down!

I think we managed to get away.

So it seems.

Are you hurt, Sera?

No, thanks to you.

But what about you? Considering what happened.

Just a bit singed. Nothing serious.

Lady Serafina!

Are you two all right?

I'm glad you're all unhurt, too.

Have to say, when the watchman came to sound the alert, I was really shocked.

We would've experienced losses without the Quefto's support. I'm grateful.

Is it rare to run into those things?

Usually. They tend to keep to the inside of the crater...

I would've never expected one this far down the mountain.

I mean, who knows what goes on in a dragon's head?

For now, let's be grateful that everybody survived.

You're right.

And here we are.

And this is the dwarves' village?

Welcome to the home of the Quefto, Furnace Ridge!

To bore so cleanly into the foot of a mountain...

I can't imagine the technology and effort that was involved.

Kinda hard to resist being proud, when you put it that way.

After all, there's nothing we Quefto enjoy more than digging and research.

I see. That is very dwarf-like.

I should've given my name earlier. It's Serafina de Lavillant.

The way you blinded the dragon was brilliant.

Aw, you don't have to be so formal with your praise,

you're making me feel itchy.

Don't worry about manners with me.

My name is Kimaki. It's nice to meet you.

Right. It's a pleasure, Sir Kimaki.

Aw, don't call me sir!

All right, I figure swapping names might be a sign. I'll show our guests around!

No fair, Kimaki.

So jealous.

First come, first served!

You're just gonna get lost, anyway!

Yeah, if you show them around, we might never see them again!

It's a shame after exchanging names, but...

it's really hard to tell them apart.

It's so hot... and what's this strange smell?

It's sulfur.

Sulfur? Like what's used in gunpowder?

I believe I read about it in a military textbook once.

m 10 0 l 185 0 l 195 10 l 195 65 l 185 75 l 185 75 l 10 75 l 0 65 l 0 10

It's actually hydrogen sulfide that has a strong odor; solid sulfur is odorless.

Here we are, folks!

Say hello to the source of the Quefto settlement's hot springs!

I-It really is natural hot water.

I-It's so fantastical!

Is this your first time at a hot spring?

I'd been told about them, but...

Well, as you can see, it's boiling hot...

Over there, we cool it down to be just right.

Sera. I'll see you later.

Right, of course we'd separate here...

Were you hoping to bathe with Master Veor?

I-I said no such thing!

It's Quefto culture.

For whatever reason,

they have separate changing areas and entrances for men and women.

I find your lack of pretension to be much stranger.

Right this way.

Maybe it's because it's for dwarves, but the ceiling is awfully low.

Everything is made of metal.

Wood long enough for construction is pretty valuable

because of how much trouble it is to bring it in.

But there's a ton of stone and metal,

so we naturally ended up living in these kinds of buildings.

I suppose that's simply the regional flavor.

I can help you take your armor off, Sera.

Me too!

Yes, please.

But a hot spring, eh?

A natural bath... I can only wonder what it must feel like.

What happened to men and women bathing separately?! And you're being so brazen!

Well, Kimaki, even if you are a child...

watching someone get undressed is a bit...

H-Hang on a sec!

I wonder if my gear muffled my voice some...

That's better, isn't it?

Wh-What?! You still don't believe me?

How about this, then?!

She's a girl?!

"Girl?" I actually turned 55 this year, y'know.

Fifty...?! You're older?!

Well, in Cornem years, it'd be more like 20.

Another shocked westerner told me I looked like a kid before.

We don't all have beards, y'know! Don't make assumptions!

I-It's more based off of an old story about your kind...

There's a good chance our scarves are where the beard stories came from, then.

Considering where we live, it's important

for everyone to have protection against poison gas and dust.

I suppose stories that get passed down do have that tendency.

The way you're reacting... It's been a while.

You knew this was going to happen and didn't say anything, didn't you?

It reminds me of when Master Veor first brought you in!

But why were you staring at Lady Serafina as she was changing?

I was looking at that.

My armor?

Miss Sera...

Not that I need repayment for the hospitality, but...

Would it be okay if I took apart and did some upkeep on your armor...?

Uh... if you're going to maintain it, I'd honestly be willing to pay you.

I couldn't ask for that!

Because...

'Cuz...

It'd be rude of me not to lay hands on such a sexy work of art!

Sh-She's a woman of particular tastes!

Point being, we're all slaves to our passions down here.

Unique works of craftsmanship,

the study of technology and rare materials,