Considering I got nearly all the potions made from the dragon's liver, there wasn’t much loss on my end.

"Well, since I was able to get most of the potions from the dragon's liver, that’s more than enough for me. So, I’ll just take 20 million G, equivalent to one vial of potion."

I reached for 20 large gold coins from the 100 stacked on the table.

"No, that’s way too little!"

"It’s fine. I also got a lot of materials from the dragon and wyverns, so I don’t really need much money right now."

"Even so, you saved our lives. Please, don’t hold back."

"Well… but I was watching from a distance before Ms. Lilith got into real danger. Honestly, I should’ve joined in sooner. Plus, you all had already worn down the dragon enough for me to finish it off."

"There are parasitic parties that barge in without being asked and demand payment afterward. It’s only proper to either join after asking or not interfere at all," Lilith replied.

"Still, our attacks didn’t seem to harm the dragon at all. The way it shrugged off Rurune’s advanced magic and didn’t even drop to the ground was beyond our calculations."

"Indeed. Even I was shocked. To think we couldn’t even knock it out of the air…"

"It’s not Rurune’s fault, nyan! Nena couldn’t do anything either when it attacked from the sky…"

"And I’m a tank, but in the end, I couldn’t even protect Lilith…"

"Hah, I was completely out of my league. I challenged a dragon, mistimed the retreat, and if Masayoshi hadn’t saved me, I’d be dead…"

Thuuuud.

Suddenly, a heavy air of regret hung over the room as everyone fell into a reflection session.

"W-Well, it all worked out in the end! The lord was saved, and everyone’s safe! If you hadn’t challenged the dragon, I wouldn’t have known the lord needed the liver, and I wouldn’t have been able to help her!"

“…You’re right. In the end, Master Masayoshi saved us all.”

"And we got to meet Big Bro Masayoshi because of it," Nonoh added.

"That’s right! See? It’s all good. So, why don’t I take just 20 million G, and we’ll treat the rest as a favor? I don’t need much money right now, but it would really help if you could lend me your strength when I’m in a pinch."

Having adventurer allies for emergencies, like Ian and the Steel Fist group earlier, could be a lifesaver. Maybe I could even ask them to hunt rare ingredients for me.

"…A big favor, huh? Are you sure? It feels like there’s nothing we could do that you couldn’t handle yourself, Masayoshi."

"I’m traveling, so I don’t know many people in this country. It’s reassuring to have people I can rely on if something happens."

Honestly, after taking down the dragon, I’ve already earned more than enough money to last a lifetime in this world. With no rent or major expenses, I could live comfortably forever.

"…Alright, we owe you a big one. If you ever need cash, let us know, and we’ll have it ready for you immediately."

"Of course. I’ll reach out if I ever need help."

"Please call on us anytime!"

"Yeah, we’ll do anything we can!"

"Nena will handle it, nyan!"

Good. It seems they’ve forgotten about the whole slavery discussion. Not that I’m entirely disappointed... maybe just a little.

"By the way, Masayoshi, were you able to achieve your goal?"

Gulp. Oh, right. They’ve been assuming I had some grand, noble purpose.

"What are you saying, Lilith? There’s no way someone as strong as Big Bro Masayoshi couldn’t achieve his goal."

"Indeed, as Nonoh said, someone as skilled as Master Masayoshi must have succeeded in whatever grand mission he had."

…There wasn’t any grand mission to begin with. I just wanted to eat dragon meat and take down a dragon that was attacking people.

"A-Ah, yes, thanks to everyone’s help, I was able to accomplish my goal without any issues. Speaking of which, to celebrate the lord’s recovery, why don’t we all enjoy some dragon meat together?"

I had planned to ask Sara’s mansion chef to prepare it, but this is a great chance to share the experience with Lilith and her group. After all, I’ve been looking forward to tasting dragon meat!