The Appraising-Eye Slave Trader ~ A Blind Boy Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Dominates with the Power to 'See True Talent' ~ - Episode 12: Let's Appraise the Dragon

Episode 12: Let’s Appraise the Dragon

Lately, my “Appraising Eye” has been on fire.

I’ve been spotting slave talents and raising them, identifying junk goods and selling them at high prices, and even ended up taming a demon sword.

Which means—it’s about time I test it out on the “battlefield.”

“…With that said, maybe I should try taking on an adventurer quest.”

At the breakfast table, I was sipping on the usual grilled bread and soup. I then said it casually.

Then, Lilia dropped her spoon, Kariya widened her eyes, and Varna, for some reason, began to skip around.

“O-Ouji-sama!? Adventurer… are you serious!?”

“It’s dangerous! You haven’t even finished basic self-defense training. And besides, you’re not a combat class to begin with—”

“This is the best!! Let’s go on a quest! A subjugation one! Giant monster type! The kind where explosions and roars echo!!”

“Calm down, Varna. You’ve been too hyped lately…”

While calming Kariya, Lilia, and Varna down, I shrugged and said:

“I’ll choose carefully. With my ‘eye’, I won’t cross any dangerous bridge.”

◆　　◆　　◆

At the guild reception, I roughly looked over the requests.

Sweep out monster nests, bandit extermination, herb gathering… all kinds of things, but—

Among them, this one really stood out:

[High Difficulty Subjugation Request: Fire Dragon Appearance]

Location: Glen’s Mountainous Region

Details: Major damage to nearby areas. Subjugate or drive it away.

Reward: 50 gold coins + material purchase bonus

…A Dragon, huh.

Normally, this would be an instant rejection. Worst-case scenario: total annihilation.

But I thought:

(A Dragon… wouldn’t it be interesting to appraise one?)

With my appraising eye, there might be some “other talent” hidden beneath the flames.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Are you serious!?” “T-That Dragon!?” “Yesssss!!”

Ignoring their three different reactions, I signed the form.

“It’s fine. —My ‘eye’ says so.”

◆　　◆　　◆

Glen’s mountainous region.

We arrived at the rocky mountains within the quest area.

The ground was scorched. And there were traces of melted rock in places.

Just getting close filled the air with heat that clung to our skin.

And then—it appeared.

“GRROOOAAAAAHHHH!!”

With a roar, a huge shadow flew through the sky and landed on the ground.

Its whole body covered in crimson scales. Fire was in its eyes.

Just swinging its tail caused wind pressure, and a single breath scorched the earth.

This was a Dragon—a Fire Dragon.

“I-It’s here…!” “Wow… It really exists…!” “Woooooaaaaahhh!!”

My companions readied their weapons.

But not me.

My weapon isn’t a sword or shield—it’s this “eye.”

“Appraisal, activate—let’s see your ‘true nature’.”

“《Appraisal・Deploy》”

As I murmured that, multiple information windows overlapped the Dragon’s figure.

The information looked like it was lying—or rather, only the “truth” was surfacing.

《Appraisal Result》

[Race] Fire Dragon (Misidentified Evolution)

[Level] 48

[Condition] Mana Overload / Attribute Mismatch

[Attribute Talent]

* Fire: F (No compatibility)

* Ice: SSS (True compatible attribute)

[Main Organs] Blocked Ice Gland / Heat-Biased Breath Type

[Weak Points] Inflammation from fire / Incomplete scale growth on left shoulder

“…Whoa, seriously?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

This guy isn’t a “Fire Dragon”.

—It’s an “Ice Dragon” that’s mistakenly “being made to breathe fire.”

“Kariya, Varna! Focus your attacks on ‘fire’! Lilia, what about fire-type potions!?”

“I have them! Fire mist for attribute neutralization, five vials!”

“Throw them all to me!”

I caught them. And slipping between the Dragon’s breaths, I smashed one after another on the ground.

Every time a vial broke, deep crimson mist spread and scorched the ground.

Whenever the Dragon’s huge body was engulfed in the mist—it “pulled back as if in pain.”

“GRRRUUUGH… GRAAAAARRR!!”

As I thought.

“Fire” isn’t its true attribute.

Every time it breathes fire, the heat reverses inside its body.

“Now, Kariya! Left shoulder—one scale’s missing! Strike there!”

“Got it—!!”

Kariya struck.

A sword wrapped in pale blue aura dug into the Dragon’s left shoulder.

“GYAAAAAAAAAHH!!”

With a sharp scream, the Dragon slowed down.

Its fire breath stopped for a moment. And it fell to its knees.

Varna jumped in right after and raised her sword.

“‘Flame Severance!’”

A slash that cut fire—black-silver slash ran from the sword. It carved a large wound on the Dragon’s chest.

And then—

“Lilia, healing team on standby! Everyone, fall back!”

Everyone retreated at my command.

The Dragon was breathing heavily. It staggered and collapsed.

—We won.

Without losing a single person, we defeated the Fire Dragon.

But.

I didn’t think it was “over” yet.

In the afterglow of victory, I glanced again at the Dragon’s appraisal results.

(This guy has Ice Attribute SSS…)

Breath shape, bl00d circulation, mana flow—it was all aligned with “ice.”

It abandoned that and forcibly turned to “fire”—that’s why it looked so pained.

Even so, it was strong enough to be a subjugation target as a Fire Dragon.

(What if that talent were used properly…?)

That question rose in my heart.

So I approached.

I crouched beside the unmoving Dragon—

“Hey. Still alive?”

—and called out.

The heat slowly faded from the fallen Dragon’s huge body.

Though it breathed heavily, it was still alive.

One of its eyes glared at me.

“…You won’t finish me off?”

It spoke. The voice was deep and rough. But it clearly used “words.”

“If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve already. But—”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at its wounded chest.

“You’re not really a ‘fire’ Dragon. You’re ice, right?”

“…What?”

Its eyes slightly trembled.

“Your fire talent is bottom-rank. Every time you breathed fire, the heat backfired inside you. But your ice talent… is top rank—SSS. You were originally an ‘Ice Dragon’.”

After a moment of silence—

“…Haha… hahaha… No way…”

The Dragon sighed. And instead of fire, a faint icy breath escaped.

“…A human… saw through what’s inside me…?”

The Dragon laughed. It was hoarse—but sounded somewhat relieved.

“I see… So that’s how it is… I was… mistaken…”

The reason its body creaked when breathing.

The reason it got sick every time it went hunting.

The reason it was left behind by its kind—

All of it stemmed from ignoring its ice talent and clinging to fire power.

Finally, it understood.

So, I reached out my hand and said:

“If you want to master ice, come with me. I’ll guide you.”

“…Guide me?”

“My ‘eye’ is sharp. I can point out your growth and your path without mistakes.”

A long silence—and then:

“…Hmph. Interesting. You’re a strange human. Then, I’ll go along with you.”

With a heavy thud, it bowed its head to show its “will” to my hand.

And in the next moment—

*Flash*, a brilliant light burst.

“Eh—”

Lilia gasped in surprise.

When the light faded, what was there—

“…So small!?”

A palm-sized mini Dragon, perched on my shoulder.

Its black scales faintly shimmered silver. Its sharp eyes were unchanged. Only its presence remained massive.

“If a contract is made, of course we ‘shrink’ for mana efficiency. Don’t you know?”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Hmph… Now I fit on your shoulder. Convenient, right?”

“Convenient… or rather… you’re kinda cute, huh…”

“Don’t say that.”

It glared at me immediately.

◆　　◆　　◆

“Eh, eh!? Ouji-sama, just now… that was…!?”

“…Could it be… you tamed it…?”

Kariya and Lilia froze.

“A shoulder Dragon… just appeared…! This scene is unbeatable!!!”

Varna trembled with excitement.

Looking at the little Ice Dragon, I chuckled lightly.

“I should give you a name. Since your ice talent was SSS… how about ‘Yuki’ (Snow)?”

“…Lame… No, not bad. Probably. Barely acceptable.”

“Alright. Then it’s decided.”

Just like that, the Ice Dragon Yuki came to ride on my shoulder.

As long as I have this “eye”, I can even choose Dragons as comrades.

(Alright. Next—what talent will I discover?)

With a grin, I began walking back toward the guild.