I Have Tamed a Spider Monster - Chapter 241, Chapter 242, Chapter 243

Talat vs. Dragon
The battle between Talat and the mythical beast dragon was... well, one-sided, to say the least.
The dragon seemed to have more strength, but Talat was overwhelmingly faster, continuously dodging the dragon's attacks.
After dodging, Talat countered by using his predatory limbs to attack, freezing and shattering the dragon’s scales.
After a few rounds of this, the dragon leapt into the air and unleashed its breath attack.
Even then, Talat remained calm, using a shield of spider silk to protect himself.
Once the breath attack subsided, he shot the silk towards the dragon, binding it and slamming it to the ground.
At this point, the dragon declared defeat.
Talat, you've become so strong...

(Owowow. You didn’t have to throw me for real)

"Kyui.”

"He says, 'I'm sorry.'"

(Don’t worry about it, it was just a monologue. But Tarachnathos, huh. It seems that his kind is classified as a disaster class on the same level as mythical beasts among humans, but the power he contains is on a completely different level. Even if I were serious, I'd just be devoured. That's probably why he only fought with his predatory limbs, not his forelegs. If he had pierced me with those forelegs, it would have easily gone through my flesh.)

What? Was Talat really that amazing?
Talat was scratching his head with his forelegs, so it must be true.
Just how strong is he?

(Anyway, I was about to say that it's troublesome that a Tarachnathos has appeared in human settlements, but since he’s a contracted familiar, there doesn't seem to be any problem.)

Phew, even the dragon gave his approval.
Now Talat can live in the city with us.

(Still, why would a creature like Tarachnathos obey a human? It’s too strange.)

"Oh, that’s probably because I raised Talat from the beginning?"

(From the beginning? When did you start raising him?)

"Hmm, it’s been about a year. He started off as a Large Silk Spider. He had some decent combat abilities back then, but as he evolved, he became stronger and stronger."

When I explained everything, the dragon tilted its head even further.
Did I say something weird?

(Girl. Are you sure he started off as a Large Silk Spider?)

"Yes, he was a Large Silk Spider."

(That doesn’t fit with the evolutionary line. Tarachnathos is supposed to evolve from a Disaster Spider, not something as mild as the Silk Spider line.)

Oh, is that so?
But Talat is here now, existing as a Tarachnathos.
What could this mean?

"Dragon, may I speak?"

(What is it, daughter of the vampire?)

"That Tarachnathos evolved after consuming the Cursed Orb that imprisoned me. Would that make more sense?"

(The Cursed Orb!? Why would such a dangerous thing exist!)

"Don’t ask me. I was kidnapped without realizing it, and by the time I woke up, I had already been freed from the Cursed Orb."

(Hmm. If he absorbed the mana from the Cursed Orb, that would make sense. But then, there’s no reason he should be obedient to this girl. If he had absorbed the Cursed Orb’s mana, his mind should have been corrupted.)

So, that stone would corrupt your mind?
Wait, then, what Talat said back then...

"Um, I think I might know something."

(What is it? Speak.)

"After Talat evolved, he said he felt 'foggy'. Maybe that's related?"

(To deal with the Cursed Orb's mana by just feeling "foggy"... that spider must have an incredible willpower!)

The dragon burst out laughing with a hearty "Gahaha," but I was too worried to laugh along.
Talat hadn’t said anything, but was he really in such a dangerous state?
If he had told me sooner, I could have done something about it.
Talat, there’s a limit to how much you should endure.

----------

Returning to Report
After the battle with the dragon, I brought back some trophies: frozen and shattered dragon scales, as well as discarded horns, fangs, skin, and claws.
Honestly, I’m not a waste disposal worker, but...
Apparently, these materials are incredibly valuable in human society and could amount to a considerable fortune.
I'm not exactly in need of money, but since the dragon kind of insisted on giving them to me, I'll gratefully accept them.

When I returned to Vardmoi, I was immediately summoned by the Marquis.
In fact, it seems there had already been instructions for me to head straight to his place upon returning.
Hmm, I guess this is serious.
I went to the Marquis’s mansion and anxiously waited in the reception room for his arrival.
Well, it’s a bit late to be nervous now, though.

Soon, the door opened, and Marquis Vardmoi entered.

“You’ve returned, Lily. So, who was stronger, Talat or the dragon?”

“Err, it’s hard to say, but... Talat overwhelmingly defeated the dragon.”

“As expected. It seems the Adventurers' Guild's research matched the results.”

The Adventurers' Guild's research?
Seeing my puzzled expression, the Marquis kindly explained.
Apparently, after I left Vardmoi to challenge the dragon, they searched through documents to see if there were any records comparing Tarachnathos and dragons.
They couldn’t find anything of the sort, but they did uncover disaster records for both creatures.

According to those records, while there are cases of dragons being repelled, there are no known examples of a Tarachnathos being driven off.
In fact, there hasn’t even been a case of successfully diverting a Tarachnathos from its path.

The reason lies in the density of the power they both possess.
Both creatures contain tremendous strength, but Tarachnathos is only about the size of a horse, and yet it can fight a dragon one-on-one.
The conclusion seems to be that it's impossible to find an effective means of attack against such a small, strong opponent.
The Adventurers' Guild was now focusing more on disaster prevention measures rather than strategies for subjugation.
Yeah, Talat is just too powerful.

"That’s how it is. I know your character, so I’m not worried about you rebelling or committing crimes, but if you were to go on a rampage, no one could stop you. If you have any reasonable requests, come consult me, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Umm, being treated so specially like that makes me a bit uncomfortable...”

“Of course, I have my own motives. By keeping you here in Vardmoi, it strengthens our defenses against external threats. You also have some attachment to Vardmoi, don't you?”

The Marquis really is shrewd.
But it's true, I have developed a lot of attachment to this place, and it’s starting to feel like a second home.
If the time comes, I’ll lend my strength.
For now, though, let’s just agree to help each other if something happens.
I’d rather not owe the Marquis too much.

----------

Rumaja’s Visit
After some time passed following Talat’s evolution, things finally settled into a routine.
The only noticeable change is that Talat now insists on carrying me around on his back, which has left me feeling a bit out of shape.
It seems like he’s overly determined to protect me.
Am I really that fragile?

“What troubles you? You seem lost in thought.”

“Oh, Plum. I was just wondering why Talat is so eager to have me ride on his back all the time.”

“Ah, that. Well, you are being targeted, after all.”

“Huh?”

Targeted!? By whom!?

“... You hadn’t realized?”

“No, not at all…”

Plum sighed in disbelief, shaking her head.
Have I been that careless?

“Listen carefully. You’re one of the key figures who released me from the Cursed Orb. The Gaze Church must have gathered that much information by now. Which means, they likely view you as someone they need to eliminate.”

Wow, I didn’t realize I was in such a dangerous position.
Does this mean I can’t just stroll around town carefree anymore?

“Well, as long as I, Keuko’s team, and Talat are by your side, there shouldn’t be any problems. Especially with Talat's defense, nothing will get through easily. Don’t worry too much.”

“So, in other words, when I go out, I should just stay quietly on Talat’s back, right?”

“That’s about it.”

Hmm, looks like I don’t have much of a choice.
I guess I’ll have to make sure I get my exercise indoors.
I should also watch my weight.

“Excuse me, is Lily here?”

“Ah, Melanie. Do you need something?”

“Oh good, you’re here! I’ve brought someone with me.”

“Someone?”

“It is I.”

Appearing behind Melanie was Rumaja, the Grand Master of the Adventurers’ Guild in this country.
Now that I think about it, does Rumaja know about my shop?
She visited a few times in the past, so it’s strange if she didn’t.

But why is she here?

“Pardon the intrusion, Lily. You still have a wide variety of clothes, I see.”

“Well, I can mass-produce clothes, so the only cost is the fabric and patterns.”

“No, that's not typical! mana weaving and sewing consume a considerable amount of mana. Don’t you ever run out of mana?”

Oh, right, I hadn’t considered that.
I’ve never run out of mana while using magic tailoring, so I didn’t think about it.
But... how much mana do I even have?

“… Do you not know your maximum mana capacity?”

“I don’t. I’ve never run out of mana before.”

“Now that you mention it, you do use external mana to cast spells, don’t you? Then it makes sense you wouldn’t have experienced your limit.”

“That’s right. Should I be aware of my maximum mana capacity?”

“Of course. If you run out of mana at a critical moment, it could cost you your life.”

Hmm, I’m a tailor and merchant, but it seems like knowing my combat abilities is necessary for survival, too...
Since Plum warned me earlier, I should probably figure out how to measure it.

“Disciple, what brings you here today?”

“Master Plum. I’ve come to request Lily’s cooperation.”

“Cooperation?”

“I’d like to borrow Lily’s Lumite Grand Wing. You see, the princesses are visiting the town, and we need a way for them to move around separately from the main carriage.”

Princesses…? Could it be Princess Rodenlight and her entourage?
But why are they coming here?
And why do they need to use my Lumite Grand Wing...?

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