I Have Tamed a Spider Monster - Chapter 226, Chapter 227, Chapter 228

Invitation to a Large-Scale Hunt
One day, after preparations for the opening of my new shop, The Magic Butterfly, had been completed, I received a summons from the Adventurers’ Guild.
It felt like it had been a long time, but I wondered what it could be about.

"Oh, you came, Lily."

"Hello, Melanie. What’s the matter today?"

"Actually, we’ve received information that a Plain Earth Dragon has appeared on the plains between Vardmoi and Catastie. We’re organizing a subjugation team."

"A subjugation team? And you want us to join?"

"It would be helpful, but you’re a Green-ranked adventurer, Lily. We can’t force you."

Hmm, it’s true that we’re strong, but the Wildcat Claws and Plum are my guards.
There’s no reason for them to go to such a dangerous place.
As for me, I’ve just recently stopped being a novice Green-ranked adventurer, so I’m not really the type of adventurer called upon for a big hunt like this Plain Earth Dragon.

Besides, I’ve only been doing adventurer work at a level that earns magic stones to feed Talat.
Even that’s been mostly safe monsters that Melanie has recommended to me.
The magic stones from those monsters were of decent quality, and I’ve been able to mass-produce Spider Silk, Mana Spider Silk, and Frost Spider Silk.

To be honest, I don’t have a reason to risk fighting a Plain Earth Dragon.
The last time I fought one near Catastie, it was out of necessity.

… So why did they call me?
When I asked, it seemed they were asking if we could participate as backup, stationed in the rear.

"It’s easier to hunt big monsters when the rear is secure. Oh, and don’t worry. We’ve arranged for other backup so that you won’t have to fight even if the adventurers retreat."

"So, what exactly are you expecting from me?"

"Honestly? We’re hoping you’ll help transport the defeated monsters."

"I see. So, it’s less about me and more about my Lumite Grand Wing."

"Exactly. Asking to borrow a privately-owned vehicle is difficult, and since you and your team are strong, we thought it would be good if you could join us. We’ll pay you properly. You’ll receive all the magic stones from the defeated monsters, plus 2% of the sales from the Plain Earth Dragon. If a battle breaks out, we’ll add an extra 10%."

It sounded generous, but there was a reason for that.
Normally, when you defeat a Plain Earth Dragon, you can’t bring back most of its parts. However, with a large transport vehicle like the Lumite Grand Wing, you can recover almost the entire body.
Apparently, the Plain Earth Dragon I brought in before was exceptionally large, so they couldn’t price it.
A normally-sized Plain Earth Dragon would fit into the Lumite Grand Wing.

On the day of the hunt, it seems they’ll also have several large transport vehicles prepared, aside from mine.
However, even with those, they weren’t sure if they could handle everything, which is why they reached out to us.

Hmm, if I can get magic stones from the monsters, including the Plain Earth Dragon, it’s not a bad deal.
They might be underestimating the threat of a dragon species, but it probably won’t be as dangerous as the ice wolf that sealed Plum.
And as long as I’m with Talat, I’ll be safe, right?
Alright, let’s go!

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Dragon Hunting Day
A few days passed, and the day of the Plain Earth Dragon hunt arrived.
Over 40 adventurers were participating, all ranked Red or higher, with some Copper-ranked adventurers mixed in.
This large-scale hunt had been heavily publicized, and even people from distant towns had arrived via the Guild’s air transport.
Becoming a renowned dragon slayer and receiving a massive reward was enough to get everyone excited.
Meanwhile, we were in a more relaxed, spectator-like mood.

"Lily, you seem pretty calm.”

"Oh, hi, Melanie. Well, we don’t really have a role in the actual fight. We’ve come fully prepared, so there’s nothing to worry about."

"It’s a bit strange that the group with the most luxurious equipment isn’t actually participating in the subjugation, but I suppose it can’t be helped. I’ll introduce you to the commander of the operation, so please follow me."

It seemed we had to make an appearance.
Melanie led us to a large armored vehicle where they were busy loading supplies.
It looked like quite the task.

"Wone, could I have a moment?"

"What is it? Oh, the Guild’s on-site commander. What do you need?"

"I’d like to introduce you to the adventurers who will be serving as the transport crew and backup for the rear camp. In case something happens, they’ll be helping us."

"Backup... for the rear? Are you saying we might fail?"

The man named Wone showed a hint of irritation.
Well, he was an adventurer experienced enough to serve as commander.
His pride must be sky-high.

"No, not at all. However, this large-scale hunt involves an opponent whose numbers are unknown. And since it’s a major foe like a Plain Earth Dragon, we couldn’t even conduct a proper reconnaissance. It’s better to be prepared for any eventuality."

"Hmph, fair enough. So, what’s their rank?"

"The leader, Lily, is Green-ranked. However, she’s a Tamer, and her familiar is quite powerful, making her effectively on par with Copper-ranked adventurers. Her guards are Red-ranked and became dragon slayers last winter after taking down a mutated Plain Earth Dragon."

"Tamer Lily… Ah, is she the one who caused a stir in the Capital with Grandmaster Rumaja? And you’re saying her group took down that mutated Plain Earth Dragon, the one that would’ve fetched several billion Rubies at auction if it hadn’t been for the incident in the Capital? That’s promising."

"Well, we don’t want to raise expectations too high, but they’ll be reliable if needed."

"Got it. I’m Copper-ranked adventurer Wone. If the time comes, I’ll be counting on you. Of course, it’s our job to make sure nothing like that happens."

Wone extended his hand for a handshake.
I took it, and he gave it a light squeeze in return.
He seemed like a thoughtful person.

"I’m Lily. I’m primarily a merchant, so I’d rather avoid combat, but if the time comes, I’ll do my best."

"That’s the right attitude to have. Oh, and I’m counting on you for the transport. We won’t be able to haul everything back to town ourselves."

"Leave that to us. We’ve got reliable transport methods."

"Good to hear."

With that, Wone returned to overseeing the loading process.
According to Melanie, Wone was one of the top Copper-ranked adventurers, and many were counting on his strength for this Plain Earth Dragon hunt.

While relying on another adventurer might seem questionable, the opponent this time is a dragon species.
Without top-notch equipment, you wouldn’t stand a chance in a real fight.
The Adventurers’ Guild knew this and hadn’t allowed anyone with weak equipment to join.
That’s reassuring, at least.

In any case, the preparations were complete.
With several special large vehicles and armored transports heading out, this large-scale hunt couldn’t afford to fail.
Let’s hope we won’t need to be called into action.

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Before the Dragon Hunt Begins
We headed out to the plains between Vardmoi and Catastie, where the Plain Earth Dragons reside.
Including my Lumite Grand Wing, there were a total of nine transport vehicles, enough to carry seven to eight Plain Earth Dragons.
Along with adventurer transports and medical vehicles, we were moving in a convoy of more than ten vehicles.
This really showed how serious this operation was.

Even as we entered the plains, the convoy of vehicles advanced smoothly, and after a while, they stopped at a designated point.
This would be our base.
People began to pour out of the vehicles and gathered around the command vehicle.
I had heard there were more than 40 adventurers participating in the hunt, and with support staff included, there were over 100 people here.
Only someone highly capable could manage such a large group... Oh, it’s Roland.

“Everyone, gather around. I’m Roland, the Vardmoi Adventurers’ Guild Master. This Plain Earth Dragon hunt is a joint operation of elites from various regions. While the Plain Earth Dragon may be a lower-tier dragon, it is still a dragon species, so act cautiously and aim to take it down precisely. Once we thin their numbers, our Guild will send in recovery vehicles. We’re bringing back the entire dragons this time, so expect good rewards. That’s all—fight well!"

As Roland concluded, everyone immediately sprang into action.
The adventurers heading to the frontlines made final checks on their equipment, while the guild personnel assigned to support opened up the medical vehicles, preparing to receive the wounded.
As for us... there wasn’t really anything we needed to do.
I decided to check with Melanie if there was anything we should be doing.

"Is there anything we need to do?"

"Hmm, no, I don’t think so. The transport crew will be on standby until the adventurers secure the area. Once we’ve prepared the medical vehicles, we’ll be getting into the command vehicle ourselves. Just make sure you’re ready to run if anything goes wrong."

For this operation, the support team was always ready to move, meaning we had to be prepared to flee at any moment.
Even the guild staff weren’t planning to leave the command vehicle, and though they lowered the ramp of the medical vehicles, they made sure they could leave at a moment’s notice.
I had also noticed the large number of vehicles compared to the number of adventurers—this was to ensure they could spread out and pick everyone up if we had to escape.
Facing such a formidable foe, they were being incredibly cautious.
I guess you have to be this careful when hunting dragons.
Still... this left me feeling pretty bored.

“Lily, what’s wrong?”

"Oh, Plum. I’m just thinking it’s kind of boring since there’s nothing to prepare."

“It can’t be helped. When working with a large group, you need to adjust based on the situation. This time, the adventurers will be at the frontlines, while the guild will be in charge of support at the rear. The support team only needs to be ready to move at any moment and stay flexible."

"Hmm, I don’t think that suits me very well."

"Whether it suits you or not isn’t the point. I’d rather be at the frontlines myself."

Ah, that’s right—Plum is more of a fighter.
She hadn’t brought her usual guards today due to the number of people involved, but she’s normally someone who would be protected.
Not being able to move freely must feel quite restricting for her.
I guess that’s just part of her position.

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