For now, we can't just leave it alone now that we've discovered it.
　We had to respond to a new dragon, Seadul-san.

''Are you sure, Ara?　And you haven't even finished your drink yet?

　It's rather a bad one if you finish it.
　The dragon wine is said to be soaked with dragon extracts.

　You can't drink it unless you're prepared to drink it and become immortal or something.

　The one I drank was still a thin, shallowly pickled sake, so it didn't make me immortal.......
　........So, it's okay, right?
　Can I trust you to be okay?

　Anyway, I asked her to climb out of the liquor bottle as well, in order to explore the ambrosia fruit that Mr. Seidl was pursuing.
　I also had her change into human form so that we could have an easier conversation.

　The humanized Ms. Seadul was as beautiful as her mannerisms had impressed me, slender and tall, with proportions that were almost bursting.
　In short, a dynamite buddy.

''..........''

　I compare it to Veerle's human form.

'Hey, she calls Veerle her sister...'
Do you have a problem with that?

　There is none.
　I gingerly shoved the words into my chest.

　So, the ambrosia in question.
I'm sure it's a fruit, since it's called a "fruit". It's what grows on the branches of trees.
　It is said that this plant is already extinct and does not exist on earth.

　When I stroke the soil with my supreme bearer, plants from another world that shouldn't exist in this world grow up.
　So it may be theoretically possible to germinate a plant, even if it is extinct....

'But even so, is it possible to make something completely unfamiliar bear fruit?

　It's a first attempt.
　I don't know how it will turn out until I try it.

　In the first place, we have never seen this plant before, so even if it sprouted and produced a nice fruit, we would not be able to judge whether it was a success or a failure.
　It's a tree you've never seen before, so it will probably produce fruit you've never seen before.

'Mmmm.........!　What's going on...?

　If it's about fruits, it's a dungeon orchard, so I'm thinking about it while I come there and look at the various fruit trees.

''Oh my goodness, there are so many colorful trees, it's a very nice dungeon.''
'Of course!　The master has remodeled the dungeons I control!

　Veerle, Seadr's dragon sister, who followed me.

'Can I go look around for a moment?　It's not very often that you visit a human-sama's dungeon.......!
"Look around as much as you like!　And you will know the greatness of me and my master!

　He is a proud Veerle.
　And Seidl looks around here and there just to take you at your word, but.......

''Kyaaaaaahhhh!
"What's going on?!

　I suddenly heard a scream, so I hurriedly headed over.
　That voice was definitely Seedul.
　It must be something for a dragon to scream!

What's the matter?　What happened!

　I sit down very close and pick up Seadr, who was sitting on his buttocks.

"Oh, I found it........!
"Huh?
This is Ambrosia!

　What?
　Ambrosia is now extinct. You don't find Ambrosia anywhere!

　As I followed Seadr's trembling fingers, I found a bright red fruit that had grown into a luxuriant tree.

'Apples?'

　Yes, an apple.
　To me it's just fruit.

"You think this is ambrosia?　Where I'm from, it's called apples?
'I'm sure of it!　Your father told me exactly what Ambrosia was all about before I left!

　Say that quickly.

　But how is it possible for a plant that died out in this world to thrive in the previous world under a different name?
　How is that possible?

'If it's an apple tree, there are plenty of apple trees growing in the dungeon orchard, and the fruit is eaten every day. This too.....

　He plucked one of the well-ripened apples and wiped it with a hand towel.

'One for you, sir.
"What?　But you have something for your father...?
Don't worry, there are plenty more growing.

　Seadul swam his eyes for a while and showed a look of hesitation, but eventually he shuffled with intent.

　I felt like the snake that made Eve eat the forbidden fruit.

''It's delicious!　As expected of your father to choose it for his trials!''

　I'll bake you an apple pie when I get home.

'By golly!　I can't believe it was already there, let alone raising Ambrosia!　You are indeed your sister's husband.
Take as much as you want to take home.
'Thank you!　I will never forget what I owe you!　I'll be sure to return the favor eventually...!

　It was Seidl, who was on the verge of turning back into a dragon and flying away at any moment.
　........but.

''Wait a minute.''

　Someone stopped it with a calm voice.
　It was Seadul's sister, our familiar dragon, Veerle.

''Will you take this and acknowledge that it's really Ambrosia?
Yes?

　Viel looks at the apple in his hand and says, 'It's actually an apple?

'It's actually an apple.　If you say it's just a different species that looks like Ambrosia, how do you prove it's not?
Well....?
If you fail the ordeal, you'll be stripped of your magic and intelligence on the spot and turned into a Lesser Dragon.　If you go back with a 'maybe this will work,' you'll just turn into a big lizard.

　What's going on?
　Isn't Veerle in more serious mode than ever?

As a matter of fact, I've been hearing rumors lately...
"Rumor?
'Your father doesn't really intend to select his successor by ordeal, does he?　And.
What do you mean, sister?　Isn't Father putting us through a gauntlet to choose a new Geyser Dragon?

　Huh?　What?
　Seriously?

'Why should the ordeal determine your successor in the first place?　Your father's rightful successor was supposed to be Brother Alexander, the Glaugrintz Dragon.
That's because Brother Alexander has had a falling out with your father.
"Old Father is no longer strong enough to resist the young and fierce Brother Alexander. Isn't that why he's making use of us?
"Use?
They call it an ordeal to choose my successor, and as punishment for failing to perform the ordeal, they will turn me into a lesser dragon and steal my magic. He is trying to accumulate that magical power to secure his power against Brother Alexander!
So, are you saying that the ordeal and the selection of a successor is a farce?

　I decided to sit down and have a cup of tea, having no room to interrupt the seriousness of the conversation.

But..........　Then why are you putting us through an ordeal?　If you want power, why don't you just take it away?
No matter how much power a Geyser dragon has, he cannot force another dragon to take its power. That's why I used the magic of the oath.
A covenant...?
A curse enforced on those who make and break promises. Then you can strip us of our powers in the name of punishment. Without any effort.
"The dummy of the ordeal is used to make us sign an oath without our knowledge, and then take away our power through the device of breaking it. Is that your father's true purpose...?
'Yes. ........

　Veerle said.

''Well the corpse mole in our neighborhood guessed it.
You got all that from a guy who just said that?

　That's good.
　I had a role to play in the last minute.

　It's a very serious reasoning for Veerle, but it's your reasoning?　From the teacher of the No Life King?
　As expected of a teacher, you've thought this through very well!

I got to know that corpse monster through my master, so I was able to ask him a lot of questions. Now that I think about it, I have a pretty good idea what I'm talking about.
''Indeed, there are many things that would make sense if you go by that theory........ If that's true, even if you passed the ordeal, there's a good chance you'd be rejected because of the difficulty...?
''Your ordeal in particular is full of tweaks, even if you take that fruit with you. You will definitely be turned into a Lesser Dragon first.
Wha...?
It's best to just dodge the blame game and wait for Brother Alexander to make his move.

　It was Veerle who said, deflatingly, "I don't know.
　I don't know, or rather, I dare not want to know, but I guess the world of dragons is hard to understand, too.

　And after being told the unacceptable truth, Seadr is in agony while turning his eyes.

''Then when I return to your father's place, I'll be rejected regardless of my achievements...?　But if I don't come back, where do I stay...?

　I've been thinking in circles.

I'm going to have to stay in the bottle for a while longer.

　I'm going to have to stay in the bottle for a while longer!
　I guess the idea is to postpone the conclusion by retreating into the bottle.

Why don't you go have some apple pie first?
Hey, I'm gonna eat.

　Thus, another dragon came to live in our farm's brewery.
　It has become reclusive.........

　No, but even if we were to extract plenty of it and complete the dragon wine, we wouldn't be able to have it?