Help! I'm in Another World and the Dragon Man Want Me To Get Pregnant!
Chapter 37: Crossing the Mountain

Chapter 37: Crossing the Mountain

Just thinking about it made him anxious.

Yet Ignatius just smiled at him gently and unfazed by his concerns.

"You’re still unsure about your future, aren’t you?" Ignatius asked.

"Well... yes," Shen Xinghui admitted.

"In that case, there’s no need to rush into a decision," Ignatius said calmly. "You’re still young, Xinghui. It’s okay to take your time and figure things out. Besides, I’d appreciate your help. Your cooking is very delicious, and I’m hopeless when it comes to household tasks. Having you handle things like meals during the journey would be a big help."

Ignatius’s easy smile and kind words made Shen Xinghui feel a mix of gratitude and unease.

How could someone be so generous?

And was it really okay to rely on him like this?

Shen Xinghui couldn’t help but worry about becoming too dependent.

"Also," Ignatius added, "humans are in high demand in the Drakthar Dominion."

"In demand?" Shen Xinghui asked, confused.

"The Dragon Man isn’t particularly dexterous," Ignatius explained. "Humans, on the other hand, are skilled at many things and tend to be less intimidating to others. They’re highly regarded in service industries like inns and restaurants. If you want to find work, you’ll probably have more options there than here."

Shen Xinghui mulled over Ignatius’s words.

It seemed that different races had their own strengths and weaknesses.

If what Ignatius said was true, perhaps moving to the Drakthar Dominion wasn’t such a bad idea.

After much thought, Shen Xinghui finally accepted Ignatius’s invitation with gratitude.

...

The journey was progressing smoothly.

Near the capital, there were plenty of towns, so there was no need to worry about camping outdoors.

It took them ten days to reach the border.

Beyond that point, the terrain changed from forests to gentle plains.

Since there were no particularly strong monsters in the area, camping out was relatively safe.

With only about five days left in their journey, Shen Xinghui and Ignatius were preparing to cross the most challenging mountain pass.

"Be careful from here on out. The forest at the base of the mountains has some moderately strong monsters," Ignatius warned with a serious expression.

He then removed a necklace from around his neck and placed it around Shen Xinghui’s.

It was a whistle made of shimmering black crystal that sparkled like a gemstone when held up to the sunlight.

"If we get separated, there might be others of my kind nearby. Blow this whistle if anything happens and they’ll come to help."

"But wouldn’t it be better if you kept it, Ignatius?" Shen Xinghui asked hesitantly.

"If it comes down to it, I can revert to my dragon form and let out a dragon roar. Our dragon roars could be heard across the entire mountains to reach our kin," Ignatius explained calmly.

"Oh, I see," Shen Xinghui murmured.

He had momentarily forgotten that Ignatius, as a member of the Dragon Man race, could transform into a dragon.

Judging from his presence, he probably resembled a western-style dragon.

Clutching the glittering whistle at his chest, Shen Xinghui silently prayed that he wouldn’t have to use it.

Before entering the forest, they camped near a lake.

Ignatius set up a tent and layered it with multiple protective barriers for their safety.

Fortunately, there’s no monsters attacking them during the night and they can sleep peacefully.

Climbing the mountain proved to be much harder than Shen Xinghui had anticipated.

The rugged and rocky paths often caused him to lose his footing and each time he almost slipped, Ignatius would pull him back up effortlessly. "Are you okay?" Ignatius would ask casually, as if it were nothing.

Shen Xinghui regretted not building more stamina in his previous world.

Maybe joining the mountaineering club back then wouldn’t have been such a bad idea.

By the end of the first day, they had only managed to climb a third of the way up the mountain.

They decided to set up camp early because Shen Xinghui felt exhausted.

He was completely drained and Ignatius chuckled as he took care of the tent and other preparations.

"I’m sorry," Shen Xinghui muttered, feeling utterly defeated.

He couldn’t believe how little endurance he seemed to have.

He had thought he had average stamina, but in this world, it clearly wasn’t enough.

"Crossing a mountain pass is very tough, so don’t worry about it. It’s especially hard when you’re not used to it," Ignatius said reassuringly.

"I feel so pathetic," Shen Xinghui said.

"There’s nothing pathetic about doing your best," Ignatius replied while patting him on the shoulder.

Ignatius knelt beside Shen Xinghui’s aching legs and cast a healing spell.

"Heal."

The tension in his legs eased and the soreness began to dissipate.

As Shen Xinghui lay on the ground, Ignatius stretched out beside him.

Ignatius had been helping him every step of the way and always showing concern for his well-being.

Shen Xinghui had something precious he could offer this man, but he kept it hidden.

Fear and uncertainty held him back.

If he were braver or more optimistic, perhaps he wouldn’t be so hesitant.

After all, he didn’t feel any instinctive aversion to Ignatius.

Shen Xinghui lost in though while staring at Ignatius, unable to take any action.

These unresolved feelings had been lingering for far too long.

The next day, Shen Xinghui pushed himself harder.

He found a sturdy branch along the way and used it as a walking stick, which reduced the number of times Ignatius had to help him.

By early afternoon, they reached a scenic spot with a clear view.

On the right was a dense forest, while on the left lay a sheer cliff with a river flowing far below.

The path was wide enough to feel safe, but Shen Xinghui had no intention of looking down the cliffside.

"Don’t walk too close to the edge of the cliff. It’ll be serious trouble if you fall."

"Understood."

Shen Xinghui fully grasped that "serious trouble" didn’t even begin to cover it.

An hour passed as they slowly climbed, the altitude steadily increasing.