[Translator – Peptobismol]
【Greetings. I am the Dragon King who rules over Adren-】
【Azidahaka.】
Ronan’s party froze. The dragon’s imposing size was intimidating just by its presence. It seemed formidable enough to rival Navardose.
A tense silence hung in the air. Dragon King Azidahaka was quietly observing them, as if waiting for something. Realizing what needed to be done, Ronan belatedly bowed his head.
I am Ronan.”
He had almost ignored the Dragon King’s greeting. He wondered if he should have been more respectful, but there was no time for that. Aselle and Shulifen quickly followed suit.
“I-I am Aselle… Please… I mean, nice to meet you.”
“Glory to the Lord of Adren. Shulifen Sinivan de Garcia greets the Dragon King.”
Shulifen was the only one who greeted properly. Aselle, realizing his mistake, turned pale. The Dragon King finally lowered his head to meet their eyes.‘He’s really freaking huge.’
Up close, he was even more overwhelming. Each of his beautiful golden scales was larger than an adult’s palm.
There were dozens of jewel-decorated bands wrapped around each of the four horns, one pair per head. Ronan had thought Navardose’s attire was extravagant, but it was nothing compared to this.
Though their faces looked almost identical, the horns’ decorations and their voices set them apart. Both heads spoke.
【You fought well. For a human to wound Orsay, it was quite-】
【Impressive.】
Unexpectedly, there was no rebuke for their greetings. Their manner of speaking was fascinating. The left head would start speaking with a male voice, and the right head would finish with a female voice.
Ronan suddenly realized that both heads were looking at him. He scratched his head and responded.
“It’s not much, but thank you.”
Praise from high-ranking individuals was always uncomfortable for him. It felt like wearing an ill-fitting silk robe. The left head chuckled.
【You’re humble. Well, that’s-】
【Human of you.】
【In any case, for protecting my city from the evil dragon, I-】
【Thank you.】
Ronan bowed his head awkwardly. Contrary to what he had heard, the Dragon King seemed much more reasonable. He began to think that the slander might have come from the Itargand side.
【But you are too strong for a human. I am curious about-】
【Your secret.】
“Uh… there’s nothing special.”
Ronan answered. In truth, there was no secret other than his relentless sword training. The Dragon King’s voice lowered slightly.
【I believe there is-】
【Something.】
【Why do you think I called-】
【You here.】
Both heads were now looking at Aselle and Shulifen. He realized that they still bore Itargand’s marks. The right head’s neck slowly coiled around them like a snake.
‘I have a bad feeling about this.’
“R-Ronan…!”
Wait.”
Ronan felt his heart pounding. He gestured for the tearful Aselle to calm down.
Shulifen’s hand was slowly moving towards his sword hilt. The left head turned back to Ronan.
【As I thought, all three of you bear the power of Navardose and her offspring. What is your-】
【Connection to the Fire Dragon Clan?】
Ronan twisted his lips. He had expected this situation, but had no countermeasure for it. This was his worst fear coming true.
‘Damn it.’
If even ordinary dragons could sense Navardose’s aura, there was no way the Dragon King wouldn’t. Ronan didn’t respond. He quickly assessed their surroundings for an escape route.
【It would be best to-】
【Speak willingly.】
Suddenly, both heads opened their mouths wide. Flames roared! Light swirled inside their throats, making it look like they were holding the sun in their mouths. It wasn’t hard to realize that this was the beam that had sunk Orsay. The desert of gold coins was shimmering in the reflected light.
This was really bad. Ronan, hand on his sword hilt, looked at Aselle and Shulifen. He was about to signal the escape plan he had prepared in advance. Thud! The two heads, which had seemed ready to breathe fire at any moment, suddenly closed their mouths.
“What?”
Ronan furrowed his brow. The trio froze in their tracks. An uneasy silence ensued. The Dragon King, uncoiling his neck, burst into laughter.
【Ha, hahahaha!】
【Ahahaha!】
It was a booming laughter that shook the tower. The mixed male and female voices echoed loudly. Unable to contain himself, Ronan spoke up.
What are you doing?”
【Ahaha, sorry. I apologize… it’s been a long time since a human stood before me, so I couldn’t help-】
【Playing a little joke.】
“A joke?”
Ronan’s brow furrowed deeply. The two heads, now back in place, nodded simultaneously.
【Yes… it was just a simple joke. I am not so uncouth as to harm the heroes who saved my city from Orsay. So-】
【You can relax.】
“You, you, that was too much
Thud. Aselle, whose legs had been trembling, finally collapsed. Ronan clenched his fist.
Throughout his life as a Punishment Squad member, he had experienced all kinds of unpleasant jokes, but this was a first. Suddenly, a pile of gold coins in which the Dragon King was buried collapsed.
‘Hmm?’
It had collapsed because the Dragon King was shaking with laughter. By coincidence, Ronan saw a hidden part that made him raise an eyebrow. The bases of the two necks were connected like the index and middle fingers on the same hand.
So it’s not two dragons but one dragon with two heads.’
[Translator – Peptobismol]
It was the first time in his life seeing a two-headed dragon. He had heard that dragons with multiple heads were rarer than dragons with multiple wings, and he never expected to see one here.
‘Hmm?’
Ronan, sensing something amiss, tilted his head. The left side of the left neck was bulging, as if something had started to grow. And unless he was mistaken, the cross-section was wriggling.
What was that? Ronan’s eyes narrowed.
【Ah
Bang! Noticing that his body was exposed, the Dragon King dove back into the pile of gold. Waves of gold surged and rippled.
‘Damn it, there was definitely something.’
Unable to confirm it, Ronan clicked his tongue. He had a gut feeling he had stumbled upon some crucial information. The Dragon King, having stopped laughing, spoke again.
【Whatever you may have heard outside, I no longer-】
【Regard Navardose as a threat.】
Huh? Ronan tilted his head. He hadn’t expected that, and hearing it from the Dragon King himself was surprising. It implied that there was a time when he was wary of Navardose. Ronan was about to ask a question.
【In any case, I shall reward you. For driving away Orsay, and you two for being his friends, I commend you. You may take as much of my treasure here as you wish.】
The party’s eyes widened. They hadn’t expected that the Dragon King would reward not just Ronan, but also Aselle and Shulifen. Truly befitting the ruler of Adren, he was generous.
“Ah, thank you
【And by tomorrow morning, leave Adren. The city is unstable because of Orsay, and normally, your entry would be-】
【Prohibited.】
“What?”
Ronan paused. This was an unexpected blow. He thought they would receive a reward or face death, but suddenly they were being expelled. He hastily spoke up.
“But… Orsay is still out there. Shouldn’t we stay until he’s captured?”
【Haha, a human worrying about a dragon. Your heart is commendable, but don’t concern yourself. This audience is-】
【Over.】
The Dragon King turned his head, ending the conversation abruptly. Aselle and Shulifen looked equally troubled.
“Ronan, what do we do?”
This is a problem.”
It seemed they were in a tight spot. The Dragon King’s heads were already disappearing into the pile of gold. They couldn’t leave without learning anything. Ronan spoke up.
“Your Majesty, may I ask you one question?”
【Speak.】
The Dragon King stopped. With no other choice, Ronan decided to go all out. After taking a deep breath, he asked,
“Do you know about the organization Nebula Clazier?”
It was a bold move, even by Ronan’s standards. An awkward silence ensued. The left head spoke.
I know of it. But why-】
【Are you asking?】
Ronan’s face lit up at the acknowledgement. Indeed, Navardose had sent a letter, so he couldn’t claim ignorance. He continued.
“Lady Navardose said she sent a message to Adren, warning about them. Handling dragons here is your responsibility, Your Majesty.”
【It’s an unnecessary worry. No matter how skilled they are, they are still-】
【Insignificant beings.】
But that fleeting moment of hope was quickly dashed. The Dragon King, with just those words, turned away from Ronan again.
“No, wait
【Go back now. I have nothing more to say on the matter.】
Ronan, frustrated, tried to speak, but he wasn’t given the chance. The two heads, sinking, completely disappeared. The Dragon King’s voice echoed in the treasure-filled space.
【Escort the guests to their rooms-】
【Naransonia.】
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Soon, as if on cue, Naransonia appeared. The door connected to the reception room was already open. She spoke to the three of them.
“Shall we go? Although there isn’t much time left, I’ll help you rest comfortably.”
****
Ronan and his companions left the audience chamber without much resistance. They knew that throwing a tantrum there would do them no good. It was fortunate enough that they didn’t get hit by the Dragon King’s deadly beam, let alone gather information.
Naransonia led them to a luxurious bedroom, grand enough to make the Emperor cry. She left after informing them that she would come to fetch them as soon as the sun rose.
She also added a warning not to think about leaving the room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ronan muttered,
“This is fucked.”
Aselle and Shulifen silently agreed. It was nearing midnight, so there were less than six hours left before they would be expelled.
Next to each bed was a large, ornate chest. Inside, it was filled with gold and treasures bestowed by the Dragon King.
It was enough to allow even their grandchildren to live comfortably, but they were not particularly happy. They hadn’t come to Adren for mere trinkets. Ronan spoke,
“I think we’ll need to make a move before dawn, even if we risk being caught.”
“Is that really okay? If we get caught
“We’ll either be ashes or skewered. What a silly question.”
“Eeek
Aselle was terrified, but Ronan remained calm. Though there was no concrete evidence, something smelled fishy. The Dragon King’s claimed that he ‘no longer’ regarded Navardose as a threat and the growths on his body weighed heavily on Ronan’s mind.
“We have to go. I’m sure they’re hiding something.”
“I agree.”
“E-Even Shulifen says that
Shulifen, who had been silent, also nodded. He seemed to sense something off as well.
Aselle was still in a state of panic, but Ronan didn’t pay much attention. He was used to Aselle doing everything despite his fear. Shulifen spoke,
“For now, get some sleep. I’ll take the first watch.”
“Oh… how considerate.”
Ronan chuckled. It was indeed a rational decision. They needed to rest, even just a bit, to recover from the day’s exhaustion.
Especially Ronan and Aselle, who had endured significant hardships. Fighting a dragon or flying a ship into the sky was no easy feat.
“Alright. Let’s move at around 3.”
With that, Ronan threw himself onto the bed. Aselle, after some hesitation, also lay down. Both fell asleep almost immediately as their heads hit the pillows.
.
.
.
Shulifen’s voice was heard.
“Ronan.”
“Yeah. I noticed it too.”
Ronan opened his eyes and sat up immediately. He had already woken up before Shulifen called him. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed. Aselle, who had also woken up, stammered,
“R-Ronan. Th-this is
Aselle was already sitting on the edge of his bed. Judging by his appearance, he had just woken up like Ronan. Ronan asked,
“What time is it?”
“Exactly five minutes to three.”
Looks like my instincts aren’t dead yet.”
Ronan murmured. What woke him before Shulifen’s voice was an intense presence from above. Even without paying close attention, he could sense something massive pulsating overhead.
“Damm it, is the Dragon King dancing or something?”
“I-I don’t know. But with this kind of energy
Aselle trailed off. He wasn’t sure, but it was clear that something was happening.
Ronan was more certain than the others because he detected Nebula Clazier’s characteristic shimmering mana in the atmosphere. He muttered to himself,
“What the hell are those bastards doing in the tower?”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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