Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Chapter 35 - Child of the Dragon
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[Now even carp are showing up?]
[Well, in a world that ignores the law of conservation of mass, a dragon giving birth to a fish isn't out of the question.]
Integra pressed her hand to her forehead as if exasperated, while Luther furrowed his brow and muttered softly.
‘That... isn't it kind of like Magikarp evolving into Gyarados?’
[What's that?]
‘You know Pikachu but not Magikarp? No, that's not important right now.’
Luther shook his head to clear away the stray thoughts and turned back to Mina and the carp king—no, Dohu.
But seeing the golden carp soaking the elf fox's front with its blubbering tears still made his head throb.
[By the way, Master, there's something strange I just noticed.]
‘What is it?’
What could be even stranger than this?
At Luther's question, Integra crossed her arms and put on a deeply serious expression.
[Carp are freshwater fish, right?]
[They can't survive in saltwater.]
Just as Integra said, carp were freshwater fish, unable to live properly in seawater due to the excessive salinity.
Luther's mind went blank for a moment before he narrowed his brow again.
‘So that's why it couldn't escape?’
[Ah.]
The reason it fled not out to the surrounding sea, but to the pond underground.
[That's a very logical and reasonable explanation.]
[Somehow, it puts my mind at ease.]
In any case, it was a carp.
While Luther and Integra engaged in a barrage of idle chatter to regain their composure, Mina finished sharing her joy of reunion and released Dohu back into the pond before speaking.
“Lord Dohu, those people helped us. You should greet them, so please change your form.”
“Huh? Okay!”
Dohu brightly replied, dove deep into the pond, then burst out of the water surface and flipped a full somersault in the air.
With a brilliant flash of light, the carp's form transformed.
[Of course, not transforming here would be the weirder choice.]
It was then, as Integra murmured softly.
After spinning once in midair, Dohu landed gracefully on the ground in the form of a cute child with short limbs.
“Kallapajuu!”
Dohu raised both hands high and shouted with an innocent smile, drawing warm smiles naturally from not just Mina, but Luther and Integra as well.
[So adorable.]
[It's even better that it's a cute kid instead of a beauty.]
Integra muttered with a hint of bite before chuckling softly as she gazed at Dohu.
The child appeared about two or three years old, dressed in a large black scholarly cap—often called a "young master's hat"—and a blue traditional jacket, an utterly charming sight.
[But Master, what does "kallapajuu" mean?]
[Ask her.]
Curious himself, Luther lowered his stance to meet Dohu's eye level, smiled gently, and asked.
“Lord Dohu.”
“Yes, benefactor.”
“What does ‘kallapajuu’ mean?”
At Luther's question, Dohu beamed bashfully, twisting her body a little as she replied.
“Kallapajuu is kallapajuu. Langi made it up.”
Her giggling smile was incredibly cute.
[Oh my goodness.]
[Master, isn't she just too cute?]
Luther nodded in full agreement several times.
He was barely restraining the urge to reach out and pat her head right then.
But it was at that moment.
“Lord Dohu, you should greet them properly.”
At Mina's soft reminder, Dohu blinked as if just remembering, covered her mouth with both hands, turned to Luther with a polite bow, and said.
“I'm Dohu Langi. Thank you for helping.”
Her lisping voice was so endearing that Luther unwittingly smiled again, forcibly controlling his right hand that was heading toward her head before replying in a kind tone.
“I'm Luther Lightseeker from the Kingdom of Malkuth.”
“Luther-nim, Luther-nim, Luther-nim. Okay, got it!”
Dohu repeated his name while counting on her fingers, then puffed out her chest proudly, making Luther, Integra, and even Mina unable to hold back their smiles.
But they couldn't stay like this forever.
[Anyway, Master, let's get down to business.]
[Adorable is adorable, but the Eight Divine Armaments are still the Eight Divine Armaments.]
[We need to find out why the Hecatoncheires attacked too.]
Integra was right as always.
Nodding once more, Luther turned to Mina instead of Dohu and asked.
“Do you have any idea why the dragonkin led the young dragons in an attack?”
From the circumstances, the Hecatoncheires' target this time was clearly Dohu.
But the reason for targeting her remained unknown.
At Luther's question, Mina's face darkened as she furrowed her brow.
“I'm sorry. I have no guesses right now. Could it be some group that doesn't want Lord Dohu to ascend as the Azure Dragon?”
Her tone suggested she truly didn't know.
She might have been living here on this small island alone with Dohu.
[A pretty, kind maid serving a young master in a remote place— I can already guess the story that unfolds about a decade from now.]
‘Cut the nonsense. She really seems clueless?’
[That's the impression.]
[Hm, I'm getting a bit worried now. What if she doesn't know about the Eight Divine Armaments either?]
It was possible.
So Luther approached Mina, looking at both her and the now-clinging Dohu, and asked.
“Do you happen to know about the Sky Giant, one of the Sword Emperor's Eight Divine Armaments? That's what brought us to this island—clues to the Sky Giant.”
“Ah, so that's it.”
A sudden smile appeared on Mina's face.
She looked relieved.
[It's an island no one comes to in the first place, so that's a natural reaction.]
[Even if Master saved her life, strangers showing up on a place where people don't belong is suspicious.]
But if they had a understandable purpose, it changed things.
‘So she does know?’
[The reaction suggests it, but let's hear more.]
And as if on cue, Mina let out a long sigh of relief and continued.
“There are records of the previous Lord Dohu discussing the Sword Emperor and the Eight Divine Armaments. But the details won't be known until Lord Dohu ascends as the new Azure Dragon. Only the Azure Dragon can open those records.”
“Sorryyy...”
Dohu followed up with a dejected expression.
She looked deeply apologetic for not being able to help.
[The previous Azure Dragon must have passed away already.]
[Better not ask about the previous one and look for another way.]
Talking about it here would only darken the mood further, so good advice again.
Thus, Luther asked Mina once more.
“Um... For Lord Dohu to become the Azure Dragon... it would take a long time, right?”
Instead of answering directly, Mina wore an ambiguous expression, and Dohu slumped her shoulders as she said.
“Nooo, it's not time... it's the conditions that matter...”
“Conditions?”
“Yeah... If you climb the Dragon Gate, you become a dragon... but climbing the Dragon Gate is too haaard...”
Dragon Gate—what did that mean?
As Luther furrowed his brow in confusion, Mina added an explanation.
“The large waterfall in the center of the island is the Dragon Gate. Climbing against it turns you into a dragon... but it's truly difficult. And Lord Dohu is still so young.”
From her words, it seemed like some kind of ritual.
[Dragon Gate. Climbing the dragon gate.]
[I see what it means now.]
Imagining the golden carp from earlier swimming up a waterfall over ten meters high, Luther closed his eyes tightly.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible in the short term.
“I see. Then... could the dragonkin invasion be related to the Wild Hunt?”
“Wild Hunt...? Ah, you mean the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons?”
“Yes, probably.”
The protagonist of the eastern part, Radien, called it the Wild Hunt throughout the game, but a few characters referred to it as the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
But Mina, who had brightened briefly, slumped her shoulders just like Dohu and said.
“I'm sorry, I don't really know.”
[She hasn't known much since earlier.]
It was a harsh thing to say, but true.
Still, they couldn't just give up.
The Hecatoncheires' attack had happened, and Luther needed clues to the Eight Divine Armaments.
“Then, is there someone who might know? Another Sacred Beast, perhaps...”
“Ah! Lord Black Tortoise of the North might know!”
As Mina's face lit up, Dohu grinned widely and nodded.
“Thinking about it, we should contact the other Sacred Beasts soon. An attack on the future Eastern Azure Dragon, Lord Dohu, could be seen as an attack on all Sacred Beasts.”
With that, Mina stood holding Dohu and looked toward the ceiling.
“There's a mirror on the surface to contact the other Sacred Beasts.”
“Understood. Let's hurry.”
Luther promptly placed Mina and Dohu on Schwarz's back and rushed toward the surface.
[No significant life signs detected outside the passage.]
[It seems safe to assume no further attacks for now.]
Listening to Integra as they emerged on the surface, Luther followed Mina's guidance to Dohu's residence at the island's center.
“That's the Dragon Gateee.”
Atop the peak in the island's center stood a waterfall nearly twenty meters high, its waters rushing fiercely due to the height.
[Swim up that...?]
[Is that even possible?]
Luther shared the doubt but didn't dwell on it.
If it were truly impossible, the line of Dohu would have ended long ago.
[In any case, definitely impossible in the short term.]
‘Yeah, so let's pin our hopes on the Black Tortoise.’
Beside the waterfall sat a small house with tiled roofs—a classic Eastern-style mansion.
“Please wait a moment.”
After setting Dohu down in the yard, Mina hurried inside and emerged carrying a large cloth-covered object.
“Lord Dohu, if you would.”
“Okay, I'll try.”
Placed on the porch and uncovered, it revealed a diamond-shaped mirror embedded with large gems at each corner.
“These are the symbols of the Sacred Beasts guarding each direction. When Lord Dohu infuses power, all four corner gems light up.”
As Mina explained, Dohu grunted with effort, gathering her strength before placing her tiny hand on the mirror and shouting.
“Kallapajuu!”
It happened in that instant.
The entire mirror shimmered with rainbow hues as the gems at each corner began to glow brightly.
But it was brief. Two of the brilliantly shining gems turned to dull earthen shades in a flash, and of the remaining two, the northern one began flickering as if signaling peril.
“N-No way.”
Mina's face paled as she collapsed to the ground, while Dohu looked on the verge of tears, at a loss.
“What happened?”
Staggering as if dizzy, Mina replied to Luther's question.
“Lord White Tiger of the West and Lord Vermilion Bird of the South... have... passed on.”
Two of the four were already gone.
Luther looked back at the mirror.
Only the eastern gem representing Dohu shone steadily.
“Then what about the Northern Black Tortoise?”
“It means she's in peril. But why... how...”
“Mina! Message from big sis Chaldea!”
It was then. Dohu suddenly shouted loudly and placed her palm on the mirror, changing the scene from her own face.
“Langa! Run away! Waiting at the Land of the Yellow Dragon—”
That was it.
The black-haired, red-eyed beauty shouting urgently froze, her voice cutting off.
[Doesn't seem like live footage.]
[Likely a warning video sent in advance.]
Luther agreed.
So instead of the shocked Dohu calling the Black Tortoise's name, he turned to Mina and asked.
“Where is the Land of the Yellow Dragon?”
The still-young Dohu didn't know why the Hecatoncheires attacked or about the Eight Divine Armaments.
But the Northern Black Tortoise would be different.
And with the Western White Tiger and Southern Vermilion Bird fallen, protecting her was essential to thwart the Hecatoncheires' plans.
“The Yellow Dragon... the Land of the Yellow Dragon...”
Mina muttered in shock, squeezed her eyes shut then open, slapped her own cheeks with a sharp smack, and stood.
“I'll guide you. Please wait just a moment.”
Instead of soothing the sobbing Dohu, she dashed inside, emerged hugging a large bundle, and said.
“This way. Let's hurry.”
With Dohu in one arm and the bundle in the other, Mina quickened her steps.