Chapter 135
Chapter 135
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Dragon Godfather (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 135
“Grrrrumble…”
Legion was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. It was the one molting, yet I was the one busily running around nonstop.
“El, is this the last one?”
“Yes. This is the last batch.”
“Good, thanks.”
I sprinkled the final bucket of mud that El had brought over the warm hot spring water. Mixing the hot spring water—formed from the melting eternal snows of the Silver Mountains—with the pristine soil buried beneath it created a soft mud bath. The heat from the hot spring blended with the soil’s distinctive bittersweet scent, forming a familiar atmosphere.
*It feels just like a spa…*
You know, like a clay room or mud bath.
The reason I was creating this artificial swamp was simple: to help Legion with its molt. According to Tondra, a dragon’s molt could be quite painful if not done properly. When I suggested, “Then why not just peel it off for him?” Tondra shook his head. Apparently, if it didn’t molt on its own, the next molt—and the one after that—would become even harder.
So, I decided to provide indirect assistance to Legion. Adjusting the temperature and humidity to soften its shell, creating an artificial swamp for it to soak in, and preparing snacks for after the molt—these were the best I could do.
Fortunately, everything was ready before midnight. Since a dragon becomes extremely sensitive right after molting, I sent Lloyd and El, who had helped me up until then, back to their rooms. I couldn’t risk an agitated Legion attacking them.
Thankfully, I had the crystal necklace made from a Sand Olapunt’s magic stone. Thanks to it, I could stay alert without sleep and watch over Legion all night. I gently stroked Legion’s neck as it slept, carefully avoiding the razor-sharp spines.
“Grrrrumble…”
Legion half-opened its eyes, confirmed it was me, and drifted back into a contented sleep. Seeing those red eyes filled with complete trust made the tip of my nose tingle. I patted it a couple more times before sitting in the chair I’d prepared in advance and opening the Old Book. I compiled past information and jotted down new thoughts as they came.
How much time passed like that?
“Groan…”
A faint whimpering sound came.
I closed the Old Book, tucked it away, and approached Legion. Its body seemed enveloped in a hazy, transparent membrane—that must be the sign that the molt was about to begin.
“Theo. Me.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s stuffy, right? I know. Come over here.”
I soothed it and led it to the artificial swamp I’d prepared. Perhaps its vision was obstructed by the membrane, as Legion staggered slightly while following me.
“Get in here and loosen up a bit, Legion.”
“Theo. Me. In.”
*Splash…*
Legion slowly and carefully entered the artificial swamp, then fully submerged in the hot mud bath. It swam around a little before curling up into a ball and wriggling. To help calm it, I sprinkled dried water forget-me-not petals over the swamp and said,
“There’s plenty of time. No need to rush.”
“Theo. Me. Help.”
“No. I can’t help you this time.”
“Theo. Me. Help.”
“You have to do this yourself.”
When I firmly refused in a stern voice, Legion buried its face in the mud and let out an angry breath. Bubbles boiled up where its nostrils were submerged. It started wriggling irritably again.
“You can do it, Legion.”
“Theo.”
“If you succeed, I’ll give you a treat. How’s that?”
Its eyes sparkled for a moment. Its tail wagged, creating waves in the swamp. Good reaction. I stroked the mud-caked bridge of its nose.
“Keep it up.”
* * *
Legion’s first molt took a full eight hours. The shell peeled off starting from the head, then like shedding clothes, from the neck down to the legs, torso, and tail—perfectly clean. Just as it had instinctively incinerated its eggshell with breath when it hatched, Legion tried to burn its shed shell with breath, but I stopped it, allowing me to retrieve the molt intact. After washing off the mud, what remained was a shed shell that gleamed like glass, unlike that of ordinary reptiles.
*Perfect.*
I shook off the moisture, stored the shed shell in my sub-space ring, and checked on Legion. The scales of the newly molted Legion shone much brighter than before. Like it had showered in shoe polish.
“Good job, Legion.”
Legion didn’t respond, licking the tips of its claws with its tongue. I understood. Dragons right after molting are in a very weakened state and become extremely sensitive. They repeat this molting process until death. Once a month for the first year—twelve times—then the intervals gradually lengthen: once every ten years, fifty years, a hundred years, and so on.
While Legion inspected its body, I brought out the snacks I’d prepared in advance. On a large silver tray big enough for a person to lie on, several racks of mountain goat ribs glazed with raspberry jam—Legion’s favorite—were arranged. It had begged endlessly during preparation why it couldn’t eat them right away. Legion stopped licking its claws and stared wide-eyed at the dish.
“Congratulations on your first molt, Legion. Dig in.”
Legion bared its teeth. I now knew that was its “smile.” It grinned brightly, seized a rack with its sharper claws, and began savoring it slowly. Fresh, sweet raspberry jam paired with savory juices overflowing from the mountain goat ribs. It devoured every last bit on the tray, bones and all.
And then…
“Thank you, Theodore.”
Somehow, its voice was thicker than before, and it spoke a proper sentence. Finished the first molt, huh? Does puberty come next? I suppressed a laugh that threatened to escape and nodded.
“No problem.”
“Theodore.”
At that moment, the door opened, and a voice called my name.
“Did it go well?”
It was Tondra.
“Yes. As you can see.”
*Isn’t my kid perfect?* I held back the urge to brag and gave a pleased smile. Tondra glanced Legion up and down, grinned, and turned back to me.
“Good that it finished right on time.”
“What do you mean?”
“This.”
What Tondra handed me was a crystal shard the size of a thin, transparent business card made of ice.
“This is…”
“The deciphered version of the magic tool you gave me.”
Tondra had succeeded in reading the USB in their style. I alternated surprised looks between Tondra and the crystal shard.
“I thought it would take much longer. Impressive.”
“Hey, I’m a dragon.”
Tondra smirked with furrowed brows and tapped the crystal shard. A faint light emanated from it, forming shapes. Fragments of light flowed like ripples…
“But it’s made of incredibly complex ciphers. Symbols and letters I’ve never seen anywhere… Shamefully, even I couldn’t guess the key to its secrets.”
“…”
I listened silently to Tondra while gazing at the light fragments. Characters flickered by like on an electronic billboard.
And I knew exactly what those characters were.
*It’s Hangul.*
Even a foreign land can’t eclipse our language; it can’t be matched by script alone… The great invention of King Sejong, Hangul!
Korea’s unique script, readable fluently even without the [Interpreter] trait!
Could things really resolve this easily?! I barely suppressed the urge to cheer and spoke to Tondra in as calm a voice as possible.
“…I might be able to research it.”
“You know what it is?”
“A little.”
I answered as brazenly as possible with a small smile. Tondra nodded, looking both pride-wounded and relieved.
“…Even a small hint could prove very helpful later.”
I took the crystal shard from Tondra and tucked it away. It held information on the Crows. What exactly? I wouldn’t know until I checked.
*Please be a helpful race.*
* * *
With Legion’s molt complete, there was no reason to stay in the Silver Mountains any longer. Thanks to Tondra’s hospitality, we descended comfortably. After bidding farewell to Aquila and the Sherpas, we retrieved Storm and the carriage from the village and headed back to Sollen.
To meet Khalid.
*Can’t leave bad blood with a guy like that.*
I stroked the black cat on my lap while gazing at Sollen’s gates approaching through the carriage window. Actually, it wasn’t a cat—it was Legion. After its first molt, Legion could now use magic, so I asked it to take a “normal” form for travel… and this was the result.
*Well, definitely less conspicuous than dragging around a house-sized dragon.*
The carriage stopped in front of Khalid’s mansion. It looked even more ominous than before. I knocked on the door, and Khalid’s mud golem appeared.
“I’m here to see Khalid.”
-…
The golem stared at me blankly for a long time, impossible to read its thoughts, then slammed the door in my face.
“…Alright. That’s your answer, huh?”
Sigh. My head throbbed. I stood there briefly, then pulled a thick bundle wrapped in cloth from my sub-space ring. I knocked again, and the golem reopened the door. I handed it the bundle and quickly shouted before it could close again.
“It’s a gift! Tell him it’s a gift!”
*SLAM!!!!*
Phew, glad I got it out before the door shut. Ow, my ears are ringing.
*Well, that kind of gift should be enough to win Khalid over.*
Not a dragon godfather position, but…
In this era where every dragon has vanished beyond Altann, beyond Niram, where do you get a “perfect dragon molt shell” byproduct?!
*Crash!!!*
At that moment, urgent noises came from inside the mansion. I ignored it and boarded the carriage. Simultaneously, the mansion door flew open. Khalid stumbled out, looking a mess like he’d tumbled down the stairs.
“Th-Theodore! Wait! Stop!”
At his near-scream, I chuckled through the window and waved.
“Let’s go, El.”