Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Golden Dragon Hatches
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I stood at the cave entrance.
Swish—
I peered inside. Nothing was visible.
Whoosh—
A wind blew from within. It carried a cool, damp, musty scent that stung my nose.
Something... an indescribable, unfamiliar medley of smells.
"Young Master!"
Kael held up a torch. The flickering flames pushed back the darkness a little.
"I'll take the lead!"
"......Very well."
Kael stepped forward.
I followed behind.
One step.
Two steps.
Footsteps echoed.
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
The deeper we went, the more the air changed. I could feel it.
It grew heavier, making it a bit harder to breathe.
"......"
The holy mana began to quiver faintly.
How long had we walked?
Ten minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Thirty minutes.
...
Just as my sense of time faded.
"Young Master."
Kael stopped.
"Look at that."
He raised the torch, revealing the wall.
"..."
It was a mural. Enormously vast, covering the entire wall.
Faded with age, but the forms remained sharply defined.
Kael slowly moved the torch from left to right.
And then, the picture emerged.
Countless dragons blanketing the sky.
One.
Two.
Three.
....
Too many to count.
Thousands.
Black dragons. Red dragons. Blue dragons. Dragons of every color filled the heavens.
All of them spewing fire from their maws.
Below was a sea of flames.
'......The Age of Great Catastrophe.'
And at the center.
The most gigantic dragon of them all.
On a level far beyond the others.
Overwhelming in size and majesty.
Golden.
A blinding golden hue.
It spread its wings.
Alone.
Standing solitary before thousands of dragons.
But its eyes held no trace of fear.
If anything, the thousands trembled before it.
"This is......"
Kael's voice shook.
"The King of Ten Thousand Dragons......"
"......"
Kael moved the torch further along.
The next scene appeared.
The golden dragon battling thousands of its kin.
Alone.
One flap of its wings sent dozens plummeting.
One roar split the heavens.
'......Insane.'
In the following scene, the war had ended.
Only the golden dragon remained in the sky.
All other dragons were gone.
The fires on the ground had died out.
The golden dragon descended to the earth.
Carrying something precious.
An egg.
A golden-glowing egg.
In the final scene, the golden dragon laid the egg down.
Gently upon the altar.
And closed its eyes.
An eternal slumber. It had entered everlasting rest.
"...."
Kael dropped to his knees, torch still in hand.
"It's the legend, Young Master."
His voice trembled.
"He faced thousands of his own kind alone."
"To protect this land."
"......"
"One flap of his wings halted the great catastrophe."
"One roar shattered despair."
Kael gazed up at the mural.
His eyes glistened with pure awe.
"After the war ended."
"He sealed his own power into the egg."
"And entered eternal sleep."
"......"
"Only."
Kael looked at me.
"The one bearing the 'most holy light'."
"Can awaken the egg, according to the legend......"
"......"
'Holy light.'
That meant holy mana.
"Let's head deeper."
Soon, we reached the cave's end, where a vast chamber opened up.
Whoosh—
I drew in a breath.
The ceiling was remarkably high, dome-shaped.
Claw marks scarred the walls all around.
And countless scratches.
'This was a dragon's lair.'
At the center stood something.
An ancient stone altar. The very one from the mural.
And atop it... an egg.
A faintly glowing golden egg, about the size of a human head.
Its surface etched with intricate patterns that pulsed with faint light.
As if breathing softly.
"Th-that's......"
Kael's voice quivered.
"The egg from the legend......"
"It's real......"
"Actually real......"
His legs looked ready to buckle.
I looked at the egg.
"..."
'A dragon egg.'
Truth be told, I already knew it was here.
Elysia had told me.
'Deep in the cave.'
'Without your holy mana, Young Master, you wouldn't even find it.'
'You have to go see it.'
I hadn't understood back then.
So this was it.
'Thanks, Elysia.'
She had her crooked side, but she was a good one.
"...."
Swish—
I reached out. The moment my hand touched the egg.
[System activated - 'Ancient Human Bloodline' confirmed.]
[Special Event: 'Fated Hatching' begins.]
'......Huh?'
A transparent hologram appeared before my eyes.
Or rather, symbols began spinning wildly across the egg's surface.
[FFF] → [F] → [D] → [C] → [B] → [A]
The egg's color flashed rainbow hues.
Starting from cheap gray, to plain white, green, blue... the speed ramped up.
'Hold up, damn it. Why is this shuffle so fast?!'
[A] → [S] → [SS] → [SSS] → .....
The egg flashed gold, then purple, then dull brown.
[Current probability correction: SSR rate +0.0001% due to 'Holy Mana' infusion!]
'Whoa, is this probability for real?'
Damn.
Even modern game devs would make headlines with this.
The egg vibrated wildly.
A blinding light poured out, enough to sear the eyes.
A tightrope between FFF-grade 'edible lizard' and SSR-grade 'golden dragon'.
'Damn it, let's prepare just in case.'
I glanced around. A pool of water sat in one corner of the cave, brimming full.
It sparkled in the torchlight. I approached and peered in.
I dipped my hand.
It was chillingly cold, yet incredibly clear.
"Good. This'll do."
I carefully scooped up water with both hands and returned to the altar.
I set it down with utmost care, not spilling a drop.
I knelt before the altar.
Closed my eyes and clasped my hands.
Deep breath.
Whoosh—
I rubbed my palms together.
Swish— swish—
Friction heat built up. It warmed.
Hoo hoo—
I breathed on it.
Muttering.
Like chanting a spell.
"Please......"
"Please pull through......"
"No pity pull......"
"......Young Master?"
Kael's voice came.
Confused tone.
"What's wrong?"
I looked at Kael.
He stared back with a worried expression.
"These days, even dragon pulls are gacha."
Kael blinked.
"......?"
"What does that mean?"
"Gacha?"p>
"......"
A deep sigh escaped me.
"This damn gacha world."
"......"
Kael looked even more baffled.
"Just pray."
"Pardon...?"
"Pray for a good pull."
"......"
"......"
Kael stared at me.
For a long while. Face trying to comprehend.
But soon enough, he knelt beside me.
Gently clasped his hands and closed his eyes.
"......Please let something good come."
"......"
"I don't quite get it."
"But whatever Young Master desires."
"Please let it appear."
What.
Kinda touching?
'Nice.'
Prayer buff activated.
Deep breath.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
My hands shook. Tension maxed out.
Swish—
I placed both hands over the egg.
The surface was icy cold and rock-hard.
I summoned holy mana.
A golden aura bloomed from my fingertips.
I infused mana into the egg.
Humm—
The egg reacted. It began to tremble.
Vibrations pulsed through my palms as the surface patterns lit up.
'Here it comes.'
Beep beep beep—
A sound only I could hear.
The roulette spinning.
The egg's color shifted.
White.
The whole egg glowed white.
'White is a no-go.'
I held my breath.
Beep beep—
Green.
'Green is common......'
Not yet.
I poured in more mana.
Beep beep—
Blue.
'Blue is rare......'
More.
Beep beep—
Purple.
'Purple is hero......'
The speed slowed.
Beep—
Beep—
About to stop.
'......'
'Oh.'
Damn.
Stuck on purple?
Beep—
It seemed to halt.
Almost stopped.
'Ah......'
'Aaaah......'
Beep beep—!
Spun again.
'!!!'
White.
'Ah, shit!'
Green.
Blue.
...
It spun madly.
Speeding up.
Wow. This might actually kill me.
My heart felt like bursting. Cold sweat dripped from my hands.
The egg was slick. I gripped it tight.
"Y-Young Master!!"
Kael shouted.
"The mana waves... they're shifting constantly!"
"......"
"Fire, water, wind..."
"Are you testing all attributes at once?!"
"..."
'No.'
Just rolling gacha.
Beep beep beep—
The speed began to slow.
Slowly.
Slowly.
White.
'Please.'
I stopped breathing.
Green.
'Please.'
I gripped harder.
Blue.
'Please.'
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Purple.
'Please......!'
Beep—
Beep—
Beep—
Stopped.
"......."
"......."
Silence—
No sound at all.
Scared to open my eyes.
"......"
'What.'
What color.
Very slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at the egg.
"......."
Not purple.
Not white.
Not green.
Not blue.
Beyond that.
Dazzling gold.
'......!'
SSR HIT!
A sound only I heard.
Jackpot chime.
Fanfare blare—!!
'It pulled!'
It pulled!!!
Kaboom—!!
Light exploded.
Eyes-searing brightness.
Golden.
Dazzling gold.
It engulfed the entire cave.
Shot up like a pillar.
With force to pierce the ceiling.
Wind howled.
Hair whipped.
Clothes billowed.
"Gahhh!!"
Kael shielded his eyes.
I squeezed mine shut too.
Too bright; eyes burned.
But inside,
'Kyaaaa!!!'
'Legendary dragon!!!'
'SSR-grade!!!'
'Pity-free pull!!!!'
I screamed internally.
I looked at the altar.
No egg where the egg had been.
Instead, a tiny lifeform.
"......."
Golden scales.
Sparkling in the light.
Clear, deep golden eyes.
Tiny wings folded.
Tail swishing gently.
A dragon. A baby dragon.
Palm-sized baby dragon perched on the altar.
Looking up at me.
Tilting its head.
"Kueeng?"
'What.'
Cute.
Same time.
Northern Region.
Valentine Territory.
Snowstorm Wolf Tavern.
The North's largest tavern. High ceilings, walls hung with monster hides. A wolf head taxidermy guarded the entrance.
Usually, stoic warriors drank in silence.
Wordlessly.
Expressionless.
Just drink, stand, leave.
That was the Northern tavern vibe.
But not today.
"Woooooo!!"
Cheers erupted.
The whole tavern shook.
"Did you see that?!"
A hulking warrior bellowed.
Pounded the table with his fist.
Bam!
Mugs jumped.
"Our Young Master swiped the Princess's black card for that tent!!"
"Woooooo!!"
Cheers exploded.
Warriors raised their mugs.
"Young Master Kasian!!"
"Hooray!!"
"Pride of the North!!"
In one corner, someone sobbed.
A mountain of a warrior, axe propped beside him.
Sob sob—
"Young Master..."
Tears plopped down.
Snot on his beard.
"Our Young Master has grown so much..."
"Hey, stop crying."
The warrior next to him patted his shoulder.
"You're making me cry too."
Both bawling.
A crystal orb sat in the tavern's center.
Live broadcast.
Kasian on screen.
Princess beside him.
Black card gleaming.
"50,000 nics, they say."
Someone muttered.
"Swiped 50,000 nics."
"............"
Silence.
Then.
"Woooooo!!"
Cheers again.
"This is the North's prestige!!"
One warrior shot up.
Raised his mug high.
Alcohol spilling over.
"Better than a hundred sword strokes!!"
"!!"
"One smile from Young Master aids diplomacy more!!"
"Right!!"
"Hear hear!!"
Warriors clapped.
Bam bam bam.
Tables shook to the beat.
An old soldier stood.
White beard.
Wrinkled face.
Eyes misty.
"I..."
Voice trembled.
"Fought 40 years on the battlefield."
"............"
Tavern hushed.
All eyes on the old soldier.
"Sword in hand. Blood spilled. Comrades lost."
"To protect the North."
The old soldier eyed the crystal orb.
Kasian on screen.
Silver hair.
Languid smile.
Princess laughing beside him.
"But..."
Tears streamed from the old soldier's eyes.
"He achieved it with one smile."
"............"
"Diplomacy is the future."
The old soldier raised his mug.
"Young Master Kasian!"
"!!"
"Become the Empire's son-in-law and bring warm sunlight to the North!!"
"Woooooo!!"
Cheers burst.
Tavern roared.
Warriors raised mugs in unison.
"Young Master Kasian!!"
"Hooray!!"
"Happily ever after with the Princess!!"
"Sunlight to the North!!"
Alcohol poured.
Tears poured.
The Northern night remained cold and dark.
But the tavern burned hot.
Northern Grand Duchy.
Central Square.
"What is this..."
A passerby stopped.
Looked up.
A banner hung.
Enormous banner.
Covered the whole square.
[Congrats Young Master Kasian on Acquiring Her Highness the Princess's Black Card]
Another beside it.
[Pride of the North Young Master Kasian]
One across.
[Long Live Diplomacy God Young Master Kasian]
Square's center.
Casks piled high.
"Free booze!!"
Someone yelled.
"Young Master Kasian celebration!!"
"Free?!"
"It's free!!"
Crowds surged.
Lines formed.
"Me too!!"
"Me!!"
Booze distributed.
Free.
From the Northern Grand Duke's house.
"Young Master hooray!!"
"Hooray!!"
Drunks shouted.
Staggering.
"Marry the Princess!!"
"Sunlight to the North!!"
"Warm sunlight!!"
The square was festival central.
People laughed, drank, sang.
The Northern winter remained harsh.
But today, it was warm.