Chapter 172: An Undeniable Heart
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 172: An Undeniable Heart
“Gek…”
I was sure I’d been able to speak, so why was I suddenly like this again?
“My Divine Beast, I’m sure I heard your voice. Why are you suddenly like this?”
That’s what I’d like to know.
“Should I make you angry again? Maybe that’ll bring it back?”
“Gek!”
“Just kidding, just kidding.”
The Red Dragon grinned playfully.
Before, even her jokes didn’t sound like jokes, but now I could tell she was just teasing.
Was it because she was thinking of joining the Gaegaek Cult? Her eyes even looked kinder.
Bringing the Red Dragon into the Gaegaek Cult would be a huge benefit.
The moment Swish-Swish, the Snake Princess, joined, the Gaegaek Faith evolved into the Gaegaek Cult.
The Red Dragon was of a higher class than not only Swish-Swish but even the Snake Queen.
If a being like her were to join, it could bring another change to the Gaegaek Cult and the Gaegaek Faith.
I didn’t actively use the faith, but it had been a great help.
It was especially helpful when I fought the Jian Bird.
Not only that, but the faith would also respond little by little whenever I drew out my power.
There was no downside to raising the rank of such a faith.
It also meant I could put a leash on this dangerous spirit beast.
…Of course, seeing what Tus and Pus did, it didn’t seem absolute, but I should at least be able to stop her from harming those connected to me.
Besides, in an emergency, I could fight alongside her.
I imagined the Red Dragon flying through the sky, breathing fire on hordes of enemies.
She possessed the power of a strategic weapon.
A simple one-on-one fight was an unknown, but when it came to facing multiple opponents, she had a much greater advantage than I did.
Recruiting a dragon like her?
It would be the best choice.
But it wasn’t something I had to do right now.
Of course, the option of recruiting her hadn’t changed.
It just meant I would postpone the order of things a bit.
I didn’t know how the invitation through the status window was perceived, but the Red Dragon already called me a Divine Beast.
She was already dead set on joining the Gaegaek Cult; she looked like she’d join even if I told her not to.
In that case, it would be better in many ways to sort things out before rushing her in.
I had to consider my relationship with Baek Rang, too.
Right now, the Red Dragon and Baek Rang had become what you’d call sworn enemies.
This red lizard didn’t seem to care much, but Baek Rang would have a lot to say.
No matter how well I explained things, they were bound to clash.
Besides, the Red Dragon was much stronger, so Baek Rang would have no choice but to whimper and tuck her tail between her legs.
It would feel like watching a puppy get beaten up, which wouldn’t be pleasant.
But what if Baek Rang joined the Gaegaek Cult first?
That would give Baek Rang an advantage.
I’ll bring the Red Dragon into the cult, but first, I’ll extend the invitation to Baek Rang.
This seemed like the best choice I could make right now.
After glaring at the Red Dragon once, I started walking.
“Worried about that puppy, are you? She probably isn’t hurt too badly.”
“Gek?”
“Come on, do you think I’d hit a spirit beast my Divine Beast knows with the intent to kill?”
I stared intently at the Red Dragon’s face as we walked.
By your standards, you might have been holding back, but I doubt she sees it that way.
“I was just trying to teach her some manners. …Though I didn’t expect her to touch those chains with her bare hands.”
“Gek!”
I lightly smacked the Red Dragon’s butt with my tail.
You tied me up with that dangerous thing? Thinking about it now makes me a little pissed.
Still, I decided to be magnanimous and move on.
Let bygones be bygones, as long as I get compensated for it.
“…My Divine Beast, your expression has gotten a little scary.”
I’ll work you to the bone.
Leaning on each other for support, the Red Dragon and I walked toward Baek Rang.
It was a bit of a ridiculous sight.
Just moments ago, we were fighting like we wanted to kill each other, and now here we were, leaning on one another as we walked.
“…Still, it’s a good thing I only broke your left arm. If it were your right, you would’ve had a hard time for a while.”
“Ge-ek…”
Must be nice to be so sturdy. I feel like my whole body’s been shattered.
As we were walking, the Red Dragon spoke up.
“My Divine Beast. Do you see that?”
She said in a slightly surprised voice.
“Gek?”
She pointed her finger to a spot right next to where Baek Rang had collapsed.
I felt an unusual aura.
“Gekgek!”
Without a word, we both rushed toward the object.
“…Horns of a Bicorn?”
The object was the horn of a Bicorn, tinged with a jade-like light.
“Not just one, but this many?”
What in the world?
The corners of the Red Dragon’s mouth curved into a smile.
“With these, I guess we don’t have to worry about that puppy.”
Were these also treated as a type of elixir?
If so, that was a relief.
It was like a whole pile of elixirs had just appeared out of nowhere.
…But why were so many horns here?
“Polygamyyyyyy!”
“Furfufufur!”
“Scalescales!”
The roars of the Bicorns could be heard from afar.
“A spirit beast you know?”
The Red Dragon looked at me with narrowed, suspicious eyes.
I avoided her gaze and answered simply.
“Gek.”
A spirit beast I don’t know.
No, but what on earth were they?
Neither the Red Dragon nor I had sensed them, so how did they get here?
And why would they leave so many horns behind?
“Gekgek!”
I don’t know the reason, but since they’re giving them to me, I’ll gratefully accept.
“Polygamyyyyyy!”
Since they were the counterparts to unicorns, I was briefly worried about what I’d do if their horns had the opposite effect.
But thankfully, the Bicorn horns also possessed healing powers.
My and the Red Dragon’s injuries were treatable with the Bicorn horns.
Broken bones mended, and melted scales grew back.
The same went for Baek Rang.
Her wounds and burns were all healed cleanly.
But she didn’t regain consciousness right away.
Still, her mind wasn’t broken; she had just fainted, so there was no need to worry too much.
I just had to stay by her side and wait for her to wake up.
I couldn’t just leave her on the ground, so I carried Baek Rang on my back to the cave where we used to have our secret meetings.
“So this is where you did… that.”
The Red Dragon sniffed the air eagerly, her nose twitching.
I don’t know what she’s trying to smell, but there isn’t the kind of scent she’s thinking of.
I also sent the Red Dragon away.
It was obvious how Baek Rang would react if she saw the Red Dragon after waking up.
She’d attack immediately.
Considering what the Red Dragon did, she would deserve it, but if Baek Rang overexerted herself, she’d be in danger.
After smacking her butt with my tail again, I shooed the Red Dragon away.
She was probably deep inside the volcano, warming herself in the lava.
The volcano’s fire energy had mostly vanished because of my power, but that much heat should be enough for her now.
Her heart wasn’t as cold as it used to be.
Now, it was just me and Baek Rang alone in the cave.
Waiting quietly for her to wake up was a little boring.
While slowly thawing and eating some frozen meat, I started playing with Baek Rang’s body.
“Gekgekgek.”
I slowly touched her soft, furry ears.
She was a spirit beast that wielded cold, but her body temperature wasn’t that cold.
The soft texture felt addicting.
I could touch her ears anytime, so I decided to move on quickly.
When she was defenseless, it was only right to go for something I couldn’t normally get.
Her thick, swaying tail.
Every time I tried to touch it, she’d shoot shards of ice at me, but things were different now.
Grab.
“Gekgek!”
I felt the urge to bury my face in it.
If she were in her wolf form, I would have gone straight for her belly, but unfortunately, she was in her human form.
The only things I could touch were her ears and tail.
…Of course, I could still touch her belly in this state, but the last shred of my dark conscience pricked me.
Still, opportunities like this were rare, so should I touch a little more?
I carefully moved my hand.
I gently pulled on her soft, mochi-like cheek.
“Ge-eng…”
I thought it wouldn’t be as good since it was a human body, but it was quite addictive.
I grabbed Baek Rang’s cheeks with both hands and stretched them out.
Just how far do these stretch?
The fur, the pleasant body heat, the soft cheeks…
Baek Rang was an all-around talent with no part to waste.
You have to touch things like this when you have the chance.
Streeeetch.
“…Having fun?”
“Gekgek.”
It’s strangely addictive. I want to keep touching it.
“…Gek?”
Baek Rang’s golden eyes were staring right at me.
“Gekgek.”
You’re awake?
“I was sleeping. Why are you touching me so much?”
I took my hands off her cheeks and hid behind her back.
She let out a scoff, as if finding the situation absurd.
Then again, there was no way my large body could be hidden by a human’s.
“Still, the fact that you’re like this must mean you resolved things somehow, right?”
“Gekgek.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Ge-eng.”
After a moment of silence, Baek Rang shot back rapidly.
“Don’t think you can expect anything strange just because you saved me. We saved each other, and besides, I have no intention of giving myself to a guy who’s all scales.”
I wasn’t really thinking about that.
“I had no choice but to save you, too. If you died, Chillang-i would mope all day.”
“Gekgek.”
She kept making excuses I hadn’t asked for, then, perhaps realizing it would be disadvantageous to keep talking, she changed the subject.
“…Seeing as my body is fine now, I guess more time has passed than I thought.”
Baek Rang muttered as she stretched.
“Yawn. Oh, right. Are you okay? That red lizard looked insanely strong.”
She seemed perfectly fine, judging by her words. I’d already taken a look, and with not a single scar on her body, she was clearly fully healed.
“Hey, why aren’t you answering?”
She turned her head, annoyed.
“Stop hiding back there and come out.”
Baek Rang’s pupils widened.
Her mouth fell slightly open, as if she were surprised by something, or a little shocked.
“Are you hurt…”
She tried to say something, but her words trailed off before she could finish.
“……Let me see.”
She stared at me blankly, forcing out the words as if she were gasping for air.
Baek Rang’s tail began to move rapidly.
Her face turned bright red, and sweat trickled down her forehead.
She gulped, tangling her fingers together, not knowing what to do.
Baek Rang was suddenly acting strange.
Did something happen to her?
Baek Rang said nothing, but it wasn’t completely silent.
I could hear the pounding of a heart.
In time with it, her tail wagged faster and faster.
Was there something wrong with her body?
For a spirit beast that wielded cold to be sweating, this couldn’t be an ordinary side effect.
I moved a little closer to check on her condition.
“……Turn your face away.”
She panted heavily, as if she were having trouble breathing.
“I said, turn your face away!”
With that, Baek Rang whipped her head around.
And yet, her tail was still wagging furiously.
Something was definitely wrong.
She had her eccentric moments, but this was a first.
Even as she told me to go away, she was slowly walking toward me.
Her head was turned so she wasn’t looking at my face, but her tail was still swaying.
After a long moment like that, she finally spoke.
“……If you do this.”
Whip.
Baek Rang whipped her head back around and looked straight at my face.
Her face was as red as a carrot.
Her golden eyes were slightly welled up with tears.
“I can’t deny it anymore…”
In a single motion, she leaped into my arms and hugged me tightly.