Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Worship the Dragon (1)
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Wooden doors, iron doors, automatic doors.
There are all sorts of doors in the world, each with their own unique traits.
Dimensional Gates are no different.
There are many different kinds of Dimensional Gates.
First off, erosion-type Dimensional Gates are the most dangerous.
If you don't close them quickly, the dimension inside slowly erodes the surroundings.
To put it simply, an erosion-type Dimensional Gate will swallow the Earth dimension whole unless its core is destroyed.
And then.
The trap-type Dimensional Gate I'd fallen into wasn't eating the dimension.
Trap-type Dimensional Gates prey on nearby lifeforms.
They forcibly drag you inside and seal off the exit.
Unless you destroy the core, there's no escape.
"Sigh, I've gone and gotten myself tangled up in something real annoying."
I let out a sigh and looked around.
"A forest again, huh. But it feels different from a normal one. The air's nicer or something. Cho-ryun would love it."
I'd landed in a lush green forest.
The one unusual thing was the massive tree in the distance, as big as a skyscraper.
"Anyway. Where'd the kids end up?"
The Dimensional Gate must have scattered us all over the place.
Just in case, I cupped my hands and shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Hwa-ryun! Su-ryun! Cho-ryun! If you're nearby, answer me!!"
...
No response.
Only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
"...I'm getting worried about the kids. Gotta move fast."
You never know what dangers lurk in a trap-type Dimensional Gate.
Worried, I started sprinting through the forest in search of the kids.
"Can you hear Dad?! Say something if you're there!!"
Even as dragons, they were still weak.
Most monsters would get scared and run off.
But if a monster had the smarts to realize dragons were still weaklings, the kids could get seriously hurt.
'Of all things, a trap-type. Talk about rotten luck.'
As I was dashing around the forest yelling my throat raw.
Rustle-!
"...Something's there."
I heard something pushing through the underbrush nearby.
I immediately bolted toward the sound.
When I got there, I spotted Hwa-ryun chasing after a fleeing monster.
"Chicken! Get over here!! Where do you think you're going!!"
"Cluck cluck-! Squawk-!!"
"Stop running!!"
Hwa-ryun was gripping a tree branch, pursuing a headless chicken monster named Mike.
"Sigh, guess I was the only one worrying. Feel like all my energy's drained."
I grabbed Hwa-ryun's tree branch and stopped her swing.
"Hey, Dad! Don't get in my way! My sword might hurt you!"
"It's not a sword, it's a stick. Nothing else happen before you ran into me?"
"Nope, nothing? But more importantly, the chicken's getting away! Let go!"
"Fine, do what you want."
I released Hwa-ryun's seal.
She immediately resumed chasing Mike.
"Over there, chicken! I'll eat you real good! Be grateful a dragon's devouring you!"
"Cluuuuck-!!"
Sigh.
That brat.
Hwa-ryun eventually bashed Mike with the branch, successfully hunting it down, then hoisted it high and yelled.
"Yahoo! Hunt successful! Dad, make chicken out of this!"
"...I'll buy chicken later. Put it down for now and let's talk."
"Promise! Don't forget!"
Thud.
Hwa-ryun dropped Mike on the ground.
It came to soon after and scampered off.
Anyway.
"You look fine at a glance. See Su-ryun or Cho-ryun?"
"Nope, no idea! But there's one way to find out!"
"What?"
"Burn the forest! All the trees'll be gone, and we can spot Su-ryun and Cho-ryun! What do ya think, I'm a genius, right!?"
...
Whoops.
Without a word, I scooped Hwa-ryun up and tucked her under my arm.
Then I dashed through the forest again to find Su-ryun and Cho-ryun.
"If you sense Su-ryun or Cho-ryun nearby, let me know."
"Got it! But you didn't answer if I'm a genius."
"...The air's so fresh."
Dodging the question, I barreled through the forest.
Eventually, I found a waterfall cascading fiercely nearby.
Su-ryun was perched on a rock, staring blankly at it.
"There you are, Su-ryun. What're you doing?"
"Waiting for Dad to show up."
She reached out to me with an expressionless face.
"You found me, so take me home. I get the gist of this dimension already. Wanna go back."
She seemed tired from the unplanned outing.
I tucked Su-ryun under my other arm and ran to find the last one, Cho-ryun.
Seizing a quick moment, I asked Su-ryun a question.
"Su-ryun. You said you know what dimension this is? Can you tell me?"
Su-ryun Wiki ON.
She launched right into an explanation.
"First, this is a highly nature-friendly dimension. Leaving the forest, there are way too many spirits around. I don't like it."
"Set aside the personal feelings and just give me the facts."
"Fine. Just the objective facts. Continuing: the spirits probably live in that huge tree over there. And there's a high chance of civilization around it."
Hm.
Civilization that's not monsters nearby.
"Why do you think that?"
"'Cause I picked this up."
Rummage rummage.
Su-ryun rummaged in her back and pulled out a long rod with a sharp tip to show me.
"This is..."
"An arrow. That's my basis for thinking there's civilization."
Shrug.
Su-ryun shrugged, clearly pleased with her own logic.
Hated to admit it, but I had to this time.
Impressed inwardly, I decided to praise her.
"Whoa, Su-ryun, you're a genius? How are you so smart?"
"Ahem, this is basic stuff. I'm a dragon, after all."
"If you didn't cause so much trouble normally, you'd be a real genius."
"...Dad, why bring that up now?"
Glare.
Su-ryun shot me a sharp look.
Hwa-ryun pouted and muttered.
"Hmph, you didn't call me a genius."
"Hwa-ryun, yours was genius in a different, twisted way."
"That's annoying!"
I held my tongue before Hwa-ryun got any snippier.
Then I scoured half the forest looking for Cho-ryun.
But I still couldn't find her.
"Checked everywhere on the surface... nothing..."
"Then only one place left."
She pointed at the massive tree in the distance.
"She's probably around there. She loves nature way too much for no reason. Gotta be there."
"...Yeah, sounds right."
Cho-ryun went nuts for trees.
High chance she was nearby.
"Let's head there."
"Hmph, just burn it and it'd all be over!"
"Ignore her. Hold on tight, I'm speeding up."
I ignored Hwa-ryun and kept running, running, and running some more.
Soon, the giant tree felt closer.
"It's even bigger up close. Dad, I wanna see it nearer."
"Me too! I wanna set it on fire! Wanna watch it burn!"
And so.
As I drew near the giant tree amid the kids' chatter.
"Dad, something's flying at us from the left! Dodge!"
Swoooosh-!
Thwack-!
"...You just shot an arrow at me? With kids here?"
An arrow had come flying from deeper in the forest.
I glared coldly in the direction it came from.
Then a person dropped from the trees to the ground.
I set the kids down, charged at him full force, and grabbed him by the collar.
"You just shot an arrow at my daughter? You wanna die?"
"U, uh... N-no...! I, I thought you were human...! My mistake...! Dragon Lord...! P-please forgive my insolence...!!"
"Dragon? You bastard really wanna die! Spouting nonsense!"
Bam-!
I smashed my fist into his face to knock some sense into him.
He clasped his hands and begged.
"P-please...! Spare my life, Dragon Lord...! At least have mercy on my kin...!!"
Looking closer.
The guy begging for his life had an unsettling appearance.
Handsome face, long ears, overall greenish vibe.
"I've heard rumors of a dimension with elves... No way, you're an elf...?"
"Y-yes... Please quell your anger and spare me..."
Grovel grovel.
The male elf begged for his life.
Su-ryun whispered to me.
"Dad, in case you didn't know, elves worship dragons. And don't kill him. He might know where Cho-ryun is."
"Never planned to. What do you take me for, Su-ryun."
Still, he was sincerely apologizing for shooting the arrow.
Seemed like a genuine mistake.
I asked the elf, who was bowing so low his forehead touched the dirt.
"Lift your head. Answer my questions right, and I'll let you live."
"Y-yes!!"
The male elf snapped his head up.
'...Must be the elf thing. He's handsome.'
Made me feel inferior; wanted to punch his face more.
But I held back for Cho-ryun's sake.
"Anyway. You seen my daughter Cho-ryun?"
"Ch-Cho-ryun? Who's that..."
"A dragon about their size. Green."
"You mean the great Green Dragon...? She's with our World Tree..."
So that big tree was the World Tree.
Good, now I knew where Cho-ryun was.
I pulled the guy up and ordered.
"Guide me to Cho-ryun. We need to get home."
"Y-yes! Right away! I'll guide you with my life!"
"No need to go that far."
"Yes!"
What a spirited reply.
The elf agreed to guide us to the World Tree.
Along the way, he glanced at Hwa-ryun and said to me.
"But the one in back... isn't that a Red Dragon?"
"Uh, yeah."
At my answer, the elf bowed 90 degrees in apology.
"I'm truly, deeply sorry... but Red Dragons have a hard time entering the village..."
"...Why's that all of a sudden?"
"Red Dragons always burn the village down or set the World Tree on fire whenever they come... Too much fire risk..."
...
So arson's a Red Dragon trait.
I looked at the indignant Hwa-ryun.
"Hwa-ryun."
"It's not fair! I haven't set anything on fire yet!"
"You won't burn the village, right?"
"Not planning to right now!"
So she said.
I signaled to the elf it'd be fine.
He panicked and shed a few tears but swallowed them and led the way.
'As expected, Red Dragons are nature's destroyers.'
Even a dragon-worshipping group.
Elves saw nature-wrecking Red Dragons as natural enemies.
Grass types are weak to fire, after all.
***
Guided into the elf village.
Beautiful elves peeked at us curiously.
We reached the World Tree, and the elf gestured as he spoke.
"The elves' god, the great Green Dragon, is over there."
I looked where he pointed.
A Green Dragon sat beneath the massive World Tree's trunk.
Cho-ryun was striking a haughty pose, barking orders at her worshippers.
"Everyone, bring me bananas! And more of those apples from before!"
...
What the hell.
Cho-ryun had become the elves' queen, bossing them around.
Glad she was safe, but this was pretty bewildering.
Oblivious to my feelings, Cho-ryun spotted us and waved happily with a bright smile.
"Father, hello! I've been waiting! The air here's amazing, and it's so nature-friendly!"
She even had a crown woven from grass on her head.
No disasters, which was a relief.
But it felt like one bewildering thing after another.
"Hehe!"
Oblivious to my turmoil, Cho-ryun just grinned happily in her crown.
I'd only prayed she'd be healthy, and healthy she was.
Still, I was truly relieved she was okay.