Chapter 96
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: 95. Lil' Dragon's Toast
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-Clang! Clang! Clang!
-Thud thud thud thud thud
"My ears are killing me."
The deafening clamor from countless forges—hammering out weapons and armor—echoed through the city, pounding into my eardrums like they were about to burst.
Sure, my ears hurt like hell, but damn, this place was impressive.
I'd imagined a dwarf underground city as some massive ant colony carved into a mine, but this was totally different. It was like a gigantic dome packed floor to ceiling with forges and workshops.
The dwarves themselves looked exactly like I'd pictured, though. Men and women alike, all sporting long beards, short stature, but ripped with muscle.
"But isn't it weird? This is a dwarf city, yet I'm seeing more non-dwarves than dwarves. Am I imagining it?"
There were plenty of dwarves milling about, but it felt like half were dwarves and half were other races. Humans, elves, beastfolk... was that a lizardman? And orcs grunting away everywhere.
"Dwarves prefer living near mines, and everyone wants their weapons, no matter the race. That's why other races flock here more."
"Got it."
"Why are you staring like that, Master...?"
Seeing Aruen speak in her cool beauty mode—no bald rage in sight—felt oddly fascinating.
She usually acted like this, but then bam, some screw loosens in her head and she goes off the rails.
"Nothing. Let's just hurry to those ruins."
I grabbed the head-tilting Aruen's hand and headed straight for the ancient dragon ruins.
* * *
"Whoa... is that the ruin, Aruen?"
"First time seeing ruins myself, but... yeah, looks like it."
From afar, a massive dragon statue loomed over a temple-like building, standing awkwardly like it'd been plopped there out of nowhere.
A crowd had gathered—some sightseeing, others itching to go inside—buzzing with chatter.
The closer we got, the more insane the scale felt. We headed for the entrance, a huge door.
As we neared, voices from people trying to enter drifted over.
"Argh! What the hell's the condition?! Why can't I get in?!"
Some guy seemed to open the door and step in, only to poof! back to the entrance like teleportation, wailing in frustration.
We watched a few more get bounced back while heading to the door ourselves...
-Click
What the...?
As I approached, knight-looking guys blocked my path. Not just me—everyone at the entrance got shoved aside as they cleared a way to the door.
"Hey! What the hell is this?!"
"Just clearing a path for the young lady."
The crowd protested the knights shoving them, but the knights replied in icy tones.
Curious, I hung back and watched. Through the lane of knights strode a woman with refined poise.
The moment people saw her approaching, their shouts died like they'd swallowed honey. The noisy ruin entrance fell silent, filled only with the click-clack of her heels.
Even from a distance, she was stunning—long black hair swaying to her waist, ample chest bouncing. But horns sprouted long from her head, a massive lizard tail swished, and black aura trailed her. She screamed "not human."
Above all, those sharp, slitted pupils matched the dragon queen bitch from my dream exactly.
No way that girl's a dragon?
Others seemed to catch on too, whispering "dragon..." Why's a dragon suddenly popping out with knights clearing her path?
In the confusion of her sudden appearance, the dragon girl reached the entrance and opened her mouth.
What...? Dragon breath? I tensed as she bared her teeth, thinking fire was coming—but her lips curled into a smirk, her pretty face twisting as she spoke.
"Do you lowly vermin really think you can trespass in a dragon's ruins?"
Her voice hit like magic, drilling into our ears painfully. Aruen winced, clutching hers lightly. Others collapsed or screamed in agony.
Fuck... what the hell...!
"Don't covet what's a dragon's. Stay low like the trash you are."
Her head-splitting voice rang out again, then she moved to open the door.
Dragon's ruins... ancient dragon ones, maybe? Whatever the condition, she had something special to pull this stunt.
"Ruins forged from fragments of the ancient dragon, I, Elrosia del Adalats Sheerden of your kin, have come. Grant entry!"
"Ooooh!!!"
The knights around her cheered that cringey line at the elf-whatever lady.
No one else did that crap to enter—is it dragon pride? She flung the doors wide with a dignified face and stepped into the pitch-black interior.
Crings but seemed legit—maybe she actually entered? I wondered if we'd wasted our time.
-Poof
Then, keeping her dignified expression, she teleported back to the entrance with that cute poof sound, just like everyone else.
"......"
The area went dead silent. Her dignified face soured bit by bit, and the cheering knights looked awkward, not knowing what to do.
The ruin entrance turned into a forced laugh-fest. Everyone stifled giggles at the dragon girl.
"Kh... heh..."
I was holding it in too... Acting all dignified, then poofing back with a cute sound? How do you not laugh!
Hand over mouth, barely containing it, emotionless Aruen whispered beside me like to herself.
"Did she clear the ruins already?"
Aruen, seeing her so dignified, thought she'd blitzed through and said it admiringly. Hearing that next to me, I lost it.
"Kh... kha... khahaha! Puhahaha!"
Laughter exploded despite my hand. Aruen stared, face screaming "why?!"
"Pfft..."
"Hahaha!"
Ignoring her gaze, I kept cracking up. Others joined in, voices rising until laughter filled the ruins.
"You dare mock me, vermin?!"
"Gaaah!!!"
"Kyaaah!!!"
The dragon girl gnashed her teeth, roaring in fury. Her ear-piercing voice boomed, turning laughter to screams of pain.
Fuck, why me...!
Wings sprouted; she spread them, face twisted in rage, flying at me.
-Grip
"Ugh...!"
She seized my throat, glaring murderously with sharper slits. Her arm tensed, squeezing.
...But it didn't hurt much?
My "ugh" was reflexive, not pain. Her grip was weak.
Weaker than me? She looked brutally strong, even more than Iris... but manageable.
Am I just that strong, or is she a weak dragon full of hot air? Hard to tell.
"Master...!"
Aruen saw and moved to attack, but I secretly signaled no. She paused, sheathing her sword.
"You dare mock me?"
"You earned it."
"...!!!"
Shocked at my casual reply despite her chokehold, she gaped.
"Strutting like you're hot shit, calling us trash, but you flop the same way. Gotta laugh."
-Snap
"!!!!!!"
I grabbed her wrist choking me and yanked it off. As I advanced, she shook free in shock and backed up.
"Y-You lowly...!"
"Lowly or not, I wanna enter too. Move it."
I brushed off her glare. She scoffed in disbelief, crossed her arms to emphasize her chest, and shot back.
"I couldn't enter, and you think you can? Hilarious."
Couldn't enter yourself and you're bitching? Annoying bitch.
"Dunno. But better than big-talking and flopping like someone."
She scowled, "ugh"-ing—hit too close to home.
"And I think I can get in."
"What makes a lowly worm so cocky...? Ah! Bet me if you're so sure."
Her scowl flipped to a grin, like a great idea hit.
A bet? Sudden much?
"Bet?"
"We'll bet on entering those ruins. Fail, and with that strength, become my slave."
Why assume I'd take that? Thinks only of herself?
"And if I enter?"
"Hah... never happening, but if you do, I'll be your slave."
Ooh... tempting. Imagining owning this arrogant dragon beauty made my crotch twitch.
"Hm... fine, sounds fun. Keep your word?"
Not sure if I could enter, but visions of her as my slave sealed it.
"Unlike you vermin, great dragons honor their word."
"Sure you will."
I smirked at her evil grin, took Aruen's hand, and stood before the door.
【Only those who meet the conditions for the 'Ancient Dragon Ruins' may open the door and enter.】
Ahh... there it is. Standing at the door brought back that reassuring white box after so long.
-Rumble
A light push, and the massive doors creaked open slowly. Fully open, the inside was pitch black—no light penetrated, feeling like another world.
"Let's go, Aruen."
"Yes, Master."
We stepped in together. The darkness swallowed me as our footsteps echoed into the depths.
-Slam
The doors shut behind In-hyeok and Aruen. Elrosia del Adalats Sheerden, watching them enter, heard a poof from where she'd been teleported before and turned, smirking that the lowly human failed.
"...?"
But at the poof spot, no lowly human—just the blue-haired elf who'd followed him, standing there confused at the entrance.
No trace of a smile remained on Elrosia del Adalats Sheerden's face.