Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Dragon Taming (1)
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"Haa."
-Thud!
I collapsed onto the inn's bed, my weary body sinking into it.
Honestly, it wasn't my body that was tired so much as my mind.
And that made sense. I'd spent a full week wandering lost before finally reaching Asral City.
'Even in the city, I still got lost...'
Arriving didn't solve everything, either.
Asral City was massive in scale, and by the time I got there as the sun was setting, I managed to lose my way again.
The view from the game was quite different from seeing it with my own eyes, and even that had been half a year ago, so my memories didn't help much.
Not that flying overhead to scout was appealing. Flying through the sky myself didn't feel great.
Flying sounded romantic in theory, but in practice, it wasn't a great experience.
Getting lost on foot was better than that.
If you really want to fly, just take a plane.
Thinking back to my first time, it still gave me chills.
Especially when the cold wind rushed over my entire body and between my legs...
"...Anyway, I ran into some guards and sorted it out."
While wandering like that, I eventually bumped into some city guards.
I nearly got dragged to the guard post for curfew violation, but after slipping them a gold coin and asking for directions to a decent inn, they even escorted me there.
They were surprisingly kind.
They even said if anything came up in the city, I should come to them and they'd help however they could.
I didn't really need to get chummy with the locals, but it wasn't a bad offer.
Probably partly the money, but mostly because of Cyan's looks, no doubt.
Pretty faces don't inspire much resistance.
I let out a hollow laugh and lifted my head.
"This is supposed to be the best inn, huh..."
I glanced around.
The room featured elegant medieval European architecture.
Yet the layout felt much like a modern hotel.
A large bed, plush sofa, a window with a clear view outside, and various luxurious decorations.
It was like a five-star hotel back home.
Just missing Earth gadgets like TVs or air conditioners, but the basic structure was the same.
People's lives weren't that different anywhere.
'The price is about the same, too.'
It cost around four silver a night here.
About 400,000 won in real money, and they said it catered to visiting nobles or wealthy Rank 5-6 adventurers.
The building was around ten stories tall, rare for this world—a proper high-rise.
"I wanted the best room available."
I sat up.
Looking out the window, there wasn't much of a night view—just the dark harbor settling into shadows.
"They said the best one was booked, so oh well."
My next task was clear.
I headed to the bathroom, shedding layers of clothes as I went.
A passing mirror reflected my bare body, uncovered by even a thin cloth.
I opened the door made of fine wood, revealing a bathroom steeped in this world's culture.
Until now, I'd only bathed in rivers.
Soaking in a fancy tub like this was pretty much a first in this world.
I'd seen it in the game, of course.
'Bathing at an inn recovers fatigue and mental strength quickly.'
Unlike stamina or mana, fatigue and mental strength didn't recover without time or specific actions.
That's why inns were always packed, just like in fantasy tales.
In Novel Online, the character just sat in the tub, but this time was different.
This time, I was the character, bathing for real.
"The water control should be that magic stone..."
-Splash!
I touched the blue magic stone in the bathroom, and steaming hot water began filling the tub.
'It uses just a tiny bit of mana.'
Unlike modern plumbing, they used magic stones attuned to the four elements here.
Infuse mana into a water stone for water, a fire stone for flame—simple.
Magic was everyday here, and even non-mages had mana as living beings.
Though magic stones were pricey.
'Not permanent, but no pollution.'
It converted mana directly to elements, so endless water without contamination.
Until the stone broke from wear or the user passed out from mana drain.
Each had pros and cons...
"...Let's try this."
-Pop!
I added the bath salts I'd bought in Pione Village.
A subtle fragrance spread, tinting the clear water a pale green.
Like an onsen.
-Swish.
"Hoo."
I couldn't hold back anymore and dipped in a toe.
"...Ah!"
A gasp escaped me unwittingly.
The warmth enveloped me like a full-body embrace, melting away all my built-up fatigue.
Yes, this was it!
This was the proper bath I'd craved.
Not like rinsing in a cold river—this truly restored life's peace.
Cold and hot water felt worlds apart.
I'd have to stay here a while and use it often.
'And soon, I'll have to deal with that one.'
Mid-bath, I felt eyes on me and turned to the bathroom window.
-Fwhoosh!
Something was there, then vanished in an instant.
...That thing's been tailing me non-stop for the whole week I was lost.
Good thing it could use invisibility magic—no one else noticed.
But constant surveillance was unnerving.
Killing it felt wrong, though.
I'd thought it over during that week: mindless killing wasn't right.
It'd solve things cleanly, but it'd make me no better than real demons from the demon realm.
I was myself first, before being a demon.
Cyan before demon.
I didn't want to lose my humanity.
So, I'd find another way.
'Like showing mercy.'
...Yeah, no real harm anyway.
It knew handy spells unlike the game—might be useful company.
Problem was, it bolted if I got too close...
'Gotta hold back on violence besides killing.'
Did I hit it too hard back then?
I might've overdone it on the arrogant attitude.
Oh well.
"How long do you plan to keep stalking me? Come out properly. I won't hit you like last time."
I said that and continued my enjoyable soak.
I sensed it peeking from outside, but thinking it was a fellow woman dulled the discomfort.
'Wait, fellow woman...?'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 《 ~Neutral Stage~ Asral City Inn District 》 Morning brought sunlight filtering in.
As a port city famed for trade, the locals bustled at dawn.
The birds here did too—several now chirped on the windowsill.
'...Something's on top of me.'
Suddenly, I felt weight.
Waking from the uneasy sensation, something was definitely perched on me.
"Kkkuul... Kkkuul..."
Soft breathing sounds.
A small lizard—no, a dragon—with red scales slept atop me.
Now puppy-sized.
Considering its age, this was probably its true form.
The prison version was forced adult size to resist the black market humans.
Ultimately, it powered down itself.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Captured Red Dragon (Hatchling) – Lv.150] ※ HP: 2,000,000 / MP: 15,000 ※ Special Note: Stats reduced by 50% ▶ A hatchling dragon abandoned by its mother, weakened from severe injuries sustained in battle with the Minotaur King.
I told it to come out boldly, and here it was, sprawled out sleeping openly...
On top of a sleeping person, no less.
So uncomfortable.
'Just chuck it out the window... No, I'm cutting back on violence. Solve with words.'
Can't resort to force over something trivial.
Words first.
I whispered carefully into its ear.
"If you're not up in five seconds, I'll make you sleep forever."
"Eek?!"
-Sprang up!
The dragon jolted awake and bolted to the corner.
It looked terrified, sweating like a reptile despite being one.
Handled with words—good enough?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
A little later.
Cyan freshened up and changed into outdoor clothes.
Today, she'd head to the library for magic books as planned, but another task had arisen, making for a busy day.
And that task?
"Your name?"
"...Luis."
Buying necessities for the girl huddled in the corner, probably.
Transform's humanization could shrink a giant dragon to human size, but not conjure clothes.
To travel together, she needed gear.
Invisibility or dragon form risked notice or mana exhaustion.
First up: replace those slave-rag clothes with proper ones.
Couldn't parade her around like that.
-Crackle!
...But first, something else.
"Good. Luis, so you'll keep following me?"
"Yeah... I have nowhere else to go, no family. Might as well stick with you."
"It's Cyan. Call me Cyan."
"Cyan?"
"My name. Not important, though..."
Cyan gave her name, then pulled a red gem from subspace.
One from the black market jewelry bundle.
"What's that?"
"Gems make great mediums for engraving spells. I'm not keeping you for free—I'll make a 'contract' as payment."
-Flash!
She touched the gem; it glowed blue faintly, etching an unknown rune.
A master-servant bond symbol.
A magic ritual infused with contractual power.
"Contract?"
Luis tilted her head at the word.
In Novel Online, it was essential for taming pets.
Like a spirit stone or manmade soul stone.
Though value-wise, worlds apart.
"My mana is infused in this gem. With it, I can track you anytime. Even teleport to you from afar..."
"What does that mean? What happens if we contract?"
Young for a dragon, Luis didn't grasp "contract."
Her spells were innate racial perks, not learned magic, so no contract knowledge.
Cyan explained.
She tossed the gem to Luis.
-Clack.
It landed before her.
Cyan summarized the contract.
"Too much detail drags on. Short version: Use it, and you obey my orders, can't flee. Got it?"
The contract lasted with mutual consent until the gem broke.
Protected by high magic, unbreakable by force—only if one party died.
"Or I release the spell myself. Only works with mutual agreement. Hate it? Don't. But then stop following me."
Cyan's sharp glare warned: Follow without it, and she'd kill for real.
No burdens.
Luis gulped at the chilling intent.
"I-I see..."
She picked up the gem carefully.
Truly beautiful.
Already lovely, but reshaped to Cyan's mana.
Not as stunning as its owner, but worth dozens of originals.
Staring blankly, Luis nodded decisively.
No home, family slaughtered by humans long ago.
Captured while wandering alone.
No guarantee it wouldn't repeat.
Orphaned dragon hatchlings were treasures to humans... ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇