The Dragon Worshippers

Tae-hyun was utterly dumbfounded. What did he even do to deserve that look the moment they saw him? Sure, he had blown up a few cities and wiped out a few guilds, but...

'Hmm. Come to think of it, they do have a reason to be on guard.'

"Why are you even here?!" Kim Hyun-ah shrieked. "You're the King of the Atali Kingdom, so go play over there!"

"Hey, am I not allowed to visit the Asbian Empire?"

Since she looked so disgusted, it only made him stubborn. He hadn't even wanted to come here in the first place!

"Ah. Wait."

A spark flashed in Tae-hyun's mind. Why were Lee Se-yeon's guild members so disgusted to see him? It must mean Lee Se-yeon was up to something. Something she didn't want Tae-hyun to find out!

"Lee Se-yeon is up to something!"

"?"

"???"

"There's definitely something you don't want me to see."

"N-No, it's not like that at all!" Kim Hyun-ah stammered.

"You're stuttering."

"I'm stuttering because I'm dumbfounded! I was just surprised and flustered because you suddenly showed up, but we're not hiding anything!"

"Then why that reaction?"

"Because whenever Sis has to deal with you, she acts weird!"

"Agree! Agree!" Nadia chimed in. "If deal with Mr. Kim, Guild Master go weird!"

Tae-hyun said indifferently, "She was always weird."

"No! No!"

"She is not! Watch your mouth!"

"Why should I? Your precious Lee Se-yeon has always been like this."

Vincent was bewildered listening to this. Was this childish bickering really a conversation between top rankers? From what he could hear, the other party seemed to be members of the Lee Se-yeon's guild. Yet here they were, having a childish spat with Tae-hyun. Even Tae-hyun was playing along.

Only after what felt like an eternity to Vincent did their bickering finally end.

"Phew. Fine. Let's respect each other's opinions. Of course, I'm right and you're wrong."

"That's my line!"

Let's just go our separate ways!

Tae-hyun suddenly got curious and asked, "By the way, what is Lee Se-yeon doing?"

"I... I knew it! You are interested in Sis!"

"I didn't care at all before I came here, you know? But you guys keep acting like this, so now I'm getting curious."

"Guild Master doing quest. Next to Emperor," Nadia said.

"I see... But why does she talk like that?"

"...Just let it go," Kim Hyun-ah sighed. "She's someone who intentionally turns off her auto-translator."

Nadia was a player in the guild who intentionally turned off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her auto-translator. Apparently, she did it to learn the language...

'Her skills are top-tier, but she's a bit of an oddball!'

However, Tae-hyun was impressed when he heard that.

"That's an interesting idea. Learning a language in Pan-On."

"...Wouldn't it be better to just learn a language in the real world?" Vincent asked.

"No way. Playing a game and learning a language at the same time kills two birds with one stone."

"Correct. Mr. Kim surprisingly smart," Nadia agreed.

Seeing the two of them look at her as if she were the stupid one, Kim Hyun-ah immediately got annoyed.

'These people...'

"Anyway, I told you what Sis is doing, so don't you dare go near her and shake her up."

"You make it sound so misleading. That's my line."

As Kim Hyun-ah left with Nadia, Vincent quietly approached and asked.

"So you really are dating Ms. Lee Se-yeon?"

"...What?"

Tae-hyun's "What" was in a much lower tone. It was a tone that felt like "What the hell, you bastard?" with the "you bastard" omitted!

Vincent was startled and quickly said, "Ah, n-no. Were... were you not dating?"

"How can you say that after seeing what just happened? What the..."

"I-I'm sorry. If you were dating, I was going to help you as your agent... Actually, I won't say another word. Please forget what I just said."

Cain was impressed by Vincent's words. So that's how you clean up a slip of the tongue!

Tae-hyun clicked his tongue.

'If even an overseas agent thinks that way, doesn't that mean everyone is misunderstanding? No way...'

Sometimes, the "no way" was exactly right.

"But how do we start the search?"

"First, the churches. There must be church temples here too, so let's go around them, clear daily quests, and build up contribution points."

To get information in a new region, the first thing needed was quests. Clearing quests made a player's name known in the region and accumulated contribution points.

Since what Tae-hyun was looking for was an Authority, it was best to clear church quests.

Moreover, Tae-hyun's class and skills multiplied the effects of even a small amount of contribution points.

The God of Speech... well, not a god yet, but about a demigod!

Thump.

"...?"

A person in a hood passed by and handed Tae-hyun an item before walking away.

"What's this?"

Tae-hyun tried to chase after the NPC, but the NPC turned a corner into an alleyway and vanished.

"......"

Tae-hyun could immediately tell why this quest had appeared. It was because he had brought Yong-yong and Heuk-heuk into the empire.

'Damn it. I should have left them behind!'

He didn't know what the Draken Secret Society did, but they certainly had an incredible nose for the scent of dragons. They had contacted him the moment he arrived.

"...Since things turned out like this," Lee Da-bi said.

"What are you going to do?" Cain asked.

"First, we have to meet them. Well... it's not a bad thing."

There was no harm in accepting a hidden quest first. He could think about it after receiving it!

Of course, if you accepted hidden quests from evil-aligned churches or bandit/thief NPCs, there was a high chance your life would get messed up...

'Come to think of it, the Draken Secret Society probably has that kind of reputation within the empire.'

Tae-hyun suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

"Isn't this really bad?"

"Did you see the graffiti on the wall on our way here that said 'Let's kill the dragons, dragons are my mortal enemies'?" Lee Da-bi asked.

"These guys seem... a bit weird..." Cain muttered.

The party was entirely negative!

"Still, we can get information. Don't worry. Do you think I can't control a bunch of guys like them?"

At those words, everyone nodded.

"Well, if it's you, Tae-hyun..."

"You could easily control them."

"They're no match for you!"

It was recognition, but it felt somewhat insulting!

The letter also contained a map. Tae-hyun left the port and walked toward the sandy area on the outskirts of the city.

"The entrance is supposed to be somewhere around here... Ah, here it is."

"But Tae-hyun."

"Yeah?"

"Didn't you promise those people earlier that you wouldn't get in Lee Se-yeon's way?" Lee Da-bi asked.

"Strictly speaking, it wasn't a promise not to get in her way, but a promise to go our separate ways."

"...But isn't Lee Se-yeon currently clearing quests next to the Emperor of the Empire?"

Having resurrected the empire, Lee Se-yeon was clearing direct quests next to the Emperor. It was only natural considering the contribution points and reputation she could accumulate here.

"Right?"

"But if you join that secret society, won't you be getting in Lee Se-yeon's way?"

"...Right?"

"......"

"Lee Da-bi. You trust me, right? You know I'm not trying to get in her way on purpose?"

"Ah, yes. Of course."

This dungeon was a dungeon for dragons. If you were friendly with dragons, you received a buff; if not, you received a debuff. In that case, there was no reason to hide Yong-yong and Heuk-heuk.

"Yong-yong. Heuk-heuk. Come out."

At Tae-hyun's words, the two dragons scrambled out and took their places on his shoulders.

-Heuk-heuk. Master. It was hard because it was so cramped inside.

-Master. Do we really have to be in this empire...

"Shh. Guys, there are probably people in there who like you."

-Me, the divine beast of Sadiq? I don't think they'll be very sane...

Yong-yong looked at Heuk-heuk with pity. Usually, divine beasts contracted with a god would cherish their contracted god and look favorably upon their church, for better or worse. Yet Heuk-heuk was treating the Sadiq Church like a bunch of weirdos.

Knowing Heuk-heuk's circumstances, Yong-yong couldn't help but feel bad for him. A pity so deep it made even the divine beast of Akisus feel sympathy!

"No, not the Sadiq Church... they'll be better than them. ...Probably."

-Didn't you just say 'probably'?

Thud.

"Oooooh!"

"Oooooooooooooh!"

"Ooh! Dragons! Real dragons!"

"Kiyooo! Kiyooooo!"

"The dragon looked at me! He looked at me!"

"No! He looked at me!"

"He turned his head and looked me straight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the eye!"

"He was looking at the guy behind you!"

"......"

-Eek.

-Eeeek.

The two dragons had fought all kinds of enemies alongside Tae-hyun, but the crowd in front of them was genuinely terrifying. They must be crazy!

"Where is the sculptor?!"

"Here I am."

"Where is the painter?!"

"Here I am."

"Do not miss a single detail and carve the divine figures of those two!"

"Yes! Understood!"

"......"

Tae-hyun watched them with a lukewarm expression. Well, since they liked them, there was no need to interfere...

'Holy crap, is that Adamantium?!'

Tae-hyun's jaw dropped. The material the sculptor was bringing out was none other than... Adamantium!

One of the strongest rare metals in Pan-On, on par with Orihalcon! And they were just using it for a sculpture??

Of course, the amount was only enough to make a small statue, but even mixing just that much into armor...

Tae-hyun's eyes sparkled.

"What are you going to do with that statue once it's finished?"

"We must offer it to the dragons."

"Oh! How truly devout!"

Tae-hyun was impressed. These secret society guys were surprisingly good people, weren't they? Offering it to Yong-yong or Heuk-heuk was basically the same as giving it to Tae-hyun.

Of course, crazy people always defied Tae-hyun's expectations.

"If we throw it into the dragon's flames and burn it, it will serve as an offering to all dragons."

"......"

Tae-hyun's face turned cold. No, what kind of crazy nonsense was that?

"Wait a minute. You said you're offering it to the dragons?"

"Yes, we are."

"Is that... really an offering?"

"Yes!"

Heuk-heuk spoke from the side.

-The Sadiq Church uses a similar method, Master. Throwing sacrifices into Sadiq's flame.

"That's why that church went ruined. You bunch of wasteful spendthrifts."

-.......

Heuk-heuk became sullen.

Seeing that, a secret society member gasped in horror.

"How dare you speak so rudely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to a dragon! Apologize immediately!"

"What?"

-...?

Heuk-heuk turned his head and stared at the secret society member. Is this guy crazy?

"Dragons are the greatest and most divine creatures. Lowly races like us must only bow before them."

-Master. Those people seem like pretty good people...

-Do you want to get beaten to death? Do you think they'll be by your side when you get beaten up outside?

-...No, Master.

Tae-hyun, who threatened him so gently, was the scariest of all. Heuk-heuk lowered his wings.

"Ahem. This person... is my master..."

"What?! You are commanding a dragon?!"

"He's a heretic! A heretic! Kill him!"

To a secret society that worshipped dragons, Tae-hyun commanding a dragon was the ultimate blasphemy!

-Eek.

"...No, he's more like my friend!" Heuk-heuk quickly changed his words.

At that, the expressions of the secret society members softened.

"A friend of dragons. What a magnificent hero."

"How envious, how envious."