Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Part 10. The Guardian (4)
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Only two beings remained in the black crystal.
Traces of the other guardians had vanished completely.
"......"
Until everything was over, the Green Dragon's guardian kept his gaze lowered and held his tongue.
Ridiculously, the ends of these beings who had lived for centuries came in an instant.
The lone remaining guardian slowly opened his mouth.
"Are you not taking my life?"
There was no reply.
After the murderous intent filling the entire black crystal dispersed, Yoo Ji-tae walked up to the guardian.
Then he asked.
"Don't you miss freedom?"
"...It would be a lie to say I don't. However, this body was born from the machinations of the demon world, and it was my current master who saved me from a life I did not want."
"......"
"Having sworn full loyalty to the Green Clan with all my heart, I have no intention of betraying her, even if it costs my life."
The guy spouts knightly nonsense despite being a thug at heart.
After thinking for a moment, Yoo Ji-tae approached him.
Then he squatted down to meet his gaze.
"The reason you live is to protect the Green Dragon, right?"
"...Yes."
"But I'll be the one protecting the Green Dragon. So your life has no meaning anymore. Right?"
"......!"
Malevolent light flickered in his eyes.
His words were true.
If they were under the protection of such a powerful being, who would dare need a guardian?
Yet the guardian could not leave his path.
"Aren't you someone close to evil?"
Well. That's true enough.
But the guy seemed to have completely misunderstood.
"If you've left me alive for a reason, please tell me. If it can add to the strength of protecting the Green Clan, I will do anything."
"Anything?"
"...As long as it doesn't harm the Green Dragon, yes."
It wasn't entirely satisfying, but it was a compromise-worthy attitude.
After pondering briefly, Yoo Ji-tae spoke.
"Until the dragons finish their playtime, act as if you're one of my kin."
"You mean complete obedience? Even if it goes against my will?"
The guy spoke so stiffly.
"Something like that."
As Yoo Ji-tae answered, the guardian's gaze dropped.
"......However, the seal engraved on this lowly body belongs to a demon world count."
"So?"
"I don't know who you are yet, but I've realized you're someone who has transcended boundaries. However, now that the dragon's bondage is released, the demon world's seal remains on this body. It will be an obstacle to complete obedience."
That was no issue.
"Don't avoid my eyes."
At Yoo Ji-tae's words, the Green Dragon's guardian raised his head.
In that moment, a blue energy gathered in Yoo Ji-tae's eyes.
One of the three great powers stolen from the demon archduke. A power used only so far to distinguish good from evil, truth from falsehood, like from dislike.
"......!"
As the archduke's magic power began to flow, the guardian froze stiffly.
Such dense demonic energy.
Could it be?
Was this man truly on par with the demon world's archduke?
Having left the demon world centuries ago, the guardian tensed extremely and began to be shocked by what was to come.
Over the long years, the curse of the demon world count embedded in his body began to be scraped away by Yoo Ji-tae's magic power. Over it, the demon archduke's seal began to take hold.
At the same time, the body reconstructed with the count's magic power began to change.
Even so, since the original body was magical armor, the changed form remained full-body armor.
"......"
The guardian knelt and paid his respects.
However, on the other hand, he felt doubts rising about the man before him.
With such dense magic power, this man was absolutely not good. Perhaps the talk of protection was a plausible hypocrisy, and in reality, he had taken the dragons hostage?
'......'
The guardian thought.
This man was a dangerous being.
According to instinctual senses, his danger was of even higher quality than demon world entities.
He might even be this world's demon king.
'......Impossible.'
The Green Dragon had been captured by such a one.
And from what he'd heard, the other dragons had all been captured too.
In the guardian's mind, Yoo Ji-tae was becoming a complete villain.
Demon king. Kidnapper. Or whatever. The worst being on earth holding dragons captive.
And that being stood right before him.
As a guardian, he thought he must help the dragons escape. At least the Green Dragon.
But seeing his power, even a sliver of possibility was gone.
Despair rose.
"Ready?"
In his wretched state of mind, the guardian replied.
"......Yes."
Hearing the answer, Yoo Ji-tae tore through the black crystal and went outside.
Bom's room was a mess. The wardrobe had toppled, and several ceramic pots lay shattered. Among the shocks within the black crystal, a very faint portion had extended outward and caused this.
Since ultimate arts had been unleashed, it was understandable.
Earthworms wriggled amid the soil spilled from the broken pots. Yoo Ji-tae let out a light sigh.
At that moment, Gaeul opened the door upon sensing his presence.
"......Ajusshi?"
The chick seemed not to have found the pure black crystal.
"I-I counted all the numbers... What the heck..."
Vitality began to fill the eyes of the previously despondent girl. Gaeul tossed aside the script and approached them.
"Where have you been! Suddenly a huge wind blew, and I was so worried you'd gotten hurt! Winter kept whining... Huh...?"
Then, behind Yoo Ji-tae, she tilted her head at the sight of the black full-body armor.
It wasn't the guardian she knew.
"Who is it? A friend?"
At her innocent gaze, Yoo Ji-tae smiled faintly.
Around then, the guardian was in considerable shock.
He had expected the dragons to fear Yoo Ji-tae. He was a villain, and he'd just confirmed it. He'd even worried if they'd been subjected to something sordid.
But what was this reaction?
The young Gold Dragon's voice full of worry sounded like a child finding her parents amid anxiety.
This couldn't be.
No way.
As common sense and reality failed to align, leaving him at a loss, a blue-haired toddler dragon cautiously poked her head through the door.
Deep aura of water, the Blue Dragon.
The Blue Dragon, upon seeing Yoo Ji-tae, toddled over with a near-tearful expression. Then she stretched out both arms as if asking to be picked up.
Yoo Ji-tae naturally lifted the Blue Dragon. A motion devoid of special emotion. But the Blue Dragon, nestled in his arms, stopped sniffling as if reassured.
Shock upon shock.
What in the world was happening before his eyes?
Had some violent force twisted the dragons' minds? Mental alteration? No. Even a demon king's wouldn't work on dragons.
Then what was this?
"Anyway! What happened to make the room like this? Bom unni almost got hurt!"
"Not me."
"Then who?"
Gaeul asked with her bulging eyes, as if saying "try me."
"Him."
As Yoo Ji-tae gestured, her bulging eyes turned to the guardian.
"Why did you do that? Ajusshi and Bom unni almost got hurt! And who is this anyway? Why did you suddenly come into our house!?"
The chick pecked away.
Suddenly turned criminal, the guardian didn't know what to do. It was the timing to introduce himself and say he'd come to protect them, but things had gone strangely.
"Say hi."
The saving grace came unexpectedly from Yoo Ji-tae.
"Newly hired cleaner."
No, it wasn't.
The situation spiraled out of control.
*
An hour later.
The guardian, apron tied on (since Winter feared the emblem on the armor's chest) and rubber gloves donned (since gauntlets couldn't pick up pot shards), had to clean Bom's room alone.
After cleaning for a while, the end was finally in sight.
The guardian squatted down. Then he mulled over the events one by one.
The Gold and Blue Dragons who followed Yoo Ji-tae like family. If mental domination didn't work, it must be genuine behavior from the heart.
"...Ajusshi."
Then the Green Dragon murmured. Was she sleep-talking?
"...My cooking... is delicious?"
She seemed to be feeding something in her dream.
Probably to that devilish man.
"......Liar."
Sleep-talking, Bom smiled lightly.
This was shocking too.
The guardian had never seen the Green Clan's young lady smile like this. Not in 20 whole years.
He couldn't understand, but it seemed he had to accept it now.
Surprisingly, the man didn't seem to have done anything bad to the dragons. Not only that, perhaps their relationship had formed a fairly plausible framework.
He'd have to watch for now.
Then the dorm door burst open.
"Whew."
Yeoreum, back from exercise, drenched in sweat like a drama protagonist.
Looking around the house, she spotted the guardian and asked with an annoyed expression.
"What's that?"
"Cleaner."
Gaeul's answer.
No, that's not it.
"Cleaner? Like a cleaning person? But why's he just standing there instead of cleaning? And he doesn't even look human."
"Um, I don't know, but ajusshi said he's the cleaner!"
"That guy? Hmm..."
Soon interested, Yeoreum approached and kicked the trash bin in front of him.
The painstakingly gathered trash spilled out.
"Work. Don't slack."