Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Dragon's Presence (3)
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Perhaps it was a relief.
Right now, Allenja wasn't in a state to purely feel awe.
"Huh!?"
Guardian castle, starlit land, and all that.
Allenja had been seriously mulling over those cryptic phrases.
Then she felt a powerful resonance rising from the depths of her very being, stealing her attention completely.
The blood of the dragon. The origin of that colossal existence was resonating with something.
The young dragon finally recalled the ritual she had just performed.
"The spirits answered my call...?"
Allreja's face slowly lit up with ecstasy.
The Scale Knight.
Advisor and guardian to immature dragons.
The spirit that had abandoned its pride alongside Nad'ga's curse was now gripping the spear shaft once more.
"Ha, haha...!"
A burst of overwhelming laughter escaped Allenja's lips.
"It really is gone, that horrific curse...!!!"
And so, as the young dragon relived that thrill and joy once again...
"Ooooh-"
"That's..."
The humans and elves watching the dragon each voiced their amazement.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Near the young dragon's left breast, gold pulsed.
Following that pulsation, streams of gold spread throughout her body.
Soon, that wondrous flow of power escaped her small form.
Thump!
The atmosphere and energy filling the area became part of that majestic pulse.
"..."
Allenja reached out her hand as if entranced.
Thump!
Right before the dragon, a pillar of golden light erupted.
The pillar of light shot endlessly upward.
It pierced the lofty sky reachable only by wings vast enough to withstand a typhoon, boring a hole in the heavens.
Thus began a massive stream of gold connecting earth and sky.
It produced the greatest vibration yet.
Thump!!!
It sounded almost like something massive landing on the ground.
The sky sealed shut as if nothing had happened.
The pillar of light faded as swiftly as a downpour halting in an instant.
The gazes encompassing earth and sky now focused on a single point.
Where the dragon girl had extended her hand.
Where the pillar of light had risen, golden armor crouched like an egg.
Clank.
It slowly rose, gazing at the dragon before it.
"Dragon. I have heard your call."
The Scale Knight.
A massive aggregate of power and will coalesced by draconic might.
The guardian and advisor to dragons had manifested on earth, transcending eons.
"The dragon's guardian and advisor..."
The Scale Knight.
Allenja continued explaining its nature.
When the explanation began, Rishir and everyone else shared the same thought.
What a verbose title.
What being could possibly claim to guard and advise those supreme existences?
However—
As they gauged the entity's stature, their thoughts inevitably shifted.
Rishir recalled one dragon.
The colossal dragon he had met with Lunadien in Ilraddain.
Not a young, immature one like Allenja, but a fully mature adult dragon.
'Similar...'
Its overwhelming presence rivaled a dragon's.
With eyes closed, it was hard to distinguish spirit from dragon.
The only difference was its caliber and power.
Unlike the dragon's aura, an impregnable fortress beyond reach, the spirit's felt somewhat unstable.
"Probably because of Nad'ga's curse... It severed us dragons from the spirits for ages..."
Allenja's expression gazing at the spirit was deeply complex.
Perhaps sensing her mood,
The spirit knelt before the young dragon.
"Dragon... I am sorry for failing to aid you in your hour of greatest need."
"...It's not your fault. That curse drove even us dragons apart from one another."
Emotions too profound for words or actions flowed between them.
Unthinkingly, Allenja reflected on the past. A bitter smile crossed her youthful face.
"..."
In Allenja's demeanor, Rishir glimpsed his own past self.
A powerless child battered by unstoppable currents eventually wears such an expression.
Resignation, in the form of a smile.
'Master—'
Involuntarily, Rishir pictured the dark elf.
That gentle smile that had pulled him from resignation's mire.
"..."
Rishir nodded resolutely.
He reaffirmed his vow.
He might not fully save her life as his master had his—
But he would grant what she desperately yearned for.
"Everyone."
Sensing Nad'ga's presence bound in his starlit domain, Rishir spoke.
"...!!!"
In that instant,
Rishir reflexively drew his sword.
He marshaled all his power to defend his body.
He heeded the warning from instincts honed sharp by myriad forces.
And as always, his instincts did not fail him.
Bam!
A massive impact transmitted through his sword to Rishir.
His body, rooted firmly to the ground, was pushed back.
The spirit.
The golden knight had charged, clashing blades with Rishir.
"Rishir!?"
"Dragon!!!"
Elf.
Dragon.
Spirit.
Their voices overlapped.
Allenja checked Rishir's condition and shouted louder.
"You!!! Stop!!! He's not our enemy! If anything—"
"Dragon!!!"
A voice like an echo in a golden cavern.
The spirit rebuked the dragon firmly in that tone.
"I don't know the circumstances, but you must trust me above all else right now!"
"What do you...!"
"I sensed fragments of that horrific existence from him!!!"
"Nonsense!!! There must be a misunderstanding!!!"
"No! It's no misunderstanding! This can't be explained by mere contact with Nad'ga's power!!! I'm certain! Nad'ga!!! That fiend has deeply embraced Nad'ga's essence—he's a minion of that vile being!"
The golden helm.
From its slit, vertical pupils gleamed.
Having reclaimed its sacred duty across eons, the spirit burned with purpose.
Only it could protect this young dragon and guide her right!
"In this situation, to prove his innocence, he must pull Nad'ga's presence from his bosom like discarded trash!"
The spirit offered an extreme yet intuitive metaphor.
Surely the young dragon would follow without argument—
"I can do that!"
"?"
"Rishir, you can, right!? Nad'ga's bound in your starlit land right now!!!"
"Dragon!!! The starlit land is a realm for souls freed from flesh!!! A living human there is powerless outsider!!! He's deceiving you with empty knowledge!"
"Rishir's not just human—he's a constellation! And the World Tree's mother!!!"
Human what?
Constellation?
World Tree's mother?
The dragon spouting nonsense no fool would buy, as if it were undeniable truth.
The spirit felt its sanity crumbling.
Even if the dragon was young and immature, there were limits.
To make her believe such madness!
"You fiend!!! Twisting that vile tongue to deceive a great dragon!!! Mocking dragons!!! I'll make you pay!!!"
The spirit lost reason.
Now only one thought dominated: make this petty deceiver pay!!!
"Stop!!!"
At that moment,
Karoe and Lunadien led the elves to intervene between Rishir and the spirit.
The spirit brightened and cried out.
"Elves! High elves too!!! Perfect timing!!! This deceiver dared invoke your progenitor—the World Tree!!! Thus deceiving the great dragon!!! I request your aid! Help me judge this fiend!!! Whether he received Nad'ga's—"
"No deception! He truly is the World Tree's mother!!!"
"?"
Not anyone else, but the high elf's defense.
It pierced the spirit's mind like mental interference.
Stunned, it halted all action briefly.
"Listen!!!!!"
The young dragon seized the opening.
With fierce wingbeats, Allenja closed in and whipped her tail at the golden helm.
An attack from no other than the dragon.
The spirit dared not evade.
The golden armor flew through the air.
"Here. This is Nad'ga, as I mentioned."
Rishir obliged the spirit's 'request.'
He truly pulled Nad'ga from his bosom like trash.
The supreme being's soul rose like flame via sorcery.
"?"
It was as if gravel had lodged in his armor joints.
The spirit tilted its head repeatedly at Nad'ga's soul, malfunctioning.
"Nad'ga... How did only your soul come...?"
-...Wandered the starlit land, got bound by that constellation bastard.
"...Are you in your right mind?"
-...Totally sane.
Nad'ga's responding tone seemed as confused as the spirit's.
A strange air flowed between ancient foes.
"What is this..."
Allenja grumbled at the spirit's sight.
"I was so excited from ancestor's words, but you're just causing trouble—"
"...!"
The spirit shot up, stiffening like struck by lightning.
"D-Dragon!!! Please retract those words!!! I am born from the condensed power and knowledge of great dragons! I can lend any form of power or knowledge you desire!!!"
"And you couldn't even understand my last words?"
"...!!!"
The spirit was shocked.
As she said, it had committed a foolish blunder.
But why,
Did it feel so wronged, breath catching!
"Th-That was... not my issue, but—"
"Excuses!? That's the power and knowledge you're teaching me!?"
"..."
The spirit bowed its head.
Allenja sighed deeply.
"Sorry, Rishir. I'll apologize on its behalf. Shouldn't have summoned it..."
"No need. I understand its position."
"!?"
The spirit was shocked again.
For him to defend it here!?
"Well, situations like this are familiar."
"...Yeah. Figures. No choice."
"Anyway. If no issues, shall we proceed?"
"Ah, yes!!! Of course! Uh, just to confirm—"
Allenja.
She eyed the spirit coldly.
"You. Know anything about Nad'ga's power?"
"Th-That's...!"
"Ah. Silly question. If you did, you'd have acted long ago. Or... would you have stayed silent even knowing?"
"Dragon...!!!"
Its initial dignity was gone without trace.
Like a father despised by his daughter.
Under the dragon's cold gaze, the spirit shrank further.
"..."
Rishir glanced around, just in case.
He checked Allenja's eyes.
'Oh boy...'
The spirit.
Allenja now showed this mighty being utterly subjugated to dragons.
But due to circumstances, it inspired no awe in the others.
'This my fault too?'
Feeling a slight headache, Rishir hastened proceedings.
"Hera. As I said, you Nad'ga stole the dragons' presence. I want to return it using your remaining power here. Possible?"
-If you do, swear on your power and existence to free me?
The bowed spirit glared wide-eyed.
Nad'ga.
Fear tinged the monster's voice, fearless even to dragons.
"I intend to, but Allenja's permission needed after."
-...Fine. Then I swear on my soul to cooperate.
"Cooperation means it's possible?"
-With relic power remaining, can partially restore dragon presence, limited.
"Time-sensitive, huh."
-Yes. Faster action, better results.
"Then let's start. Do your part."
"W-Wait!!!"
The spirit nearly freaked.
That mad human briefly possessed Nad'ga's soul.
That abomination wouldn't miss such chance—
-Done.
Nad'ga finished business and promptly exited Rishir's body.
"...Already? Felt like nothing."
-My role was just tuning—guiding ambient power and energy properly. Like holding a stick.
"..."
The spirit watched their exchange, mouth agape under helm.
Obedient Nad'ga?
A massive new question arose in the spirit.
"Next? What do we do?"
Nad'ga's soul seemed to eye Allenja.
-Finish what you planned.
Lunadien and Karoe's hypothesis—
Proven correct.
Now, the dragon need only inspire awe in all.
"Simple!!!"
The spirit brightened.
"Dragon!!! Show them the origin of your power!"
"...This?"
Allenja half-heartedly raised both hands.
The great draconic mana, holding divinity and magic's mysteries, manifested.
"Ooooh...!!! Indeed, you are a proper dragon!!! Behold that great power!!!"
"..."
"Hm?"
The spirit panicked.
Others' reactions were utterly lukewarm.
Even the dragon's—
Allenja pointed squarely at Rishir.
"This. He can do it too."
"What...! That human isn't a sorcerer— Wait, he just parried my strike with a sword... Huh? Sorcerer and... swordsman?"
"And mage-cum-priest, apparently."
"..."
"Hey, hold on!"
Rishir shouted at the spirit.
His eyes were glowing gold again.
"Th-Then— Dragon...!!! In that case, unleash your true authority!!!"
"True authority..."
"Word of power! Command them with your will to feel awe, and they must obey!"
Allenja's face twisted at the spirit's words.
"Can't."
"What!? Can't? What do you—"
Long ages of decline.
Loss of presence, dissipation of power.
"Dragons losing word of power was ages ago."
"N-No way...!!!"
"Even in dragons' greatest era, only some great ones could use it?"
Allenja fiddled with her horn, smiling bitterly.
"Someone like me..."
Afterward,
Allenja demonstrated various powers before the group.
Transcendent physical prowess.
Power realm far beyond her youth.
Astounding affinity drawing camp spirits.
"What are you doing!!! Show proper awe to the dragon!!!"
Responses were always the same.
Their attention fixed on Rishir, faces saying 'awkward...'
Sunset fell, darkness blanketing the camp.
"Lady Karoe."
Elves voiced worries to the high elf.
How many days now?
The quest for the World Tree delayed.
"No longer—"
"..."
Karoe's lips twitched.
Couldn't say it with dragon present.
Nad'ga's power would fully dissipate by tomorrow afternoon.
Thus, dragon stay ends then.
"Talk tomorrow."
"Ah, Dragon!!!"
Allenja trudged back to her tent.
"But this way—"
"It's fine."
"Pardon?"
To the spirit doggedly following,
"Rishir will make it okay."
"..."
Not just words.
A bittersweet yet relieved smile graced Allenja.
The young dragon truly believed it.
Rishir.
That man could inherit the dragon's presence.
The spirit wanted to say no.
A mere human couldn't succeed great dragon will.
Don't give up.
But it knew.
No way to convince the dragon now.
No way to convince everyone.
Wasn't it itself affected by the lost presence?
"Ah... What should I do...!!!"
Bidding the dragon farewell at her tent, the spirit sighed at the night sky.
"Ah... What should I do...!!!"
The spirit sighed at the night sky.
"Hm...?"
No.
Sighing at the dawn sky.
How long had it pondered solutions?
Morning was breaking.
"Oh no...!?"
The spirit felt like in a nightmare.
When did time pass like this!?
Soon Nad'ga's power—
"Dragon!!!"
In urgency, it shoved into Allenja's tent.
Knew rationally it changed nothing.
Yeah.
Knew it.
'Wait, why am I...?'
But why,
Couldn't resist the urge moving its body.
Not emotion, but instinct—
"..."
"...Lady Allenja?"
Entering the tent, it faced her.
For some reason, she was already awake, facing it.
Had she pulled an all-nighter pondering too?
"Ah, Lady Allenja!?"
Then, Allenja slowly exited the tent.
Her steps led to the camp center.
"Lady Allenja, what are you—"
"Quiet."
"...!!!"
Shock colored the spirit's face.
Not because her tone felt reptilian scales cold.
'This...!!!"
The moment she commanded,
It found its mouth shut against its will.
"All of you, appear before me."
Allenja's odd behavior continued.
She commanded empty air.
Her order echoed softly over the camp.
Then, the astonishing happened.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Tents opening one by one.
All in camp appeared before Allenja.
"I command you frail ones. Hold me in awe."
⟨ Word of Power ⟩
"Ah..."
All elves and humans looked up at her in reverence.
"Dragon..."
Rishir.
Even he knelt in worship before the dragon.
Allenja's eyes fully gleamed golden.
Dragon's presence.
Unmistakably returning to its master.
"..."
Allenja solemnly nodded, returning to her tent.
The others followed, entranced, to theirs.
An eerie scene.
Like a festival ending at set time and place?
"This..."
The spirit deemed it a miracle from draconic wonder.
"Ah, ah...!!! Dragon...!!!"
Overflowing with emotion, the spirit followed Allenja.
Gladly to praise her greatness, the dragon's greatness!!!
Thus,
Bursting into the tent again...
"Eh...?"
The spirit looked at the night sky.
"What..."
Felt dazed, like waking from dream.
"Wait, dream...!?"
No way.
All that just illusion!?
Astounded, the spirit entered Allenja's tent again.
"Who— Oh, you—...?"
No dragon greeted it this time.
Rishir.
The human watched sleeping Allenja by her side.
With some spirit(?) whose form was grape clusters of faces.
Embracing Nightmare Sla'han.
That spirit(?)'s power engulfed the camp.
Rishir softly murmured at golden-glowing Allenja.
"Dragons... guardians of balance and harmony."
"What... did you do...?"
The spirit unwittingly used utmost courtesy to that lesser race.
"Borrowed spirit power."
"...What spirit wields such—"
"Spirit named Sla'han."
"That's...! No spirit, it's—"
The spirit knew the name.
Sla'han. Embracing Nightmare. A higher devil.
Then,
Rishir smiled softly at the spirit.
"A spirit now."
Blood trickled from his lips.
The spirit couldn't know.
The mortal paying dearly to wield an immortal's authority—
Suffering severe overload.
"..."
Gasp.
Gasp.
The spirit unconsciously panted heavily.