Chapter 320
Chapter 320
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 320
Chapter Title: Faded Promise (12)
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A buzz of voices filled the air.
After the death of the Dragon God was announced.
The Draconian Kingdom, which had been as somber as a house in mourning, bustled with activity for the first time in a long while.
The grand banquet hall was crowded with Draconians who had gathered after hearing news of a major announcement.
“Thank you all for gathering.”
Kellion began to speak, standing on the dais.
His low voice, amplified by a magic-infused microphone, echoed throughout the grand banquet hall.
Thousands, tens of thousands of eyes focused on Kellion.
“I know this is a difficult time for all of us.”
A hush fell over the grand banquet hall.
In the chilling silence, where not even a small murmur could be heard, Kellion continued in a low voice.
“I have called you here today because the Dragon Maiden has something urgent to tell us.”
Like a host introducing a guest singer, Kellion took a step back on the dais and turned.
Ha-eun, who had been waiting below the dais, slowly walked up.
Her expression clearly showed her nervousness.
Ha-eun swallowed hard and stood before the microphone.
“Ahem, ahem.”
She cleared her throat needlessly.
“A little while ago... ah, no, the soul of the Dragon God, Caleios, came to reside in me.”
The Draconians' eyes widened.
They had heard that the Dragon God had died without awakening, but this was the first they were hearing of his soul taking residence in the Dragon Maiden.
“At first, I couldn't hear the Dragon God's voice. But after his soul fully settled within me, I began to hear his voice, little by little.”
“Th-the Dragon God's voice?”
“Does that mean the Dragon God's soul hasn't vanished?!”
The shocking announcement caused a growing stir among the Draconians.
“Quiet down.”
Kellion stepped forward to quell the disturbance.
Silence returned.
Ha-eun licked her parched lips and spoke.
“He said he wishes to borrow my body to speak with you all, even if only for a moment.”
“Borrow your body...”
“Is that even possible?”
The Draconians' eyes filled with disbelief.
It was hard to readily believe that the Dragon God, whom they thought had died—no, who had actually died—suddenly wanted to borrow a human woman's body to speak with them directly.
Before their disbelief could grow any larger, Ha-eun clasped her hands as if in prayer.
“Then, I will now call upon him.”
*Fwoosh!*
A scorching flame began to burn around Ha-eun's body.
The hot flames engulfing her body transformed into the shape of enormous wings, spreading wide.
It was as if a dragon had unfurled its wings.
The Draconians were momentarily overwhelmed by the magnificent sight of the fiery wings, stretching dozens of meters wide.
And then.
[It has been a long time.]
A solemn voice echoed out.
“Huh?”
“C-Caleios's voice?”
“N-no way!”
Astonishment spread across the faces of the once-disbelieving Draconians.
The voice flowing from the mouth of the human woman said to possess the Dragon's Eye was unmistakably identical to the Dragon God's voice that remained in their memories.
“How in the world...”
Had the real Dragon God truly descended through the human woman's body?
As confusion grew in the face of this unbelievable situation.
“Ah, Lord Caleios!”
Kellion, who was standing beside the dais, knelt before Ha-eun.
The old Draconian trembled slightly, his face filled with emotion.
“I... I have missed you so very much.”
A single tear trickled down his wrinkled cheek.
The expressions of the Draconians, who had been glancing at each other in confusion, began to change one by one.
It was Kellion, of all people, who had knelt and bowed his head.
The elder who had led the Draconians while the Dragon God slept had acknowledged the spirit residing within the human woman as the 'real' Dragon God.
The atmosphere of high disbelief began to crumble in an instant, like a bursting dam.
“Ah...”
“L-Lord Caleios!”
“I-it's unmistakable! That is Lord Caleios's voice!”
The one they had so desperately awaited.
The one that remained vivid, unerased even in their faded memories.
Caleios's voice.
[I have made you wait for too long.]
They could hear it.
The voice of their god, which had been unreachable.
“Ah, uh.”
“Waaaaah!”
“Lord Caleios!”
The Draconians wept as they fell to their knees.
They bowed their heads to Ha-eun—no, to Caleios, who had descended through her body.
[My heart aches to think of how much suffering you have endured over the past hundred years.]
A voice tinged with sorrow.
[And that suffering... it seems it is not yet over.]
Ha-eun turned her head and scanned the Draconians.
The sight of the Draconians, emaciated from lack of food.
They looked even more devastated than when the Demonkin had invaded the kingdom.
[Listen, my children.]
Looking at the bowing Draconians, Ha-eun opened her mouth.
No, to be precise, she just moved her lips.
Because the Dragon God's voice echoing through the grand banquet hall was not coming from her, but from Oh-jin, who was hiding behind the dais.
[Though my flesh has melted away, my soul and will remain here.]
“...Ah.”
“O Dragon God...”
Tears streamed from the eyes of the bowing Draconians.
The Dragon God, Caleios.
The news that the god they had so desperately awaited was still alive instantly blew away the despair that had been consuming them.
“Lord Caleios...”
“Ah, this moment... we have waited for this moment all this time!”
A pillar called 'hope' rose in their crumbling hearts.
“Please watch over us again, Lord Caleios!”
one of the Draconians shouted.
Ha-eun shook her head at the shouting Draconian and moved her lips.
[As I am but a soul, I can no longer watch over you as I once did.]
“Th-then.”
“Then what are we to do now...”
The Draconians' eyes trembled.
Without the Dragon God's care, what were they supposed to do from now on?
“W-we need the Dragon God's care!”
A desperate cry rang out.
[No, you no longer need my care.]
“Th-that's not true!”
“Without you, Dragon God...”
[For the past hundred years, have you not steadfastly protected the kingdom even without me?]
Even though the kingdom was taken by the Demonkin.
[You did not give up; you fought against the Demonkin to protect your own home.]
They no longer needed 'care'.
“Th-that was because we believed you would awaken...”
[Even that belief would not have come to fruition had you not acted.]
If you had not thrown your lives on the line to become decoys.
The Dragon Maiden could not have reached the lair so easily.
[The reason I am able to remain here, even as just a soul, is all thanks to your valiant fight.]
“...Lord Caleios.”
[Thank you.]
At that heartfelt voice, the Draconians all bowed their heads.
How could they not be moved?
The Dragon God himself had said 'thank you' to them, who were born to serve dragons, mere slaves.
[Do not forget.]
The merciful god's voice echoed.
[You are not slaves.]
The answer the Dragon God had given in the past to Kellion's warning to flee.
[You are my, Caleios's, proud children.]
The voice of the god who cherished and loved the Draconians more than anyone else filled their hearts.
[And my most precious treasures.]
“Ah...”
A low gasp escaped the Draconians' lips.
A single tear trickled down their cheeks.
[My children.]
The fiery wings, tens of meters long, that had sprouted from Ha-eun's back flapped majestically.
[Do not be sad. Do not be afraid. Do not be lonely.]
A formidable heat filled the grand banquet hall.
[I, the Dragon God Caleios, will always be by your side.]
*Fwooooosh!*
The fiercely burning flames gradually died down.
The wings that had spread tens of meters wide returned to Ha-eun's body.
“Ah, ahh.”
“*Sob... sniff!*”
The Draconians shed tears, recalling the words the Dragon God had left them.
A long wait of a hundred years.
The warm comfort they heard amidst a bottomless pit of despair lifted them back to their feet.
“Uh... s-so.”
Ha-eun continued awkwardly, looking at the grand banquet hall drenched in a sea of tears.
“That concludes the Dragon God's message.”
*Waaaaaaaaah!*
A cheer so loud it seemed to shake the grand banquet hall erupted.
Even though it was through a human's body.
At the news that their god, whom they thought was dead, was still alive, the Draconians let out cheers filled with hope.
“O Dragon Maiden...!”
“Ah, no, shouldn't we call her 'Priestess' now?”
“That's right!”
“O Dragon Priestess!”
“Thank you for letting us hear the Dragon God's words!”
Ha-eun, who had instantly become the Dragon Priestess.
Ha-eun couldn't hide her troubled expression at the intense gazes directed at her.
“Priestess!”
“Once more, please let us hear Lord Caleios's voice one more time!”
Some of the excited Draconians even tried to climb onto the dais.
“Everyone, calm down!”
*Thump!*
Kellion slammed his staff down and bellowed at the excited Draconians.
“Channeling a god's soul directly into one's body is a great burden on the Priestess!”
“B-but.”
“Do you intend to lose the Priestess as well?”
The excited atmosphere cooled down.
For them, who had already tasted the despair of the Dragon God's death, losing the Priestess was a disaster they didn't even want to imagine.
“W-we're sorry.”
The Draconians bowed their heads deeply and looked at Ha-eun.
Like loyal subjects awaiting a command.
“Uh... so.”
Ha-eun, finding their gazes quite burdensome, scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly.
She hadn't received any instructions from Oh-jin on what to do next.
“W-well, should we repair our homes first?”
Rebuilding the kingdom, which had been ruined by the Demonkin's attack, was the priority.
“We will follow the Priestess's command!”
A powerful reply echoed throughout the banquet hall.
Seeing life return to the eyes of the Draconians, who had been like soulless wraiths, Ha-eun let out a small laugh.
“Alrighty! I'll help too, so let's get started on the repairs, chop-chop!”
Ha-eun rolled up her sleeves and raised a fist energetically.
She had intended to help the Draconians, but.
“N-no, you mustn't!”
“Please rest, Priestess!”
“We will do it!”
The Draconians shook their heads with horrified expressions.
“H-huh? No, I can help too.”
“What if your sacred body were to be harmed?!”
“You must be very hungry after the channeling, so we will serve you a meal!”
“This way, Priestess!”
Ha-eun was suddenly being treated like royalty.
“Why are you guys suddenly... Aack! A-alright! I'm coming! Stop pulling, you bastards!”
On the verge of tears, she was grabbed by the Draconians and dragged off somewhere.