The Foolish One (1)
“Let’s head back, Hayan.”
“Y-yes….”
I wanted to offer her some words of comfort, but now didn’t seem like the time. Anything I said here would likely go in one ear and out the other.
Even Jung Hayan, who usually spoke at length with Park Deokgu, seemed to wear a faintly bitter expression. Of course the other party members were precious to her too, but Kim Hyunsung and Park Deokgu were probably the two people she counted as most important. It only made sense that she’d react this way. After all, they’d been with her since the tutorial, and they were the ones who had cared for her when she had been alone.
Especially Park Deokgu. He’d even beaten up that sexual predator whose name I’d already forgotten, so if anyone had gotten especially attached to Deokgu besides me, it was probably her.
He was my Cupid, too….
Even as I crept forward, trying to make sure he wouldn’t spot us, he looked as if he were still furiously swinging a sword somewhere. The voice that kept mumbling under his breath was annoying as hell, drilling into my ears.
I can do better.
He was clearly repeating the words I’d once said to him. Back then, I’d only meant it as a push to get a frightened bastard moving, but now it felt like those words were the only thing holding him up. That was embarrassing in its own way.
Of course I believed in him. But the reality shown by the status window was cruel.
Hard work never betrays you? What bullshit.
Sure, sometimes hard work could deliver a result so enormous it changed everything. But there were situations no amount of effort could overturn. Especially when the target you were aiming for was a genius—then effort betrayed human expectations far too easily.
When I glanced back, he was still swinging that sword, and his figure imprinted itself in my mind again. I forced my eyes away, but his image kept lingering there all the same.
Obviously, I didn’t want his effort to be betrayed. But if I decided his growth had truly hit its limit and he simply couldn’t keep up with Kim Hyunsung’s party anymore, then I had to ask myself what position I should take.
He’ll die.
This wasn’t just a matter of abandoning him or not. Unlike me, who stood in the rear with plenty of safety measures, a front-liner’s mistake meant party annihilation—and not even that was the real issue. If he fought against something he couldn’t handle, Park Deokgu would absolutely die.
Cha Heera had been a perfect example. If she’d been so completely out of her mind that she couldn’t distinguish enemy from ally, Park Deokgu would have been killed without even taking the first hit. His body would’ve blown apart right there on the spot.
And when I thought about the road Kim Hyunsung’s party still had ahead of them, maybe it would actually be better for Park Deokgu to stay behind after all.
My head hurts. Shit… and I still have to choose a new class….
As if I didn’t already have enough to worry about with the fourth class selection, this just piled more on top of it. It felt like my problems had multiplied.
***
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“Yes. Master, I’ll make sure everything here is tidied up.”
“Take your time, Hyejin.”
“I’ll finish up everything in Lindel as well, so go with peace of mind, Hyunsung. And Kiyoung, you and Hayan should enjoy your little trip together too.”
“I’ll see you in Lindel, Jeongyeon.”
“Have a safe trip, Kiyoung.”
“I’ll be back soon. Please look after the slums, Heeyoung.”
“Yes.”
Before leaving for the capital, we took a moment to say a brief goodbye to the party members, but I couldn’t help feeling a very prickly gaze stabbing into me from one side. It wasn’t Cho Hyejin, who’d been asked to oversee the construction of Castle Rock’s black market, nor was it Kim Yeri, who seemed displeased about being separated from Kim Hyunsung. The owner of that stare was Dialugia, who was hugging Toltol-i tightly while glaring in my direction.
Her expression was as impassive as ever, but the air around her was unmistakably sour, and her eyes were broadcasting so much dissatisfaction that anyone could see it. Apparently, even now she still wasn’t pleased that I was heading to the capital. I’d told her it would be a short trip, but it seemed she still hadn’t calmed down.
I remembered her even raising her voice a little after seeing Park Deokgu that night, once we’d returned to our rooms. Apparently, the reason she’d been angry was that I was neglecting my home and gallivanting around outside.
What is this…?
I’d sensed something brewing for a while, but I never imagined she’d try to leash me this quickly. Still, from her point of view, it made perfect sense. Especially when you considered Toltol-i, who was stuffed in her arms.
Toltol-i, who had been making those kyek-kyek noises nonstop, seemed to realize that he’d have to be apart from me for a while and was squirming violently. Naturally, that made me think I should at least try talking to her. Conveniently, Jung Hayan was busy exchanging greetings with the others, so I should be able to have a short conversation with Dialugia.
“Well then. I’ll be off, Dialugia.”
“……”
“Ha… haha… I’ll be off, Dialugia.”
“……”
“It won’t take long.”
“I don’t understand why you feel the need to report such things to me. After all, you never seem satisfied unless you do exactly what you want.”
“I’d prefer to stay with Toltol-i if I could, but the situation doesn’t allow it.”
“Then what situation does allow it?”
“I explained this before… It’s all part of the effort to create a safe nest, so I’d appreciate it if you’d understand….”
“I know perfectly well what you’re thinking. Fine. Since we’re on the subject, let me say a little more. A safe nest. A safe nest. A safe nest. Yes, yes, that sounds lovely. But the safest nest for Dialurian is the nest she shares with you. As I already told you, if you consider how important this period is for Dialurian’s growth, I simply cannot understand you. Even Dialuria herself is this uneasy, isn’t she?”
“Kyek! Kyek! Kyek! Kieeeeeek!”
Toltol-i, you little bastard… don’t overdo it.
“Human thought is terribly predictable. You’ll go to the human capital and, just like that night, drink something unpleasant and lose your senses again. I think you understand better than anyone how badly that affects our Dialurian’s education. Your health, too. I don’t care if you hold hands with another female or kiss her, but at the very least you ought to be faithful to Dialurian, shouldn’t you?”
Shit… this is scary….
“I already knew humans were liars. What kind of good contractor is this? You boasted that you’d never lift a finger for household chores, and yet you abandon your nest so easily. You don’t even realize what you’re doing.”
“Human society is complicated. Communication matters, and that means social drinking is unavoidable.”
“You always say things like that. Complicated. Human society is dangerous. Then perhaps you should explain why, in the middle of that complicated and dangerous society, you intend to leave our Dialuria behind all alone.”
“That, too… is for work.”
“Your work is not getting drunk and passing out. It’s protecting Dialuria and loving her.”
“……”
“……”
“Come here, you little Toltol-i!”
Since I couldn’t think of a proper answer, changing the subject was obviously the only option. I knew very well that nothing I said would get through to her in this state. For now, all I could do was dote on Toltol-i one last time before leaving.
“Kyek! Heh-heh!”
“There we go! Good boy, Toltol-i! There we go! That’s it! Just wait two days, okay? I’ll go and come right back!”
“Kieeeeeek!”
“Toltol-i, sshh! Don’t scream!”
“Kieeeek….”
“I’ll be back soon, so can’t you endure it just a little longer?”
“Heh… heh-heh!”
“Be good and wait quietly.”
“Heh! Heh!”
“Our Toltol-i really has grown up.”
“Kyek!”
“That’s right! That’s right! That’s right!”
“Kyek! Kyek! Kyek!”
Watching him hop around again, I could tell the dragon’s fury had cooled a little. Well, of course her face would soften at the sight of Toltol-i being so adorable he could melt your heart. She still seemed displeased, but there was nothing better than Toltol-i for thawing her frozen mood. It was only then that I felt a strange gaze. Everyone except Jung Hayan was wearing expressions that seemed almost warmly amused.
Only then did I realize the picture Dialugia and I were making together was not exactly normal. Dialugia didn’t seem to care, but since I was still conscious of Jung Hayan, I couldn’t help worrying about it.
That said, most of the women simply seemed to find Toltol-i cute. Kim Yeri, especially, had sparkling eyes the moment she saw him bouncing around for the first time. Naturally, Dialugia hastily lifted Toltol-i higher in response.
“Cu-cute.”
“You need to come back as quickly as possible.”
“Yes. Ah, and after we arrive in Lindel, construction on the nest will begin immediately, so just find Kim Miyoung and tell her what you need.”
“The nest?”
“Yes. Actually, I don’t know exactly how the Dragon’s Nest is supposed to be arranged, so I’ve already told them to begin work right away, in consultation with you.”
“Ah….”
“It’s custom-made, so spend as much as you want.”
Her expression was still full of complaints, but once she heard that we were finally going to build the new nest in earnest, her mood seemed to improve a little. At least I’d gotten over a major hurdle with gifts and Toltol-i’s charms. Of course, that obstacle had created another mountain of its own, but since Jung Hayan and I were going to the capital together anyway, I’d have plenty of chances to smooth things over with her.
Jung Hayan seemed to know that too, and her face looked a little happier. She hurried over and clung to me tightly, but at the moment, the thing that concerned me more was Park Deokgu. Glancing to the side, I saw a giant face approaching with an expression that looked completely unconcerned.
“Hey, brother, have a good trip!”
“Yeah. While I’m gone, take care of Dialugia and Dialuria.”
“Ah….”
“You share a life force, so you understand what I’m saying, right?”
“Well, I guess more or less.”
“Deokgu.”
“Yeah?”
“I trust you. And if I were to….”
“I know. That I can do better, right? You’ve said that so many times it’s practically stuck to my ears. Don’t worry about me, brother. Just go have a good trip.”
“And you get along well with Jeongyeon, too.”
“Ahem. It’s not like that between me and Jeongyeon-noona, okay? Brother, you should be the one treating Hayan-noona better.”
“Do your best, Deokgu-oppa.”
“Heh-heh-heh. Well, I’m Park Deokgu, always overflowing with energy, aren’t I?”
At Park Deokgu’s words, he let out a small grin and patted Jung Hayan on the head. His act of pretending not to notice anything was, I had to admit, pretty polished.
When I didn’t know him well, those signs would have been easy to dismiss. But now that I was starting to notice them bit by bit, there was no way not to pay attention. Even without thinking too hard about it, I was sure he’d spent all day swinging that sword yesterday too. He might think no one would notice, but the moment you got near him, you could smell sweat.
At least he’d changed into clean clothes, but he apparently hadn’t had time to shower.
Still, strangely enough, it didn’t bother me very much. In fact—
“Kiyoung, we should probably….”
“Ah… yes, Hyunsung.”
It went without saying that we each climbed onto our own griffons. Jung Hayan stuck to my back like glue, and I waved to the people still sending their farewells and to Toltol-i, who was throwing a fit all by himself. When I rose into the sky with Kim Hyunsung, I had the distinct feeling that Park Deokgu, looking up at us, had clenched fists that were shaking.
Before I’d even disappeared completely from view, he had already turned around and was running somewhere else.
What a stupid bastard.
He was the most foolish human being I’d ever met.