The Dragon Unmasked
Why? Can't you do it? I killed people. Kiiiiing—!!! The train kept chugging along. Bodies littered the floor, catching my eye. What kind of reflection should I have? Like I said before.
'No big feelings.'
Nothing major came to mind. It was weird.
'Different from back then.'
When the soldiers died protecting me from the troll. When Iris was dying right in front of me. The emotions from those moments were different from now.
'I feel nothing.'
Nothing at all. No thrill from killing humans. Not even a trace. It felt like squashing bugs.
'What the hell? Am I a psycho?'
This wasn't easy. Maybe something went wrong when I hit 2-circle. I'd heard mages' emotions dull as their realm advances. Was that happening to me? Already at just 2-circle?
'Hmm...'
Maybe, but right now, no way to know. Swooooosh—!!
"...Hoo..."
Dizziness hit. I staggered amid the exhaustion. That's when it happened.
"Ruin...!"
Iris rushed over and supported my wobbling form.
"Ah, I'm fine.... Just a bit dizzy."
Mana depletion. That final wind spell was the culprit. It sucked way more mana than thorn arrows or blade swords—several times more. I'd just thought I could spam a few on those guys.
'...Attribute magic really is on another level, huh.'
'...The book didn't say shit about it.'
King General Ultra Queen. The amazing, incredible book from our dear adoptive mom. No mentions of attribute magic inside. Sure, some spell info, but mostly basics. All 1-circle stuff.
'And above all—'
Only two offensive spells. Why just two?
'If you're giving, give more.'
Did she not expect me to reach 2-circle? Nah, no way.
'Reaching 2-circle ain't a big deal.'
I did it easy. Didn't seem hard.
"...Ruin."
Iris asked worriedly.
"I'm really fine."
"Not that.... Is your head okay?"
"My head?"
What head? At my confusion, Iris glanced at the floor. The people we killed. The train passengers were already trembling in terror.
Ah, was she shocked I killed people?
"I was a bit surprised, but I'm good. What about you, miss?"
She had issues too. At most sixteen. I had past-life memories, so fine, but Iris was just a pubescent girl.
"...Good, then. I'm used to it, so I'm fine."
'Used to it?'
Iris seemed even more nonchalant. How do you get used to killing? Was this world okay? No matter how I looked, it didn't fit the romance fantasy label.
'And what the fuck are these guys?'
The sudden train attackers. I scowled at them. What the hell were they?
I couldn't figure it out. The spear guy I just killed reached out. Blood everywhere. Headshot, instant death. Past-life shooting skills for the win, huh?
Stomach churning, I peeled off the crow mask. And then.
"...A woman."
It was a woman. And also.
"This...?"
I squinted at the blood-matted hair accessory.
"...Beastkin."
Iris answered. Beastkin. Right, the woman had animal ears. Cat ears, so.
'The others too?'
I checked the bodies one by one. Finally got it.
"...Reptilian humanoid.... And beastkin."
The intruders inside the train. Not a single human among them. Peeling off the dead masks revealed non-humans. All of them.
'The monster-side ones.'
Subspecies. Excluded from friendly kin like elves and dwarves. Straight out of the common knowledge book I'd read on the way.
'This ain't coincidence.'
The moment Iris and I thought that simultaneously.
Flash.
'Huh?'
From the spear crow—cat beastkin woman—something emanated. Mana? What? Telling me to absorb again? Nah, different feel.
Then what? Puzzled, I reached out.
Click—!
Something stuck to my palm. What the? I checked my hand.
'A gem?'
Crimson gem. Mana pulsed from it. Not just a rock.
Then.
Wooooong—!!!
My vibrator went berserk, vibrating like mad.
"..."
Resonating with the gem? I pocketed it for now. No reason. Just felt right.
That instant.
Screeeeech—!!!!
As if waiting, the train finally ground to a halt.
＊＊＊＊
The train stopped in an empty field. Sunset long past, night falling.
-Mommmmyyy...!
-...Alicia.... Alicia! Wake up...!
Screams echoed everywhere. Despairing voices.
'...That.'
Holes riddled the first-class car, trailing back through the coaches. Crows didn't just target first-class; rear passengers suffered too. Blood-soaked cars were hellscapes. Tons dead.
"..."
Seeing it, unease stirred. Stomach roiling. About to puke.
What?
'What's the difference?'
I'd just killed people without a blink, but these corpses hit different. Why? Couldn't figure the gap.
"...Ruin."
Iris approached. Her face looked bad.
"You okay?"
"...Fine. Rest a bit, it'll pass."
What bullshit. Rest and it'll pass? Laughable.
'She got hit in the chest earlier, right?'
Recalled her kicked back. Injury on her upper body. No way no impact.
"Bullshit. Why the tough act?"
"Tough...?"
"Why pretend you're strong? You look like you're dying."
"..."
Where was Erria in this mess? Still knocked out on the floor. Out cold forever. Totally useless. Worthless.
Iris went silent. Admitted it hurt, huh.
"Rest."
I suggested, but.
"I'm fine."
Iris refused. Her expression shifted.
"Chest up."
"...Pardon?"
"Shoulders back, head high."
"Why suddenly?"
"They're watching us."
Iris glanced back. I turned.
Who? Puzzled, I looked.
'...People?'
Passengers off the train stared our way. Worried, sad faces. Iris reacted.
"...Terror suppressed, but casualties are tragic. Still, assess the situation first."
Voice firm. No trace of exhaustion.
'This girl.'
Impressive? Worrying about them now?
"Any other knights here?"
Iris scanned around. No takers.
That's when I noticed the oddity.
'Come to think.'
Nobles in first-class, but no escort knights. Saw a few board, but.
'Dead.'
Crows got them. Weird.
'No anti-terror force on this world's trains?'
Wondered why no knights, but.
"...So few knight-level?"
Iris narrowed eyes, sensing weirdness too.
"Something's off. Ruin, what do you think?"
"...Yeah, looks fishy to me too. Plus."
One more thing.
"That guy mentioned Colton Clay."
"...The Duke?"
"Knew he wasn't on the train."
I stood. How'd they know?
'Colton had business, took later train.'
Next one tomorrow at earliest. Gap in time.
Thought that far, scanned around.
Right—.
'Info leaked everywhere.'
Security full of holes. Whatever their goal.
"Leaks inside and out this bad means...."
Looked around. Eyes sharpened instinctively.
"Ruin?"
Iris asked why. Ignored, scanned all directions.
Wung—.
Wung—.
Vibrator buzzed. Moments later.
'Ah.'
Found it. Eyes locked on target. Told Iris immediately.
"Miss."
"What?"
"Trust me?"
"...What?"
"Do you trust me?"
Serious eyes on her. Met gaze, Iris flinched. Staring made her ears redden, oddly.
But.
"...I trust... you."
Good, the answer I wanted.
"Then do one thing? No questions, right now."
"What...?"
Pointed at someone.
"That guy."
"...Pardon?"
Clothes torn, wounded, stumbling out. Looked like the conductor.
"Take him down? Now."
"What? What do you—."
Before conductor responded.
Shwick—.
Iris shot out like wind.
"...Gasp!?"
Her sword at his throat.
"Wha, why... why are you doing this!"
Conductor panicked.
"Ruin."
Iris asked reason after acting. I moved my hand.
"Hold on."
Slowly. Very slowly, probed. Traced the visible mana frame. Caught the sticky, gross thing around his body.
'...Begone.'
Like before. Spoke as peeling mage barrier.
Ziiiiiing—!!!
Ziiing—!!
Not peeling easy like before. Resisting. Sweat poured. Tough. Still.
"I."
Belief surged. I can do this.
"Said begone."
Shrrrip—!!!
Skin peeling, mana tore. Listened. Gut churned like seasick, but okay.
"...Ha."
Once off his body, reaction flipped.
"How'd you know?"
Conductor—no, his face changed. Writhing grotesquely.
Told him.
"...How? Covered in that crap on the outside, impossible not to notice."
"...Outside? You sensed polymorph? You?"
Polymorph? Heard that somewhere?
"Ain't that dragon magic?"
Saw in webtoon. Dragons use to impersonate humans.
Said that.
"...Look at you?"
'It' reacted fiercer.
"What are you? Chantless casting intriguing enough. You know me."
"...No way, real dragon?"
Ridiculous. Just a guess, but right? Amazed, Iris reacted harder.
"...Dragon...?"
Her eyes hardened. Aura flared on sword, but.
"Stop."
It told Iris. Hand moved.
Puk—!
"...!"
Suddenly stabbed own forehead with two fingers.
"Nothing more anyway. Didn't expect caught. Caught, so escape."
Grinned. Smile disgustingly refreshing.
"Rule-breaker child. Eyes caught you, satisfied."
Plop.
Fingers out of forehead, bloody index pointed at me. At my chest pocket, precisely.
"Gift."
Thud.
Body collapsed post-words. Iris looked urgently, but.
"...Dead."
Already gone.
'Ah, missed the mana escape.'
No fleeing mana. Really dead.
"...What the fuck situation?"
I gawked at corpse. Something big happening. Weird, don't-wanna-get-involved big.
Thinking that.
"Th-there...! Something's coming...!"
Night distance. Something approached.
'...This?'
Not just that.
'What is this.'
Heart uncomfortably prickly. Another weirdo? Tension peaked.
Closer now, stared.
"That's...."
Iris from afar.
"Kneel. Kneel."
"Pardon?"
"Now!"
"Eek!"
Grabbed by Iris, knelt.
Then.
Hiiing.
Horse neigh, something arrived. Carriage. Huge, luxurious.
Shrrr.
Knights appeared, positioned around. Golden plate. Straight out of illustrations.
'Heavy.'
Air shifted with their arrival. No ordinary foes.
Why these guys popping up? Didn't get it. Dragon among terrorists just now? Shocking enough, now this sudden shift? Brain lagged.
Screech.
Carriage door opened. Expected someone out, but no.
Silent hush passed.
"Raise your head."
Seductive voice pierced ears. From inside. Me? Slightly lifted lowered chin.
There.
"Nice to meet you."
Platinum beauty, spitting image of someone.
"You're.... our Elise's ward?"
"Uh, you know my mom?"
Reacted to Elise.
At that.
"Know her. Too well. So."
Platinum woman.
"I've been dying to meet you."
Delvin Lehart smiled.
'Ah.'
Saw the smile, realized.
'This bitch is the villain.'
Gonna be on real bad terms.