Chapter 48
Chapter 48
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Taming the Dragon Lord
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Even in its shrunken state, Windeler stood his ground bravely, fighting the beast without backing down.
I didn't use [Superconducting Collapse] on Windeler.
This was different from rounding up weak mobs for a slaughter.
I needed Windeler to hold out as long as possible.
'Fury's Thunderbolt.'
I called down a bolt of lightning from the sky onto Drepelus.
It did some damage, but it was far too insignificant.
'With the thunderclouds dispersed, a level 52 lightning spell's power is all I've got.'
At this rate, I couldn't deal any real damage to Drepelus, who was level 99, no matter how much mana I poured in.
It would just be a pointless waste of mana.
I stopped attacking and focused on recovering my mana.
"Baron Caron! Bring all the mages except those with water attributes over here!"
I shouted through the amplification device.
Even amid the chaos of the battlefield, Caron somehow caught my order and directed the mage unit to join this front line.
"Mages, attack the dragon! Knights, watch out for the spells!"
Caron yelled that out before charging toward Drepelus.
The mages mounted on wyverns behind him began unleashing spells in every direction using their magic staves and grimoires.
Boom boom! Boom boom boom!
Whoosh! Roar!
Kaboom! Kaaa-boom!
Rumble! Rumbllle!
All sorts of elemental magic went berserk.
Magical attacks poured down on Drepelus from every side.
-You filthy mortals!
Drepelus flew into a rage, thrashing wildly.
It tried to breathe toward the mages, but Caron and Windeler stabbed both sides of its neck with Aura Blades at the same time.
-Kraaaaaagh!
Drepelus writhed in agony from the deep wounds in its neck, spewing its breath in the wrong direction.
Silvret's lightning magic struck right into its gaping maw, seizing the opening.
-Kieeeek! Kiiiiiiek!
Its roar turned into a screeching wail.
"It's screaming even after you fried the inside of its mouth with electricity. Silvret, that thing's pretty tough, huh?"
"Wow, Your Highness. We're in the middle of battle, so please let me focus on chanting... We can chat all you want later..."
"Ah, sorry."
Damn, this persistent bad habit left by the prince's personality kept kicking in.
Silvret steadied her breathing, her face flushed red, and resumed her spellcasting.
'Nothing beats a gang-up.'
With three Swordmasters and hundreds of mages taking to the air, spamming spells and pulling back repeatedly.
Drepelus, fresh out of its egg and fighting its first battle, was getting pummeled like a oversized chick.
'Mana and stamina consumption is too high. We're fighting inefficiently. And it's a low-level boss.'
Level 99 might be max for players, but it wasn't that high for a boss mob.
'What about Canelian?'
Thankfully, my fiancée was following my instructions to the letter.
She kept her distance from Drepelus, poking it with Aura Blades in probing attacks.
When Windeler and Caron closed in for dangerous close-quarters combat, she struck during the openings they created and then retreated.
"Silvret, can you cast Ragne del Lueck one more time?"
"I can initiate it, yes. The startup doesn't consume much mana. But I can't guarantee it'll fully activate."
"Probably because the natural mana around here was mostly depleted earlier?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Ten seconds... no, if it can just drop one lightning spell..."
Silvret pondered deeply, then raised her magic staff with both hands.
The crystal at the tip detached cleanly and began floating up into the sky.
"Silvret? What are you...?"
"This is a mana crystal I've aged for 150 years."
"If I shatter it in the sky, it should draw in enough thunderclouds for Your Highness to cast one spell."
"No need to go that far. Stop."
"I can make and age another mana crystal. Right now, taking down that boss monster is what matters."
Silvret shattered the mana crystal in the sky without hesitation.
I could see an intense mana wave spreading outward.
As Silvret initiated Ragne del Lueck, the sky darkened, and thunderclouds rolled in.
It was pathetically weak compared to before.
But it was the thunderclouds summoned by Silvret's heart, by 150 years of training.
I pulled Silvret into a strong embrace from behind without thinking.
One arm around her back and waist, the other extended into the air as I whispered.
"Thank you, Silvret."
The electrical discharge exploded through the metal armor as a thunderbolt crashed down from the sky.
Windeler expertly took my skills full-force across his body, ignited his Aura Blade, and thrust it into Drepelus with all his might.
Kraroom! Boom!
Canelian and Caron swiftly pulled back to evade.
The wyvern-mounted mage unit let out cheers.
I halted all movement, still holding Silvret, and looked down at the fallen Drepelus.
"You've finally won."
"Yeah, at last... Huh?"
"Your Highness? What's wrong?"
"Hold on."
Why isn't the experience coming in?
Did something go wrong? Is it a bug?
At that moment, Drepelus's consciousness transmitted directly into my mind.
-S-Spare... me...
"What?"
-I don't want to die right after being born... I want to live long... Just like Mother Dragon lived long... and achieved ascension...
Ah, so this is the subjugation complete event cutscene.
You scared me there.
"Caron! Canelian! Fall back! Windeler! For the final blow, just enough to—!"
-Sp-Spare me! If you do, I'll pledge my loyalty as your subordinate!
Hold up.
This doesn't seem like the subjugation success event. It feels like a story branch point.
If I spare it, I lose the massive experience and the items it would drop.
It'd drop at least one Mythic-grade item, no doubt.
Plus, I'd forfeit the World First Kill achievement and its rewards.
But...
'Experience can be farmed later. You always take these opportunities.'
I've never seen arrogant, prideful Drepelus beg for its life like this.
But it was a newborn crybaby mob.
Pride be damned—when survival instinct takes over, it overrides everything.
-Spare me, please...
"Spare you?"
-Why ask me? Don't you hold my life in your hands?
"If you want to live, shouldn't you beg more humbly and pledge your loyalty sincerely?"
"Only then would I consider employing you instead of boasting about your fine hide."
-I-I don't know how! Tell me, and I'll do it.
"I, Ragna Volter Arcana, rightful heir to the Arcana Kingdom, ask you, Drepelus, Ruler of Pendragon Lake."
This makes the second one after Caron.
Quoting the U.S. naturalization oath.
"Do you swear to uphold it with utmost sincerity, without hesitation or evasion?"
-I swear!
"Proof?"
-Pr-Proof?
"Make me absolutely believe you'll keep your oath."
-How?
"That's for you to figure out."
-I-I don't know how! Tell me! Please!
"How can I, when I don't even know what you can do?"
If this doesn't work, I'll just kill it and take the experience.
Windeler stood by the fallen Drepelus's head, sword ready, awaiting my command.
Rooooar!
Then Drepelus let out a agonized death rattle.
Red mist poured from its gaping maw.
Recognizing what it was, I shouted downward.
"Don't be alarmed! It's not harmful!"
The red mist surged toward my airship.
It coalesced before my eyes into a fist-sized gem.
Like half of an original gem sliced cleanly—imperfect in form.
-It's half of my heart! It has no power, but instead...
"I know what this is. And that destroying it kills you."
-Y-Yes!
"Good. The contract is sealed."
Only then did the massive experience flood in, and my level rose continuously.
My level shot from 52 straight to 70 in an instant.
"Professor, it's over. Let's descend."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As it accepted the contract, the monster army it had spawned from its eggshell also ceased attacking.
The knights and soldiers finally stopped fighting and awaited my orders.
What a well-disciplined army.
I disembarked from the airship and stood by its head.
Caron bowed fawningly.
"Your Highness, if we skin this beast and stuff it for display in the royal castle, the whole world will be awestruck by your majesty."
"Just imagining it makes this Caron burn with excitement...!"
"I've tamed it. I'll use it as a summon from now on, not kill it."
Canelian asked in surprise.
"Pardon? You're employing this thing? How can you trust it?"
"I've imposed unbreakable magical constraints. It's safe."
"Your Highness, did you plan to tame it from the start?"
Not really.
I only just learned I could.
"Yes. Thankfully, everyone pulled together, so things went according to plan."
Times like this, you gotta act cool and take credit.
"Ahh! That's a relief! This Caron has finally earned his keep as Your Highness's retainer for the first time! Right, Your Highness?"
"Taking credit, huh. Fine, I get it. I'll give satisfying rewards for merits."
I patted the head of Drepelus, who was breathing a sigh of relief.
"Hey, Drepel."
-Speak...
"Short speech. Is that how you talk to your master?"
-Pl-Please speak...
"Tell me the locations of all your hoarded treasure and artifacts. And how long until you're fully recovered?"
-No hoarded treasure or artifacts. Recovery... at least 7 days of rest...
"Then shrink down for now."
-...Yes.
A brilliant light flashed, and its massive body shrank to wyvern size.
"Caron, you're in charge of transporting this guy..."
"I am Arcana's Sword, Mr. Cheok Jun-kyung!"
Windeler stepped forward then, dropping to one knee.
His hand pointed at the fallen Drepelus.
"You'll handle it personally?"
"I am Arcana's Sword, Mr. Cheok Jun-kyung!"
"Got it. Take good care of Drepel, and Caron, have the knights and soldiers assist."
"Understood. Hey, Lord Cheok. I'll help you complete this mission with all my heart."
"No reward needed. I like honest fellows like you."
Windeler gazed at the wyvern-sized Drepelus and imagined.
'It grows big, shrinks small. Just like me, isn't it?'
Normally, he'd ride the wyvern-sized Drepelus into action.
But with the giant version gripping his shrunken shoulder with its talons, soaring swiftly for aerial combat?
Storming the skies with breaths, bolts, and Aura Blade barrages?
An indescribable thrill surged through him, his whole body trembling.
'Ahh! The Lord deliberately came to hunt at Pendragon Lake to boost my combat power!'