Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Flapping Wings (2)
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I took a deep breath, intoxicated by the liberating sensation washing over my entire body. Right then, a black dot hurtling toward me like an arrow appeared in the corner of my vision.
'Huh?'
The black dot, moving too fast to identify, revealed a familiar figure only when it reached right below me. It was Yoo So-jeong, dressed in her usual black suit.
She stopped just beneath the building and shouted up at me urgently.
"Miss Lee Da-yoon!!"
"Why are you here?!"
The moment she opened her mouth to say something, a massive truck barreled past her side.
Screeech!
"──come down!"
"What?!"
Her words were drowned out by the roar of the truck. Fortunately, she shouted again.
"Come down right now! It's dangerous!"
Dangerous? What did she mean? I mulled over her words for a moment.
That's when I spotted people rushing toward the building I was on. Some wore casual clothes, others black suits, but all their faces were familiar.
That meant...
'Ah!'
The puzzle pieces clicked into place.
'Is a vicious criminal fleeing this way? That's why the security team's rushing over!'
Yoo So-jeong was trying to get me away from the criminal heading up to the rooftop. No wonder I'd heard shouts like "Protect her!" from the playground earlier.
Of course, my body wouldn't get so much as a scratch unless a hunter attacked me, but I couldn't worry Miss So-jeong like that.
"Got it! I'm coming down right now!"
To ease her concern, I hurled myself from the railing without hesitation.
"Miss Lee Da-yoon!!"
Miss So-jeong yelled from below, sounding like the world was ending. She swiftly moved directly under me.
Of course, I didn't plummet straight down.
Whoosh─!
My body dipped for a moment before the wings on my back seized the fierce wind. Amid the thrilling freedom from gravity's grip, I began slicing through the air.
"Hee hee hee!"
I couldn't hold back the giddy laugh bubbling up.
This was nothing like gliding at the playground. I could feel the turbulent air currents shifting around me, and my wings gripped them perfectly. The wind enveloped my body.
Instinctively, I flapped my wings up and down vigorously.
Flap! Flap!
Catching an updraft, my body shot upward, carrying me to greater heights. Like an albatross launching into the wind for a long glide, I soared higher on the air currents.
'Can't let the criminal follow me—I need to fly farther away!'
If she's telling me to get away, the criminal must be strong. What if they jumped after me? I beat my wings fiercely to pick up speed, heading toward the bustling streets on the opposite side of the apartment complex.
Looking down, I saw Miss So-jeong desperately alternating her gaze between the sky and ahead as she ran. Dodging people and cars, leaping over obstacles, she tracked my position perfectly.
'Wow, she must be really worried. I didn't know she'd run that hard.'
To repay her effort, I had to fly even farther.
I flapped excitedly, crossing the city skies. Cars looked like toys below, people like tiny ants.
Then, murmurs rose from the streets.
"Huh? Wh-what is that?!"
"A dragon? A person? It's flying?!"
Pedestrians stopped one by one, looking up and buzzing with excitement. Some even pulled out their phones to record me.
"Take a picture! Hurry!"
Dozens of dark lenses pointed my way.
It was a bit embarrassing, but having my cool, proud flight captured didn't feel all bad.
Flap! Flap!
To meet their expectations, I flapped harder, accelerating.
It was fun, but time to land. I couldn't make Miss So-jeong run any more. I aimed for a nearby wide alley.
"Heading this way!"
Not sure if she heard, but she'd figure it out. I tilted my body to increase my descent speed.
An absurd scene unfolded below: Yoo So-jeong sprinting ahead, with panting Management Agency staff trailing behind.
As I reached directly above the alley, I began descending. Yoo So-jeong arrived at my landing spot first, arms outstretched.
'Perfect. Time for a superhero landing—or like an airplane.'
I envisioned a smooth touchdown right in front of her. Facing into the wind, I raised my wings to slow down.
I pictured the elegant scene in my mind.
But the momentum from high-speed gliding was stronger than expected.
"Huh?"
My speed wasn't dropping fast enough. I flapped late, but there wasn't time to brake fully.
Thud!
"Oof?!"
In the end, I crashed right into Yoo So-jeong's arms.
A soft, warm embrace, along with her familiar fabric softener scent. And a faint hint of sweat, unusual for her.
Lifting my head, I saw Yoo So-jeong's perfect facade cracked: sweat beading on her forehead, stray hairs clinging to her cheeks.
Her ragged breathing showed how hard she'd run.
"Are you alright, Miss Lee Da-yoon?"
Still hugging me tightly, she asked with a voice full of worry.
"Yeah? Of course I'm fine."
A dragon wouldn't get hurt just from a bit of wind in the sky. We're a flying species, after all.
It's not like I was ambushed by a criminal.
"More importantly, what about the criminal? Did they get away?"
At my question, Yoo So-jeong's expression hardened. She looked dazed as she replied.
"...The criminal?"
"Yeah! Someone shouted 'Protect her!' from the playground earlier. You told me to come down from the roof because it was dangerous. Must be a really vicious one, huh?"
As we talked, the Management Agency staff staggered into the alley one by one. Without exception, they leaned against the walls, gasping like they might collapse.
Yoo So-jeong fell silent for a moment, then loosened her hold slightly and brushed back her hair before asking.
"Why did you go up to the rooftop?"
"Huh? Because I wanted to fly."
At my obvious answer, she fell silent again, longer this time. Her face stiffened unusually—angry? Relieved? It was confusing.
"We'll discuss this incident later when we get back."
Her voice carried a mix of emotions I couldn't pinpoint, making my body tense up too.
'...What did I do wrong?'
She must be upset about something. Why was she so mad?
'Ah! Could it be...'
One thing came to mind.
'No-fly zone?!'
Drones and RC planes can't just fly anywhere in Seoul. Maybe there's a law for people flying too.
I bowed my head and apologized.
"Um... Sorry for flying around without government permission. I'll tell you in advance next time."
She shook her head at my apology.
"That's not it."
"Then...?"
She tightened her arms around me slightly and spoke in a low, firm voice.
"Didn't you make everyone worry?"
Worry? About me? Why?
I looked up at her with a baffled expression.
"Huh? Worry? Because of the criminal?"
Yoo So-jeong let out a small sigh and looked exhausted.
"There is no criminal."
"Huh? Then why..."
"Miss Lee Da-yoon. Have you thought about how that situation just now looked to other people?"
At her question, I replayed the scene in my head.
Dragon on the rooftop. Wings. Flight.
"Dragon appears over Seoul skies...?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"Everyone who saw it would think of the War God incident."
The War God incident?
My mind went blank. Me? The War God?
"......Huh?"
A deflated response slipped out.
Finally, all the pieces fell into place. Why Yoo So-jeong had screamed, why the staff had run so desperately. It was all because of that.
"And your flight drew attention from countless people. It's not good for the spotlight to be on you, Miss Lee Da-yoon. We controlled the media, but we can't stop it from spreading online."
"...Sorry."
Not only had I worried everyone, but I'd forced the Management Agency staff into emergency work because of me.
As I mumbled softly, Yoo So-jeong replied.
"I'm fine. But in the future, before you do anything, please think once more about how it might look to others."
"Yes..."
After that, we walked home together.
The moment I got home, I showered, but my wings and legs screamed from the flight and long walk—my core muscles ached all over. It hurt worse than running stairs. Even dragons can't escape post-workout soreness.
I staggered to my sanctuary, the lair, and sank into the blankets, twisting my body for stretches.
'Come to think of it, I wonder what's up with the internet.'
As Yoo So-jeong said, my video must be spreading online by now, but I had no idea how it'd be received.
She'd told me not to check SNS, but curiosity won out.
"...What's the worst that could be said?"
After much agonizing, I finally picked up my phone.