Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Unexpected Admission Test (6)
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Unlike Darulma, who blinked in bewilderment, the Saintess remained utterly composed.
She had ascended the surveillance tower at a leisurely pace, giving her surroundings a quick once-over before speaking.
"Yeomyeong, you're really going to release it right now? You sure that's okay? The Korean military won't just sit idly by..."
Her voice carried the usual playfulness, but it was laced with genuine concern. Yeomyeong tucked the golden seal into his belt as he replied.
"And they've been sitting idly by so far? With a dragon in the picture, the military's going to keep acting like this."
"...Fair point."
From the moment they acquired Kahal Magdu's ribs, the Korean military hadn't hidden their greed even once.
Not just their blatant abuse of power, but their shady backroom dealings, and even the bullet that had just whizzed toward the back of his head moments ago.
Of course, the shot was likely Colonel Jeong's independent action...
But given how they'd used the spoils of war as leverage to demand the dragon's tail in its entirety, the top brass probably didn't think much differently from the colonel.
Having sorted her thoughts that far, the Saintess prodded the unconscious Colonel Jeong with her foot.
"Still, I didn't expect him to go straight for the gun like that. If we release the dragon now, won't they try assassinating me later?"
"If they were going to attempt an assassination, they already did."
"...Huh?"
Already? The Saintess tilted her head.
Rather than explain, Yeomyeong pointed alternately at Colonel Jeong and her. Realization dawned on her, and her mouth fell open.
"Even if they covet the dragon, trying to assassinate a Saintess..."
She glanced back at the soldier standing behind Yeomyeong. His head was bowed low, his arms trembling.
"...Heh."
Dragging out the situation like this? The Saintess snickered as she stepped up beside Yeomyeong.
"What do you plan to do? Got a plan?"
Her voice was so soft that neither the soldier nor Darulma could hear. Yeomyeong matched her whisper.
"In exchange for releasing the dragon, I'll propose they drop the Saintess assassination incident."
"Oh... a dilemma, huh? Either become the army that attempted to assassinate the Saintess, or the army that released the dragon."
The Saintess was mildly impressed. For an improvised plan, it was surprisingly solid.
It had been mere minutes since he'd dodged the bullet, and he'd come up with this in that short time.
He didn't seem to have any political instincts or deep understanding of international relations.
'Maybe... he's the type whose mind works best when screwing over others?'
She took a fresh look at Yeomyeong's face. It wasn't right to judge by appearances, but...
If he were an actor, he'd suit a villain role better than a hero.
"...Come to think of it, he tried to kill Willard from the very first meeting."
"What're you on about all of a sudden?"
"Hm? Oh, nothing. I'm in favor of the plan too."
The Saintess changed the subject. Yeomyeong narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before raising the seal.
Just as he was about to infuse it with mana, Darulma interjected.
"Look here, Yeomyeong. Are you really planning to release the dragon?"
Darulma made no effort to hide his panic. He'd thought it was a bluff against the military, never imagining Yeomyeong actually meant to free it.
"Yes, I intend to release it."
His tone was firm. Realizing Yeomyeong was serious, Darulma started to say something, then closed his mouth.
If the man himself wanted to release it, was there any reason to stop him?
Sure, the dragon's heart and bones were a shame to lose... but strictly speaking, that dragon wasn't even Dungan Heavy Industries' property.
In fact, seeing it as a chance to stick it to the rude Korean military, Yeomyeong's idea didn't seem so bad.
"...Is there anything I can do to help?"
Darulma quickly gathered his thoughts and asked. Yeomyeong pondered for a moment before turning toward the dragon and replying.
"By any chance, could you gather the reporters right now?"
"Reporters? This is a military-managed area; they can't come here."
"Not here—how about at the Manchuria base? Location doesn't matter, as long as they're all gathered in one place."
"Of course, that's possible."
Rather than ask why he wanted the reporters assembled, Darulma immediately pulled out his phone and contacted his staff to round them up.
As the soldier's face turned ashen at the word "reporters," Yeomyeong added lightly.
"Oh, and one more thing. Tell them to bring good cameras."
"...Good cameras?"
"Preferably ones good enough to capture a dragon flying through the sky."
***
Orse Tabul slumbered in a deep, dreamless sleep that even dragons could not dream in.
A deathlike slumber induced by an enormous dose of anesthetics and sedatives.
At some point, as his draconic consciousness wandered within it,
Warm mana flowed into his body. An unidentified mana that pushed out the drugs in his veins and breathed life into his stiffened heart.
The dragon realized it was mana blessed by the gods—holy mana.
It was akin to the mana shared with him long ago by the priests of the Five Gods as they blessed him.
Had the gods come to save him?
The dragon's consciousness followed the mana, escaping the drug's grip. Limp muscles twitched back to life, and stagnant mana pulsed through his veins.
Blood and mana surged to his brain, restoring his awareness. Shaking off the drugs and sleep in an instant, the dragon...
Awoke from his long slumber.
"You're finally awake."
The dragon's massive eyelids slowly lifted.
Looking to see who had awakened him, he beheld a human female emitting pure white light from her hands.
[...Saintess.]
Orse Tabul stared blankly at her pristine white priestess robes and the face obscured by an eyepatch.
[Why do I yet live?]
The Saintess, focused on healing, gestured toward the figure beside her instead of answering.
The dragon tried to crane his neck to look, but something firmly restrained his neck and body.
Restraints meant for livestock. Instinctively, he tensed his body.
Rumble...
The restraints shook and groaned, but that was all. The thick bindings still compressed his form.
The dragon instinctively knew these restraints had been made to hold him, and that even at full strength, they wouldn't come free easily.
He wanted to unleash his breath right then... but the Saintess was in the way. Helplessly, he shifted only his eyes toward the spot beside her.
And what entered his vision was a familiar human male.
[You...]
How could he forget? The very human male who had severed his wings and legs, and put a bullet through his eye.
"Orse Tabul. You must be disoriented having just woken up, but first, hear me out..."
Before the human could finish, mana gathered in the dragon's maw.
Whoooosh—
Even bound head to toe, a dragon was a dragon.
He prepared his breath to obliterate both the restraints and the human male before him.
But the next instant, upon seeing the object the human raised, the dragon snapped his jaws shut.
The golden seal. The last legacy of his dear friend.
[You cursed Earthling! How dare you!!]
The dragon's roar echoed thunderously through the warehouse. The startled Saintess covered her ears, and even the human holding the seal winced slightly.
"Ah, come on... let's talk."
[Talk? Mocking me before the slaughter?]
"...."
[Saintess! How can this be! Colluding with an Earthling! Do you not see the grudge of the tens of millions of believers persecuted by communists—!]
As the dragon unleashed his lengthy fury, the human male hurled the seal at him. The dragon recoiled in horror.
[Wh-what is this outrage!!]
The dragon trembled with rage. If not for these restraints, he would have crushed that Earthling beneath his claw right then!
As he opened his maw to bellow more in grievance, a metallic click sounded, and the pressure on his body vanished.
The sensation of the restraints clamping him down releasing all at once.
Suddenly freed, the dragon forgot his anger and stared at the human male in confusion.
[Lock released? What...]
Instead of answering, the human raised his hand. Moments later, the seal returned to it.
Not just releasing the lock, but retrieving it too? The dragon's eyes quivered as he regarded the human male.
[How? Even I could not use all my abilities. To whom was it passed down?]
"To someone you know well."
[...Insolent fool! Mocking me?]
As the dragon bared his teeth and growled, mana erupted, shaking the warehouse.
The soldiers watching the dragon from nearby snatched up their rifles without missing a beat.
Countless gun barrels and tense gazes fixed on the dragon.
Yet neither the human male nor the dragon spared the soldiers a glance.
A brief silence fell, and the human male raised the seal as he spoke.
"The bloodline has faded."
[...]
"Rust claims the bronze statues, and oaths are forgotten."
As his words ended, the dragon's wings unfurled wide, and his pupils dilated massively.
The still-unhealed wound in his eye tore open, blood streaming from it like tears.
"There is nothing eternal in this world, yet still we..."
[...desire eternal friendship.]
The dragon lowered his body to meet the human's gaze. The image of the human male reflected in his vertically slit reptilian eyes.
"Believe me now? That I met the person you know well."
[...I believe you.]
As Orse Tabul answered readily, everyone in the warehouse—from the Saintess onward—gaped in shock. Darulma in particular trembled as if struck by lightning.
[Declare your name.]
"My name is Cheon Yeomyeong. The human who defeated you."
[Orse Tabul, the dragon.]
Fortunately, unlike the Dwarf King, he had no taste for grand titles.
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