Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Dragon (3)
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The Witch of Gold Coins, Adria, recalled her guardian.
The one who had appeared when her parents were torn apart and killed by the northern barbarians, and the entire merchant group was on the brink of collapse, saving them all.
And more than that, the red dragon who had become the Tiinus Merchant Group's guardian with the sole purpose of retrieving what she desired.
It had been over seven years now since the Witch of Gold Coins had formally taken her on as a guardian.
Even though Adria had never asked for anything beyond what she sought during that time, she had always offered a portion of the merchant group's earnings as tribute and maintained constant communication with her guardian.
After all, in Adria's mind, the true master of the Tiinus Merchant Group was that guardian red dragon.
And after seven years of interactions built on that belief, Adria had come to a clear realization about one key trait of the merchant group's self-proclaimed guardian.
She truly cared about nothing except the "things she wanted."
Right from their first meeting, Adria had gifted her countless things to try to reach the emotionless dragon.
Having learned the ways of commerce from her merchant parents since childhood, she not only possessed exceptional talent as a merchant—enough to surpass even her parents' success in growing the group—but had also been chosen by the world to become a hero.
Yet the guardian had never once reacted to any of Adria's gifts.
Innumerable gold coins.
Rare gems.
Legendary weapons of the century.
None of it had ever stirred the slightest change in her emotions.
What Adria always faced instead was a blank expression looking down at her, accompanied by a dry "Good work" in a monotone voice.
And that was precisely why Adria now struggled to compose herself amid the voice echoing in her mind.
[M-Master. It's really you, Master— sob— I thought I'd never see you again...!!]
It was the first time she'd ever witnessed her guardian like this.
The voice, vivid even through her consciousness, grew increasingly choked with sobs as time passed.
Adria, more confused than ever, belatedly noticed Kim Hyunwoo staring at her with a puzzled look.
"Um, are you alright? You don't look so good..."
"Ah, y-yeah... Just a sudden dizzy spell. Probably from working too hard lately."
"...Ah, yeah, merchants are always crunching numbers late into the night, so it's no wonder you're exhausted."
Kim Hyunwoo's response.
Adria forced an awkward smile while the sobbing voice continued echoing in her head.
"Anyway, as you might have guessed, the reason I came here is about the auction of the enforcement sword you entrusted to us. There are also all sorts of rumors swirling around, so I have plenty to discuss. But before that—do you happen to know the Red-Eyed Dragon—"
[No!]
She couldn't finish her sentence.
The reason was the voice booming in her mind—not the tearful one from before, but one brimming with intimidation.
Adria froze instantly, unable to complete her words. But Kim Hyunwoo, having heard enough, grasped her meaning and replied.
"If you're referring to the guardian dragon of the Tiinus Merchant Group you mentioned last time, I'm afraid I haven't met her."
"I-Is that so?"
"Yes. I've had no ties to dragons to begin with. Well—there was one half-dragon, half-human."
Kim Hyunwoo said, then looked at her directly.
"...I don't know much about dragons. Even half-dragons look similar, but their bloodlines are fundamentally different, so no chance of mistaking them."
"...I see."
Adria wanted to ask what that reaction was about, but the guardian's sharp rebuke made her swallow her curiosity.
"Ahem, anyway, back to business. I've come to deliver the proceeds from the auction in Rapengan Territory."
With the guardian's oddly ragged breathing still audible in her mind, Adria got to the point.
About thirty minutes later.
Adria handed over only the gold coins to Kim Hyunwoo, claiming some urgent business had come up.
'Let's meet again next time. I need to rush off.'
With those words, she hurriedly left the territory.
Kim Hyunwoo watched her go with a puzzled expression for a moment before staring incredulously at the wealth window displaying the riches now in his hand.
[Gold Coins: 1,117,334]
Compared to the mere 110,000 gold from selling membership rights, this was over ten times more. A dazed smile crept onto his face.
1.1 million gold coins.
It wasn't a massive sum compared to Lartania at its peak, but to Kim Hyunwoo right now, it felt like hitting the lottery.
There was so much he could do with 1.1 million gold.
'I was planning to wait until the labyrinth city fully launched, but with this much, I could just go for it now.'
Lost in that thought with a grin, he suddenly remembered something.
"Ah."
He pulled out the enforcement sword from under his desk in the office.
More precisely, the one Lynn had brought yesterday and left behind.
"..."
Staring at it, Kim Hyunwoo felt a strange mix of emotions.
The situation had essentially let him pocket 1.1 million gold for free.
'From what Lynn said, it seems she bought it in Rapengan Territory...'
Thanks to Lynn inexplicably leaving it behind, he had sold the sword but somehow still had it.
"Hmm..."
He wasn't scheming anything malicious, but he couldn't shake the odd feeling as he glared at the sword.
As Kim Hyunwoo pondered alone over the enforcement sword Lynn had left, Adria—who had swiftly delivered the gold and fled the territory—hunched over her crystal orb, staring at the image of her guardian with a bewildered expression.
No matter how she thought about it, the situation made no sense to her.
'Why on earth does the guardian know Kim Hyunwoo?'
Of course, she knew Lartania had been a massive territory ten years ago, and that the current Kim Hyunwoo was the man who had built it.
So, strictly speaking, it was possible they knew each other.
Connections could form anywhere, after all.
But from Adria's perspective, the guardian's reaction was far too peculiar to dismiss so easily.
Kim Hyunwoo had explicitly said he had no ties to dragons, yet the guardian had called him "Master."
Her bewilderment lasted only a moment before she bowed her head deeply.
"I'm sorry."
[...]
"I apologize for recklessly bringing up my own curiosity without permission, despite your greatness. I'm truly remorseful."
[...]
"If this has offended you in any way, I will do whatever it takes to soothe your anger. Really, I'm so sorry."
She bowed as low as possible, pouring all her sincerity into it.
But.
[...]
No response came.
Adria sighed inwardly.
She still had no clue about the relationship between Lartania's lord and her guardian, but this confirmed one thing.
Asking about it was like stepping on a landmine.
Regretting her impulsive question, she was about to speak again when.
[Hoo.]
A voice finally came.
[Hoo, hee—]
The voice.
[Hoo, heehee...]
...came?
Adria looked up instinctively at the screen showing her guardian.
There, unbelievably, was the guardian smiling—a radiant, laughing smile Adria had never seen before—while gazing at the recording artifact.
An artifact that functioned like a modern camera.
Staring blankly, Adria realized the side view faintly visible in the artifact was of Kim Hyunwoo from moments ago.
The moment she realized it.
[Heehee... heh.]
Adria stared, dumbfounded, at her suddenly broken guardian for a long while.