NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50
If you move, the obedient dragons you created will follow.
The beautiful structures you nurtured will stand tall.
And the sight of it all will welcome you warmly.
But if you stop, everything will vanish like a fleeting bubble—natural, yet devastating.
This is what the Outsider, known as the Dragon Slayer, experienced shortly after her birth.
#
In a house without air conditioning, one could only laugh with just a fan, and in a house without a fan, one could smile merely by being in the shade.
Living beings do not feel a strong longing for the ‘comfort’ and ‘happiness’ they have never experienced.
This was no exception for a ‘God’ freshly born.
As a proud dragon, the Dragon Slayer found satisfaction in the environment where everything she created welcomed her.
The obedient dragons watched over her every move, and the beautiful buildings were enough to bring her joy each time she looked at them.
So, there was not a single thing that the Dragon Slayer felt lacking.
Until she glanced down at the human world.
Accidentally looking down at what the dragons were watching, the Dragon Slayer was awestruck by the sight of humans living their lives.
Particularly, what caught her attention the most was the scene of a male and female couple smiling, conversing, and then sharing a kiss.
The behavior of high-ranking beings was something she could not comprehend.
Yet, instinctively, she could sense something.
Isn’t this what the long-awaited ‘romance’ the dragons sometimes spoke of?
I want to go down.
I want to experience the flow of time like that!
However, the Dragon Slayer realized some truths naturally.
An existence like herself could not simply descend down there with the feeling of ‘wanting to’.
To her, this fact felt like shackles tightening around her.
Yet, on the other hand, she pondered if it was really necessary to go down.
After all, she had the dragons with her.
It wasn’t like something disastrous would happen just because she couldn’t go there.
Little did she know that the problems would arise from there.
#
From that day on, the mind of the Dragon Slayer was filled with thoughts about the human world.
Even as she tried to ignore it and engaged in exaggerated conversations with the dragons, she could not shake it off.
The ‘strong stimulation’ she felt while observing the human world imprinted itself in her brain, awakening a ‘longing’ she had never felt before.
It was useless, no matter how hard she tried to shake it off.
The curiosity felt for something unseen and the desire to become that way only intensified day by day.
Eventually, the Dragon Slayer, who was enjoying a tea time with the dragons, overturned the table in frustration.
What is this tedious routine?
After all, the dragons were just creations she made.
And when she heard the news that some beings of her caliber had already descended, her feelings peaked even further.
I want to go down.
Why can’t I go down?
So, for about ten years in human time, the Dragon Slayer locked herself away in her room.
Everything felt sorrowful.
Being an Outsider was indeed a being unaffected by the flow of time, and she was merely throwing a tantrum.
That long time was sufficient for the Dragon Slayer to recognize and reflect on her situation.
Rising from bed, the Dragon Slayer felt awkwardly compelled to apologize to the dragons.
When she opened the door with a smile, she faced something for the first time.
Despair.
The obedient dragons, who should have been happily chatting and doing housework, had all vanished.
That was not all.
As she wandered around her room in contemplation, when she opened the door, what greeted her was the pitch-black ‘void’ itself.
The Dragon Slayer realized.
Her creations were fleeting like dust if she did not maintain them.
So, after another few decades, the Dragon Slayer was adrift in the void with a feeling of emptiness.
Despair, deep regret, all of this had become a strong deficiency, anchoring the Dragon Slayer.
Thus, the Dragon Slayer eventually descended to the human world as she wished.
But is this truly good?
Is this really what I wanted?
I don’t know.
So, she decided to start anew.
But one law formed within the Dragon Slayer’s heart.
Never give affection to anything you create, no matter what happens.
After all, it would leave her side like a bursting soap bubble.
Nonetheless, there was one goal.
Now that she has come down.
To find her love as she wished….
“Hey, when did I say love! Don’t interpret it however you want!”
“Huh? Wasn’t that what it was?”
“Th-that’s… In any case, it’s not!”
Seeing that the subject seems very uncomfortable, let me correct that a bit.
I decided to find a human to accompany me, something like that.
Having descended into a place where snow fell heavily, the Dragon Slayer observed the beings like herself establishing their domains and decided to do the same.
Her power and intellect overwhelmed other beings, causing the territory she occupied to be quite vast.
She created the obedient dragons.
But instead of forgiveness, she presented destruction if they did something wrong.
At first, it was painful, but she became accustomed to it over time.
After all, if they disappeared, she could simply create new ones.
While she was organizing her territory, someone entered the domain of the dragons.
Other beings would usually be too frightened to even approach this place.
But this woman was strangely unfazed and wandered around freely.
The woman would later be known in the human world as the White Mask.
#
White Mask casually wandered through the Dragon Slayer’s domain, seemingly examining something, and eventually began installing strange objects.
The Dragon Slayer could tell that she was making paths, at least.
How dare she install something carelessly in her domain?
Still, the Dragon Slayer did not feel angry.
On the contrary, she actually found the woman appealing.
Her sharply defined eyes gave her a chic appearance, her striking features, and her occasionally heard voice carried charisma.
Above all, that woman seemed not to fear her at all.
The Dragon Slayer, recalling the surprised expressions of the humans who passed by, requested the dragons to decorate her as closely as possible to resemble a human.
When the Dragon Slayer boldly stood in front of the White Mask, she approached the woman, who was hammering away at something.
“You!”
“…?”
Calling out boldly, the White Mask merely glanced at her and frowned as she stared back.
What the Dragon Slayer did not realize was that her language, the horns growing from her head, would make her appear to be a being far from human.
“You’ve entered my domain! This means you must follow my words….”
“Pfft, an Outsider has entered here, huh?”
However, the White Mask did not heed the Dragon Slayer’s words and retreated on the spot.
“Wait, a moment!”
Even as the Dragon Slayer tried to catch her, the White Mask grew further away.
From then on, the White Mask continued to visit.
The Dragon Slayer did not give up.
It was simply the beginning; she thought that if she kept showing her face, they would become friends soon.
One day, like on any other, the Dragon Slayer brought one of the obedient dragons to visit the White Mask, who had come to lay down train tracks.
Upon seeing the train she had brought, the Dragon Slayer felt it was inefficient.
“You struggled because of the means of transportation; why not borrow this child from my loyal underling instead? It could play that role for you.”
The Dragon Slayer proudly spoke, but to the White Mask, who had no intentions of understanding the invitation, it only seemed she wanted to attack.
Thus, she drew a sword previously sheathed.
Swish!
Without hesitation, she cut down the obedient dragon.
“You dare reject my kindness and even kill my creation?!”
The Dragon Slayer was naturally disappointed by the White Mask’s actions and vented her frustration by scorching the train she had brought with flames.
“…AAAH!”
Seeing the train burn, the White Mask screamed in anguish, running around helplessly.
The Dragon Slayer thought it was gratifying, but soon her heart felt a chill upon seeing the expression the White Mask directed at her.
An expression filled with rage and resentment.
She was giving an expression full of such malice toward her.
The White Mask departed that day.
Afterward, the Dragon Slayer withdrew into her dwelling, deep in thought.
Having attacked first, why was that woman giving her such a resentful look?
“I just wanted to befriend you.”
Lost in thought, the Dragon Slayer decided to apologize to the White Mask.
She recognized that she was partially at fault.
What she had overlooked was her inability to consider human emotions.
So, she waited for the next day, and upon spotting the White Mask’s arrival, her expression brightened, only to soon fall into despair.
For, there stood the White Mask, wearing a more hostile expression than before, and holding a sword.
“Oh, no. I—I did… wrong! I didn’t mean to fight!”
But the White Mask had no chance of understanding the Dragon Slayer’s words.
The White Mask’s sword swung smoothly toward the Dragon Slayer.
While the Dragon Slayer continuously dodged, trying to plead for forgiveness, she couldn’t help but feel angered upon seeing her clothes getting torn apart.
Why?
Why must I be the only one to understand?
Why doesn’t she comprehend my intentions?
So, in a fit of anger, she bit the face of the White Mask.
But what came back was:
“…Gah! My face…!”
“Back off! Retreat!!”
As the White Mask clutched her face, screaming pathetically.
The Dragon Slayer did not realize.
She assumed her strength was a natural given, but how she could approach a weaker being.
Seeing the White Mask’s face becoming twisted and grotesquely contorted, the Dragon Slayer fell into despair.
There was nothing she could do.
Her impulsive act had caused grave harm to the White Mask.
“This isn’t what I wanted… I didn’t want you to be hurt like this…”
Her knees buckled.
The Dragon Slayer sank to the ground.
Ah.
Only after being driven to tragedy did the Dragon Slayer realize:
Perhaps she did not deserve to possess the beauty of the human world.
#
A sad tale where there are neither victims nor perpetrators.
A tragic story like this was one I deeply despised.
“Thus, I could not trust humans. Therefore, I disposed of every Outsider that entered. But….”
Still, wouldn’t it have been better had she beenfriend them?
It was undoubtedly her first goal and first curiosity.
How could there not be a single ‘bad Outsider’ from the beginning?
Among all those Outsiders who had perished up until now, wasn’t there any with a tragic tale?
She gazed at the White Mask.
Watching attentively as I acted.
Perhaps her expression hidden beneath that mask was filled with concern.
Humans themselves held no sins.
They had no option but to eliminate the beings that harmed them, after all, they could not look kindly upon those who led them to ruin.
“You’re the first human not only to understand my words but to listen.”
The Dragon Slayer, now with a considerably softer demeanor, began to feel a bit relieved.
“Disciple.”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand what that vile creature said?”
The White Mask finally spoke a word.
After hearing all of this, the Dragon Slayer narrated it quite objectively— the White Mask could only let her anger toward the Dragon Slayer out.
“Master, this friend says she wanted to be on good terms with you.”
“…Such nonsense…”
“You have no choice but to think so. Naturally. But Master, can you at least trust my words?”
At my words, the White Mask, who had momentarily lowered her head, raised it to look at me.
“…We were able to come this far because Master believed in my strength. There couldn’t only be bad Outsiders in this world, right? Hence I could showcase my abilities.”
“You don’t know what you are saying. Judging based solely on a few Outsiders is….”
“That’s true, but at least I believe that this Dragon Slayer isn’t such a bad Outsider.”
Yeah.
If I had shown hatred towards ‘Outsiders’ from the start, I should have filtered myself out first.
The White Mask seemed to have decided to remain silent and listen to my words without replying any further.
…As I talked on the train, I felt she was quite a cool woman.
“The Dragon Slayer bringing the obedient dragon was to offer it to you, and looking for a chance to get close to you was to talk to you first. The burning train was… a misunderstanding that arose from a difference in opinion. So, she attempted to apologize, but that day….”
“….”
The White Mask seemed to think it wasn’t entirely implausible, staying quiet and slightly bowing her head.
Of course.
If the one she had despised all along started to say something now and she could instantly comprehend that, it would be remarkably saintly.
Minutes passed.
The White Mask finally seems to have sorted out her thoughts, raising her head again.
“Then… if that’s true, you must show some signs of apology as much as the trouble you’ve caused me!”
Upon hearing the White Mask’s voice filled with anger, the Dragon Slayer donned a surprised expression, then slowly stood with a countenance filled with sincerity, walking toward the White Mask.
Soon, pulling back one leg and grasping the edge of her dress, she sank deeply into a bow.
A curtsey.
I had once heard that noble ladies express their apologies this seriously and deeply.
Perhaps having witnessed that,
“…Ugh.”
The White Mask, with a strangled voice, bowed her head and shook her shoulders significantly.
At that moment, as the misunderstandings accumulated burst, perhaps it felt disorienting as the lingering feelings tangled up within.
I decided to give it some time.
Understanding could take a while, given how long the wounds had persisted.
#
“…If that’s the case, I guess I must apologize a bit too.”
The White Mask’s words left the Dragon Slayer flabbergasted as she alternated her gaze between me and the White Mask.
What the…
Shouldn’t she be happy if this is what she desires?
“Then, could I borrow an obedient dragon for a while? Since the train exploded…. I think I need to take a break.”
“Y-yes! I shall lend you as many as you require!”
The Dragon Slayer stammered but answered with all her might.
The White Mask, who surely wouldn’t understand this meaning, gave a thumbs-up in agreement, nodding.
As the White Mask leaned against the wall and relaxed her body, she finally assumed a comfortable position.
After all, she’d sustained injuries too.
Taking a break was only natural.
“…Thank you. I managed to resolve the misunderstandings.”
“It was due to my meddling. You need not thank me.”
After saying that, silence fell briefly.
Well.
That awkward atmosphere after resolving something is really something I dislike.
By the way, how can I eliminate the Dragon Slayer’s anchor?
Though I thought the purpose was ‘relations with humans’, the signs of it did not fade after reconciling with the White Mask.
If that’s the case…
As I pondered, a sudden ‘scratching’ noise echoed from the wall behind the Dragon Slayer and me.
Startled, both the White Mask and the Dragon Slayer turned to see.
“Hello, this time I’m going to talk about ‘how to win love.'”
Winning love isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sometimes, approaching recklessly can be a nuisance, but standing still doesn’t solve anything either.
However, here’s one tip! When the atmosphere warms up, if you share a kiss with your partner, you can effectively win their heart!
This concludes the discussion on how to win love!
The Dragon Slayer’s face began to turn red, and I couldn’t hide my astonishment.
What on earth is this damn record keeper mumbling about?!
(TN: So it’s Yuri? And even cross-species?)