NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
Chapter 3
One day, I dreamt of a silver whale, and I told the nun about my dream.
With a refreshing smile, the nun listened to my words and spoke slowly and warmly.
“Perhaps there was a whale that wanted to fly in the sky. Could it be that the whale’s dream is connected to Yeon-woo?”
Maybe that’s true, I thought vaguely in my childish mind.
If I were a whale, maybe I would want to fly in the sky too.
“If I could fly in the sky for the whale, would the whale be happy?”
The nun didn’t answer. She just looked up at the starry sky and gently patted my head. I sat by the window, swinging my legs.
Joyfully, just joyfully.
*
Me? Mana?
Yeon-woo looked puzzled at the dragon’s words. What should I even say? If I gain mana, will my lifespan increase? Why all of a sudden? What’s your trick!?
Looking at the bewildered Yeon-woo, Alkeinea chuckled.
“Is it too much? After ten years of hard work, you want me to try once more? I never expected such a face when I offered you something you desired so much.”
“Ah, no, think about it. It’s too sudden.”
“Complaining even when I offer a gift.”
A gift? Hearing the word gift made my eyes light up. A lucky chance! How long had I hoped for this? After eating a potion that popped out of a dungeon, my mana doubled! I became super strong after eating a crazy mountain ginseng that screamed!
So, maybe it’s possible for me to gain mana too?
Though that had never been the case.
“Um, is there a condition?”
“Well, there is, but I won’t impose an excessive one. I swear on my name.”
“What’s your name…?”
Thinking about it, we hadn’t even introduced our names while conversing. Of course, Alkeinea was aware of the power of Dragon Heart, but Yeon-woo couldn’t possibly know that.
“I am Choi Yeon-woo, Dragon. The glorious output of the most unfit hunter ranked 100,000.”
Alkeinea snorted at that and subtly shifted, aiming her crown-like horns at Yeon-woo. Startled by the sudden attack motion, Yeon-woo quickly picked up a spear, but before that, a brilliant light flooded the chamber.
Ah! Is the crazy dragon launching a destructive beam at me!?
Is this how I die…? I thought, but there was no pain, nothing at all. Slowly opening my eyes, the chaotic form of the dragon had vanished.
In its place was a woman lying on a bed adorned with gold and jewels, gazing at me with a seductive pose. Her golden hair was long enough to touch the ground, reminiscent of a bed canopy.
Her vertically slit golden pupils blended so naturally that it seemed to symbolize her violent beauty, more like a presence meant to be forcefully hammered into others.
A captivating, sleek black dress, almost like a flower, softly shimmered.
Feeling as if I might be a criminal just for staring, I hurriedly turned away.
A beautiful sleeping beauty, so it’s only natural that a dragon would be a beauty too… Though entirely wrong according to deductive reasoning.
Carefully shifting my gaze, I began to examine the luxurious bed. It looked immensely expensive…
Seeing Yeon-woo’s red face, Alkeinea let out a small chuckle. Her pleasant voice filled the air.
“I am Alkeinea, the Gold Dragon. I am the first and last among my kind destined to die of natural causes.”
“Ah, it’s you, Alkeinea. Pleased to meet you. But wait, dying of natural causes? Do dragons have a lifespan…?”
That had slipped out unintentionally.
Even though they seemed like living beings, it felt all the more because they were so different. After all, since the world had changed like this, there had only been one case of dragon extermination. It was only natural that information was scarce.
“Indeed. Though I’m among those dragons with exceptionally long lives.”
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking…?”
“Don’t treat me like some old person!!”
Bam! A swirling orb of mana slammed into Yeon-woo’s head, sending him rolling about five meters before finally stopping, albeit with some minor bruises, it seemed.
‘The nun always said not to ask women their age….’
With that advice now rekindled, Yeon-woo quietly got back to his feet and returned to his spot. Alkeinea wore a frown. Come on, get up already!
“…Well, I don’t really know how long a dragon’s lifespan is.”
“For someone who didn’t appear to know when they’d die, you seem quite informed.”
“What did you say?”
Glaring with those golden eyes was quite intimidating. Yeon-woo lowered his head in silence.
Alkeinea gazed at him with a notably displeased expression, then sighed deeply.
“Let’s get back to the point. I can give you mana. So, will you accept?”
“Yes.”
“I know it’s a difficult question to answer, but… huh?”
Looking at Yeon-woo, who had answered instinctively, Alkeinea was startled before bursting into laughter. What’s wrong with this guy?
“Pfft, if that’s the case, why did you hesitate when I first asked? Don’t drag it out unnecessarily.”
“Ah, no, I just answered without thinking. Should I think more about it?”
Surprised to see Yeon-woo, who usually remained indifferent, looking flustered, Alkeinea’s laughter only grew louder. What on earth is wrong with this guy?
It’s human nature to desire new opportunities.
That swift decision should be commendable, indeed. Yes, one ought to have such a spirit.
“Good. Let’s form a contract. I find you admirable. What about you?”
Er…? I think you’re a beautiful person.
That’s not what I meant, geez. You’re really not understanding my words.
‘But to think at this age I’d still find someone so decent. How unfortunate. If only it had been a thousand years earlier…’
But now it’s just a wish that can never be granted. With a thin smile, Alkeinea waved her hand in the air, distorting space.
With a sound like a zipper, a large blackened egg, about half the size of an ostrich egg, popped out of the torn void. Alkeinea seemed to hold it cradling.
“What’s… that?”
Yeon-woo asked. Alkeinea answered with a slightly flushed face.
“It’s my daughter.”
“Wha—?”
What? So this was a couple’s nest? What happened to the husband? It seems unlikely that two dragons could fit in there.
“Seems there’s a misunderstanding. I’m unmarried. The Kin of Goldscale are special, allowing us to reproduce without a mate.”
At that, Yeon-woo was left dumbfounded.
What’s that? A super hybrid life form? Able to reproduce via both sexual and asexual reproduction, what in the world is the biology of a Gold Dragon?
“I’ll have this child form a contract with you. Then you can obtain the mana you desired.”
“A dragon contract…? But leaving a child in my care feels a bit unsettling.”
Honestly, it was a word that made my heart race.
Hunters often form contracts not just with their own powers but also with gods, spirits, and other beings. Among them, those who contract with dragon kin are incredibly rare.
That’s because it’s only natural to gain favor from a dragon or some other being existing somewhere before being able to make such a contract.
“To tell you the truth, I’ve never been outside until now. I’ve lived in here since I was a hatchling.”
“…Huh?”
The exact lifespan of dragons is unknown.
But from what I heard from various species so far, their lifespans are at least two thousand years.
Though she said she’d been cooped up for thousands of years, I never expected she hadn’t stepped outside even once.
How could someone like a dragon not have stepped outside for such a long time? Why?
“When I hatched, I was already in this cave. And my parents, the Kin of Goldscale, were peacefully dead.”
Somewhere, I could sense how the next part of the story would unfold.
“As you can see, this cave lacks anything that can provide nutrition. Besides my parents’ corpses, there was nothing. I had no choice but to eat them. I had to survive.”
It was a story all too common in the wild. Eating a parent’s corpse, or perhaps gnawing on an eggshell. But I never thought about how they might feel; that’s simply how nature is.
But what kind of species would so readily realize that their family is just that? Would they receive it as they do with others?
Therefore, Alkeinea’s slightly bitter expression struck deeper.
“Because we possessed the Dragon Heart, we, as dragons, could perfectly replace other dragon corpses as a source of nutrition. I too, in desperation, may have given life to this child…”
As Alkeinea spoke, she gently cradled the egg, tenderly caressing it, much like a pregnant woman would their belly.
That soft touch was filled with an emotion that seemed unable to contain her affection.
The rumor that dragons don’t place much value on blood relations certainly seemed like nonsense to Yeon-woo.
After all, how could someone devoid of maternal love show such a countenance? It was like the pained expressions the nun sometimes wore when looking at sick children.
“But in truth, I don’t want this child to experience what I went through. I’m sorry to you, but that’s why I created a hole in this nest’s barrier.”
Hoping that someday, someone trustworthy enough to leave my child with would come.
“You want to ask why I never left? I learned it from my parents’ memories; there’s nothing out there. I was taught that I shouldn’t go out.”
Being of a wise dragon lineage, maybe it was an inevitable stupidity.
Were parents’ words truly that absolute?
For Yeon-woo, who didn’t even know the faces of his parents, it was hard to understand. But now, maybe he could slightly grasp it. If suddenly faced with parents who told him not to do something, he’d likely comply.
“I have pitied you.”
As if saying it wasn’t the case at present, she spoke.
She felt empathy in Yeon-woo’s appearance, trying to jump beyond the barrier of mana only to fall short.
In the depths of the underground cave, trapped, unable to see the sky or stretch her wings, she saw a similarity in Yeon-woo.
“But you, you are not someone deserving of pity. You are an existence worthy of respect for me, this foolish old dragon.”
How beautiful it is, the sight of someone struggling to fly while bound to a body that can’t.
Though there might have been a failure, their life was one deserving of praise.
“That’s why I want to ask you, please take this child… and lead her out of this suffocating world.”
As Alkeinea spoke, thick tears began to flow down her cheeks. She pressed her cheek against the egg, rubbing it affectionate as if it’s the softest thing in the world.
Even though the ground was soaked with precious liquid that could be worth its weight in gold with just a few drops, Yeon-woo didn’t know how to respond.
Even though the nun had given enough love,
The unconditional love of a mother had drawn Yeon-woo’s attention so much that it felt as though his deepest feelings were rising to the surface.
Her gaze turned toward Yeon-woo. For some reason, he felt the urge to avoid her gaze. He wanted to.
“I will give you my gift without holding back. Please… will you grant my wish?”
What had begun as a transaction had turned into a plea. She had grown frail. There wasn’t a single thing that could be pinpointed as the cause. Everything was the cause.
This cave, this life, her very existence…
Everything must be making her feel conflicted between the sense of comfort she felt throughout the years and her feelings for the child.
If, if… that appearance was somehow an act to get the egg out so that it could be reborn, he wouldn’t care at all if it turned out to be that way…
Before that dragon, Choi Yeon-woo felt utterly captivated.
*
Alkeinea questioned.
Time is supposed to be equal for all things, so why is it that joyful moments pass as quickly as a lightning spell?
To leave, she needed preparations, and thus she created warm memories with another for the very first time.
The time she spent joking with him, pretending to be calm, and feeling another’s warmth, except for the feeble warmth of her daughter curled in her arms, all flew by.
Talking about future plans in words also sped by in a flash.
If only she could have spent joyful moments first and then endured the rest of her boring life, she might have been able to look back on those long stretches of enjoyment.
Surprisingly, the thousands of years she had lived until now felt like a grand waste. She was feeling such strong bewilderment over this sensation for the first time.
He had pushed her into a bath he had forcibly made at one corner of the cave. She still wanted to talk to her daughter one last time.
Hahaha, this guy… how awkward.
Gently, she stroked the pointy part of the egg. It felt like she had responded to the vibrations of that area during the time she was an egg.
Kissing the egg, Alkeinea spoke softly to not be remembered as a terrifying mother.
“Starting tomorrow, we will visit another world, my dear daughter. You should thank me. This place is truly, truly boring.”
As she leaned her head against the egg, she whispered softly.
There’s nothing left above ground anymore. A great war has occurred. There might be just a few blades of grass left.
Can you imagine a world without mountains or rivers? Honestly, this cave isn’t bad in comparison; at least some moss can grow here.
“I heard that Yeon-woo’s world differs greatly from here. Numerous races live together. There are dragons there too, and plenty of dimensional doors connected to other realms.”
Aren’t you excited? Looking up at the starry sky while lying on vast, green plains, climbing mountains that seem to touch the sky, and swimming in endless oceans… Just imagining it is wonderful, right?
“I hope my daughter has many experiences. Knowing is different from experiencing. When your father says he’s going somewhere, I hope you follow without too much complaint.”
Thud, for some reason, it felt like the egg moved, and a gentle smile crossed her face.
You want to ask if you can stay behind? Hoh, I’ve glimpsed a rough outline through Yeon-woo’s memories. I prefer to sleep in a cozy spot. Honestly, I’d have nothing to say if you claimed I told you to experience it only to flip my expectation.
“Please do not be picky when going out. But if there’s no meat, feel free to be a bit picky then.”
For some reason, she felt her breath catching.
“When you go outside, a lot of things will likely get caught between your scales. Even if you polymorphed, be sure to wash up neatly. It would be awkward if you smelled.”
Her face contorted.
“I won’t mention sleeping, as you probably inherited that from your mother. If you truly can’t get up, just ask your father to carry you.”
And then, and then…
Her vision blurred. Drip, drops of water began to flow down the smooth curves of the egg. Oh dear, is there a leak from the ceiling? Isn’t this strange?
“No matter what happens, have confidence. You are the daughter of the great Kin of Goldscale. You can handle it effortlessly.”
Huh, a trembling voice slipped out. She didn’t want to cry, but tears flowed. The truth was that she wanted to step outside with him too. But unfortunately, that was something she wasn’t permitted to do.
She wanted to gaze at the stars, arm in arm with him, soothe a crying child, and even mimic humans to nurse a baby.
Somehow, it felt like doing anything outside would be a joy. She wouldn’t feel the loss of living thousands of years trapped here.
“Your father… is human, so he… doesn’t really know the… h-huh, ways of dragons… I’ll keep everything… in my mind…. Please, don’t say too much if he doesn’t know….”
Ultimately, tears began to flow so profusely that she could hardly see. She could only crumble into tears while holding the egg.
Everything felt resentful. If only he had come just a little faster, there might have been a way for everyone to escape.
If he had only come a thousand years earlier, she might have had her chance to step outside.
“Aack… ugh, sob…”
But still, but still…
“I’m just glad… to be able to free you, my beloved child.”
Because this is a prison. Thinking about how she had to be held captive here just for being born as my daughter made her feel so guilty.
“I’m happy thinking I could use my remaining life for you. It’s not your fault that you were born.”
Uh-huh, mother truly feels that way.
…
The time had come. Yeon-woo reached out while cradling the egg.
Upon seeing Yeon-woo’s action, she opened her mouth slightly, uttering a small voice. It was soaked with moisture.
“Please take care of Shar, goodbye.”
That was the last she could say. Her body, entirely transformed into mana, couldn’t fulfill her wish of returning to nature.
‘My love.’
The sound didn’t reach him. Yet he could naturally tell she had said so.
Suddenly, as if all power had vanished, darkness enveloped his surroundings. All that remained in his outstretched hand was pure blackness.
…In the embrace of a man who had completely lost consciousness, the huge egg pulsed with golden light, flickering as if signaling or perhaps even expressing anger.
*
Before him stood a man with black hair and a refreshing aura.
With an uncomfortable frown, the man sighed and glanced at the boy seated before him, still young enough to be described as a child with light brown hair.
There are words that can be said and those that cannot.
If only this place were a dungeon. He would simply shut his eyes and say it. But because the boy’s efforts over the years were etched on his résumé, the man found it even harder to speak.
The boy was almost entirely devoid of mana.
As a teacher, should he express his sympathies first?
No, just once more, let’s take a look. You never know.
The man brought his fingers to the boy’s wrist, feeling for a pulse as though he was testing. The mana drawn from his own body surged into the boy. Once, twice, he scanned the boy’s body.
‘Indeed, none……’
Now was the moment to declare that the boy’s dreams had truly ended. In an industry where a lack of talent often meant death, that was скорее mercy.
Breaking Star Kim Hyun-soo thought that as he tried to withdraw his finger.
“Ah?”
There… is.
No, it should be said that it had just emerged. Just now.
He felt surging mana near the boy’s heart. Just two minutes ago he had been utterly unsuitable.
…How?
(To be continued)