Episode 108
EPISODE.54
“I never thought I would see my benefactor here again.”
Io walked out from among the elves and smiled brightly.
That smile was so bright that for a moment, it felt like the dark atmosphere unique to the underground of the Underworld was slightly fading.
“There are all these coincidences.”
“I mean.”
Following Io’s touch, Pepper in her arms lets out a soft cry.
gurgle-.
Originally, Pepper was a shy character, but her cry was much softer than when dealing with others.
It has to be.
To Pepper, Io was one of the first to turn a face after being summoned to the material world, aside from his owner, Russell.
‘It was also the first elf I met.’
Io stopped stroking Pepper’s stomach and caressed Pepper’s wings.
“Four wings. Besides, just looking at the power you feel is amazing. At this level, I’m sure it’s on the high side among the mid-level spirits. congratulations. benefactor.”
The growth of the spirit is done along with the growth of the contractor. In other words, now Io was celebrating Russell’s growth while praising Pepper’s growth.
“thank you.”
Russell, who had read his thoughts, slightly lowered his head and moved his gaze backwards.
He caught a glimpse of the elves looking at him with wary eyes that he had with Io.
Seeing that, Io let go of the pepper as if he had forgotten and clapped his hands.
“Oh look at my mind. Those are the people of our tribe.”
He hurriedly introduced Russell to his family.
“This is the man I spoke of last time. He was one of the benefactors who said he saved me when I went out for a trip.”
At the introduction of Io, the wariness that flowed along the elves softened a little, and one of them stepped forward.
“You are the young man who said he helped Io. I am Skahn, the elder of the White Ash Tree tribe.”
Was this the way humans greeted each other?
“This is Russell Raymond, the War Mage of the Endymion Tower of Flames.”
“I’ve heard of Endymion’s Flame Tower…”
It was an elf who introduced himself as an elder. Unless you have special powers, you must be much older than you appear on the outside.
‘It seems that he has a wide range of knowledge.’
While Russell was thinking about it, Elder Scann also looked at him and was sobbing inwardly.
‘Mmm. What an amazing young man…’
As some of the elves grew older, at least some of them gained the insight to look inside people.
Scann is also one of the elves who gained that insight. In the eyes of such Scann, Russell’s inner world did not feel like a person at all.
Mana, which is so pure and powerful that it is impossible to believe that it is a human being, dwells within it is a heart that burns beautifully like a flame.
‘Amazing. amazing.’
Compared to the natural object most familiar to them, Russell’s existence was a volcano.
It is an active volcano that has not stopped its activity, but is still burning hot and has the power to explode at any time.
Will the meeting with this young man end as a one-shot or will it continue?
If it’s the latter, how will this young man’s temperament affect the elves?
‘Mmmmm…’
Russell asked, looking back at Io while Scann thought about it.
“By the way, what are the elves doing to the Underworld?”
“Ah, we’re here to buy weapons.”
“A weapon?”
Although the elves have a popular belief that they are a peace-loving race, that doesn’t mean they don’t fight.
To protect the clan, it was the elves who could draw out their swords and shoot arrows.
‘It’s not said that elves are masters of bows for nothing.’
However, that didn’t make him a reason to come all the way to the Underworld and buy weapons in bulk.
“Is anything going on with the tribe?”
“That’s…”
Io blurted out. The answer came from Migi, the Dwarf who was quietly listening to the story.
“It’s because the monsters in Amazona and Great Forest suddenly became ferocious.”
“Monsters?”
“That’s right. Thanks to that, we also had more work to do to subdue those who came over to the canyon. I don’t know, but the White Ash Tree Tribes in the Great Forest must be dealing with more monsters than we do.”
As if his explanation was correct, Scann and Io nodded their heads at the same time.
Then Io recited self-deprecatingly.
“It would be nice if my blood bloomed…”
Scann comforted Io.
“It’s not your fault, so don’t worry too much.”
A brief scene from the conversation between the two flashes through my mind. It was the scene of the first time Io met under the deck of the pirate ship.
‘Even then, I said things like flowering and awakening.’
If you look at the nuance of what it says, it’s probably referring to waking up the dragon’s blood flowing in your body.
‘Dragon’s blood…’
Looking at Io with a meaningful gaze, recalling the connection with the dragon, for a while. Io sighed and changed the topic as if to refresh the atmosphere.
“By the way, what is your benefactor doing to the Underworld?”
“hmm.”
Russell hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
“Actually, I came here for personal research.”
“If it’s a personal study…?”
“It is to find the traces of the dragon.”
Russell, who brought up the story directly, asked directly.
“Does the White Ash tribe have any dragons or legends related to them?”
They were elves who lived much longer than humans.
An elder of the elves like that might know something that wasn’t recorded in historical records.
Besides, Io wasn’t unrelated to the dragon either.
“Um…”
The two elves exchanged glances, and then Scann shrugged.
Io shook his head.
“sorry. Benefactor. I only know that I inherited dragon blood, but I don’t really know anything else.”
“okay.”
I’m a little disappointed, but I can’t help it. This isn’t the first time I’ve been fooled.
“I plan to stay in Underworld for about three weeks. Accommodation is…”
Russell said to Io, reaping his remaining lingering feelings.
“I will go there.”
The place Russell pointed out was a two-story lodging establishment that could be seen from the market where the two were having a conversation.
“So, if you have any thoughts, please contact me later.”
* * *
“This is it. How is it?”
The Altar of the Fire Dragon, which arrived with regret behind it, took a form that could recognize its location from quite a distance.
‘It’s the shape of a dragon elaborately carved using red crystals. Is it a Fire Dragon?’
How advanced has the carving technology been to be able to recreate the scales of a blazing flame using crystals?
He wasn’t even good at aesthetics, let alone aesthetic sense, but his appearance was so great that even Russell could admire him.
‘It’s not the time to be like this.’
Russell, who had been obsessed with the Dwarves’ sculpting skills without even realizing it, hit the hammer vigorously.
Then, with deeply sunken eyes, he wandered around the altar of the Fire Dragon.
Pillars, as well as altars for offering sacrifices and sculptures carved on the walls.
Among them, the most carefully checked was a red crystal statue in the shape of a dragon.
‘Hmm…’
It’s time to look at every corner of the altar like that.
Migi, the dwarf who guided him, was dozing on the floor before he knew it, as if he had been waiting for it.
Maybe it was because I had been paying close attention to the altar for too long.
“after-.”
Russell sighed, feeling his eyes sting.
‘Should I end here for now?’
There was no need to be disappointed if you didn’t find anything special today.
I still had three weeks left and I had memorized the location.
‘It would be better to look around the Silver Dragon Altar first and then continue to visit and investigate.’
Thinking so, Russell woke Migi.
“Mister Migi. Miss Migi.”
I asked for guidance to the next altar.
“This time, please go to the altar of the silver dragon.”
.
.
The Altar of the Silver Dragon that arrived in that way was located exactly symmetrical to the Altar of the Fire Dragon.
‘The position and shape are symmetrical…’
The only difference is that the crystal forming the dragon sculpture in the center has changed from red to white.
thud thud-.
The sound of footsteps echoes.
Russell moved his gaze as he moved along the corridor toward the sculpture and altar.
Just like before, I carefully examined every corner of the altar building.
‘Is there anything unusual here, too?’
After about a few minutes of walking across the corridor at such a slow pace, his steps stopped in front of the statue of the silver dragon.
Russell reached for it.
Grab that moment-!
flinch-.
“…?”
Russell involuntarily took a step back.
It was right after that that Mi-gi, who followed his sudden action, asked.
“Is anything going on? uh… um. Little human friend anyway?”
Regaining his composure at the voice, Russell opened his mouth.
“Didn’t the eyes of this dragon sculpture move just now?”
“The statue’s pupils moved?”
As if it was the first time in a while, Mi-gi asked back and moved her short legs. He approached the statue of the silver dragon and carefully looked around.
“Hmm…”
He then bursts out with a chuckle.
“Uh heh heh. The little man is good at jokes. It is said to imitate the appearance of the Great One, but this is just a fragment. piece. Unless it’s enchanted, there’s no way the pieces can move!?”
Is that so?” Russell muttered, and his eyes naturally deepened.
The memory of when the dragon’s eyes moved is too clear to feel like a momentary illusion.
Besides, it seems that it not only moved, but also emitted light.
“after.”
After preparing his mind first so as not to be surprised, Russell reached out his hand.
I flinched the moment I swept the silver dragon statue down again with my fingertips.
The two eyes of the sculpture reflected in Russell’s eyes move and emit light. However, Mi-gi, who is watching the scene from the side, still has an expression that doesn’t know why.
‘Could this only be visible to me?’
The light from the dragon’s eyes that flowed out of the sculptures gathered toward Russell’s fingertips and purred.
Immediately after, a small green arrow shaped like a compass appeared on Russell’s wrist.
The only difference is that unlike a compass with two ends, the green arrow has one end.
‘Besides, it only points in one direction.’
There must have been a clue of something related to the traces of the dragon.
Faster than Russell bursts with pleasure-.
[It’s been a long wait.]
[Fortunately, you came before the end of my life span.]
[…Follow the guidance and come to me before it’s too late. It is the beginning of all dragons.]
– A voice rang in his mind.
[Our master…]
The wizard who swallowed the dragon
