—————————————
[ Dinner with a Dragon ]
Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
Mordrea’s black hair changed to silver hair and her black eyes changed to emerald green.
Abraxas asked in a confident manner, perhaps deciding that there was no need to hide it any longer.
“When did you know it was me?”
The great man answered with a meaningful smile.
“I’ve been noticing it for quite some time. “There’s something strange about the doll.”
It was a lie.
It was only a few days ago that I began to suspect Modrea, and it was this morning that I became convinced of his identity.
But now was the time for some bragging.
Because the opponent is the most curious dragon in the world.
just as expected. Abraxas said with his eyes shining brightly.
“I thought the puppet acting was perfect. how?”
As Modrea’s expression, which was always the same, became richer, it seemed as if a bright flower had bloomed on her icy face.
The great man said, admiring its beauty.
“In the Elven Forest, the Grand Elder said this. “You will be waiting for me at the end of this journey.”
Abraxas muttered and shook his head.
“okay. “I remember.”
‘I was just wondering. ‘You’ve been watching me since then.’
The great man said, feeling light goosebumps on his arms.
“But I never told the Grand Elder my exact destination. That probably meant that you were using some means to keep an eye on me.”
“That’s all you needed to know that I was in this doll?”
“Of course that’s not all.”
The adult suddenly looked around at the children gathered around the two.
“Modrea!”
“Could you talk?!”
“Interesting! “Your hair color has changed!”
“…Can I take it apart?”
Children looking at the talking Modrea with curiosity.
As children flocked in and started talking from all directions, Abraxas frowned and waved his hands.
“We’re talking about something important, so don’t bother me.”
The children’s bodies floated and flew backwards. At the same time, a round barrier unfolded around Daein and Mordrea.
Outside sounds could no longer be heard inside the barrier.
“ruler. Talk again. “How did you know?”
“…….”
Daein looked at the children talking outside the barrier. Abraxas said it was annoying and threw it away with magic, but everyone landed safely on the ground.
Just by looking at it, I could tell that Abraxas was not truly bothered by those kids.
‘Far from being annoying, this dragon quite likes kids.’
The great man said.
“You were the one who moved the children into the carriage when they fainted from sleeping pills, and the one who woke them up last night and helped them fight the demons, right?”
Abraxas answered with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“…You were the one who ordered me to protect the kids, right?”
Of course it was. However, what the great man ordered was ‘protection’, not to watch over the children’s beds and make their own decisions to help them.
Plus,
“Zeke and Hannah. Now, even if you turn it into a beast, it won’t run away. “You solved that too, right?”
“…….”
Outside the barrier, the brother and sister were looking at us with bright eyes.
Children who lived as experimental subjects in an underground laboratory without sunlight, being treated as subhuman.
Still, it looked a lot brighter now.
Abraxas grumbled with a slightly sullen expression.
“You seem to live your life without much thought… but you are quite quick-witted.”
The great man said with a grin.
“There was a time when we survived by paying attention.”
Abraxas made a bewildered expression.
“lie. “I’ve seen everything you’ve done so far.”
“I mean, it used to be like that.”
Of course, this is the story before the regression. And the insight I learned back then is still helpful to this day.
“hmm. “I thought taking care of children was within the acceptable range…”
Abraxas touched his red lips with a thin finger and frowned slightly. The sight was very alluring.
The great man looked at that figure and thought.
‘In fact, the most conclusive evidence is the video recorded on CCTV.’
This morning, Daein checked the CCTV footage to find out what happened while he was away the previous day.
And I was able to see the records of the past dozens of days.
This is Modrea, who wanders around the carriage when everyone is asleep, touching, smelling, and even licking the carriage as if curious.
I was so surprised at first. I thought the Mordrea doll was broken.
However, while thinking calmly, I remembered what the Grand Elder had said and came to the conclusion that the opponent was Abraxas.
The reasoning he told Abraxas was all pieced together afterwards.
‘It would be better not to talk about what I saw on CCTV for privacy reasons.’
I don’t know if dragons have those feelings, but I’m sure a human would run away out of shame as soon as they saw that video.
“…Anyway, that’s how I noticed it.”
Fortunately, it seemed like I was able to persuade him somehow. Abraxas said, nodding his head.
“I didn’t try to hide my identity because I had any other intention. “I just wanted to observe you up close.”
At that moment, a strange light shimmered in Abraxas’ emerald eyes.
“Because he was an amazing human being that I discovered after a long time.”
The great man knew that those words were sincere.
Abraxas, the wisest dragon.
The longest-living being on the Gaia continent.
He was a treasure trove of incredible knowledge, a bored absolute, and was also a severe voyeur who was always looking for new and amazing things.
‘If you can satisfy that curiosity, you can achieve more than you think.’
The great man knew numerous anecdotes and legend-like stories of superhumans related to Abraxas.
And from now on, I was going to make the most of it.
“So, what are your thoughts on seeing me so far?”
At that moment, Abraxas’ eyes shined brightly.
She said, looking at the great man.
“you. “You’re a human from another world, right?”
also. I thought I could figure that much out easily.
As the great man nodded obediently, Abraxas’ eyes began to shine more vividly.
“Why did a human from another dimension want to meet me?”
‘It goes straight to the point.’
Daein took a moment to organize his thoughts in his head.
From here on, you have to speak well. To keep her interested and get what you want.
okay. Let’s start like this.
“I want to buy your wisdom.”
At that moment, Abraxas smiled, showing his white teeth.
Depending on how you look at it, it could look like a bright smile or like an animal showing its sharp teeth just before hunting.
she asked again.
“You want to buy wisdom from me? “You’re not borrowing it?”
There was a big difference between the two.
‘Borrowing’ wisdom meant relying purely on the favor of Abraxas, but ‘buying’ wisdom had to pay a price.
Naturally, the latter could achieve much more.
But in the last hundred years, no one has offered to buy her wisdom.
‘Because there are very few people in the world who can pay the price she wants.’
But Daein was confident that he could solve the problem. He nodded and said.
“yes.”
The wisest dragon asked excitedly. It was the last confirmation.
“Living means paying a price. And what I want is not money or jewels.”
At that moment, a spark flickered in the doll’s eyes.
“I won’t tell you in advance what price you will have to pay. But it may be beyond your ability to pay. “Then… you will have to pay another price.”
Daein unconsciously felt his body shrink from the energy of the powerful being beyond him.
The opponent is a dragon.
Among them, it was the strongest one. A creature that can cause disaster with a single word and destroy a nation with just its breath.
The status of being a sword master or an archmage meant nothing to him.
But Daein calmly accepted that look.
“As much as you want.”
“…I like it too. “I look forward to it.”
Abraxas smiled half-moon. And the barrier surrounding the two people was lifted.
“mister-!”
Lily was the first to run and grabbed one of the man’s sleeves. And then he glared at Abraxas.
“This isn’t Mordrea! It’s different! “It’s so, so, so big…!”
Lily’s big eyes were filled with fear. He instinctively felt the other person’s enormous presence.
Jang Young-shin and Zeke Hanna, who followed, also noticed Abraxas.
However, Abraxas was actually smiling cheerfully.
Because it’s been a long time since I met an interesting person.
“I’m specially inviting you to my house.”
Sigh!
The moment she clicked her fingers, they had arrived in an unfamiliar space.
*
*
*
Pure white sand beach. Emerald beach.
Warm sunlight poured down from the freezing blue sky, and a cool breeze tickled my ears.
The place the group arrived at was an island in the middle of the sea.
“It’s the sea!”
“This is my first time seeing the sea…”
Abraxas kindly explained to the children who were looking around in surprise.
“This is where I live. “Oh, the house is over there.”
A huge palace was built where her finger pointed.
The pure white palace built in the middle of the island was larger and more magnificent than any imperial palace he had ever seen before.
‘Among the superhumans, no one said they had been to Abraxas’ lair…’
In the future that Daein experienced, quite a few superhumans met Abraxas, but none of them said they had been to her lair. .
‘Am I the first?’
Daein felt a little burdened because the other person’s expectations seemed to be higher than expected.
just as expected.
“It’s been 500 years since we invited guests here. “It’s been 300 years since I came back here.”
Abraxas seemed to be in a very good mood. He guided the group to the palace with movements as light as if they were flying.
Even after entering the palace, there was a series of surprises.
Purr!
As I entered the garden, a unicorn was playing around and a golden liquid was flowing in the pond instead of water.
“Is that Elric by any chance?”
When the great man turned around with a puzzled look on his face, Abraxas nodded.
“that’s right.”
The pond was filled with a legendary liquid said to be the elixir of eternal life.
It wasn’t just the elixir. Herbs and fruits that appeared in legends were growing haphazardly throughout the garden.
“Is that a golden apple?”
“Mandago an ancient species!?”
“I don’t even know what this is…”
Abraxas said patronizingly to the great man who repeated his exclamation as he passed through the garden.
“If you need anything, take some.”
“…Really? “There’s nothing else to say later.”
The great man risked his little finger and accepted the promise.
“Everyone is hungry, right? “Let’s go see the castle later and then have dinner first.”
Abraxas raises his finger again, “Snap!” As soon as we collided, the group was sitting in front of a table where a sumptuous feast had been prepared.
The meal was extremely satisfying. The food was fantastic and beautiful servants came and went to serve us.
Even the children who looked at Abraxas with suspicion at first said,
“It’s delicious…”
“Huh!”
The moment I put a spoonful in my mouth, my eyes started to water and I hurriedly reached for the plate.
Abraxas, who simply disarmed the children, spoke to Daein.
“Tell me about the world you lived in.”
“Then shall we start with the world’s four greatest civilizations?”
The great man talked about the Earth. Its history, environment, culture, politics
and the Gate phenomenon.
We could talk all night long if we wanted to.
“Hoo…!”
Abraxas became increasingly absorbed in the great man’s story. Curiosity about other worlds filled the dragon’s mind.
And it was already late at night.
The children went to bed first, and only Daein and Abraxas remained at the table.
“A place called Earth. “It’s a pretty interesting world.”
“Later, when the gate is officially connected, please come visit my house.”
Daein was just something I said once.
‘Let’s eat next time.’ same meaning. A word that any Korean can easily use.
So, I didn’t think it was too strange to see Abraxas making a meaningful expression at that moment.
Abraxas, who had just filled his glass with wine, asked as he passed by.
“So what do you want to know? How to gain immortality? The strongest swordsmanship? A magic that will destroy the world? Either that or…”
“This is it.”
The moment Abraxas saw what the great man had placed on the table, Abraxas’ eyes widened.
[ Dinner with a Dragon ] End
ⓒ Ganjjajang
