Chapter 658
Chapter 658
Have you ever been forced to sprint at full speed by someone only to find yourself exhausted, gasping for breath, with your eyes turning yellow?
The state of my lungs was like this when I was hit head-on by the magic power that the dragon was just spewing out.
It’s not that I’m tired or uncomfortable or anything. I suddenly feel out of breath and all the functions of my body that were moving on their own just a moment ago seem to have stopped working and gone on strike without my consent.
Thanks to this, I realized very clearly why people are terrified when they encounter a ‘real’ dragon.
How much more ridiculous must this author have thought that a human being who defeated a mere wind king like Iranoleph and earned the title of Dragon Slayer would have been? Even if he had used the common cliché, ‘That guy was the weakest of us,’ it would still be legal.
“Why are you suddenly revealing your magical powers?”
I barely regained my composure and felt the cold sweat running down my back as I managed to say a few words. The dragon kindly replied with a satisfied smile on his face.
“Even if a god appears before your eyes, you should show everything you have and be proud. Remember this as it is courtesy between dragons.”
“You usually keep it hidden, right?”
“Of course. If you lose your status, you’ll die from the pressure. You must be feeling it too, right?”
That was true. As soon as the dragon fully revealed its magic power, the first thing it checked was the external dynamics and the reaction of the Miwood dragon general.
But everything around me was still calm as if nothing had happened. That meant that the dragon was only targeting me and controlling its magic. He said it was just being polite, but from my perspective, I felt like I was being put to the test without my permission, so my posture naturally became awkward.
“You said it was polite, so let’s start by introducing ourselves properly. You know me, but I don’t know you.”
I don’t know why he’s hiding in the kingdom, pretending to be a dwarf, but it’s definitely not a simple reason to burn this place down just because I’m a little rude. I tried to make the most of the situation by going out there and doing it, but somehow the dragon just smiled and nodded as if he found my attitude amusing.
“It is said that one of the best ways to gain favor is to listen well and respond well. I am Niat Ezelp.”
There is no pressure or compulsion in that attitude.
But it is such an influential name that I have to resist the timid posture that starts to straighten up as soon as I hear his name.
In fact, even at this very moment, I am contemplating whether it is right to endure this and act like a gangster even a little, or whether I should maintain a pious attitude even now. The dragon in front of me was a giant among giants.
The Master of Thought said that many dragons have disappeared from the world, and it is true that dragons have disappeared for unknown reasons, but despite this, there are still dragons that live and breathe and are famous in the world.
Of course, not all of these dragons are beneficial to us. Some dragons lose their reasoning and become monsters, while others have bizarre personalities that cause harm to mortals. Others, on the other hand, are friendly or indifferent.
And since these beings that seemed to transcend the category of life were grateful to just breathe quietly without causing any harm, people have tried to leave their names in history so that they can be remembered for a long time.
The world is full of dragons that make a fuss even though we did nothing, so our ancestors had the wisdom to at least look after the dragons that are in neutral gear and not mess with them unnecessarily.
Among the dragons that were recorded, there were those that boasted the most distinct presence and that popped their heads up in history books when they were forgotten: Fire Dragon Nyailef, Thunder Dragon Ashdlov, Poison Dragon Neyenarp, and Ice Dragon Nyat-Ezelf.
Yes, Bingryong Niat Ezelp.
It means that the dwarf sitting in front of me right now is a mythical dragon who has lived for thousands of years. In the end, I couldn’t keep up with reality, so I just kept my mouth shut for a while and then very slowly had to say his nickname.
“···Master of Winter?”
“You are very knowledgeable.”
It was a really funny story, but after hearing his short and concise answer, a sense of relief seemed to well up in my heart.
The reasons were complex.
One of the reasons was that, unlike the notorious Fire Dragon Nyailep, who was known for his frequent tantrums beyond the point of appearing when he was forgotten, the Ice Dragon Nyaatezelp had a high reputation, and one of the reasons was that, without being consumed by madness, he could be certain that the Ice Dragon would not help the evil spirits or harm the dwarven kingdom.
But what reassured me more than anything was the fact that only someone as powerful as Bingryong Niath-Ezelf could possess and unleash the magical power that was oppressing me right now. The difference in class between him and Iranolef was so severe that I was worried that it would be the average for the dragon clan.
I don’t know if he read my relief, but Niath Ezelf, who showed a variety of emotional changes for someone who has lived for thousands of years, briefly showed interest and shook his head while lifting his teacup.
“The more I look at it, the more interesting it is, and I want to ask you about this and that, but for now, I’ll try to gain your favor by asking more questions. Are there still many things you’re curious about?”
“Yes, why does Bazcal’s appearance look different to each person?”
As expected of an old dragon with a long life and plenty of time, I had no intention of refusing his hospitality, so I asked him directly, and Niat Ezelf’s expression changed in an unexpected way.
“···You turned the Dragon Blood upside down? But why aren’t there any curses or side effects?”
It seems like a ridiculous answer to a question, but surprisingly enough, the answer to my question was correct. So, the reason Bazcal’s appearance looks like a dragon to me is because of the dragon’s blood, and since there are no side effects or curses, it’s not like there’s anything particularly strange or wrong with that.
What I mean is that it was created with that intention from the beginning…
“I don’t know the reason either. It was strange for a human to be able to use magic in the first place, so I thought it was either a special constitution or Epha’s protection. More importantly, does it look like Bazkal is a dragon because he wears the dragon blood or to the dragons, does he look like a dragon? Why?”
“That’s Bazcal’s true form. To be exact, it doesn’t look like a dragon, but rather a half-dragon.”
Starting with the past history of the Demon Tribe, I hear secret stories that are not known to the public wherever I go.
“I don’t even know how Bazkal, who didn’t even inherit the name of the Dragon Clan, came to be a god. That’s a story from a very long time ago, even for me. I also don’t know why the gods made by the dragon generals contain their true forms that only those with dragon blood can see. It may be hard to believe, but if you talked to the dragon generals down below and roughly guessed, wouldn’t you know?”
“I’m not even aware of your existence.”
At my immediate answer, Niath Ezelf nodded slightly in agreement.
“That’s right. How could those people do something different when they create a statue of Bazcal? It’s just a power or blessing bestowed by Bazcal. The real reason is known only to Bazcal himself.”
Unlike the World Tree and Ephaga, Lord Bazkal doesn’t seem to be particularly interested in me, so the secret of the statue may remain a mystery forever… But it’s not like it’s a secret weapon or a crucial factor in defeating the Demon King, so just finding out that the Dragon’s Blood was the cause was enough.
Anyway, the second question is more important than that.
“It is true that you have turned over the dragon’s blood, and since you inferred this from the stone statue, I believe it to be true. Why are you hiding your identity and staying among the dwarves? Is it related to the technology of the dragon generals who can process the byproducts of the dragon?”
“Similar. Now they have established a kingdom and are enjoying prosperity, but at one time, the dwarves were slaves to some dragons for their own selfish desires. They were taught knowledge to give them the power to defend themselves.”
“If you gave me that kind of power, then there was no need to change into a dwarf and stay among them, right?”
When I asked Niall Ezelf, who had shown surprise for the first time as if it was very unexpected, he turned his head away for a moment in response to the snoring that General Miwood had let out behind him, and then continued the conversation.
It may not seem like much, but it was a very impressive scene. Even I, if I pay attention, can tell if General Miwood is really sleeping or is awake but pretending to be asleep. If even I can do that, I should be able to feel his reaction without having to turn my head.
But turning your head to check is like a habit ingrained in your body. And that was also proof that Niall-Ezelf had been living among the dwarves for quite some time.
“This is more of a process of protecting the creatures living on my land as the master of the mountain range. It’s been a few hundred years, but I used to be a human too. I used to live in a kingdom called Lovell.”
“···Is it Lovell?”
Is it because I’m thinking about the word Dragon Blood Clan that suddenly flashed through my mind? Even though it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, I still vividly remember Yekaterina’s monstrous strength, and while I was having some reasonable doubts, Niat Ezelf shrugged and cut off my question.
“I think I’ve answered most of the questions, so I’d like to ask one of my own. What do you think?”
“···Please ask a question·”
Then, the question of what exactly was the dragon threat that Ambassador Hugen had been talking about remained, but since Niat Ezelf’s rebuttal was valid, he nodded obediently.
It wasn’t intentional, but it was a wise choice.
“Now that you have seen me properly, can you boast that you can fight even the dragons if necessary, like you said at the beginning?”
He smiled as if he was satisfied with my answer, and the question he asked while resting his chin on the table seemed to be connected to my last question.
A Word from the Author (Author’s Note)
Thank you Altair for your silent 10 coin donation!
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