◈ Episode 246. It’s Not Arrogance, It’s Humility. I Don’t Forget: Knowing My Place.
Before entering the Arcana Continent.
I had intended to make thorough preparations.
From doping with elixir herbs to renting magic tools.
Taking into account the possibility of encountering dragons, including Yunaxus.
I racked my brains, thinking that if I knew myself and my enemy, I could at least avoid a futile death.
I even pored over books related to the Dragon-Demon Great War left in the Magic Tower, gathering information.
‘If my opponent were a demon, that would have been enough.’
Whether it was a Great Evil or a Greater Demon King, it wouldn’t have mattered.
It was Granfell’s pride that soared ever higher rather than breaking before a demon.
Moreover, the demon hunter’s sole strong point.
The unique skill, [Natural Enemy].
I could’ve exploited even that.
Well, even if that weren’t feasible.
‘We have our Arkshan seniors.’
The [Torch of Hell] borrowed from Fabien, Chief of the Explorers’ League,
still rested safely in my inventory. If my opponent had been a demon, I would have been confident that this was thorough preparation.
‘But the probability of that was low.’
Why? Thinking about the flow of events.
Death had cast its shadow over Yunaxus immediately after the ‘All-Dragon Summoning’ ended.
The most likely possibility was…….
That it had been attacked by its kin after the All-Dragon Summoning ended.
And so, I ended up reaching for the last remaining means.
……
To the very possibility I had wanted to turn away from with all my heart!
That’s right.
It was Claudi.
It was the Claudi family.
‘If it truly exists, I can’t turn away forever.’
I realized this while interacting with Raymon Sean.
I still don’t know a thing about Arcana—no, I’m far more ignorant than that.
Even setting aside Raymon Sean, who was full of questions, it was the same.
The demons, including Greater Demon Kings and Great Evils, of course.
Like Urs or a woman riding a broom.
Transcendents harboring some purpose of their own.
And forces like dragons or elves.
Even factions with the power to shake the Arcana Continent.
It was precisely because knowing my place was my specialty that I had resolved myself.
‘……I have to face it and use it.’
I had been able to make it this far precisely because Granfell’s setting had been actualized.
Therefore, if the Claudi family had truly been realized as well.
I had no choice but to use even that setting to move forward……!
‘Whether it’s a futile death or death by shame…….’
Either way, dying is the same.
Having resolved myself like that, after entering the Arcana Continent, I assigned missions to Haiel and Diende respectively. As you know, I tasked Haiel with tracking Yunaxus’s trail.
And to Diende—
“Find the darkest place on the Arcana Continent.”
I commanded in the Granfell manner of speech.
“For that place shall be Claudi.”
And now was that moment.
Kzzzt—kzzzt—
Diende’s voice, digging into my mind.
I dispelled the manifestation of [Absolute Zero].
A message floats before my eyes.
[The flow of distorted time returns to normal.]
Inside the chill that froze even the flow of time.
I couldn’t tell exactly how much time had passed.
But I dare say—
not enough time had passed to make a fuss about.
I could tell just by looking at my state and Prozgnax’s.
Slosh-slosh—
I still hadn’t finished a single cup of green tea.
Because cold green tea wasn’t to my taste.
Though it was also due to Granfell’s picky palate, tilting the teacup slowly.
I could tell just by looking at Prozgnax’s eyes, still full of rebellious intent.
“In the end, it would come to this. You have wasted your futile efforts, insignificant one.”
Look at him, trying to counterattack immediately.
Then someone might ask.
Why I dispelled Absolute Zero so suddenly.
The answer I will give is simple.
A single word from Diende.
That single statement that he had found the Claudi family mansion.
Was reviving my memory.
The vast dark history I had forgotten due to the passage of over a decade……!
『The symbol of the Claudi family is silver hair that emits a blinding light. That silver was more radiant than even the magically precious platinum found on the Arcana Continent. Someone once said: Does not Claudi’s greatness come from that silver hair……?』
……
Now I understand.
Why Yunaxus—
was so startled when he saw me.
‘He wasn’t looking through my status window.’
The symbol of the Claudi family—silver hair.
So blindingly.
He must have recognized me upon seeing that brilliantly radiant silver hair.
By the way, the me of the past was truly incredible.
‘To think I plastered so much setting onto just a single silver hair trait……!’
But the hair was only the beginning.
The Claudi family settings burrowing into my head.
They truly were—
as if recording the history of a single family.
so vast and boundless.
‘No wonder your grades were like that in middle school, Hoyeol.’
At this point, even I’m amazed at myself.
Truly, without getting tired of it.
Without feeling ashamed.
I scribbled down the settings so specifically.
‘I really wish I could hide in a mouse hole.’
But as I said just now.
Having finished knowing my place.
I was someone who had made his decision.
‘……Yes, whether I freeze to death or die of shame, dying is the same.’
And even if I truly died of shame.
Before those I would encounter going forward.
That I was the successor of the Claudi family.
I acknowledged that I was in a position where I had to exploit even that terrible background.
Therefore, there was no hesitation.
『Dragons. Their existence on the Arcana Continent was regarded as legend. Before they made their presence known by roaring from the summit of the Zero Mountain Range. However, that incident held a hidden truth.』
When did I attach this setting again?
More than that…….
The brat that was the past me.
Your tastes sure are consistent.
Starting from a great family that even emperors groveled before.
An invisible power behind the throne.
To the true master of the continent hidden behind a veil…….
You really had a serious problem, Hoyeol.
The moment I realized it.
Shame surged up, but I didn’t show it.
I spoke proudly.
“That I, the successor of Claudi, have returned.”
I proclaimed that the successor of Claudi had returned.
Someone listening might ask again.
So what?
No, they might ask if the dragons even knew in the first place.
Why, Yunaxus would have heard the news and known.
But do not underestimate the Claudi family.
The me of those days attached the modifier ‘great,’ after all……!
『……The dragons were saved by Claudi. On the day the legend returned, the roar that spread across the continent was an act of reverence toward Claudi. The truth of that day was passed down only between Claudi and the dragons. As a valid oath, even if eons were to pass.』
That’s right.
That was precisely the reason I dispelled Absolute Zero.
Well, what do you call it…….
So much time has passed that even you—
and I couldn’t remember either.
It seems we had something called an ‘oath’ between us.
“……!”
The moment my words fell.
Prozgnax’s head began to bend.
As if trying to bow its head to me.
Even while looking as if it didn’t know why.
It was desperately trying to resist.
Crack—
Ice Dragon, Prozgnax.
It seems the situation isn’t quite clear because it’s still a hatchling.
No matter how much it resists to the point of crushing its bones, it’s useless.
An oath is no common promise.
Even if it costs one’s life.
An oath is something that must be upheld.
And except for Yunaxus, you have broken the oath.
In that sense.
I may have no more mercy left to grant.
I spoke coldly.
“Understanding the impudence of youth has its limits, hatchling.”
“……?”
“Do not block my path.”
“……!!”
Twitch!
Prozgnax flinches its massive body.
I looked at such a Prozgnax with an unwavering gaze.
But our eyes never met.
‘What, this guy.’
Because Prozgnax avoided my gaze.
That reaction was an all-too-familiar sight to me.
It was exactly like the demons trembling in fear before me.
As if answering my thought, a message floats up.
[The emotion of ‘Fear’ occurs in Ice Dragon, Prozgnax.]
In the end, Prozgnax completely bows its head.
At the same time.
The snowy mountain scenery began to scatter into empty air.
[You have cleared the Hidden Piece, the Ice Dragon’s Snowy Mountain.]
When I first entered.
I didn’t know I would clear it like this.
Anyway, this too is dark history….
No, it was thanks to thorough preparation.
I spoke to Diende.
“Diende.”
“Speak, my liege.”
“Let us speak of the mission later. According to procedure, there is something I must prioritize.”
“Diende shall obey my lord’s command.”
With this, the next goal on the Arcana Continent is set.
Now that I’ve vowed to exploit it.
To exploit it even better, I must properly grasp its reality.
‘I must go. To the Claudi family territory.’
Even if it has fallen into ruin.
Because I felt there would be elements to exploit in the settings that kept surfacing.
But as I told Diende, all things have their order.
I looked at Yunaxus and flinched.
‘What, why is he bowing his head again?’
This is really burdensome.
I quickly added.
“Raise your head, Yunaxus.”
“I obey your command, Lord Claudi.”
Flutter—!
Yunaxus spreads his white outer wings and flies to me.
It does look a bit silly to get off and get back on like this but…….
It can’t be helped.
I stood upright on Yunaxus’s back once more.
‘Damn weight class difference.’
In keeping Prozgnax restrained with Absolute Zero.
The mana consumed was extremely severe.
Now, with the Dragon Temple before me.
No one could know what sudden situation might arise.
Therefore, I had to recover as much mana as possible.
Meaning I had to save even the mana consumed by levitation.
‘By the way…….’
I looked back at Prozgnax.
Right now it’s cowered in fear of Claudi, but who knows how it might turn later.
In that sense, I must imprint it clearly until the very end.
‘More brazenly, that is.’
I blurted out as majestically as possible.
“I shall not ask your guilt, hatchling.”
“……?”
“But mark my words.”
And as always, beyond expectations.
Was it not Granfell-speak that transcended imagination?
Thanks to that, I ended up declaring something incomparably arrogant.
“That even the fiercest hunting hound does not attempt to bite its master.”
“……!”
……
Must you bring punishment upon yourself with your own mouth, Granfell?
Comparing a dragon to a hunting hound is already something that requires tact.
This time, it meant it was even less than a dog.
This, I’m starting to worry.
‘Even now, without witnessing it with my own two eyes, it’s like this.’
The Claudi mansion that Diende found.
If I witness it with my own two eyes.
How high will this Granfell arrogance soar……?!
Whether Yunaxus knew how I felt or not.
Yunaxus spoke.
“You are endlessly humble.”
Humble?
Me?
That’s irony, right?
“Even though you are in no position to show mercy to anyone…….”
To think a halo that makes even this arrogance appear humble.
A commoner who will suffer under the halo of such a Claudi family going forward.
Thinking of poor me, I Hoyeol.
My head was already starting to spin…….
The Dragon Temple.
The All-Dragons looked at one another while bowing their heads to the floor.
Like the Ice Dragon, Prozgnax,
the relatively young dragons could not grasp the situation.
Twitch!
They wriggled their bodies this way and that, except for their heads which seemed glued in place.
As kings of all things, they were desperately denying the helplessness they felt for the first time in their lives.
But the dragons who knew of the ‘oath’ tied to Claudi were different.
He was gradually approaching.
As the distance closed.
They came to know what knowing their place meant.
An oath is not something one can defy just because one decides to.
They realized it was not something that could be defied.
And such an oath—
the time had come to pay the price for breaking it.
“Hehe…….”
The Earth Dragon, Kudhanax, let out a small laugh.
In this most serious of situations.
The sudden laugh was enough to anger the dragons.
Sharp words poured out at Kudhanax.
“What is so funny, old dragon?”
Kudhanax.
He was an old dragon who had lived through the same era as Yunaxus.
That is why he merely kept silent.
Not because he opposed Yunaxus’s words.
But because he could not hastily place his trust in them.
The news of Claudi’s return was that unbelievable.
But he realized it, albeit belatedly.
That is why he laughed.
“Have you still failed to know your place, dragons?”
Ice Dragon.
Thunder Dragon.
Wind Dragon.
Flame Dragon.
And even himself.
It seemed he had arrogantly forgotten.
“Who dares call themselves the kings of all things before them?”
If one dared compare oneself to them.
Claudi, they were to the Arcana Continent—
in the shadows.
observing and orchestrating from behind the scenes.
like a Darkness Dragon so great it could not be fathomed.
Kudhanax let out a majestic roar.
“All-Dragons, show respect to the advent of the Darkness Dragon!”
……
W-what did you just say?!
Th-the Darkness Dragon’s advent……?!
By Darkness Dragon, surely you don’t mean me?!