◈ Chapter 254. Call It a Legend (1)
The imperial capital, Antonium.
Nash William, mage of the imperial palace, looked up at the sky.
The rain had stopped and the sun was shining brightly, yet his body still shivered.
As expected, no matter how hard he tried to steel his heart, he could not help it.
“It seems this inadequate younger brother cannot imitate his elder brother……”
The appearance of a dragon.
He knew it would not even be like striking a rock with an egg.
But he could not simply sit idle.
And so Nash moved swiftly.
To prepare for any possible attack by the dragon.
But the moment he faced the dragon.
Nash froze.
Unbefitting the title of imperial palace mage, he had been seized by fear.
I have no face to show His Majesty, Brother……
“Surely, if it had been you, Brother……”
If it had been his elder brother, who had always vowed to surpass the Fire Dragon……!
Even before a dragon.
That fiery spirit would not have waned.
Of course, that Fire Dragon had not been a true dragon.
But even if someone pointed that out.
It would not have comforted the dejected Nash.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“!”
The one who roused Nash from his self-reproach.
Was his lord, the Emperor.
At the Emperor’s voice, Nash hurriedly lowered his head.
“I have no face to show you, Your Majesty.”
“You say you have no face so suddenly. What do you mean?”
“Regrettably, this humble one failed to fulfill the duties of an imperial palace mage. I was cowed by the dragon and forgot my station.”
The Emperor approached Nash without a word.
“……?”
Then he patted the shoulder of the bewildered Nash.
“Is that not only natural, Nash? To be unable to even properly raise one’s head before a true king. There is no need to seek my forgiveness. To begin with, I too could not look straight up at the sky.”
The Emperor’s gaze shifted from Nash to the view of Antonium beyond the window.
The capital city that had fended off not only demons, but even the rebel army.
And yet, as if the vitality that had circulated thanks to that were a lie.
Antonium was as silent as the grave.
The Emperor raised the corner of his mouth bitterly.
“So there is nothing to seek forgiveness for, nor anything to blame yourself over. For now, simply be grateful. Though we do not know the reason…… rejoice that they have withdrawn.”
“……
I shall obey, Your Majesty.”
Of course, he knew it would not be easy.
The reason Antonium was silent at this very moment must also be because of “him.”
The reason the dragons had disappeared.
Anyone could guess it.‘The Dark Dragon.’Tales of dragons had been passed down even within the Empire. However, most of them were merely legends passed from mouth to mouth, compiled into books.
Then what could be called the truth…….‘As expected, only the Dragon-Mage War.’The war between the Magic Tower and the dragons.
The scant few pages of records left in the imperial palace were the only tokens of thanks that previous emperors had received while maintaining friendly relations with the Magic Tower.
To think they had handed over hundreds of magical tools to the Magic Tower and received only a few sheets of paper in return.
Some might say it was an utter disgrace to the Empire’s dignity.‘Even I once thought so.’But now that he had confirmed the existence of dragons with his own eyes.
Those scant few pages of records on the Dragon-Mage War would become a precious guidepost for the Empire. Thinking so, he too had been examining those records until just a moment ago.
However.‘An existence even the Magic Tower does not know.’The Dark Dragon did not exist even in the records of the Dragon-Mage War.
The Emperor was in deep thought.
The Dark Dragon had not appeared even in the Dragon-Mage War of the distant past.
How could such an existence exert such influence over the dragons……
“It is profoundly puzzling.”
Suddenly, the Emperor looked at the floor of the imperial palace.
To be precise.
He looked beyond the floor, toward the underground of the imperial palace.『The War Emperor’s Archive』It was there underground.
If the answer to a question existed on the Arcana Continent, there was 『The War Emperor’s Archive』, which would reveal that answer. If he asked what the existence of the Dark Dragon was, surely it could resolve his question at once.
However.
“…….”
The Emperor asked himself.‘Is it truly the time to use it?’There were many who knew of the existence of 『The War Emperor’s Archive』.
Not only the ministers, including Nash, but Harkon, who was now in the world of adventurers, would also know of its existence.
However, the only one who knew that a “price” was required to hear its answer was the Emperor himself.
It could not be helped.
Until now.
The only ones who had used it were the previous emperors.‘……
What should I do, Harkon?’It was the moment the Emperor was agonizing with his head lowered.
All of a sudden, the warm sunlight shining down on the imperial palace vanished.
The Emperor and Nash flinched at that moment.
“……?”
Could it be that a sudden shower was about to pour down?
If not.
Had the dragons appeared once more?
It was only natural that they were startled again.
But it was neither.
“……
Your Majesty?”
Nash trailed off.
What had covered the sun was neither a dragon nor dark clouds bearing a downpour.
It was a familiar airship.
The dwarves’ Iron Castle.
Because of that, doubt also appeared on the Emperor’s face.
“Why have the dwarves returned……?”
He had thought they would have no reason to stop by Antonium for a while.
Could something urgent have happened?
The Emperor ordered Nash.
“Prepare to welcome them, Nash.”
“I shall obey, Your Majesty!”
And soon, he faced the dwarf leader, Chainwalker.
The Emperor’s guess had been half right.
Because Chainwalker spoke urgently.
“I have returned to the Empire because there is news I must deliver in haste.”
Yes, the news was urgent in a different sense.
“Empire, you do not even have time to tremble in fear like this. Move as quickly as possible and restore the Empire’s forces, reclaim your past glory!”
“……
What do you mean by that, dwarf? Did you not see it as well? A dragon appeared. The people have yet to recover from that shock, so how can you say such a thing?”
“Because it is not something to be shocked by.”
“……
What?”
“I am saying that is not an existence you should fear.”
“Not something to fear? What on earth are you talking about?”
To the Emperor who asked back, Chainwalker continued.
“The Dark Dragon.”...
Chainwalker was certain.
“If it is Sir Hoyeol, he would not want the continent to tremble in fear.”
The last survivor of Akshan.
The fact that negative emotions became power for demons.
Hoyeol, who knew that better than anyone.
For now, humans and demons alike were trembling before dragons, but……
“Demons are a race that does not know their place.”
Foolish demons were a race that even forgot fear.
This peace could never last long.
Chainwalker made his decision.
“Is this not what an oath is for?”
He would take this as an opportunity to reverse the negative emotions spread across the continent.
Not much was needed to make that possible.
A single word would suffice.
The Emperor appeared atop the main castle of Antonium.
The people of Antonium looked at the Emperor with faces full of concern.
Chainwalker boarded the Iron Castle once more and examined each of their faces.
Wallsweil asked.
“Chainwalker, are you certain you conveyed it properly?”
The Dark Dragon the dragons had been roaring about.
He was none other than Hoyeol, the last survivor of Akshan.
Considering they had heard that truth……
Not only the people.
Even the Emperor’s expression seemed far too grave.
At that concern, Chainwalker let out a small laugh.
It was needless worry.
“Wallsweil, you of all people should know, should you not?”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“How legends are passed down.”
“……?”
At the riddle-like words, Wallsweil frowned.
As someone who lived by a blazing furnace, his patience was exceedingly poor when it came to other matters. Chainwalker immediately got to the point.
“No matter how legendary an event or existence may be, in the end, unless it passes through the human world, it cannot be called a legend. In the end, it is humans who elevate something into a legend.”
“……!”
That was right.
No matter how great something was, if it was not widely known, it could not be reborn as a legend. And spreading something widely was solely up to humans.
“I see……”
Not only dwarves like themselves, for whom seclusion was part of everyday life.
Dragons or elves were not beings who would spread something far and wide either.
Chainwalker watched Antonium with a satisfied gaze.
“What our Holy War Alliance needs is a turnaround. A dramatic turnaround at that, Wallsweil. I am saying we need one great blow that can overturn the Arcana Continent, which is covered in fear.”
Wallsweil asked.
“So this is tempering for that?”
Chainwalker nodded slowly.
“That is right. And it will not be ordinary tempering into which little effort has been put. Depending on whose mouth it begins from, the weight that legend carries will also change.”
Chainwalker laughed heartily.
“In that sense, could there be anyone more suited than the Emperor!”...
The Emperor spoke.
“I know what you fear.”
Even as he said it, he thought himself shameless.
As though he had not been frightened in the slightest.
Before demons.
Before rebels.
And before dragons.
When he had trembled in fear more than anyone.
“…….”
That was why he did not resent the present silence at all.
From the gazes of the people looking up at him.
To expect respect or awe.
He had proven nothing as an Emperor.‘If I were not ashamed, then I would be the demon.’The Empire’s territory had once been vast.
However, at present, the only places that could be called territory were the capital city, Antonium.
And Frost, said to have been rebuilt in the world of adventurers.
He knew that from the moment he failed to look after the remaining territories and their people, he could no longer be called an Emperor.
Even so.
“Therefore, I proclaim in the name of the Emperor.”
He had to desperately act the part of the Emperor.
Yes, even if he was an Emperor in name only.
His words had power.
And he had to lend that power to “him.”
“Do not fear the Dark Dragon.”
At times like this, the education he had received as a prince in his childhood was helpful.
The projection and diction that he had uttered after thorough practice.
Seemed sufficient to rouse the people sunk in fear.
However, the Emperor knew.‘It is not I who will truly awaken them.’He was merely a stepping stone.
That was why he spoke with even greater dignity.
If it had been to elevate himself, he could never have produced it.
He released the voice of an Emperor overflowing with majesty.
“You already know who the Dark Dragon is.”
“……?”
“The same goes for you.”
Where the Emperor’s gaze turned, there were the survivors of Dreadsenn.
The ones who first realized what those words meant were, as expected.
The survivors of Dreadsenn Village, the very people involved.
Dreadsenn was at the edge of the Empire.
A mountain village where news of the Empire did not even reach.
Moreover, they had only recently settled in Antonium.
And yet, we already know of the Dark Dragon’s existence……?
“……!”
Lansha muttered without realizing it.
“N-No way?”
That was right.
As if saying that “no way” was correct.
The Emperor’s statement continued.
“The Dark Dragon, he is the savior of Dreadsenn.”
“And at the same time, the hero of Antonium.”
“An infinitely deep darkness.”
It was the moment a legend was proclaimed from the Emperor’s mouth.
“That is right. The adventurer, Lee Hoyeol. He is the Dark Dragon!”
“……!!!”*……
My ears are itching.
Returning to the Magic Tower.
The moment I sat down at the desk in my office, my ears began to itch.
This is a bad omen.
However, by Granfell’s propriety, an act such as digging in one’s ear with a pinky finger.
Could never be tolerated, even in death.
I forced myself to ignore the itch and shifted my gaze to the desk.
The first thing that entered my eyes was an application to leave the Magic Tower.
No, to be precise.
It was the cat paw print stamped on the application.
The work Marcelo had mentioned.
Was the Tower Master’s substitute work reviewing applications to leave the tower?
I examined the approved application to leave the tower and recited.
“I have fully understood your sincerity.”
But, well……
There are considerations that may as well not exist.
The Tower Master’s kindness right now was exactly that.
Because Granfell could not bear to be indebted to anyone.‘So I cannot say anything harsh, but.’Truly, this is cat-level work comparable to a cat washing its face……!
No, I mean, no matter how bothersome it was.
What are you going to do if you stamp approvals for leaving the tower so recklessly?!
“However, what must be corrected must be corrected.”
See if I ever trust that cat, the Tower Master, again.
Of course, all of this was due to Granfell’s damned fastidious personality.
I grumbled inwardly.‘With this personality, give-and-take is the best way, yes.’In that sense, I felt like asking everyone.‘Everyone, please refrain from trying to do things for my sake.’If you pity me, who will have to deal with the aftermath, that is.
Anyway, let’s hurry.
There is much that must be finished before today is over.
As I said, the objective of the class quest.
I was someone who had to carry out even physical training faithfully.
Let’s hurry and revise the application to leave the tower first.‘Therefore.’I swept the quill pen across the page.
Ssssk─Regrettably.
I shall revise this application to leave the tower to rejected as well.
Senior Bensch William....[The Legend System is unlocked.][You acquire the legend, ‘Dark Dragon Lee Hoyeol.’][Your legend takes form.]