RGS Volume 1 Part 3

Several seasons passed, and the year changed twice. Abel’s daily life remained the same, but recently, his master had a problem. The master fell ill with an unknown fever for a few days, and strangely, he stopped talking and often stared blankly into space.

That day, Abel went to the city and returned in just one day. He held a handful of his master’s medicine, bought with the money from selling dried herbs and mushrooms. But from where he lived with the master, the sound of a horse could be heard. It was a voice filled with someone’s worries.

“Well, if there is someone who will listen, then Duke Truyde, who is my superior, is somewhat decent. He has recently inherited his title, so he has the power and flexibility to resolve situations. So, if there is a chance, he might be able to listen, but sigh, anyone would find such a claim absurd.”

The owner of the voice was Melmond, an attendant who had only one master. After his master fell ill, he had sent a letter asking him to contact him, but he didn’t expect Melmond to come so quickly. Like his master, he had received training to become a Regas after joining this faction. However, unlike his master, he had entered the palace early and was working as part of the king’s Regas-appointed staff.

The job of the staff was simply to dust off the old books in the neglected palace library that no one else wanted to find. According to one faction, it was said that he was able to be hired because it was impossible for one faction to fill all the staff positions. According to his master, he had applied for this job because he originally wanted a stable occupation. It was a sinister purpose to find a shortcut since it was difficult to enter the King’s Heart.

Perhaps because of that, while others would leave in a few days with wounded pride, he had been doing this for 15 years. That’s why the master would occasionally get angry, saying that he had entered the palace without proper training.

Since he entered the palace, there had been little contact with his master, and Abel only saw him once or twice a year. However, perhaps because they had once spent time together, he would always grumble but often send news about what his master wanted to know through letters.

“The Regas has been with the prince for a year now. Usually, a Regas starts assisting the crown prince in learning about state affairs when they are around 10 years old, so it’s definitely early. Everyone hushes, but it seems like there’s a problem with the prince. According to rumors…”

As if whispering a secret, the voice became quieter and nothing was heard after that. Melmond was an attendant, but unlike the master who was already 50 years old, he was still in his mid-30s. Sometimes his master would say that he seemed more like a son than an attendant. Hearing the muffled voice of his master, Wiedel, Abel wondered if he should go in or not.

“Pathetic fools! What’s so devilish about it! So what if he has the eyes of a snake or something?! He was born with the mark of a dragon, so we should be happy!”

“But he didn’t inherit any abilities.”

“How do you know?! Abilities can manifest later!”

“But I’ve never heard of such an experience.”

“There has never been a time when the mark of a dragon has appeared on the body.”

“….”

“Sigh, why is everyone so ignorant? The prince may be the one who can rebuild the crumbling power of the royal family! Surely, his abilities will soon… cough, cough! Ahem, cough.”

When the sound of his master’s coughing became severe, Abel opened the door without hesitation and rushed in.

“Master!”

Melmond raised his hand as if to tell Abel to stop when he saw Abel appear with a shout. Even if it wasn’t, Abel confirmed the smoke that had spread thickly inside and calmed his surprised mind. Melmond was blowing smoke from a dry branch to his master, who was sitting halfway on the bed. It was from a tree that can cure well to coughing diseases.

“Your master won’t die right away, so don’t worry.”

Melmond grumbled to the approaching Abel and laid the coughing master back in place. But it seemed that his master hadn’t finished speaking yet, as he gasped for breath and grabbed Melmond’s arm.

“Let me meet that duke.”

“Ha, that’s not an easy thing to do.”

“They’re thinking wrong! I have to wake them up. Come on, cough, from now on, if the prince doesn’t have a proper Regas by his side, later, cough, cough.”

Melmond wiped his master’s back with a frowning eye and muttered awkwardly.

“No one would believe in the destruction of the country seen in dreams.”

The mountains get dark quickly and it gets colder. Melmond felt that he had changed a lot when he came here. Why wouldn’t he? He used to have nothing. Now he’s used to the comfortable life in the capital and finds the countryside uncomfortable.

It might be because his body has gotten heavier. Melmond sighed as he stroked his plump belly. This place, which has continued the lineage with only one or two successors, had completely different standards from the King’s Heart about raising a Regas.

In the past, when the legend of the ancient royal family began, it is said that this place produced more Regas than any other place. It became like this because they stubbornly continued the method of that time. The place where the country recognized raising Regas disappeared, and only the King’s Heart and this place remained.

It would be nice if they could make good use of that point and compromise a little with reality. Melmond raised his head and remembered his master who had left the world a long time ago. He was just as stubborn as his seniors and colleagues. Unlike the King’s Heart, who emphasized appearance to gain the king’s favor and taught dance and magic, he learned about nature here.

Melmond also came here when he was young, but all he learned was how to distinguish plants, how to communicate with animals and physical training. But what’s the use of distinguishing plants and knowing herbs if you’re not going to be a pharmacist?

Moreover, communicating with animals. It was a waste of time to learn how to persuade a wild boar encountered in the mountains, even if it was not enough to communicate with the king, who is a human. He had to undergo unreasonable training every day for the sake of patience and physical strength. Melmond barely endured it, but when the opportunity came to go to the palace before his master returned, he left without hesitation.

The reason why Melmond was sent here from his poor home was because he hoped that he would not enter the palace and become a beggar, and Melmond also wanted that. He endured all kinds of hardships in the palace and did not complain about the countless tasks, because he was satisfied with the reality that he could eat and live enough.

That’s why he didn’t care much about things like working as a Regas, and it didn’t matter what happened to the king. It was enough to just eat and live like this. Whether the king is a devil or the incarnation of a dragon that appeared after hundreds of years.

Of course, he heard the short reason why his master sent him to the palace, but he never thought deeply about it. However, it seems that the useless learning time is affecting him, as he is concerned about the absurd worries of the nobles.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

“Oh, oh, Melmond, you’re here.”

With the sound of running, the figure of Abel, who was huge in size, appeared below him. He was the only disciple who became the master of this place. Was he twenty years old now? However, his sunburned and rough face and large physique looked like a ruthless bandit who could kill four people.

However, despite the rough first impression, he was an extremely innocent guy. Especially his eyes were so clear that it felt like this is what innocence is. Maybe Abel didn’t know that he was a person who fits well with the teachings of this place, which said that personality is the most important thing.

But with that appearance…

Melmond recalled the Heart of the King faction, whose Regas, whom he saw in the palace. They were more beautiful and splendid than women, and they had voices that became enjoyable just by listening. They were beauties that Melmond couldn’t help but be attracted to, they were capable of various tricks that couldn’t be taken eyes off. They must have had such charm that even if the king inherited the nature of a dragon’s cruelty, they could tame it. Not like this bandit-looking guy.

“I have prepared a place for you to sleep.”

“Who said I’m going to sleep?”

Although he said it bluntly, Abel laughed and answered because it was something that happened every time.

“It’s difficult to go down the mountain tonight. Even if you are the only disciple of the late master.”

“Hmph, it must be hard for you. When I was your age, I easily climbed two or three peaks even at night like this.”

Abel’s eyes widened in surprise at Melmond’s exaggeration.

“Really? Wow, so what my master said about the training I’m doing right now being nothing was true.”

“Ha! Of course. Our master’s training was amazing.”

“Oh my, I always thought there was nothing harder than climbing a cliff barehanded.”

“That’s right, a cliff….”

He had never climbed a cliff. But Melmond’s determined expression was not hidden in the darkness, and the innocent Abel continued to be amazed.

“But the most challenging training is facing wild animals eye to eye. I’m embarrassed to admit that I couldn’t instantly subdue or tame them with just my gaze. I was too busy running away.”

“Wild animals?”

“Yes. I could barely avoid bears, but wolves travel in packs, so I thought I was going to die while running away. I’m sure Melmond could instantly subdue them with just his gaze, right?”

He had never even subdued a squirrel with his gaze.

“Ah, well. Um, yeah, that’s right.”

“Just like our master said, I still have a long way to go. I’m ashamed to say that I can’t adapt to wolf spiders. Those creatures don’t spin webs, they attack like this!”

“Hmm”.

As Abel’s voice grew louder, Melmond flinched, but he didn’t make a surprised sound. Whether he knew it or not, Abel went on and on about wolf spiders. It was a rare sight to see him so excited to have someone to talk to.

“I often get surprised by creatures that hunt by falling from trees. When I was young, one fell on my face once, and I fainted. Of course, Melmond wouldn’t be bothered by spiders or anything like that, right?”

All bugs were scary to him.

“Um, well, yeah.”

Melmond’s response only led to more fake coughing. Of course, Abel didn’t notice this time either and let out a melancholic voice.

“I’m particularly afraid of wolf spiders, so there have been times when my master purposely caught only wolf spiders and locked them all in a small box. But it seems like the training hasn’t had any effect.”

That’s torture! Melmond wanted to shout, but he barely held it in. Was he trying to kill his only disciple? He looked back at the lit dormitory. When he was training as a Regas, he only learned about plants and animals by wandering around mountains and rocks. Looking back now, it seemed like his master knew from the beginning. That he didn’t have the intention to become a real Regas and only saw it as an excuse to enter the palace.

He thought that even though there was one person in the palace, it would be helpful to accept Melmond. But what help could he be as just a librarian? No, maybe this is the master’s true intention so he could pass some of the news from the palace like this. Melmond turned his head at the gaze that stared at him. He saw Abel’s sparkling eyes.

“What, what is it?”

“Please tell me, Mr. Melmond.”

“What should I tell?”

“It’s about the palace. The palace is where the person who inherits the power of the dragon and where the king lives. They say that person is really majestic and performs amazing magic just by looking at them.”

Melmond recalled the king he had seen from afar. The image of him always being drunk and stumbling with his Regas by his side. To the people of this country, the king was like a god. He was the evidence of legends and the country itself. Even if the king did not govern the country well and starved, in the end, there was resignation at the end of resentment.

But since he inherited the power of the dragon, they have to follow the king’s lead.

Currently, the king’s telekinesis is at best able to lift a light pen in the air. There were rumors that he was even addicted to alcohol and pleasure.

However, the fact that the king lives such a rotten life does not leak outside the palace. Because the King’s Heart who holds power does not allow it. To them, the king is the foundation of power. They have to maintain the king’s hollow reputation for a long time in order to survive. Seeing that they tied the ruler to his own Regas and took control like this, the King’s Heart might not be a proper Regas faction.

“I mean… well, yeah. Do you have any other questions?”

When Melmond asked, Abel leaned closer and his eyes sparkled.

“I heard that there is still a magical place left by the dragon in the palace?”

“A magical place? Ah, you mean the spring of prayer. That’s still in the middle of the Dragon Forest. What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Melmond leaned back as Abel’s face approached him.

“If you pray earnestly, it is said that it will allow you to go to the side of the person you want. Wow, that’s really cool. Have you been there, Mr. Melmond?”

“Me…”

Of course, he had never been there. The Dragon Forest was originally a sacred place where only the king and his Regas who the king gave his heart to could enter. However, for several generations, the place had been covered with dense bushes because the kings was indulging in pleasure with his Regas’.

“Inside, there is a small spring, and it is said to have a special magic. However, there is no record of prayers actually being answered. Instead, there is only a record of the king, who was saddened by the death of his beloved Regas before him, praying to meet him and then dying.”

“The spring of prayer is just a legend. Don’t think about it too much and focus on your training. Hmm. By the way, have you heard? What your master saw in his dream.”

Melmond cautiously asked, wondering how Abel would react if he had heard. Would he think that Wiedel was crazy like him? Or would he worry that it was just due to his weakened body? Neither of the reactions he expected came.

Abel nodded his head firmly with a stiff expression.