TDAA Ch 23

One of the knights, having received his gauntlet, muttered his impression blankly, and the others, buzzing with excitement, were about to rush towards Eorzen. Stopping them with a single raised finger, Eorzen waved his hand, pushing them back. The knights waited at a slight distance, like obedient dogs who had been told to stay.

“Sizool gave me a rough overview. Nathaniel is in this city.”

“Yes, Captain. Those bastards have been targeting beastmen soldiers for a while now. It seems they weren’t satisfied with weak rabbits and orchestrated this to get their hands on stronger beastmen. They must have really wanted it.”

Ryufen puffed out his chest and continued.

“Me, that is!”

Eorzen was momentarily speechless at the sight of him looking so proud.

It didn’t seem like Sizool had completely grasped the magic circle drawn in the city. There would have been limits to what he could do as an alchemist. If he only described it as a magic circle to bind large monsters, it was no wonder Ryufen had misunderstood.

But Eorzen was a member of the dragon clan and a skilled mage at the same time. After hiding Sizool in the closet, Eorzen had channeled his magic throughout the city and succeeded in fully comprehending the form of the magic circle.

“…Ryufen. This magic circle has the power to disrupt the magic power accumulated within the body.”

“…Huh?”

“Do you possess magic power?”

Ryufen was a natural magic user.

He had a constitution that absorbed atmospheric magic power and converted it into his own as needed. The amount of magic power he could use varied greatly depending on the amount of atmospheric magic power, and his natural conversion rate set a clear limit. He could use magic power without training, but it also meant he couldn’t train to improve it.

The way he used magic power was completely different from those who stored and used it within their bodies.

“…So, it’s not me?”

Eorzen nodded politely at Ryufen, whose tail drooped as if in shock.

“So the magic circle is targeting the Captain?”

He nodded again, and Ryufen stomped on the ground angrily. He seemed utterly frustrated and indignant.

“Why?! It was always me who went out to fight! You only went out for battles near the city unless it was something special! It should be targeting me!”

“Well… isn’t it natural that a dragon is more desirable than a wolf?”

At Eorzen’s playful response, Ryufen stomped on the ground again in annoyance.

“Enough. I understand you wanted to play with Nathaniel, but this isn’t the time to throw a tantrum.”

“I wanted to win this time because I lost last time. That bastard took my hind leg!”

Ryufen grumbled, snarling.

He hadn’t shown it outwardly, but ever since losing his leg, Ryufen had been burning with a desire for revenge. He couldn’t bear the humiliation of having lost a limb to an alchemist’s trick. So he had trained to use his prosthetic leg more naturally and sharpened his claws.

He had been brimming with the desire to confront Nathaniel head-on and crush him if his goal was to capture him, but it turned out it wasn’t. He was incredibly disappointed.

“Wait, then the Captain’s magic power right now…?”

“I can use small spells, but if I try to handle a certain amount of magic power, it dissipates, so I can’t use large-scale magic. I’ve felt something off since a while ago, but I thought it was a precursor to Berserk.”

“…What should I do?”

Ryufen asked seriously, guessing there was a reason Eorzen had called him aside.

“If Nathaniel’s target was me from the beginning, the tower must be fairly well-defended. There’s bound to be other preparations besides the magic circle. So you… if something happens to me, Sizool-“

“No, what are you talking about?! Why would something happen to you?!”

Ryufen asked roughly, dumbfounded. The Eorzen he knew never spoke of defeat before a fight. For Eorzen, who always calmly stared down his enemies and aimed for victory even in battles where defeat felt imminent, to say such a thing, Ryufen was beyond bewildered; he was almost angry.

“If it seems that dangerous, I’ll go with you. Then…!”

“Ryufen. You’re the only one I can trust Sizool with.”

“But, that’s…!”

“Sizool is probably my…”

Eorzen, who had spoken up to that point, suddenly turned his head towards the tower. The surge of magic power emanating from it was ominous. Eorzen sensed that the more time passed, the more advantageous the situation would become for Nathaniel.

“Anyway, I’m counting on you. Ryufen, lead the knights and protect this city.”

Ryufen’s confusion was evident, but Eorzen had no intention of answering any further questions.

Not only was there no time, but Eorzen himself also harbored deep questions about Siol’s existence.

When he felt the shimmering starlight from the child, Eorzen thought he was mistaken. He had brushed it off several times, thinking something was simply stuck to him, but in reality, it was a shimmering starlight, a brilliant morning star, a harbinger of the blazing sun. He instinctively knew that this light would eventually shine even brighter, blinding him.

But at the same time, questions arose. He had met Siol months ago.

There had never been a case in history where a dragon took so long to recognize their mate. Never. Convinced that this couldn’t be happening without some kind of conspiracy, he decided to conceal the existence of his mate for the time being.

“Asios, you come with me.”

Eorzen beckoned Asios and started running towards the tower.

Although Ryufen looked confused, he wasn’t one to neglect his duties. There weren’t many winged monsters around here, so as long as they defended the gates well, they should be able to hold out for a day or two. And Eorzen intended to resolve the situation in this city within the day.

As they ran, Eorzen asked Asios, “Asios, I heard something happened to the lord.”

“Y-yes! That’s right. He said the magic stone in the Tower of Survival would likely be used to maintain the magic circle in the city.”

“Who do you believe? Sizool? Or your father?”

Asios hesitated at the sharp question that seemed to pierce his heart.

“It’s not that I don’t trust my father. He wouldn’t do such a thing. But I don’t think Master Sizool would lie either. I want to believe both of them. So….”

Asios paused, taking a deep breath to compose himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to continue. Watching him, Eorzen gave a cold warning.

“Regardless of belief, there may come a time when you have to make a decision, Asios. You understand, don’t you?”

“…Yes.”

He couldn’t miss the implication that this decision referred to how he would treat his father. Asios’s face darkened as he understood that Eorzen’s words were a hint to prepare himself, as he might have to strike down his father, who might be on the enemy’s side.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Meanwhile, Muriel, who was staying in Eorzen’s city, commanding ten knights and busy gathering and analyzing information, jumped up from his seat upon hearing unexpected news. The story brought by the eagle, who had returned from a long journey to the central region of the human lands, was completely different from what he had known so far.

“That’s impossible! Is this true?!”

“This is what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears, Muriel.”

“But this is…! It’s the complete opposite of the information we’ve received so far!”

Muriel pulled out the documents he had stored in his drawer and spread them out on the desk. The current king’s defeat, the lord’s submission to the new heir, the rout and escape of the king’s soldiers. These facts were documented in the reports.

But the information the eagle brought was entirely different.

“I initially thought the king was losing too. There were humans acting that way.”

“Information warfare… is that it?”

“Yes, they wanted us to believe the king was cornered.”

“Wait, the false information has been circulating for at least three years. So, was the existence of the previous king’s successor a fabrication from the start?”

“No, the appearance of the previous king’s successor is true. He was seen entering the tower. You know that in the human lands, only those of the lord’s and king’s bloodline can enter the tower, right?”

“Then…?”

“It seems the current king originally intended to close off a few cities and make it look like he was under attack by monsters and driven into a corner. But with the appearance of the previous king’s successor, he no longer felt the need to draw in external enemies.”

“He’s taking advantage of the situation…”

Muriel clicked his tongue, his face troubled.

The earliest record of the current king’s movements to secure beastmen slaves was the slave procession three years ago. If all of that was a deceptive maneuver for information warfare, it meant they had been secretly working towards some plan for three years.

There was only one entity in this city worthy of such long-term effort.

“…The king could choose who to use, but he couldn’t choose when.”

It was more likely that he had acted hastily with the appearance of the previous king’s successor.

“You need to go to Marsiga right now.”

The eagle, already exhausted from its long flight, nodded firmly as if it had anticipated the order.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

The protective barrier had vanished without a trace, and the tower was radiating a ferocious magical energy in all directions. The flow of magic was so violent that the buildings around the tower seemed to distort. For a dragon, who grew up bathed in magic power from its fruit form, this level of magic flow was no more than a gentle breeze, but Asios, who was beside him, staggered as if caught in a storm. It was visible how the tower’s magic power was intruding into Asios’s body and rampaging uncontrollably.

Asios was a skilled knight for his age, but he was still relatively inexperienced in handling magic power. Eorzen grabbed Asios’s shoulder and enveloped him with his own magic power.

“Th-thank you.”

Asios, barely freed from the storm, gasped and bowed his head.

“Asios, you wait here.”

“Pardon? Here, you say?”

In front of the Tower of Survival, there was nothing. No monsters, no Nathaniel, no sign of Nathaniel’s suspected subordinates.

Being told to wait here was no different from being told to do nothing. Could it be that he suspected him because of his father’s actions? Was that why he was being left alone in a place like this, separated from the other knights? Eorzen, seeing Asios’s eyes shaking uncontrollably in confusion, sighed softly.

“Don’t think useless thoughts, Asios.”

“But… there’s nothing here. There wouldn’t even be any monsters that could get past the gate guarded by the Vice-Commander.”

Eorzen blinked slowly at the proper protest, laced with subtle anger. If it had been any other knight, they would have simply stomped their feet and complained, but Asios was protesting logically.

Beastmen were generally immature and impulsive, but the chieftain and his family were different. It was perhaps natural that the chieftain, burdened with heavy responsibilities, and his children, who grew up watching him, would be different from ordinary beastmen who were content just to enjoy their day.

Eorzen stroked Asios’s head and infused him with a bit more magic.

“Ugh, Commander?”

“The spell cast on this city drains a dragon’s magic and binds large monsters lacking reason. It’s clearly targeting me. But it would be difficult to suppress both my magic and my strength with just the magic stone. So there might be something else, another trick up alchemist Nathaniel’s sleeve.”

“…Nathaniel’s… another trick…?”

“You have to stop it, Asios. Whatever happens here, protect the tower.”

Asios’s eyes sparkled at the realization that the task entrusted to him was a proper mission. However, he soon came up with another question.

“Why such an important mission to me…?”

“Well, you’re the chieftain’s son, aren’t you?”

At those words, Asios stiffened, his expression strained. It was clear what he was thinking. He must have thought that he was also under suspicion because of the chieftain. He thought he was smart, but how could he be so foolish?

Eorzen continued, subtly impressed.

“You know that if the chieftain disappears, his son is most likely to take his place, right?”

“Th-That’s… That’s right…. Yes….”

Asios nodded blankly. Eorzen looked at him with a pitying gaze and continued.

“You are more than qualified to be chosen by the tower. You have the responsibility and the affection for this city.”

“…Yes!”

It is said that the beastmen chieftain is born with the destiny of a chieftain, but there is almost no way to recognize it. Occasionally, the magic stone will designate ‘This child is the next chieftain,’ but it’s a very rare occurrence. Usually, they live an ordinary life and are only called by the tower after the city’s chieftain dies.

However, to Eorzen, who had watched the chieftain lead the city for a long time, it was difficult to see it as completely destined. Usually, the position of chieftain is passed down to beastmen like Asios, who are not afraid to take responsibility. Perhaps the reason why the chieftain’s child is likely to become the chieftain is because they grew up watching their parent shoulder the responsibility of the city.

Eorzen patted Asios on the shoulder and extended his wings from his back.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

The dragon spread his membranous wings and soared towards the top of the tower.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

The tower of this city had its entrance at the very top. It was as if only those with wings were qualified to be chieftain, and as proof, only those with wings had ascended to the position of chieftain and protected the city for generations. The current chieftain was a valiant falcon, an excellent beastman who possessed both inclusiveness and decisiveness. He was once a warrior passionate about hunting monsters, but after the previous chieftain’s death, he was suddenly designated as the next chieftain, willingly accepting the heavy duty despite being thrust into it unexpectedly.

Therefore, even when Eorzen heard that the humans had done nothing but put collars on the beastmen and left the city, he did not suspect the chieftain. However, the fact that the magic stone in the Tower of Survival was being used to maintain the spell was damning evidence. Nathaniel’s entry into a place inaccessible without the chieftain’s permission meant that the chieftain himself had let him in.

How did Marsiga’s valiant falcon end up obeying a human’s command?

It must not have been a normal persuasion, but if the chieftain had been brought to his knees, regardless of the method, Eorzen couldn’t afford to be careless.

Eorzen landed on the top of the tower. If he were the chieftain or someone with the chieftain’s permission, he could pass through here and enter, but since Eorzen wasn’t invited, he had to use force. To forcibly intrude upon the tower, something that would normally be impossible for Eorzen.

However, it was different now, with the tower behaving abnormally. Even when Eorzen channeled magic through the soles of his shoes, the tower didn’t react, let alone defend itself. As the entrance crumpled and revealed itself, he jumped down.

The interiors of all towers in the beastmen’s lands usually have the same form. Like a night without a moon, pitch-black darkness, with only the magic stone slowly pulsating and illuminating the interior. The walls and floor were simply smooth, without any decoration. If something was using the magic stone to create a protective barrier, there should be traces related to it, but no chieftain, regardless of their abilities, had been able to find them.

But now, this place was different.

Eorzen frowned as he looked at the tower’s interior, which Nathaniel had decorated as he pleased.

A place that chieftains had cherished and protected for generations, now ruined by a single alchemist.

“Welcome, Blue Dragon! I’ve been expecting you.”

A man stood in the middle of the space, decorated like the home of a human noble family. The man, holding a long staff, wore a flowing robe adorned with decorative necklaces. A pungent smell emanated from the crown on his head. The distinct scent of a nerve-paralyzing poison. He wasn’t wearing a hood, and drooping red hair half-covered his face. Emerald green eyes gleamed through the strands.

“You’d be surprised to hear how long I’ve been waiting to meet you.”

“…Alchemist Nathaniel.”

Eorzen drew his sword and lunged at his opponent. As Eorzen swung his sword, Nathaniel thrust his staff forward.

Clang! With a sound like metal striking metal, Eorzen’s sword stopped in mid-air. The barrier spell engraved on the staff blocked Eorzen. As Eorzen clicked his tongue and focused magic into his sword, pressing down, a grating sound and a distortion of magic occurred where it met the barrier.

If this continued, a magic storm would erupt, annihilating the surroundings.

Eorzen stepped back, his sword still extended. Just now, he had poured the maximum amount of magic he could muster in an instant into his sword. Even in his half-drained state, it wasn’t the kind of magic a human alchemist could withstand.

“Haha! Surprised? As expected, the tower’s magic stone is amazing. It feels like the magic will never run out.”

Nathaniel blinked slowly as he spoke. His body was filled with magic. Not the magic Nathaniel had accumulated himself, but the magic from the Tower of Survival’s magic stone, filling Nathaniel’s body and flowing into his staff.

Surprisingly, Nathaniel was connected to the magic stone.

How was that possible? Eorzen was momentarily speechless at the astonishing sight. Originally, the tower’s magic stone was a finicky stone that only permitted connection with the chieftain. To be precise, the being connected to the magic stone was called the chieftain.

However, it didn’t seem like the connection with the chieftain had been severed. In other words, this city’s tower currently had two chieftains.

“What have you done?”

“Don’t look at me so fiercely. I’ve simply been working for your benefit.”

“…….”

“Why don’t you calm down and sit for a moment to talk?”

Nathaniel said with a sly smile.

“You’re almost out of magic to use anyway…?”

One common misconception humans had was that dragons, being born mages, become nothing without magic. It was true that dragons primarily used magic. However, it was the same logic as not holding a glass of water with your feet when you have hands.

In short, a dragon’s body was harder than steel, faster than the wind, and as flexible as a reed. Even Ryufen, renowned for his fighting prowess among the beastmen, was no match for Eorzen without magic. The very reason Ryufen had come under Eorzen’s command was because he had been defeated in a fight against the dragon.

How could human prejudice be so stubbornly fixed?

Eorzen smirked and lunged at Nathaniel once more.

“Ugh…!”

“Alchemist Nathaniel. You’ve played enough. Why don’t you go back now?”

“No…! I still need to play more.”

The two conversed, separated by the barrier. The dragon’s fist was stopped against Nathaniel’s barrier. The difference from before was that there was no magic distortion because it wasn’t a clash of magic against magic. Nevertheless, the dragon’s fist packed the same power as a magic-imbued sword.

“Fine, then I’ll have to make you go back.”

Eorzen spun around and charged toward the magic stone.

The second common misconception humans had was that the Blue Dragon was a noble and righteous protector of beastmen, willing to do anything to protect allied cities.

While Eorzen did have a desire to protect beastmen, it wasn’t to the extent that he would be stubborn at a time like this.

In other words, he wasn’t clinging to the weak notion that he couldn’t destroy the magic stone, even in a moment like this.

“No, wait!”

Nathaniel realized what Eorzen was about to do and extended his staff, creating another barrier in front of the magic stone.

KABOOM! Eorzen’s fist, with his weight fully behind it, collided with the barrier. However, the fist, blocked by the barrier, didn’t stop and continued to extend, eventually shattering the barrier and striking the magic stone within. It was a brutal punch. So much so that it was hard to believe it was the same Eorzen who usually moved with elegant gestures.

The magic stone trembled from the impact, emitting streams of magic like a scream.

“I said, wait!”

When Nathaniel argued, Eorzen silently raised his fist again.

Eorzen truly didn’t care if he broke the magic stone. The magic stone in the Tower of Survival had the power to restore itself over time, even if destroyed. Of course, it would take a very long time, but if Eorzen remained in this land, he could halve that time. And if he intentionally imbued it with magic, he could halve it again.

Of course, it was sad that the tower wouldn’t function properly for a while, but it was far better than letting the alchemist run rampant.

At this display of force, Nathaniel clicked his tongue and tapped the floor with his staff. Ripples then spread across the floor and walls, beginning to project the outside situation. The first thing that appeared was the scene outside the tower. Asios was clinging to the tower wall, shaking the shoulders of the beastmen who stood there blankly, saying something to them. No matter how roughly he shook their shoulders or how loudly he shouted, the beastmen simply stood there, dazed. Even when Asios pulled them away, they soon returned to the tower. Nearly thirty had already gathered, and even as they did, beastmen from all over the city were converging on the tower. Moving like the undead.

Ryufen stood outside the gate, slaughtering monsters. He was leading the knights in a furious rampage, but the number of monsters swarming in was alarming. The monsters rushing in from beyond the plains were clearly abnormal. It almost felt like something was drawing the monsters here.

Several knights scattered along the walls were fending off monsters climbing the walls, but it was clear they weren’t in a comfortable situation.

Eorzen calmly suppressed the fear that ran down his spine.

Now was the time to feign composure. He took in each scene of the city that Nathaniel showed him.

“So, are you ready to sit down now?”

Was this the end?

“If not, I can still make you feel like it.”

Nathaniel spoke as if he had the means to instantly wreak havoc on the scenes he had shown. It was a despicable threat.

However, Eorzen felt relieved at his words.

The scene of the inn wasn’t within the ripples Nathaniel had shown. If the inn, the closet, and Siol’s figure had been projected within those ripples, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain his composure.

He had been right to hide Siol in the closet instead of entrusting him to Ryufen. If he had left him with Ryufen, he would surely have been discovered by now.

“I don’t think we’re on tea-drinking terms.”

“Why not? I already like the Blue Dragon, and the Blue Dragon will come to like me as well.”

Nathaniel spoke as he sat at the table and lifted the teapot. Eorzen frowned, sighed softly, and sat across from him.

Nathaniel offered him a cup of hot tea, and Eorzen accepted it, adding a spoonful of jam.

“Actually, I’m a little surprised, Blue Dragon. I thought you were a bit more… rational.”

Nathaniel continued as he watched Eorzen stir the tea with a spoon.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I like you no matter what you’re like.”

“…….”

“I like you in your dragon form, and I like you in your human form like this. I like you when you’re performing magic, and I like you when you’re throwing punches like earlier. It was quite impressive seeing a dragon throwing punches like that. To think you could be so cool even without being in your dragon form…”

He had listened to see what Nathaniel wanted to talk about, urging him to sit, but all he spoke of was praise for why he liked dragons.

“Ah. I wish you would hurry up and like me….”

Eorzen frowned at the languid whisper. Even with his clear displeasure, Nathaniel didn’t seem to mind at all. He simply laughed it off, as if the Blue Dragon’s feelings sitting in front of him didn’t matter in the slightest. His demeanor wasn’t one of resignation or disregard, but rather a confidence that everything would go his way.

Seeing him like that naturally brought a certain woman to mind. Once she came to mind, connections between her and the man before him surfaced without any effort. The shape of their eyes, the color of their hair, even their somewhat crazed demeanor.

“…You bear a striking resemblance to a witch.”

“Haha. You’ve finally realized who I am. I’m flattered, thank you.”

“I thought there were no more descendants of witches after the Witch of the North, Erenia, died…. Was there a connection between the Witch of the North and the Alchemist of Death? Is that why he took you in?”

The Witch of the North always had a son with her who looked older than herself. He always acted more like a servant than a son, and the witch treated him as such. He had assumed the son had died along with her, but to think he had survived.

He even seemed to have succeeded the witch, despite being a man. The fact that the middle-aged man now possessed youth was undoubtedly due to the witch’s staff, which had accumulated magic through generations.

It was known that the apprentice Nathaniel was chosen by his master, the Alchemist of Death, at a very young age. This meant that Nathaniel had willingly hidden himself, pretending to be a child, in order to survive.

“How dare you say such rude things!”

However, Nathaniel yelled at Eorzen’s deduction and stood up from his seat.

“My mother was a great witch! She would never have associated with a mere alchemist.”

His tone was laced with contempt.

It was strange. For someone who had inherited the position of Royal Alchemist as a disciple of the Alchemist of Death, and was now enjoying this life, to despise his master?

Eorzen sensed something was amiss.

“It is true that I pretended to be his disciple for a while because I needed a place to stay. I even considered bringing him to my side. But he was too weak and foolish to keep around.”

“The Alchemist of Death… was weak and foolish.”

“It’s true. He was an idiot, a fool, a moron. He couldn’t do anything on his own, and all he knew was to cower in fear, holed up in his mansion.”

Nathaniel shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“…I heard the Alchemist of Death… hated beastmen and wanted to make them extinct?”

“Hahaha! That guy probably didn’t even know beastmen existed until the day he died!”

Nathaniel’s laughter resonated clearly through the space.

It was said that the Alchemist of Death, who hated beastmen, had produced terrible weapons of war for the past few years and urged the king to wage war. This war wasn’t originally what the king wanted, but what the Alchemist of Death desired. It was the Alchemist of Death who had shown the king the power of military might and the pleasure of conquering. It was common knowledge that the Alchemist of Death was at the root of everything.

But it was absurd to say that he hadn’t even known of the existence of beastmen. If that premise crumbled, everything he knew about the Alchemist of Death would fall apart.

What had happened a few months ago was still vivid in Eorzen’s mind. He had finally found a clue to the mansion where the Alchemist of Death resided and had ultimately crushed him to death. Even the wide-eyed gaze and the agonizing groans as he was crushed to death.

Thousands upon thousands of beastmen had been killed or enslaved by alchemical tools. The thought that all of it was caused by the single man in front of him made his anger uncontrollable.

And so, and so – he had even placed a curse….

“Come to think of it, you even cursed that guy, didn’t you, Blue Dragon? It was so satisfying!”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I was eavesdropping. Alchemical tools are quite good for espionage.”

Nathaniel chuckled and rested his elbows on the table, cupping his chin in his hands. Leaning towards Eorzen, he picked up a cookie.

“Did you know, Blue Dragon? I was the one who gave you the information.”

“…What?”

“The information about the castle where the Alchemist of Death resided. You received a tip-off in Nariendal, right? I was the one who left that information. Originally, I was going to handle it myself, but when I heard that the Blue Dragon was desperately searching for the Alchemist of Death, I decided to give it to you as a gift.”

“What… what…”

“Did you like my gift?”

At this point, he had to admit that everything concerning the Alchemist of Death was Nathaniel’s scheme, and he had fallen for it, becoming a hunting dog led by Nathaniel.

Good heavens. Eorzen sighed softly.

If everything Nathaniel was saying was true, then the Alchemist of Death was nothing more than a cowardly alchemist. He hadn’t created those weapons out of hatred for beastmen – he was a pitiful alchemist who had been used by Nathaniel and the king.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. He was a insignificant mortal anyway. A fool who couldn’t foresee the future.”

“You speak as if you aren’t mortal.”

When Eorzen snapped irritably, Nathaniel grinned.

He looked as if he had no awareness of the enormous conspiracy he had just revealed. And because of that, Eorzen was now agonizing over how to undo what he had done.

“Not yet.”

Nathaniel’s attitude was always the same as the Witch of the North’s towards dragons. She had always claimed that she would one day become a dragon’s mate and become immortal. It was nothing more than absurd nonsense to the dragons, but she seemed to genuinely believe she would fall in love with a dragon.

No matter how many times other dragons told her that a dragon’s mate wasn’t such a being, it didn’t get through to her.

Besides, even if one became a dragon’s mate, they wouldn’t become immortal. They would simply live a bit longer than humans or beastmen; dragons, compared to gods, were also merely mortal beings.

Why had the Witch of the North left such a desire to her child?

Eorzen thought it was no longer worth listening to. He had sat at the table because he thought he needed to know Nathaniel’s motive, but all Nathaniel spouted was nonsense.

“Stop it, Nathaniel. Leave the city immediately, or you’ll die here. Choose.”

“Why don’t we invite a new guest instead? I’m sure they’ll be happy to join us.”

Nathaniel smiled brightly and gestured with his chin behind Eorzen.

There, a figure stood precariously, cloaked in a robe with the hood pulled up. The thin shadow swayed as it walked in and stopped.

“Isn’t that right, Master?”

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Could it be that my identity as the Alchemist of Death has been exposed?

Siol huddled under the blanket, squatting with his back against the wall, half-lying down. It was an uncomfortable position, but the closet was too cramped to lie down properly anyway. After struggling to find a somewhat comfortable position by twisting his body, Siol tapped his fingers against the wall, lost in thought.

He was well aware of his negative personality. This needlessly worrisome nature was quite helpful when conducting alchemical research, as it allowed him to block out all sorts of variables. However, it wasn’t helpful in life at all. When it came to human relationships, which were full of variables, he often hesitated due to his worries, and by then, the other person would have already left or would be looking at him with an annoyed expression. As such experiences accumulated, his worries only increased….

Even with such a personality, the thought he had just had was complete nonsense. If Eorzen had found out that he was the Alchemist of Death, he would have been angry, not smiling and kissing him like that.

What did the words ‘My Sizool’ and that affectionate gaze mean?

Could it be, co, could it be… because he liked him?

“…But dragons have mates.”

Siol mumbled dejectedly.

That was the problem. No matter how hard Siol tried to push aside his gloomy thoughts and think positively, the existence of a mate stood in his way. Dragons were beings who were destined to love only their mates, and it took at most two or three days for them to recognize their mate. He had already been with Eorzen for several months. He wasn’t his mate.

So, if the dragon seemed to like him, it could only mean one thing – it was an illusion caused by the guiding.

The timing was also telling. The dragon had been in a half-crazed state earlier and had plundered Siol’s guiding pheromones indiscriminately. The satisfaction Eorzen had gained in that process must have been perceived as love. He had no complaints about having his pheromones taken, as that was his intention in the first place, but it was too much for Eorzen to treat him like a lover.

No matter how much he denied it to himself, saying he didn’t want to be mistaken, he hated being swayed and abandoned like this by love, he really didn’t want to be hurt by emotions, if the other person kissed him with eyes full of love…

Siol slammed his fist against the wall in frustration.

“I really… I really hate this…”

Was it too much to ask to be the only one for just one person?

Siol slid down and lay on the floor, covering his face with his arms.

It had been the same on Earth. Siol had longed to be someone special to someone. But Earth, that place, was filled with hedonists focused only on the short-term future. He didn’t misunderstand them. He knew how extravagant it was to wish for someone to spend forever with in a place where you could die the very next day.

But, but Siol, for some reason… somehow couldn’t give up on that. After falling into this world, he had only wished to be alone, but somehow, things had turned out this way.

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, would he have avoided these feelings?

If he had developed these feelings without guiding the dragon, would he have been more certain?

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, the dragon might not have been so kind to him.

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, this painful situation….

Siol unconsciously wiped away the tears that had streamed down his face with his forearm.

Now wasn’t the time for this. There was something he had to do before he became lost in his emotions and succumbed to melancholy. The Blue Dragon had told him to hide in this closet, but in a situation where he didn’t know what Nathaniel might do, it was certainly not right to just sit huddled in a closet.

Siol took a light breath and opened the closet door.

The dragon’s curse still lingered on his chest. He could still feel the small force gripping his heart. But since the curse was fading with each passing moment, there wouldn’t be any excruciating pain like when he had taken a step back without holding Eorzen’s hand.

Even though his mind understood that, his body remembered the pain. Siol extended his foot outside the closet and stared at the floor below with apprehensive eyes.

That’s when it happened.

A strange magic power shrieked as if tearing his ears apart. Startled by the ear-splitting sound, Siol flinched and covered his ears. Even after the initial wave passed, fragments of magic power lingered, shaking the surroundings violently. Furthermore, a wriggling flow of magic power followed.

Until just now, the magic waves emanating from the magic stone had enveloped the city, but what was this now?

As Siol thought this far, he stopped, feeling as if something that had been constricting his heart was shattering. A chilling sensation swept up his back to his neck, cooling his head.

His heart beat lightly. Too lightly.

“What… what is this…”

He looked down to check his chest. The dragon’s curse, which had always oppressed him and filled him with fear, the dragon’s curse that had gripped and threatened his heart, was completely gone.

Siol, trembling, touched his chest, which now bore only the spell tattoo he had drawn long ago, and turned his gaze towards the window. He rushed out of the closet and opened the window, letting in a gust of wind. It was snowing. Standing by the window as the snowflakes violently pelted against it, Siol looked up at the Tower of Survival.

“Master Eorzen is in danger.”

The complete disappearance of the curse probably meant that all of Eorzen’s magic power had been sealed. It also meant that things were proceeding according to Nathaniel’s plan. Eorzen didn’t know how dangerous Nathaniel was.

Siol hurriedly rummaged through the closet. Even if he was leaving, he needed to get dressed so he wouldn’t freeze to death on the way.

“Huh…?!”

As Siol took a step, he collapsed to the floor, struck by a pain as if a giant hand was squeezing him tight. A pain that seemed to strike his bones and twist his muscles assaulted him relentlessly. With the dragon’s curse gone, what was this now?

His vision spun, and the feeling of his lungs being crushed made it difficult to breathe. Unable to even cough, he had no choice but to endure, holding his breath and waiting for this moment to pass. As Siol waited, holding his breath, his body suddenly trembled, stiffened, and then went limp, losing all its strength.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

…Did I lose consciousness?

Siol blinked, checking the pattern on the ceiling. The pain was gone. His entire body was chilled as if frozen by the cold wind. Siol turned his head blankly and looked in the direction the cold wind was coming from. Snowflakes were blowing in through the open window. Beyond it, the faint form of the Tower of Survival shimmered.

“Ah!”

Siol’s mind snapped back, and he sat up. Judging by the amount of snow accumulated, it seemed he hadn’t been unconscious for long. What in the world had just happened? Confused, he looked around and reached for the closet to get dressed when he stopped again.

His hands were too big. Confusion and bewilderment filled his eyes as his gaze traveled from his hands to his forearms, then to his shoulders, chest, stomach, and legs. It was understandable. Siol, who had been in a child’s body for the past few months, had returned to his adult body.

“The dragon’s… curse is gone.”

It seemed that his body’s transformation into a child’s form had indeed been caused by the dragon’s curse. As Siol examined his body, checking for anything unusual, he felt a tickling sensation behind his thighs. Turning his head, he saw his tail. He quickly raised his hands to check above his head and confirmed that his ears were also still there.

His transformation into a beastman’s body seemed to have nothing to do with the curse. But there were no other plausible causes. What had happened to his body while he was in the homunculus’s form? If he had known this would happen, he should have gone to the cabin once a year to check on his body.

Siol sighed with pointless regret.

He went out into the hallway and entered a random room, rummaging through the closet. Since beastmen were generally large, Siol had to search six rooms before he found clothes that fit. The last room he entered seemed to be Asios’s.

As he did so, Siol slowly organized his thoughts.

If he said he was going to risk his life for a dragon searching for another mate, everyone would laugh at him.

They would think he was yearning for and chasing after an affection that would never be reciprocated. Perhaps running away was the answer. Even if he saved the Blue Dragon, he wouldn’t forgive him, the Alchemist of Death, known as the orchestrator of a horrific massacre. He might crush him to death again and then curse him once more.

But even so, even if that happened, even if he knew that the Blue Dragon might fall into Nathaniel’s hands, he couldn’t run away. Even if it meant being lumped in with Nathaniel and having his life threatened, he-.

Siol laughed hollowly.

How could this be a mere illusion caused by guiding? Just the thought of the Blue Dragon’s death made his heart clench terribly.

If this wasn’t true love, nothing could be. Even if the dragon’s feelings were a false affection influenced by guiding, his feelings were true love.

It was absurd that he only acknowledged his feelings as love after reaching this point, but he knew that if it weren’t for this moment, he would never have admitted it. He hadn’t wanted this kind of love. He hated infidelity, and he hated unrequited love for someone who loved another.

But Siol didn’t know how to stop the love that had already begun.

Considering how Nathaniel had been a loyal disciple under him for years, he must have been incredibly persistent and tenacious. Eorzen, perhaps because he was born a dragon, tended to be somewhat arrogant about his power, and such arrogance often led to carelessness. When Nathaniel, who had devised a way to capture the dragon considering countless possibilities, clashed with the dragon who had been strong since birth and never considered defeat, the disadvantaged one would undoubtedly be the Blue Dragon.

The Blue Dragon’s defeat meant that Nathaniel would possess him.

The life he had dreamed of as Sizool, correcting the mistakes of the Alchemist of Death, wasn’t more important than saving Eorzen. From the beginning, Eorzen had always been implicitly present in every picture of his future. He had never dreamed of a future without him.

Even if it meant having his identity revealed, being met with Eorzen’s scorn, and having to flee miserably – it was better than regretting not saving Eorzen.

Of course, it would be painful and agonizing to be treated that way by Eorzen, but there was no way to hide his identity now.

Siol straightened his shoulders and steeled his resolve. As he buttoned each button on the coat Eorzen had given him, buttons made from the dragon’s scales, he imagined the hellish time that awaited him when his identity was revealed.

His heart would ache, he would feel miserable, and tears would flow. But despite all that, he had to go.

Then Siol suddenly stopped.

“Wait, wouldn’t it be fine… if he didn’t find out?”

Siol ran down to the first floor and frantically rummaged through the supplies Eorzen had received from a nearby city, the pile left over after distributing them to the city’s residents. He found a shabby robe that no one would likely wear, put it on, and pulled up the hood to cover his ears.

And he went to the mirror to check his appearance.

The Alchemist of Death. A height completely different from Sizool’s, and a face that, while resembling him, looked much older due to the age difference. And as for his race – if he pressed down his ears and tail well, he might be able to avoid being discovered.

If only his identity as both Sizool and the Alchemist of Death remained hidden… perhaps he could return after everything was over.

The thought that he might not disappoint Eorzen made his heart pound.

Siol slid down and lay on the floor, covering his face with his arms.

It had been the same on Earth. Siol had longed to be someone special to someone. But Earth, that place, was filled with hedonists focused only on the short-term future. He didn’t misunderstand them. He knew how extravagant it was to wish for someone to spend forever with in a place where you could die the very next day.

But, but Siol, for some reason… somehow couldn’t give up on that. After falling into this world, he had only wished to be alone, but somehow, things had turned out this way.

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, would he have avoided these feelings?

If he had developed these feelings without guiding the dragon, would he have been more certain?

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, the dragon might not have been so kind to him.

If he hadn’t guided the dragon, this painful situation….

Siol unconsciously wiped away the tears that had streamed down his face with his forearm.

Now wasn’t the time for this. There was something he had to do before he became lost in his emotions and succumbed to melancholy. The Blue Dragon had told him to hide in this closet, but in a situation where he didn’t know what Nathaniel might do, it was certainly not right to just sit huddled in a closet.

Siol took a light breath and opened the closet door.

The dragon’s curse still lingered on his chest. He could still feel the small force gripping his heart. But since the curse was fading with each passing moment, there wouldn’t be any excruciating pain like when he had taken a step back without holding Eorzen’s hand.

Even though his mind understood that, his body remembered the pain. Siol extended his foot outside the closet and stared at the floor below with apprehensive eyes.

That’s when it happened.

A strange magic power shrieked as if tearing his ears apart. Startled by the ear-splitting sound, Siol flinched and covered his ears. Even after the initial wave passed, fragments of magic power lingered, shaking the surroundings violently. Furthermore, a wriggling flow of magic power followed.

Until just now, the magic waves emanating from the magic stone had enveloped the city, but what was this now?

As Siol thought this far, he stopped, feeling as if something that had been constricting his heart was shattering. A chilling sensation swept up his back to his neck, cooling his head.

His heart beat lightly. Too lightly.

“What… what is this…”

He looked down to check his chest. The dragon’s curse, which had always oppressed him and filled him with fear, the dragon’s curse that had gripped and threatened his heart, was completely gone.

Siol, trembling, touched his chest, which now bore only the spell tattoo he had drawn long ago, and turned his gaze towards the window. He rushed out of the closet and opened the window, letting in a gust of wind. It was snowing. Standing by the window as the snowflakes violently pelted against it, Siol looked up at the Tower of Survival.

“Master Eorzen is in danger.”

The complete disappearance of the curse probably meant that all of Eorzen’s magic power had been sealed. It also meant that things were proceeding according to Nathaniel’s plan. Eorzen didn’t know how dangerous Nathaniel was.

Siol hurriedly rummaged through the closet. Even if he was leaving, he needed to get dressed so he wouldn’t freeze to death on the way.

“Huh…?!”

As Siol took a step, he collapsed to the floor, struck by a pain as if a giant hand was squeezing him tight. A pain that seemed to strike his bones and twist his muscles assaulted him relentlessly. With the dragon’s curse gone, what was this now?

His vision spun, and the feeling of his lungs being crushed made it difficult to breathe. Unable to even cough, he had no choice but to endure, holding his breath and waiting for this moment to pass. As Siol waited, holding his breath, his body suddenly trembled, stiffened, and then went limp, losing all its strength.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

…Did I lose consciousness?

Siol blinked, checking the pattern on the ceiling. The pain was gone. His entire body was chilled as if frozen by the cold wind. Siol turned his head blankly and looked in the direction the cold wind was coming from. Snowflakes were blowing in through the open window. Beyond it, the faint form of the Tower of Survival shimmered.

“Ah!”

Siol’s mind snapped back, and he sat up. Judging by the amount of snow accumulated, it seemed he hadn’t been unconscious for long. What in the world had just happened? Confused, he looked around and reached for the closet to get dressed when he stopped again.

His hands were too big. Confusion and bewilderment filled his eyes as his gaze traveled from his hands to his forearms, then to his shoulders, chest, stomach, and legs. It was understandable. Siol, who had been in a child’s body for the past few months, had returned to his adult body.

“The dragon’s… curse is gone.”

It seemed that his body’s transformation into a child’s form had indeed been caused by the dragon’s curse. As Siol examined his body, checking for anything unusual, he felt a tickling sensation behind his thighs. Turning his head, he saw his tail. He quickly raised his hands to check above his head and confirmed that his ears were also still there.

His transformation into a beastman’s body seemed to have nothing to do with the curse. But there were no other plausible causes. What had happened to his body while he was in the homunculus’s form? If he had known this would happen, he should have gone to the cabin once a year to check on his body.

Siol sighed with pointless regret.

He went out into the hallway and entered a random room, rummaging through the closet. Since beastmen were generally large, Siol had to search six rooms before he found clothes that fit. The last room he entered seemed to be Asios’s.

As he did so, Siol slowly organized his thoughts.

If he said he was going to risk his life for a dragon searching for another mate, everyone would laugh at him.

They would think he was yearning for and chasing after an affection that would never be reciprocated. Perhaps running away was the answer. Even if he saved the Blue Dragon, he wouldn’t forgive him, the Alchemist of Death, known as the orchestrator of a horrific massacre. He might crush him to death again and then curse him once more.

But even so, even if that happened, even if he knew that the Blue Dragon might fall into Nathaniel’s hands, he couldn’t run away. Even if it meant being lumped in with Nathaniel and having his life threatened, he-.

Siol laughed hollowly.

How could this be a mere illusion caused by guiding? Just the thought of the Blue Dragon’s death made his heart clench terribly.

If this wasn’t true love, nothing could be. Even if the dragon’s feelings were a false affection influenced by guiding, his feelings were true love.

It was absurd that he only acknowledged his feelings as love after reaching this point, but he knew that if it weren’t for this moment, he would never have admitted it. He hadn’t wanted this kind of love. He hated infidelity, and he hated unrequited love for someone who loved another.

But Siol didn’t know how to stop the love that had already begun.

Considering how Nathaniel had been a loyal disciple under him for years, he must have been incredibly persistent and tenacious. Eorzen, perhaps because he was born a dragon, tended to be somewhat arrogant about his power, and such arrogance often led to carelessness. When Nathaniel, who had devised a way to capture the dragon considering countless possibilities, clashed with the dragon who had been strong since birth and never considered defeat, the disadvantaged one would undoubtedly be the Blue Dragon.

The Blue Dragon’s defeat meant that Nathaniel would possess him.

The life he had dreamed of as Sizool, correcting the mistakes of the Alchemist of Death, wasn’t more important than saving Eorzen. From the beginning, Eorzen had always been implicitly present in every picture of his future. He had never dreamed of a future without him.

Even if it meant having his identity revealed, being met with Eorzen’s scorn, and having to flee miserably – it was better than regretting not saving Eorzen.

Of course, it would be painful and agonizing to be treated that way by Eorzen, but there was no way to hide his identity now.

Siol straightened his shoulders and steeled his resolve. As he buttoned each button on the coat Eorzen had given him, buttons made from the dragon’s scales, he imagined the hellish time that awaited him when his identity was revealed.

His heart would ache, he would feel miserable, and tears would flow. But despite all that, he had to go.

Then Siol suddenly stopped.

“Wait, wouldn’t it be fine… if he didn’t find out?”

Siol ran down to the first floor and frantically rummaged through the supplies Eorzen had received from a nearby city, the pile left over after distributing them to the city’s residents. He found a shabby robe that no one would likely wear, put it on, and pulled up the hood to cover his ears.

And he went to the mirror to check his appearance.

The Alchemist of Death. A height completely different from Sizool’s, and a face that, while resembling him, looked much older due to the age difference. And as for his race – if he pressed down his ears and tail well, he might be able to avoid being discovered.

If only his identity as both Sizool and the Alchemist of Death remained hidden… perhaps he could return after everything was over.

The thought that he might not disappoint Eorzen made his heart pound.