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I missed it.

I was momentarily at a loss for words from the Heavenly Demon’s confident response. Looking at my body without a single wound suggested that it wasn’t particularly a tough fight.

‘I was busy too, so I couldn’t see it properly.’

Maybe I struggled more than expected. Or maybe it was just so fast that I missed it.

‘…It can’t be helped.’

If I missed it, there’s nothing I can do. After all, I originally asked for a block, not a capture.

It’s regrettable that I couldn’t kill it right away, but since I benefited from the Heavenly Demon, I had no grounds to complain.

Just as I thought that, I turned my gaze back to the Duryeong.

“…I see.”

Duryeong’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the Heavenly Demon.

“Indeed. It was you guys.”

His glistening gaze was swirling with evident hatred and killing intent.

“Wretched dragons that wouldn’t even be worth chewing. It was indeed you!”

Drip, drip.

Blood began to fall from his melting upper body. I narrowed my eyes at Duryeong’s words, wondering how he knew.

‘He saw it back then.’

When I first faced Duryeong. He faced both me and the Heavenly Demon, and his gaze was now directed at the Heavenly Demon.

Moreover,

‘Seeing that he says “indeed.”’

It seemed he had anticipated something. That I was the one who caused this chaos.

‘Then, how did he know?’

The hatred contained in his gaze. Could it be because I’m a dragon that he thought that? That seemed likely. For now, I had no other suspicions.

I looked around.

Kyaah—!!!

Grrrr—!!!

‘It looks like they’ve mostly wrapped things up over there.’

The large-scale battles happening were nearly coming to an end. The demon beasts were slaughtering all the beasts.

Confirming that, I raised my hand.

Snap.

I took off the mask I was wearing.

“…Grrrr.”

As soon as I removed the mask, Duryeong growled.

“You…!”

“A quick-witted one for a big guy, aren’t ya?”

Now that he figured it out, there was no need to keep wearing it.

“…How dare you! A dragon dares to invade Mankye!?”

Duryeong moved his exhausted body. Even looking like he could collapse any moment, he seemed to retain some strength.

Seeing that, I whispered, “Stop.”

“…!!”

At the command, Duryeong’s body stiffened. There was hardly any rebound. Since his body had already reached its limit, it seemed there was little rebound left even if I used the command.

“…How can you… command…”

“Don’t be curious. I have no intention of telling you anyway.”

I was too lazy to explain everything. Plus, my physical condition wouldn’t allow for it.

‘…I’ve hit my limit too.’

I had burned through almost all my energy trying various things.

It’s fortunate that I finally got a sense of how to use it, but I wasn’t in a good state.

“And the questions are for me to ask.”

“…Hah.”

Duryeong spoke as if he found it ridiculous in response to my words.

“Why would I tell you anything? I have no intention of bowing to a filthy dragon!”

“That’s true.”

Judging by his temper, he wasn’t the type to bow to me no matter what I did. However.

“Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean I’m not gonna listen, right?”

Duryeong’s will didn’t matter at this point.

There were plenty of ways to extract the words I wanted to hear from him. Using the command I just employed was one of them.

“What I’m curious about is simple,” I nodded towards Duryeong and asked, “I heard you’re not of Mankye lineage. So why do you pledge loyalty to the Master of Mankye?”

“…What?”

His eyes showed slight confusion at the unexpected question. Apparently, he wasn’t anticipating being asked why he follows a master.

“Such a ridiculous question.”

Duryeong responded as if to say why I was asking something like that.

“What’s so puzzling about being loyal to the benefactor who saved my life?”

“…”

Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes. I wondered if that was a lie or the truth. Thinking it over, a part of my heart felt certainty.

‘He means it.’

From Duryeong’s demeanor and gaze, I could feel that his words were genuine. The Master of Mankye saved him.

Thus, he swore loyalty.

There was a raw determination in that simple and straightforward statement.

Crack.

At the same time, he moved.

“Though it’s pitiful that I couldn’t stop a dragon from disrupting Mankye, don’t get mistaken…”

Creak.

As he forced his already halted body to move again, I heard a cracking sound from his physical form.

“You will gain nothing from me—”

“Oh please. Just stay still for a bit. I have a lot to think about, and you’re getting on my nerves.”

Whoosh—!!

Duryeong’s body became rigid again. This time, it was different. I cast the command much more strongly.

I could feel a significant amount of my remaining energy being drained, but I had to do this to hold him still.

I sensed that if I didn’t freeze him now, he would be ready to take his own life.

‘Tsk.’

I was troubled.

‘What should I do?’

At this point, it felt right to dispose of him. Leaving him like this didn’t make sense, and moreover,

‘It’s downright funny to let him live.’

To save him, I’d need to release the command, allowing him to regain immortality.

If that happened.

‘…I won’t have the energy to face him again.’

It would be impossible unless I teamed up with the Heavenly Demon. And if,

‘If I released the command and he fled?’

Seeing a glimpse of Duryeong’s character made me think he wouldn’t escape, but that was uncertain. If Duryeong managed to flee and spread the word, what then?

‘Who knows.’

I couldn’t predict that. My current master isn’t the mother I know, she might take direct action if she hears about it.

If that’s the case.

‘Can I win?’

Moreover.

‘…It could become a problem for Hwasan.’

At the moment, if Shin Noya wasn’t regaining his senses, issues could erupt concerning Hwasan itself.

Given that, sparing Duryeong was out of the question.

‘Damn it.’

I’m such a fool, pondering this situation.

The reason is simple.

‘A guy who swore loyalty to my mother.’

Unlike Yusa, Duryeong had wholly pledged his loyalty to the current master.

‘Is killing him the right thing to do?’

As a son, it was laughable for me to have these doubts roaming in my mind.

If he had even a slight mind like Yusa, it would have been easier to deal with.

But not having that made it all the more troubling.

Crack—!!!

The frozen body trembled gradually.

Duryeong was forcing his body to loosen.

His strength was immense. The binding was visibly loosening.

That meant I didn’t have much time to think.

Killing him was the right thing to do in this situation. What consideration do I have in this current situation?

I needed to kill him right away.

With that thought, I reached out my hand.

“…”

My energy-filled hand touched Duryeong’s head.

“Damn it.”

I cursed briefly and channeled strength into my heart.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I released my energy.

Flame Burst—!!

However, the energy released was not a flame, but something else.

*

Before the night has even ended, I returned to Spirit’s Den, having seen the moon rise up.

Though my body wasn’t particularly worn out, my energy was nearly depleted.

Since the battle ended, I hid my slightly roughened breaths and approached the entrance.

At the entrance, I sensed a slight flinch as they gazed at me. It was the Gatekeeper who was guarding there.

He looked astonished by my sudden appearance with the Heavenly Demon, but thankfully didn’t block my path and let me through.

Since I already heard things from the spirit, it seemed he was aware.

As I entered the open entrance, the night of Spirit’s Den was no different from outside.

I leaped slightly. My body soared in the air as my toes barely touched the ground.

In an instant, I crossed over to the spot I had seen before, heading to the lake where the Divine Tree stood.

Splash.

As I landed on the surface of the lake, the water splashed slightly.

I turned my head and scanned my surroundings. I could see the ones guarding the lake still outside, but their presence was still undetectable.

Confirming that, I rolled my eyes a few times.

‘There they are.’

At the center of the lake. A small mound had been formed, with the Divine Tree sprouting above it.

And below the Divine Tree sat a woman quietly.

“You’re here.”

After speaking to the Heavenly Demon, I crossed over the lake.

My energy-soaked soles helped me walk on the water’s surface.

Creating small waves, I climbed the mound and stood in front of the spirit.

“Hey.”

The spirit reacted to my words.

“I have something to—”

I paused.

As I started to speak, I suddenly felt something odd about her.

Inside the veil, the spirit was quietly observing me. Looking at her, I raised my head.

It was to see the sky, and as I looked up, I saw.

‘Full Moon.’

A rounded, massive moon symbolizing the half-month cuckolded up in the sky.

“…”

After seeing the full moon, I looked back at the spirit.

She was still staring at me.

Her expression hidden behind the veil was hard to see.

And she said nothing.

Seeing her like that, I spoke.

“Mother…?”

At my lightly whispered words, her head slightly moved.

“Oh my.”

Covering her mouth with her hand, the spirit—not merely the spirit.

“You caught me?”

My mother spoke.

 

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