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In the forest where the red-tinted maple leaves bloomed vibrantly, it appeared peaceful at first glance, but this land was also inhabited by monsters.

Of course, the monsters in this land looked a bit different from those I was familiar with.

The rustling of the maple-filled grass was loud as the monsters, feeling the presence of the nightmare, hurriedly fled in a frenzy.

Following the dirt path that naturally formed from people coming and going, I encountered various individuals. It seemed there were quite a few wizards traveling through this land like me, as the beastmen did not find me strange.

Of course, the nightmare was an exception.

A week had passed since I began my aimless journey, and finally, I spotted a new city. This was my first solo adventure in unfamiliar territory. Remembering the first day I ran away from home, I approached the large main gate.

“Stop!”

Just as I neared the gate, two soldiers with large horns sprouting from their heads blocked my path with their spears. Judging from their non-hostile expressions, it seemed they were accustomed to visitors like myself. They cautiously inquired, eyeing the enormous form of the nightmare.

“What is the purpose of your visit…?”

I lowered my gaze to examine the soldiers’ attire. Their scale armor, made from stitched monster scales, and the shimmering blue spear tips were quite impressive.

“I’m a tourist.”

I pulled out the Mage Tower’s emblem from my pocket and lightly waved it. Wendy had told me that showing the Mage Tower’s emblem while traveling in this land would earn me decent treatment. Her words proved to be true.

“Hmm, a spellcaster. Very well, you may enter.”

Nodding, I proceeded into the city.

Aside from minor differences in clothing and architectural style, there were many similarities in the residents’ way of life. Street vendors sprawled wide across the thoroughfare, puppet shows captivated the eyes of children, and taverns exuded the scents of alcohol and spices. Was this place called Giru?

I walked while gazing up at the towering buildings.

Finding an inn with stables attached was not difficult. I waved at an employee who was dumbfounded, staring at the nightmare.

“Feed it meat and please prepare a room and a meal.”

Had I jumped straight into this world without studying for a week, I would have had a tough time. I recalled my experiences in the barbaric land of Greenfall as I stepped into the inn.

The rich aroma of broth stimulated my taste buds. I licked my lips and followed the employee’s guidance to my seat.

One problem arose. I couldn’t tell what was delicious just by looking at the food menu hanging on the wall. But there was always a solution in such cases: asking for the employee’s recommendation.

“Give me the most delicious thing here.”

As I waited for the food to arrive, a tall man staggered over and plopped down on the seat across from mine.

“Are you here to sightsee?”

I squinted as I appraised the man. The subtle scent of alcohol and his calm, laid-back hair formed a strange harmony. Silver, pointed ears sprouted from the top of his head, and a long tail swayed enticingly. He looked like a fox.

“And you are?”

“Baekgwang. I’m a guide who introduces this city to foreigners; you call it a guide in your language, right?”

“I don’t need a guide…”

“Hmm. You don’t know much, do you? This isn’t your first visit to this land, is it?”

I stayed silent, keeping my mouth shut. If he didn’t smell like alcohol, I might have continued the conversation.

A considerable amount of time passed before the awaited food was served. It consisted of pork braised in black sauce and spicy stir-fried vegetables. Looking around, I noticed most people were eating this dish.

Holding my chopsticks to eat, I felt Baekgwang’s curious gaze upon me. He didn’t get up, despite my refusal to engage in conversation.

“What are you looking at?”

“You’re speaking rather tersely… not used to the language, are you?”

“You’re short as well.”

“Hmm…”

Baekgwang chuckled at my remark. The sound of a breeze drifting away was oddly annoying.

“It’s obvious this is your first time here, but you seem adept with chopsticks… have you practiced?”

I looked down at my hands in response to Baekgwang’s words. Unconsciously, I appeared to be using chopsticks like a pro. This must be the first time using such tools with this body, after all. What does it matter? I once again chose not to answer.

“Don’t be so harsh. It might escalate into an argument for no good reason.”

Ultimately, Baekgwang let out a small sigh and rose from his seat. It was an unexpectedly early concession.

After unpacking in my room, I ventured out to explore the market, only to be approached by beastmen doing similar jobs to Baekgwang. Looking around, I noticed that other wizards were also wandering around with their own guide-type beastmen.

Everything felt so foreign, so having a guide around would certainly be convenient. However, I wanted to fully experience the thrill of the unknown. The joy of discovering the unknown one step at a time could not be replaced by anything else.

I refused all the beastmen claiming to be guides. But how could it be that easy? The beastmen wouldn’t leave a lone outsider alone.

Eventually, I could no longer endure it and returned to my room, having bought a dye as well. The bright red dye reminded me of the maples coloring the surrounding mountains.

I poured the bright red dye over my blonde hair. The pungent smell was bothersome, but I endured it to dismiss the annoying beastmen.

As I started washing my hair with warm water, it turned a vivid red. I dried my hair with a soft towel while examining my appearance in the large mirror.

Could changing my hair color alter my aura this dramatically?

As I swept the red hair falling between my fingers, I began to channel mana. With a rapidly spinning circle sending mana through my body, traces of the dragon began to emerge on my human form.

Horns sprouted between my red hair, and my pupils sharpened like those of a reptile. Red scales emerged on the back of my delicate hands. I didn’t look much different from the beastmen commonly seen outside. Anyone unfamiliar with me would’ve easily mistaken me for one of them.

At this point, I began to understand the misunderstandings Haiven and Rain had regarding me.

The red cloak I recently purchased at the market suited me quite well. The elaborate golden embroidery added to its elegance, enhancing my appearance.

With that, the basic preparation was complete. Now it was time to test whether my appearance would pass as a real beastman. I flared the red cloak and headed downstairs to the inn’s first floor.

Even though lunchtime had passed, the first floor was bustling with activity. Many guests had arrived for a late lunch.

Just as I stepped onto the first floor, a person engaging in lively conversation dropped their drink, startled by my presence.

Clink!

With the sound of breaking glass, all eyes in the inn turned toward me. Silence spread immediately after. Only the wizards appeared puzzled, tilting their heads as if they didn’t understand what had just occurred.

As I turned my head, the beastmen turned away, a strange expression on their faces, as if they believed they shouldn’t meet my gaze.

“Hmm…”

I fidgeted with the horns on my head and the scales emerging on my hands while observing the beastmen’s reaction. There was nothing odd about me, so why did I seem so strange to them?

At that moment, a flustered receptionist emerged from within and accidentally spilled the food she was carrying all over the floor. The inn’s floor became a mess, but no one raised the issue.

I approached the employee, who was avoiding my gaze, with my head lowered.

“Hey.”

“Yes, yes…!”

The employee responded in a tense, stiff voice to my call. I tilted my head, puzzled. She seemed somewhat relaxed when first addressing me… Was there an issue with how I looked?

“Do I look weird?”

“Oh, no! You absolutely don’t look weird!”

The employee shouted like a soldier on high alert. I frowned at the uproarious shout, causing her to flinch and hurriedly bow her head.

At that moment, a middle-aged beastman, adorned with deer-like features, suddenly appeared before me.

“Oh, no…!”

He rushed over to me and bowed his head low enough to nearly touch the ground.

“W-welcome! It’s an honor to serve the one of Dragon’s Blood!”

I crossed my arms and tilted my head. It seemed my appearance did not resemble that of an ordinary beastman. By now, even someone completely oblivious could start to grasp the current situation.

A beastman revealing dragon features had to belong to a considerably high rank.

“Is there anything that discomforts you…?”

“No, nothing at all.”

Not speaking caused him to feel anxious. I gave a small smile to the middle-aged man looking up at me with a pale face and continued.

“I’ll step out for a moment. Oh, the food was delicious.”

“P-please go on! It’s truly an honor that the food suited your palate!”

Just as I turned to exit the inn, I overheard the conversation between the employee and the innkeeper behind me.

“Whew, that’s definitely an outsider…”

“Are you blind?! The ones from Dragon’s Blood can easily conceal their dragon traits!”

“How was I supposed to know that…?”

Indeed, strolling around the market in this form drew no beastmen to me. Instead, there were some who would bow their heads and keep their distance if I approached.

It felt as though they were making way for me to pass through.

I felt like a king. I fluttered my red cloak as I walked freely down the main road. The sight of everyone bowing their heads towards me felt oddly satisfying.

“Hmmm…”

Even the street vendors offered me food for free. When I tried to pay, they adamantly refused to accept money. What could I do but accept their offerings?

I bought a couple of unknown meat skewers and a cheap drink, watching the people around me.

As cheap liquor flowed inside my body, my vision began to blur. Sensations dulled, but the mood was rather pleasant.

At that moment, a group dressed in blue uniforms approached me. Fixated on the sword at their waist, a middle-aged man stepped forward, balled his fist in his hand, and briefly bowed his head.

“… So. We are… honored…”

With my hazy vision, I could hardly see the man’s face. His voice was also distorted and unclear.

It was a string of complex words. The language of this country, which I had yet to learn, was spilling out chaotically.

In that moment, a gentle breeze brushed against my nose.

Achoo!

With a small sneeze, a hot flame shot forth from my mouth into the air above.

Whoosh!

As I rubbed my nose and frowned, the middle-aged man, alarmed, bowed his head and hurriedly retreated, along with the group he had brought.

What a strange fellow.

I tilted my head, taking staggered steps forward.

Was it the alcohol?

Occasionally, fire surged forth with my breath. I consistently exhaled flames as I returned to the inn.

Whoosh!

 

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