← The Doomed Mercenary’s Last Chance
Chapter 201
No wonder Asad had looked somehow gloomy last birthday — who’d have thought he’d been thinking that. Surely even the birthday person himself doesn’t know. Anyway, that he hadn’t tormented Illiya for giving a better gift showed growth, so Jet decided to think positively. “So what gift are you thinking of giving?” Asad fell back into thought. Then Targen, who’d been standing silently, opened his mouth. “Kinain-nim likes swords; how about a fine sword?” Asad shook his head. “I gave that two years ago.” “Then an ornament to match the treasured sword?” “That was last year’s gift.” “Hmm…….” Jet and Targen looked at each other. Truthfully, Kinain disliked almost nothing. So the attendants thought the dragon’s mate was an easy master to serve. But conversely, he specially liked almost nothing either, so they had no sense of what to give. What Kinain specially liked was swords, or Asad, and that was about it. Come to think of it, last year Illiya’s gift had been a painting of Asad and Kinain together. He’d drawn what he liked, so of course Kinain had liked it. Before the wedding, Jet had thought Asad loved Kinain far more. Usually that’s how it was between a dragon and a mate. But as time passed, he realized he’d been wrong. Honestly, Kinain-nim would be pleased if Asad-nim gave him a pebble. Then Asad leapt to his feet. “Enough, you’re no help.” A bright light flashed, and in an instant Asad vanished from sight. The two retainers weren’t surprised. It had happened more than once or twice. Chasing after the dragon who disappeared the moment you looked away was their daily life. Still, he was much easier to find now than before. If he was gone, you just had to find Kinain. Most likely, the dragon would be stuck tight to his mate’s side. Jet nudged Targen’s side with his elbow. “Wanna bet where he went? I bet he went to Kinain-nim.” “How dare you bet on the dragon. Blasphemy.” Targen answered in a weighty voice. Jet snorted. “Heh, suit yourself. I was going to bet that liquor you’ve been craving — what a shame.” Targen grabbed the shoulder of Jet, who was about to leave, and stopped him. “I also bet he went to Kinain-nim.” “What, then the bet’s off.” “Change yours if you don’t like it.” “Hah, forget it? Let’s just go find Asad-nim.” Targen made a ‘my liquor?’ face, but Jet ignored him and went out. Little did they know then that they’d both picked the wrong answer. Where Asad appeared was not beside Kinain. Deep in the sea lay the Scale Clan’s territory. At the suddenly appearing dragon, everyone panicked.
“”D-dragon!” The Scale Clan still feared the dragon. He’d tried to massacre them to pay for Sinsuriel’s crimes — of course. Fortunately, before anything terrible happened, his mate had calmed the dragon’s rage, and it came to nothing. But the Scale Clan would never forget, until death, the horrible moment when the sea had nearly dried up without a drop of water. Asad walked on, heedless of the fearful gazes on him. Before long, someone approached Asad quickly: Miyeol, the Scale Clan’s new chief. “Lord Asad, welcome.” No reply to the greeting came back. Asad looked down at Miyeol with cold eyes. “Good timing. I had something to say to you.” “T-to me?” “You — stop hitting on my mate.” Miyeol was badly startled. “Hitting on?! How dare I do such a shameless thing to Lord Asad’s mate! I just have many things I want to ask about humans.” “Come to think of it, I’m curious too. Who was the shortest-lived great spirit in history.” Asad’s face read, ‘I think it’s you.’ Miyeol laughed awkwardly. Dealing with Asad when Kinain wasn’t around was hard, as always. They said that before Miyeol was born, Asad had been so vicious he was called the Mad Dragon. Fortunately Miyeol had never seen that side of him, but when Asad showed his nature like now, his blood ran cold. Asad passed Mi by, as if the warning were done. As Miyeol sighed in relief, he snapped to attention. “Lord Asad! Where are you going?” Asad was heading not above the sea but below it, to the deep sea. Come to think of it, when they’d met, he’d said “good timing.” Meaning he’d come here for another reason. Scary as Asad was, Miyeol was the Scale Clan’s chief. He couldn’t let the being who’d nearly dried up the sea roam his territory alone. In the end, Miyeol followed the dragon, reluctantly, like drinking poison to quench thirst. “C-come with you!” Asad glanced at the following Miyeol. In the old days, he wouldn’t have left such an irritating thing alone, but touching him was not what Kinain would want. Asad was trying not to do things in front of his mate that would remind him of bad memories. Kinain acted as if he’d overcome everything in the past, but he still couldn’t sleep with the lights off at night. The fear from when he’d been blind remained deep in his heart. Thinking of the trembling Kinain pained him as if something inside him were breaking. So however irritating, he had to leave Miyeol alone. Meanwhile, Mi looked around with anxious eyes. The deeper into the abyss they went, the darker and more desolate it became. Whether by Asad’s magic or not, a mysterious light drifted around — it wasn’t pitch dark, but the eeriness couldn’t be helped. The Scale Clan live in the sea, but they avoid the lightless deep and don’t leave their territory. The same went for Mi. “L-Lord Asad. Where are you really going……. Is there something in this deep sea?” Asad didn’t answer, but the answer soon revealed itself. Mi’s eyes widened. “This is…….” It was the bones of a fish huge as a mountain. It wouldn’t be strange to mistake it for a monster, but monsters scatter into demonic energy when they die, leaving nothing behind. So this must have been a spirit beast from very long ago. But however huge, they’re just bones? As Miyeol wondered, Asad moved. No incantation was needed. As Asad approached, the bones trembled all at once, and as if time were flowing backward, flesh began to attach to the bones. In a flash, the giant spirit beast regained its living form. It wasn’t really alive. This was magic cast by one of the former dragons.
“Wow…….” Seeing real magic for the first time, Mi marveled purely. But the marvel was brief. Because Asad entered the gaping spirit beast’s mouth. “Wh-what do I do?” Then the spirit beast’s mouth was seen slowly closing again. And the light that had brightened the surroundings followed Asad away. Oh well, whatever. Miyeol squeezed his eyes shut and followed Asad into the mouth. Surprisingly, inside wasn’t a fish’s stomach. “My word.” It was a treasure vault full of all kinds of treasures. In truth, a dragon’s treasure vaults are not just one. Some dragons gathered treasures to ease boredom, or for their mates, but nothing can be taken to the divine realm. So the treasures left behind when their owners departed are scattered about. This giant bone tomb is one of them. Asad had discovered this place long ago but never examined it closely. He’d ignored it, thinking: what taste would a dragon have, hiding treasure deep here, in ugly bones? But while pondering Kinain’s birthday gift, this place had come to mind. Maybe the owner wasn’t eccentric in taste, but had deliberately hidden something precious where others couldn’t easily come. Worth checking. “Anyway, I hope there’s something usable.” Asad started rummaging in earnest. Miyeol watched him awkwardly. Whether he knew Miyeol had followed him in or not, Asad was absorbed only in his own business. After watching Asad’s mood for a bit, Miyeol then looked around in earnest. Everywhere he put his eyes, there were costly treasures. It was wondrous, but scared to touch anything carelessly and earn his wrath, Mi went to a corner and stood still.
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