Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 414

414

“Ah, I’m screwed.”

Just when I thought it was all over, I heard a low voice from beside me. Louis glanced over to identify the source. The first thing that caught his eye was the hair, like it was made from a ruby, and the matching eyes. Even the highest quality rubies from Herace [a fictional location known for its gems] couldn’t produce such a beautiful red. The vivid, brilliant color harmonized perfectly with his sculpted features. He was so beautiful it was breathtaking. He, too, had suddenly appeared at some point. He was also someone the Spirit King had left with the Emperor.

“Lapis-nim, what’s going on?”

“Looks like the Annihilation Circle failed.”

The man called Lapis replied with a reluctant expression to the Emperor’s question. Even if they didn’t understand the situation, everyone understood the meaning of the word ‘failed.’ The faces of everyone watching him instantly hardened.

“Failed?”

“Yeah, their presence has completely disappeared. Looks like they’re trapped in the barrier.”

“What happens now?”

“How should I know? Damn it. How do you people do your jobs? What kind of gods can’t stop just one of those things?”

After running a hand through his hair in annoyance, he turned a cold gaze towards the Emperor.

“Hey, I’m telling you now. No matter what happens, don’t summon any spirits.”

“What? But……”

“The ability to summon spirits is a double-edged sword. It’s the most powerful weapon, but if something goes wrong, it hurts the contractor too. Do you think you can stop it if it attacks you?”

“No.”

“Good you know that. If you summon a spirit and get reverse-summoned and hurt, it’ll just make things more complicated. A weakling like you should just quietly accept protection.”

“……Yes.”

The Emperor nodded, looking dejected. The arrogant attitude of the impudent man, who was ignoring the Emperor he respected, snapped Louis out of his bewildered state. He whispered to Alex beside him.

“Vice-Captain, who is that guy? Who is he that His Majesty just lets such rudeness slide?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly who he is, but he’s an acquaintance of His Majesty. He’s also close to El-nim.”

“El-nim?”

“I mean Spirit King Elquines.”

“Ho, is that man also a Spirit King?”

“I don’t think so… I heard he’s an incredibly powerful mage. He uses simple magic without even chanting.”

“So, does that mean he could be human?”

“Well, yeah, but he doesn’t exactly look human, does he?”

Indeed, that was true. His appearance was definitely human, but it was impossible to think of someone that beautiful as human. Louis nodded absentmindedly, then quickly snapped back to attention. This wasn’t the time to agree with that.

“But isn’t it possible that he’s just an exceptionally good-looking human? If he weren’t human, he would have gone to where the Spirit Kings are already, but he’s staying put. And if he’s human, isn’t he being incredibly rude to the Emperor of a nation right now?”

“That’s…… true, I guess?”

“I’ll go ask him who he is. And I’ll point out his rudeness.”

“Ah, I see. Sir Schutel, you’re that type, aren’t you? The type who always steps forward without a clue in mystery novels and gets killed first.”

“Excuse me?”

“I meant, it’d be better if you didn’t. Stay put. That’s advice as your senior, and an order as your Vice-Captain.”

Louis shut his mouth with a dissatisfied expression. Looking around, it seemed that even the Captain of the Imperial Guard, Kay, as well as Duke Carrowell and the others, had no intention of interfering. That those who should prioritize His Majesty the Emperor above all else were taking such a passive stance made Louis feel disheartened. The thought that he had to protect His Majesty at times like this grew stronger.

It happened right then. Suddenly, something shot up from the floor and covered the Emperor. It was a giant monster that looked like a scorpion.

“Your Majesty!”

Duke Carrowell and the knights, startled, rushed forward in shock, but there wasn’t nearly enough time. Louis’s vision went dark. The man called Lapis was next to the Emperor, but no matter how strong a mage was, casting a spell took time. They were helpless against such a quick attack.

Paang!

However, the situation was resolved absurdly easily. The monster was repelled as soon as it touched the Emperor’s body. As the fallen scorpion monster collapsed, Duke Carrowell and the knights quickly stabbed it with their swords, ending its life. Then, looking back, they saw a transparent barrier surrounding the Emperor. The one who had cast the magic was glaring at the scorpion monster’s corpse with his arms crossed. He had a rather unpleasant look on his face, and it didn’t seem to be just because he had been ambushed. Louis blankly asked Alex.

“Isn’t…… protection magic not simple magic?”

“That’s…… right, isn’t it?”

No, more than that, weren’t they not supposed to be able to use magic in the Imperial Palace? He couldn’t understand why he was using magic so casually. Could the defense barrier have been broken? Louis’s head went blank.

“L-look at that!”

Someone shouted, looking out the window. Those who followed his gaze all gasped. They saw things swarming in from the sky in the distance. Birds with skull heads, snake tails, and huge wings.

“Sky Serpent Fiends! High-level flying monsters!”

Everyone gasped. Sky Serpent Fiends were monsters that only lived in the far northern mountains. It was already bewildering that monsters that shouldn’t be here had appeared, but there were too many of them. At this rate, the monster horde would attack the city. There wasn’t nearly enough time to sound the evacuation alarm.

Louis involuntarily looked at the red-haired man. A twisted smile was on his lips as he stared at the approaching monsters.

“So, that’s how you want to play it?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to him at the voice that seemed to ring in their ears.

“How dare you control monsters in front of me?”

A sound that seemed to shake the ears vibrated. At that moment, light spread from the man’s body, and the range quickly began to grow. As the mass gradually increased in size, the roof was pierced and the outer walls of the building crumbled. Red scales fell like rain from under the huge wings. Sharp pupils rolled from the gaping hole in the roof, high above. Louis opened his mouth blankly. The Emperor and the others were just as dumbfounded. Some of them had lost strength in their legs and collapsed.

Dragon.

It was also a Red Dragon, known for being the most ferocious and cruel. The blood-red scales and the flames burning in its eyes were undeniable proof.

No one in the space could make a sound. Everyone was unable to take their eyes off the powerful being that had appeared before them. They were overwhelmed by the sense of oppression emanating from the huge, intricately woven body. It felt as if all the light and air stopped with each breath. It was as if he was the only living, breathing being in the inorganic space. They trembled so much that their minds went blank.

[Ah, I got too heated and revealed myself first.]

The being who had blown away the entire outer wall of the three-story building just by revealing his true form muttered nonchalantly. Then, the pupils containing flames turned to the frozen Emperor.

[Isana, get on.]

“……Yes?”

[I’m going to chase those things away, so get on my back.]

“Oh, is that okay?”

[Tsk, what can I do? I can’t leave you behind.]

At those words, the Emperor snapped out of it and climbed onto the dragon’s back. A few of the startled Imperial Knights reflexively tried to stop him, but it was no use. The dragon carrying Isana repeatedly folded and unfolded its wings, then shot out at a rapid speed in an instant. The remaining people stared blankly at the sight.

“Wow, he really was a dragon. See? I’m glad we stayed put, right?”

Only after a long time did Alex’s words continue. Louis could only nod.

* * *

The surrounding scenery passed by at a rapid pace. Isana crouched down, hugging his body tightly. He wanted to look around, but the wind was too strong to even lift his head. His mind was filled with nothing but the thought that he shouldn’t fall. He had no idea why things were turning out this way. He had hurriedly climbed on when told to, but maybe it was too hasty a decision. Actually, it wasn’t even a situation where he could make a proper judgment. He hadn’t even recovered from the shock of seeing Lapis’s true form.

‘Lapis-nim was really a dragon.’

Realizing the obvious fact once again, Isana took a breath. It wasn’t that he had doubted his identity, but since he was in human form, he hadn’t really felt it until now. So, when he actually saw his true form, he couldn’t shake off the surprise. In another sense, it was a bit unexpected. The dragons he had seen in the encyclopedia were described as having very ferocious and scary appearances. But in reality, he was more beautiful than scary. The smooth, silken skin, the shape of the scales that looked like they had been ground and embedded with jewels. From the eyes that held the sun to the claws and the black horns that sprouted on his head, nothing seemed unnecessary. It was like looking at the most perfect sculpture in the world.

[Hey, Isana. I forgot to ask, but you don’t have a fear of heights or anything, do you?]

The very person in question asked in a leisurely voice. It was truly a very late question. Thinking that it was just like Lapis, Isana laughed lightly.

“I’m not sure.”

[Either you do or you don’t, what do you mean you’re not sure? What kind of answer is that?]

“I’ve never flown in the sky before.”

[Tsk, just don’t piss yourself.]

“I won’t!”

When he retorted sharply, a light laugh brushed past him. Only then did Isana regain some composure. He also realized that his body wasn’t shaking even though he wasn’t holding onto anything. Lapis must have done something. After hesitating for a moment, Isana carefully raised his body. He straightened his back and moved little by little. He still didn’t slip at all. Only then did Isana feel relieved. The intense wind hitting his face was still the same, but he wasn’t scared anymore. Looking back, he could see the Imperial Palace far away. The entire capital city spread out below looked like a toy.

‘Amazing.’

Isana unknowingly exclaimed. This wasn’t the first time he had seen the capital city from a high place. The Imperial Palace was built on high ground, and there were also tall towers. If you went up there, you could usually look down on the city. But seeing it from the sky was completely different.

‘To be able to see such a sight.’

The method of flying in the sky is one of the parts that is constantly being researched among humans. In the ancient Golden Age, when civilization was more advanced than it is now, hot air balloons and airships were even made, but there were only records and no related data left. It was said that they were all erased by the dragons before the Golden Age was destroyed. The reason was that ‘humans who betray the wind are not qualified to enjoy the sky.’ He didn’t know what had happened in those days, but now he couldn’t grasp the exact meaning of the content.

In any case, that’s why this was Isana’s first time flying in the sky. He knew very well that this wasn’t the time, but his heart was pounding. He didn’t know why, but he also felt a strange sense of fulfillment. He tilted his head, wondering why he felt so proud, and soon recalled a past memory. It was the sight of Sibelius, who had turned into a unicorn, carrying Asel on his back and flying into the sky. Without even realizing it, he was secretly envious of that.

‘I still have a long way to go.’

Isana rubbed his burning face with both hands. Even so, he couldn’t stop grinning. It was a great relief that no one was next to him right now. If the Imperial Guard had been there, surely one or two of them would have noticed his condition.

‘Let’s get a grip. This isn’t the time to be excited.’

Only after shaking his head several times did Isana barely calm down his excitement. There was a reason why Lapis had returned to his true form. It would be a problem if he forgot that fact. Then, as if warning him, he saw smoke rising from the village. He could see residents screaming and running away among the shaking and collapsing buildings. The giant scorpion monster that had attacked Isana earlier was also popping out in the middle of the city.

“Lapis-nim!”

[I know.]

Just in time, the horde of monsters flying in from the opposite side saw them and hesitated. Their expressions were so flustered that he could feel it even though they were skeletons. Isana quietly held his breath and admired. The Sky Serpent Fiends, which were high-level monsters, were not easily frightened, so they were quite difficult to subdue. Such monsters were now clearly aware of Lapis.

‘Dragons control monsters, huh?’

However, Lapis didn’t seem to like the other party’s attitude very much.

[You’re not running away even after seeing me?]

His voice, muttering as if he was dumbfounded, was filled with deep anger. He stopped in the air and flapped his two wings greatly. At the same time, a powerful sound wave that seemed to pierce the ears burst out.

—Dare not disobey.

A gasp escaped him. Isana hugged his shoulders and curled up. His whole body trembled as if a cold wave was seeping in. It felt like he was being crushed by a huge pressure. He knew that the energy wasn’t directed at him, but he was still breathless. The monster horde that had received it head-on seemed to have completely lost their minds. The orderly lines became mixed up and began to become chaotic. The effect even reached the ground, and the scorpion monsters that were rampaging were also stiffened. At least this area seemed to be under Lapis’s influence.

[Get lost.]

A sharp voice followed. Then, regardless of the sky or the ground, the monsters that had lost their momentum hurriedly turned their bodies and began to run away. Except for one that didn’t move.

The one that didn’t run away was on the Sky Serpent Fiend horde side. Even though all of its kin had run away, that one was just staring at them without any agitation. The jaw that was opened in the skull head rattled grotesquely. A strange standoff continued with a slight distance.

[Are you the source?]

It was when Lapis asked. The monster, which had been as still as if it had stopped, suddenly rushed in quickly. It was moving to target exactly where Isana was. The surprised Isana reflexively tried to curl up, but a round barrier unfolded and deflected the attacking claws. Kee-eek! With a sharp scream, the monster staggered back.