The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 39

The winter within the Terra Barrier stretches on endlessly. For nearly half the year, snow could fall at any moment. This meant they had at least three months before the investigation team’s scheduled departure. If they spent that much time simply organizing the team, those involved deserved to be branded as utterly incompetent.

“Damn it. Is this seriously the extent of our information?”

“What can we expect? It’s a legendary being from the start.”

“Even so, basing our information on fairy tales… seriously…”

“Still, there are a few research papers from the Magic Tower.”

“But the source of those papers is just wandering legends! What’s the difference!”

Dragon. They scrambled to gather any scrap of information about the legendary creature. Fortunately, being stationed on the front lines meant there were quite a few books available. These were books that mages had brought when assigned to the Terra Barrier, but which couldn’t be returned to their original owners after they died.

“So, did anyone find anything useful?”

“It’s all the same old material. What could we possibly find?”

Dragons were, in fact, quite familiar to mages. After all, one prominent hypothesis suggested that the founder of magic itself – the very foundation of their existence – was a dragon.

Of course, many other hypotheses existed, but dragons were almost always included in a significant number of them. This underscored their legendary status, making it unthinkable for a mage to be ignorant of dragons.

Thus, the compiled information about dragons was as follows:

– They possess an exceptionally long lifespan.

– As progenitors of magic, they wield magical abilities far surpassing those of humans.

– Their entire body is covered in incredibly hard scales, providing defensive capabilities superior to any known mineral.

– A dragon’s heart contains an immense reservoir of mana; absorbing it can grant unimaginable power.

– Their breath can incinerate anything in its path with devastating force.

Much more information existed, but these points were the most commonly cited.

“Is this even worth our time?”

Of course, the evidence supporting these claims was inevitably weak, pieced together from ancient legends and the observed characteristics of dragon subspecies.

“It’s better than facing them completely blind.”

“Well, if this is true, no matter how many of us go, we’ll die without even putting up a fight. What’s the point?”

Meanwhile, echoing one of the mages’ sentiments, I accelerated my own preparations to at least offer some resistance when facing a dragon. My preparations were limited, but I focused primarily on my weapon. Resistance was only possible if I could inflict some damage on the opponent.

Dragon Slayer.

Thanks to my increased proficiency, I could now engrave the word by splitting it into two parts instead of writing it all at once.

This allowed me to channel twice as much mana into the engraving compared to before, unleashing greater destructive power. While my 4th Circle level made it difficult to claim I had surpassed the 6th Circle, I could confidently say I had advanced by half a step.

Naturally, I didn’t believe this would be enough to harm a legendary dragon, but considering the engraving’s inherent meaning, I focused on creating magic bullets, hoping their synergistic power might at least allow me to inflict a wound.

In fact, there was considerable debate about my inclusion in the investigation team. It wasn’t for me to say, but I was indispensable when it came to scorpions [a type of magical weapon], maps, and related tasks.

Of course, the initial engraving wouldn’t fade over time, but even if the engraving remained intact, the ballista [a large, crossbow-like weapon] it was etched upon was made of wood, making it susceptible to breakage.

My sudden death would inevitably disrupt production, but conversely, the very reason I volunteered for the investigation team was because I was the mapmaker. I wanted to prepare for unforeseen circumstances like Laurent’s case and gather as much information as possible as the sole user of the original map.

“Remember. Nothing is more precious than your lives. Do not take unnecessary risks during the investigation. Understand?”

“We will do our best to uncover the truth.”

The investigation team was a small, elite group. Sending a large force would only attract monsters and impede rapid movement. Secrecy, speed, and safety were paramount, negating the need for a large team.

Thus, in addition to Unos and Duo, the 1st and 2nd Knights Commanders, six veteran knights were included. The investigation team, consisting of twelve members including Ild, Boto, Laurent, and myself, departed the Terra Barrier and ventured into the monsters’ territory, seeking to confirm the identity of the dragon that appeared in the legends and before Laurent’s eyes.

#

“It’s chilly.”

“Winter hasn’t completely relinquished its grip. Even in the central part of the Empire, spring is already fading. We can’t delay the investigation any longer.”

Predictably, spring had yet to arrive in the monsters’ land. Fortunately, the weather was warm enough to melt the snow, but it was far from balmy. As Wisp said, it was just shy of being spring.

Squish, squish-

Consequently, the ground conditions were far from ideal. While no one present would be significantly hampered by this level of discomfort, the mental toll was not to be ignored.

“By the way, what will we do if a dragon really exists?”

This was perhaps the most crucial question. While the investigation team’s purpose was to verify Laurent’s account – to determine if dragons truly existed – everyone seemed focused on the immediate process, not the long-term implications.

“What do you mean, what will we do? We are not authorized to make such judgments. Our task is to report the facts and follow orders from above.”

This was the standard response one would expect from Unos. However, my curiosity lay in what would happen before that – the situation where we had discovered a dragon but hadn’t yet returned to the Terra Barrier. According to Laurent, the dragon did not tolerate intruders in its territory. While it hadn’t actively pursued them, allowing Laurent to escape, its intentions were clear.

“Will you fight it?”

“The ideal scenario is a safe retreat for everyone. But if we must fight, we will. Of course, even if only half the dragon legends are true, it would be impossible for us alone… But perhaps we could buy enough time for someone to escape and deliver the news to the Terra Barrier.”

If dragons truly exist, will their strength match the legends, or will they be merely stronger than the known subspecies of monsters?

If the legends underestimate their power, or if they are indeed comparable, will we even survive? If it spoke to Laurent’s group, it possesses intelligence beyond human comprehension. Will communication be possible? This investigation held countless unknowns.

#

The investigation proved challenging. Primarily, there were too few leads. Laurent’s map, arguably the only tangible evidence, was so severely damaged, both externally and internally, that it was deemed irreparable and discarded.

Consequently, we were forced to rely solely on Laurent’s memory. This was also why Laurent, despite recovering physically, had insisted on joining the team, even with the permanent loss of an arm hindering his magical abilities. However, relying on memory alone was difficult.

The nature of the monsters’ land offered virtually no landmarks, and the landscape had changed significantly since Laurent’s previous visit due to the passing of winter. Ultimately, we were forced to proceed by estimating direction, average speed, and time elapsed.

“Do you see anything?”

“…Not yet. No unusual mana signatures beyond those of ordinary monsters.”

“We need to move further.”

The tedious cycle of moving and checking the map continued. It was unavoidable. There were many areas to explore, but our investigation range was limited.

However, as time wore on without results, I could sense the growing skepticism directed towards Laurent. Correspondingly, Laurent’s anxiety intensified. Eventually, after the brief spring transitioned into summer, a decision had to be made.

“We have investigated sufficiently. If no significant findings emerge within the next three days, we will return to the Terra Barrier.”

“Just a little more, please! Just a little more!”

“I refuse. We have already explored numerous locations based on your memory. I will no longer waste time on your unfounded hope.”

Unos, Duo, Ild, and Boto convened and decided to terminate the investigation. It was unavoidable. We couldn’t remain here indefinitely without progress.

For instance, Evan was awaiting our return, and our small, elite team included many important figures.

Consequently, Laurent couldn’t bring himself to plead for further investigation. As Unos pointed out, we had thoroughly searched the area where Laurent encountered the dragon, dedicating ample time to the investigation.

“I’ll try a little harder.”

“…Please.”

Given the circumstances, the only thing I could offer Laurent was a platitude of comfort. However, I was determined to ensure that the comfort extended beyond mere words. I could imagine the looks he would receive upon our return. As a day or two passed and Laurent’s expression became increasingly despondent, a peculiar anomaly appeared on the map.

“What is it?”

I utilized two types of maps: one created solely with engravings and another that blended engravings and magic. Each had its own advantages and disadvantages.

The map created solely with engravings displayed the mana signatures of all living and non-living things, regardless of whether they were on the surface or underground, but it consumed a significant amount of mana and had a limited search range. The map that mixed engravings and magic reduced mana consumption and widened the range, but it could only detect the signatures of living things on the surface. Simply put, it was the difference between 2D and 3D.

My surprise stemmed from the fact that the anomaly appeared only on the map created solely with engravings, not on the map that mixed engravings and magic. Unfortunately, ordinary minerals were not displayed on either map.

They lacked sufficient mana to register. In other words, the current signature indicated either another magic stone mine underground or something else with a significant mana presence. However, a magic stone mine was unlikely. Unlike the previous instance, the mana signature was so concentrated that it resembled a single point.

“How far away is it from here?”

“Approximately 3km… It’s located on that small mountain over there.”

Those who heard my report held a brief discussion. Today was the designated day for concluding the investigation and returning to the Terra Barrier. The question was whether to prioritize a safe return or to push forward and investigate the anomaly.

“Marquis instructed us not to overextend ourselves.”

“That’s right.”

“But we’ve come this far. Having reached this point, venturing a little further can’t be considered overextending ourselves. Renil, lead the way. After investigating the anomaly you discovered, we will return to the Terra Barrier.”