The Second Partner (2)
Ryu Han-bin grabbed the Wyvern’s leash, causing the tendons of his forearms to outline against his skin, and broke the chains with a single pull.
He put his hands on the gag next, causing it to shatter under the squeeze of his hand.
Effir touched her face with her forefoot as soon as she was freed, her eyes bursting with joy and relief.
“Ah, I’m safe!”
She directed her gaze at Han-bin, then bowed her head at him.
“We meet again, Hero of another world. Hehehe.”
Ryu Han-bin felt a bit uncomfortable as he looked at the sloppy Wyvern in front of him. They weren’t that close, yet she was addressing him as if they were.
“Why were you with that Earthling?”
“Oh, about that…”
Effir began to tell them the story.
“After meeting you, Hero, I decided not to kill Aliens anymore. When another human appeared again, I thought of letting him pass by quietly.”
That decision essentially saved her life.
Upon discovering Effir, Alejandro attacked her immediately.
-Why is there a trained Wyvern in a forest like this?
The human possessed monstrous strength. If Effir had shown aggression towards him, she would be crossing the bridge to the underworld by now.
However, due to her memory of fighting Ryu Han-bin, she went on the defensive instead, causing Alejandro to spare her life.
Just like the Polymorph Necklace, Alejandro had a lot of Magic Tools against Latna’s Dragon Race.
He used a gag and a leash to subjugate Effir completely.
“Ever since that day, I’ve been forced to fly and crawl as he wished. If Mr. Hero didn’t save me, I don’t know what other forms of abuse I’d have suffered under that wicked Alien demon.”
Effir pretended to wipe away her tears.
Han-bin asked, narrowing his eyes.
“So, am I also a wicked demon of another world?”
With a refined look, Effir shook her front paws and replied.
“Well, just because Mr. Hero has the same origin as Alejandro doesn’t mean he’s a demon. A Dragon and a catfish still won’t be the same even if they were both born in the stream.”
“… You still speak elegantly.”
As they talked, Artis watched from the side with a look of both shock and amazement.
“How can that Wyvern speak so fluently?”
Effir puffed up her chest.
“People have told me I’m a little smarter than normal Wyverns.”
“I think this goes beyond the definition of ‘little.'”
Wyverns were only as intelligent as a six-year-old child. Even if they could speak, they could only say short and simple sentences at best.
Yet the Wyvern had the same mind as an adult’s.
It was like seeing a chimpanzee solving an advanced math problem.
Unlike Artis, who couldn’t hide his astonishment, Ryu Han-bin stayed relatively calm.
He already knew how smart she was, after all.
“Anyway, you’re free now.”
“Thank you.”
“Go home. I’ll let you go.”
They had nothing more to do with the Wyvern.
Just as Han-bin was about to shake her hand, Effir raised a concern.
“About that…”
Hesitantly, Effir continued.
“Can you please take me along with you?”
* * *
Effir lived in hiding in the Satt Forest because the Xrad Kingdom had been hunting her down.
She wasn’t an ordinary criminal. She murdered a member of the royal family.
The incident caused people to perceive her as a dangerous animal rather than a criminal, however.
“I’ll die if I get caught, right?”
However, while flying with Alejandro, she was forced to reveal herself.
In the Xrad Kingdom, the location of the Wyvern who killed the third prince three years ago must have been identified already.
“The Kybriel Church is also a problem.”
Alejandro had annihilated the alien Interrogators and Templars of Kybriel.
It was only natural for the people to see Effir as part of Alejandro’s party.
“Yes, I understand that you can’t go back.”
Artis rubbed his face.
“But that’s not enough reason to follow us around.”
Effir’s problem wasn’t going to be solved just by following them.
They couldn’t even hide her due to her size. They’d have to build a secret Dragon stall.
However, Effir had a plan.
“We can use that.”
The Wyvern pointed at Han-bin’s necklace with its front flaw.
“That can transform monsters from the Dragon race into a human, right?”
Yes.
She managed to decipher the Polymorph Necklace’s ability while watching the battle unfold a few hours back. It was used twice, and both times, it was aimed at the Dragon.
Only then did Ryu Han-bin and Artis truly understood Effir’s plan.
“So that’s your plan.”
“Indeed, if you’re human, you’d be able to hide your true form from the public.”
Effir appealed with a high voice.
“And I’ve always wanted to be a human!”
Artis, who was proud of being a Dragon, frowned.
“Why? Don’t you like being born as a member of the Dragon Race?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.”
Effir quickly spoke.
“It’s not about being human itself. It’s the ability to transform into one that I like. I hated it when Mr. Hero asked me about it, but wouldn’t it be nice if Wyverns also had the ability to take on a human form?”
Her reasoning made sense.
Ryu Han-bin looked at Artis.
“What do you think?”
“Well, I haven’t heard of a Wyvern in human form…….”
Wyvern had meager intelligence.
Wyverns who turned into humans could only follow their instincts, crawling around like a four-legged beast and howling.
They couldn’t mimic the nature of humans.
“With your level of intelligence, there should be no problem, but is it essential for us to hand over the Unique Item? You might just take the item and fly away.”
Effir’s flight abilities were terrifyingly excellent.
The moment she flew, they’d never be able to catch it.
Effir cried urgently just as the duo in front of her began to suspect her.
“No, no, think about it! Why should I leave you two?”
Even after becoming a human through the Polymorph Necklace, she had no human acquaintances, no assets collected, and no status or ability to live among people.
“If I became a human and lived alone, I’d only be a beggar. Shouldn’t I at least have people I can depend on?”
The most practical action was to follow Han-bin and Artis.
One of them was an Alien, and the other was a Dragon. They were already adept at hiding secret identities.
Of course, it was best to follow the two.
“Besides, that necklace can’t even be sold for money. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that a Unique Item?”
Unique Items were taboo in this world, which meant selling them off was impossible.
It also didn’t have any use for Han-bin and Artis.
“Mr. Dragon has a natural ability to transform into a human anyway.”
Ryu Han-bin had always been a human, so there was no difference if he pretended to be human.
The only time they would need it was if they encountered a Dragon strong enough to give them a hard time.
Other than that, they had no further use for it.
“If you let me wear it, I can keep it safe and give it to you when you need it, something like that.”
She presented quite an eloquent sales pitch.
She was definitely persuasive as well.
Ryu Han-bin and Artis casually nodded.
“Well…”
“That’s true…”
Effir began to appeal more to them the moment she noticed they were starting to fall for her words.
“I’ll do whatever you ask sincerely! All I ask in return is that you feed me and give me a place to sleep. I’m pretty useful. I fly so well that even among the Flying Dragon Knights, there were lots of praises about how there’s no Wyvern as excellent as I am!” “
“Oh, I definitely can’t doubt that.”
Han-bin smiled bitterly while looking back at Artis.
“Honestly, the offer’s tempting.”
He couldn’t say it out loud, but having an exclusive ride was one of the eternal romances of men.
They could ride a Wyvern! That in itself was tempting!!
Artis also nodded, but for a different reason.
“Yeah. I have no choice but to admit it.”
He was getting tired of Ryu Han-bin bothering him every single day.
‘As a level 27 Wyvern, she’d be able to reach level 20 easily as a human.’
At that level, she would be able to use a lot of Magic Tools.
It would be convenient for him to have someone else doing the chores.
The two finally reached a decision.
“Okay, we’ll take you with us.”
When Han-bin gave his approval, the Wyvern’s expression brightened.
“Thank you!”
Ryu Han-bin took the necklace out but grimaced for a moment.
“The necklace won’t fit around your neck.”
Effir’s size was too huge for the Polymorph Necklace to be able to lock around her neck.
Artis then pointed at Effir’s claw.
“Put it on her claw like a ring. The moment she transforms into a human, the necklace would transfer itself onto her neck.”
“Then you have to hang it around your neck…… No, it doesn’t fit.”
“I see.”
As soon as Effir equipped the Polymorph Necklace, she immediately began to shine.
Paaats!
The large Wyvern began to shrink rapidly.
Her long neck began to shorten.
Her silver mane turned into human hair.
Her scale-covered black body was transformed into pure white human skin.
The once-four-legged beast stretched her back up as she stood up using only two feet.
The frighteningly large, winged reptile disappeared, and a small naked human took its place.
Shiny green eyes, sharp nose, and red lips.
Her features were dense, and the outlines of her face were clear.
She was beautiful.
Her silver hair that fluttered over her milky skin ended around her slim waist.
Her thighs and calves were smooth and firm.
What surprised them the most was the mounds protruding from her chest and an otherwise smooth groin surface.
Ryu Han-bin was confused.
“Uh…”
He had a blank look on his face.
“Effir, are you a girl?”
* * *
In the middle of the mountain path, a cute silver-haired girl felt a fresh breeze brush against her skin.
“Wow! It’s a real hand! I have a human hand!”
She fluttered around in a clear and refreshing voice, then stumbled and fell to the ground.
“Kyaaa! Oh, it’s hard to keep balance.”
Picking up a robe, Artis approached the girl.
“Put some clothes on first. When you’re in human form, you shouldn’t move around carelessly naked.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“Wear your shoes. Human soles are fragile.”
Effir quickly put on a robe and boots.
The boots were loose, and the robe was oversized.
She looked like a child wearing adult clothes.
Artis clicked his tongue.
“The size isn’t right, is it?”
Although not as tall as Ryu Han-bin, Artis was 175 centimeters tall.
In the 21st century Korea, society deemed anyone less than 180 centimeters as small, but in the Latna Continent, 175 centimeters was already considered tall.
However, the height of Effir’s human form was less than 160 centimeters.
She also had a much smaller body.
“You can buy new clothes when we arrive in the post town. Just be patient until then.”
“Okay, Mr. Dragon.”
Effir noticed how the two didn’t answer.
“By the way, what are your names?”
She couldn’t call then Mr. Hero and Mr. Dragon forever.
Han-bin answered first.
“I’m Ryu Hanbin. Ryu is a surname. My alias is Felard Bean.”
“Yes, Mr. Han-bin and Mr. Felard in front of the people.”
“My real name is Artis Ampitier Ragnawalker. When in human form, I use the name Artis Venitian. You can call me Artis.”
“Okay, Mr. Artis.”
Still squatting down, the Wyvern girl smiled brightly.
“My name is Effir. I have no surname. Nice to meet you!”
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