27. Fall (3)
Jin-woo didn’t reverse-summon the Holy Dragon and left it like that for a while. He thought it would be better to let it be until all the negative emotions of Arcana, the Emperor of Disease, had disappeared.
[The Holy Dragon wants a reverse-summon.]
“Hold on a little longer.”
Arcana was a natural enemy in a different sense. The Holy Dragon hated it and tried to avoid them. It was quite a sight to see. As a result of the Holy Dragon’s sacrifice, the disease that caused the great famine disappeared. The forest and all areas where the disease had spread completely returned to normal. The mountain disappeared, and the forest was half destroyed, but it was a better sight compared to before.
When Arcana fully recovered its sparkling green scales, Jin-woo cut off the supply of divine power. As the Holy Dragon’s size became smaller, it was sucked into Jin-woo’s right hand. The Holy Dragon barely breathed a sigh of relief and disappeared. Jin-woo looked at his right hand. He tried to bandage it, but there was no response even without it. It usually showed off its presence by exuding energy, but now it was too quiet.
It followed Jin-woo’s words very well. It was obeying with all its might, fearing that Jin-woo might summon it again. The Emperor of Gold hated the loss of beauty. Arcana was doing a good job of breaking it, so it was avoiding it. As expected, the Emperor of Gold lived by its looks and died by its looks.
“Did it go well?”
The great famine had been prevented, and the source of the disease completely disappeared. And even the Emperor of Gold had become obedient. The results so far were very good. It was the best result except for Arcana, the Emperor of Disease.
Shhrrrrrk!
Arcana looked at Jin-woo with wide eyes. Arcana saw how the Holy Dragon was recovered to Jin-woo’s right hand. Jin-woo also looked up at Arcana. For a moment, their eyes met like that. The dragon’s eyes, which were full of pink glow, became clear. Its eyes widened, and its pupils fluttered wildly.
Booom! Thud!
It dug into the ground and hid its body. It glanced at Jin-woo with only its head slightly raised. It hid, but it was so big that it was so obvious. The sight of it hitting the dirt with its tail reminded Jin-woo of how people rolled on the bed when they remembered embarrassing things.
‘I don’t think it will harm Middle World.’
The Earth would be safe because the disease was prevented from spreading. It didn’t look dangerous at all now, so Jin-woo thought he could just leave it alone. Trees and grass grew in an instant from the pile of dirt where Arcana was hiding. The power to control nature in Middle-World had returned. It was inevitable that its title as an Emperor would decline since its resentment had disappeared.
“For now…shall we go back?”
“R-Right.”
Luna barely nodded. She looked as if her soul had disappeared from witnessing the unbelievable sight. Jin-woo headed straight to the village.
Even though he didn’t say anything, Arcana followed. At first, it hid on the ground like a mole in the form of a giant dragon, but when they left the forest, it transformed into a humanoid like the Maze. It looked like a mature woman with green hair. She was dressed like an elf, but her body was so explosive that she felt far removed from any elf he had seen.
Jin-woo felt her gaze and looked behind him.
Shrrrrk!
Arcana hid behind a rock. However, she couldn’t hide her horns and long tail, which protruded slightly. Her tail wobbled.
‘Umm…’
Should he pretend he didn’t know? Luna looked awkward and desperately ignored her, while the Maze sometimes approached Arcana and surprised her. Then, she argued with the Maze and disappeared for about a day before appearing again. When they returned from the Sanctuary, lots of well-prepared fish, chunks of meat, or delicious fruits were readied.
“Uh, what do we do? I think she’ll keep following us…she’s an Emperor.”
“The Maze is an Emperor, and I am also an Emperor, though.”
“Ah!”
Luna gained enlightenment. She didn’t need to fear it; after all, everyone there was an Emperor. Heo-young, who she often spoke to in the Sanctuary, was also an Emperor.
Arcana went missing for a few days, but then she reappeared. So far, she had been giving them well-prepared ingredients, but now it was different. It was unknown where she came from, Middle World were beautifully served on a huge table. It was clumsy at first, but it had improved to an extraordinary level by the time they got near the village. The decorations were so perfect that Jin-woo even had the urge to take pictures.
Jin-woo suddenly remembered a fairy tale he had read as a child.
‘It’s not even a snail lady…’
It was a dragon. He looked at the big tree, noting the tail peeking out from behind it. Jin-woo looked at her with the Magic Eye of Information.
Lv.93
[S+] Arcana, the Winner of Autumn
Favorability: Unmeasurable
‘I won’t let him go.’
After half a million years of suffering, she found a new love and returned to her original purity. Thanks to that, her rank dropped by one level. She felt the dragon’s power within Jin-woo and fell in love very deeply.
When she regained her reason, she remembered the ugliness she had shown in the meantime and dared not appear in front of him. Right now, she feels great happiness just by watching from afar and taking care of him.
Special Technique
[S+] Good Wife and Wise Mother
She learns anything quickly with the power of love. When she does something for someone she is dedicated to, her physical rank and mana will rise tremendously, and she will receive many experience points. However, she needs to be careful as she may lose her sense of reason.
[A] Pink Trace
She can use her powers to track her love’s location.
Arcana’s power had changed completely. There were no threatening techniques, and any intention to conquer the Middle World or to destroy anything was gone. That made it more difficult to respond. It seemed better to leave her alone for now.
They were able to return to town quickly. The village was still crowded and peaceful, in the stage of developing into a city. It could even be called a town already. Of course, Arcana also followed them to the village. It might have been better for her to stay in the village than to be left wandering in the Middle World.
[Ancient Dragon Arcana stays in Sacred Ground. Arcana feels the energy of Sacred Ground and is happy.]
[Arcana has become the guardian dragon of Sacred Ground. The Sacred Ground will be expanded further.]
[Residents and monsters in the Sacred Ground are protected by Arcana.]
When she realized that this was Jin-woo’s territory, she seemed to have decided to stay here. With the addition of Arcana, the Sacred Ground had grown more powerful and expanded further.
‘Umm….’
There were Minotaurs, fishmen, and dungeons. Now even a dragon stayed there. It was by no means an ordinary village. Jin-woo thought that it was okay because it was peaceful anyway.
* * *
At first, Arcana dug a cave in the cliff and stayed there, but when she got used to the village, she started building a house and staying there. Unaccustomed to humanization, her horns and tail were still there, hidden by a headdress and long skirt. She disguised herself in her own way.
Arcana trained every day to grow used to the humans, with good results. She became famous as soon as she started selling flowers and were popular not only with villagers but also with the adventurers who visited the village.
Her daily routine was simple. She woke up early in the morning and cleaned the house where Jin-woo stayed and the surroundings. Not a single dirty particle was left behind, let alone a bug. She took care of everything if she saw he needed anything right away. She even prepared a feast just in time when Jin-woo arrived.
“Haha, you’re working hard today.”
“It’s nice.”
The villagers just nodded when they saw her sincerity. However, she had never actually talked to Jin-woo. She started setting the table. Today, she went across the continent to the wide sea to get a Kraken leg and the legendary fish that lived only deep in the sea. Her cooking skills were superb because she learned from chefs she kidnapped from famous restaurants. After she learned their technique, she didn’t forget to give them the herbs she grew.
‘He’s not coming again today.’
She waited eagerly, but only the Maze, Luna, and Elise appeared. The Maze sat down very familiarly and picked up a spoon.
Munch-munch!
Anyone else might not know, but the Maze didn’t have to eat. However, it devoured the meal with gusto.
Arcana clenched her teeth, but she barely endured it. It could only be said that the power of love allowed the vicious dragon to endure to this extent. Her anger quickly subsided when she thought of the Emperor of Gold. The Emperor of Gold was far beyond her ideal, which she had envisioned for half a million years.
He had the appearance of the most beautiful Holy Dragon, and he had everything of Calverto, the Emperor of Greed, whom she admired and feared. She could feel the charismatic Black Flame Dragon. Beauty, majesty, and coolness were combined into one, into an unsurpassable trinity.
The world she had hoped to be destroyed for so long looked so beautiful now.
‘For now….’
She thought it would be nice to have a son and a daughter. She would raise her son strictly. Raising him as a great king who ruled the dimension…then, she would happily watch her grandchildren running around…
“Heh, hehe…”
The Maze shook its head as it looked at Arcana, who was smiling in the corner.
“Poor thing.”
“Miss Arcana?”
Elise glanced at Arcana. She, who had been hiding, coughed in vain and pretended to clean up. Luna, who had been chewing on the Kraken leg, cringed when she saw her. She ate her cooking almost every day, so she got used to it, but she couldn’t be comfortable with her either.
“The Emperor….”
“I’m Arcana, who runs a flower shop. I’m just a twenty-four-year-old villager. A human.”
Arcana’s golden eyes slit long. Luna had no choice but to nod. Elise bowed her head.
“Thank you again for today.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Although she acted out of place, Arcana was serious. When Elise was giving Luna and the Maze the eye, they both nodded. Oddly enough, Elise, the ordinary human being, always mediated. It was when Arcana awkwardly pretended to clean again.
“Arcana, here you are. Are you busy right now?”
“Sir Alonso, what’s going on?”
“I’d like to order some herbs.”
Arcana nodded. At times like this, she seemed like a very ordinary person. The men in the village suffered a lot because of her mature vibes full of innocence. Adventurers who fell in love with her often visited her. Just like a dragon, she emptied their pockets. Arcana’s herbs were compatible with divine magic, so Alonso and the priests often sought it out.
“Who is hurt?”
“Well, it seems that Adolun worked too hard to prepare the furniture for his marriage.”
“I see.”
“I understand that he wants to start in a good environment, but how would he use it if he gets hurt? Gosh…”
She happened to have some herbs. Arcana pulled some out and handed them over to Alonso. As Alonso left, several words began to float in her mind.
‘Furniture for the marriage…good environment…’
Come to think of it, she was staying in his territory, but she didn’t bring anything. For dragons, allowing one to stay in their territory meant accepting them as a member. She was embarrassed at the first meeting and couldn’t even come out, but she had no shame to come in and live here without bringing anything!
Arcana pondered and looked at the Maze. She wanted to ask for an opinion.
“What would be good for marriage furniture?”
“Something big and shiny.”
Elise thought for a moment at the Maze’s words before talking.
“I think furniture like chairs would be nice.”
“It would be nice to decorate the house.”
Luna also shared her opinion. Arcana stood there for a while, contemplating. She then ran out of the building, remembering the biggest and most splendid jewel she had. It was in her other lair a long time ago, but now it was lost. It was because thieves broke into her lair and stole it while she was asleep. But it was enchanted, so she knew where it was.
It was so disgraceful now that she thought about it, but she decided to let it slide. After all, this world was a beautiful place. It was a world where her daughters, sons, and grandchildren would play. Her face flushed red. The family planning has already gone down to five generations in her imagination.
Arcana came out of the village, and she entered the deep forest. When no one was around her, she immediately changed to her original form and flew into the sky. The place she headed was the royal palace of the Raskan Kingdom. Her jewel was there.
The royal palace of the Raskan Kingdom was engulfed in civil war. The supporters of the first and second Princes clashed around the royal palace. The Goddess Order of the Raskan Kingdom also split into two factions and fought a fierce battle. However, the Order collapsed for unknown reasons. There was an analysis that the nobles had played a role. However, there was no evidence.
The first Prince, who was closer to being the legitimate heir, was guarding the palace, and the second Prince mobilized his forces to break through the locked door. The second Prince sent an assassin to kill the King as he started to come back to his senses while lying sick on the bed. Since the King was dead, the nobility would have no choice but to recognize him as the King if he recaptured the royal seal symbolizing the King.
The royal seal was kept secretly on a throne full of shiny jewels. All the noble families of the Raskan Kingdom swore allegiance to the kingdom under the royal seal. It wasn’t just a symbol but a pledge. It was the reason why the nobles recognized the authority of the King even though the royal authority was weak.
The Second Prince’s troops were far ahead, advancing into the palace. The first Prince and his followers stood before the throne.
“It’s now over!”
“Ugh…”
The first Prince glared at the second with mournful eyes. A little carelessness was the cause of his defeat. He now foresaw his death. The Second Prince had no intention of keeping him alive.
“Kill them all.”
When the second Prince gave the order, his men raised their weapons. It was the moment they rushed to kill everyone…
Suddenly the palace shook.
Whoosh!
The huge ceiling collapsed. The first Prince and his knights barely escaped the falling wreckage.
“W-What the…”
It was a giant dragon that appeared after destroying the roof of the palace.
“I-It’s a dragon….”
“Gasp!”
Everyone froze when they saw it, and even the swordmasters trembled and dropped their swords. The dragon appeared only in legends, the pinnacle of all monsters and a symbol of evil. The dragon looked at them with its large eyes and then turned its head.
The gigantic jewel attached to the throne was particularly shiny. The dragon looked at the throne, then opened its mouth and bit it just like that.
Baaang!
The throne that had been in place for hundreds of years was torn away. Everyone had no choice but to stare blankly. They never even thought of fighting back.
Whoosh!
The dragon flew straight up and disappeared in the distance. The two Princes stopped fighting and looked up blankly as it grew distant in the sky. This was because not only the royal seal but the throne as a whole disappeared. It was the day when their royal authority collapsed completely.
* * *
Jin-woo stayed on Earth for several days to catch up with his delayed schedule. He also participated in G&P’s official events and had to go to a dinner party under an invitation from the Association.
“A family meeting?”
“Yes, Lee Min-woo pushed things forward quickly.”
“Umm…”
Jin-woo nodded at Yoo-na. Although it was said to be a family meeting, Jin-woo and Lee Min-woo didn’t have parents, and neither did Ella. It was just a meeting to introduce Ella to Chairman Lee Hee-jin. Lee Min-woo’s driving force was great.
‘Is it the power of love?’
Jin-woo grinned as he stood. After a brief chat with Yoo-na, he returned to the Middle World. Jin-woo’s house there was spotless and shiny.
“Umm?”
There was something really shiny in front of the table.
“A chair?”
It was a chair studded with many jewels. There was a jewel in the center of the chair that looked like the sun, and it was radiating light in all directions. It was a very uncomfortable chair.
[You became the de facto ruler of the Raskan Kingdom.]
[You have earned a title]
[B] The Dark Secret of Everything
[A] Popular Man
When he checked the information, the chair in front of the table was a throne. Why was it here?
Jin-woo had no choice but to ponder for a while.
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