Chapter 1002
“It was truly a blessing.”
For Leeha, who had been through countless battles, it was thanks to Blaugrunn’s presence that he could unleash his abilities beyond 100%.
Especially alongside Blaugrunn.
Upon hearing Leeha’s words, Blaugrunn nodded again.
“Thank you for saying so, Ha Leeha. Lord Bahamut discerned that my weakness lay in the physical realm and assigned me to Lady Zelreja for rigorous training. Haha, to be honest, looking back now, I really wanted to run away.”
“Hehe, was there ever a time Blaugrunn had such thoughts?”
“Anyway, I was still young back then. Even though I grew physically—and had enough mana capacity and the knowledge to apply it—I wasn’t truly an adult. Although I was far beyond juvenile, nonetheless.”
During the battle with Tiamat, Blaugrunn’s height was at Leeha’s shoulder level.
One could say he had almost fully grown, but it was as if he hit a wall and ceased to grow.
Why hadn’t Blaugrunn, already similar to most adult levels in terms of dragon heart and mana, been able to mature further?
“Yes, that’s right. I honestly thought I’d reach the adult level quickly after using the ‘Easter Egg’. You know, there’s even that, what was it called? That one-item growth booster.”
“The ‘Growth Accelerator’, you mean?”
“Yes, that’s it!”
When Leeha clapped, Blaugrunn laughed bashfully.
Although Ram Hwayeon couldn’t participate in this conversation at all, she still wore a gentle smile.
After all, she was well-aware of the mental connection between Leeha and Blaugrunn.
“And that challenging battle against Tiamat… Because the previous Lord Bahamut said so, I thought I’d reach the adult level after that battle. But even right after, there wasn’t much change. I started experiencing the growing pains of reaching the adult level… I think it was a gift.”
“A gift?”
“Yes. The last gift left by the late Lord Bahamut.”
“A gift from Lord Bahamut… What did you receive?”
His face still had a smile. However, it wasn’t a delighted or warm feeling.
With a laugh closer to bitter, Blaugrunn nodded.
“It was an incident I’d never experienced even in my past life.”
“An incident, you say…”
“The death of a king. Much closer and more intimate than the human concept of a king—someone who was a mental anchor for me… The pillar had been broken.”
Even though physically and functionally, Blaugrunn could already surpass many adults, there was one reason he hadn’t matured into an adult level, and that was psychologically.
From Blaugrunn’s tone when he admitted he had arrogance, Leeha could understand.
For someone who thinks they’ve grown enough, further growth would seem unnecessary.
But if he deeply realized his deficiencies…
‘So that’s why you grew.’
No longer would he remain within the egg. One must break out of the egg to grow.
Leeha looked at Blaugrunn. Tears were falling from his eyes.
When the sorrow stemming from Bahamut’s death touched Leeha’s emotional core again, Blaugrunn wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his loose robe and spoke.
“Oh, by the way, there’s something I want to discuss.”
“Uh, what is it?”
“You mentioned appointing the elder of the chromatic dragons as a part of the red dragon clan, didn’t you?”
“That, um—well, we will think about the method from now on—”
“Isn’t there a more important issue?”
“An important issue?”
Leeha tilted his head in confusion. Seeing his lack of understanding, Ram Hwayeon sighed and shook her head.
“You see, it’s not just the chromatic dragons that lack a leader.”
“Ah, ah! Metal! Then, does that mean the metal dragons as well—”
If the chromatic dragon had an elder, what did the metal dragon have?
Blaugrunn looked at Leeha with resolute eyes.
“Yes. A meeting to elect the new Bahamut was going to be held. Tomorrow, to be precise. I came today to convey that to you, Ha Leeha.”
Hearing his words, Leeha swallowed dryly. Finally, tomorrow, a new Platinum Dragon might be elected.
And within that process…
“Blaugrunn, are you…?”
“Of course. I am one of the candidates too. They were considering all metal dragons at the adult level and above.”
His partner dragon was included as well.
Therefore, how should he act?
* * *
Even after Blaugrunn left, Leeha remained outside Ram Hwayeon’s office.
Ram Hwayeon was barely managing the piled-up work due to playing with Leeha, but her eyes frequently glanced at him.
“Why are you so anxious?”
“Huh? Anxious? Me? What do you mean I’m anxious?”
Leeha responded hastily with a startled expression, yet he couldn’t deceive Ram Hwayeon’s eyes.
“It’s because of Bahamut, right? Normally, you would’ve gone hunting somewhere with adult-level Blaugrunn by now. That gun of yours became ‘mythical grade’, didn’t it? Stronger weapon and stronger partner… Normally, Ha Leeha wouldn’t be able to stay idle like this.”
Even after Blaugrunn left, Ram Hwayeon recalled the state from before the chromatic dragons invaded.
She persistently asked about Leeha’s unreachable location, and he explained visiting the illusion space for Black Bass’s test.
Leeha hadn’t even boasted about his gun becoming a mythical grade, so Ram Hwayeon could accurately grasp his current state.
— Hehehe… The Bearer’s partner, huh? It’s painfully correct. Why waste time here? You, as the Bearer, need to grow more to devour my original form. —
“I know. I know, but, what should I say… I feel restless.”
— You just need to devour the chromatic dragons. Hehe… Eating anything is best when you’re feeling down. The best thing among them is, of course, blood. —
“Please, stop with those edgy words.”
As Leeha babbled with Black Bass, Ram Hwayeon laughed.
To her, it appeared as if he were talking to himself. She hastily organized her papers and approached Leeha.
“Are you worried?”
“Worried? Me?”
Ram Hwayeon sat next to Leeha. She rested her chin in her hand, moving slowly.
Even as Leeha tried to distance himself slightly, she slid closer to him.
Ram Hwayeon’s eyes directly met Leeha’s.
“Yes. You have that expression when you have a lot on your mind… Since you heard Blaugrunn’s words, you’ve been wearing that expression, which means you’re dwelling a lot on something related to the metal dragons. Doesn’t that lead to only one conclusion?”
As if reading his mind.
“What… conclusion?”
“That Blaugrunn will become Bahamut.”
“What, no, I, I don’t! I wasn’t thinking that!”
Leeha retorted frantically with a mortified expression, but he couldn’t fool Ram Hwayeon.
She probably knew. What he was truly thinking.
“You’re even worrying about it happening. Not hoping for it, not striving for it, but treating it as a set fact that ‘it’s already happened’ and fretting over what comes next. Am I wrong?”
Moreover, when she laid out undeniable reasoning, it made him all the more embarrassed.
Leeha wanted to say she was wrong, but in the end, he couldn’t find anything to argue with.
Sighing deeply, nodding was all he could manage.
It seemed that Leeha had stayed there so far because he might have wanted to consult with Ram Hwayeon about his concerns.
“Yes, exactly. So, what should I do? Of course, it would be great, but… how should I put it, it’s too—”
“Too much responsibility?”
“Yes. It’s the Platinum Dragon! The leader, king, lord of the Metal Dragons! Gaining the authority to command all the Metal Dragons! If I get that, if I obtain it—”
Wouldn’t the responsibility in Middle Earth become too overwhelming?
Ram Hwayeon watched Leeha intently as he spoke seriously, his eyes bright with earnestness.
She didn’t respond verbally.
Instead, as she remained silent, Leeha continued to speak.
“—Of course, it would be the best! But there’s a high chance it won’t happen! Well, there’s Alexander’s Bailephus too! And Ram Hwajung’s Arzenmacht as well! Besides, there are numerous Ancient Dragons that are formidable! It might not be Blaugrunn! But if he did? If it actually happens?”
Leeha was confused for that very reason. Ram Hwayeon still did not utter a word.
Even though Leeha’s words might have seemed frustrating, she neither rebuked nor criticized him.
Without saying a single word, she merely looked at him.
“You’re just like an oppa.”
“What, huh?”
“You’re so invested in this game, paying so much attention to the game’s worldview, empathizing with NPCs… I think only you would do this, oppa.”
She smiled and cautiously reached out her hand.
In a slow motion, she brushed away Leeha’s locks of hair, and Leeha was unable to react.
“You probably think I’m someone who plans for every eventuality, right?”
“Uh, uh… If you didn’t go that far, you wouldn’t have become the headquarters manager of the Ram Long Group.”
Leeha knew it wasn’t because of her lineage but because of her own effort. He nodded as if bewitched, responding to her.
But Ram Hwayeon shook her head, listening to Leeha’s words.
“It’s not like that.”
“Huh?”
“Do you know my secret, oppa?”
“What… is it?”
“‘Postpone today’s tasks to tomorrow, and don’t do tomorrow’s tasks.'”
“… Huh? What?”
Leeha doubted his ears for a moment. Ram Hwayeon’s words were so unexpected that a faint laugh escaped him a beat later.
What could this iron-blooded woman, known for pulling even the day after tomorrow’s work to today, possibly mean?
With a relaxed demeanor as if she knew what Leeha was thinking, Ram Hwayeon spoke.
“Of course, it depends on what that ‘task’ means.”
“What is it, then?”
Her fingers, which had been twirling his hair, now reached his cheek, and she gave him a light pinch as she spoke.
“Concerns. There’s nothing to gain by taking that on first. Making contingency plans and worrying are two different things.”
“Hmm…”
To devise a contingency plan, one must analyze the problem, and if analysis is inadequate or there’s no solution, wouldn’t worries inevitably seep out?
Leeha found it difficult to understand exactly what Ram Hwayeon meant. Perhaps it was because her fingers, gently touching his cheek, felt warm.
“Do what you’re good at, oppa.”
“What I’m good at?”
“Yes, instead of worrying, focus on what you’re good at. I haven’t lived a long life or worked a long time in this industry, but… there’s one thing I know for sure.”
“… What’s that?”
Now, Ram Hwayeon’s palm was completely caressing Leeha’s cheek.
Although it seemed like the gender roles were reversed, it was not a strange scene at all.