Chapter 1005
The eyes seemed to be staring at Leeha, yet they were thinking of something beyond him.
“Orabeoni was always like that. Even if everyone tried to dissuade him, if he thought he was right, he would push through obstinately. He didn’t choose the means and methods, even when faced with criticism from those around him… I was always on his side. At least in my heart… I was on orabeoni’s side.”
Leeha quietly nodded while looking at Flamme. There was no need to add anything to her words.
When he realized that tears were welling up in Flamme’s eyes, Leeha no longer felt the necessity to assert anything with his own opinions.
“There were many times I wanted to step up, but the power of Onyx was just too strong, too… above all, Labatt, that foolish one was following Onyx like a shadow, so I—”
“Grandmother.”
“It’s alright, Arev child.”
As Arev attempted to approach Flamme, she stopped him. Flamme took a moment to catch her breath and then looked at Leeha.
Leeha thought she certainly had a strong presence, but that her physical condition wasn’t good.
A dragon suffering from a physical illness was unthinkable. Considering her words and attitude about Kuzgunak’sh’s and Labatle, it was certainly a sickness of the heart.
‘She seems to be set as an AI that reacts sensitively.’
If so, wasn’t that a good thing? Leeha took a step closer to Flamme. Arev flinched for a moment, but Flamme allowed Leeha to approach.
Leeha took the hand of the elderly woman with red-tinted hair and a scarf.
“In that case, Flamme-nim. To prevent the same painful events from happening to both the metal dragons and chromatic dragons… To prevent a second Kuzgunak’sh’s incident… Can you assist me?”
“If I can, I would help. But, human child, what are you trying to do? How do you intend to assist me?”
“I am a human who has been despised by the chromatic dragons. If it wasn’t for Kuzgunak’sh’s message, you all might have torn me apart as well. Other chromatic dragons may still be trying to do so now. However… I might be able to participate in the election of the elder dragon, correct?”
〈Achievement: Freedom to the Dragons! (S)〉
Reward: Eligible to attend the election for the next leader.
Leeha wanted to confirm the achievement’s reward.
“The fact that you killed Onyx is known by most of our clan. They may try to kill you the moment the meeting ends, but you’ll be fine in the meeting place. I can also protect you.”
“Good. Then… Could I ask you a rude question?”
Countless thoughts swirled in Leeha’s mind.
Thanks to the advice he had just received from Ram Hwayeon, he was clearly aware of what he needed to do.
The question was whether the chromatic dragons would accept it.
“When it comes to rude questions, not asking is usually the best way, human child.”
“Yes, of course. Ah, a wise answer. However, it was a necessary question, so I mentioned it preemptively. What I want to know is…”
Leeha cleared his throat as he listened to Flamme’s sagacious advice. Though they varied in color, the chromatic dragons were generally classified as the same species; would they accept this issue?
Leeha quietly asked.
“How many black dragons stronger than Flamme-nim are there, and do you know the locations of their lairs?”
“…… Are you planning to kill them?”
“Yes.”
“You asked about a stronger… Dragon, and then vowed to kill them all.”
In other words, wasn’t this a display of confidence in the ability to kill even the red dragon Flamme on the spot?
Arev was ready to retort after grasping the meaning just then, but the person concerned, Flamme, was not angry at all.
“That’s why I mentioned it might be an impolite question.”
“Ohohoh… I see. Entertaining. However, human child, the seat made of blood calls for a bloody revenge. Even if you kill all three Black Dragons that possess skill similar to or greater than mine… They will never lift their suspicions. You’ve already met him, the grandson of Onyx, Seoryu, won’t either.”
“Seoryu, that Black Dragon, right?”
Leeha asked Arev, who nodded in affirmation.
“Yes, indeed. He is very ambitious. Although he wants to be an elder himself, knowing his limitations, he doesn’t step forward to act. In fact, the Black Dragons being discussed as candidates for the elder are all of different bloodlines from Onyx, which he resents… Nonetheless, he believes that the next elder should be a Black Dragon.”
“… So, he’s trying to get indebted and then aim to become the elder after next?”
“Moreover, he’s already doubting our Red dragon clan, reaching out to me as soon as I returned to my lair; hence even if you, Ha Leeha, can eliminate the Black Dragon elders…”
The aftermath would be anything but facile.
The issue was not simply the act of killing, but the clean-up ensuing it, which was inherently more problematic.
Listening to the grave discussion between Flamme and Arev, Blaugrunn grew serious as well. Leeha’s intent to kill the Black Dragons was already understood.
But how? What to do with the suspicious Seoryu?
―Do you have a plan for handling the aftermath, Ha Leeha? If Seoryu the Dragon must be killed as well… It would then be necessary to deal with the Blue Dragon that came along, and if things unfold in such a way, Arev, the red dragon, will inevitably become the target of suspicion from other colored clans.
Blaugrunn was also grasping the entire flow. Thus, questions were inevitable.
Even the massively developed adult dragon’s AI couldn’t come up with an immediate answer. How do they intend to navigate through this?
Even as Blaugrunn voiced his concerned question, Leeha seemed somewhat dazed.
“Oh? Hmm! Yes. Uh… I think I can somehow manage. The crucial things are two, right? It’s not something the Metal Dragons did, nor something the Red Dragons did. As long as it doesn’t get pinned on either, it should be fine, right?”
Suddenly snapping back to his senses, Leeha startled himself.
Watching Leeha count on his fingers, Flamme shook her head.
“… Human child, the mere involvement of you, who already belongs to Bahamut’s covenant, would already raise doubts about the Metal Dragons’ interference.”
“Hmm, hmm, then in addition to the first two, there needs to be ‘It wasn’t done by the human, Ha Leeha’, right? Isn’t that so?”
The attention required consisted of three things in total.
Listening to Leeha’s words, all the dragons present tilted their heads. Was there a way to kill the Black Dragons while satisfying those three conditions?
Leeha, unaware of the bewildered expressions of the dragons, unfolded a map.
“Then, Flamme? Could you list the three Black Dragons we should be cautious about? Including their names and locations of their lairs, in order.”
As Leeha squatted by the map to annotate it, Blaugrunn tilted his head.
“Hmm? Ha Leeha, this is—”
“Flamme, and even Arev, praised me highly but… In reality, the dragon known as Seoryu might not be as shrewd as he seems. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have missed noticing such things.”
As Leeha grinned, Flamme also looked at the map with a faint smile. The elderly lady, who had maintained a graceful demeanor, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ha, grandmother?”
“Ahaha! Such a long time since I’ve seen magic. Did the children with such weak mana fail to prepare at all?”
“Th-that’s not really a compliment, is it, lady Flamme? Well, it’s true that since they were caught off guard while they fainted, it all comes down to the same thing.”
Despite Arev’s discomposure, Flamme only continued to laugh. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Leeha kept repeating his request for Flamme to provide information about the Black Dragons.
In a rather light atmosphere, compared to the tasks ahead, ‘Leeha’ noticed the letters T1, t2, t3, and T4 flashing in one corner of the Minis roadmap obtained from Cheka.
Arev paced left and right, looking at the map with a baffled expression before glancing at Leeha. The T4 lettering was subtly trembling.
“…… Even I?”
Target One, two, three, and Four. These were marks left behind from the four chromatic dragons that had assaulted Ram Hwayeon’s fortress.
* * *
Having finished their explanation to the Metal Dragons, Leeha and Blaugrunn left Bahamut’s lair. It was a decision that was almost like forfeiting not just candidacy, but voting rights as well.
Yet, his expression wasn’t gloomy.
“Do you believe in it to that extent?”
“Of course. The legacy of the previous Bahamut is the strong bond among us remaining kindred, isn’t it?”
“Hmm, still… Well, I could have waited for a day or two longer anyway, so I thought that Blaugrunn should have attended the meeting too.”
When Leeha crossed his arms and spoke in a slightly disappointed tone, Blaugrunn just smiled. Both of them had shared a substantial amount of information already, but Blaugrunn had his own reason for hastening.
“Finishing the Chromatic Dragon matters promptly allows Ha Leeha-nim to venture to ‘Laputa’ with peace at heart, doesn’t it?”
“Ah!? So you thought of that…”
There were only a few days left. Soon, the personnel heading to the eastern New Continent would be roughly decided, teams would be organized, and they’d depart immediately.
In other words, spending today on meetings related to Bahamut would practically leave no room to handle the chromatic dragon affairs!
“I would like to go this time too, you know. The research on ‘Quantum Sand’ that Leeha-nim brought last time was quite interesting. Accompanying Leeha-nim would make for even more fascinating adventures, wouldn’t it?”
When Blaugrunn winked at him after Leeha looked at him in surprise, Leeha cleared his throat and turned his head.
‘If only Hwayeon were here, she would have whispered something in my ear again.’
Blaugrunn’s playful gesture wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. With his unique teal long hair and golden proportions, Blaugrunn was a strikingly handsome man, enough to fluster even someone as close to him as Leeha.
As they walked together, Leeha spoke up again, almost as if he remembered something anew.
“Even so, no one seems too upset, right?”
“More likely, they’re so taken aback that they’re at a loss for words.”
“No, I thought everyone would cheer if you announced your withdrawal, Blaugrunn. But seeing that they’re not reacting like that, it seems the Metal Dragons are indeed impressive.”
“Even if they’re pleased, it’s not courteous to show such feelings in such a setting, wouldn’t you say?”
Blaugrunn replied with a light laugh. Leeha nodded slightly, considering his words.
Some of the Metal Dragons still present at the meeting might have held back their true feelings of joy, but there were likely others who genuinely regretted Blaugrunn’s resignation.