Vol 7 Chapter 62

"Thanks to you, I had a good experience too. We're probably the only three people who've experienced crossing a river of lava on an ice bridge. It feels good."

Lucrecian also couldn't take his eyes off the lava, grinning with narrowed eyes like a satisfied cat.

'It's good they're both feeling pleased, but are they not thinking that if my concentration had slipped even slightly, all three of us might have fallen into the lava and logged out after dying horribly...'

Then again, both Kion-hyung and Lucrecian were bold enough that one might believe they had left their sense of fear in their mothers' wombs at birth, so perhaps it wasn't such a strange thought.

"Kar. But how much further do we have to go?"

"If we go in here it's the end, but..."

"But?"

Kapros hesitated a bit before opening his mouth.

"There's a dragon inside."

"A dragon? ...Huh? Like the dragons that appear in fantasy novels? Th-that black dragon from the story of the heroes 500 years ago? Surely not that one?"

"Is it really that black dragon? If it's a dragon we might meet, that seems like the only possibility..."

Kapros waved his hand to calm down Kion-hyung who was shouting in surprise and Lucrecian who was showing excessive interest.

"It's a different dragon."

"Huh, I've seen a goddess but never a dragon."

"The most amazing thing I've seen was just a large divine beast..."

Though Kapros thought dragons, goddesses, and divine beasts were all much the same, he didn't say it out loud.

"...Let's go in then."

"Great. A dragon after the lava river. What a lucky day, let's go!"

『 You.have.returned. Successor.of.the.great.mage. 』

Not long after entering the new cave, a booming voice came from the darkness. Kapros stopped and summoned several Fireballs to float high above. When the body of a dragon so huge that only a few scales could be properly seen where its toes were presumed to be was revealed, muffled exclamations could be heard from behind him.

"Yes. I have returned."

『 ...But.why.do.I.not.see.him.by.your.side.this.time. 』

Sharp senses indeed. Somehow, Kor seemed to have immediately noticed Superior's absence from Kapros's side.

"He has temporarily left his position due to personal matters."

『 I.see... Then.what.of.the.Forest.Daughter's.thoughts.that.I.asked.about? 』

"I was able to get a proper answer about that."

Kapros relayed Ilumine's answer to Kor, trying not to miss even a single particle.

"Ilumine said to tell you that if you don't want to repeat the same history as the past, you should either move from the start, or not move at all until the end."

『 Is.that.all? 』

"Yes."

Kor was silent for a moment. While looking at the dragon's mysterious scales that could appear like ancient magnificent ruins from one angle, or like the world's most beautifully polished jewels from another, after waiting for a few minutes, Kor, seeming to have organized his thoughts, made his voice resound again.

『 I.understand.the.elves'.opinion.well. I.thank.you.for.your.trouble.on.my.behalf. 』

Ding!

- Quest, Flame Dragon Kor's Request 1 has been completely terminated.

- As a completion bonus, Flame Dragon Kor's favorability increases by 15%!

- Your firm sense of responsibility shines and Will increases by +10!

'Whew, as expected, it wasn't going to be completed smoothly just by getting an answer from Ilumine.'

However, Kapros clearly remembered that after hearing Ilumine's answer, a blank number 2 had newly appeared in the quest window that had shown completion status. As if to support his uneasy premonition, Kor's voice was heard again immediately.

『 Successor.of.the.great.mage. I.still.need.the.opinions.of.other.races. Would.you.help.me.once.more.and.relay.their.opinions? 』

As expected, he knew this would happen. Kapros quietly nodded to indicate his agreement.

"I understand. Which race is it this time?"

『 This.time.I.would.like.you.to.meet.the.master.of.the.dark.blue.iron.craftsmen.dwarves.and.seek.their.opinion. 』

Ding!

"I understand. I will do so."

『 Human.who.knows.loyalty,.may.the.blessing.of.the.dragon.race.be.with.you... 』

As Kor finished speaking, a red mass that had formed in mid-air was absorbed as if pouring over Kapros's head.

Ding!

- Special limited passive skill 'Dragon's Dignity' has been created!

'Of all things, a special skill that only applies until the completion of quest 2...'

Combining the skill description and the meaning of this period, Kapros thought that he might have received this because the power of this skill would be needed for the dwarf race he was about to meet.

"Thank you. I will return to see you again later."

『 ..... 』

Kapros gestured to Kion-hyung and Lucrecian who were standing behind him to leave, with Kor remaining silent behind them.

"Whew...ha. That was really overwhelming."

That was the first thing Kion-hyung said after coming out of the cave where Kor had been.

"It could probably match even a goddess if done right."

"So, are you going to go right away for the quest you just received?"

At Lucrecian's question, Kapros first opened his map window.

Where would the new red dot be marked on the continent's full map...

'...Hm?'

He could see a clear red dot marked at a location barely separated from the center of the Orgen Mountains where he was currently located. Though he blinked several times wondering if he was seeing wrong, no matter how he looked at it, the red dot was marked between the mountain ranges barely a few centimeters away from their current position.

"The new place we need to go is shown as not far from here."

"Hmm.... Then it would be convenient to move right away."

That was probably right. Kapros quietly nodded.

"Then we'll cross the ice bridge again? Let's hurry."

Looking at Lucrecian urging them with an amused expression, Kapros felt quite dubious even while knowing it was something they had to do anyway.

"You fraud, why are you more excited about Kar's quest?"

When Kion-hyung asked sourly, seeming to feel the same way, Lucrecian answered with a laugh, "Oh, was I found out?"

"It's been so long since I've had such an interesting experience. I was just thinking I made the right choice following hyung. It's so interesting I'd like to do the Superior quest myself if I could. Mine was nothing special."

"...You? The Superior quest?"

Kion-hyung's expression changed quite strangely.

"Stop it, stop. Just thinking about it is horrifying."

'Lucrecian and Superior might have actually gotten along quite well if they had met.'

Kapros looked down at the Superior staff while thinking that behind Kion-hyung who was shuddering. The combination of the always smooth and confident Lucrecian and Superior who was nothing without his confidence might have unexpectedly made a good match.

"But I think it's more fun like this, seeing more while working less hard."

"Kar. Let's go quickly. Hyung doesn't want to hear any more nonsense from that guy."

To save Kion-hyung who was grumbling while pressing his forehead, Kapros summoned Inferno and Blizzard once again. After the ice bridge was built over the lava river and disappeared once more, they were able to return outside the cave where they had been initially.