The smell of the sea is already hitting me as I pass through the mountains that have been unfolding endlessly in red curves for five days.
This is the sword blade peninsula where the Imperial Office is located.
People called this place the Blade Peninsula, probably because the topography stretched out like a blade from the southeastern side of the Akrad continent.
In the north of the peninsula, which had a continental climate under the influence of the mountains, six cities ruled, and in the south, the Dunos dynasty, founded by rough sea men, ruled.
The red mountain range to the north and the wide open sea on three sides have made the way of life of those who live on this land colorful.
A blessed land where mountain ranges, plains, and the sea harmonize under four distinct seasons. Whenever I see it in person, I think it is not unreasonable that most artists were born here.
For example, the Harimun School, which uses Yin Gong, also had enemies here.
“Peach, look at that! This is the Blade Peninsula!”
“Knives, blades, blades.”
Cassena, who had always inflated her heart at the word adventure, did not try to hide her excitement after entering the Peninsula of Blades.
During the three-day journey, he became completely acquainted with Pipi (the effect of the corn magic was strong), and was always attached to him except when sleeping at the inn.
It was my second time coming here… … At that time, he recalled the image of himself making the same expression as Cassena, and smiled bitterly.
– Rin, this is the Blade Peninsula!
It was different, so different from what I saw in books… … I couldn’t take my eyes off the surrounding scenery because I thought there were all these lands in the world.
– You’ll be meeting another colleague soon, so get ready to say hi.
– who?
Then Friede, who was playing with Pippi, gave out a puff of cigarette smoke and giggled.
– A very scary drunkard. If you mess around like you did with me, you’ll get hit?
I definitely remember thinking like this back then. If the world was normal, how beautiful would this peninsula be… … .
‘I thought I’d be able to see it this time.’
However, strangely, no, somewhat uneasy, the atmosphere was not much different from the end of the world 300 years ago because of the heavy rain front that seemed to devour the sky.
If it rained, my heart would have been pounding at the sight of the rainy peninsula.
As if waiting for something.
And it must be an illusion that the wild grasses and trees, swaying bleakly in the low-rushing summer wind, look as if they are trembling.
“what! I came this far, but why is my face still bug-bitten?”
“I’m sleepy.”
“Then sleep!”
“I told you not to sleep and watch… … .”
While exchanging such meaningless conversations, the carriage continued to run for two days, and finally entered the city of divine dragons, the imperial decree ＜Haraldoniki＞.
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The border was a stone bridge wide enough for ten quadrupeds to pass through at the same time, and on either side of it sat majestic dragons with golden barbs.
Cassena came to a scene that could only be seen in a book, screamed and waved, and the yellow dragons snorted in response.
‘Seeing that the strength of the corps is the same as before, I don’t think there’s much to worry about.’
It was a strangely relaxing moment. Seeing that little has changed from 300 years ago… … .
I came here for two purposes.
There is also something to keep an eye on Valensidis, but seize the opportunity and check the note that Lista left behind Rin’s corpse with Bell Curious.
‘But was there a barrier spread in the Emperor’s Office?’
probably spread out. It was a tremendous barrier that I couldn’t even dare to interpret.
‘Then it might be hidden there and you won’t be able to see my corpse… … .’
Should I interpret it and get rid of it?
No, if I did, wouldn’t it be immediately marked as a warlock and left after going through the abyss? After all, I have to wait until I graduate and see it formally… … .
But I was very curious. What did Rista say to me?
“You come from the Page family.”
“I have been contacted by the Cardinal.”
All the guards who inspected the border crossing in the middle of the stone bridge were Dunos.
They were approved for the establishment of the kingdom due to their extreme loyalty to Gwangryong, and they have been faithfully playing the role of Gwangryong’s servants to this day.
When the guards removed their spears, the wagon started moving again… … As soon as they passed the long border, the tower of the divine dragon rising to the end of the sky appeared in front of them.
“and… … .”
“oh… … .”
Until now, Cassena had played drums and drums by herself, but this time, Rain had to open her mouth wide, just like Rin did.
One of the seven holy grounds built in this world by ＜Things that came＞, the divine dragon’s nest reaching into the heavens, and also called the Sky Castle.
The lofty ivory-colored outer wall wraps around the tower in a circle and disappears into the distant clouds.
The number of floors of the Emperor’s Office is a whopping two hundred and thirteenth floor (a technology that even subhumans stick out their tongues), and on the top closest to the sun and moon in this world, ‘Brilliance that overlooks the world, the light dragon Haraderiman’ resided.
After staring up at the majesty in a daze for nearly an hour, a train of carriages crossed the city and arrived at the Imperial Palace.
The ranks stopped in front of the separate stable to the right of the entrance, and the page family guards opened the carriage door as a signal for the page family guardian knight to get off the horse.
Even the coachmen who took the reins of the horses from the soldiers and pushed them into the stables were guardsmen in shining armor.
Cassena, who had been laughing with her eyes shining as if she couldn’t believe the whole scene, suddenly gave out a voice immersed in vague memories.
“I used to dream often… … .”
“… … ?”
“Dream of going to Kwangryong and telling him to fix my leg… … But now I don’t need it! Lane fixed it!”
Cassena laughed innocently, but only shrugged her shoulders shyly. Did you learn a black magic that shakes people’s hearts when they laugh… … .
“It wasn’t too late, but you came just in time. The schedule starts in half an hour, would you like to have a separate chairperson?”
A priest with a cold impression approached and asked. Since it is customary to wear a school uniform, Cassena and I took turns entering the carriage and changing clothes.
Then, leaving the family guards behind (only those with permission to enter the Imperial Palace) followed the priest, and soon the main gate of the Imperial Palace appeared.
On either side stood a hundred guardsmen, and Valensidis stood at the end and center of the ranks.
“… … ?”
I was only notified that a special guest was coming and was ordered to wait to enter, so I wondered if the plan was discovered, but what the hell is this?
Valencidis, who met Lane’s gaze, blinked several times in embarrassment.
You shouldn’t be here right now… … It was the time when he was about to hurriedly approach Lane after asking one of the guards for his understanding.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
An old man stood in the way of Lane as he prepared to shoot Valensidis, and at that moment all the guards fell on one knee at the same time and prostrated themselves.
that… … It had an aura too noble to be called human, and the skin on both arms exposed from the fluttering cuffs was golden barbs like those of a dragon.
Most of all, majestic golden horns rose from either side of his head, and a long, graceful dragon’s tail protruded and wriggled beyond his robes.
“… … !”
While some struggled in embarrassment and others in awe, only one boy smiled brightly and called his name quietly.
“Yoshhar… … ?”
If there were priests or guards around, they would have pointed their spears at them, saying it was blasphemy.
Why not?
The opponent is the true dragon Yoshhar. One of the five cardinals of the Emperor’s Office.
The person in question, Yoshhar, smiled and exchanged glances with Pippi above Cassena’s head, then only gestured to him to follow him, Rainman.
‘what… … ?’
‘The cardinal himself… … ?’
Everyone at the scene blinked their eyes at the truly unprecedented situation, but no one dared to ask the cardinal about the reason.
* * *
Dragons would occasionally take on human form in order to approach humans in a friendly way without frightening them.
It was called Yongin.
While the most numerous and low-ranking dragons have a very similar appearance to humans, the Jin dragons are so differentiated that anyone can tell that they are dragons.
Just like Yoshhar right in front of me.
“Indeed, many things have changed, but the texture of the soul remains the same as it was 300 years ago, Rin.”
Lane, who was guided by Yoshhar into a deserted prayer room on the first floor, laughed blankly and almost collapsed.
“You knew… … .”
It was a different shock and emotion than when I met Pippi again.
We weren’t close enough to exchange tears of reunion, but if Lista had been here instead of me, we might have cried out loud.
Because Yoshhar said he was like a father to Lista. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was a spiritual father, since he had received that soul by force.
「The great light dragon, Haraderi, knows everything. Even the fact that you came here at the age of nine and regained your memories.”
It was something I had expected, but actually hearing it really shocked me. It can’t be that it’s a being with great magical powers.
“Then maybe you sent me this… … ?”
When I took out Rin’s diary, one of the few personal items I brought on this trip, and showed it to him, Yoshar nodded.
“This is what I, Yoshar, did. Gwangryong opposed it.」
“why?”
Then, Yoshar, who had not lost his majestic smile since the meeting, suddenly looked at the window where yellow dragons were arranged in a mosaic style.
“It is to prepare you.”
“what?”
「You know? The age of dragons is coming to an end.”
“… … ?”
「Gwangryong’s supernatural power isn’t the same as before. Something unknown… … Because the mighty abyss covers the eyes of the light dragon.”
An abyss strong enough to violate the supernatural power of the light dragon? Knowing how serious it was, my spine went cold.
“I caught some warlocks. They all had my face… … Do you know who I am?”
“I know, but I can’t answer.”
“why?”
“Because your tender heart can’t handle the truth yet.”
truth?
What the hell is the truth?
no, wait Now that I met Yoshhar like this, it seemed like a lot of things would be solved comfortably.
“Yoshhar, I heard Lista left me a letter. that’s right?”
I felt like my heart was breaking for some reason. I was afraid of something, and somewhere in my heart felt unbearably sad.
if there is no letter
Even if there is a letter.
Will I be able to handle the feelings of Rista who died while keeping her promise for the rest of my life… … .
After a short silence swallowing dry saliva, Yoshhar nodded in unison.
“It is true.”
It felt like my lips were drying out.
It felt so slow to roll my tongue and utter each word.
“Now, can you let me see?”
Of course, knowing that he would be guided, his heart tightened, but for some reason Yoshar shook his head with sad eyes.
「Impossible.」
“… … ?”
「This is something that the light dragon has forbidden, even I Yoshar would not dare to do it.」
For a moment, it felt like my head went blank, as if I had been slapped with a slap.
“why? why?!”
“When you face your old body, he said he saw the future that there would be disasters in the world.”
What is it? Can’t see the letter?
I almost collapsed from my pulse.
Then why did I go to school? Is there any reason to keep the senior position until the senior year? It felt as if the string that had led to her solitary life had been severed in an instant.
「But this Yoshhar can make you meet Lista.」
Lane, who was staring at the ground, suddenly doubted her ears and raised her head.
Lista?
Meet Rista?
For a moment, I was so confused that I couldn’t even open my mouth. However, the mouth was opened with a random stutter.
“what… … ?”