“Surely, this test will take quite a while.”
At the campsite, the Marquis muttered as he gazed at the distant snowfield. Although more than a month has passed since the candidates left, not a single one has returned.
One of the nobles muttered with an anxious expression.
“Couldn’t everyone be in trouble… … .”
“Sounds useless.”
The Marquis glared at the nobleman who let out an ominous sound. The nobleman flinched at the sharp gaze of the marquis, but did not shut his mouth.
“Well, if everyone thinks about the distance, isn’t it enough time to go back and forth?”
“Does this look like a wild boar hunt? It’s none other than dragon hunting!”
My voice rose involuntarily. It’s like you don’t even have such a basic idea. Even in the same faction, irritation soared.
“You may get lost along the way, or it may take longer to come and go because of food problems. Even if you reach the place where the dragon lives, hunting methods are a problem.”
As soon as you arrive, jumping out in front of the dragon and shouting ‘Let’s fight’ is suicidal. If you have a brain, you will try to fight the best situation by making a plan here and there.
It is not known how long it will take just to create that ‘optimal situation’. It’s a test that could put your life at risk if you’re serious, so why don’t you try your best?
“Even if you catch the dragon, will you come back soon? You should also bring appropriate evidence, and if you get hurt in the middle of a fight, you’ll have to recover!”
There are too many variables in this test to just measure time and distance. Depending on the situation, it could take three months instead of one month.
‘But it’s like I’m so anxious that it’s only been a month. Tsk!’
The Marquis turned his head away. The aristocrat couldn’t say anything more at the annoyed gesture, but he was still fidgeting with his fingers.
Even Viscount Thorburn, who was worse than him, had to step in.
“Calm down. Why are you so mad when you’re just waiting?”
“that is… … .”
The nobleman, who muttered for a moment, finally turned his head away without saying anything. Viscount Thorburn sighed at the sight. I roughly guessed why.
‘The imperial family must have noticed.’
By now, news about the Platinum Conference and the King of the North should have flowed to the imperial family as well. It was not very good news for the imperial family, so a favorable reaction would not come back.
The lords who are now in this place have no choice but to be hit by an aftershock in one way or another. If there is one that can handle the storm after that, it is only the ‘King of the North’.
‘But all the candidates can’t even see nose poke.’
If the king of the north is not born, the lord has no choice but to bear all the aftermath. That would just make me anxious.
Of course, apart from that, the indecent behavior that just happened was pathetic.
‘Now I have no choice but to pray.’
May a proper king of the north be born. And the King of the North wants himself to be the bettor. Viscount Thorvern secretly gripped his staff tightly.
* * *
When another month or ten days have passed since I set off to hunt the dragon. The first returnees appeared. It was Carol, the heir to the Marquis.
“You are late. I have been hunting dragons.”
It was a mess from snow and dust, but it didn’t look badly injured. Carol held out the head of the reptile she was carrying on her back.
“It is the head of a lesser dragon.”
“… I checked.”
Viscount Thorburn looked at his head and muttered with a nonchalant expression. Others were in a similar mood.
That’s because Carol’s return didn’t give any inspiration.
‘If you hunted alone, it’s great, but… … .’
‘It’s a bit like calling a Lesser Dragon a dragon.’
As the name suggests, it is a lesser dragon whose half is called a dragon. It is a game that is cryptic even if it fits the premise of ‘dragon hunting’.
Once he was recognized as a dragon among the candidates, but whether or not the northerners recognized him was another matter.
However, Carol calmly asked even after reading the atmosphere.
“Have the other candidates not come yet?”
“Not yet. You are the first to return.”
“Is that so.”
Carol, who tried to keep her composure, nodded. Carol, who quickly entered the barracks under the excuse of rest, raised the corners of her mouth.
‘Sure it is. what is dragon hunting Do you think they are ancient heroes?’
From Carol’s point of view, this test itself was ridiculous. Lesser Dragon, Ban-Hyun, who is ashamed to even call it that dragon, almost died while catching the monster.
No, in fact, if the Marquis’ support was insufficient, if there were no family relics, he would have really died or been seriously injured. Even with only lesser dragons, it’s this far, but what a dragon.
‘There’s no way someone will come back alive.’
No matter how strong, it is the living who smile in the end. No matter how great a hero may be, what use would it be if he became a corpse and scattered across the field?
It is as if he has won just by coming back intact. All you have to do is smile at the other candidates who come back crippled or reduced to corpses.
“The third test is no longer necessary. I was just curious.”
Carol smiled and soaked herself in the simple bathtub. A few days after that, when he saw the candidate who returned for the second time, Carol was convinced again.
“I brought you a drake.”
It was Dorian who returned. Like Carol, Dorian also brought the head as evidence. Its size was incomparable to that of a Lesser Dragon.
No matter who sees it, Dorian’s landslide victory. However, Viscount Torvern, who was checking the evidence, couldn’t bear to speak. After a while, he barely uttered a word.
“Are you okay?”
“… … .”
Dorian said nothing. It was pretentious to say that it was okay, and it was ugly to say that it was not okay. The sacrifices made to catch Drake were too great.
“Since I caught the dragon alone, it can’t be helped.”
Dorian looked down at his arm with a wry smile. The abnormally distorted shape was unusual. It was impossible even to pretend to return it to its original state.
Rather than wasting precious potion money, it seemed better to amputate it before dying.
“I will go to the treatment. It hurts a bit.”
The arms are just the worst part. There was no sound spot in the whole body. Unlike the arm, it would be possible to treat it, but it could have died on the way.
Viscount Thorburn looked at Dorian in silence before opening his mouth.
“Dragon slayer of this era.”
“What about a dragon slayer with only one drake?”
“No, you are the dragon slayer.”
Who would call him a coward because he risked his life to fight against the dragon? Following Viscount Torvern, the surrounding nobles also bowed their heads one after another.
Even if everyone else denies it, we will admit it. You are a dragon slayer and a hero. That feeling was conveyed to Dorian as it was.
“hahahaha.”
Dorian let out a laugh, hiding his reddened eyes. Carol shrugged her shoulders even when she saw Dorian, who was recognized by everyone.
‘That’s over.’
What’s the point of receiving everyone’s recognition? With that body, I wouldn’t even be able to take on the next test. Isn’t it an honor that briefly twinkles like fireflies?
I was once again confident in my choice. The other candidates will not get well, so in the end, the final winner will be himself.
* * *
However, Carol’s expectations began to change after that. The third candidate to return was Rogaine.
“Drake’s head.”
Loghain threw the head he had been carrying heavily. People were amazed. It looked relatively fine for catching a drake similar to Dorian.
“Mo, how are you feeling?”
“I will die.”
Logaine frowned at Viscount Thorburn’s words.
“It seems that all the bones in the body are cracked. It’s a cheap price for hunting a drake alone.”
“… … .”
People shut up. As Logain said, his body was full of minor wounds. It seemed to have been hit several times and bumped here and there.
“I am going to rest.”
“Yes, yes.”
No one stopped Rogaine. People looked at the back of Loghain as they left with eyes full of awe. I thought he was just a human who was Ragnar’s assistant.
‘It’s a coincidence.’
Everyone was surprised, and Carol gritted her teeth. I never thought that I would come back intact. It must have been incredibly lucky.
But luck like that doesn’t come only a few times in life. The next candidate, at best, will appear crippled.
“I caught a salamander.”
As if mocking that expectation, Bjorn returned for the fourth time. In his hand was the severed head of a salamander still burning.
“Bird, Salamander!”
“Oh my God, that’s for real!”
People were frightened by the heat they felt even though they were far away. Although its body is small compared to other dragons, it is one of the most dangerous dragons because of the high heat it emits even after death.
But to think that he hunted that Salamander casually!
“Awesome, Lord Bjorn!”
“Hey, you were lucky.”
Bjorn was really lucky. This is because the Salamander was a relatively young individual, and it relied too much on flames, making other attacks poor.
Of course, it goes without saying that the relics Luke gave accounted for the largest share. While people marveled at Bjorn’s achievements, Ragnar returned for the fourth time.
cooong.
“It’s a flame dragon. Let’s check it out.”
“… … .”
Everyone stared blankly at Yeomryong’s neck. Among the dragon heads brought by the candidates, the size was exceptionally large. If the head was this big, the body would have been too big.
‘Even though it’s called the strongest among all dragons.’
From noble mtl dot com
Due to its strength, it is a flame dragon that can subdue even dragons larger than itself. However, the flame dragon caught by Ragnar is the largest among the dragons hunted by the candidates.
An undeniable feat. Truly the return of a legend. The aristocrats in astonishment came thirsty. The illusion that the king had already been decided weighed heavily on his chest.
‘Really? Will the barbarians become kings?’
‘hehehe, I thought that the great integration of the north would happen by barbarians.’
When everyone is surprised to lose their jaws. Indeed, Ragnar had his arms crossed with an uncomfortable face. Because this yeomryong was not the yeomryong he was aiming for in the first place.
‘The one I was aiming for was a bigger one.’
When I went to the habitat, the yeomryong had disappeared somewhere, and another one excluded from the candidates was coiled.
It’s the same flame dragon, so there’s no problem? No way. Aren’t the achievements you have to prove terribly reduced?
‘They seem surprised enough at this level.’
lack. It is not enough to reproduce the old myth. Ragnar wanted himself to be like Godfrey.
This flame dragon could be a hero. However, it was far from enough to become a myth.
‘I can’t help it. I think this is enough for this test, so maybe later… … .’
“I-what is that?”
Ragnar, who was lost in thought, was awakened by someone’s voice. When I looked up, I saw an aristocrat whose jaw had fallen out and his mouth was open.
“What is it?”
“There, there! head! Heads!”
The nobleman babbled and pointed to one side. What could be more surprising than the head of the flame dragon brought by Ragnar?
The eyes of the nobles all at once turned to the place the fingers pointed to. At that moment, everyone froze in unison. Because an unbelievable scene was unfolding before my eyes.
“… Oh God.”
Someone muttered blankly. At the end of their gaze, Luke was whimpering and moving the nine hydra heads tied together.