Chapter 304 : Helper of the Last Dragon Clan

Our daughter?

This little sprout is a daughter?

'Did I hear that wrong?'

Or, was it a metaphorical expression, meaning she was as precious as a daughter?

A plant named 'daughter'?

Don't tell me... a dragon with dementia?

I looked at Istradel, who was carefully caressing the green sprout with a look of utter adoration.

"A daughter?"

"Yes. Our daughter."

Istradel wiped the ash from the leaves with a careful touch and explained.

"How much do you know about the creature called a dragon?"

I answered honestly.

"I know nothing. Only that they lived in the age of ancient myths and disappeared for an unknown reason."

"That's right. To some extent."

'To some extent?'

Then, was there something wrong with what I said?

"It's natural that you don't know about the ecology of dragons. There's no one left to tell you."

Istradel nodded and explained.

"Dragons bloom from the earth. They grow by absorbing the grand energy of the earth. In the beginning, they are beings that are plants."

"Pardon?"

A dragon is a plant?

"It is the only life that becomes an animal from a plant. That's why it's special."

Istradel fiddled with the ash that was spread around like sand and answered.

"The ash will be enough nutrients. It will bloom a flower on its own, and then, from the root to the petals, it will burn up and a fruit will be born. That is the birth of a red dragon."

"..."

So, this small sprout was really the child of the great red dragon in front of me.

"After you leave, I will burn myself and become this child's nourishment. For all things come from the earth and return to the earth."

"You're going to... burn yourself?"

"Of course. You saw my appearance, didn't you? I don't have much life left. The reason I have been waiting without burning up until now was to meet you."

"..."

I was at a loss for words for a moment.

I stared blankly at the small, green sprout that had sprouted from the ashes and then asked.

"What's its name?"

"It doesn't have a name yet. A name is something that one gives to oneself by defining one's existence in the dynamic world."

I didn't hear a name.

But for some reason, I felt like I could know the name of this small sprout.

The mysterious appearances that the Red Witch, Scarlet Bellucci, had shown me came to mind one after another.

They were all moments that made me wonder, 'What on earth is her identity?'

The great dragon had not been exterminated.

Because the last red dragon had survived.

Istradel raised her head and looked at me.

"How is it? Our daughter?"

I answered honestly.

"She looks just like Istradel."

"Really?"

"...Yes."

Istradel smiled brightly.

It was a pure and bright smile, but why did my heart feel so heavy?

"Will you tell me a little of the story?"

I willingly told her everything I could remember about Scarlet, without leaving anything out.

Starting from how I met her.

That she was a smoker who never let go of her cigarette.

The modifier, 'Red Witch'.

How splendid and terrifying her flame magic was.

And how scary she was when she was angry.

But, how kind and warm she was to those close to her.

How smart and knowledgeable she was.

How many confusing and difficult words she used.

What kind of expression she usually had.

How serious she was about her research, to the point where she sometimes suffered from insomnia.

How much the members trusted and followed her...

I told her everything I knew.

Istradel's green eyes, which resembled Scarlet's, sparkled as she listened with great interest.

She smiled with satisfaction and repeated, "Our daughter... our daughter..." as a refrain.

My long story came to an end.

Istradel looked at the tiny sprout silently for a moment and then opened her mouth.

"Our daughter... is the last of the dragon clan left in the world."

Istradel, still crouching, fiddled with the ash around the sprout with her fingertips.

"A lonely and solitary mission awaits her."

"...I see."

"From where you came to here. I don't know how much time has passed. Dragons are immortal unless something special happens."

Fidget, fidget.

Istradel gathered the surrounding ash and clumped it around the sprout.

It was a gesture as if she were making a small breakwater.

"The child who holds the last flame must wait, pushing back the time until the time comes. For a long time."

I listened to her explanation as I helped her build the breakwater.

It felt like playing in the sand.

"She has the duty to delay the return of the Evil God. Until all preparations are complete."

"Preparations..."

"Finding the sword that will cut the Evil God and the one who will wield it."

Istradel looked at me.

"The time is coming. It's not far off. The Evil God is wearing the clothes of meaning that his followers have offered."

"..."

"She must be a smart child, like me, so she must have realized it on her own as she looked around the continent. The reason she sent you was for the final confirmation, after all preparations were complete."

"But I'm not ready yet—"

The moment I was about to retort.

The necklace began to vibrate.

"There's not much time left."

Istradel reached out her hand to the side, and then took something out of the empty air.

"Here, take it."

Istradel handed me a reddish bead.

"This, give it to our daughter."

"...Yes."

I swallowed the words I was about to say and took the bead she gave me.

"And this..."

Istradel took out another bead from the air.

It was the same size as the one she had given me before, but it was colorless and transparent.

It looked like a glass bead.

Istradel closed her eyes, holding the glass bead, and a tremendous energy began to gather in the bead.

Whoosh!

Istradel's red hair fluttered as if it were scattering, and the flames that had been floating around, illuminating the surroundings, flickered uneasily like candles in the wind.

The ash that had been spread on the floor like a sandy beach began to rise all at once, and soon, it became a huge storm and began to blow in all directions.

Those tremendous phenomena were just a secondary phenomenon that occurred in the process of putting energy into the bead.

As the energy put into the bead grew, the vibration of the necklace also grew.

Woooong...!!

The moment I thought the necklace would break, just like when I had stood in front of Tina.

Hook.

As if it were a lie, the wind stopped.

And the ash that had been rotating around this place fell down.

The necklace that had been crying out like crazy also became quiet.

Istradel, who had opened her eyes, handed me the bead, which was imbued with a red energy, with a slightly tired look.

"Here, take it."

I took it carefully.

"This is..."

"It is the most precious gift I can give you. I have put my magic power into it, to the extent that it will not harm the timeline."

At a glance, it was an energy that could not be compared to the magic stone I had obtained after dealing with the Snowman.

Furthermore, since I didn't feel the characteristic, unclean energy of a magic stone, there was no need to purify it.

A bead filled to the brim with the purest and deepest, high-purity natural energies.

A precious treasure whose value could not be guessed.

"Why are you giving this to me..."

Istradel smiled.

"It is a return gift."

"A return gift? I haven't done anything to deserve a return gift."

"In your eyes, in your words. I was able to catch a faint glimpse of our daughter."

"Ah..."

"Thank you for helping our daughter from the side. Thank you for easing her burden, even if just a little."

"..."

Istradel muttered as if she were disappointed.

"This is all I can give you."

"No. It's enough. It's overflowing. In the first place, I received more help from Big Sister."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"That's a relief. And that, it's impossible for now. Use it when the time comes."

"The time? When are you talking about..."

"You'll know naturally when the time comes."

She was similar.

She was a woman who often said confusing things, like Scarlet.

Istradel looked up at the empty night sky for a moment, and then smiled brightly.

"The gods are very fond of you."

"The gods?"

"Yes. Especially the god of night and the god of midnight."

"Uh... isn't this a time before I was even born? How do they know me..."

"The gods who have not lost their divinity can freely come and go between the days that have not yet come and the days that have passed. Time is mixed in between their steps."

"Uh, hmm. I see."

So they're not bound by time, something like that.

As I listened to Istradel's words, my head began to throb.

"Ashuban."

"Yes?"

"Sharpen your sword. The opponent is one who wants to turn the world to ash and put it under his feet."

Ah, I understood this.

This time, I did not avoid her eyes, with a determined face.

"Leave it to me."

Woong...!

The necklace vibrated.

Istradel looked at my necklace and said.

"The moment of farewell has come."

When I followed her gaze and looked down, the necklace was vibrating and spewing out a red mist like steam.

I held out my hand to Istradel.

Istradel smiled and took my hand.

What should I say to the dragon who was facing death and holding her daughter in her heart?

"...Thank you."

"Please take care of our daughter. Helper of the Last Dragon."

Istradel shook my hand up and down a few times, just like when we had first met.

And she took a few steps back.

It was a gesture to avoid being engulfed in the red mist.

I waved at her.

Istradel, who tilted her head, waved back.

"What is this?"

"It's a farewell. It means... 'my palm is bigger than yours'."

Istradel laughed.

The red mist slowly wrapped around me.

"Ashuban."

"Yes."

Istradel looked at me with a still smiling face.

But, for some reason, it was a slightly sad smile.

"Tell our daughter."

"...What should I tell her?"

The red mist covered the space between me and her.

"I'm sorry."

In a state where I was completely surrounded by the red things.

Istradel's voice, which had become faint like a mist, was heard faintly.

"And I love you."

The sorrowful voice that I had heard from beyond the red-dyed vision.

I put it deep in my heart.

* * *

The way back was short.

Just as going down a mountain is faster than climbing it.

As I was watching the red mist that surrounded me as if it were the last time, it soon scattered, and the quiet night of the forest surrounded me.

Chirp, chirp.

The cool night breeze and the sound of insects greeted me.

It was a peaceful scene, as if nothing had happened.

I looked up at the sky.

The dark blue night sky was full of stars, and the pale moon was looking down at me quietly.

Crack!

At the sound of something breaking, I looked down, and the necklace, which had exhausted its power, was flashing red, and a large crack was running across the gem.

"..."

I stared at it blankly, and then looked at the red-haired magician who was watching me quietly.

"I'm back, Big Sister."

The last descendant of the Red Dragon, Scarlet Bellucci, said with a gentle smile.

"Welcome back. How was your time travel?"

A bitter smile formed on my lips.

"...It was impressive."

It was certainly a journey that I would not forget in many ways.

Just then, the sound of rustling footsteps was heard from behind.

Thump.

Someone put a hand on my shoulder.

When I turned around, a woman with nine tails and red around her eyes was looking at me.

"Ah, you scared me."

"Why are you so surprised?"

"How can I not be surprised when a vicious magical beast like you has taken over my back?"

"It's not vicious, it's alluring. Where else would you find a woman as alluring as me?"

"It's not alluring, it's cunning. Why are you suddenly transformed?"

"This is not a transformation, this is my true form."

"Whatever. Why are you doing that?"

"The moonlight is good, and I was engrossed in my role as a guardian."

"Shut up. Move aside. I have something to talk to Big Sister about."

"Tsk."

The Nine-Tailed Fox crossed her arms and took a step back.

I looked at Scarlet.

"Big Sister."

"Yes. Did you complete your mission?"

"That's why I was able to come back."

I untied the necklace that had served its purpose and handed it to Scarlet.

She stared blankly at the necklace, which had been split in half, and then looked at me.

"The Red Witch's special commission, complete."

"Was it difficult?"

"Yes. The second one was especially."

Scarlet smiled faintly.

"But you managed to do it somehow."

"Yes. Thanks to you."

I exchanged a meaningful glance with Scarlet.

"Since I have successfully completed the commission, please give me the reward first."

"Yes. I said I would answer three questions."

"Yes."

Scarlet smiled brightly and said.

"Ask away. Anything."

I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve.

"Big Sister."

I asked the first question in a more solemn voice than ever before.

"How old are you?"

...Crack.

A vein popped out on Scarlet's forehead.

(End of Chapter)