Red Dragon And Dragon Orbs (2)

“So you’re telling us to pretend to take revenge and deal with that human?”

“That’s right. Just kill him. After that, hand over the Black Dragon with him to us.”

“So you want us to kill our own kind, leave them in Greek City, and frame the human for it?”

“Exactly. Don’t tell me it’s hard to kill a weak dragon that lives away from the group.”

“Do you think I would kill my own kind for the likes of you? Foolish. So very foolish!”

Veint began to provoke Nies with a sneering tone. But Nies remained calm, simply nodding as if it were the most natural thing.

“You would. Because we’re rational.”

At this, Veint began to laugh loudly again.

“Ha ha ha! You know me too well. That’s right! An independent dragon not affiliated with any faction can be sacrificed for my cause as much as needed. But remember, you come first. Don’t forget that!”

“Well, we’ll see about that. Just know that the moment you break the promise, it’s your end.”

“Hmph, well, alright.”

The two dragons nodded at each other. Once Ronel was gone, the next position of elder would be his for sure. He would have control over the entire Red Dragon clan. Veint was one who would do anything for that.

“But that human can’t be dealt with by just one or two of your kin. Keep that in mind. You need at least ten. For safety, take fifteen. He has the Heart of the Dragon Lord.”

“I naturally know that much. We have the justification of dealing with a kin killer, so what’s the worry? We’ll just take our entire faction.”

As Veint spoke in a tone that dismissed trivial questions, Nies’ dragon eyebrows twitched slightly. However, for the sake of the greater cause, he decided to overlook the rudeness and started to laugh.

Veint laughed as well, and the cronies around him began to laugh too.

The rationale for the killings exchange was agreed upon. They couldn’t directly touch El right now due to lack of justification.

Of course, El was not a dragon but a human. The current truce forbidding dragon-on-dragon fights had nothing to do with him. Killing him under the guise of a one-on-one duel was a personal matter, unrelated to the dragon race’s agreements.

But frustratingly, he couldn’t win one-on-one. That fact itself mercilessly scratched Nies’ pride. A one-on-one duel was acceptable, but lynching was impossible without justification. Because he wasn’t an ordinary human.

That’s why he racked his brains and now had created the justification.

The two dragons, having reached an understanding, looked at each other and laughed for a long time before parting ways.

And a few days later.

News reached Veint’s ears that Ronel had died. Veint feigned calmness but inwardly he was overjoyed. His rival was gone. Thinking that only glory awaited in his future, in his mind was already a rainbow.

Of course, there was work to be done. He couldn’t let Nies reveal that he was involved in Ronel’s death to their kin. He couldn’t afford to lose the power that was so close at hand.

Feigning a calm face, Veint called his most trusted confidant, Nilt, and asked.

“They didn’t find out, did they?”

“It seems not. We used an ancient weapon; it couldn’t have failed.”

“I see. Hahaha! In that case, the Red Dragons will all be mine. Good! Very good. So, did you look into the Red Dragon Nies mentioned?”

“Yes! That dragon’s name is Sereina. I found out she’s closely related to a guy named Garud, who is part of Ronel’s faction.”

“A mate?”

“Not quite to that extent yet, but they seem to be dating.”

“Is that so? Then it would be convenient if Garud kills her when she’s least expecting it. Since they’re dating, they must often meet in quiet places. It’s a good method, even in my opinion.”

“Yes! You are indeed the boss!”

Nilt flattered Veint as he praised him. With the certainty of Veint becoming an elder in the future, sycophancy was essential.

“The Ronel guys are finished. And Garud being part of the faction indicates he has an interest in power. Now that Ronel is dead, he’ll be stuck in the lair until he dies. If he doesn’t want that, he’ll listen quietly, right? I don’t know how much he loves her, but rumors say he’s a lightweight, so there’s a good chance he’ll change his mind. Should we contact him?”

“Do that. Dragons are a dime a dozen. If he desires power, he’ll choose it over love. Living with other dragons under his feet or stuck in a corner of the lair, thirsty for trivial love. If it were me, I’d obviously choose the former. Find out what he thinks. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll deal with him directly, but if there’s an easier way, we should take it. Plus, if we use him, we can pin all the blame on him if necessary, isn’t that perfect? Ha ha ha!”

Veint, who had a similar personality to Nies, started laughing coarsely. He was satisfied that everything was going according to plan.

It was the quietest time at the restaurant on the hill. The lazy afternoon after lunchtime and before dinnertime.

Inside the restaurant, Rurin was sprawled across several tables pushed together. Her long eyebrows fluttered. Her breathing was steady and content.

Even looking at her made me feel like falling asleep, such a relaxed expression.

“Haaahh.”

I yawned without realizing it. Just as I was yawning, the restaurant door opened.

The person who came in.

No, they didn’t look like a person. The red hair blowing in the wind was too striking. Plus, they looked familiar. A dragon I knew.

“Is this where you live? Isn’t it too shabby?”

A face that looked like it was in its late twenties. And a dazzling beauty. A mature, sophisticated aura. Completely different from Rurin’s freshness. A flashy and radiant feeling. The face and red hair matched perfectly.

“The Red Dragon of the Miliorrek Mountains?”

It was definitely her.

The dragon I had briefly fought in the Miliorrek Mountains. And the very one who had fled, spouting strange words.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Despite having fled, she shrugged and displayed the pride characteristic of dragons.

This brought a moment of silence. I couldn’t think of what to say.

She didn’t hold a grudge strong enough to come all the way to the restaurant. It wasn’t for revenge. Besides, she had acknowledged very cleanly that she couldn’t beat me in a fight. I still remember that coolness. So her reason for visiting was even more unclear. I quickly set aside the vegetables I was washing and moved out from the kitchen to the hall. Then I broke the silence.

“So, what brings someone as great as you to such a humble place?”

“Who knows, what could it be?”

What?

But the Red Dragon shrugged and questioned me back instead. What an absurd dragon.

“This is a restaurant.”

“Oh, is it? It does look like it. Then, shall I eat something?”

She brushed her red hair back. Then she looked at the bar table. She seemed very familiar with the concept of a restaurant. Unlike Rurin, she must have experienced human leisure.

“Well, if you want to eat something, I can’t refuse… But first, I’d like you to explain why you came here.”

Dragons always have something up their sleeves. So I had no intention of just serving food while saying, ‘Yes, right away’.

“That’s my business. Just as that Black one lying there can locate my fear and teleport, I too can find you. So I came. Is that not okay?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Whatever.

Dragon or not, what does it matter? She came to the restaurant and said she wants to eat, so I’ll just serve food.

I shook off the complicated thoughts and turned back to the kitchen.

“That’s right! Now that I think about it, you treat customers like kings! Come on, serve something. A mage cooking, that’s unusual.”

The Red Dragon walked in with an air of arrogance. And just as arrogantly, she sat at the bar table, crossing her legs.

She indeed had a lot of experience with human leisure. She even knew the concept of ‘customers are kings’. Her behavior in the restaurant was very natural. Quite different from Rurin, who couldn’t adapt at all when we first opened this place. She sat at the bar table naturally and looked for a fork.

“But.”

“Hmm?”

Then suddenly, she started a conversation.

“I have a question, will you answer it?”

“A question?”

The Red Dragon looked at me with a serious face. She took a deep breath as if to steady herself, then glanced at Rurin who was purring, and spoke again.

“Do you love each other, you and that one?”

The one she pointed at.

Of course, she meant Rurin, who was sleeping with her lips twitching.

I suppressed a strange feeling rising in my heart as she called Rurin ‘that one’ and interrupted her.

“What nonsense is that all of a sudden?”

“You were very close before, and you live together, right? Anyone would think you like each other.”

“Me? That one?”

“Yes.”

What the. I snorted. Her tone, as if it were obvious, was irritating.

“The Black one is fine, but you seem to like her a lot too.”

I looked at Rurin for a moment at the nonsense. She was sleeping. I took a breath and tried to say something, but the dragon continued speaking, the content too serious to interrupt.

“Would you die for each other? Is there such a thing as true love in this world? If there is, I want to see it. I want to watch with my own eyes. I’d even want to experiment by telling them they’ll be spared if they kill each other after capturing a human.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about since a while ago, but one thing is certain, I would die for Rurin. And if you try such a bizarre experiment, it will be dragon hunting season.”

“Die for that Black one?”

“Yes.”

Love or whatever, I don’t know.

If Rurin were in danger, I’d probably jump in without thinking. Anytime. Isn’t it obvious?

“Words alone can’t be trusted. Although I won’t have time to watch it… because it’s the end.”

Her lively voice suddenly talked about the end, and the volume decreased.

A self-deprecating laugh followed. But that laugh was somehow more alluring, making me think that if there were customers in the restaurant, they would all be enchanted. Of course, to me, it was just the laugh of a reptile. Other dragons, except Rurin, are just big beasts to me.

Rurin looks like Rurin.

Because Rurin is Rurin.

“What is love? When you trust it, it betrays you.”

She spoke another self-mocking line. I couldn’t stand it. Since she asked for food, I started cooking silently.

Sizzle-!

The battered fish sizzled deliciously as it bubbled up. Today’s lunch was a home-style set meal featuring fish that highlighted the beauty of simplicity, restrained from usual flamboyance.

Previously, Rurin had tried to flip the table calling it grass, but after a temple attack, she reluctantly nibbled at it, saying the fish was delicious, and ended up eating two meals in one sitting.

Sizzle-!

I fried the fish twice. It’s a fish called Minchak, thicker than the ones commonly caught in Korea, and boasts an exquisite taste when fried.

Of course, due to the nature of Greek City being far from the sea, it’s a specialty that can only be had at our restaurant.