Kkiiik.
Theo discovered a familiar face when he opened the door. Both of them had sensed each other, so they weren’t entirely surprised. Bandages covered half his skin, but Randolph was as cheerful as ever.
“Oh, did the naughty and oversleeping Young Master finally wake up?”
“Meanwhile, Randolph can easily run around,” Theo’s admiration was clear as he examined Randolph.
It was as he said. Lee Yoonsung’s memories had left Theo with a deft eye for anatomy and diagnosis. Randolph’s injuries would take at least a month to heal, and three months to recover back to his peak. His body was a tribute to the life and death battle he had fought.
However, Randolph seemed extraordinarily pleased. “Of course. I made some profit from this battle, so how can I lie down and forget it?”
“Profit? Surely..” Theo asked as Randolph laughed gleefully.
“Well, it’s only been half a day since I caught sight of it,” Randolph spoke casually, but the meaning of his words was never light.
There was only one thing which would count as profit. It was the prerequisite to being a sword master—awakening his Aura Ability!
Randolph, who had been relying on his powerful aura and physical abilities, had finally stepped into the realm of transcendence. The fight with Pride had acted as a catalyst, and another master had emerged.
Theo admired Randolph’s achievement, “Congratulations. Now you are a complete sword master.”
“It is complete, but if I want to use it perfectly, I’ll need to train for a few years. Well, that’s nothing compared to when I was wandering around aimlessly.”
However, Randolph couldn’t hide his joy as he chuckled and bumped Theo’s shoulder.
If he had been practicing alone, it might’ve taken him five or ten years. Despite the dangerous situations he’d found himself in, this achievement was the result of his relationship with Theo. The last fight with Pride had forced his potential out at the border of life and death.
After a short chat, the two went down the stairs together.
“By the way, where is this place? No matter where I look, it doesn’t seem like a dragon lair,” Theo asked.
Randolph replied, “Ah, she said that this is a villa. It’s on an island on the outskirts of the Pirate Archipelago. It’s an area that the pirates can’t enter.”
“Villa…” 𝒆𝙣𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝙚𝙩
Well, a dragon didn’t have to sleep in a cave. Theo understood the explanation and reexamined the interior. It wasn’t comparable to the Sea God Festival, but the paintings and decorations seemed expensive. Rather, it was similar to Earl Bergen’s mansion.
However, the crucial difference was the owner’s presence. As soon as they stepped into a long corridor off the stairs, a clear voice rang in their heads
[This way.]
It was a voice that transcended space. It was very different from the words that were transmitted with a voice. Theo didn’t understand the underlying principles, but as soon as they heard her, the structure of the mansion was fully engraved in their minds.
Surely this… Is it Dragon Words?
The draconic language held the power to shorten dozens of pages of information into a few syllables. Numerous magicians in the past had tried to recreate it, but they had never succeeded. Theo’s curiosity as a magician was boiling, but now wasn’t the time.
The duo soon faced Aquilo on the villa’s terrace.
“Welcome. Is this your first time in a villa?”
They were lost for words as they saw her smiling faintly under the afternoon sun. Unlike before, she hid her two horns and tail, so she just looked like a beautiful woman. If the continent awarded a title for the most beautiful woman, she would be the top seed in the competition.
Aquilo beckoned them closer with a lazy wave.
“Don’t just stand there, sit down. I’ve prepared things in my own way, so let’s start the story.”
As Theo and Randolph sat in the chairs, several people emerged holding steaming plates.
This?
Theo hadn’t eaten in three days, so his mouth naturally started salivating at the scents that wafted over. It was a type of dinner he had only seen when eating with Kurt III. The servants finished setting out the lavish meal, and Aquilo smiled while raising her glass.
“Cheers!”
Thus, the infamous dragon’s luncheon began.
***
Some people might’ve been suspicious about this luncheon, but Theo didn’t think so. She’d had plenty of chances to kill him in the last three days, so there was no need to poison him here. So Theo started serving himself immediately. He carefully ate a bit of the meat, and…
… Uh, isn’t this really delicious?!
It was comparable to a dish from the hands of Meltor’s royal chef. It wasn’t just the quality of the ingredients; this dish was made by someone with first class skills. It was gourmet cuisine with dozens of gold coins. Theo glanced at Aquilo in surprise, and was amazed again.
She had the most perfect table manners out of anyone he had seen so far. The location of the tableware was perfect, and her expert knife handling made not a single sound. Her mouth had no dirty stains nor drops of sauce, leaving the napkin untouched. A dragon was faithful to their basic needs, and food was one of those.
Theo marveled at her elegant appearance and continued to eat. For an hour, the only sound was the occasional scraping of a fork as the three ate until they were sated.
Clang.
As the owner of this place, Aquilo was the first to put her utensils down. “Hrmm, it was pretty good. Does it suit your taste?”
Theo nodded without any hesitation. “It was really good. This is the level of a royal palace.”
Randolph said, “I haven’t experienced that, but the food was really impressive.”
Aquilo smiled at their effusive praise. Shortly afterward, the people from inside the villa removed the empty plates and placed fragrant tea before them.
Aquilo took a sip and turned to the two. “Then let’s settle the debt I owe the both of you.”
It had finally started. Theo held his breath as he waited for her to continue.
“The dragon clans have different inclinations. It is emotions for the red clan, wisdom for the gold clan, life for the green clan, purity for the silver clan… and like me, the blue clan puts emphasis on interest.”
It didn’t mean that she liked to obtain benefits. If she was gracious, she had to receive something in return. If she owed someone, she should pay them back. Repaying back any debts was the nature of the blue dragon. This was the reason Aquilo took a tribute from the Pirate Archipelago in return for her protection.
“The two of you saved my life. My own strength helped me overcome the crisis, but the debt I owe is still heavy. I can’t pay back my life with half the gold on this archipelago.”
She raised three fingers.
“One for the swordsman, and two for the boy.” Aquilo looked regal as she made the pronouncement, “I will give you three favors for your grace toward me. If you want, I can even give you sovereignty of this island.”
The two men looked at each other and came to a silent agreement, causing Randolph to open his mouth first.
“I don’t care about this island. Rather, I need a sword.”
“Sword?”
“My swords were completely broken in the fight against that monster. If you have any good swords, can I receive two? That is my request of you.”
He looked at his falchions bitterly. They had long cracks running down their spines and looked ready to collapse at the slightest touch. He had just recovered them and the techniques hidden in them from the Miller Barony, yet his inexperience had left them damaged beyond repair. If he had truly been a master, they would’ve survived the battle.
However, Aquilo had an absurd expression on her face. “Two swords? Are you serious?”
“You can’t?”
“A dragon owes you a life debt, and you ask for two swords?”
She looked outraged at Randolph’s words but soon exerted her power.
[пространство (Space).]
Dozens of swords poured out of mid air. Theo recognized many famous blades. They were valued as antiques, but they were also excellent for battlefield use. He even saw a few dwarven masterpieces. When she saw the ecstatic Randolph, Aquilo sighed heavily.
“Take everything. Wouldn’t it be annoying if the value of my life is only worth two pieces of scrap metal?”
Randolph’s eyes widened. “R-Really?”
“No, I’ll give you armor as well since yours broke. Pick your favorite one.”
Aquilo snapped her fingers and suits of shiny armor poured out on top of Randolph. Randolph didn’t even mind getting smacked in the head by the bouncing suits of armor as he ran toward the pile and started digging through them. Theo and Aquilo couldn’t help laughing at the sight before they looked at each other.
The two remaining favors belonged to Theo. Theo could read the unspoken ‘Don’t disappoint me this time’ in Aquilo’s eyes.
He said, “First of all, I want you to dismantle the Pirate Archipelago.”
“Hrmm?” Aquilo made a strange noise as she stared at Theo.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Randolph looked up from his armor. Theo’s request meant destroying the vast supply of goods Aquilo was receiving. The pirates’ tribute was worth hundreds of thousands of gold every year, so wasn’t this huge damage?
However, Aquilo was surprisingly calm. “I’m sorry, but that isn’t my responsibility.”
“Why?”
“I organized the Pirate Archipelago, but the pirates have been living here since then. I don’t have the right to do that unless you ask me to kill everyone or to destroy this island.”
Indeed, she was correct. Her authority and her power were two different things. It was possible to destroy the Pirate Archipelago, but the ownership of the island and the residents’ rights couldn’t be handed over by her. However, Theo had another way to dismantle the Pirate Archipelago.
“If so, I want you to take back your blessing. Is that possible?”
Aquilo smiled as she confirmed,“Of course. That won’t be hard.”
In some ways, this favor was crueler. Yet Theo knowingly made that choice.
The Pirate Archipelago had been able to move freely in the sea due to the blessing of the sea dragon, Aquilo. The pirate ships that lost their patron’s blessing had no advantage over a conventional navy. They would be defeated, imprisoned, and then judged by law as criminals. The fate of the pirates was decided.
“Now, what is your last wish, boy?” Aquilo whispered as she cupped his chin. The blue hair hanging over her white skin naturally attracted attention, but Theo was too busy thinking. The last wish was the important one. It was his last chance to receive something from her.
The magician, who held this rare opportunity, spoke carefully, “The last thing that I want…”