Chapter 193 : Chapter 193
Chapter 193 - Teaching a Dragon
For the first 24 hours, they couldn't even touch her.
The messenger skillfully dodged the attacks of the four blood relatives, while her mouth moved deftly.
“Is this all you've got?”
“Dante could at least touch the collar of my clothes in one go, but these guys are completely bland.”
“Who nailed your feet to the floor? A sorcerer must always move more than the undead.”
Whether they were tired or concentrating for sorcery, if anyone stopped for even a moment.
Thwack—!
Ransis mercilessly struck the back of their heads.
So, except for Melisende, who had never had sensation in her legs, everyone ran around until they broke a sweat.
Since they were also forbidden from mounting any kind of transport, the blood relatives had nothing to use but their own two legs.
After 24 hours passed like that, their magical power remained, but their stamina did not.
“Should I drop all of you 10km outside the frontmost defensive line? Do you want to try reaching the wall from there using only Skeleton Soldiers?”
“...Who would do such a thing.”
“Your Youngest Son did.”
“……”
Most of what Ransis said had already been done by the Youngest Son.
It seemed like she was spouting nonsensical words, but the successful examples were too close for comfort.
.
.
.
30 hours into the joint training.
The Fourth Son had collapsed, and only the relatively physically strong Third Daughter with the Second Daughter on her back, and the swordsman First Son, were still standing.
The First Son, with half-lidded eyes, stared at a Skeleton Giant that the Fourth Son had failed to put away.
Something. Something he wanted to do came to mind.
“That. I'm using it for a moment.”
“Do as, you please. You son of a bitch.”
The Fourth Son was too busy breathing to even answer properly.
The First Son, clutching his sword, put strength into his calves, thinking it was his last chance.
“Second Daughter. Cover me. It'll only take a moment.”
“...What are you thinking.”
“A thought I've never had before.”
The First Son, who answered in a barely audible voice, squeezed out his last bit of strength and ran to the Skeleton Giant.
The bone spears that flew at that moment were deflected by the gale that erupted from the ghost's sword.
At the same time, the Daughters felt it.
That today was the first time they had helped the First Son in any way.
Furthermore, it was not only the sisters for whom today was a first. This was also a first for the First Son.
“I don't know if this will work on something like this.”
In the end, he had nothing to lose.
Chjujujujujujuk—
The shattered Death Knights from all around floated up and swarmed towards the giant.
One was not enough, so he gathered everything around and attached them onto the giant's skeleton.
Although it looked like he was haphazardly combining them like clay, both the base and the plaster were the works of experts.
Just as one becomes an expert on their opponent whether they like them or not, the First Son clad the giant in black armor as if he had handled it many times before.
“How long do I have to cover you? It's getting tough.”
“There are two of you. And it's over now.”
A greatsword made by connecting the swords held by the Death Knights. He raised it high into the sky.
Five Death Knights were combined into one giant, and so was their power.
Furthermore, with the giant's colossal strength added to it. The power that gathered at the tip of the greatsword made even the First Son's eyes widen.
“...Tsk.”
At the same time, he clicked his tongue. It was a reprimand to his own head for realizing the importance of a joint attack.
He slammed the blade into the ground.
Kugwagwagwagwagwa—!!
The sword strike that stretched out in that direction, as large as a giant and as threatening as a Death Knight, aimed for the messenger.
“That's decent.”
The messenger disappeared with the highest praise she had given in the last 30 hours.
Furthermore, the fact that she had disappeared meant that the practice was finally over.
In the spot where the messenger had vanished, the Family Head appeared.
“You've done it faster than I thought.”
“Because I couldn't bear to see you sitting in my house, in my room, for even a second longer. I have given up many things of mine.”
“Since you've given up, you must have gained something in return. Hiler, what have you gained?”
He spat out the thought he had while clicking his tongue.
“...I have gained power. A power that is not my own.”
He turned his head as he answered. The eyes of the Daughters and the now-awakened Fourth Son were all on the black-armored giant knight.
The one who had sent the messenger back to the ghost dimension was still standing firm.
Although it was hastily made, it was a hybrid that sorcerers below the blood relatives would find difficult to create even in a lifetime.
“Do you now understand why I don't want to waste even one of you in a blood relative war?”
“I understand, a little.”
“...Yes.”
Nod.
“Not bad~.”
The siblings, who would have immediately said they disliked it on a normal day, ended up admitting it.
That they themselves had been not bad just now. No, more than okay, they had been splendid.
Of course, the First Son had handled most of the work, but even that was just fuel.
The confidence that if that guy could do it, there was no way I couldn't.
“This time, match my pace! I'll pull out a really big one for you!”
“How about putting a spirit on its shoulder as a secondary weapon? This time, let's burn with the ghost's fire as its eye-light.”
“I will definitely be in charge of the defensive gear.”
The blood relatives started to find their own places and produce the hybrid.
They naturally turned towards the Family Head.
“I didn't tell you to use me as a target, but since the results are good, I suppose it's fine.”
The Family Head smiled. Hadn't he now become able to properly declare to Ransis?
That my hobby is raising my children.
.
.
.
5th day of joint training.
For 120 hours, they continued their joint attack without sleeping or resting.
From the 3rd day, their words became fewer, and by the 5th day, it was a repetition of mechanical cooperation.
As everyone took turns acting as the main body to create the hybrid, they eventually learned the best way. Patterns suitable for each situation began to emerge.
In other words, they had reached a state of mastery.
“Let's stop here.”
“……”
Thud—
Starting with the Fourth Son, the Third and Second Daughters fainted in sequence.
Lying on the soft grass of the Mujin Plains, they slept the sweetest sleep of their lives.
Magical power was one thing, but stamina would be the main problem, so at most, they would wake up after half a day.
But the Millesdusk blood relatives who would be there after half a day would be completely different people from before.
The First Son, who had not yet fainted, was the first to experience it.
“I never knew I was capable of something like this.”
The Family Head, instead of answering, held up his torn and stretched-out sleeve.
“Something you couldn't do even if you brought a Bone Dragon on your own, the four of you together did it in an instant.”
“...I have cut the hem of your clothes before.”
“Yes. Considering the pile of clothes I've discarded because of you, that might be true. But with your siblings together, it is possible with much less power.”
The First Son's head slowly dropped. His legs had already touched the ground, and his upper body was slowly tilting towards the floor.
The floor, softer than a bed right now, made his eyes close on their own.
The last thing he saw was his father's smile. But the last thought he had before falling asleep was of his youngest brother.
‘A get-well visit, I should give him a gift....’
I should go to the Youngest Son when I wake up. If I can't find a gift, I'll bring a bouquet of flowers.
***
The preparations for the envoy were made swiftly.
The person with the least to prepare here was the Blood Fire Dragon Kairos.
While the others were packing their luggage, he just followed the Youngest Son around.
It was a strange characteristic of dragons that they had good patience but couldn't stand being bored.
Moreover, the Fire Dragon, the most hedonistic among the dragons, couldn't seem to leave the Youngest Son's side.
Even though it was the same that there was nothing to do here right now.
The Youngest Son looked at Kairos and then put his hand into his spatial artifact.
“You should always wear this.”
“What is it?”
“They are glasses that block the sunlight. I used to wear them, but you seem to need them more now.”
The bloodshot eyes were a bit dazzling, but Kairos's reptilian pupils contained too much.
The fact that his true identity was a polymorphed dragon. It was better for that not to be revealed.
“We're an envoy that's going to talk, not to threaten. That's why we formed a small group.”
“That person called the Forest Witch is the second Great Witch, isn't she? Isn't that quite impressive?”
“Not as much as a dragon.”
The Youngest Son put the sunglasses on his ears and placed them on the bridge of his nose.
The long, vertically slit black pupils were well-hidden, but the strange atmosphere remained.
Still, this could be covered up with a profession.
“While we are with the envoy, you are my personal guard.”
“Alright. It sounds like fun.”
“Yes. It will be fun.”
The Youngest Son, who openly appeared in a land without any Millesdusk under the pretext of being an envoy.
The self-proclaimed and publicly acknowledged cause of the East-West war openly revealed himself in someone else's land.
The period of being an envoy was expected to be enough time for Wisdom to choose an assassination method.
It was an obvious fact that there would be many occasions requiring a guard.
“If I'm a guard, do I need to carry something like a sword?”
“A sorcerer's guard is a sorcerer. Then you need to know some sorcery, so I'll teach you what you said you wanted to learn last time.”
“Good. I am always welcoming.”
Since the other envoys were still far from ready, there was time to teach the dragon.
...To teach a dragon. Things worth bragging about in a community were pouring in day by day.
That was the way to play the Youngest Son, and only by doing so could I survive.
Kairos and the Youngest Son, who had moved to an empty room, stood facing each other.
“A curse is, first of all, the will to do something.”
“Isn't all use of magical power like that?”
“If the guys we're going to fight hear you say that, they'll freak out.”
“I will listen for now.”
The Youngest Son, who had nodded, continued.
“Among the wills to do something, to use a curse strongly, you need the intention to kill the opponent for sure.”
“Are you talking about killing intent?”
“Something like that. Recalling an opponent you've hated your whole life is also a good way to practice.”
“Does the master have such an opponent? I do.”
“I...”
I trailed off. Because no one came to mind as an answer.
Who would I resent here? Wisdom? The other great families? The Imperial Family? Myself? It was all meaningless and futile.
“I didn't really have anyone.”
“I see. Then I will try to do it while thinking of my followers.”
“As you wish.”
The target of hatred was decided. Now it was time to choose a curse.
“The curse that pierced my stomach. I want to learn that.”
Tiring—!
[A surprise quest has occurred.]
――「Dragon's Teacher」――
[Description]
: A dragon has sought learning from a human. This is a rare case even when searching through history, and the teachings you give to the dragon will be cherished for a long time and passed down to future generations.
Condition 1: Teach the Blood Fire Dragon Kairos the curse he desires.
Condition 2: The Blood Fire Dragon Kairos must perfectly use the curse he learned.
[Reward]
: Epic Title 「Scale Teacher」
――――――――――
The surprise quest, true to its name, appeared out of nowhere and obstructed my view.
The Youngest Son, who was staring at the system window for a moment, discovered a strategic loophole.
“The curse you want to learn can only be mastered if a blood noble polishes the curse.”
“It would be impossible for me then.”
“No. Have you forgotten what's in your heart?”
“...Indeed. Does the master have a way for everything?”
The orthodox method using Dracul would be impossible, but it would somehow work if I used a loophole.
The system also didn't specifically point to Kapus's curse, but told me to teach him what he wanted.
What's important now is the expansion of interpretation. Translated into player language, it's fitting things together.
A few necessary items for that came to the veteran player's mind.
The first thing needed here is....
“I need a scarecrow.”
I needed a sturdy scarecrow that could withstand the curse of a dragon. Was there anything like that anywhere?
While I was pondering for a moment, the Head Maid opened the outer wall and came in.
“Youngest Son. The First Son has come to visit.”