Chapter 113

The father of all dragons in the world, the being called Lord…

I, Jakariss.

Why was I born as such a powerful being, only to be trapped in the abyss of solitude?

Gazing at the endless sky and vast land, I realize.

That my greatness holds no meaning.

A thousand years have passed, yet my powerful body remains unchanged.

But my inner self is crumbling like desert sand.

Who could understand my deep anguish?

My roar shakes the heavens and earth, my wings stir storms.

But what does it matter?

Now that I’ve realized all of this is meaningless.

Oh, cruel fate.

You made me so strong, yet at the same time, so lonely.

Enduring thousands of years, I wandered through endless darkness.

Who could dare comprehend the weight of my existence?

Though I possess absolute power and knowledge, nothing could fill my void.

I am a being cursed with eternity, not even jealous of the stars in the sky.

There is no reason to fear me.

The depth of my solitude is unimaginable…

…

Today, I sensed magic within my domain.

A vast surge of mana from the Caldera Desert.

It was like thunder breaking a long silence.

At first, I felt anger.

Who dares invade my territory?

But soon, the anger turned into something else.

Curiosity? Anticipation? Excitement?

I felt my heart race.

Has a being finally appeared to crack my monotonous eternity?

Regardless, I will go.

To meet the one who made my heart beat.

– Jakariss’s Diary –

*

“Stop, please stop…”

Jakariss knelt and pleaded.

His massive ogre-like form was still intimidating.

His arms were as thick as tree trunks, and the muscles covering his body looked as sturdy as armor.

But in stark contrast to his overwhelming appearance, his golden eyes were filled with fear and pain.

“I can’t… I can’t take it anymore…”

I’ve lost count.

At least dozens of times.

Ariel mercilessly subjected Jakariss to pain, only to heal him with Sacred Magic, repeating the cycle.

“Let’s go again.”

Ariel chanted monotonously.

Just hearing Ariel’s voice was enough to make Jakariss convulse.

Jakariss had tried to resist many times.

He cast high-level magic, used his strength, and even tried to flee.

But it was all futile struggle.

Ariel easily subdued him, and Jakariss couldn’t help but realize how powerless he was.

“P-please, stop, stop…”

Thud.

Another punch from Ariel.

Jakariss writhed in pain and lost consciousness.

Soon, he regained consciousness with a holy sensation.

“P-please, I want to stop…”

Jakariss pleaded with his hands clasped.

The loneliness, emptiness, and meaninglessness he had harbored for so long had all vanished.

Now, only one desire remained in Jakariss’s heart.

Survival.

He craved only the primal desire to live.

If he could survive, if he could be freed from this pain, Jakariss felt he could do anything.

“Let’s go again.”

But Ariel simply raised her fist again with an expressionless face.

“…Stop, I said, stop, you devil!”

Jakariss screamed, rubbing his face against the ground.

“Ugh, please stop, I want to go back to the Lair… Send me back to the Lair…”

Finally, Roo, who had been watching, stepped in.

“Big sis, maybe it’s time to stop…”

To Roo, Jakariss seemed to be in great pain.

Hit, heal, hit, heal.

A few more rounds, and Jakariss might truly go mad.

“……”

Ariel slowly lowered her fist and approached Jakariss.

Jakariss flinched.

A massive ogre trembling in fear of a small elf.

It was a somewhat surreal sight.

Fortunately, Ariel didn’t hit Jakariss anymore.

She quietly reached out and brushed the dirt off Jakariss’s face.

At her gentle touch, Jakariss burst into tears.

“…Sniff!”

It was finally over.

Relief and sorrow welled up inside him.

How painful and terrifying it had been.

He wanted to live.

He wanted to return to the Lair alive.

The Lair, which had always felt boring and tedious, now felt desperately missed.

“……”

Suddenly, Jakariss realized.

How peaceful those empty days he had cursed were.

And how much of a blessing that peace had been.

He finally understood how precious the tranquil daily life he had once found meaningless truly was.

Breathing, feeling nature, existing in the world.

The cool breeze under the shaded trees, the sparkling sunlight by the water, the countless stars shining in the night sky…

All of it wasn’t just a given.

It was a blessing bestowed upon Jakariss.

And other races desperately craved life to protect such blessings.

“Want some?”

Then Ariel asked.

A cake floated gently in front of Jakariss.

Having been beaten all day, Jakariss was starving and immediately opened his mouth wide.

The cake slipped right into his mouth.

“!!”

Jakariss’s eyes widened in an instant.

The sweetness melting in his mouth.

It was ecstatic and wondrous.

It felt as if his soul was being healed.

Jakariss shuddered and swallowed the cake.

“Ahh…”

A sigh escaped Jakariss’s lips.

Who knew a mere piece of cake could bring such intense joy?

Then Ariel handed him another piece.

“Want more?”

“Th-thank you…”

Jakariss expressed his sincere gratitude and began munching on the cake.

Luckily, Ariel also handed him some milk, so he didn’t have to worry about choking.

The sweet cake and savory milk lightly swept away Jakariss’s anguish.

A belated realization of small happiness.

Jakariss vowed.

He would never let it slip away again.

He would be grateful, over and over.

Munch, munch.

The sky was still blue.

And the warm sunlight gently embraced Jakariss.

As if blessing his new future…

*

Ariel took a step forward.

Thick bushes blocked the path, but they couldn’t hinder Ariel.

Various birds sang in the sky, and small animals scurried between the ground and trees.

A peaceful and lively jungle.

Ariel closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

Refreshing air spread through her body.

It felt as if she was becoming one with nature.

“Hmm, big sis, do you think he’ll be okay?”

Roo, sitting on Ariel’s shoulder, asked.

“Earlier, he seemed a bit off…”

Roo was referring to Jakariss.

After being fed cake and milk by Ariel, Jakariss had gotten up and said he wanted to return to the Lair.

He wanted to write in his diary immediately.

“I have so much to write today. I’ve realized so much. I’ll probably be very busy after writing the diary too. First, I want to water the flowers in front of the Lair. It doesn’t rain much there, so they must be thirsty. After watering the flowers, I want to help the little birds build their nests. And then…”

Jakariss happily rambled on about what he planned to do.

But to Roo, it all seemed like trivial tasks, nothing befitting a Dragon Lord.

“Your name is Ariel, right? Thank you so much. There was a small misunderstanding at first, but it was truly a meaningful encounter. I’m so glad to have met you.”

“I’m glad too.”

Ariel smiled brightly.

“But, you know. About the southern region being your territory…”

“Ah.”

Jakariss quickly shook his head. An awkward smile formed on his lips.

“Not anymore. From now on, the southern region belongs to everyone. My territory is just the Lair. Actually, even the Lair is too big for me alone. I should move to a cozier place soon.”

“So, other dragons can come to the south freely?”

“Of course! I’d love it! If other dragons visit, I want to share cake with them. Oh, speaking of which, I suddenly miss Elysion. Should I visit her tomorrow? I wonder how her son and daughter are doing…”

Jakariss’s tone and personality had completely changed.

His soft and gentle demeanor didn’t match his intimidating ogre-like face at all.

Ariel might not think much of it, but to Roo, Jakariss seemed to have some issues.

Like something in his head had broken…

“He was a good dragon.”

Ariel said softly.

At her words, Roo scratched his head and looked into the distance.

‘Well, it’s fine… He’s still the Dragon Lord. There’s nothing a fairy like me can do by worrying.’

If anything, it’s something to be grateful for.

Now Rakia can freely explore the southern region too.

Ariel took another step forward, and Roo shook off his thoughts.

Anyway, it was time to head to the ruins of the giants deep in the jungle.

Roo felt his heart race as he spoke to Ariel.

“Big sis, how about some fruit wine…”

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