Chapter 90

“Hey there!”

Through the slightly opened window, a fairy flutters in so cheerfully.

Its curious eyes dart around the house, brimming with interest.

“Hello.”

The cheerful morning greets us, waking up the quiet dawn. The 12th day of autumn begins with a small greeting from a fairy.

Soft and fluffy spirits gather at my feet. As I sit up on the bed, they swirl around me like a warm embrace.

“Suri.”

“Pii!”

Suri prefers to perch on my shoulder but when I extend my hand, she flies over and curls up quietly, basking in my gentle strokes with an expression of pure happiness. Her soft fur gleams beautifully as it covers her cute round face.

“Let’s get to work.”

With Suri’s playful smile, we step outside. A dry breeze brushes against us, carrying the crisp freshness of autumn. It’s invigorating and relaxing all at once – truly the season of autumn after summer has passed.

On this 12th day of autumn, the fields are ripe with golden wheat swaying like waves in the wind, creating breathtaking ripples of gold.

“I can make bread too.”

Though I need to build a windmill first, that shouldn’t be too hard. Just add it to the blueprint and construction is complete. Imagining freshly baked bread made by Evangelin this morning makes my mouth water.

No matter one’s social status or achievements, people remain mostly unchanged. Even becoming a baron hasn’t altered my daily routine much, except for perhaps paying more attention to magic now.

Mining, fishing, dungeon crawling, farming, crafting, completing quests – these repetitive tasks fill each day. Occasionally visiting the capital or going somewhere upon invitation breaks the monotony, otherwise it’s about steadily building foundations at home.

Today was supposed to be another such day, if not for an unexpected visitor…

In the dim light between night and dawn…

“Hi.”

Just then, a silver-haired girl’s visit came quite unexpectedly. Though calling her a girl might not be accurate – Bell, the dragonkin who wields a spear well. How she found her way here remains a mystery, but she was welcomed warmly.

“It’s been a while. What brings you here?”

“Curiosity. Ruins.”

Her usual short responses require some interpretation.

“You mean you got curious about something in the ruins?”

“No treasure found.”

Bell’s eyes droop in disappointment. That reminds me of a gemstone I picked up at the end of some place but never knew what to do with, so it’s been sitting in my bag all this time. I take it out and show it to her.

[Thought Gem]

“…!”

“Is this the treasure you were talking about?”

Bell carefully takes it from my hands and examines it from all angles – checking its reflection, polishing it gently, even peering into it closely. After some moments, she nods.

“Yeah.”

Though her face brightens briefly, it soon falls again in apparent regret.

“Here.”

She hands it back to me.

“Don’t you need it?”

“It’s not mine.”

“If you need it, you can have it. I don’t really need it anyway.”

“Really?”

Her eyes sparkle with renewed hope as she looks up at me.

“Yeah. Where do you plan to use it?”

“Dragon.”

“Dragon?”

“Will meet dragon.”

Could this gem somehow summon a dragon? Or act as some kind of medium to call one?

Thinking of dragons brings another one to mind – the one coiled up on the 50th floor of the dungeon. Meeting a real dragon there might be faster than whatever method Bell has in mind.

“How can you meet a dragon with this gem?”

“Wish… payment required to grant wish.”

A gem that grants wishes? The explanation remains somewhat vague.

“I can let you meet a dragon too, you know.”

“!?”

Bell gasps in surprise, her face trembling.

“Kidding.”

“Really? There’s one nearby. Want to go meet it?”

It might be a bit dangerous, but if we run immediately, we should be able to escape. Though recalling the memory of being one-sidedly beaten in battle brings back some tension.

Who knows, maybe communication between dragons and dragonkin is possible. Perhaps that’s why Bell seeks to meet one so earnestly. Seeing her determined face makes it impossible to say it was just a joke.

“Yeah.”

Bell sticks right by me without hesitation, making me chuckle.

“Let’s eat first. Have you had breakfast?”

“No.”

“Then wait a moment.”

Food is essential for living after all.

Her slightly flushed cheeks and frequent blinking reveal her anticipation. Despite appearances, she’s still quite young.

Evangelin arrives and we have breakfast together – Bell, Jack, Evangelin and myself. The table feels full with four of us. I idly wonder if it would feel like this with children someday.

When Evangelin inquires about Bell’s identity, I vaguely explain she’s someone I met during my travels before.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

I’ve never brought anyone to the dungeon before. People in the game aren’t supposed to know about its existence. Whether it’s hidden or allowed within the game mechanics remains unclear.

How it’s implemented in reality is uncertain. Now I’m about to find out with Bell.

The unpleasant sticky sensation of violet hues fills the air, accompanied by the smell of decay and alcohol.

“Here?”

“We need to go deeper.”

“Yeah.”

Never thought I’d return to the dungeon for this reason. The unpleasant scent lingers briefly then dissipates. Passing through reveals I’m not alone in the dungeon’s first floor for the first time.

This proves the dungeon isn’t exclusive to me.

“Stay back.”

“I fight well.”

“I fight well too.”

Perhaps because of her appearance, despite wielding a long spear skillfully, her small stature evokes a protective instinct. Bell nods at my words then keeps a slight distance behind me.

We defeat monsters and descend deeper into the dungeon. With upgraded equipment and combat level 3, the previous tension has disappeared. Mastering mana usage was the key turning point.

Previously unavoidable fatal situations in battle can now be forcibly turned around with mana. This allows me to approach battles with more composure, seeing things more broadly rather than narrowly focused.

The sword glows brilliantly, leaving trails of fire in its wake. Bell initially startles but soon gets used to the phenomenon, following silently. Her steps remain steady despite never having swung her spear yet.

“Be careful.”

At the 20th floor, Bell senses something and warns me in a low, tense voice.

The floor where dark knights appear. Clad in black armor, wielding shield and sword, their heavy footsteps echo as they approach.

“I’ll help.”

“It’s fine. Stay back.”

Calmly stopping Bell from stepping forward, I draw my sword and slowly aim at the target.

Not magic, but combat skills. Though my modern mind still struggles to understand the difference, my Valley of Starwind instincts recognize it.

The mysterious result of magical power creates a sharp trajectory that shoots out silently, piercing through the shield and splitting the dark knight in two.

“Wow.”

Turning briefly, I see Bell standing with her mouth wide open, having put away her spear.

“You fight well.”

“Shall we keep going down?”

“Yeah.”

Bell’s response gives me more confidence. It carries trust rather than doubt.

At the 30th floor, when we encounter a golem, Bell cautiously suggests retreating. I demonstrate breaking rocks with a pickaxe to gain experience points.

It feels like giving a child new experiences. Her frequent surprised reactions watching my combat style are endearing, making me feel accomplished.

At the 40th floor, knowing the flames from shadows could be dangerous, I keep Bell at a distance. She now trusts my abilities fully, only holding her spear defensively for self-protection.

Battles have become easier compared to before. Cutting through shadows poses no great difficulty.

Arriving at the entrance of the 50th floor where the dragon resides…

“There’s a dragon here.”

“I sense it.”

Unlike her usual compliance, Bell confidently leads the way into the 50th floor upon understanding.

As soon as we enter, a massive dragon comes into view.

[Ant. And…]

The dragon’s voice resonates throughout the space, perfectly comprehensible.

[Ah, our child.]

[It’s true.]

Bell speaks in the dragon’s tongue.

Moved. Sadness. Joy. Accomplishment.

All emotions mix on the girl’s face, contorting into an indescribable expression. Unable to tell if she’s laughing or crying, she approaches the dragon resolutely. Wanting to warn her of potential danger, but the dragon’s intimidation prevents me from moving closer.

More intense than before, clearly telling me not to interfere.

[Bell. Named after Kasha.]

[Who gave you your name?]

[Merry. My mother.]

[Merry… Such a nostalgic name.]

Conversation between dragon and dragonkin. Perhaps I misunderstood Bell’s identity from the start. Is she really a dragonkin?

[Need to get rid of the ant.]

[No! They protected me until here.]

As the dragon’s gaze turns to me, Bell quickly blocks the way. The dragon exhales lightly then transforms into human form. Though magical, it’s beyond my current comprehension, showing my limited magical knowledge.

[So, Bell. Why did you come here? And why are you with this ant?]

[Hearing there are dragons… I came to meet adult dragons. There are none in this world.]

[All dragons have left, building castles in the skies.]

[Can we go there too?]

[Hmm. I’m trapped here myself… That gem. Where did you get it?]

The dragon’s gaze locks onto the thought gem Bell holds dear.

[This person found it in the ruins.]

[With this, we can return together.]

[It’s not mine.]

[What use is that? Taking it by force will suffice.]

A strong murderous intent emanates from the human form of the dragon, wanting to kill and take.

My grip on the sword tightens involuntarily. Initially thinking to give up the gem and retreat, irritation builds into a fierce determination to resist.

I won’t let my things be taken so easily.

[No! They helped me…]

Bell extends her trembling hands to stop the action. It’s touching.

[Hmm.]

The dragon strokes his chin then eases the overwhelming pressure. Relieved, I take a deep breath after realizing I’d been shallowly breathing under tension.

[Alright. Let’s hear your story.]

A table appears suddenly with three chairs.

Bell nimbly jumps onto a chair. Both looking at me expectantly, I awkwardly sit down as well.

One human, one dragon, and one dragonkin – or perhaps two dragons. Thus begins a peculiar meeting.

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