Chapter 105

What could the Head of the Gallery be?

Felici was curiously gazing down at Kellierhton from the top floor of the Magic Tower, resting her chin in her hand.

“The owner of the Gallery…”

To be precise, they were the administrator of the Gallery, but that distinction meant little to Felici.

After all, the Gallery was originally something that shouldn’t even exist, transcending what a being could comprehend.

The one managing such a thing must surely be extraordinary.

And that made her even more curious.

“Head of the Gallery, what do you desire?”

With a single hand, they easily thwarted outside threats and twisted the predetermined order of destruction.

They scattered tools beyond imagination across the world, altering all civilizations.

And yet, what they were concerned with was merely chatting and collecting jokes with ordinary races?

Felici couldn’t believe it.

If they were such a significant being, surely they must be hiding some ulterior motive.

“I hope, if you have a wish, it’s something benevolent.”

Felici gazed intently at the tea set.

Unique tea leaves sent by the Head of the Gallery.

Each was an exquisite dessert.

By now, the Head of the Gallery had already taken root in Felici’s life.

She sincerely hoped that there were no dark intentions behind it.

“…!”

In an instant, the world tore apart.

Her previously quiet mind shook, and Felici received a warning.

“This is…!”

An event that should never occur in the world.

Amidst the crisis that could even end a dragon, the awakening of the draconic sensing ability sent forth a warning.

-Clang!

The cup she held fell to the ground.

But there was no time to worry about that; it was the moment she transcended thought, her pupils narrowing vertically.

Before her, she saw the end.

A red heat engulfed the land, slowly rising into the sky.

It turned all civilization into dust, and in an instant, all life shattered without even a chance to perceive it.

“Oh, oh…”

The world was painted entirely in deep red.

It was indiscriminate of friend or foe.

Monsters, humans, and animals—all flesh, muscles, and bones vanished into dust.

In the chilling silence, everything was dispersing into powder.

As Felici watched from a distance, the aftereffects of annihilation were slowly approaching her.

-KABOOM!!!

And the explosive sound that pierced her eardrums reached her!

“Huff!”

Felici woke up from the dream.

When she regained her senses, red wings sprouted from her shoulder.

Moreover, her hands had transformed into those of a dragon, causing half of the top floor of the Magic Tower to tear apart.

“Oh no, the Magic Tower I worked so hard to build!”

In a panic, leaving the incoming Shadow Beast behind, Felici hastily accessed the Gallery.

For the first time, she felt fear.

Fear that she might die.

In desperation, she left a message for the only being who could help her—the Head of the Gallery.

Dragon Dragon X: (Stop! Dragon Con)

Dragon Dragon X: No! Stop it!!!

*

A nuclear category has appeared in the shop.

If it was the system I knew, they wouldn’t have released something like this for no reason.

With that thought, I accessed the category.

I was able to receive the urgent contact from Felici.

Dragon Dragon X: I don’t know what you’re planning, but whatever it is, please stop it.

Dragon Dragon X: There’s nothing beneficial about such a future!

Head of the Gallery*: ㅇㅇ?

Dragon Dragon X: Seriously, do you want all this joy you’re experiencing to lead to the destruction of civilization in an instant?

Adding a sense of urgency.

“No, how did you know?”

Felici instinctively felt that what I was talking about was related to nuclear power.

However, despite her worries, I had 0.1% intention of using nuclear arms.

After all, isn’t it because even modern warmongers avoid using them when they have the option?

“It’s because they can’t handle it.”

The nuclear button was a suicide button.

Unable to handle even chemical weapons properly, I obliterated a wide area, let alone monsters.

Then why would I use nuclear arms?

[Shop/Nuclear]

[Little Boy]

1. 99,999,999p

2. Conditions not met

3. Conditions not met

[Fat Man]

1. 99,999,999p

2. Conditions not met

3. Conditions not met

.

.

.

I proved my existence with just one use.

I might be a retired old soldier, but my power remains.

“Wow, the price is insane.”

And I couldn’t even buy them in the first place.

Even if I suddenly flipped around and stuck on a mustache, I wouldn’t be able to use it.

1 billion points, how am I supposed to gather that?

Even if I could buy that weapon, I had nowhere to store it.

It just seemed more beneficial for me to buy 100 million tuna cans instead.

“And even if I had the money, I couldn’t buy it.”

Moreover, all types of nuclear arms had one commonality.

Two conditions marked as unmet.

I didn’t even know what those conditions were.

Head of the Gallery*: I understand what you’re trying to say, but—

Head of the Gallery*: So don’t worry; I absolutely won’t use them.

Sending a reassuring message to Felici, I received a rather dubious reply.

Dragon Dragon X: I’m sorry, but it’s hard to trust that.

Dragon Dragon X: I witnessed the future you could bring about with your choices.

Dragon Dragon X: I’m very afraid that such a future may become a reality.

In other words, that meant she didn’t trust me at all.

She seemed to grasp the power of nuclear arms to some extent just by hearing about them.

It wouldn’t be easy for her to feel reassured just from my words.

“Well, then I need to provide some certainty…”

How can I provide certainty?

I couldn’t just swear an oath on a contract like those cultists who said they trusted me last time.

I didn’t even have a shred of mana.

And diving into a life-or-death contract wasn’t exactly appealing either.

“Was this what it meant to exert influence?”

Just then, Felici took the initiative to make a suggestion.

Dragon Dragon X: Then you should give me your sleeve.

A request for my very clothes.

Of course, I was ready to tear off a piece of my outfit… but I asked for the reason.

Head of the Gallery*: Why?

This other world is vast, and there’s far too much I don’t know.

For all I knew, handing over a mere sleeve could lead Felici to track my location!

She claimed to be the Dragon Queen.

The one who could sense the threat just by looking at nuclear arms, enough to predict the future.

“What if she’s trying to kill me or something?”

I was hesitant even to hand over a single piece of clothing.

Of course, Felici was my blue slave, Felici, and we had some degree of intimacy.

But just like how Felici didn’t trust my nuclear button, I didn’t appreciate the threats beyond the Gallery’s confines.

We couldn’t be called close enough to risk our lives for each other’s trust.

Head of the Gallery*: I don’t want to; please don’t.

Dragon Dragon X: I don’t understand what you mean, but it’s upsetting.

Dragon Dragon X: Just listen and judge for yourself.

Head of the Gallery*: OK.

Dragon Dragon X: Our dragon can read the feelings of others.

Dragon Dragon X: While I may not know detailed thoughts, I can comprehend what kind of mental state they’re in.

For example, a dragon cannot discern what a mortal gazing at them is thinking.

But they can at least tell whether they’re trying to deceive them, are afraid, or have respect.

After all, they can perceive the trail of one’s life and mindset through color perception and fragrance.

Head of the Gallery*: So you mean you’re going to sniff me out and figure out my color?

Dragon Dragon X: (Disgusted Dragon X)

Dragon Dragon X: What? I’m not interested in women!

Dragon Dragon X: Ugh, fine. Just hand over the sleeve already!

Felici seemed determined to get reassurance from me.

If she truly picked up on the nuclear threat and witnessed its aftermath…

Of course, anyone would want reassurance.

Moreover, Felici was sincere about it.

[‘Dragon Dragon X’ has proposed a Dragon Scale Contract!]

Dragon Dragon X: If you don’t trust me, go ahead and read it.

Something thick flew toward me from Felici.

It was a large, scale-like object, resembling a slate—Felici’s dragon scale.

It appeared to have some incomprehensible writing inscribed on it, indicating that it was, in fact, a contract engraved on a dragon scale.

[Dragon Scale Contract]

A contract made to keep promises among dragons.

Can only be crafted with the scales of the Dragon Queen, Felici.

In the case of violating the contract, one must pay with their life.

Dragon Dragon X: Seeing that sight, I felt a fear for the first time in my life.

I wished to end that feeling at just thinking about it.

“Hmm…”

The Gallery system didn’t lie.

If you don’t know, you might as well admit ignorance.

After some contemplation, I snipped off a small piece of my clothing.

And I delivered it straight to Felici.

Head of the Gallery*: OK, I sent it. Confirm it.

Dragon Dragon X: Thank you for trusting me 🙂

“Is this really all I need to send?”

It felt awkward to think that I could gain her trust with just a sleeve, but I suppose dragons wouldn’t lie.

Furthermore, even with that sleeve, there wasn’t much she could do.

About an hour after I sent Felici the sleeve, I finally received a response.

Dragon Dragon X: No way.

Dragon Dragon X: Who on earth are you…?

The reply from Felici came back.

And it was tinged with a hint of disbelief, more than a tad, in fact.

*

Felici picked up the white cloth.

“This is the Head of the Gallery’s…”

A being whose face had never been revealed, whose gender remained unclear.

Rumors swirled within the Gallery about this unidentified entity, perhaps even ghost-like in nature.

To Felici, it was an incomprehensible being possessing the power to realize hell…

“And such an ordinary garment.”

It was a simple cloth made of common fabric.

Of course, one could question whether it truly was ordinary considering its quality, but that wasn’t the point.

“I thought you’d be something a bit more mysterious.”

For instance, a transcendent being materialized beyond matter.

An existence that remained merely as a consciousness.

Or something akin to that.

So although I described it as a mere sleeve, she might expect that it carried something special that even she couldn’t comprehend.

But instead, it was just a common piece of clothing.

“Hm, refreshing. Unique. Interesting.”

That aspect wiped away Felici’s boredom and sparked her curiosity.

She couldn’t help but smile as if feeling a strange sense of familiarity while quietly bringing the sleeve to her nose.

And in that moment, concentrating all her thoughts into a single point, inhaling deeply…

“!”

She realized.

The Head of the Gallery, the administrator of the Gallery, was an unknown entity from beyond this world.