Chapter 75

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on January 26, 2025

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After leaving the Lizardman Kingdom, Ariel’s group arrived at the Crin Frost Mountain Range shortly after.

The majestic Crin Frost Mountain Range stretched towards the sky.

The snow-covered peaks sparkled under the sunlight.

Ariel took a deep breath as the cold wind brushed against her.

The refreshing air seemed to seep deep into her lungs.

The Crin Frost Mountain Range was extremely cold, and it was even snowing.

“Ugh, it’s so cold, sister…!”

Roo, trembling inside Ariel’s hat, spoke up.

Ariel, with her infinite stamina stat, wasn’t bothered by the cold at all, and Ghost and Black, being spirit beasts, didn’t seem to mind the cold either.

The only one feeling the cold was Roo.

Fairies, being a species that naturally lives in warm regions, were naturally sensitive to the cold.

Roo fluttered her wings and burrowed deeper into Ariel’s hat.

“Uh, when will we arrive, sister…?”

“We’re almost there.”

Not far away, a massive entrance could be seen between the mountain peaks.

Unlike the snow and ice-covered ground, it glowed with a golden light.

That must be Elysion’s lair.

Ariel continued walking.

As they approached the entrance, a faint flow of mana could be felt.

And soon, when they reached the entrance, a bluish light could be seen surrounding it.

The bluish light formed a complex pattern, and Ariel instinctively knew it was a barrier protecting the lair.

Ghost tried to approach the barrier and sniff it.

“Don’t.”

Ariel quickly stopped Ghost.

Beside her, Black shook off the snowflakes clinging to his body with a “Kiiing” sound.

“This is a barrier magic, sister.”

Roo, peeking out from the hat, spoke up.

The barrier moved slowly, as if it were alive, emitting light.

The light was cold and beautiful, but at the same time, it exuded a sense of intimidation.

Ariel reached out and touched the barrier.

Zap!

A tingling sensation ran through her hand.

It was a powerful lightning-based magic, but it couldn’t harm Ariel.

If Elysion, who cast the barrier, had seen this, she would have been dismayed.

This barrier was a high-level lightning magic capable of killing even a troll in one strike.

But Ariel nonchalantly stuck her hand through the barrier.

Zap! Zap!

The barrier shook violently, as if warning the intruder.

But it didn’t break.

Instead, the barrier’s magic grew stronger.

Zap! Zap! Zap!

“……”

Ariel furrowed her brow.

It seemed she would need to use a bit of strength to break the barrier.

But breaking someone else’s barrier would be rude.

Ariel pulled her hand back, and just then, someone appeared from inside the barrier.

“What! Who dares to touch the dragon’s barrier so brazenly?!”

It was a dwarf with a golden beard. The dwarf grumbled as he walked over.

“You must be asking for a beating… Huh?!”

Then he saw Ariel and was startled.

“Hello.”

Ariel greeted him cheerfully. She couldn’t quite remember his name, but this dwarf was definitely Rakia’s brother.

Seeing Rakia’s brother here meant they had come to the right place. Rakia must be here too.

“You, you…!”

The dwarf stuttered as he looked at Ariel.

“How did you get here…!”

“I came to see Rakia.”

Ariel replied in a calm voice.

The dwarf frowned.

“Go back. Rakia is busy right now.”

Then he turned around.

Ariel quickly reached through the barrier and grabbed the dwarf’s arm.

Zap!

“…? This barrier… why are you unharmed…?”

The dwarf looked at Ariel with a bewildered expression.

The barrier’s magic was clearly reacting, but Ariel’s expression showed no change. She was as expressionless as ever.

“Eek!”

The dwarf tried to pull his arm free from Ariel’s grip. But his arm didn’t budge.

“Let go!”

The dwarf put all his strength into it, and just then, Ariel released his arm.

“!”

The dwarf tumbled to the ground.

It was like watching a boulder roll.

“Sigh.”

The dwarf, lying on the ground, sighed and glared at Ariel.

An elf who was unaffected by Dragon Fear and had monstrous strength.

It seemed she wouldn’t leave so easily.

He wanted to drive her away with high-level magic, but…

‘Just this once, I’ll let it slide…’

Rakia’s brother, Lionel, dusted himself off and stood up.

Then he deactivated the barrier and welcomed Ariel’s group into the lair.

*

The air inside the lair was warm.

“Ah, now I feel alive.”

Roo flew out of Ariel’s hat and fluttered around.

“So this is a dragon’s lair.”

The lair was shaped like a massive cave.

The walls were covered in glittering gold, giving off a golden glow.

Ariel’s group followed Lionel through a narrow passage.

Soon, they reached a spacious area where Rakia was sitting with her eyes closed.

“……”

A smile spread across Ariel’s lips.

It felt good to see Rakia after so long.

And Roo and Ghost felt the same.

“Rakia!”

Roo quickly flew over and clung to Rakia’s face. Ghost also ran over and licked Rakia’s hand.

Rakia opened her eyes.

“Roo…? Ghost…?”

Rakia blinked, then soon noticed Ariel.

“Ariel!”

A smile bloomed on Rakia’s face.

“How did you get here?”

“Rakia, you didn’t come for so long, so we came to see you ourselves!”

Roo answered, and Ariel nodded beside her.

“You came all the way here to see me…?”

Rakia looked touched.

Ariel approached Rakia and patted her head.

“Have you been well?”

“Well, my mother suddenly collapsed…”

At Rakia’s words, Ariel turned her gaze.

There, a woman was lying down.

She had golden hair and a beautiful face. Her ears were pointed like an elf’s.

Rakia’s mother, Elysion.

Her face was covered in black spots, and a green barrier surrounded her.

“Those black spots…”

Roo muttered as she looked at Elysion’s face.

“Is it a curse…?”

“Yes.”

Lionel nodded beside her.

“She was hit by dark magic.”

Lionel clenched his fist in frustration.

“There’s no way to break that dark magic. Right now, the best we can do is take turns maintaining the barrier to prevent it from spreading further.”

“……”

There was a reason Rakia hadn’t been able to come to Ariel.

Rakia had been maintaining the barrier to prevent the dark magic from spreading through her mother’s body.

*

Lionel disappeared somewhere to recover his mana, leaving only Ariel’s group and Rakia behind.

“Ariel, I don’t think I’ve seen this black wolf before. Who is it?”

Rakia asked, looking at Black.

“Is he a new companion?”

“Yes.”

Ariel answered while petting Black’s body.

“His name is Black.”

“Ah, his fur looks so soft. If I weren’t maintaining the barrier, I’d want to pet him too.”

“Rakia…”

Roo gently rubbed Rakia’s cheek.

“Is there really no way to break that dark magic?”

“Hmm.”

Rakia nodded weakly.

“Brother went through all the ancient books, but it seems impossible. That dark magic was cast by Baalberith, a high-ranking officer of the Demon King’s Army. In the past, my mother protected the Lizardman Kingdom from the demons, and Baalberith cast it at the cost of his life. That curse has remained in my mother’s body and recently flared up.”

“Hmm.”

Roo scratched her head.

Indeed, if it was dark magic cast by a high-ranking officer of the Demon King’s Army at the cost of his life, it would be difficult to break with ordinary methods.

But Roo thought there might still be a way.

“I’ve heard a rumor that there might be someone who can break it. Someone who can break even curses cast by the Demon King himself.”

“Who is it?”

“The Saintess.”

Roo spoke with a serious expression.

“The Saintess of the humans should be able to break that dark magic.”

The Saintess is a special being born under the protection of the gods.

The Saintess possesses divine power that surpasses magic, and the act of healing with that power is called a “miracle.”

“The Saintess’s miracle can break any curse and purify any corruption. So, if we bring the Saintess here, we can break that dark magic in no time.”

At Roo’s words, hope lit up Rakia’s face.

“I need to tell my brother right away!”

Rakia tried to get up.

“Ah.”

But she stopped. She couldn’t leave her spot now because she had to maintain the barrier.

“…I’ll bring her.”

Ariel said and walked off.

In the direction Lionel had disappeared.

*

“Ugh.”

Lionel soaked in the hot spring, quietly closing his eyes.

The hot water melted away his fatigue, and his whole body felt relaxed.

This hot spring was a place Lionel had created himself.

A magic circle for mana recovery was drawn on the bottom, making it a magical hot spring where he could recover mana while relaxing in the hot water.

If he had to pick his favorite spot in his mother’s lair, Lionel would choose this place without hesitation.

He loved this hot spring that much.

Especially now, when he was maintaining the barrier for his mother and running low on mana.

He made sure to visit this hot spring at least once a day to recover his mana.

‘What should I do…’

Lionel pondered.

He had searched through all the related books to find a way to break the dark magic spreading through his mother’s body, but he hadn’t found a solution.

But maintaining the barrier like this every day, taking turns with Rakia, was not only exhausting but also meant his mother couldn’t regain consciousness.

‘We need to break that dark magic somehow… Hmm, maybe we need help from another race…? Elves or humans might know a way… Even though they’re inferior races…’

Lionel slowly opened his eyes.

‘Right, I should ask another race…’

And then he suddenly locked eyes with Ariel, who was staring right at him.

“Ahhh!!”

Lionel screamed and backed away.

Perhaps because he had been lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed Ariel approaching.

No, more than that.

“G-get out! I’m taking a bath right now!”

Lionel’s face turned red. He was currently naked.

It was strange for a dragon to be embarrassed about being naked. Dragons naturally didn’t wear clothes and proudly displayed their golden scales.

Even Rakia didn’t feel the need for clothes and enjoyed bathing with Ariel, but Lionel was different.

Since childhood, Lionel had been sensitive, and he found it extremely embarrassing to be seen naked like this.