Chapter 75

“Shrimp….”

“Hmm?”

“Shrimp. Me too.”

—

It sounded like a child.

A slightly delicate, high-pitched voice made me turn my head. There stood the hooded figure from earlier.

Or… should I even call them a person?

Maybe they were Dragonkin?

—

Though clearly human-shaped, there was something instinctively *off* about them.

An intangible distance.

A faint sense of otherness.

Something indescribable radiated from them.

—

“Shrimp?”

“Yeah. Shoulder.”

Their speech was simple, almost stilted.

Had they not fully learned human language yet? Thinking of them as Dragonkin made this assumption seem natural.

—

Perched on my shoulder, Suri tilted its head curiously. It seemed to recognize itself being mentioned.

Smart little bird.

—

“Ah. You mean Suri?”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“You want to touch it?”

“Yeah.”

—

I gently called out to Suri. Its gem-like eyes, resembling the night sky, stared at me intently.

—

“This person wants to pet you.”

“Pii!”

“Is that okay?”

“Pii!”

“Got it.”

—

I carefully cradled Suri with one hand while the hooded figure slowly extended their pale, delicate hands—perfectly ordinary-looking ones.

No hint of scales or anything unusual.

Just small, childlike hands fitting for their petite stature.

—

“Here.”

“Waaah…”

A soft gasp of delight escaped beneath the hood. The joyous smile peeking through and those glowing yellow eyes exuded pure fascination.

—

“Pii?”

“Waaah!”

“Pii!”

“Waaahh!”

For some reason, it felt oddly familiar. This peculiar connection between human and bird reminded me of Anne doing something similar before.

—

Suri waddled around in those white hands, then allowed one of them to gently stroke its feathers—softly, cautiously.

There was no trace of malice, so I relaxed. Nearby, others began to share similar curiosity and goodwill.

—

“Are you raising it?”

“Yes, his name is Suri.”

“It looks well-cared for and very obedient.”

A casual passerby’s comment made me feel oddly proud. Perhaps this was what it felt like to be recognized as a proper owner.

—

“Waa…”

Small hands.

There was nothing Dragonkin-like about them as Suri shuffled across their palms. Despite the confined space, Suri’s compact size made it work.

—

Soft sighs of wonder and happiness filled the air. The hood bobbed slightly as if suppressing an excited exclamation.

—

“Suri.”

At the sound of my low, gentle voice, Suri’s head snapped toward me. Then, flapping its wings, it proudly returned to perch on my shoulder, its tiny feet tapping against me to secure its balance.

“Ahh…”

Regret.

Longing.

The emotions pouring out from beneath the hood were unmistakable. It brought a smile to my face—how much they must have loved Suri.

—

“Next time…”

“Next time, can they pet him again?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay!”

So innocent.

So naive.

Their tone carried an unfinished quality, like someone still learning.

—

A spark of curiosity ignited within me. This small exchange had sparked a subtle bond.

—

“I’m Minho. What’s your name?”

“Bell.”

“How did you end up joining this merchant caravan?”

—

For some reason, treating them like a child came naturally. My tone softened, coaxing gently.

Bell was compliant, though I wasn’t sure if that was their usual demeanor or because of Suri.

—

“Ruins. Travel.”

“You mean exploring ruins while traveling?”

“Yeah.”

Dragon ruins, perhaps.

Something clicked instinctively.

—

With many ears nearby, I hesitated to pry further. Instead, we chatted casually—why they traveled alone, where they learned combat skills with a spear…

Simple conversations passed the time, Bell answering each question earnestly.

—

Though their responses were brief, requiring occasional interpretation on my part, communication flowed smoothly enough. If I misinterpreted, Bell would shake their head or correct me clearly. Just a shy speaker, really.

—

“How old are you?”

Upon hearing this, Bell tilted their head thoughtfully before counting on their fingers. After a moment, they revealed all ten digits with a slightly dejected expression.

—

“Ten?”

“One more round.”

“Twenty?”

“Three.”

They folded down three fingers.

—

“Ah, seventeen?”

“Yeah.”

Older than I expected. Their small frame and simplistic speech had made me think they were younger. Was this due to being Dragonkin, or simply lack of education? Unclear.

—

Once I guessed correctly, Bell wore an expression of immense satisfaction, nodding slightly while hiding nothing of their joy. They seemed refreshingly honest, much like when they handled Suri earlier.

—

We entered the city without incident. Parting ways with the grateful old man and saying goodbye to Bell—who kept glancing back at Suri with longing—we arrived at our destination.

—

The city.

Whereit.

Unlike Reyvik, it had a distinct vibe. Burly men strode about, mercenaries and soldiers clad in fine gear were common sights, and the rhythmic clang of ironworking echoed through the streets.

Was this the city’s nature, or was something happening nearby? Given that Whereit didn’t exist in the game, everything felt fresh and unpredictable.

—

A real city.

Its living inhabitants.

—

As dusk fell, I watched several buildings spout flames and quietly fiddled with my Warp Device. Time to head home.

—

I securely planted the device deep into the ground, activated it, and prepared to return.

Folding space, I closed my eyes.

—

Delicious scents.

The comforting scenery of home.

—

They say every journey ends at home. The natural smile spreading across my face seemed proof enough.

—

“Welcome back?”

Evangelin greeted me with her graceful voice. The day ended perfectly.

—

“Thank you for everything. I’ll go freshen up now.”

“Of course.”

Her expressions grew livelier, her laughter more frequent, and her tone richer. Positive changes indeed.

—

Sharing dinner together, I drifted off to sleep peacefully. What adventures awaited tomorrow? Travel always left one feeling a bit giddy.

—

*

From a high vantage point, looking down reveals something obvious.

The landscape.

The ambiance.

And the movement of people below.

Perhaps this is what eagles see. Enhanced physical abilities let me spot individuals clearly, like through a telescope.

—

Suri dozed lightly on my shoulder, likely succumbing to post-breakfast drowsiness.

—

Eastward.

Further eastward.

Toward the Ruins of the Dragon.

Did these ruins overlap with the ones Bell mentioned? Curiosity mingled with anticipation as I continued onward.

—

Helping passersby and exchanging pleasantries along the way, I eventually reached the Labyrinth Forest—a dense woodland infamous for its confusing paths.

—

“Familiar?”

A known voice startled me as a girl leapt down gracefully from a tree.

Bell.

With silver hair, porcelain skin, luminous yellow eyes, and an impassive expression, she looked entirely unhooded now.

—

“It’s been a while.”

“Yeah. Shrimp. Again…”

Bell fidgeted nervously. Had they trusted my promise enough to follow?

—

“That’s right. We had a deal.”

Gently offering Suri forward, Bell watched mesmerized as it fluttered and hopped about. Her mouth hung open in awe, completely captivated.

—

“How did you find me?”

“Smell…”

“Smell?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you track our scent?”

“Yeah. Unique smell.”

After sniffing theatrically once, Bell returned her full attention to Suri, timidly trailing behind me step by step.

—

“Are you allowed to come along since we’re heading to ruins?”

“Similar direction.”

“Fair enough.”

Perhaps my guess was right. Could the ruins and Bell’s destination be one and the same?

—

We wandered deeper into the forest. A light mist settled around us, thickening underfoot. Towering trees blocked out the sky, their dense foliage casting long shadows.

This explained why it was called the Labyrinth Forest—disorienting fog and towering trees made gauging time nearly impossible.

—

Walking steadily—I relied on my mini-map—but Bell seemed unfazed. How could they navigate so confidently?

A strange sensation lingered.

—

Clomp!

Something caught my foot—not grass, but a jagged fragment of stone.

Its texture differed sharply from the surrounding terrain.

—

“We’ve arrived.”

Bell’s quiet voice confirmed it.

Pushing aside overgrown foliage revealed the colossal remains of an ancient ruin. Though partially destroyed by time, its grandeur remained undeniable.

—

Massive statues bearing dragon motifs.

Miniature pyramids scattered about.

A towering stone gate leading underground.

And wandering adventurers.

—

“Ruins. Going?”

“Ruins?”

“Yeah. I must. Quietly. Secretly.”

Noise.

Commotion.

Watching the bustling crowd, I pondered silently.

—

Achievement: Toward the Mysteries of the Orient (Quest Progress).

—

Achieving the goal upon finding the Ruins of the Dragon meant entry conditions were met. But could I bring someone else inside?

Uncertain outcomes loomed ahead. Sometimes trial and error proved best—act first, adapt later.

—

“Until night.”

“Huh?”

“Wait. Sleep comes. Then.”

“When everyone sleeps, we move?”

“Yeah.”

Given past incidents involving attempted kidnappings of Dragonkin, this precaution seemed prudent—even if no immediate threat existed here. Safety first.

Thus, we waited patiently until nightfall.

—

During dinner break, Bell marveled at my sudden disappearance and reappearance. When asked if it was teleportation magic, I vaguely hinted at such abilities. Her trusting acceptance highlighted her innocence.

—

Under the tranquil cover of darkness, cool breezes accompanied low-lying mists.

—

Security was lax. No expectations of intruders evident.

Crouching low, I merged with shadows approaching the massive stone gate. Unchallenged.

—

Inscribed words carved deeply into the surface. Bell approached slowly, tracing them hesitantly with her fingertips.

—

“Blood. Offered… Dragon?”

Despite Bell’s struggles, I read the text fluently.

—

[Only the blood of those bearing the mark of dragons shall open this door.

Turn back, unworthy ones. This legacy belongs not to thee.]

Dragon’s Blood.

So this was why seekers targeted Dragonkin—they possessed traces of dragon lineage.

—

The inscription made perfect sense. Before explaining further, Bell acted faster.

—

“Grrk!”

Drawing a sharp dagger, Bell sliced her palm, letting crimson droplets trickle down.

Placing her bleeding hand against the stone gate, nothing happened initially—then a soft rumble echoed.

—

A deep, resonant vibration shook the earth beneath us.

—

BOOM!

The sound persisted, reverberating powerfully.

—

BOOM! BOOM!

Like a heartbeat.

As if the ruin itself stirred awake, breathing life into its dormant form.

—

The entire ground trembled as the vibrations spread outward.

—

“Who’s there?!”

“Caught.”

Bell jumped, spinning toward the shout’s origin. Instinctively, I followed suit.

—

Torches blazing, sharp weapons raised, loud voices bellowed forth.

—

“Halt!”

“Hurry, open!”

The blood-streaked stone gate responded instantly to Bell’s command, groaning loudly as it began to creak open. Dust clouds erupted as the heavy doors scraped against the earth, drawing curious spectators.

—

“Don’t enter! Stop!”

“Let’s go.”

Was she reckless or bold?

—

Through the narrow gap, Bell slipped inside effortlessly, forcing me to follow closely behind. Dim torchlight barely pierced the enveloping darkness of the ruin.

—

“Quiet. Follow me.”

“Okay.”

“Chase them! Everyone, wake up!”

Behind us, shouts of alarm faded as we descended into the Dragon Ruins—the place known to me as the Ruins of the Dragon.

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