NOVEL NEXT Ch. 75
Chapter 75
Eurasia Main Castle, the Lord's reception room.
After hearing Escardo's report, Simon circulated his mana to dispel his fatigue.
He had just returned to the family moments ago after finishing a secret trip.
“That is all that has happened while you, the Lord, were away from the family. The end is in sight.”
“And it will be a new beginning.”
“I was not worried about Demian, but Julian is doing better than expected.”
“Yes. It seems Paian has also found his way faster than I thought.”
Paian's newly formed Black Knight Order had also participated in the subjugation of the traitorous families.
Their participation was permitted due to the unwavering will of the Matriarch, Cali Eurasia, who believed that martial artists must be raised strong.
And a report had just come in that they had subjugated one of the traitorous families.
“It is a fortunate thing. Basquia is passive about lending their forces unless it's for Paian.”
“It must be their way of protesting that I haven't yet decided on an heir.”
Simon said in a dry voice.
Meyer, Basquia, Sepia.
The three maternal families of the young masters were all moving to gain an advantage in the competition for the lordship, each in their own way.
Simon was merely observing quietly.
“More importantly, did your trip go well?”
“A trip is just a trip to the eastern frontier, isn't it?”
“That's something I can't even do.”
At the grumbling tone, the corners of Simon's mouth curved.
“I've brought a gift for my sworn brother who is suffering in the family.”
Simon beckoned with his index finger.
Sssss.
From afar, a bottle of liquor and a cup, enveloped in ash-colored mana, floated up.
It was not impossible for Escardo to control a tangible object using formless mana, but the mana Simon was using was that of an 8-star.
‘He has become completely accustomed to the new realm. Now I don't have to worry about Oblivio.’
Escardo quietly felt a sense of relief as he watched the two bottles of liquor settle on the table.
He knew that the Lord had fully recovered from the Heart Break symptoms, but the memory of almost reaching the threshold of death by his sword came to mind.
With the great task of the Declaration of the Kingdom ahead, Simon's full strength had to be intact.
“You know of the liquor from the Forent Family, which is adjacent to the coastal region, right?”
“Did you visit the Forent Family this time?”
“I thought I'd see the east coast before being called king.”
Escardo shook his head at Simon's confident attitude.
“Should a knight be so close to alcohol?”
“……!!”
As if it were an unexpected reaction, Simon showed a flustered expression for the first time.
The flustered reaction of an 8-star knight was not something one could see easily.
Escardo decided to forgive his sworn brother for entrusting him with such an excessive burden.
“Ahem. I am joking. Allow me to pour you a drink.”
The cork of the fine liquor was opened, and two cups were filled.
Escardo revealed another reason for his visit to Simon.
“A letter arrived a short while ago. The Lord of Cornelia has reached 8-star.”
“Hoh. So that old man finally did it.”
Hegel Cornelia was a figure considered Simon's rival on the frontier.
Hegel had reached 7-star first, and Simon had reached 8-star first.
“Are they throwing a celebratory banquet or something?”
“There was no mention of that.”
“……?”
“They have made an inquiry about the marriage between Killian and Lady Sharle.”
“A marriage?”
Simon reacted as if it were unexpected.
“I thought they had their eyes on Demian.”
“It seems there was some progress at the banquet after the subjugation and at the previous Superhuman hunt.”
“Impressive.”
Simon made a strange expression as he recalled Killian's unreadable face.
For Killian, who had no maternal family power, Lady Sharle would be the best possible match.
If he, who had already entered the realm of a Superhuman in personal martial strength, were to be joined with Cornelia, he would gain a force that would make it not strange for him to aim for the lordship of Eurasia at once.
It was a method not unlike how Simon in his youth had stabilized his lacking support base with three marriages.
‘Does he wish to become the master of Eurasia so late in the game?’
Looking at his words and actions after waking from his coma, he couldn't be sure either way.
“Where is Killian now?”
“According to the official report, he is exploring the western region.”
“And unofficially?”
“It seems he went to see Lady Sharle.”
“……”
“……”
Simon and Escardo had strange looks on their faces.
They met eyes for a moment and then spoke at the same time.
“A good time for them.”
“A good time indeed.”
“I'll have a drink.”
“Congratulations.”
The drinking session of the middle-aged knights was getting lively.
***
“You're early.”
Sharle welcomed her experiment partner who had just fully crossed the gate.
“Yes.”
Killian placed the backpack he had brought on the table.
The process of hatching the egg was taking longer than expected, so he had briefly stopped by the family.
“This should be enough.”
Killian took out a total of thirty bottles of recovery potions from the backpack and handed one of them to Sharle.
Unlike his casual tone, he had scraped together everything in the Head Apothecary's laboratory. The flustered expression of the Head Apothecary was still vivid.
“So this is something made by the Head Apothecary of Eurasia herself.”
Sharle downed a bottle of Vitality Recovery Potion.
In less than a minute, her haggard eyes began to come back to life.
“Such a pure formulation…!!”
“That's an intermediate-grade one. The Head Apothecary's top-grade recovery potions are no less than those of a high-ranking Priest from the temple.”
“So the reputation was true.”
Looking at the impressed Sharle, I imagined a meeting between her and the Head Apothecary.
If those two, who were masters of medicinal preparations and magic formulas, were to talk for even a short while, it seemed they could both gain a lot from each other.
‘It wouldn't be a bad idea to arrange a meeting once.’
“Was the family at peace?”
It was a question asked knowing that Eurasia was focused on dealing with the traitorous families.
“It seemed to be winding down.”
It wasn't much different from before I had left the family.
That atmosphere would likely continue for a few months.
“That means we don't have much time left either. I want to see some results within this month somehow.”
Killian said as he emptied a bottle of recovery potion.
“Is that why you went to the family.”
“The Head Apothecary's recovery potions bring good luck.”
Whenever Killian had achieved growth, the Head Apothecary's recovery potions had always been with him.
If a mage of Sharle's caliber used the Head Apothecary's recovery potions, they should be able to shorten the time.
“I was just about to go for it as soon as you returned, Young Master.”
Sharle, who had downed several Mana Recovery Potions in a row, activated the curtain magic of the altar.
“Try using Carpe.”
“Are we starting right now?”
“Experiments need to be pushed forward when you've got the flow.”
It had been two weeks since they had devoted themselves to research here.
They had figured out under what circumstances this mysterious egg reacted.
Sssss.
As Killian's blue mana formed Carpe, Sharle also used two magics on the egg.
5-star magic ‘Mind Image’.
5-star magic ‘Mirror Image’.
A spear made of violet mana floated in front of her.
It was an imaging of the consciousness and wavelength latent in the egg.
Ddd. Ddddd.
The egg on the altar vibrated faintly.
Tzzzzz.
Soon after, the mana of the Carpe that Killian had used was sucked in.
It took less than a minute for all the mana emitted at a 6-star level to be depleted.
Killian quietly downed a bottle of Mana Recovery Potion.
Sharle, who was analyzing the mana wavelength, opened her mouth.
“Carpe Illusion.”
Sreung.
Killian drew Aether.
Hwaaaak.
As the Total Solar Eclipse was activated, it conversely sucked in the mana that the egg was absorbing.
The egg also began to suck in mana at a level not inferior to the Total Solar Eclipse.
In the midst of this tense tug-of-war.
“Now.”
At Sharle's signal, Killian waved his hand.
Sssss.
The three spheres floating in the air began to align themselves.
He had transformed the Total Solar Eclipse into a Total Lunar Eclipse to maximize the absorption rate.
The egg's vibration intensified.
Sharle, who was watching the wavelength, raised her hand.
“Sword.”
Killian raised Aether and struck the egg.
Kwang.
The egg shook from side to side.
“Carpe.”
He released the Carpe Illusion and returned to the form that controlled the space.
The egg began to suck in mana again.
“Sword.”
Killian brought Aether down on the egg.
It looked as if a blacksmith was forging a sword, but this was the only method that produced a significant pulse from the egg.
Sharle wiped the sweat dripping from her forehead and emptied a recovery potion.
If it were a normal egg, it would have broken long ago, but perhaps because it was a dragon's egg, it didn't budge even after taking a Superhuman's sword strike.
“Carpe Illusion again. And then sword in that state.”
Killian moved busily according to Sharle's signals.
After repeating this for about five hours, his body was drenched in sweat.
It was around the time when he had used about half of the recovery potions he had received from Loen.
Suddenly.
Evil Energy erupted from the egg.
‘If it's Evil Energy… is it a Black?’
The clan called Black Dragons, due to their black scales, wielded darkness and Evil Energy.
Just when I thought the leaking Evil Energy was unusual.
Kwaaaa.
The Evil Energy condensed around the egg and formed the shape of a dragon.
“Young Master! Get back!!”
At Sharle's cry, Killian deployed his Sword Membrane.
Chiiik.
The Sword Membrane that touched the Evil Energy began to melt.
‘Acidic…?’
Puhwaak.
The moment his vision was stolen by the gushing darkness, Killian enhanced his mana.
He intended to control the Evil Energy by strengthening the Carpe Illusion.
“Young Master!!”
At Sharle's shout, Killian instinctively swung his sword.
Kwang!
The arm holding the sword throbbed.
He belatedly realized he had been pushed back to Sharle's side.
Sharle, who was watching the mana wavelength, shouted.
“The wavelength of the egg and the mana are perfectly matched!”
That meant.
“If you inject mana that surpasses the egg's wavelength, it will hatch immediately.”
The current chaotic situation was the quickening just before birth.
“How troublesome.”
Killian gathered all his mana.
Darkness with acidic properties.
He had to break through this strange property and get his mana to the egg.
He circulated his power through Aether, his sheath, and his Mana Heart to unleash his full strength.
Kugugung.
The area shook with the Haki that Killian emitted.
‘To have this much Haki even after exhausting his stamina and mana…’
Sharle trembled at Killian's full power, which she was witnessing for the first time.
He held the dragon-shaped form made of Evil Energy in place with a Total Solar Eclipse.
Chiiik. Chik.
Ignoring the darkness that was trying to melt his Sword Membrane, Killian closed the distance.
The moment Aether, imbued with Haki, touched the egg.
Kwang!!
A sound like an explosion was heard.
Jjeojeok.
The egg cracked.
Jjeojeojeok. Jjeojeok.
Cracks spread like a spiderweb, breaking the silence.
The moment the watching Sharle swallowed dryly.
Jjeok!
The egg split completely.
And.
[Yooong]
A mighty cry echoed throughout the area.
***
[Yooong]
A creature covered in black and green scales was letting out a strange cry.
“……”
“……”
The two people, who had been preparing for any eventuality with a Sword Membrane and a shield magic, silently looked down at the sight.
“It really was a dragon.”
“Black and green scales. It seems to be a hybrid, which is only mentioned as a biological possibility.”
“This is crazy.”
Dragons only produced offspring with their own kind.
Killian, too, in his long life, had never heard of a dragon having offspring with another clan.
“So dragons have forbidden loves too.”
“It might have been a love of madness.”
“……”
“……”
Why did Diana have this unusual egg?
The moment that question belatedly began to rise.
[Yoong~ Yoong~]
The baby dragon stretched its short front paws towards Killian.
“I think it recognizes you as its mother, Young Master.”
“……”
Killian's face hardened.
Not long ago, there was talk of marriage, and now he was not a father, but a mother.
“First, let's give it a name.”
“Do you have something in mind?”
“How about Yong-yong-i?”
“……”
“Its belly is bulging, so Bollok-i seems good too.”
“……”
At the terrible naming sense, Killian looked at Sharle's face with a dumbfounded expression.
“I'm joking. It looks like you already have a name in mind, don't you?”
As Sharle said, there was one who came to mind when he obtained the dragon's egg.
The leader of the seven dragon clans.
The Dragon Lord.
‘Come to think of it, that one was a Black too.’
He had a nasty temper, but his strength was comparable to the Gods.
“Hazard.”
[Yoong~]
Killian gave the baby dragon the name of the Dragon Lord he had known.
“Your name is Hazard.”
Killian said as he stroked the baby dragon's head.
[Yong~]
Hazard responded with a bright face, as if it liked the name.