Chapter 68

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At twilight in the capital city.

Birds crossed the red sky, returning to their nests.

I was working at the store with Sophicia.

Since Lillisia was busy investigating the evil deity's statues, I had Teti gather herbs again today.

After all, we had seen up to 300 statues together, and they kept appearing. Sometimes there were three in a single town.

It no longer seemed like a coincidence; it felt like they were intentionally hiding the real one.

Since there was nothing I could do to help, I decided to go back to the store and talk to Sophicia without getting in the way.

"Sophicia, how's your body feeling?"

"Ah, yes! Mr. Alec, it's much better now. My wings are also..."

Sophicia turned around, her short blue hair swaying, revealing her nape.

For some reason, her cheeks were blushing.

I nodded in response.

"That's good to hear. Feel free to come in whenever you need to."

"Thank you, Mr. Alec!"

Sophicia smiled happily.

I then put on a serious face and made a request.

"By the way, I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"Can you go back to the church and get the forest in the southeast of the capital recognized as a sacred ground?"

"Sacred ground!? ...Hmm, well, Mei is working hard at the church, so I can probably go back... But I can't be a candidate for archbishop like before, and even if I became one, it would be difficult to designate a sacred ground without permission."

Sophicia frowned, her blue hair swaying.

I couldn't help but frown as well.

"That's a shame... I thought getting it recognized as a sacred ground would be the quickest way. How are sacred grounds usually designated?"

"Well, if there's a holy relic, a holy artifact, or a holy beast living there, it gets recognized."

"Hmm. In that case, we'll have to create a holy beast by pouring more holy energy."

"Eh? Is there a holy beast in the forest?"

"Yes, a white boar appeared due to my holy energy."

"That's amazing! Mr. Alec, you really are in a different league, aren't you?"

Sophicia's blue eyes widened in surprise.

I chuckled and asked her, who looked cute in her surprise.

"By the way, did you soak in the bath for a while? Did you recover any memories?"

"Ah, yes! I think I remember being told by a god to slay some evil dragons."

"Evil dragons... Where could they be?"

"I don't know... I never heard anything like that even when I was part of a hero party."

"Right. I've been a hero for 30 years, and I've never heard of them either."

"Maybe they're already dead somewhere!"

"That's a bit too convenient, don't you think?"

"You're right. It's impossible for a dragon so evil that an angel was sent to deal with it to die without anyone knowing."

"Exactly."

I laughed.

Sophicia also laughed happily.

---

Suddenly, a small group entered the store.

It was the children from Edgar's team.

Led by the boy with glasses, they lined up in front of me with determined expressions.

"Mr. Alec, we have a request."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Please help Captain Edgar! Please help Captain Edgar!"

"Eh?"

In response to my confusion, the boy with glasses, his glasses gleaming, pleaded earnestly.

"Captain Edgar is prepared to die on this return home. But we don't want him to die! Please, help him! You're the only one we can rely on!"

"Please, help him!"

The children bowed deeply with serious faces. One of the girls even had tears in her eyes.

I was taken aback.

"Of course. Edgar is a good guy. But he's quite strong. Do you have any evidence?"

The children then showed me some strange tools and an empty box.

"These items were given to us as mementos from Captain Edgar. It's a ceremony to remember the deceased. And this box is a Gate Box."

"Gate Box?"

"A one-time use teleportation box. It can only send objects."

"See, that's the situation."

Edgar must have risked his life to send the light gemstone to me.

It seems to be a dangerous mission that he has to face with the intention of dying.

—Or is it because of me? Maybe.

I could only nod seriously.

"Alright. I'll do my best to help him."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The children bowed again in unison, deeply.

"Stay at home and wait for me."

"Yes, sir!"

"Please help us!"

The youngest girl, with tears in her eyes, pleaded.

—If these children are asking me, I have no choice but to do it.

"See you later."

I closed the curtain and entered the back room.

---

I walked through the dungeon's corridor filled with bluish-white light.

I arrived at the large room.

Lillisia, with a map in front of her, was sitting on the floor with her legs folded. Her wings were folded weakly.

"What's wrong, Lillisia?"

"I'm... tired... Finally finished... There are over 2000 of them worldwide..."

Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her silver hair was disheveled and hanging over her cheeks.

I nodded and praised her.

"That's a lot. It must have been tough, Lillisia. Thank you—how about taking a bath to wash off the sweat?"

"Yes, I will..."

Lillisia stood up unsteadily and walked towards the house.

She seemed to have used up all her strength, even to the point where she couldn't fly. Her wings were gray and dull.

—I need to give her plenty of holy energy tonight.

With that in mind, I entered the deeper large room and spoke to the sphere, Koh.

"Koh, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Edgar went to the island nation of Yamata in the east of the continent. He seems determined to complete his mission at the cost of his life. I want to help him, but can we reach Yamata?"

"Umm, only to the edge of the continent..."

"Eh? But you could go to the demon world?"

"That's different. The demon world is closer, like... if you make a hole in the first floor and create a staircase to the basement. To reach the same floor, you'd have to break through hundreds of walls."

"I see. Then, can you create a passage to the edge of the continent?"

"...Are you going to be away for a long time?"

"I have to take a ship, so it might take a few days."

In response to my answer, Koh's surface glowed intensely in protest.

"No way! I don't want to, I'm scared! It's dangerous to be separated from you, Master!"

"Ugh... Then what should I do? Should I summon a strong monster? I think I have the materials."

I suggested a compromise.

Koh's surface then glowed thoughtfully.

"To create a strong underling monster, I need to decide on a dungeon."

"Hmm. How about the dragon dungeon you mentioned before?"

"Yay! Finally, we're starting in earnest!"

"Huh? You weren't active before?"

"I hadn't decided on a dungeon yet. Like, the tutorial wasn't finished?"

"I don't understand, but okay. Let's go with the dragon."

"Sure, chime, chime~ Holy energy, plenty~. A super powerful dragon-themed named dungeon, born~"

As Koh's entire surface glowed brightly bluish-white, the dungeon rumbled.

Then, in front of Koh, a small girl appeared with a light puff of smoke.

A cute little girl with white hair.

"Hmm? Who is this?"

"Huh? I used all the materials... That's strange?"

The little girl, about five years old, looked around with big eyes.

When she saw me, she ran over with tears in her blue eyes and buried her face in my stomach, crying.

"Kyuuiiii—!"

"Shh, shh."

I didn't understand, but it seemed she had been through something painful.

While stroking the little girl's head, I asked Koh.

"Who is this? What happened?"

"That dragon zombie was an S-rank holy dragon. I used all the materials to summon her... but I don't understand."

"If even Koh doesn't understand, I'm at a loss."

"But she's strong! Small, but S-rank—worthy of you, Master!"

"Hmm. Can she guard the dungeon while I'm away?"

"Yes, she can."

Koh answered enthusiastically.

To confirm, I asked the crying little girl.

"Can you guard the dungeon while I'm away?"

"Kyu, kyu!"

The little girl nodded multiple times, tears streaming down her face.

She seemed to have taken a liking to me from the start, with maximum affection.

—Maybe because she was created using my holy energy? I'm not sure.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

When I smiled at her, she cried even more and clung to me.

I was amazed at how much she could cry.

While comforting the little girl, I thought about how I could now go to help Edgar.

---

I had to live.

I had to lay eggs.

I was born with an important mission, the descendant of the Holy White Dragon.

The Demon King and the Evil Deity covered their territories with evil barriers.

No one could enter.

Only the Holy White Dragon, a dragon with holy attributes, could break through those barriers.

Especially the Holy White Dragon resurrected from the six-colored gemstone could take a hero anywhere.

That was the mission of the Holy White Dragon, the meaning of its existence.

But...

I fell ill. I could feel myself getting weaker day by day.

A new life was already growing in my belly.

I had to lay this egg no matter what.

But I was getting weaker before the egg could mature.

Would I die first, or lay the egg first?

Sensing that I was near death, monsters and beasts attacked me.

My life was being drained.

Death was approaching before I could lay the egg.

—Ah! I want to lay the egg!

I have to lay the egg and pass on the mission of the Holy White Dragon to the next generation!

If I didn't, the mission would end with me.

The world would end!

I moved my injured body desperately, searching for a safe place.

I entered a dungeon.

The dungeon's interior was inhabited only by weak undead.

It was perfect for hiding.

I had to... heal my wounds... and lay the egg...

My consciousness faded.

When I "woke up" next, I wasn't really awake.

My consciousness was clouded, and I moved like an animal, following orders, biting, screaming, and destroying things.

I felt like I had forgotten something important.

The only thing I remembered was that I wanted to lay eggs.

So I laid them. I laid many.

But the eggs were rotten from the moment they were born, and decayed children crawled out.

Next time, next time. Next time!

I ate something and laid eggs as if in prayer.

But I never laid a satisfactory, correct egg.

I no longer knew what was right.

I continued to live for a long time, filled with intense anxiety.

One day,

He came.

When the strong holy energy of the brave man entered the dimly lit large room, I felt as if I had been doused with water, and my consciousness awoke.

—Ah, this is the hero! Yes, that's right!

I had a mission to carry the hero on my back and save the world!

But my body moved on its own, continuing to attack.

Why? Why!?

—Ah, maybe I had already become a dead dragon!?

—Stop, stop. Stop!

I don't care what happens to me, just once, let me lay a proper egg for this person!

I flew around desperately, laying eggs.

—But they were all rotten...

"Kishaaa—!"

I screamed as if I were going mad. My dirty roar echoed in the large room.

Then, my body slowly fell. It seemed I had been defeated.

In my fading consciousness, I pleaded desperately.

—Ah! Please!

Just once, let me lay an egg!

Please... kyu!

Kyu? Kyu kyu! Kyu!

Suddenly, my consciousness cleared.

I was in a small room, enveloped in a bluish-white, pure light.

The brave man was right next to me, and I looked up at him.

I could feel his holy power, which was so bright.

"Kyuuiii~!"

I clung to him and cried. I sobbed.

Realizing that I had been brought back to life thanks to his holy power and the dungeon, I cried endlessly.

But the tears wouldn't stop.

Even using the tears I hadn't shed for a hundred years wasn't enough, so I borrowed tears from the future, a hundred years ahead, and cried and cried.

Thank you for the favorites and ratings! It's a great encouragement for my writing!

The next chapter will be posted tomorrow

→ 69. A Happy Sea Voyage