CH 13

“……”

“If you are from here, you are a little late. Why? Are you thinking of fighting?”

“……Awesome.”

“……?”

The man spoke quietly, with a low but clear voice.

“Are you an inspector? It’s been a while since there’s a Hunter who I can’t measure mana at this level.”

“……Who are you?”

“I don’t have a name.”

“What?”

The man rested his chin on his palm, contemplated something, and said softly.

“But the mask is a shame. Your figure is nice, but that is covering your appearance.”

“……”

What kind of crazy guy is he? When Jin-hee tried to climb the stairs again, the man waved his hand and said.

“See you next time. There will be another chance to meet if it’s someone as good as you.”

“Hey, wait a minute.”

Such a one-sided story was not pleasant and as soon as she thought that, Jin-hee quickly climbed the stairs, thinking about hitting first and asking questions after.

“Then, goodbye.”

But at the same time, the man disappeared like a shadow. As if what was there was a lie, his form disappeared in an instant.

No magic was felt, and no physical signs of movement were found around.

“……I’m meeting all the strangest people ever.”

Jin-hee murmured in a dejected mood. This last meeting was more impressive than the battle with the Crows.

* * *

Garam Orphanage was quite far from Sillim Station. Riding the bus was also annoying, so Jin-hee secretly ran through the deserted streets to get there, and found a building with a small playground in the front yard. It was the only place where the lights were turned on among the surrounding ruins.

At the entrance of the facilities with two small buildings of about three stories attached to each other, the draconian she had seen earlier was waiting for her. Wearing jeans and a white cotton t-shirt as if he was an employee of the orphanage, he was washed clean and more handsome than she thought.

The draconian she knew had a rough impression, but this person had clear features and seemed to be a human being, not a draconian.

As she approached the orphanage, the draconian slowly walked out of the entrance.

Before long, the sun was setting, and the light shone in the playground, making his brown skin even redder. He came up to Jin-hee and knelt down on one knee again.

‘I knew this would happen.’

She sighed, but he didn’t lift his head, he was waiting for an order to get up.

‘This is why it’s annoying when you get close to draconians.’

The Draconians were a formal race. To them, jokes are just wordplay using proverbs that have been handed down, and since they are a clan that values etiquette and manners, it was difficult to have a casual conversation. As a joke, they used to say that on days when you insulted draconian’s owners or close friends with a joke, a duel had to be fought until one of them drew blood.

In addition, their innate physical ability was so good that many of the draconians which graduated from the knight academy or started as squires and served as military commanders later on. Because it was a species that punished anyone who broke the rules without hesitation, Jin-hee, who had been burned by such draconians, avoided hanging out with them.

She doesn’t hate them, but she has no intention of becoming friends.

‘But if I don’t talk, he won’t get up.’

She glanced down at the draconian’s head. Reddish hair that had been washed and was swaying in the wind quite nicely.

Perhaps even if she passed by without saying a word, he would wait here all day. Draconians were such a race.

“Get up.”

“Yes.”

In the end, it was Jin-hee who raised the white flag. Seeing as how he was obeying her orders was the same as saying that this draconian chose Jin-hee as ‘the benefactor who saved his life’.

“Look, I didn’t go there to save you not to talk about knowing who you were. Even if you do this…”

“Aren’t you from the Empire?”

“……”

“As far as I know, there is no ‘human’ who can use a Dragosword other than that family in the Empire.”

“……It was wrong to use that in anger.”

I shouldn’t have used it.

The fact that a draconian was being tortured and that a fairy was also being held captive instantly made her angry, and it was a mistake to use swordsmanship that could be recognized.

The Dragosword was a dragon-type swordsmanship used by Bazette’s family, who were loyal to dragons. The swordsmanship made after the draconian’s martial arts was the family’s secret swordsmanship. If they were draconians, the originator of swordsmanship, it would be natural to recognize the technique.

“Yes, but not quite.”

“……Are you saying you’re not from that family?”

“No, that’s not it……that’s……hm….”

Jin-hee, who was choosing her words, soon gave up on explaining. She was too lazy to explain one by one, and she didn’t want to go in-depth into this stuff for nothing, although she was quite sure he would believe her nonetheless.

“Just think there are circumstances.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“…Oh, really.”

She has always been weak to polite people. When she refused to answer, the draconian silently nodded his head, saying, “Then I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you.”

“…I have no intention of becoming your master.”

“Even being a servant is fine with me.”

“The same goes for that. It was just a coincidence that I saved you.”

“Even if it was a coincidence, it was fate for me.”

…No, what kind of cringe-worthy line is this lizard man talking about? Jin-hee opened her mouth involuntarily, but soon scratched her arm thinking, ‘Yes, these guys were originally this kind of race’.

Although it was a line that could only be seen in dramas now, draconians were a species that spit out such stereotyped lines as if breathing.

“It’s okay to say that you are not from that family. But you are the one who wields the Dragosword, and you are the benefactor who saved me. It doesn’t matter if you end my life here, or if you use me as a mere soldier. I will be your claws.”

“…Damn, it’s heavy.”

She let out a sigh. Yes, she knew he wouldn’t give up. Even a draconian she met in modern times had the same characteristics as before.

Because of this characteristic, draconians were also the only heterogeneous race that was not enslaved. The moment they became a slave, they would somehow commit suicide or vowed revenge, and they never betrayed their masters despite severe torture.

Once they choose a benefactor or master, they did not betray even if the sky collapsed. Because of their extreme personalities, they were considered one of the most foolish races in the world.

Once again, Jin-hee glanced at the draconian. He may be 190 cm tall, a little short for a draconian, but very tall for a modern man. The broad shoulders and muscles visible under the shirt were uniform enough to suggest that he was a warrior, even if he had weakened.

She reached out and touched his elbows.

“……?”

He questioned her behavior for a moment but soon gave his arm.

The muscles of his left and right arms were different in appearance. Judging from his left arm with muscles concentrated in certain parts and his right arm with even muscles, it seems that he was a warrior who mainly used a sword and shield.

Well, now they’ll need a porter when going in and out of dungeons. Isn’t it bothersome to carry two briefcases by herself right now?

‘Besides…’

She took her hand off his arm and looked at his face.

Jin-hee saw a handsome man with dark red hair contrasting his brown skin. He had small pupils like a beast, but his thick eyebrows matched well, giving a strong impression, and his straight nose, silent lips, and sharp chin made him feel like an actor from a movie.

She realized it anew, but Jin-hee was quite a fool for pretty looks.

“……Take this.”

“yes.”

Jin-hee entrusted all of her luggage to the draconian.

“Name is?”

“This is Kaotolomeo.”

“I’ll call you Kaon.”

“All right.”

Kaon the draconian politely lifted the luggage. Then, as he tried to say thank you again, Jin-hee stopped him with her hand and let out a sigh.

“Follow me well. I don’t let kids who complain or lag behind me be my people.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“……”

It was a kind of permission to be accepted and Jin-hee narrowed her eyes. It was a momentary sight, but the blunt Kaon’s lips looked slightly raised.

No one made a formal appointment, and it was not even in existence yet, but somehow, Kaotolomeo. Kaon. The draconian of fire and lava became the first member of her ‘Order of Knights’.