3.
The Gold Dragon lived in an enormous tower.
It was known as the tower that pierced the heavens. The tower was made entirely of gold, so it was called the Golden Sky Tower. But since ancient times it had been given the name Netherworld Tower since it was said to overlook nirvana.
It had been 7,000 years since the Gold Dragon had built the Tower. Even after lasting for 7,000 years, the gold had not lost its brilliance. Even in ancient times, the Netherworld Tower was revered as the umbilical cord that hung from the sky.
In the southeastern part of the kingdom, one could see the tower wherever they turned their head. It was a backdrop that had existed there long before the kingdom had been established. Simply by existing, it had become a belief. People worshiped the mysteries of the world.
Even after 7,000 years, the tower in the sky remained unchanged.
"A subjugation order had been issued."
However, humans changed.
"The Nobles listened."
The humans who had lived as slaves of the Dragons eventually established their own nation.
"We organized a suppression army, and every lord sent their soldiers. In the name of the king."
The Dragons ridiculed humans as foolish and weak. Due to their short lives, it was difficult for them to maintain a national body.
Humans were as dim-witted as the Dragons thought, but they weren't so dim-witted to forget those who enslaved their race. The kingdom made a national policy to destroy every Dragon kingdom in the world.
"The forces dispatched by rank are as follows. One thousand from Marquises, two hundred from Viscounts, fifty from Barons. Honorable Viscount…"
Hundreds of thousands of troops were gathered.
Nevertheless, the subjugation failed purely because of the power of the Gold Dragon.
Every Dragon was born with a unique power. The Gold Dragon's Power was [Instinct]. It was a power that liberated the human's of their greed.
Immediately after stepping into the territory of the Gold Dragon, the brave warriors were met by murder. The simple soldiers were overwhelmed by lust. The adventurers, who called each other blood brothers, split up over the spoils. In the 1st Subjugation Order, 2nd Subjugation Order, and 3rd Subjugation Order, the kingdom's army was crushed in a devastating manner.
That was the way it had always been, and that would be the case again.
Or so they thought.
"…"
The Gold Dragon looked at the girl in front of him.
She was called Ja Soo-jung.
She was a child who resembled a flower bud that had yet to bloom. The Dragon was able to smell the poisonous smell that was faintly drifting from between the petals.
"How are you still sane?"
"That's simple. This one was already living by my instincts."
The flower bud that looked human spoke.
She spoke fluently in Dragontongue.
"I get things because I want them, I do things because I want to, and I kill because I want to. If people who follow their instincts can be called crazy, then this one has always been crazy. Golden Dragon Emperor. You might be able to make a crazy person sane, but you can't make a crazy person crazy again."
"That sounds reasonable."
The Gold Dragon looked over the girl's shoulder. Dozens of people stood there. They all remained silent as Ja Soo-jung spoke.
"However, that is your story. Why are they also sane?"
"Well. You're right. That is quite strange. Why is that so?"
Ja Soo-jung smiled.
"Try to guess. Golden Dragon Emperor."
"…"
The Gold Dragon looked at the humans again.
There was nothing wrong with his power. The humans were all panting. They all had clenched fists as though they wanted to kill each other. Their faces were red as if they wanted to hold someone down. While they remained silent, desire clearly flowed through their bodies.
But they all had one thing in common.
They were all dominated by a feeling that was much more pronounced than their murderous and sexual desire.
The Dragon Emperor, who was better at reading emotions than anyone else, could easily tell what it was.
"…indeed."
It was [Fear].
"They all… are afraid of being hated by you."
"Yes."
The flower bud smiled like a full bloom.
"Because they love this one."
The Gold Dragon knew it was the truth. And it shuddered.
These humans were all infested with murderous and sexual desire. It was just that the feeling [I don't want to be hated by Ja Soo-jung], and the fear of disappointing her, outweighed all the other emotions.
Even the fear of death.
The Gold Dragon couldn't help but ask back.
"Is it love?"
That thing?
"Yes."
Ja Soo-jung nodded.
"People often say that they love themselves. That they love themselves the most. As if it was natural. What is the nature of that love?"
Ja Soo-jung hummed. Her voice sounded like a sweet melody.
"There aren't many people who can truly tolerate being loved. It is rare. When people say that they love themselves, it's more of the feeling of [not wanting to lose]. This life. This moment. It means they don't want to lose this life."
Ja Soo-jung slowly stretched out her left hand.
"The feeling of not wanting to lose this one can also be called love."
"…"
"Sir Ultimate Sword Duke?"
When Ja Soo-jung called out, the Duke walked forward and knelt down. Then he pressed his lips to the back of Ja Soo-jung's hand.
The Duke was an Ascendant who had lived for more than two thousand years. He was, without a doubt, the strongest Swordsman in the kingdom. And yet, it still felt natural for such a Duke to kneel.
"They would rather lay down their own life than lose this one. To these people, this one is that kind of being."
"The Netherworld Tower, which was thought to be impregnable. Was actually defeated by a strategy called love. It is typical, but fun because it is typical. What do you think? Are you having fun?"
At that moment, the Gold Dragon had a feeling.
Who was strong, and who was weak.
"…I want to live."
The Dragon Emperor's shoulders shook.
"Spare me. …I will help you."
The Dragon Emperor was currently in human form. At the top of the tower was a garden and in the middle of that garden was a fountain. In this fountain made of gold, the Dragon Emperor begged. The tremors in the Dragon Emperor's body shook the water in the fountain.
"Of course."
Ja Soo-jung stroked the Dragon Emperor's chin.
"I will spare you. Because you are such a beautiful person."
"Please…"
"However, you have not answered this one's question yet. A way to treat those who are already dead. Does the Golden Dragon Emperor know?"
"I don't know. I don't know, but I think I know who might know… They are also Dragon Emperor's. I'll tell you their names, and I'll tell you their locations. So…"
"Yes."
Ja Soo-jung's touch was soft.
Almost like a gesture of understanding.
"Three subjugation orders were issued to attack this place. The most recent one was made 20 years ago. Around 100,000 people were killed that time. If we include the ones who were not counted, it would be 200,000. The royal family and nobles will want your head, they will buzz like a swarm of bees and their spit will fly."
"…"
"But you shouldn't worry. This one will do something for you."
Splash. The water in the fountain shook.
The Gold Dragon's hair, which was scattered in the water, also shook.
"However, there is a price."
"What is it…?"
"Please love this one."
A drop of water suddenly fell.
+
[The Gold Dragon's Gaze]
Rank: EX
Effect: Those who enter this skill's range will be engulfed in instinct. Their intellect will be paralyzed, and their reason is dulled. The desire, craving, and greed that they normally suppress are liberated.
This skill reveals the 'essence' of the target. It can affect not only living beings but also objects. Allows the user to see the essence of all things as they please. They will be able to view the world from an omniscient viewpoint.
※However, the user is also included in the skill's range.
+
The Gold Dragon was reduced to Viscount Amethyst's pet.
"In the desert that stretches beyond the mountains, there is a child called the Earth Bone Dragon(地骨龍)."
The Dragon, who fell in love for the first time in his life, gave everything to his lover.
The Gold Dragon used his power for Ja Soo-jung. Recited all of his knowledge for Ja Soo-jung. Devoted his life to Ja Soo-jung. He knew just how doomed a Dragon who fell in love with a human was, but whenever he looked into his lover's eyes, he forgot what he knew.
"Earth Bone Dragon?"
"Right. The Earth Bone Dragon has the power of immortality. Everything that Dragon's fingertips touch becomes sand and disperses, and every life reaped by that Dragon's hand gives them eternal life. It's a bit anomalous, but…"
"Heh."
Ja Soo-jung smiled.
"Interesting."
The Dragon was happy.
+
[The Earth Bone Dragon's Skull]
Rank: SSS+
Effect: The ability to archive the memories of the living. Archived memories are placed in a 'box' that can only be destroyed by the user.
Unless the box is destroyed, the user can recreate the body of a person who will inherit the same memories over and over. The body can travel around the world, create new memories, and 'update' those experiences back to the box. Of course, if the user allows it!
Even if the body is completely destroyed, the box will not suffer any damage. Grant the privilege of immortality to those around you.
※However, the memories of a destroyed body cannot be updated to the box.
+
The Earth Bone Dragon soon became another one of Ja Soo-jung's pets.
"I don't think it is enough yet."
The Gold Dragon, and the Earth Bone Dragon, these two Dragons were rubbing their cheeks on Ja Soo-jung's knees. Viscount Amethyst slowly stroked the golden hair of the Gold Dragon and the black hair of the Earth Bone Dragon. The two Dragons trembled every time her hands touched their heads.
"I have the [eyes] to see anything. And the [head] to store memories. However, it's still not enough to include those who have already died. Don't you know of a way?"
"At the end of the Great River…"
The Gold Dragon opened his lips.
Sweet breath flowed out.
"The child called the Ice River Dragon(水河龍)*. Where that child lives is extremely cold. The wind always blows, the rain becomes snow, and the sea becomes ice." (*: Ice River or Glacier. The author used '빙하' which means glacier, but considering the hanja '水河' I chose Ice River instead)
"How exciting. Tell me more."
[getid]
"The Ice River Dragon freezes the people he likes in a special way… in pillars of ice. The pillars of ice can never be destroyed or melted. Except for by the Ice River Dragon's hand. Surprisingly, whenever the Ice River Dragon melts a pillar, the person that was trapped inside comes back to life as if they had only closed their eyes for a moment…"
"In other words?"
"The Ice River Dragon has the ability to stop time."
The Gold Dragon placed his head on Ja Soo-jung's lap and looked up at her.
"If he can stop time, perhaps he can accelerate it. If he can accelerate time, perhaps he can control it…?"
Viscount Amethyst chuckled gently.
"You're cute."
The Dragon became a bit happier.
+
[The Ice River Dragon's Breath]
Rank: EX
Effect: You can control the time of any person you want. You can send them back to the past, or freeze them in the present. You can return them to any point of time that you observed.
※However, they cannot be moved to a point in time that you didn't observe.
+
The Ice River Dragon also became Ja Soo-jung's pet.
"Ahh."
All the ingredients had been gathered.
Finally, Viscount Amethyst could let out her breath.
"Good."
The Dragons under her breath were happy.
"Good."
Ja Soo-jung was also happy.
Perhaps.
[Act 3.]
[Kingdom Hunt.]
At that point.
There was no political force that could stop Viscount Amethyst.
The kingdom had six Dukes and six factions respectively. The Performance Faction that followed the Leisurely Duke*. The Cultivator Faction that followed the Absolute Sword Duke. The Religious Faction that served the Ten Thousand God Duke. The Inner Energy** Faction led by the Inner Energy Duke. The Stone Medicine*** Faction led by the Stone Medicine Duke. (*: Changed this to match the theme of the others, the reason is explained below) (**: Still deciphering this one tbh, need more context. For those curious, the hanja is '內京'.)(***: Referring to stone needles used in chinese medicine.) (TL: Yes there are only 5 here)
Viscount Amethyst was loved by all six Dukes.
Even in the unprecedented situation where a Viscount [owned] several Dragons, the nobles did not openly oppose it.
The royal family was probably the only ones who could oppose Viscount Amethyst. After all, wasn't the royal family the only ones capable of reigning in a runaway noble.
The current king was the Sun King.
He had been in power for 90 years and hadn't attended a Noble Council in over 60 years. At that time, 60 years ago, when a rebellion had broken out, the Sun King executed his own daughter.
The Sun King did not see any value in a country that had only been established by killing relatives.
He also didn't know why he had to be in such a place that had no value.
The king imprisoned himself.
And in the 60 years that the Sun had been imprisoned, the kingdom had become rotten and collapsed.
"Your Majesty."
The scent of the flower was strongest when the petals were rubbed.
"Please listen to this one's request."
"Do you regret killing your daughter?"
"The rebellion broke out because you ruled this country. No matter what policy you implemented, or what political move you executed, someone in the king's domain would be sacrificed. In politics, the more you wanted to do, the more sacrifices you had to make. Regardless of who did it, what they did. In that case, it would be better to do nothing."
"You let the wise spread their wisdom. Whoever wants power, you let them take it. Your Majesty only exists in this place. If it is the royal road Your Majesty opened…"
Viscount Amethyst sat beneath the throne.
Reaching out, she touched the face of the king which had not been shown in 60 years.
"Leave it to this one."
The scent of peaches.
The scent of peaches being crushed in hand filled the room thickly.
"It was this one who suppressed the rebellion of the Red Nails that no one could stop. It was this one who blocked the assembly that could not be stopped. It was this one who stopped the rebellion started by the royal family's retreat. It was this one who revived the royal army, defeated the Gold Dragon who threatened the southern part of the kingdom, and captured the Earth Bone Dragon who froze the waters of the Great River. Leisurely Duke. Absolute Sword Duke. Ten Thousand God Duke. Inner Energy Duke. Stone Medicine Duke. Even the six Dukes, whose hearts had been rotting in time, were able to feel their hearts beat again because of this one. Please look. This one has accomplished things that no one was ever able to do"
"This one is capable."
"This one is the most talented."
"…"
"Therefore, Your Majesty."
The whispers of young girl were sweeter than the praises of the gods.
"Leave it to this one."
Her purple eyes were half-lidded.
"Are you afraid of losing your heart? Please lose it. This one will recover it. Are you afraid of making mistakes? Please make them. This one will fix it. Are you afraid of losing your mind? That's fine. Please lose it."
"It's alright to go crazy for this one."
The stone statue that had sat for 60 years opened its mouth.
"Why?"
The king, who was once praised as the Sun of the kingdom, was puzzled.
"If you are so competent, then this kingdom is useless to you. Even if you can give everything to the kingdom, the kingdom cannot give you anything. Why would you want to favor this king? We cannot give you anything."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, there is something you are mistaken about."
"What is it?"
"This one sought an audience with you."
Viscount Amethyst rose slowly onto the king's knees.
The eyes of the monarch and subject met.
"What this one wants is Your Majesty. Just as Your Majesty wishes for someone more capable than you. As you have always dreamed of that, so has this one also dreamed of you."
"…"
"Please join this one's Dark Army."
Their breaths intermingled.
"This one will make you the Sage King of this era."
The stone statue was torn down by the scent, and the sun was enchanted by the petals.
In the midst of being knocked down and possessed, the king uttered one last question.
"…The karma that We have is great. There are many dead on Our hands. Since We don't deserve to be a Sage King of this era, why not let this one be an ordinary soldier in the Dark Army until the very end as repentance to history? Just as it is impossible to revive the dead, so too can We not undo the sins We have committed. It would be good even if the Viscount was to have Us die."
"Aha."
It was just like the curse the witch had spewed before.
At that time, the Viscount had been unable to answer.
"It's fine, Your Majesty."
Now, it was different.
"This one can also serve the dead."
She had become a bit more capable.
"Not just the dead, but all of the people in the world."
"How…"
"Leave everything to this one."
Ja Soo-jung smiled coyly.
"However, please love this one."
December of that year.
Viscount Amethyst became a Duke.
She was the seventh Duke in the history of the kingdom, and the youngest to ever be awarded the title.
The Kaleidoscope(萬華鏡)* Duke. (*: One of the names the Tower Master gave in Chapter 210).
In the Kingdom, it was customary to shorten a Duke's name by two characters. The Ultimate Sword Duke(궁극검 공작) became the Absolute Sword Duke(절검공), and the Apathetic Duke(무위식 공작) became the Leisurely Duke(유희공). In this way, the Kaleidoscope Duke was also often referred to with a two character name instead of the three character name bestowed by the king.
The Country Tilting Duke(傾國公).
The Duke who tilted the country.