The private vault building on West 34th Street in New York City looked shabby and worn, making it stand out even more.
Nestled among the grand high-rise buildings of the world's financial hub, this two-story building seemed out of place. However, everyone passing by knew it belonged to the oldest dragon on Earth (formerly).
As a result, this dilapidated building had also driven up the surrounding real estate prices, which were already sky-high.
The expectation was that even the most reckless terrorist would not dare to tamper with the world's premier dragon asset. And if such a madman did appear, the high dragons would predict and eradicate them beforehand. Consequently, the area around the Lord's building was considered one of the safest zones.
Min-jun was currently in one such location.
'What an incredible barrier.'
He clicked his tongue in admiration. The security was more stringent than the nearby Lehman Brothers building. Although guards were not visible, it didn't matter. Even a skilled magician would be instantly executed by the blind magic forming the massive barrier if they attempted to cast a spell without permission.
Min-jun opened the door and stepped inside. The interior was clean compared to its exterior, but it was filled with the cool, musty odor of an old building mixed with the scent of wood. The furniture that seemed to have once been used as display or storage was now empty and covered in dust.
In the center of the office stood a mahogany desk that spoke of the passage of time, where an elderly dwarf was deeply engrossed in reading. In one hand, he held a pipe, and in the other, a thick book. Min-jun recognized the book as a novel by a dwarf author favored by Lakefield.
I can't understand why these folks, or this author, like such bizarre books, whether they're novels or reference books, Min-jun grumbled inwardly. Without even turning his gaze, the dwarf spoke.
"I was starting to think you might not come. You're a bit late."
He let out a deep puff of smoke before finally looking up. After adjusting his glasses, he gestured for Min-jun to approach.
"I'd offer you a drink, but everything's been cleared out, so there's nothing suitable. Please place your hand here."
On the desk was a crystal orb. Min-jun did as instructed.
Whuuum!
The artifact reacted immediately. Particles of a hazy light began to rise within the once-transparent orb. The murky light gathered like mist, and the solid crystal surface wobbled like water. Slowly, a metal of finger-thickness began to emerge from within the orb, as if rising from below the surface. Min-jun grasped it.
It was a key.
The dwarf, still holding the pipe, silently gestured towards the back of the room. There was a door leading further inside.
'So this was the principle.'
If anyone other than Min-jun had come, the crystal orb would not have reacted. Furthermore, even if someone else inserted the key into the slot, the door would not open.
Min-jun inserted the key and turned his wrist. It turned without resistance.
When the door opened, it revealed a small room. On a seemingly ordinary table was a box with a sturdy lock. Min-jun intuitively felt that this box could also be opened with the same key. His intuition proved correct.
Click!
Creeeak-.
As the box opened, the key turned into light and vanished. Min-jun peered inside and raised his eyebrows.
'What is this?'
It was a smooth metallic cube with no visible grooves or cracks.
A cube.
He recalled the will again.
I bequeath the key to the private vault on West 34th Street in New York City and everything within it.
He surveyed the surroundings.
'It said everything within it. There's nothing but this box. Did they create such an elaborate vault just for this one thing?'
However, after examining the cube more closely, Min-jun realized.
'A space artifact. This itself is another vault, isn't it?'
But he had no idea how to open it. The key had already vanished. He searched the room for clues but found nothing.
'This isn't something that can be resolved here; I'll need to take it and study it further.'
The next line of the will echoed in his mind.
Don't think of this as a trick. It would be wise to check what's inside first.
He grumbled inwardly.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like a trick.
Not only did he have to solve another mystery, but considering the complicated situation Min-jun now faced because of this...
Nevertheless, he had no intention of ignoring it, abandoning it, or passing it to another heir.
'Since it's now in my possession.'
It was now Min-jun's.
The dwarf, still holding his book, waited for Min-jun to finish. When Min-jun emerged after completing his business, the dwarf suggested they walk outside the building together. As soon as they stepped onto the street, the dwarf muttered an incantation.
Rumble!
"Eek!"
"What's happening?!"
The private vault of the Dragon Lord. The historic building was "collapsing" with a tremendous noise. It was a sight of reinterpreting a three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional view. The roof buckled and contracted. The red brick walls that had covered the exterior of the building warped and stacked up in layers. The building crumbled in the air like a deflated balloon, shrinking and shrinking until it finally disappeared.
Where the vault building had been, a sunken platform remained, now at the height of one underground floor between the high-rise buildings. The process left no trace of dust, and only the sealed pipes and gas lines remained intact.
Min-jun looked at the dwarf with renewed admiration. He knew the dwarf was no pushover, but indeed, someone worthy of being hired by the Lord. While he might not have had the ability to create the barrier that was just here, he certainly had the capability to manage it. Many younger dragons fell short of this level.
"Look, here!"
"What is this? My goodness..."
Citizens gathered. The sudden disappearance of a landmark in New York City caused considerable confusion.
The alien and the dwarf stood side by side, looking at the empty space. The dwarf quietly exhaled cigarette smoke. Min-jun asked in a voice that did not carry beyond their immediate surroundings.
"Was this part of the plan?"
"You've already seen it, but all other items inside were removed long ago. What remained was just this book."
"If I had come earlier, old man, you might have left work sooner. Or rather, retired?"
"The employment ended long ago. The day the Lord passed away, the investment bank he owned immediately notified me of the contract termination."
But there was no hint of disappointment in his voice. It was a matter-of-fact tone, as if it was expected. Min-jun complimented him.
"Your skills are impressive. I'm sure you won't have trouble finding another job."
"I have no intention of looking."
"But as the keeper of the Dragon Lord's vault, it's a notable experience for other dragon races to covet. Even if you left this world suddenly, you might not have left a recommendation…"
The dwarf snorted.
"I'm going to retire as is. The Lord knew that. Just didn't expect the day to come so soon."
He repeated as if in disbelief.
"I didn't expect the Lord to leave so quickly."
When discussing his retirement, the dwarf's eyes were tinged with disappointment and sorrow.
"And."
Quickly regaining his composure, the dwarf glared at Min-jun. The wrinkles around his eyes, which had briefly reflected sadness, quickly masked the emotion. Instead, sudden fierce sparks appeared in his eyes.
"If I were to find another job, what? To work under a dragon? Nonsense."
He gritted his teeth.
"Working under those trash? I'd rather not make my old age a living hell. Even though my days are numbered, I don't want to turn them into hell."
The dwarf spoke passionately.
"Do you know what the biggest problem with dragons, those fierce reptiles, is? It's not just their selfishness and their compulsion to dominate and control others. No, the greater tragedy is that those damned beasts have been given immense power that they do not deserve. If there is indeed a creator, they need to analyze the mental state of that being. With any thought or common sense, such a monster should never have been created!"
"······."
Min-jun swallowed the words he had considered saying.
The dragon lord you served was also a dragon... because, you know, 'dragon' lord.
Noticing the change in Min-jun's expression, the dwarf grumbled.
"The Lord was different. He was a special person. Serving him was the greatest blessing of my life."
Then, looking up at Min-jun, he asked.
"Do you think you'll be able to catch the culprit?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"They'll definitely be on the lookout, those reckless bastards. And the ex-wives with guardian duties for the hatchlings."
Though not publicly announced, those who knew the contents of the Lord's will were aware.
"Probably. Though I'm not sure how successful it will be."
"I think the Lord never intended to pass the Dragon Heart onto his children."
Min-jun had thought the same.
"Did he really set a deadline of 99 days to find the culprit? If he truly wanted revenge, would he have given such a tight deadline? There's a Chinese saying: 'A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years.' So why did the Lord set such a deadline?"
After a brief pause, he continued.
"In the end, isn't it that the one seeking revenge isn't a 'gentleman'? Or maybe there's no need for 'revenge' at all."
No need for revenge.
Min-jun repeated the words in his mind.
"Anyway, there must be a reason for entrusting you with the entire vault. Do you know what the other dragons said about him? Although the Lord did many strange and bizarre things…"
Min-jun completed the thought.
"…none of them were without meaning."
The dwarf smiled slightly.
"That's right. Everything had meaning. My name is Robert Duncan. Perhaps we'll meet again if the opportunity arises. For now, I must take my leave. My neck is itching so badly that I can't stay here any longer."
With that, the dwarf turned and walked toward the spectators. Then he snapped his fingers. A piece of light the size of a coin expanded instantly. As the people around him stared in surprise, Robert Duncan continued his pace without slowing and walked into a golden door. The golden sphere that enveloped him disappeared in an instant. The only trace left was a faint wisp of cigarette smoke.
'Clean teleportation as well.'
Moreover, Robert Duncan's final words were not meant for the spectators.
The reason he mentioned his neck itching was something else.
'Impressive senses. Among the magicians I've met on Earth, he's top-notch, excluding the high dragons.'
After marveling, Min-jun quickly erased thoughts of Robert Duncan. His final murmur was that he probably wouldn't see him again.
Instead, he focused on something else. Now, he sensed twelve pairs of eyes observing him from afar.
'There are four more than before entering the vault.'
The number did not match the number of heirs precisely. It was possible that non-heir dragons were watching as well, and although unlikely, there might be some eyes Min-jun hadn't noticed.
Without losing track of this, Min-jun moved at a leisurely pace towards his residence. On the way, he stopped by a large supermarket. He stocked up on meat, vegetables, seasonings, and so on. He picked up items without much thought, just grabbing what his hands reached. It was enough to feed a dozen or so people.
A few minutes later, he stood in front of his residence's room door, holding a large paper bag filled to the brim. He glanced at the lock. His expression did not change. The shabby barrier, which showed no signs of having been broken. Though it had been installed with the attitude of 'try to break it if you can,'...
'They've really torn it up messily.'
Anyway, these kids these days.
He opened the door and went inside. He took the groceries to the kitchen and put them in the refrigerator. The voice he heard from the living room table came after he had finished putting away the paper bags.
"How is Duncan doing?"
"······He seemed okay. He looked fine."
The blond man sitting at the living room table smiled.
"Not surprised, I see. As expected, impressive."
"We meet again here."
The inmate, the oldest of the Dragon Lord's children born on Earth, though still a hatchling by the Lord's standards, looked at him with a haughty expression.
The dragon glared at Min-jun.
The dragon's expression was so solemn and its posture so stiff that Min-jun barely managed to suppress a smile.
'Dragons that haven't even lived a hundred years are just immature hatchlings.'
It was obvious why he had come here and the conclusion drawn from his unripe head. He must have felt confident that he was in control.
It was a laughable misunderstanding. Min-jun was confident he could fry and devour such a young dragon whole. Of course, that was a figurative expression... for now, at least.
< 132. There Are No Bad Dragons in the World (4) > End