< 158. The Dream of a Sinner (1) >
Blair Campbell, Jenkinson's secretary, defines herself as someone who would live even without laws.
This statement has two meanings.
Blair believed that even if the laws protecting her rights disappeared from this world, she would survive. After all, she was under Jenkinson's jurisdiction, who wielded extralegal power.
Conversely, it wouldn't matter if there were no laws to punish her. Blair was not someone who would act contrary to universal ethics and principles.
Nevertheless, the elf was confused. The future was in a realm where even Jenkinson, a reliable shield, could not be certain of safety. Additionally, she couldn't be sure if what she was about to say to the people in front of her would align with principles, as she would be concealing parts of the truth.
Despite this, Blair decided to follow the orders. Jenkinson was someone the elf had painstakingly opened up to and trusted.
Those listening to Blair seemed as bewildered as she was.
"Uh... um... I mean..."
Goblin Dongcheol muttered his lifelong catchphrase in a subdued voice.
"Sir... I'm sorry... I didn't quite understand..."
He looked to Lakefield for help. The old elf, who had remained silent since witnessing the astonishing scene with his staff yesterday, had kept his mouth shut and not revealed anything to anyone. Now, he asked cautiously, fumbling to grasp what he had just heard.
"So, are you saying that you will employ everyone here from Jenkinson Company?"
The secretary nodded.
"Yes. Chairman Jenkinson believes that this is the best way to protect you all. Besides the external employment contract, we will also draft a personal contract with the chairman. This might sound unpleasant, but..."
Blair tried to express herself as calmly as possible.
"It's because you need to be recognized as something akin to personal property of Elder Dragon Jenkinson."
After the incident yesterday, Jenkinson had responded to an urgent call from the committee's district representative office. After an all-night interrogation, he returned with a face as pale as ice and hastily issued several instructions. One of them was to gather everyone and make this proposal.
The dragon realized what had happened at Min-jun's commercial property only later. The darkness had indeed been summoned by Min-jun. However, the opponents they faced were not vengeful dark magic factions.
Tax Collection Headquarters.
The sharpest blade of the committee.
Jenkinson was horrified upon learning that Min-jun had wiped out the members of this agency and vanished. It was shocking enough that a friend had such ability, but even more terrifying that it had been put into action.
The committee had not yet been able to locate Min-jun. The implications were clear.
'Escape from prison.'
Blair rolled the word around uncomfortably in her mouth.
She had belatedly discovered the agent's true identity through the confession of the dragon.
'A prisoner directly managed by the committee.'
She hadn't known such people existed, and the agent she had known for decades turned out to be one of them.
Her mind spun.
'An alien... a multi-dimensional criminal!'
Her superior was stepping forward to aid those associated with the escaped prisoner.
While this alone might not constitute illegality...
'Or could it really be so?'
She was ignorant of the committee's criminal justice system. Dragons or those who memorize its details might know.
Suppressing her agitation beneath the elf's mask, Blair continued to explain.
"As you both witnessed at the bookstore, there are individuals targeting Agent Min-jun right now. The agent appears to have concealed their whereabouts to avoid them. During this time, there is a risk that the enemies might target those close to the agent. Therefore, the chairman intends to personally protect you all until the agent returns safely."
Even while speaking, Blair had doubts.
Could she really protect them? The opponents were the committee, after all.
But Jenkinson was confident. He said there was a reason. Recently, the committee had failed to use force against a dragon without evidence, and Jenkinson intended to bring this case to public attention with other Dragon Lord candidates.
It seemed they believed that if they neutralized the suspect, evidence would naturally emerge. It was a method often used in ambiguous situations. However, the dragon survived, and they ended up failing to beat up an innocent dragon without evidence. As a result, the committee faced political pressure from the dragon race on Earth.
...From Blair's perspective, who had only heard this condensed version, it was an explanation she could not easily accept. She couldn't understand what evidence or charges were being discussed.
But she didn't show it and quietly looked at each person. Among them, Lakefield's eyes were particularly agitated.
At that moment, the silent Kathy spoke.
"What about Uncle Jeong-pal? And Eunsung?"
Those who were not present.
Blair answered as if she had anticipated it.
"Candidate Park Jeong-pal cannot sign a formal employment contract due to his current situation, but we plan to protect him through a side agreement. And Ms. Ha Eunsung is relatively safe for now since she is a dragon. However, those two will also need to move their locations for the time being."
She spoke words she herself was not entirely confident about as if they were assured.
Kathy then asked.
"Does the chairman have any idea where Min-jun might be?"
Blair shook her head. This time, there was no hint of concealment.
"He says it's unknown."
He awoke from a nightmare.
Feeling a bit dizzy.
Whoosh!
The wind blew. A gentle breeze tickled his forehead. The sounds of wild animals, songs, and the rustling of branches and leaves filled the air. The temperature and humidity were just right, enveloping his skin. He sat up. It was a time when both the sun and moon coexisted. The mountaintop, bathed in the setting sun, burned with a golden hue. The sensations perceiving all this were broad and free.
...Free.
'It feels like I had a long dream.'
He got up from his spot. He brushed off the grass and moisture from his buttocks. Then he thought about the dream he had just had. Rather than a precise narrative, the emotions he felt were what lingered. Feelings of repression, anger, frustration, resentment, and... a determination for revenge.
The forest's melody ceased. He stopped recalling memories and looked up. He cast his gaze over the horizon.
A pointillist painting spread across the sky, with frequent and scarlet brushstrokes. Black dots swarmed and flew up, densely packed like a flock of birds.
'Returning now.'
The nap had been quite long. It was a life unimaginable in the city.
He was confident. This life suited him better than the complex urban environment. Although some might consider this place to be primitive beyond the level of an uncomfortable countryside, they simply didn't appreciate the charm of rural life. He thought they were the ones who didn't know style and leisure.
'It's a bit late today, though?'
It meant he had to fly farther than usual to find food.
Perhaps next month, he might need to move the livestock to another continent. As time passed and he and his livestock left this land, the number of animals to feed his companions would increase. This process had been repeated countless times. According to his teacher's teachings.
Rumble!
The sound of the livestock's presence tickled his ears.
It was a flock of dragons filling the sky.
Rrrraaaar!
The creatures flapping their wings descended one by one, tracing graceful curves as they landed at the entrance of the livestock pen, which was densely perforated like a beehive. The process was smooth, and not a single dragon went astray from its home.
Their flight paths didn't entangle or collide. They performed magical maneuvers without brushing against each other, creating complex trajectories. To those who see it every day, it might not be particularly impressive, but for first-time observers, it was a scene that naturally elicited awe.
The dragons returning to the pen were relatively obedient, intelligent, and capable enough to find food in nearby areas.
Soon, those who lagged behind would be arriving.
It wasn't long before they came into view.
Roar! Roar!
The sounds of the dragons grew more intense, with some particularly sharp cries mixed in.
The return of the dragons continued. As time passed, unlike the perfect formation flight just moments before, the balance of the group began to break down. Dragons flying at the outer edges started to stray and show signs of veering off course. Every time this happened.
Roar! Roar!
A dragon flew in, leaving a golden meteor-like trail. It raced through the sky at a speed far surpassing other dragons. This dragon, appearing like a golden arrow, managed the formation, ensuring the ranks remained intact by darting through the front and sides with lightning speed.
This dragon was the one guiding the others. It managed the dragons to keep their direction, monitored their safe return home, and used threats and growls to force any defiant dragons back into place.
After the last dragon had returned to the pen.
Whoosh!
Instead of entering the pen like the others, the golden-scaled dragon circled in the air a few times, as if searching for something.
"······!"
The moment the dragon's eyes locked onto someone on the ground.
A sudden acrobatic descent began.
It was akin to the swift, aggressive movements of a hawk snatching its prey. The dragon performed unrealistically fast and sharp direction changes.
He saw the golden streak in the sky rapidly growing larger. It was hasty. Clicking his tongue, he closed his eyes in preparation for what was about to happen.
Boom!
A tremendous gust of wind.
The golden dragon, now dangerously close to the ground, skimmed over a patch of grass with its body slightly lifted. Fallen leaves and dry grass created a storm that covered his face. His hair whipped wildly.
Thud! The sound of the dragon landing on its feet. Thud! Thud! Thud! The sound of hurried footsteps. After confirming the wind had completely stopped, he opened his eyes.
A dragon charging directly at him. Its eyes glinted with something like flames.
"Adkiel!"
Calling out its name.
Roarrr!
The dragon responded with an enthusiastic expression. He tensed up, bracing himself.
Thud!
The dragon bumped into him.
"Hey, hey! Alright! Alright! Calm down!"
He fell to the ground on his back. The gold dragon, twice his size, lay on top of him, licking his face frantically.
Grrr! Grrrr!
After causing quite a commotion, the dragon finally detached. It then created a ruckus in another way, flapping its wings and shaking its neck incessantly.
He wiped the saliva off his cheek and read Adkiel's expression. Today, the return of the dragons was unusually delayed. The dragon's face was marked by impatient waiting and intense yearning.
Feeding time had passed.
Though the dragons are allowed to hunt freely during the day, by evening, all dragons eat the special feed prepared by the ranch owner. No matter how full they were from outside, the dragons still wanted it. Since he was the only human on this planet, he was also the one responsible for this task.
By making a few gestures in the air, he had already supplied feed to the livestock waiting anxiously inside the pen. A bowl filled with it also appeared in front of Adkiel. Watching the golden dragon devour it with a fierce and aggressive stance, he smiled.
Is it really that delicious?
The recipe from his late master was renowned for its exceptional taste. Reflecting on the old man's face, he fell silent for a moment. This planet had originally been his master's ranch. After his passing, it had been inherited by him.
In truth, it was such a long life that he wondered if there was any meaning to mourning. Although the lifespans of his kind were gradually increasing, no one else had enjoyed the longevity of his master. Nonetheless, he felt a subtle sadness whenever he thought of his master. Would there ever come a time when no one would lose someone they knew?
He could only continue to strive.
There was plenty of time. Having inherited a noble position under the apprentice system, he too would live a long life similar to his master. He snapped out of his reverie and brought up a few screens in the air. Despite opposing the factory-style breeding system in favor of traditional free-range farming, he didn't need to forgo all conveniences. His mind-connected system checked the inside of the pen.
He frowned.
'One is missing?'
He voiced his frustration.
"Hey, you. What's this? You left one behind."
Adkiel, who had been preoccupied with eating, looked up. Then, tilting its head and making a confused sound, it seemed not to understand his words.
The dragon's large, clear eyes reflected its owner like a mirror. He smirked. 'This guy must understand what I'm saying. It's like dealing with a person at times like this.'
He checked the identification number of the dragon that hadn't returned to the pen.
Koise-Ager-Ager-Azel-Hallekiah-Ryubrai-Koise······.
"Alright, if you're done eating, let's go catch that dragon."
"Grrr!"
Muttering as he climbed onto Adkiel's back, he was concerned about the missing dragon.
That one, wandering alone in some strange place, might end up getting caught by a Kavaite or something, which would be a disaster.
< 158. The Dream of a Sinner (1) > End