Book 1 Chapter 564

"Oh? It's not much different from a regular city?" Arga exclaimed as he followed Leo out into the night streets of Dragonia.

Indeed, the night streets here were no different from any other city.

It was as if a night market had opened, with many people actively moving through the streets, adding to the city's vibrancy.

It was a familiar, everyday scene with nothing special about it.

"I thought Dragonia would be amazing, but it's a bit of a letdown."

"What did you expect?"

"I thought they'd all be gigantic!"

"Ah, I was kind of expecting that too," Leo chuckled as he overheard Arga and Lunia's conversation.

'What do they think dragons are?'

Even dragons don't maintain their true form all the time.

"But everyone here is a dragon, right? Isn't that amazing to think about?" Chelsea peeked out from behind Leo and said.

Even for aspiring heroes, considered the future of their respective races, it's not easy to meet many dragons in a lifetime.

Moreover, it's impossible to enter Dragonia unless one has achieved considerable feats.

"Thinking about it that way, we are having quite an amazing experience."

Lunia murmured with a look of wonder.

"Driana?"

Leo realized Driana was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, there she is."

Arga pointed to Driana, who was talking to a girl holding a basket as she walked down the street.

"You are incredibly beautiful."

"……?"

"I'm pursuing a path in art. I'd like you to be my model."

"……?"

"Preferably nude…"

*Thwack!*

"What are you talking about! You pervert!"

Lunia elbowed Driana on the head.

But then she grabbed her elbow and rolled on the floor.

"Lunia, I've told you before, resorting to violence isn't a good habit," Leo said.

"You… made me… use violence… *Guh!* You dense brute…!"

"You can't stop my artistic will with that. Hit me as much as you want!"

"Oh? Really?"

"Just kidding, please spare me."

Driana surrendered gracefully as Arga asked with a smile.

Even though Dwarves were born naturally strong, they couldn't engage in pure physical combat with a beastkin like Arga.

"Are you okay? Were you very surprised? Believe it or not, they're harmless people despite how they appear."

Chelsea soothed the girl, who looked frightened.

"What do you mean, 'despite how they appear'? What do you mean?"

Lunia grumbled softly while rubbing her elbow, but she couldn't argue further.

Indeed, suddenly asking to be a nude model, and then elbowing such a person.

It would be enough to scare anyone unfamiliar with them.

However, the girl still had a bewildered expression.

Her reaction was as if she didn't understand what they were saying.

As Chelsea looked at her, slightly flustered.

Leo took a step forward and opened his mouth.

An unfamiliar language flowed from Leo's lips.

However, the girl seemed to understand his words, her eyes widening as she slightly bowed her head towards Leo.

"What is that the black rabbit is speaking?"

"It's Dragonic. Lunia, you must have studied Dragonic, right?"

"I studied it for magic, but I'm not fluent enough to converse like that."

"Indeed. Dragonic is a complex language. Leo, you're always amazing. What can't you do?"

"Ahem!"

"Why are you acting so proud?"

Driana looked at Chelsea with an expression of disbelief.

After finishing her conversation with Leo, the dragonkin girl cautiously approached the four girls and removed the cloth covering the basket.

The basket was full of flowers.

She handed out the flowers to the group one by one, and when it was Lunia's turn, she hesitated before carefully placing a white flower on Lunia's head.

Lunia's eyes widened at this, and the dragonkin girl spoke.

Lunia glanced at Leo, who then said,

"She says she's grateful you saved her from a difficult situation. She really likes Luna's heroic tales and says she's cheering you on, the one who chases the nebula."

Lunia's face lit up with emotion at his words.

The dragonkin girl hesitated for a moment, then smiled shyly and extended her hand.

"She's asking if you can shake her hand?"

"Of course!"

Lunia smiled and took the dragonkin girl's hand.

They then parted ways, waving goodbye.

"But it's unexpected. Don't all dragons speak the common continental language?"

"Dragons are indeed guides for heroes, but not all dragons are guides." Leo said, watching the dragons moving through the street.

"So dragons have their own ordinary lives too? That makes sense." Driana nodded.

Leo silently gazed at the streets of Dragonia.

In a sense, this street was also the image of dragonkind that Lisinas had envisioned.

'During the Age of Gods, dragons were a race chosen by the gods.'

At that time, all dragons dedicated themselves to protecting the land in their respective domains.

Lisinas also said that he lived his young days being forced into his life as a black dragon.

'The choice to save the world was purely my own will. But there's no obligation for all dragons to do so, is there?'

Therefore, after the Age of Calamity, Lisinas wished for many dragons to enjoy peaceful and comfortable lives.

'Gardsuron's culture has definitely influenced dragons a lot.'

Dragons born in Gardsuron interacted with many races.

Even now, they continue to preserve their culture that has existed since the Age of Gods and are the only race that does not use the common continental language but their own unique language.

'But even so, this ordinary scenery resembles Gardsuron.'

Leo smiled faintly.

'It's as you wished. Your race has laid down the burdens they carried.'

"Leo, how is it?" Lunia asked, fiddling with the flower in her hair.

"It suits you." Leo's answer brought a bright smile to Lunia's face.

"Black rabbit, be careful! You have a flower in your hair. You don't know when they'll pounce!" Arga shouted, hiding behind Leo.

At his words, Lunia, whose expression had vanished, lunged at Arga, who quickly fled.

Watching them, Chelsea said,

"If that dragon saw that, wouldn't it regret giving her the flower?"

"They didn't see it." Leo's reply led Chelsea to nod.

"Where did those two idiots go?" Driana sighed, watching the two disappear into the crowd.

"They're not kids, they won't get lost, will they?"

"Hmm. That's true." Driana nodded at Leo's words.

"By the way, Leo, weren't you out on the street for a reason? What was it?"

"I need to find something."

The contract written as a promise to rebuild Dragonia after defeating Erebos 5,000 years ago.

'Lisinas left it in Dragonia that day.'

A fragment of the egg that contained Lisinas.

It itself is a key to enter Lisinas's world.

Leo can enter Lisinas's world anytime as long as the Hero Record exists.

But it's different for others.

'There are times when I'm not there.'

It was good to find the key in preparation for those times.

"Let's head to the entrance for now."

Leo retraced his memory and headed towards the entrance of Dragonia.

***

"Where is this?"

"We got lost because of you."

"Why is it my fault? It's your fault for running away."

"I ran away because you were chasing me like you were going to kill me."

"Then who told you to tease me? And who was chasing you like they were going to kill you?"

"So, what were you going to do?"

"I just wanted to make you feel like you wanted to die a little."

"That's more vicious."

Arga's eyes narrowed, but Lunia just scoffed.

"Anyway, where exactly are we?"

There was no sign of anyone.

Dragonia was vast, even its interior was enormous.

However, not all of Dragonia was inhabited.

The outskirts were merely ruins that restored the panoramic view of Dragonia during the Age of Gods.

Therefore, the alleyways on the outskirts of Dragonia were truly like a complex labyrinth.

There was no danger, but it was difficult to get out.

Lunia looked up.

"They said there's a warding magic above Dragonia, so if we fly up, dragons will come."

Arga vehemently shook his head at this easy way of finding the path.

"No."

"Why?"

"Then that perverted dwarf will know we're lost, won't he?" Arga scowled.

"He'll definitely look at us like we're pathetic."

"…I don't like that," Lunia furrowed her brow.

Indeed, being treated like an idiot by Driana was unbearable.

The three of them were successors of Luna, Arion, and Dwenno, recognized by the Dragon Lord.

'Leo also recognizes us as successors of great heroes.'

For Lunia, who knew Leo's true identity, Leo's recognition was special and weighty, unlike Arga or Driana.

Because they were on equal footing, they could honestly show their true selves, which allowed them to become close quickly.

'We are in a relationship where we can be honest, but because of that, we can never lose to each other.'

"Then how do we find our way? Do you have a method?"

"Hmph."

At that moment, Arga brought his right hand, with only his thumb and index finger extended, under his chin.

"Stop posing and tell me the method."

"Who do you think I am? The next student council president of Azonia! Ar Tune!" Arga slapped his chest and pointed to his nose with his hand.

"I'll find the way by scent!"

Lunia exclaimed in admiration at his words.

"Wow! You're really like a dog!"

"I'm a cat!" Arga bristled, his tail standing straight up.

At that moment, four people emerged from an alley.

Lunia and Arga looked at them with puzzled expressions.

"You two, Lunia El Lundia and Ar Tune, right?"

At the question from the boy leading the group, Lunia, with her arms crossed, tilted her head.

"Yes, but who are you?"

"Lunia, look closely. They're wearing something like uniforms." Arga said, examining the four people's attire.

The boy who heard this smiled.

"We are prospective guides."

"Guides?" Lunia's eyes widened.

Guides.

The position of dragons who lead heroes.

"I've heard of it. They say there's a place in Dragonia where dragons with outstanding talent study to become guides."

"That's right. You can think of it as a hero academy for dragons. My name is Riden. It's nice to meet you." Riden stepped forward and extended his hand.

However, Lunia and Arga just stared at his hand.

"You don't want to shake hands?" At their appearance, Riden looked confused.

"I would like to shake hands," Lunia smiled slyly.

"If you look at us like you're appraising us, we don't feel good either."

At his words, Riden scratched his cheek.

"I apologize if I offended you. We are in a position to lead heroes as guides. But this is our first time meeting aspiring heroes, so we have high expectations." Riden smiled broadly.

"Your reputation is already famous in Dragonia. Especially Lunia El Lundia. You've already reached the rank of hero, haven't you?"

"So?"

"We came because we wanted to test how capable you are."

"Hmm." Lunia's lips curled upwards.

At that moment, Arga said, wagging his tail,

"There's only one person who can judge my potential as a hero?"

"What? Who is it?" Arga grinned at Riden, who looked bewildered.

"Leo Frobb."