Book 6 Chapter 12

Chapter 136

Threats from other adventurers began to manifest with a clear reality from the moment they entered the Third Finger.

If it wasn't the heads of beasts menacingly impaled on the path, it was scarecrows made of beast fur with countless spears and knives stuck in them.

If the threats had only come from adventurers, the story would have been simpler. In this remote area, which pathologically hated the light of civilization, there were many dark and secretive characteristics.

"The quietest times are when you should be most careful."

Normally, one could hear the sounds of Paleozoic vegetation wriggling or the cries of beasts adapted to this harsh land, but occasionally, they would abruptly cease.

Eldvihg said that meant a powerful magic beast was lurking nearby.

Each time, a sinister and eerie gaze was definitely felt from somewhere, but its direction could not be pinpointed.

"Well, even if they showed up, they wouldn't be a match for you. Perhaps they know that, as they rarely reveal themselves."

Eldvihg seemed to genuinely acknowledge my skills, as whenever he warned of a threat, he would always conclude it that way.

And when twilight deepened and dusk settled in the evening, he would disappear somewhere, just like now.

When Eldvihg disappeared, I would erect a wall of fire around the beastfolk, and Cassena's routine was to care for the wounded with healing incantations she learned from Alakish.

"Oh."

That day, I visited the Durankus tribe after a long time. More precisely, their chieftain, Beduel.

"What's the matter?"

Beduel welcomed me as warmly as before. That's why I was able to utter the words that were stuck in my throat and refused to come out.

"Um… for a baby, by parents. What's the very first thing they should teach…?"

I felt like dying of embarrassment. If there had been a library nearby, things would have been much easier.

Beduel tilted her head, then smiled contentedly upon seeing Aki, who was sound asleep on my back.

"I, too, learned similar things from my mother, and from my mother's mother. Remember just three things: praise, example, and love."

"Praise, example, love?"

"Praise helps a child grow into a positive person, full of self-esteem and confidence."

As I unconsciously pulled out 'Lynn's Notebook' and a fountain pen from my pocket to jot it down, Beduel gently took my hand holding the notebook and lowered it.

"It's not that hard to write down. And by example, I mean there's no need to specifically try to teach something. Parents just need to set an example."

"An example? Hmm… then what about love?"

"This is both the easiest and the hardest. Just hug them a lot and cherish them."

Listening to Beduel's story, a corner of my heart suddenly felt heavy. I realized I had been doing the exact opposite when teaching Tureyna.

I could have done better.

What good would regretting it now do? No, it can change. I just have to avoid repeating those mistakes.

"Take this."

"What is this?"

"It's a baby carrier. I should have given it to you sooner, I was too thoughtless."

"It's like a blanket you wrap around your back? What do I use it for?"

"You cradle the child in it. If Lord Alakish's child is clinging to your back like that, won't it be hard for both of you?"

Indeed… when Aki fell asleep, she would dig her claws into my back. It must have been an instinctive action to keep from falling.

Thanks to that, my clothes were torn to shreds, and my back ached to the point of death, but Aki herself must have been the most uncomfortable.

Because of that, I wanted to test the performance of the baby carrier right away, but today, no, starting today, there was something I had to do.

"Alright, pay attention. From now on, we'll begin special training to become a 'super cool True Dragon'."

No sooner had I taken her off my back than Aki, who had woken up from her sleep, squinted at me, then bravely raised her hand and shouted.

"Awoo!"

So cute…

No, don't give in, Lynn.

"First, let's watch a demonstration by an experienced assistant. Assistant Pipi."

"Assistant, assistant, assistant."

As Pipi puffed out her chest and raised one wing in a salute, Aki smiled brightly and awkwardly imitated the gesture.

"Hmm, a very good attitude for learning. Alright, Assistant Pipi, sit."

This was an educational method that combined what I had seen while growing up in Bellwynn Manor and what I had learned from Beduel.

First, connection!

Pipi would first demonstrate that connection as an example, and if Aki followed properly, I would praise her.

It was such a perfect teaching method that I slapped my forehead when I thought of it. It was clearly perfect in theory.

"Pipi, what are you doing? Sit."

"?"

"I said sit. Aki is watching."

As I whispered urgently, Pipi seemed to stare up at me, but instead of sitting, she began to protest.

"Corn, corn, corn."

"How am I supposed to get corn here now! Sit down quickly!"

"Corn~ corn~ corn~!"

Then Aki, who had been watching us both, wildly waved her hands and imitated her.

"Oh-doo-doo! Oh-doo-doo!"

"Pipi, you… stop being stubborn and do it properly."

"Corn, corn, corn!"

"Oh-doo-doo! Oh-doo-doo!"

As they say, bad habits are quickly learned; Aki learned nothing good from Pipi, only bad things.

It was the so-called "Pipi Dance," a mischievous act of circling the campfire while food was being prepared, driving people crazy.

As Pipi hopped around the fire where Lynn's special charcoal-grilled skewers were cooking, Aki smiled brightly and crawled on all fours, following closely behind.

"…So you want me to do that?"

Ultimately, I had no choice but to send a distress signal to my most reliable companion.

Cassena Page.

After hearing my brief explanation, Cassena glared at me with an incredulous look.

"I understand your feelings, but she is still the child of our benefactor. Please help a little."

"No, that… that's true, but for me to do this right now! What you're trying to do is what dog trainers use when training puppies!"

"Oh, then is there any other good method?"

Since Cassena also couldn't think of anything suitable (she had never given birth to a daughter, and moreover, being an only child, she didn't even have siblings), she eventually decided to play along with Lynn.

"Alright, Aki, trainee. Stop following that fake assistant and watch the real assistant's demonstration here."

"Awoo?"

"Assistant Cassena, sit."

Cassena's face, with her lips tightly pressed, flushed crimson. It was truly, utterly, uncontrollably embarrassing, but…

"Milady, quickly."

"Ah, really! Fine! I get it!"

As she let out a sigh that was almost a shout and quickly squatted down, Aki's eyes sparkled as if she understood something.

"Her eyes sparkled!"

"Ah, did she understand?!"

"Then, let's seize this momentum and try one more action! Milady, lie down!"

"What?"

"Quickly!"

This is a teaching method, right?

You're not doing this on purpose to tease me, are you?

The moment she calmed her face, which felt like it would explode from embarrassment, and lay down, Aki squinted her eyes for a moment, then vigorously nodded her head.

"Sh-she nodded her head!"

"Really?!"

"Really, really, really."

"Aki, sit!"

Then Aki, who had abruptly stood up, seemed about to sit down just as Cassena had demonstrated, but then…

"A-woo!"

She bent her knees halfway, then stood up again and this time, put both hands on the ground, seemingly to lie down.

"Daa-at!"

But as if even that was a trick, she struck the ground with both hands, forcefully pushed herself up, and only then fully bent her knees and squatted down.

"Sh-she mixed in a fake?! Why?!"

"Is her intelligence high or low?!"

"In-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence."

As if even their perplexity was part of her plan, Aki, with a triumphant expression, crawled over to me.

What in the world is this…?

Should I praise her? No, if I praise her, won't she just develop a bad habit of teasing people?

"A-doo!"

It was at that very moment. A pungent burnt smell suddenly began to emanate from the skewers, which had been giving off a fragrant meaty aroma from the charcoal fire.

Oops, I hastily pulled the skewers from the fire. Fortunately, only the edges were lightly charred, so there wouldn't be a big problem eating them.

The problem was that Aki, drawn by the scent, had already climbed up my leg and onto my stomach, eagerly reaching out her hands for the skewers.

"Awoo, awoo, awoo-woo!"

Lynn's special charcoal-grilled skewers were Aki's favorite food.

Actually, since I couldn't make a variety of foods, it wasn't clear if it was truly her most favorite, but it was certain she loved it enough to flip out over it.

A strange sense of pride surged through my body, dizzying, but at this moment, I definitely felt the need to establish discipline.

"No, don't, wait, not now… Alright, Milady! Let's teach something important now!"

"Huh?"

"If I hold this out to you, Milady, and say 'wait,' you absolutely must not eat this skewer."

Amidst Aki's frantic reaching, I had no time to wait for Cassena's answer, so I immediately held the skewer out in front of her.

Cassena stared blankly at the skewer. Saliva flooded her mouth like a torrent, and it occurred to her that she hadn't eaten anything since lunch.

And so she just ate it… *Gasp*, by the time she came to her senses, she had devoured all but one.

"Awoo, awoo-woo."

When she looked up, Aki was also happily eating the grilled skewers, following Cassena's lead.

"…"

As if to admonish such a Cassena, Lynn groaned, clutching her brow, while Pipi barked around her head, "In-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence."

"In-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence, in-tel-li-gence."

In the end, we couldn't teach Aki anything that day.

In fact, not only that day but throughout the days heading to the Far West Branch, we kept trying, but the results were just as unsatisfying.

Was it preposterous for mere humans to dare teach a True Dragon?

Still, there were good things too.

Meanwhile, Cassena had become completely friendly with Aki, so much so that now she would come and try to guide Aki without even being asked.

"Aki, are you hungry?"

"Awoo!"

"Aki says she's hungry! Lynn, grill some skewers for her!"

"Isn't it Milady who wants to eat them?"

"Ah, just do it!"

Of course, while such a daily routine repeated, it wasn't always peaceful.

The deeper they ventured into the Third Finger, the more they constantly felt human presence and murderous gazes around them. These weren't from magic beasts, but from people, specifically adventurers.

At first, it seemed like one or two teams, but as the days passed, they encountered more and more teams.

"I am Otukan, Gold Rank Adventurer 246th. I shall execute you traitors of the Empire… *Gah!*"

"I am Durkha, Gold Rank Adventurer 445th. If I offer your head, traitor, to the Imperial Family, I will be promoted to Platinum Rank at once… *Gah!*"

"I am a heroine among heroines who will someday reach the top 10 of Gold Rank Adventurers… *Gah!*"

It was strange that even though I taught those who attacked a lesson with flames (without killing them), reckless teams kept appearing.

Not only that, but they also faced more cunning attacks. For example, traps laid in their path or night raids on the beastfolk's procession.

Bloodshed between the beastfolk and adventurers was absolutely not to happen, so I had to stay awake day and night, raising walls of fire. I felt like I was dying from sleepiness.

"Apart from Jeokilhong, whom we met at first, there's only a motley crew."

Eldvihg, on the other hand, said this wasn't bad. He mentioned that the true powers of Trident Point didn't seem to have emerged from the deeper levels yet.

Cassena seemed quite displeased (?). Apparently, she had been excited about meeting many famous adventurers… a child is a child.

So passed one day, two days, three days, four days, ten days, half a month, one month.

"They're starting to appear."

Finally, Eldvihg, who had stopped at the end of the hilly region, pointed with his finger to a place in the distance, where the Eternal Swamp ended and the sea began.

"That's the Alliance Far West Branch."

* * *

"According to the military law of the Wall, I sentence you, who have committed unprecedented crimes, to beheading."

About fifty wolves, with their hands and feet bound in chains, were dragged onto the Wall.

Soon, they were made to kneel one by one before the execution block, and the person who drew his sword in front of Kyran Wolf Blado, the ringleader, was Juram, the deputy commander of the Wall.

The Blado family was a prominent magic-wielding house representing the North, and even if they were to be beheaded, a minimum level of courtesy needed to be shown.

"We sent notifications to His Imperial Majesty, Grand Duke Duren, and the Count Blado family… and received a reply. They said their disappointment was great. And that we should execute according to the military law of the Wall."

"…"

"I feel the same way. To think you would commit such an act… You were a talent who could easily have become the next supreme commander."

Despite orchestrating a massive rebellion, Kyran, who was strangely captured without much resistance, let out a bitter laugh as his dark red hair fluttered.

"I always only ever disappointed my parents. But this time, it won't be like that. The gods, and history, will judge."

His parents' judgment was certainly reasonable. Shielding their child could have led to the entire family being branded as enemies of the Empire.

"Is that all for your last words?"

For a moment, Juram, who had been meeting the sharp, intelligent eyes of the young mage, finally saw a chilling gleam of twilight flash from the blade he held high with both hands.