Chapter 75: Cold-hearted dragon (1)
LGIxOn the hill of the white desert, the knights were gathered, watching a place.6YR
DdeThe icy cold of the northern wind stung their eyes, but the knights paid no attention and simply gazed at the distant horizon.1NXicfb
oSWThey were waiting.T4q
yuJQCThe torches that would bring cold breath.vw9J
J4d0oR“I can see it.”t4AFeT
xs5bAnd the iron-clad knights carrying the torches did their best on their mission.D1ZA
yf7YuA huge blast of cold air approaches rapidly from afar.ySBtyx
Nwd5pKMAnd knights with torches running towards them, surrounded by a cold mist.JqC
Rh33They were knights of the Baranov steelworking family.PMe
nyfNnI“Get ready.”JkJcH
1vHD“Yes.”fkd
q12mDVNUpon receiving an order from a man who looked like a captain, the knights watching from the hill began to mount their horses one by one.MGkXH
0RKuzncEach of them held a magical torch to protect themselves from the cold and stared intently at the remains of the fallen dragon running towards them with rough breaths.izqz
K12wxc“Now!”pRSc
j5VWith the signal from the assistant, the knights began to run downhill.5vt
cWiOKuN“….”zp7
1OmZkAs the knights rushed forward, the man with a ponytail pulled one of the spears from the ground and silently closed his left eye.GUcmU
1nE9krA knight’s sword is sharp, but it can only cause damage if it touches the opponent.QLjPv
yJeA4TPAnd the fallen dragon they were trying to face was so fast that they couldn’t easily catch it.ODVVl
n95Therefore, the blacksmith sent the knight he considered most suitable for this job.7O5g
wzi5Valkov with the lance.JfNVEPz
arGmThe lance he held began to glow with a bright blue light.xLYgGz4
XfuA“It’s breath!”cntinPe
Bh5EThe white dragon, roaring as it saw the knights clinging to it, opened its mouth and took a deep breath, as if its judgment had been distorted.VCxK
zzroVIts chest expanded greatly, and the white scales rose, warning of what would happen next.6Z5VeJ
IYKThe knights, sensing the impending destruction, quickly attempted evasive maneuvers.1D2vk
Qxsh“Hmph!”ywP0I
JUtValkov hurled his lance at the dragon, which paused for a moment to catch its breath.CyEK
jVdvjhThe aura-filled lance began to fly through the wind with an elastic motion.Q9NYj
dNacTVThis is enough.dLaIwR
MPK4CmAt this distance, a flying lance wouldn’t be noticed.3pT6Y
FJSHowever, Valkov suddenly found himself met with blue eyes staring directly at him from a distance.Ykvj
nTvCQsB“What?”evNl42
maQlThe remains of the fallen dragon. Lindworm.z7n
tBv9m91The dragon, with the icy cold in its chest, quickly writhed with movements more agile than those of a wolf.DaJ
lVFzuKwaaaah!H4E66j
ru15NTTGyaaaah!krTWb
RZf8B3It was fast, but too late.VeTarVh
o9EThe lance that had just passed was deeply embedded in the ground.With white scales fluttering.vX9l5
AnaHNKm“Damn it!”OW1
8rrwwjValkov let out an angry exclamation unknowingly.q22
BmpeywjAlthough it was known to be fast, he never expected it to be as sensitive as it is now.zCyOXA
E6gKT“It can’t move!”KaVuD8
GTkX64E“Surround it!”ki9
TMMwThe knights who noticed Valkov’s failure relentlessly rode around Lindworm, blocking its escape route, but the fallen dragon realized it had already fallen into a trap set by humans.o7u
RoWgKwaaa-!L93tp
ynY8xWWith a furious roar, Lindworm quickly lifted the siege of the knights and began to run towards the snowy mist.vtgE
qCzKIJlBecause judging the time and place was the basic attitude a predator should have.DWFnh1
G4e“Follow me!”t4r7o
QHNmSn“Block the front!”o1B
Yg0PaAs Lindworm retreated, the knights urged their horses to reach the dragon, which accelerated at great speed, but it was a tough task even for the horses.dGT
VH8The horses, exhausted from chasing the dragon, foamed at the mouth and began to stop one by one.pUe
U6zu“Damn it!”zd27SY
XPBrUo9Valkov, seeing the siege lifted, shouted a single word and threw the lance he held to the ground, but Lindworm had already disappeared into the white mist.Dq14ET
uvH1Only the furious roar of the dragon could be heard coming from the foggy snowy distance.17jMT2K
HzcK***LaUOfX9
C5uz8A stable installed in Rose’s Smile.XnkNfS
wtfldIn the place Madame Marcella paid special attention to, Vlad watched Goethe with rolled eyes.ckFXjr
QNP“Please, just this once. Please!”DYYeGd
KYrOjW7Goethe clasped his hands as if pleading, but the black horse simply kicked him without the slightest hesitation.orRC
Hpcv“Let me saddle you just once!”eMjGL
jrW9lP6Neighing—4ILy
acFRyfA black horse raising its front hoof threateningly toward Goethe, who continued clinging annoyingly to it.fzLRE
zudJAcGoethe simply stepped back upon seeing that.twVvp
uUY“You seem to have a shitty personality. Seriously!”FBNlqW
tBy1DxzGoethe, who was snorting as if he could no longer bear the black horse that seemed to ignore his pleas, this time turned his head and looked in Vlad’s direction.m9fu
7z2GHere was another damn guy.hxDFQ
wTxw“Do something about it, please!”n9aY7
maUBOf the two, Goethe vented his anger towards the one who could communicate less, but the blond one was equally disobedient.i4vK
yzkRSO3“He really doesn’t listen to me.”AAue
lsY5H“Isn’t this what the captain said?”HLVV
nUySeeing Vlad shrug as if wondering what to do, Goethe lifted his head and looked up at the sky.Q4q
MbXThe black horse, and the blond boy.caXcelz
uBbyLWell, I met some boys.T14
nbNyT“I want to hit you.”1gH54Z
3RVZDjkHe was prepared, but he didn’t expect it to be this difficult.mcka
r0sZDPThough it was a wild horse, it still followed people, so I thought something would work, but it was a big mistake.NuVB
tqXSCBut it wasn’t just because Goethe couldn’t saddle him that angered him.2I5q
bDeye“Zemina can do it. Why can’t you? Isn’t it just that you lack skills?”HBi
I0qxxcv“…!”V8E
5unD7dGoethe clenched his teeth upon hearing Vlad’s voice whispering beside him.QK1Fa
Ac5‘Why do you listen to that girl so attentively…!’m3JZ
dAOHThat was the biggest issue.bo6JE
SzJTThough he was a violent type, the problem was that he seemed like an innocent lamb in front of the redhead.A4ub
IZsIVThere was clearly someone who had tamed him, so the current situation would surely raise doubts about Goethe’s abilities as the stable keeper.sbSpwl1
lqDOHRz“…It’s because he doesn’t have a name.”kcQk7
MJMw“What nonsense.”tuV
exgNi“It’s because the wild hasn’t died. You have to give him a name to know where he stands!”G6Vkbw
LTjCsCIt was clearly a nonsensical claim, but Vlad unconsciously nodded at Goethe’s surprisingly plausible words.Ue2u7L6
hGe1That could really be the case.JlhQNP
fKUkWatching Vlad standing and pondering what he had said, Goethe said he should at least have a beer and went inside with a rosy smile.UO6nvtU
gcuLs“…A name.”FoYJ
OODwJAVlad scratched his chin as he watched the black horse walk into the stable on its own feet.4zAT
6N6“I see. I need to build it.”6KVnLp
nbnBThe boy who ran across the plains abandoned his duties and followed the boy to this place.Hag4Fi
H6MPyIn that case, it would be right to at least give him a new name.wcT2
vw3“Is Vlad here?”SSb
u1wd4gvVlad, who was contemplating a name while making eye contact with the black horse, turned his head when he heard a voice calling him from behind.T6xYyQJ
nnCVsF“Sir Joseph is calling for you.”C34hS55
mKMCdgVlad nodded as he listened to the man’s words who came to see him from the town hall.fqhQ
KFSJ“I’ll think about it later.”vGllU
YXcSugThe black horse nodded as if understanding what Vlad said.O2g
mB5VThough it wasn’t his name, Vlad took a step forward for the man who gave him a title that allowed him to have confidence anywhere.8aM
VLCC***pWwatb
G5gKJoseph made a subtle expression as he looked at the man who suddenly approached him.meQ
mdOXYHe wasn’t someone who arrived at a place he couldn’t go to, but he wasn’t necessarily someone who necessarily came to visit either.5W8P
lmGr“As expected, your mother’s insight is amazing. No matter where I go, I’ve never tasted tea like this before.”410q1xx
QQEVRFRutiger made a humorous expression as he raised the teacup he was holding towards Joseph.TX9eaC
ahA1Wf8As if his words weren’t empty, Dorothea’s ears perked up as she took a sip from her teacup.s6Ge
yrCEPR“Didn’t you ask your mother to give it to you? I don’t think it’s very expensive.”oYxLfoG
Ra8WTy“…That’s not easy.”JUttU
wSQwCq9At Joseph’s words, Rutiger smiled bitterly and shook his head.OI5xYp
rpmP“Is there something that is difficult to explain with words? You know what I mean, right?”SA1OwV4
KPrembJoseph nodded as he looked at Rutiger, who gave him a subtle expression.MRF9
TEnHvRAlthough Oksana wasn’t the type of person who wouldn’t even do him a small favor, their relationship was destined to be tense in many ways.VQV36K
Rb3x9MJAs they had no choice but to compete for the same things, Rutiger couldn’t expect Oksana to act as a mother from an early age.y5RaNa
CbfLu“….”IssJn
JE1oDJoseph let out a small sigh as he watched Rutiger confidently talk about delicate matters that he wouldn’t have dared to reveal.bhV
3L3Y2z9The two brothers were truly different and had something that the other didn’t have.xLeE
6VBeA6Z“What brings you here?”Dqs
xcp“Well, brothers don’t necessarily have to have a reason to see each other.”JKOAyA
htqLQARutiger, who was looking at Joseph with his arms resting on the backrest, saw his younger brother looking at him without moving and nodded as if he knew he would do the same.BpFR
FCc“Don’t look at me so seriously. There’s a reason why I came here.”Qwb
fZTJoseph didn’t even accept the joke he briefly made before getting into the main topic, but Rutiger wasn’t embarrassed at all.0sjS4K
YHv6UBecause it was something he had seen all his life.nycU
ZiE6zPC“After receiving the report you sent, my father assigned me to investigate the barbarian region. And there I discovered an unusual trend.”1CFu
ccNJoseph raised his eyebrows and waited for Rutiger’s next words.4Brb
f5qa“The dragon is coming down. It seems that the barbarian you brought with you was right.”DO1j1
Lt7Cke6“…Lindworm.”SRgaP
MKRJoseph uttered a word and rested his chin on his hand.X5O
rfzhIn the end, what Agge said was correct.r4HAT
6N4ScEven in the icy cold of the northern wind, the dragon living in the coldest place was coming down.G44VFXK
jYwMk8“It will still be too early for it to come down… Besides, he’s not the type of person who always moves just because it’s winter, right?”cmF0
aVYdxq2“Yes.”EDvf2F
8DJ4If in the west there were deadly worms that burrowed into the earth, in the north there were the Lindworms that lived in blizzards.OetCa
uTuXSThe coldest and fastest dragon.bfuPv
MZ8aMThe death worms did not attack humans except for the damage caused by their enormous size, but the dragon called Lindworm was different.a67LP
m3pThe Lindworms, which reached human territory every few decades after the cold weather, were fierce creatures that destroyed two or three villages each time.fJS
5vtbFThe remains of fallen dragons were like natural disasters for humans.caNX
ACn“Where is it going to come down?”25Fxwv
qSD“I don’t know. It’s hard to find traces because it moves very fast.”QG6V
lpZ81After finishing his tea, Rutiger spoke to his half-brother with a serious expression instead of his usual relaxed smile.weHSfAS
lhYJ7“So my father ordered me to defend and subdue Lindworm.”7O2qN
jbp8“As mayor of Soara, I will spare no effort to support you as much as possible.”X1XkU
THQz0yZJoseph responded to Rutiger’s words with an orderly stance.Dti5D8
EZe9hdxHis brother did not come with a simple request, but with a solemn order from Count Bayezid.jPkI
yYc15yiThe two brothers competed for the position of the next head of the family, but they would have to join forces in this crisis situation.BAkYpOz
8oSWe must not forget the purpose for the sake of the means.rw6B
8qTLNWhat the two brothers wanted was not only the position of head of the family, but also the strong Bayezid.tbLI
z8a4uiM“Can I help you with something?”HutHXwV
n5punX“We request the dispatch of knights along with reliable reconnaissance from Soara.”k3lKT
BuqJoseph nodded as if he understood what Rutiger said.Eq5x
1kJXdWThis was because this level of demand was not only common sense, but also already expected.iGp
AnKWFQ“How many knights…”slh3cl
pue7“I only need one person.”YQY
K1V09Even Jager, who was standing next to Joseph waiting for Rutiger’s response, looked at him with a hint of surprise.nWWHn
Z6fEYou’d need strong swords to face the dragon.qz25w
EyLYrcJRutiger was only asking for a single knight, even when he could have requested all the knights in Soara and still wouldn’t have enough words to say.dbq
uWdEI“Can it be just one person?”QzF
jGP“Lindworm is different from Death Worm. It’s an opponent that the sword can handle well.”tXgE
YXtIpORutiger was right.N2ably
lrZZvaLindworm wasn’t the type to hide in the ground like a death worm, and he had successfully subdued him before.APbsd
1kpdPSo, this time, you can do it too.Gu6NnaY
0nawG8yAs long as the sword can reach Lindworm’s swift movements.nqNG9L
YLKcsDM“Who do you need?”WHR4h
ePc7Rutiger responded to Joseph’s question with a sly smile.qGdZK
KmRYp“The blond one you care so much about.”0YP
rqWs4G“…You mean Vlad?”YsO0
4awTJoseph furrowed his brow for a moment as he looked at Rutiger, who was asking for Vlad instead of Jager or Gregory.t7zGvbR
0f2UdAlthough he was a boy with unique strengths, strictly speaking, he had only just begun his journey.o5d
iF9“Yes. That guy.”0ko
Gx05dyRutiger remembered him.Y7T
6pSLGMEThe boy who proudly shouted against the death worm in the meadow on a summer day.CtnL
pY5u3K9“Because he’s the best Dragon Slayer I know.”rqNG
PRpj5gvThe boy from that day with the black horse shone brightly.AoY
o2sWith a presence of that magnitude, even Lindworm, who had a heart like ice, couldn’t help but pay attention.fa4aYj
KSK2Just like the death worm that unknowingly emerged from the ground to attack the shining boy.kSrpoZ
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