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Ian nodded. Although Gailgron’s lecture was brief, he could easily rate it as perfect.

As expected of a hero, there was something distinctly different about him. What he said penetrated Ian’s mind effortlessly.

He taught not only the operation and arrangement of mana but also simple know-how that would have taken a long time to learn through personal experience.

It was rare to find someone willing to share so much unless they had a close relationship, and Ian felt grateful.

After finishing the explanation, Gailgron clapped his hands.

“Alright. Now that you’ve learned the theory, let’s give it a try.”

Ian willingly stepped forward at those words. Following Gailgron’s instructions, he moved his mana and unleashed it from his fingertips, forming a round barrier in a narrow area.

Boom—

“Whoa?”

Ian was surprised, not expecting to succeed on the first try.

However, it only looked impressive on the outside; to Gailgron, it seemed utterly trivial.

With a disapproving glance, he raised a finger and poked the barrier. Instantly, the mana lost its form and crumbled.

“Use more mana. You were too stingy just now. This is meaningless. Do it again.”

Ian followed his instructions but was thorough about it.

“Again.”

If there was any flaw, Gailgron pointed it out and made him repeat the same action.

“Do it again.”

After several failures, Ian finally started to get a feel for it.

“Hm, do it again.”

Gailgron observed the barrier closely and finally seemed satisfied.

“This is good enough. You’re a fast learner. It’s not as difficult as you thought, right?”

“I think I can manage. But if I use this, can others really not eavesdrop?”

“For now. If someone has special abilities, that’s a different story, but I haven’t seen such a case yet. If anyone tries to eavesdrop through this barrier, a mediocre attempt will be noticed right away. Want to see?”

Gailgron demonstrated.

Indeed. Ian sensed a foreign flow of mana trying to infiltrate the barrier he had set up.

Even though the movement was quite stealthy, it was clear to him; unless one deliberately ignored it, there was no way to miss it.

Ian slightly bowed his head to Gailgron, who had generously imparted this teaching.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, it’s nothing special. If it were up to me, I’d love to teach you swordsmanship too… but I’ll save that for our next meeting if it happens.”

“Basically, you’re saying you won’t teach me?”

Gailgron shrugged.

“Considering we’ve already met twice, who knows when we might run into each other again? But don’t go looking for me on purpose.”

“Um, I’ll try.”

“Are you a bit reluctant to end it here? Well, do you have any questions?”

Seeing that he was willing to answer anything, Ian paused for a moment to think.

He didn’t have anything urgent on his mind. Then suddenly, one question came to him.

“Who was that lizard from earlier?”

“A crazy one.”

“Pardon?”

“Just like any other lizard. A lizard that has devoted itself to the Outer Gods out of a desire to become a dragon. And among those who follow the Outer Gods, they are part of a malevolent group known as the ‘Pandemonium,’ which gathers only the most malicious types. Being level 7, they must be in a significant position.”

Pandemonium. The name wasn’t unfamiliar.

The Outer Gods are infamous, not least because they stand in opposition to the Pantheon.

According to rumors from before the regression, many lands that had been reclaimed at great cost in blood were once again lost to them, and fortresses that had withstood the attacks of monsters and beasts were besieged, resulting in astronomical losses.

Of course, I had only half-listened to these tales. After all, our areas of activity were different, so it wasn’t likely we would encounter each other.

‘…That black sorcerer who opened the outer gate in the ruins.’

Riorg Ribella. He too belonged to the Demon Pandemonium. If Gailgron hadn’t appeared at the right moment to help, I would have surely died, whether then or now.

Who would have known that such strong beings would suddenly appear?

“Is this what you’re curious about?”

“Is it okay to ask honestly?”

“You’re wondering about my relationship with Ollak, right?”

Ian nodded cautiously, glancing around.

Gailgron spoke matter-of-factly, as if there were no secrets at all.

“Long ago, very long ago, I met her. It feels strange to call her ‘her,’ but anyway, Ollak is a lizard. She was a wanderer.”

“Excuse me, but how old are you?”

“How old do I look? Just so you know, I’ve easily surpassed a hundred.”

Gailgron laughed.

It sounded like a lie. I knew his age, but it didn’t quite register. He felt like an unattainable hero yet also like a friendly older brother.

“What do you mean by ‘met’?”

“I mean it literally. I happened to come across her while walking down the road. I don’t know who she had encountered, but she was gravely injured and dying. The venom in her eyes, despite her yearning for life, was chilling. She glared at me intensely and left me with a plea for help before collapsing… how should I put it? It felt unsettling. I couldn’t just walk past someone who couldn’t resist, as a hero. I had that mindset at the time.”

“…And then?”

“And then? I healed her. Gave her some food too. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s one of the regrets of my life.”

Gailgron clicked his tongue.

“She seemed gentler than the lizards I knew, so we traveled together for a while. Then it seems she developed feelings for me. Out of the blue, she asked me what I thought of dragons. I answered casually that they were romantic.”

“Romantic? In a situation where they aren’t enemies but allies, or at least neutral, I guess that could be said. Honestly, the dragon knights or guardian dragons in fairy tales have a certain charm.”

“And then do you know what she said? She said that if she ever became a dragon, she wanted us to be together. I thought she was just joking, so I said that if she became one, I would agree. After that, we went our separate ways. We couldn’t stick together forever. Ha, I really shouldn’t have let her go. I should have killed her right then and there…”

“……”

“After that, she entered the Black Mage Tower and eventually became a member of the Demon Pandemonium.”

“That’s quite a long-standing connection. I imagine you have some resentment toward her?”

Gailgron frowned at the expression.

“Let me correct that. It’s not a connection; it’s a bad relationship. She sacrificed her life to the Outer Gods, claiming she wanted to become a dragon. Even though she was half-monster, how could I feel any affection for someone like that? Not a speck.”

“But if you haven’t caught her until now…”

“Oh, that’s because she fled before I could catch up! She learned magic and can leap through space. How could I, who can only walk, catch up with her?”

He shouted, as if feeling wronged.

But once you hear the circumstances, anyone would say the same. He probably faced misunderstandings multiple times.

I could press further, but since I didn’t want to alienate Gailgron, and we weren’t close enough to do that, I kept my mouth shut.

“Be careful.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve encountered Riorg Ribella before. Now it’s Ollak. It wouldn’t be strange for your name to be known in the Demon Pandemonium. If you catch their eye for no reason, things could get messy.”

“…Will it matter if I’m careful?”

“That’s true. So, what’s the answer? Get stronger. If you don’t want to die somewhere unceremoniously. I’m being serious, so remember that.”

Ian nodded somewhat reluctantly at Gailgron’s advice.

* * *

In a garden where flowers of various colors bloom harmoniously, the space ripples like a wave, and soon a lizard pops out.

It’s Ollak, the one who briefly clashed with Gailgron.

She lands lightly on the ground with her hefty body and looks around.

The sweet fragrance lingers at the tip of her nose, and the scene is beautiful enough to capture her gaze, but that beauty has lost its charm after seeing it many times.

“Humph.”

From the beginning, she never liked flowers much. They die easily with even the slightest change in environment, and they don’t last long before withering away.

Moreover, every flower here, no matter how splendid in appearance, is toxic.

She carelessly shifts her gaze and walks along the path. There’s a building made of bricks set up inside the garden.

Without hesitation, she reaches out and opens the door.

“Barsen, I’m here.”

Inside, she sees a man with a muscular build placing flowers and pots on a workbench, digging in the soil. He wears flamboyant clothing covered in patterns.

Every time she sees him, it looks out of place, making her frown and tense her hands.

Bang!

As the door slams shut, the man finally tears his gaze away from the flowers and sighs.

“Ollak. Do you remember how many times I told you to close the door gently?”

“This is the seventh time.”

“Excellent. Since you remember so well, you really are a sorcerer. But why do you keep slamming it? Even a child understands after three times, so why can’t you, who’s lived several times longer than them?”

Ollak snorted.

“I was controlling my strength, you know? That’s why the door is still intact.”

“It probably looks like that because I fix it every time it’s on the verge of breaking.”

“Well, then just fix it again this time.”

Barsen frowned at her response, and Ollak apathetically pulled out a vacant chair and sat down.

The chair, made of sturdy camphor wood, holds her weight and lets out a short squeak but endures well.

Barsen realized that her mood was not good at all. He could roughly guess the reason.

“It seems like things didn’t go well?”

“How did you figure that out?”

“Isn’t it stupid not to know? You said you received a revelation and went to pick up your junior, but you returned alone, so it’s obvious.”

“Good for you, really.”

Ollak waved her hand dismissively, and then the kettle and an empty cup on a shelf far away floated gently to rest in front of her.

With a soft sound, a crimson tea, infused with some unknown flower petals, filled the cup.

Barsen looked at it disapprovingly, but knowing it wouldn’t make a difference since she wouldn’t listen, he held his tongue.

“What happened?”

“…I just arrived a step late. By the time I got there, he was already dead.”

“Oh dear, that’s unfortunate. You seemed to have high expectations, so it must have been a huge disappointment.”

Barsen said this casually as he transplanted the flower he had been holding into an empty pot.

Ollak scoffed.

“How could you understand my feelings so well? I wish the man I have a crush on could do the same. Anyway, I think it turned out well.”

“Why is that?”

“That guy had the chance to become a monster but ended up dying. He didn’t have the qualifications to dream of being a dragon with me.”

A dragon is a being at the pinnacle of the food chain. It possesses immense power and carries a corresponding dignity.

To become such a being, one must endure and overcome numerous trials.

One may fail. It’s understandable since they are not a dragon yet. They might also flee because survival is necessary for future opportunities.

But one must not yield. They must not grovel for their life in a pathetic way. They must not die.

However, that kin has failed. There are no more chances. Having died, they have put a period to their life.

“……”

Barsen glanced sideways at Ollak, who had tightly sealed his lips.

“It seems you feel regret even if you say otherwise.”

“A little. It was the one whom the divine being had bestowed upon me, meaning it had considerable potential.”

“Who did they die to?”

“…It seems to be a woman who ranks among the upper tier of paladins and the descendant of a giant slayer.”

“The descendant of a giant slayer? Are you referring to Berger or the Red Lancer?”

“Not sure if they are a knight, but they were quite capable.”

“Did you kill them?”

“No. Gailgron came and let them go.”

Ollak opened his mouth wide and gulped down his drink.

Barsen tilted his head while filling a pot with soil using a small shovel.

“When do you plan to settle things with that hero? It seems like they run away every time you meet.”

“True. I don’t want to injure them, nor do I want to be injured. I believe that one day they will understand my feelings.”

“Hah, you’re caught in a truly difficult one-sided love.”

“The sense of accomplishment when I achieve it will be immense. I will definitely stand by their side.”

“…That sounds like you’re saying you will betray us. Do you know what will happen if I report this to the higher-ups?”

“Will you do it?”

At Ollak’s question, Barsen sealed his lips tightly. Then Ollak let out a mischievous laugh.

“You can’t do it, can you?”

“…We’ll have to wait and see.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t be any time soon.”

“That’s a relief. Besides, we have things we need to take care of.”

“Things?”

“I received a message while you were out for a bit.”

———