novelraw Chapter 455
Chapter 455
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 455
To state only the bare facts, the Sea Dragon Armor itself was completed rather quickly.
The moment the main parts were finished, the dwarves began working as if possessed, and in the end, they succeeded in completing what they had aimed for.
However, since the final process still remained, tension filled the dwarves’ faces.
Its rank surpassed the existing Unique grade—it was Legendary.
Even if the dragon’s essence had not yet been embedded, the very design of the Sea Dragon Armor was astonishing in itself.
They say the world is vast and full of geniuses.
Crackle…
A bead of sweat ran down Merkavalt’s forehead as she, tense, began extracting the essence from the original Sea Dragon Armor.
She succeeded in separating it with extreme care, but then staggered heavily once.
“Lady Merkavalt!!”
“I-I’m fine! There’s no problem!”
Saying that, she slowly approached and brought the dragon’s essence toward the center of the new silver armor.
Then she began uttering a special draconic language that ordinary beings could not understand.
Strangely, strands of light began to drift out from the dragon’s essence, fluttering as they attached themselves to the new Sea Dragon Armor, completely permeating it.
Afterward, Merkavalt, with trembling hands, fully embedded the small dragon’s essence.
Paaak!!!!
At that moment, blue circuit-like lines spread across the entire Sea Dragon Armor, emitting light as they expanded.
“That’s it!!!”
“Finally! It’s finally complete!”
The dwarves erupted in unison.
Blue hues began to seep into the previously white-glowing Sea Dragon Armor.
And then.
The fully completed form of the Sea Dragon Armor revealed itself.
Beep
[Sea Dragon Armor mk2]
[Material – Orichalcum, Mithril, Dragon’s Essence]
[Grade – Legendary]
[An armor created long ago by a blacksmith with the eyes of a divine craftsman, who devoted his life to making it for his precious friend. Unlike ordinary armor, countless intricate metallic veins circulate within the metal.]
[Special Option – Unstoppable]
[Special Option – Self-Regeneration]
[Special Option – Lake of Mana]
[Special Option – XXX]
One of the special option slots was empty.
It wasn’t as if anything from the blueprint had been omitted.
At the very least, if we had been able to confirm the original intact form of the Sea Dragon Armor, we could have verified whether this was correct.
Unfortunately, the Sea Dragon Armor had been reduced to rags, making that impossible.
Even so, I did not believe I had made any mistakes during the process.
Beyond perfection, I had fulfilled everything the blueprint demanded.
The dwarves were ecstatic.
Seeing them embrace each other in joy as they looked at the armor, it was clear how much they had wanted to restore the Sea Dragon Armor.
“Ah… yes, this energy.”
Merkavalt, too, seemed overjoyed as she lifted the armor.
And then she spoke.
“It’s certain! We have perfectly restored the Sea Dragon Armor he created! Thank you so much! I, and Dragon Forge, owe you a great debt!”
“There’s no need to say that much. It wasn’t particularly difficult work, and as long as you keep your promise.”
“Of course! A promise must be kept! I always keep my word!”
She must have been that happy, because she hugged me tightly as she expressed her gratitude.
“I will never forget your contribution!”
Well, regardless of the process, seeing them this happy wasn’t a bad feeling.
* * *
The news that the Sea Dragon Armor—Dragon Forge’s sacred relic and symbol—had been restored naturally caused a huge ripple.
The king, upon seeing the completed armor, was so overjoyed that he shed tears and declared a festival.
He also proclaimed the existence known as Leon Cascadia to be Dragon Forge’s closest friend and benefactor.
The entirety of Dragon Forge grew lively with celebration, and craftsmen who prided themselves on their skill gathered like clouds just to see the restored Sea Dragon Armor.
Some, as if inspired, hurried back to their workshops, while others seemed captivated by its beauty and stayed beside it all day, simply gazing at it.
The ones who received the greatest shock were those who had confidently gathered, claiming they would restore the Sea Dragon Armor, only to be eliminated.
Among them, those who had passed even the second test but were ultimately rejected were especially dissatisfied.
They had never been treated with such disregard before.
Just how great did someone have to be to warrant such treatment?
Those who thought so soon fell silent upon seeing the Sea Dragon Armor mk2 displayed in the royal palace.
“…Ha.”
Someone let out a breath of admiration.
“What is this…?”
Someone else wore a blank expression.
“This is a devil’s craftsmanship. I want to gouge out the eyes that have seen such a thing.”
Another, seemingly shaken by the sudden elevation of their standards, collapsed where they stood.
They were not nobodies.
They were skilled craftsmen, and because they possessed pride as artisans, the impact hit even harder.
That was not something within the realm they could touch.
It was the same sense of awe one feels when witnessing a relic-grade divine sword.
The moment they denied it, they realized their entire pride as craftsmen would shatter.
That thing was completed in merely a few days?
By the hands of a single young boy?
Dragon Forge officially announced that Leon Cascadia alone had created that armor, delivering an even greater shock to the craftsmen.
The faces of the craftsmen leaving the exhibition hall, still unable to recover from the shock, held no trace of dissatisfaction.
On the other hand, for those lacking skill or those belonging to Dragon Forge, the current situation was nothing but a joyous boon.
A race of alcohol and iron.
A dwarf festival was, quite literally, the embodiment of intensity.
The Blue Dragon Lord, Merkavalt, ran around Dragon Forge with a bright smile, introducing its sights to Leon.
“Leon, can you drink?”
“Yes. Well. I’d say I have a fairly strong tolerance.”
“Look! This is the place that makes the strongest liquor in all of Dragon Forge!”
“Just smelling it feels enough to get me drunk.”
“Indeed! No matter how great a drinker someone is, the moment they drink this, they’ll become a senseless drunk! How about it—would you like to try?”
As she entered, an elderly-looking dwarf clicked his tongue.
“You’ve come again, Lady Merkavalt.”
“Hmph! What’s with that expression? Aren’t you glad to see me?”
“Glad, my foot. You come here every chance you get and drain my stock—why would I be pleased?”
“Eiiing…”
“Don’t behave like this elsewhere. It’s only because it’s me that you’re treated like this.”
“You used to be so cute when you were younger…”
Even as he grumbled, the old man handed over a cup of liquor that emitted a strong smell.
“Here you go. Don’t drain my reserves and be on your way. Aren’t you busy?”
Ignoring the elderly dwarf’s words, Merkavalt smiled brightly and offered the cup.
“Here! Try it! You must drink only a little! Even a bit too much and you’ll collapse drunk on the spot.”
Looking at the cup she offered, Leon slowly savored the liquor.
Despite being extremely strong, it carried a surprisingly deep flavor.
Considering that the two things that first came to mind when thinking of dwarves were craftsmen and heavy drinkers, this was nothing short of a product that lived up to that reputation.
“It tastes good. I’d even want to trade for it, if possible.”
“Is that so? Then I shall speak to our king and have shipments of this liquor sent to your territory! He will surely agree gladly!”
“I’d appreciate that. The dwarf in our territory will love it.”
“Ahaha!”
After that, she continued introducing Dragon Forge’s specialties one by one, as if proudly showing off her treasures.
During that process, Leon realized that surprisingly few dwarves actually knew Merkavalt’s true identity.
More precisely, they knew her as something like a patron, but very few knew she was a dragon.
The dwarves at the royal palace seemed to know, though.
It was said that the palace was currently filled with dwarves who wanted to discuss things with Leon at all costs.
Worried that he might be surrounded by dwarves full of fervor and get exhausted, she had brought him out.
At that moment, Leon noticed that Merkavalt, who had been walking ahead with light steps, was periodically clutching one eye, silently groaning in pain.
“Are you unwell?”
“Ah… it’s nothing. I’m just still adjusting, so don’t worry about it. You can see it too, can’t you? My eyes are different colors.”
“Yes. I thought both were blue, but one is golden.”
“Long ago, when I lost one eye in an accident… someone dear to me gave me theirs.”
If someone had given up their own eye, it was impossible to imagine just how much they cherished her.
Leon thought it was likely the blacksmith who had made the Sea Dragon Armor.
Even so, it was quite a strange sight—a dwarf’s eye transplanted into a dragon.
After touring all over Dragon Forge, Merkavalt finally guided Leon to a cliff from which the entire view of Dragon Forge could be seen.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
“This is a secret spot known only to me. You can see all the children of Dragon Forge at a glance.”
Leon sat in one of the chairs and looked down at the scenery.
Countless dwarves were laughing and chatting, celebrating the restoration of the Sea Dragon Armor.
Even though it wasn’t their own work.
She, who had been walking with her hands behind her back, sat in the most worn chair and looked down at the city before pulling out a lunchbox from subspace.
“There will soon be an official party at the royal palace. From whole roasted pigs to many delicious foods—it will be full, so you will absolutely not regret attending.”
“What about the reward?”
“Of course! It is being prepared. I’ve placed quite strict security magic on it, so it will take some time to release. I believe it can be handed over by evening.”
There was no trace of deceit in her confident posture.
“I will soon make an announcement at the royal palace. That I, the Blue Dragon and Dragon Lord, Merkavalt Rudimille Cabranarin, am the guardian dragon protecting Dragon Forge.”
Until now, it was said that only a portion of the upper echelon knew her identity.
Indeed, when she moved around the palace, she usually used perception interference.
But now—
She intended to reveal her existence to the world.
He didn’t know what had made her decide that, but after restoring the Sea Dragon Armor, she clearly seemed to have made up her mind.
“You must really like Dragon Forge.”
At that question, an incredibly pure and radiant smile spread across Merkavalt’s face.
“Of course! How could I not love them? They are so passionate, honest, and spirited.”
Every word she spoke was filled with love for Dragon Forge.
“To me, Dragon Forge is no different from my greatest lair.”
Blue lights surged around her.
She slowly rose into the air.
“Did I tell you? By completing the Sea Dragon Armor, you saved my life. The dragon race does not forget its debts. So, take this.”
She reached toward her head.
Then, something like dragon horns slowly began to emerge above her head, and without hesitation, she snapped one off.
“Aah… it hurts…”
Sniffling, she still held out the broken horn.
“If it were up to me, I would give you both, but for now, I hope you will be satisfied with one.”
As she said that, reptilian wings spread from her back.
Then she began flying toward the central plaza of Dragon Forge, where countless people had gathered.
It was likely to reveal her existence to Dragon Forge.
“All this over one piece of armor, calling me a lifesaver…”
Left alone, Leon slumped into the chair and muttered while gazing at the beautiful scenery of Dragon Forge.
“Librarian.”
[Confirmed.]
“Is the Sea Dragon Armor really valuable enough to be called a lifesaver?”
[It is equivalent to a national treasure, but the extent of that reaction cannot be denied as excessive.]
Of course, the Sea Dragon Armor certainly had the function of protecting its wearer.
However, Leon felt it was questionable whether it had the ability to preserve her life to that extent.
To begin with, such a design did not exist in the original blueprint of the Sea Dragon Armor.
Soon, Merkavalt descended rapidly beside the king, who was giving a speech to the gathered citizens of Dragon Forge.
The people present seemed shocked at the dragon wings spreading from her back.
Their voices could not be heard from here.
But it was clear that, as planned, she had announced her identity and declared her position firmly as the guardian dragon.
Some were astonished, some cheered.
Boom!!!
As if responding to their reaction, Merkavalt’s entire body transformed into light and soon took the form of a massive, beautiful blue dragon.
It felt distinctly different from the [Blue Demonic Dragon Merkavalt] he had encountered in the Labyrinth.
This one had reason.
It had clarity.
It was different from the time when she had been filled with madness and sorrow.
Soon, as she spread her wings wide and released a warm aura across all of Dragon Forge, countless people began cheering in excitement.
Leon chuckled softly and stood up.
“Well, as long as things turned out well.”
He brushed away the strange sense of déjà vu lingering in his mind.
* * *
That evening, the dwarf king and Merkavalt formally invited me to the royal palace, thanked me, and handed me a box containing two items.
And then, they presented me with a piece of equipment symbolizing the kingdom of Dragon Forge and declared:
Leon Cascadia is a friend of Dragon Forge, and if he ever finds himself in trouble, Dragon Forge will lend him its strength.
It wasn’t something I had hoped for, but there was no reason to refuse goodwill.
“So, you’re leaving now?”
After leaving the palace and returning to Dobog’s house, he laughed heartily and asked me.
“I should get going. I’ve gathered what I needed.”
“Young man, you lack romance. You could’ve stayed longer and enjoyed yourself.”
“I’ve been away from my place for too long.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Lady Merkavalt smile like that. You may think you only restored the Sea Dragon Armor, but in doing so, you gave Dragon Forge hope.”
I didn’t respond and opened the box I had received from the palace.
A black metal boasting absolute strength—meteor iron.
As expected, its identity was adamantium.
And it was definitely larger than I had anticipated.
I thought they wouldn’t hand it over so easily if they knew it was adamantium.
But it seemed the dwarves thought differently.
If they couldn’t handle it, then it should be given to someone who could.
They only asked that I show it to them someday when it was completed.
“I’ll visit again when I get the chance. Next time, please show me your son’s grave as well.”
“Of course. Travel safely.”
I didn’t say a separate farewell to Merkavalt, but if fate allowed, we would meet again.
Thinking that, I returned to Cascadia.
Then, I shut myself inside the workshop alone, staring at the adamantium and pondering how to use it.
After about two days had passed—
After playing with Elpiria as usual, roaming around the peaceful Cascadia estate, I headed to the workshop for work and noticed something strange.
The horn Merkavalt had personally snapped off and given to me was turning black.
Even though it had been separated from her body, it hadn’t been long, so the horn had not yet lost its connection to Merkavalt herself.
Simply put, for the horn to become corrupted this quickly meant that something serious had happened to her main body.
“Leon? What’s wrong—… Huh? Isn’t that the horn you got from that dragon at Dragon Forge?”
“Yeah, but… why is this…”
“She said she broke it off two days ago, so it should still be connected to the main body. If it’s already corrupted like this, it means something has gone wrong with her main body too.”
Luna was right.
But no matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t think of anything that would suddenly cause her condition to deteriorate.
No—there was something.
I recalled how she had been periodically clutching her eye in pain, trying to hide it while guiding me through Dragon Forge.
I thought back on my encounters with Merkavalt and the other dwarves.
The dwarves who had treated me kindly.
The Dragon Lord who had been endlessly happy, thanking me for allowing her to protect her home.
That faint unease I had felt rapidly grew into something far more unpleasant.
If I left it alone, it felt like it would turn into a nightmare.
My thoughts were careful, but my actions were not hesitant.
I fixed the coordinates I had secured from Dragon Forge and quickly activated elemental mana.
Then, as I cast warp magic and created a rift for spatial transfer, Luna followed me without hesitation.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]