Chapter 145 – Pangaea (11)

Deli made me promise.

That the story we were sharing in this very spot must absolutely not be divulged.

“You, can you swear in the name of Pangaea?”

“I swear.”

In truth, this oath was meaningless to me, and since it was a promise I could keep, there was nothing to hesitate about.

Seeing me swear without hesitation, Deli nodded.

“Alright. Then I’ll tell you.”

The introduction was quite long.

Deli didn’t start with the story of dragons, but rather began to unravel the history of magic in Pangaea.

Of course, there were interesting parts.

I had never heard anywhere the story of the origin of when and how humans began to use mana as a raw material for magic.

And the important part was just about to begin.

“Whether it’s fortunate or regrettable, I don’t know, but it has now become difficult for us humans to see dragons.”

Deli spoke in a firm tone.

The nuance was that she wasn’t speaking without any basis.

“But it was always hard to see dragons, wasn’t it? Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right. Discovering a dragon’s nest was always considered a miracle. Whether it became a heavenly fortune or a heavenly punishment was another matter.”

“Then, what’s changed?”

“It means that the dragons’ nests are now completely cut off from the human world.”

The reason humans had been able to discover dragons’ nests on rare occasions was because the dragons had allowed it.

But now, the dragons had declared their severance from the world.

“What’s the reason?”

“I’m telling you quite a lot, you know. Of course, what I’m getting from you in return is no ordinary item.”

Deli paused for a moment before continuing.

“Don’t be surprised. Dragons stopped procreating quite a long time ago.”

“So no more hatchlings are being born?”

“Yes. By human standards, it’s a very old story. It’s been hundreds of years since the last hatchling was born. And the dragon race perceives this as a great crisis.”

“And that’s related to why dragons vanished?”

“That’s right. It seems the dragons believe the cause is their nests being open to the human world. That’s why they completely closed their nests. That was 20 years ago.”

At those words, I instinctively shook my head.

“I don’t think they’re all completely closed.”

“What did you say?”

If Kalia and Pangaea shared the same timeline, Deli was wrong.

It hadn’t even been a year since I entered the Red Dragon’s nest and died.

Rosie’s nest…….

‘That might be an exception.’

Rosie, still a hatchling, had no reproductive ability, and her nest was entered through the Abyss, not the human world.

In any case, the fact that the Red Dragon Devrias’s nest had been open was a real event.

“What you’re saying isn’t true. I’ve heard that someone recently discovered a dragon’s nest.”

“Lies.”

“I swear in the name of Pangaea.”

Deli hesitated for a moment, then answered my words.

“Then it must be one of two things.”

“Tell me.”

“One, that story is a baseless rumor.”

Since I had experienced it myself, that was obviously not it.

“What’s the other one?”

“Someone must have made a key to the nest using a dragon’s legacy.”

It was an incomprehensible statement that required an explanation.

“A dragon’s legacy?”

“The book you chose from Count Berwood’s treasury is a prime example of a legacy. It’s an item imprinted with a dragon’s mana.”

“So, you can make a key to enter the nest with the imprinted dragon’s mana?”

I didn’t know about its credibility, but it was a surprising story.

“Surely, you haven’t suddenly changed your mind after hearing my story, have you?”

“Don’t worry about that, just continue your story.”

“To get to the point, making a key is possible. For example, if you make a key with the book you chose, it will guide you to that dragon’s nest. Though there is one minor problem.”

“Somehow, I don’t think it’s going to be minor.”

At my words, Deli gave a meaningful smile.

“Actually, I don’t know how to make the key either. I’m still researching it.”

“Then it’s not a minor problem. It’s still uncertain if making a key is even possible.”

“That’s not true. You just said it yourself. That someone recently discovered a dragon’s nest. If that’s true, they must have used a key. I can guarantee that.”

I tried to recall memories of the past.

The events that had occurred before I entered the Red Dragon Devrias’s nest.

At that time, I had received a report that a dragon’s nest had been discovered in some mountain range in Kalia, and I had rushed there that very day.

‘Then before that…….’

Recalling all the details was not an easy task.

I was an emperor at the time, and my subordinates usually handled most of the trivial matters.

I had to recall the contents of that report.

And as I took out the fragments of memory one by one and pieced them together, I couldn’t help but stop at one point.

‘A mage!’

I remembered that a renowned mage had been found dead where the Red Dragon’s nest was discovered.

I immediately asked Deli.

“Is the key to the nest something that mages can make?”

This was a very important question to verify the credibility of what Deli was saying.

“I believe only mages can do it. Only mages can handle mana in the same way dragons do.”

If that was the case, then the opening of the dragon’s nest in Kalia meant that some mage had created a key with the Red Dragon’s legacy.

And the culprit was highly likely to be the mage who was found dead near the nest.

“It’s clear that it’s something an average mage can’t even attempt. So to be honest, I think the story you just told is a baseless rumor.”

“Then which mages in this empire can make a key?”

“I don’t think there are any yet. As I said, my magic level is among the top in the entire empire. If I can’t do it, it’s unlikely anyone else can.”

It was a pity, but there was nothing to be done.

If Deli was telling the truth, then meeting Devrias again had become a very distant prospect.

First of all, to make a key to the nest, I would need to have a legacy imprinted with his mana.

And on top of that, I would need the good fortune of meeting a tremendous mage who could create the key.

But as I listened to Deli’s story, there was one question I couldn’t shake.

It was now time to confirm it.

“By the way, how do you know all these things?”

“Because my master was the one who visited the last dragon’s nest discovered in Pangaea. Though he has passed away now.”

“Then can you swear in the name of Pangaea that there is not a single lie in what you have said so far?”

“I swear.”

Deli swore without hesitation.

Of course, there was no way to confirm the truth with this alone, but her eyes looked sincere.

For now, I decided to believe her and handed her the old book as promised.

Since all the contents of the book were in my head, it was no longer a meaningful item.

In any case, the mana imprinted on that book was not the Red Dragon’s.

***

Our destination was now the western Medar region.

The Count had prepared a carriage and a coachman.

He urged me to meet again, but it was something I couldn’t promise.

I didn’t know how my journey in Pangaea would unfold.

The carriage moved quickly.

The estimated travel time to the destination was two hours.

The scenery of the village under the Count’s jurisdiction quickly disappeared, and now the surroundings were nothing but wasteland.

“Sir, are we really going to meet the Jerome Knights?”

Ramel asked several times, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Why? Are you nervous?”

“Of course. They’re the knights I’ve always admired. And the best knights in the empire! To think that a country bumpkin like me would get to see the Jerome Knights!”

“If you’re going to dream, you shouldn’t stop at just seeing them.”

“Then?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to dream of joining them yourself?”

“Me?”

Ramel waved his hands as if to say it was ridiculous.

“You underestimate your talent too much.”

“That’s not it! I’ve always been praised for my physical abilities since I was young. But the Jerome Knights are…….”

“It’s a place where people just like you enlist. You’ll see when you meet them today.”

I could be sure of it.

There wouldn’t be many in the entire Jerome Knights with more talent than Ramel.

“By the way, Sir. I don’t know if I can ask this, but I’ve been so curious since a while ago.”

“Ask away.”

“Do we have an appointment to meet the Jerome Knights?”

It seemed this was what he had been hesitating about all this time.

“No. We don’t have an appointment.”

“……Then?”

“We’re just going to visit.”

At my answer, Ramel looked dumbfounded.

And at that moment, the carriage, which had been running without rest, came to a temporary halt.

Because a group of people had blocked our way.

Seeing their guard-like attire, I could tell that we had almost reached our destination.

“You cannot pass through this road! Please take a detour!”

The reason was that the Imperial Knights were training, and they were blocking contact with outsiders.

The coachman wore a troubled expression.

“Guests. I apologize, but we cannot pass through this road.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I’ll talk to them.”

I immediately got out of the carriage and approached the guards.

However, one of them stepped forward and immediately stopped me.

“I told you, you cannot pass.”

The guard’s expression was grimly determined.

“We are from the House of Count Berwood.”

I showed the guard the token I had received from the Count.

A certificate with the Berwood family crest and seal.

In an instant, even the guards behind him showed expressions of bewilderment.

With the luxurious carriage and this token, I looked like someone from the House of Count Berwood to anyone.

However, the guard at the very front soon regained his firm demeanor.

“I apologize, but we have been ordered not to let anyone pass. This is, of course, an order from Her Highness the Princess.”

Indeed, no matter how much they were from a count’s family, they couldn’t compare to the authority of the 3rd Princess.

But this guard would not be able to ignore the authority of the token in my hand either.

“Go to the princess right now and tell her. That Seo Ji-han from Earth has come to see her.”

“Earth? Where is that? And didn’t you just say you were from the House of Count Berwood?”

“I don’t think I need to explain that.”

“B-but!”

“I’ll say it again. Go and tell the princess right now. Then the princess will order you to open the way again.”

A moment later, the guards were huddled together, whispering among themselves.

In any case, the conclusion could only be one.

I calmly got back into the carriage and waited for the guard’s report.

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