Chapter 478 – Follow Me (1)

The Dragon half-blood looked toward Cale with shaking pupils.

"…You're giving me an opportunity...?"

Cale shook his head.

"No. It is not something I can choose on my own to give you."

Cale walked away from the reception room and down the hallway. The Dragon half-blood followed behind him like a person who was bewitched by a ghost. Cale stopped walking once he got to one of the windows in the hallway.

He stared at the Forest of Darkness through the window as he started to speak.

"First of all, the opportunity I am speaking about might fail. We won't know until we try."

Opportunity.
The Dragon half-blood repeated that word in his head over and over.

The opportunity to start over.
However, it could fail and they would not know until they tried.
He heard Cale's calm voice.

"I have no way to know whether it will succeed or if it will fail. Furthermore, this is not something I can do."

Cale's gaze turned toward the closed reception room door.

The two Dragons on the other side of the door.
Lord Sheritt who is tied to this castle and Raon Miru, the owner of this black castle.
This relied on the two Dragons' decisions.

Cale did not say anything else. However, the Dragon half-blood realized what he meant after seeing Cale's gaze that was directed at the reception room door.
The people to give him a new opportunity were those two Dragons.

The Dragon half-blood emptied his mind again after realizing that fact.
He started to speak toward Cale.

"…Thank you."

Cale started to frown.

"I told you it is not an opportunity I can give you."

He then approached the Dragon half-blood.

"In addition, I believe I've mentioned multiple times that I don't like you. The things you have done are too clearly recorded in my mind."
"…Thank you for even saying a word like, 'opportunity.' "

Even if he would not be given that opportunity… The Dragon half-blood was thankful to Cale Henituse who had even used those words.

At that moment… If Cale had not given the Dragon half-blood the opportunity to choose to live longer or die when he fell to the ground at the battle of the Gorge of Death…
He would not have been able to experience something like this.

The Dragon half-blood recalled the moments he spent working at the Eastern continent's inn.

It was painful working while experiencing serious pain throughout his body.
There were not many people who approached him either.

However, that was the place he was able to learn about how other people lived and what a vibrant city felt like.

The Dragon half-blood forgot about everything else and looked toward Cale with gratitude.

Cale started to frown even more.
He felt like he saw something he shouldn't have seen.

'…How odd.'

He had said that the Dragon half-blood would definitely die and be imprisoned in a restricted area and unable to leave as he pleased.

Of course, unlike what Cale had told the Dragon half-blood, the conditions should be better than that for the Dragon half-blood if things progressed as Cale was thinking.
It was because someone in a similar situation seemed to be very happy.

But in some ways, what Cale had said was similar to what the White Star had done.

'…What's up with his gaze?'

However, the Dragon half-blood was looking at Cale with a gentle and sparkling gaze. It seemed like a mix of Vice-Captain Hilsman's gaze as he shouted, 'Young master-nim!' and the Jungle's Litana's gaze as she shouted, 'Young master Cale! You!'

'I can't get used to this change.'

It was unbearable seeing someone whom he had seen as twisted and wicked until now looking at him with such a gaze. Cale subconsciously shared his honest thoughts.

"Someone looking at us might think I would let you live an easy life. Don't get the wrong idea. You resting peacefully and not paying for your sins… I can't bear to see that. Got it?"

Cale was blunt as he felt annoyed and angry for some reason, and the Dragon half-blood nodded his head.

"Thank you for giving me such an opportunity. I don't want to live peacefully and have no plans to forget about the weight of my sins."

'…Ha.'

Cale felt like he couldn't get through to the Dragon half-blood.

'It's not just a feeling. He does not understand anything I am trying to say.'

Cale started to frown as he stared at the Dragon half-blood. The Dragon half-blood erased his gentle smile and slightly bowed his head.

'This is driving me nuts.'

Cale was planning on making the Dragon half-blood work his ass off if the Dragon half-blood chose to live on using the plan Cale described and it succeeded.
He was also planning on making the Dragon half-blood work with him to restore the damages he had caused.

"Cale-nim!"

It was at that moment. Cale could see Choi Han walking over with a concerned expression. Choi Han hesitated for a moment after seeing the Dragon half-blood but soon started to speak again.

"I came over because I was shocked to see the castle shaking."

Choi Han had returned alone in shock after seeing the castle shaking on his way to find Lock and the children.

"Mm. It's fine."

It was awkward to explain what had happened so Cale just awkwardly smiled.

Click.

The closed reception room door opened at that moment.

"Cale."

Sheritt motioned to Cale who was outside the door.

"Will you come in alone for a moment?"
"Of course."

Cale told Choi Han and the Dragon half-blood to go elsewhere before walking into the reception room. His expression then turned odd.

"…You…"
"Human! My mom made it! She said she made it in order to give it to me!"

Raon was saying mom as if he had not found it awkward until just a few moments ago.
Cale watched Raon flutter his wings while putting strawberry jam on another slice of bread.

The child who had seemed sad and unenergetic until just a moment ago seemed very lively now.

He was relieved.
He was very relieved, but…

"Human! I will give you special permission to eat this jam my mom made! Try it!"

Cale looked at the slice of bread that he couldn't tell whether Raon had put jam on it or was using the bread to support a giant pile of jam before turning toward Sheritt.

Sheritt smiled gently at him.

'What is going on?'

He had only left the reception room for a short moment but the two Dragons now seemed fine.
However, Cale quickly realized that Sheritt's fingertips were still white and that Raon was trying to act excited but his fluttering wings did not have their usual energy.

He also noticed how Raon observed Sheritt's expression every time he called her, 'mom.' Sheritt was observing Raon's expression every time Raon said something to Cale as well.

'Sigh.'

Cale held back his sigh and received the slice of bread with a pile of jam from Raon.
He then decided to be honest.

"That's too much jam."
"Ah, that's right!"

Raon's eyes opened wide as he finally noticed the amount of jam.
Cale felt pity for the young Dragon who was that out of it as well as annoyance toward the Dragon half-blood as he put back a good amount of jam and spread the rest.
He then took a bite.

"It's good."

He then gave Sheritt thumbs up. He then nonchalantly asked.

"Sheritt-nim, did you hear what I said outside?"

Sheritt and Raon flinched and started to smile awkwardly.

"I guess you did hear."

Cale's brows furrowed together as if it put him in an awkward situation.

He had talked quietly on purpose, but they seemed to have heard his conversation with the Dragon half-blood.

'The Dragons' hearing shouldn't be good enough to hear voices through a closed door?'

"I can hear everything that is said inside this castle."

Cale nodded his head at the answer Lord Sheritt gave with an awkward expression on her face.

Sheritt was someone who existed inside this castle. The fact that she could hear everything that is said inside the castle made sense.

– I asked m, mom to tell me because I saw her expression suddenly turn serious! I begged her to tell me!

Raon quickly added on as if he was confessing for something he did wrong.
Cale nodded his head at the two Dragons and started to speak.

"Sheritt-nim, you must be curious about what I told the Dragon half-blood."
"Yes. I am curious."
"…The two of you have finished your conversation?"

Raon and Sheritt looked at each other and started to smile after hearing Cale's question.
They were sad smiles but the way they were only looking at each other seemed affectionate.

"There are more things to discuss with Raon, but we decided to listen to what you had to say first before chatting together."
"I see."

Cale easily accepted the two Dragons' decision. He then immediately started to speak.

"I was thinking about leaving the Dragon half-blood in this black castle."
"…As I expected."

Sheritt nodded her head and continued to speak.

"The opportunity you mentioned, that was talking about having that child exist in this castle like me, right?"
"It is similar. However, the Dragon half-blood cannot have as much power in here as you do, Sheritt-nim."

There were other exceptions as well, such as the castle walls surrounding the black castle. Unlike Sheritt who could leave the castle up until the castle walls, the Dragon half-blood would be tied to the castle building alone.
It was because he was someone the world could not find out about. Furthermore, the Dragon half-blood was knowledgeable in magic and talented enough to create the White Star's faction's teleportation scrolls, so he was planning on using that knowledge and those skills for their benefit.

Cale explained all of that to Sheritt as well.
Sheritt started to speak after hearing everything Cale had to say.

"It is difficult to restore a body that has been broken. He only has his human body left now. His body is too damaged to restore his life. It is impossible."

'But that body has my child's heart in it.'

Sheritt did not say that out loud.

"…Wouldn't it be possible if we had an item that could give him some life force?"

She chuckled at Cale's response.

"You would go that far?"
"Excuse me?"

She shook her head at Cale who asked in confusion.

"This is my responsibility."

The start of all this might have been Sheritt's oath of death with the Dragon Slayer.

"That child will not be able to live much longer even with more life force."
"…Is that so?"

Cale who did not know that started to frown. He then recalled how the Dominating Aura had said that the Dragon half-blood would die right away or in six months after suffering in pain that entire time period.

'…I guess the jar was something we couldn't use anyway.'

According to Sheritt, the jar that they were saving for Eruhaben was something that the Dragon half-blood couldn't use.

"That child's body is not at the level of healing an illness or extending his life. He's a chimera with an imbalanced body because the Dragon powers are gone."

He was also in pain because of the darkness attribute inside his body.
All that the Dragon half-blood had left was an imbalanced human body that was 900 years old. His light attribute and the darkness attribute inside his body had clashed endlessly to put him at a point where his body could not be restored.

In order to overcome all of that, they needed to remove the darkness attribute from his body and fix the warped balance in his body.
They would need to debate whether to use life force or not after that.

'We need another Dragon's blood and heart to restore that balance.'

They could not let such a terrible thing happen again.
Furthermore, the Dragon half-blood hated himself for being a chimera.

Sheritt held the detailed explanation to herself as she opened her mouth to speak again.

"First of all, I now understand why you said your method might end up failing."

This castle that turned black after Raon became the owner was originally white.
Sheritt had given her remaining lifespan to create many things for her children in this castle.
One of them was her present existence.
She was an illusion but had her conscience and her memories.

That was why Cale had said he wasn't sure whether the Dragon half-blood could end up in a similar state.

"It is something that requires time."

Sheritt could tell that she needed time to ponder and research this issue. She looked toward Raon and wondered what he was thinking after seeing her smart child's eyes grow deep.

"Human!"
"What is it?"
"Get out!"

Cale flinched and looked toward Raon.

"I'm going to chat with my mom! Human, get out!"

Cale felt odd hearing Raon telling him to get out for the first time but left without saying anything for the time being.
Raon asked him a question as he exited the door.

"By the way, human, when will we be leaving and where will we be going?"

Cale answered as he closed the reception room door.

"I want to go see the World Tree as quickly as possible."

He debated asking Rosalyn to go with him because Raon was in quite the emotional state.

"Human! Why did you just say, 'I'? I'm going too! We are going together!"

Cale shrugged his shoulders instead of responding. Sheritt asked a question at that moment.

"Why the World Tree?"

Sheritt flinched after looking into Cale's reddish-brown eyes.
Cale's special power. That power was visible in his eyes. Cale made eye contact with her and started to speak.

"What kind of existence was the ancient White Star?"

And then…

"Do you know anything about the Gate to the Demon World?"

Cale noticed Sheritt's expression change.

Bang!

She jumped out of the chair as she started to speak.

"…Is the Demonic race invading?"
"Excuse me?"
"Then the Gate to the Divine World should open as well."
"Excuse me?"
"Did you see the Divine race?"
"…Excuse me?"
"Is it time for the Battle of Good and Evil again? Then the White Star isn't the problem. Why did I not feel anything? Something is weird."

Her eyes seemed to be burning up. She looked ready to run out at any moment.

"…The Battle of Good and Evil! Why didn't you mention this important issue?!"
"No. Excuse me. Sheritt-nim…"
"My goodness! The Divine race and the Demonic race! Then, this world…! Is that why you are going to meet the World Tree? Is that it? Just how much baggage is placed on your shoulders?! Hmm?"
"No. Excuse me."

Cale became anxious.

'No, Sheritt-nim, I don't think it is as big of an issue as you are thinking?'

"Where is Eruhaben? The gods should have sent a signal if that is happening! He should have felt it!"
"That-"

Cale recalled Eruhaben's conversation with Elf healer Pendrick in Eruhaben's lair in the past.

'Eruhaben-nim. Then, maybe. Is it perhaps the Demonic race?'
'…Pendrick. You've always had a vivid imagination.'
'Then, is it not?'
'Of course not. If the Demonic race starts to move, the gods will give us a revelation.'

Cale still clearly remembered how Eruhaben had looked at Pendrick who brought up the Demonic race as if he was stupid.
Sheritt looked anxious.

"Raon, no! I will contact Eruhaben! All Dragons should have felt it! It's just weird that you and I didn't feel it."
"No-"

'It's not weird, it's normal for you to not have felt it.
Eruhaben-nim said last time that the gods haven't said anything.
There has been no revelation.'

"My goodness! The Battle of Good and Evil!"
'…I don't think it is the Battle of Good and Evil.'

Cale could not stop being anxious while looking at the riled up Sheritt.
Raon's jaws were dropped as he blankly stared at the two of them.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]