episode_0169

“Ah.”

For some reason, I got up from the bed I was lying on and let out a sigh-like sound.

The place where I was lying now was a luxurious bedroom, one of the few in this country, or even the world. When I woke up in the bedroom, I gasped and looked around.

“It’s been a while since I had this scary dream⋯.”

They say that people get stressed when their environment suddenly changes, but is that really true? Until now, I had been living in a group camp in Africa for several months, and when I came out, I still slept in the night breeze.

But a dream is a dream. So quietly, ‘Ah, fortunately it was a dream.’ I mumbled and took a deep breath, and then my face hardened when I saw where I was now.

“Are you awake? Did you sleep well?”

“Ah⋯So, did you guys have a good night last night too?”

“Phew, why are you reacting like that? You seem awkward, right?”

I held my head and slowly pulled myself up. Although I was spouting out useless questions filled with questions, I was already taking steps toward the door.

“Are you waking up already? You must have been tired last night, but you didn’t sleep any longer.”

“I slept well, so what could be more tired? And it looks like customers have been flocking to me since early morning.”

“Hehe, you are a professor after all. You noticed it right away.”

As I just explained, nothing happened last night. I really just slept.

I’m not glossing it over because I’m embarrassed, it’s really like that. No, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Come to think of it.

Would anyone who came a long way and was tired do something that depleted their physical strength on the first day they arrived? No matter how happy we are to meet each other, it’s honestly no different from torture.

The three of them really just slept, really. Although it is true that we shared one bed.

Crash.

“?!”

Without thinking, I grab the doorknob with my right hand and turn it, then my eyes widen. It’s the door I’ve been using so far, but for some reason it won’t open.

From what I remember, it’s a door that automatically unlocks when you grab the handle by detecting the owner’s fingerprint.

I see small letters floating on a small screen above the doorknob.

“Error code 23. The fingerprint in question has had recognition errors more than 5 times. ”

“Ah! That’s it.”

As I was looking down at my palm, wondering if I had made a mistake while playing Polymorph, I let out an “um” sound when I heard the girls’ voices coming from behind me.

When she rushes forward and grabs the door handle, a message saying recognition is complete appears and a small clicking sound is heard and the door opens.

As I was feeling the still cold dawn breeze blowing from the open window in my office, cooling off the heat from my body, Jang A-hyeon continued speaking.

“When the professor was away, there were intruders a few times. There were several attempts to break into the bedroom by copying the professor’s fingerprint information.”

“Huh, there won’t be anything special to take from my room.”

“Hehe, you won’t know until you come in. I guess I thought there would be a pile of luxurious artifacts. However, even though I knew that it worked with fingerprint recognition, I guess I didn’t know that it also works with blood flow recognition. In the end, I made 5 errors in my fingerprint and ran away.”

“Is it still penetrated this far? That’s a little sad.”

“Ah⋯.”

Wow, I didn’t mean to criticize you. Honestly, it’s not her fault. It’s my fault for being away for a long time.

Isn’t it true that no matter how strictly the security is set up, it is easy for thieves to occur if there is no owner?

“No. It’s my fault. I believed so much that they were my people. Later, the truth was revealed that the thief was a security guard at the academy. Since he saw it from up close, he must have known the inside well… sorry. In the room where the professor’s memories reside⋯.”

“No, I really don’t care. As a result, nothing was stolen. Unless you can look into people’s hearts, such trivial things will always happen.”

“Still, I made a mistake⋯.”

“Now, you can register a new fingerprint, Professor.”

“Uh, uhh.”

As I was trying to cheer up the cute acting dean who was depressed, Yoon Si-ah, who had been quietly observing him from behind, took my hand and led me.

The message ‘Registered’ appeared on the screen with a small beep, and Jang Ah-hyeon, who was watching it, made a slightly pouty expression.

Fearing that we would become vicious again, I quickly nodded, thanked them, and headed to the office connected to the bedroom.

And there.

“Hello, Northmund. I have come at your call.”

“⋯I would have told you not to come in here and wait downstairs.”

“Oh my, sorry about that, miss. But I want to meet my master, Northmund, first.”

“Who are you?”

“Ah, my introduction was late.”

I brushed the sleeves of my pajamas a few times with my hands and looked at the elderly man standing in front of me and said,

He wore a stylish suit that resembled a tailcoat and grew a neat mustache of an appropriate length. Gray hair and a well-tailored suit. He was a very neat and somewhat strict man.

In this face-to-face meeting, it may be a bit out of character for me to be wearing pajamas, but I can’t say anything about it since it’s the other side that I came to here so carefully.

“This is your servant, Adrocallis. Although he is weak, he leads Wigrim, a group of guardians.”

“I see. But what is a person who calls himself a servant doing standing like that? Hurry up and get down on your knees. What I want is not a subordinate, but an attendant. Just like you did to the great beings.”

“Oh, that was rude.”

I said he was old, but this guy was probably a Mine anyway, so his appearance had nothing to do with it.

The fact that they didn’t choose an active age group means that this guy must be aiming for something. I have no intention of just asking if they will come or not.

Isn’t the fact that they came here in such a difficult way from the beginning to gain an upper hand in negotiations? He came because I asked him to, but he probably had no intention of showing his true loyalty.

I have no intention of remaining in a formal master-slave relationship.

“Hello again. I, Adrocallis, offer my eternal loyalty to Elm Northmund, the only successor to the Great One. Guide your servant forever and ever.”

With a thud, the old man kneels on the floor and bows his head. Did the fact that it made such a sound even though there was a soft Persian carpet on the floor mean that it was serious this time?

“Like you said, I am the successor to a great being. It makes me very uncomfortable that you are trying to match me like that. Was I funny?”

“I have committed a deadly sin. Please take my life with your hands.”

“Huh, I know it’s a mortal sin.”

The guy called Adrocalis drools at the pressure he feels from me. From what he said, it seemed like he had some status among the Guardians.

In the days when he was fighting fiercely with monsters, wouldn’t he have been a high-ranking monster? It wouldn’t have been at the level of being called a devil with some ego left in it.

The energy I feel from this guy is not inferior at all to that Eldarim kid. Still, that guy is shaking and shaking.

If you are from a higher level, you may be a veteran, but that is irrelevant. From the beginning, whether you are a professional or an amateur, when the pain becomes concentrated, your body screams like this, regardless of your level of skill.

He was trembling, weighed down by my energy and carrying the burden of highly concentrated pain running through his body, regardless of his individual strength.

“Do you understand now? There is no point in taking your precious life, so let’s stop here. Feel grateful that you tested me and survived,”

“Yes, Northmund. Thank you for delaying the death of this disloyal servant.”

Thinking that enough was enough, I let go of the energy that was weighing him down and went to the window, the sound of my footsteps pounding on the cold marble floor.

It’s still early and dark, but quite a few people are crowding around the academy’s playground in the distance.

As soon as I saw it, I recognized their identity. In fact, I guess I already instinctively knew it from the moment I opened my eyes in bed. I felt that beings with holy powers were entering this academy.

Heavily armed guards and people with mana weapons who appeared to be academy students were on guard surrounding the guardians, and everyone’s faces were filled with tension.

It’s clearly a demon, but since Northmund called him and came to visit him, it would be difficult to attack him.

And the number of horse people gathered in the playground exceeds approximately 20. If a battle were to take place with this many demons, something serious would happen.

The tension between them is understandable, as it was not going to end without anyone being injured.

“Yesterday, after the professor gave off some mysterious energy, not long after, demons suddenly started coming here. I thought it was definitely related to what the professor did, so I didn’t attack him and put him on standby.”

“Okay, you did well.”

“I told you to wait over there, but this guy broke into here.”

When Jang A-hyeon frowns at the old man in the tailcoat, the old man bows to her.

‘I can’t believe you came right away like this.’

Actually, it should have been like this from the beginning. This means that these results should have come out a long time ago.

What if they received some of the divine energy that had spread throughout the world, regained their sense of self, and started interfering with this world?

Because I am originally the source of the energy itself, which is the condition for their activity. Since I have absorbed God, they are subordinate to me.

In fact, they probably knew it too.

When I ascended the stairwell and entered the pure white room, my spirituality soared as I absorbed their god.

With the help of that power, I escaped that space and traveled around the world. At that time, they must have clearly felt the presence of that sacred power.

Now I can’t deny my existence.

“Most of the guardians in Korea gathered here. The rest of the people haven’t arrived yet, but they’re probably on their way here.”

“I think there are at most 20 people. It’s more disappointing than I thought.”

“Haha, the number of Guardians hiding in Korea is quite small. I guess it’s because Northmund’s academy is there. The number used to be slightly higher, but now the number has decreased significantly.”

“So then the guys gathered over there are elites in their own way.”

“It may be a bit vulgar to say it with my own mouth, but I guess you can say it is. Also, most of those people are also members of the above picture.”

“Are there still many Guardians left in the world? How much is that number?”

“We don’t know the exact number either. However, it is believed that Gu Gu is operating on the African continent. That is also where former leader Alexstras’ headquarters was located, and since the infrastructure has not yet been properly restored, there is no better place for the guardians to hide than that neighborhood.”

I guess that’s true too.

Because what I saw while escaping from Africa was complete nonsense. If you live hidden in such a neighborhood, it won’t be easy to find you.

“But it is also true that many people have abandoned Mr. Northmund. Some guardians I was close to had a negative view of being loyal to Northmund.”

“How many?”

“Yes, but that’s because one of them is the head of the largest group of guardians. Did they say that they have already found their freedom and do not want to be bound by anyone anymore?”

“How about it? Do you think there will be hostility with him?”

“There is a high probability that yes. Because the guy who carries out terrorism and massacres against humans is Gailock.”

“It is Gailok.”

Last night, when I extended my divinity and connected it to the whole world, names started popping up on the market floor, but I don’t remember ever hearing the name Gailok.

Perhaps he was quietly observing the situation.

Honestly, I understand your feelings. The desire to live tied to someone for eons so long that one’s ego disappears, but now that one has managed to break free, one never wants to be tied down by someone again.

It is at a level that anyone can fully understand. To be honest, I feel a bit pitiful.

If he had come to me and expressed his intention and asked me to let him go, I would probably have granted his wish.

but.

“In that case, we have no choice but to destroy it. That guy is such a pitiful guy. I never thought I would barely get my ego and then let it go again.”

As long as it is hostile to humans and commits terrorism, there is no way for it to survive.

“Be careful. Probably about half of the guardians will not follow Northmund.”

“⋯Half?”

“It would not have been easy to immediately decide on a position in a situation where they had done something to humans and those humans were also hostile towards them. Oh, I wasn’t saying that half of them were all against Northmund. I guess I’m in a neutral position and don’t want to have anything to do with anyone anymore.”

“I see. I understand.”

I can see the golden sun rising in the distance. The golden rays push away the remaining darkness and push the light into the spaces between campuses.

Along with the warm sunlight, the shadows begin to lengthen. The curtains flutter from the open window, and life begins to return to the dark principal’s office.

“Then I guess I’ll be a bit busy from now on. I’d like to at least treat you to coffee, but I’m sorry I can’t afford it.”

“No. I can only thank you for forgiving me for my rudeness in coming to me without notice, Mr. Northmund.”

“Yes. Now then, go downstairs and find a kid named Eldarim and listen to his instructions. I will be your boss from now on.”

“⋯Yes?”

“You are under that little boy. He was the first to pledge loyalty to me. So are you dissatisfied with the decision you made? Appearance doesn’t matter to Guardians anyway, right? And the skills seem similar.”

“⋯No. I will follow your instructions.”

In response to the order to welcome guests, the doorknob was quietly and gently turned, and the sound of footsteps at a regular tempo could be heard moving away.

Hearing those calm footsteps, Yoon Si-ah, who was standing next to you and looking at the old man with glaring eyes, narrows her eyes.

“Well, I sighed softly as I left.”

“⋯Can you hear that?”

“He says he will be loyal, but he seems a little disloyal. What should I do?”

“Leave it alone for now. It could have been a sigh that came out because his expectations were shattered. If you are truly disloyal, you can just go and deal with it then.”

“⋯Still.”

“Except for Eldarim, he was the first to swear loyalty, so it doesn’t seem right to punish him for something like that. It’s not like you’re openly complaining to someone’s face.”

“Eldarim⋯Eldarim.”

Seeing her mulling over the name of the blond boy makes me think of something strange. I should have seen those ax eyes when I first saw the guy I brought in.

The misunderstanding was resolved and resolved quickly, but you never know. Maybe you’re not bothering him.

“Keuhm, first of all, there is a lot to do. The demons, or as they call them, the guardians, have decided to gather here. After they gather, I will also take action.”

“Could you tell me exactly what your plan is?”

“That’s⋯.”

After clearing my throat a few times in response to Jang A-hyeon’s question, I told her the plan I had in mind.

After a certain amount of people have gathered, I plan to go to the organization and announce my position.

They will no longer be hostile to humans. They will stop their hostile actions against humanity thanks to the influence of me who eliminated their leader, so please allow us to coexist with humans.

I would like to make such a statement.

“But then, the professor’s image may be tarnished. They are demons who harm humans, and even if they say they will no longer engage in hostile acts⋯.”

“Yes. So, I plan to exterminate the hostile demons through these demons.”

There will be a lot of backlash at first. Even if Northmund is worthy of the name, it will not be easy to be accepted. But you won’t be able to not accept it.

Once a mine appears, the average damage is so great that a fighter jet has to be dispatched. The manpower shortage will be severe.

“It is not my intention to take the first step. They made a statement to the organization through Adrocalis and tried to drive a wedge by appearing in the midst of the commotion that was being discussed.”

He leads a small group of guardians. And a statement is made in the name of that organization.

They have no intention of being hostile towards humanity and want to coexist. In return, they said that they would subdue the demons who were disrupting human society.

And when the discussion was in full swing, I appeared and tried to reinforce that it was not a bad idea.

I am not a human, I am a dragon, but I fought for humans. Likewise, I will try to tell the story with the nuance that even if they are demons rather than humans, it is okay to listen to them as long as they are not trying to disrupt society.

And the independence of the Academy was once again confirmed.

Wouldn’t this be the best way to quickly end the chaos and end everything?

“Yes, I understand. I will follow the professor’s wishes.”

“Thank you. Well then, let’s do some work I’ve forgotten about for a long time.”

“Yes! Here is a great document for the professor.”

A familiar, familiar file. It was a colorless black folder that I had seen every day before, but I was very happy to receive it after a long time.

Then, he unfolds the iron, grabs the familiar ballpoint pen from the desk drawer, and draws a black line on the white paper.

And again, a familiar voice peaks.

“Welcome back, Professor.”