Chapter 941: Do you know who my mom is?

-A dragon?

-A dragon, what is this?

Murmuring sounds reached my ears. Not only sounds, but gazes were also pouring down. At the words Myung-song blurted out in surprise, everyone turned to look this way. It wasn’t just a simple stare; I could feel numerous, teeming emotions. There was anger, and there was fear. Besides those, resentment, bewilderment, and so on could be felt, but the important thing here is…

‘For starters, it’s not a positive reaction.’

Whatever it was, those emotions were entirely filled with negativity. I examined my throbbing palm. My skin felt like it had nearly melted off. While looking at that, I glanced at Myung-song’s hand.

‘That’s it.’

The reason my hand became like this. It was in Myung-song’s hand. The iron glove he wore. Touching that made it like this.

‘…’

I stared at it for a moment before narrowing my eyes. Judging by the sensation, it must be that.

‘The reason I came to this place.’

The reason I went out of my way to visit the Volcano Sect’s blacksmith shop. I could realize it while looking at that glove.

Tuk tuk.

I brushed my hand off. I tore off the burnt skin and cauterized it. Though the wound didn’t look shallow, it wasn’t particularly wide either, so if left alone, it would regenerate quickly…

‘…Hmm…?’

I thought so, but the sensation felt quite strange.

‘Regeneration is slow.’

Compared to the regeneration speed I normally experienced, it felt significantly lowered. To be precise, it had slowed down by double. I tried to hide my hand behind my back, but the gazes remained.

Just then.

“…Are you a dragon?”

Myung-song, who had been staring at me, asked. What should I answer? Though it was phrased as a question, it was close to a certainty. So, the reason for his certainty?

‘It must be that thing, too.’

The glove Myung-song wore.

And.

‘The sword that Gu-bong or Seol-yeong possessed.’

The swords that the first-generation disciples possessed. I still couldn’t forget the sight of beating Gu-bong. Thinking back to that time, I didn’t exactly think it was dangerous, but…

‘The sword that guy was holding was somehow strange.’

It was something I felt during the fight. I felt the sword he swung was somewhat threatening. It was actually easier to deal with him when he dropped the sword at night. This part was a mystery to me, and I had looked into a few things related to it. It was because the sensation was strange enough to warrant looking into it. After looking into it briefly like that, I obtained a few pieces of information.

The first is.

‘Only the first-generation disciples have different swords.’

Although I had only met two disciples, they both possessed the same sword. This was something I found out when I met a second-generation disciple in Ya-wol, or during the sparring sessions with the third-generation disciples. Gu-bong and Seol-yeong possessed the same sword, and I felt a similar sensation when looking at Seol-yeong’s sword. So, regarding the sword, I separately asked Gu-bong about it. When I asked where he got the sword, he said the blacksmith’s night artisan made it directly for him.

So, the source of the sword is the night artisan, and the place of creation is the blacksmith shop. As soon as I knew that, I wanted to know about this sword.

‘What could it be.’

What could it be that gives off such an ominous feeling?

Also.

‘Is it a problem with the sword itself, or is the material strange?’

If it’s ominous, which part is ominous? I wanted to figure that out, but…

‘Now that I look at it, it’s certain.’

It’s not the sword, but the material itself. That was definitely not ordinary iron. Hiding my still painful arm, I looked at Myung-song. He was looking at me warily. What did he ask again? Ah, if I was a dragon. I stared at him for a moment before asking.

“If I am a dragon, is that a problem?”

“….”

Myung-song didn’t answer. Rather, I could feel his wariness increase upon hearing my words. Silence, by nature, helps one feel the emotions contained within more clearly. Just as Myung-song showed that reaction, so did the surrounding reactions. I could feel the atmosphere gradually becoming hostile.

Hmm.

I pondered. What should I do about this? Honestly, I wanted to deny it, but…

‘Their eyes already hold certainty.’

It was too late to deny it. Moreover, the fact that they were certain, with me in this state, meant that the iron was related to dragons.

“Hey. Myung-song, what are you talking about? How could a distinguished guest…”

Seol-yeong interjected with a troubled expression. She seemed to be trying hard to calm the situation, but…

“Yes, well. They do call me that.”

“…!”

I spoke, shattering Seol-yeong’s intention.

“…Hmph…”

At my answer, Myung-song let out a gasp of disbelief. Then.

Clang-!

He picked up a nearby hammer and aimed it at me.

“…A dragon? Are you seriously a dragon?”

“Uh, that’s not good? Calm down for a second.”

“How dare you… in a place like this…!”

As soon as I revealed I was a dragon, Myung-song charged. As if he had no intention of listening to me, he swung the brightly raised hammer.

KABOOM-!

I dodged slightly, and the hammer struck the floor. The force was strong, as the floor was seen to be crushed.

“How did you escape…! Did you come back to torment us again?!”

“…No, it’s not like that.”

“Die!!”

“Tsk.”

As if he couldn’t hear me, Myung-song, eyes blazing, just kept launching attacks. Moreover, as he swung the hammer, he was smashing everything in sight, so if this continued, the blacksmith shop would be in big trouble. It would be right to stop him first. Thinking so, I reached out my hand.

“Eeeeeeeek-!”

I grabbed the scruff of Myung-song’s neck as he charged in excitedly. I put force into it and slammed him onto the floor.

KABOOM-!!

“Gack…!”

Myung-song fell to the floor, but perhaps his excitement hadn’t subsided, as he tried to swing his arm to attack somehow. So I just punched him in the jaw.

WHACK-!

“Gack…!”

Myung-song, hit in the jaw, immediately lost consciousness. Only after knocking him unconscious did he become quiet.

“Hoo…”

Leaving the sprawled Myung-song, I got up. However.

“…”

“…It’s a dragon…”

“A dragon again…? Why…? We barely escaped…”

It seemed it wasn’t over yet, as the surrounding people looked terrified. The situation felt even worse because I had subdued Myung-song.

“No… it’s not like that…”

I tried to make an excuse, but…

“Eek-!”

“We’re going to be eaten…!”

It seemed to be having the opposite effect. What should I do about this? As I was awkwardly wondering what to do, unable to think of a solution…

“Distinguished guest… let’s go outside for now.”

Seol-yeong urgently grabbed my arm. Then, she put down the basket she was holding and shouted.

“I’ll come pick up the needles next time. Sorry!”

Saying that, she dragged me out. I was helplessly led outside.

---

Pulled by Seol-yeong’s hand, I stepped onto the bridge. Her hurried steps were evident, and though it had only been a short while, we had come quite far.

Thump-

The arm she was holding loosened. It wasn’t that Seol-yeong let go; it was Cheon-ma, who had followed us, who broke her grip.

“Let go. I’m not looking anymore.”

Cheon-ma said, looking at Seol-yeong. Indeed, judging by my ki sense, no further gazes were felt. Meanwhile, Cheon-ma was looking at Seol-yeong with somewhat displeased eyes. Roughly ignoring Cheon-ma, I asked Seol-yeong.

“…What?”

What was that situation? When I asked about it…

“Distinguished guest.”

Seol-yeong said to me with a rather serious expression.

“Are you really a dragon?”

“That’s what they say?”

If everyone called me that, wouldn’t it be correct? As I answered thinking that, Seol-yeong’s eyes widened. Seeing those eyes, I asked Seol-yeong further.

“Why? Is me being a dragon such a big problem?”

I wondered what was so problematic that she was acting like this. They said Man-gye was a place where all sorts of races gathered. Wouldn’t it be strange if it wasn’t?

‘Of course, I did hear that dragons couldn’t come to Man-gye and had all gone extinct.’

Could that be the problem? Still, that didn’t explain why those old folks were so afraid of me.

“…If the distinguished guest is indeed a dragon… it is a problem.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Do you really not know the reason?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I knew.”

If I knew, would I be like this? As I frowned in frustration and spoke, Seol-yeong hesitated before opening her mouth.

“I don’t know the details either, but I heard that dragons disappeared due to past events, and they could no longer set foot in Man-gye.”

This was the same as what I had heard before.

“But is that the reason those old folks hate dragons?”

“No. That part goes a bit deeper…”

Deeper than the current reason.

“Then why on earth are they acting like this?”

“…That is…”

Seol-yeong puckered her lips like before. She clearly seemed reluctant to speak, but… I had to hear it somehow. So, as I waited for her to speak…

“…I heard that Myung-song’s race was once slaves to them, before the dragons disappeared.”

Seol-yeong said it. As soon as I heard that, I had to scratch my furrowed brow.

“…Slaves?”

Slaves? The slaves I know?

“Yes. Slaves.”

“…Hmm… that’s not a slightly indirect expression, but a truly direct one…”

“He said truly slaves, treated like property.”

“Oh dear.”

They kept other races as slaves. Only after hearing that did their reaction become somewhat understandable.

-How did you escape…! Did you come back to torment us again?!

Those were Myung-song’s words. I wondered why he reacted like that the moment he heard the word dragon.

‘If Seol-yeong’s words are true…’

Was it because they had suffered enough? Just how much did they have to endure to reach that state? Those eyes were truly…

‘It was on the level of seeing demons.’

If not that, then it was like seeing definite past-life enemies. That seemed like the right way to describe it.

“Hmm.”

I stroked my chin and thought. So what should I do? Meanwhile, Seol-yeong kept talking to me.

“Distinguished guest… I don’t know how the Sect Leader brought you here, but…”

Her voice was quite cautious.

“Since you were brought by the Sect Leader, I believe there must be a reason.”

Hearing that, I glanced at Seol-yeong.

“However, given Myung-song’s position… I hope you won’t view him too negatively…”

“Why would I view him negatively?”

If that’s the situation, Myung-song’s position is perfectly understandable.

“Ah.”

Upon hearing my answer, Seol-yeong’s face relaxed. She probably expected me to be uncomfortable and get angry.

“Thank you for understanding… I’ll talk to that friend somehow and calm him down. So he doesn’t catch the distinguished guest’s eye…”

Seol-yeong continued with a relieved expression, but upon hearing the last part, I had to cut her off.

“That won’t do.”

“What?”

Seol-yeong looked flustered. What wouldn’t do? She looked at me with a questioning gaze.

“It won’t do if he doesn’t catch my eye. I have business over there.”

“What do you mean…? Surely, you’re not planning to meet Myung-song again?”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be that guy Myung-song, though…”

Seeing the situation earlier, he seemed to be the one in charge.

“For now?”

“But…”

Seol-yeong didn’t continue, but I already understood her meaning from her reaction. As long as I was a dragon, meeting them would be difficult. That was her reaction, but…

“It’s fine.”

I didn’t particularly mind. After all.

“I’m not very good at being friendly anyway.”

If they’re scared, I can just deal with them that way. Unfortunately.

‘I’m not exactly in a position to be considerate either.’

I don’t have the leeway to consider the other party’s position. They’re scared and avoiding me? That’s even better. Thinking historically too. There was nothing easier to control someone with than fear.