episode_0017

Sure.

I wondered when we’d see this in a different world.

The intruder who appeared when I turned the corner and the culprit behind this commotion.

It was none other than a small golden dragon.

Judging by its size, it seemed more like a baby dragon rather than a fully grown mythical creature.

The faint flapping and peculiar breath I had been hearing all along belonged to this little one.

So, is it true that this tiny creature made all of this mess?

“A dragon. Did this little guy do all of this?”

“Kyu!”

Cute… Wait, do dragons usually make sounds like this?

Perhaps because it’s not fully grown yet, but both its appearance and cries were unmistakably reptilian.

If it weren’t for Chaesol’s magic, I might have just thought nothing of it and moved on.

The sight of the dragon illuminated by magic was quite different from other creatures.

Normally, magic is stored in one place and only feels strong when needed.

However, this little one had pockets of magic everywhere.

The amount of concentrated magic was so significant, almost infinite, that even for a dragon, this was unexpected.

“They say dragons are like gods in this world.”

“More importantly… what should we do with this little one?”

I don’t see Artemia or any other workshop personnel nearby.

It doesn’t make sense that they haven’t identified him yet; they must have gone to request backup.

That means handling him alone is not an option.

If even the administrators known for their strength can’t handle him, it must be quite dangerous.

So, letting your guard down just because he’s cute could lead to unforeseen consequences.

“…This is tricky.”

But how did a baby dragon end up in the workshop all of a sudden?

Unless someone was controlling the dragon to spy on us.

Maybe he ended up here purely by chance.

Then why cause such chaos?

“…Is he hungry?”

Suddenly, I remembered a plump elf lad with a hearty appetite.

The image of him greedily devouring anything that came his way came to mind.

Come to think of it, he used to growl quite fiercely when someone tried to take his food.

“Peep! Peep peep!”

Wait, maybe he really is just hungry.

During this time, dragons and humans alike cry when they’re hungry.

Just then, a small fruit Luna had saved hung in my pocket.

He seemed so interested in it that although it was emergency rations, now might be the time.

In a tense moment, I took out the fruit from my pocket and cautiously offered it to the dragon.

“Peep, peep!”

There you go! He seems interested.

If a dragon living off his own strength gets hungry, things could get out of hand.

Or not.

It’s amazing how a simple piece of fruit can resolve things so smoothly…

“Pfft.”

Spit it out.

No, I didn’t exactly put it in his mouth.

Why? Is it not to his taste? Or perhaps dragons, after all, need to be carnivorous?

“Goodness… quite picky.”

“Peep! Peep peep peep!”

That’s when it happened.

A shockwave so powerful that it made hair flutter passed by.

As if to show that he caused this disturbance, the dragon emitted a sound wave from his mouth.

With just that sound wave, the whole area shook, and the ground cracked.

The intense vibration, making it hard to stand, definitely proved he was a baby dragon.

The conclusion is, unless I provide what he needs, safety is not guaranteed, let alone any hints.

It might turn out to be a riskier gamble than I thought.

“But, there’s something familiar about this little one since earlier. Doesn’t he smell like something I know?”

Perhaps due to Chaesol’s magic enhancing my sense of smell, I sensed a familiar scent other than magic.

Where have I smelled this before?

A fresh, nutty, sweet fragrance.

Even if two people shared it, one would never know…

“Blueberry roast!”

A dish made by roasting the fruits of the blue tree found throughout the Blue Forest region, known for its abundant supply of fresh fruits.

Characterized by a fresh, sweet aroma contrasting with a nutty flavor.

“That guy always has it at the tip of his tongue.”

The culprit who steals party rations and self-proclaimed noble elf.

It was a food Luna liked so much that she always carried it in her pocket.

She would eat dozens of them a day, so for her, it was like the elixir of life.

Then why does this dragon smell like blue fruit?

And it’s very strong. It’s as if someone is periodically giving out fruit.

Suddenly, a certain memory flashed through my mind.

About four days after the exam ended.

That day, I remembered how suspicious Luna’s behavior was.

More precisely, when she returned to the room after frivolously forming a temporary alliance.

She was fidgeting by the door, caught in the act, looking shocked.

At that moment, there was something hidden behind her hand, but at the time, I thought it must be something to eat and let it pass.

However, after replaying the scene dozens of times, I finally began to see it.

The ‘coin purse’ next to him.

“It doesn’t seem like he’s after money…”

Cha Seol-ah’s words were correct.

If money was the goal, he would have shown it off on the first day we met.

It doesn’t make sense for him to risk his life to come to the workshop.

Moreover, here, besides buying food, there is nowhere to spend money.

So why?

….

Wait.

Money.

Food.

Eating.

“No way.”

With a hint of doubt, I took out the coin purse I had been carrying little by little.

Then I opened it slightly, took out a gold coin from inside, and held it out to him with my mouth.

“Chomp! Chomp!”

He eats it.

And he eats it very well.

From the beginning, along with the flapping sound, the ‘crunch’ sound I heard was nothing but the sound of him chewing the gold coin.

“So, in the end, did the guy who lived in the Blue Tree Forest come to the workshop because he was hungry?”

For now, that’s the conclusion.

Actually, it doesn’t matter what happened up to this point.

What matters is from now on.

“The timing is quite good.”

“The participants?”

At that moment, the administrator I first saw at the entrance appeared in the distance.

She was wearing something unusual, not the clothes she wore at the time.

Seeing the black-red lines drawn on the previously white and comfortable-looking attire, it was probably indicating a combat situation now.

These traces were probably caused by trying to stop him.

In other words, he doesn’t know how to handle this dragon.

“You were probably told not to leave the room.”

“I got lost on the way to the bathroom. Isn’t that more urgent?”

“…Please step back. He might seem cute on the outside, but inside…”

“Uh, uh, there seems to be some misunderstanding.”

“Squeak?”

She cautiously picked up the baby dragon and cradled it in her arms.

Soft and warm, like holding a puppy she was raising.

Immediately, you could see her eyes wavering.

It’s hard to believe that the guy who was uncontrollable is now calm.

Will she be even more surprised now?

“What… do you mean?”

“He’s on our side. Us.”

“What…! Aren’t you both participants in the workshop battle? He’s supposed to be a target for disrupting the workshop! Stop playing tricks and hand him over!”

“No, I can’t. Squeaky.”

“Squeak!”

A seemingly ordinary sound wave made one side of the wall ripple.

“You see. Squeaky listens to us.”

“…Do you think you can get away with this after doing such a thing?”

“No, it wasn’t done without thinking.”

The Workshop Manual.

A book detailing the history of the workshop spanning hundreds of years.

Although it’s a famous book in this world, few have read it thoroughly.

After all, it’s so thick.

But if you look closely, you’ll find this kind of content written in it.

‘The responsibility for incidents within the workshop lies solely with the workshop.’

“Listening, it seems like the current head honcho over there is quite the pretender. Seems like he’s not just strong in a sense of responsibility.”

“…..”

“But how could it be that a single participant was able to handle over five administrators, and even resolve the incident caused by them?”

“What will happen?”

…Me.

In an instant, a chilling magic sensation prickled my skin.

Before long, a sharp flow of energy began to hover in the air to the extent that it was visible to the eye.

“I never thought that I could kill you all….”

“Kill.”

“W-What….”

“If it’s possible even ‘inside’ the workshop, not just ‘outside.’”

That furry guy with his arm severed was clearly attacked from outside the workshop.

The final content of the workshop manual and its core rule.

Administrators cannot physically harm participants inside the workshop.

Therefore, he restrained himself from unleashing his power, aware of this fact, unable to do anything.

Fighting against a dragon will require considerable strength.

The only way to pass without conflict is to stand on the opposite side.

When there are no options left, it must be the perfect time to push the negotiation forward.

“Let’s make a deal.”

“A deal… you say.”

“Bring that. That.”

“That? What.”

It’s obvious.

That thing you only revealed to the top-ranked contestant.

“The item given to the top performer of the first test, hand it over to us too.”

Then release this dragon immediately and keep your mouth shut forever.