Ch.115Stonehenge (1)

Preparations for the subjugation battle are in full swing.

Najin thought this as he looked around Cambria, City of Opportunity, after returning. Though it wasn’t obvious on the surface, Najin’s informed perspective caught subtle movements.

The flow of merchants, supplies moving somewhere, Central Guild employees bustling about…

They seemed busy preparing for the upcoming subjugation of the Red Dragon and White Dragon. The Central Guild had ordered White-Ranked adventurers to keep silent, but they weren’t the only ones with this information.

‘They must have shared it with their merchant partners.’

Large-scale subjugation operations naturally required enormous resources. Moreover, this operation involved five White-Ranked adventurers and knights from the Imperial household, so there could be no shortage of supplies.

And the experts in that field were the merchant associations, not the guild. They probably brought in one association.

“…”

After silently observing his surroundings, Najin smiled slightly. He could guess which merchant association they’d brought in. The image of a certain merchant with gold coin-like eyes flashed in his mind.

Come to think of it, it had been almost a month since he’d seen her face. Dieta’s voice, whining at him to visit more often, echoed in his ears as Najin headed toward the merchant association.

‘It’s almost time.’

-Yes. About three days?

Merlin folded his fingers one by one, then waved three fingers in front of Najin’s eyes.

-By my calculations, about three days until the seal becomes weakest.

It was roughly the same date predicted by the Central Guild and the Imperial household. Najin fingered the chain stake gifted by Gilette while thinking to himself.

‘Should I have told them?’

That the Red Dragon and White Dragon would fully resurrect. That they would be stronger opponents than expected. Only Najin and Merlin knew this information.

-Well, it wouldn’t have made much difference.

Merlin shook his head at Najin’s question about whether they should have informed others beforehand.

-Even if you told them, there’s no guarantee they’d believe you. You have no proof. If you were playing prophet, maybe, but that would only raise suspicion.

That was true.

That’s why he hadn’t told them.

-And even if they believed you, how many more reinforcements would the Empire send? No one in this era remembers the terror of those dragons. They might in the Outer Continent.

Merlin explained that the Empire wouldn’t invest Master-level personnel in such matters. At most, they might send a few additional knights.

In reality, the Empire didn’t consider the Red Dragon and White Dragon particularly dangerous. They likely viewed it as just another cyclical event that occurred every few hundred years.

‘That’s true.’

-And what are you worried about anyway?

Merlin grinned and stretched his shoulders.

-You’ve been personally trained in ‘dragon hunting’ by the great archmage who burned the sky, brought down countless dragons, and nailed the Dragon of Abyss to the ground. There’s nothing to worry about. Right?

Seeing Merlin’s confident posture and snort, Najin shrugged. Indeed, whenever there was a free moment over the past few months, Merlin had lectured Najin about dragon characteristics. Thanks to that, Najin’s knowledge about dragons surpassed that of most scholars.

‘If Merlin says so, I guess that’s that.’

-What kind of response is that?

Now accustomed to Merlin’s grumbling voice, Najin let it go in one ear and out the other as he continued walking.

2.

“It’s really hard to see your face. Isn’t it?”

“…I apologize.”

“No, there’s nothing to be sorry about. You were busy, right? I was busy too. Just, maybe we could have had time for a light meal? I’m not saying I particularly missed you or anything, just from a very business-oriented perspective, disappearing for a month without contact…”

Dieta twisted her hair while avoiding Najin’s gaze as she delivered a lengthy speech. Her guard knight Passion, watching from nearby, had to bite his lip to suppress his laughter.

For the past month, Dieta had sighed deeply while staring out the window. “It’s really hard to see his face.” “When will he visit?” “We’re practically neighbors, isn’t this too much?” She had muttered these phrases countless times.

When she heard Najin had left for the Outer Continent, Dieta had widened her eyes and stomped her feet. Still, knowing he would return within a month, she sighed and waited for 27 days.

‘Finally he’s here!’

When news came that Najin had arrived, Dieta’s face lit up and she jumped to her feet. After a moment, trying to regain her composure, she agonized. Is this too obvious? Am I being too swayed? Dieta had learned from books that once you lose the upper hand in a relationship, you’re done for.

“It’s not like I was particularly waiting or anything, but I just thought maybe a letter would have been nice? Or maybe I didn’t think that. I’m not sure…”

Of course, what one learns from books and what one actually does are completely different matters. Seeing Najin’s face after a month made her heart pound and her face flush. He seems more mature somehow after a month. Well, at eighteen, he’s still growing…?

With such unnecessary thoughts, Dieta fanned her face while acting diligently. Of course, to Passion standing nearby, it looked like a rather useless performance.

“I’ll send letters from now on.”

Though unable to read Dieta’s true feelings, Najin noticed she seemed quite disappointed and responded with a bitter smile.

“…Really?”

“Yes. Writing letters isn’t difficult.”

“It would be even better if you visited.”

“I’ll try my best.”

“That’s a promise.”

Finally, Dieta brightened and tapped her desk. It meant for him to come closer and sit. Across from Dieta was a high-quality chair that had been brought in about a month ago under the pretext of entertaining guests, but only Passion knew it was exclusively for Najin.

‘She has it moved away when other guests come.’

It was a chair that Passion had been urgently ordered to place back when news came that Najin was coming. Of course, Najin had no way of knowing this, so he simply thought ‘this chair feels nice’ as he sat down.

“By the way, Dieta.”

Seated in the chair, Najin asked.

“The upcoming subjugation battle, you know about it too, right? I saw your association’s people moving busily.”

“Of course. My association won the contract for material distribution and priority rights for post-subjugation materials.”

Dieta hadn’t been idle for the past month. Noticing the Central Guild’s unsettled movements, she had immediately approached them and secured several contracts.

“Subjugation naturally requires supplies, and after subjugation, a merchant association’s help is even more necessary. Especially since we’re hunting dragons this time. Dragon materials trade at extremely high prices, needless to say.”

Dieta’s bright yellow eyes sparkled.

“It’s an opportunity. An opportunity to earn lots of gold coins.”

True to her nature of having an excellent nose for gold, Dieta was already setting her bait. She had already prepared items to sell to the Imperial knights arriving in the city tomorrow.

“Najin, this is a big opportunity for you too, isn’t it?”

Dieta looked at Najin with a smile.

“Dragons have symbolized great achievements since ancient times. If you perform well in this subjugation, perhaps you could earn a star? I don’t know the details, but…”

“Just performing well isn’t enough. I plan to be the main character. The most noticeable, the most brilliant role.”

Achieving greatness is always the privilege of those who take the lead. The more risk one takes, the more brilliant the achievement.

“That’s so like you. Then this subjugation is a great opportunity for both of us to reach our dreams?”

Opportunity.

“We’ll capture all the materials from this subjugation. At the highest price. That’s why we secured the priority rights.”

A plan she hadn’t shared with anyone else.

Dieta revealed it to Najin.

“We’ll monopolize the dragon materials. Items that haven’t been available for decades. That’s more than enough reason to monopolize. Of course, many associations will try to compete… but can any match our association’s gold circulation? I’ve gathered gold even at a loss for this transaction.”

She flipped a platinum coin.

“After monopolizing, we’ll officially advance to the Imperial capital.”

To an even bigger market.

Beyond Cambria to the heart of the Empire.

“We’ll establish trade with the magic towers in the capital using dragon materials as our centerpiece, and form contracts. Once the path is opened, the rest becomes easy. Our association can quickly distribute ‘numerous materials’ via Cambria. We can quickly deliver the materials they need.”

That’s just the beginning, she said.

With a cunning smile, Dieta caught the gold coin she had flipped.

“It’s an opportunity to make our name known in the capital. It starts with name recognition. This is the first button, so to speak.”

“Same for me.”

Najin looked at Dieta and said.

“If one wants to reach the highest place, one must start by engraving a single star. This will be my first button as well.”

For both Najin and Dieta, this dragon subjugation holds deep meaning. It will be the catalyst for these two frogs in a well to step outside.

“Then, as a toast to our futures…”

Dieta glanced at Najin, her lips moving slightly. After a moment’s hesitation, she spoke as if throwing caution to the wind.

“Shall we have a meal together after so long? One meal should be fine. A cup of tea would be nice too.”

“Let’s do that.”

At Najin’s answer, Dieta clenched her fist in joy as if about to scream, making the guard knight Passion laugh inwardly.

A merchant planning to dominate the Imperial capital. His master was a born merchant who could capture the flow of gold and even create that flow artificially…

But in front of this boy, she was just an ordinary girl.

Smiling purely, blushing at trivial things, shy like any girl her age. As Dieta called out “Passion, get ready to leave, hurry,” Passion nodded and moved.

It was a good thing anyway.

Watching the sweet interactions between the boy and girl, Passion smiled contentedly.

3.

Time passed, and on the day of the subjugation.

Near Cambria, at Stonehenge, the participants of the subjugation gathered. The White-Ranked adventurers, considered the pinnacle of Cambria, assembled in one place.

Former Inquisitor, Bashen Korte.

Former Knight Commander, Rihart Folsen.

Red-Eyes, Roseline Askarlo.

Unknown, Grizel Parament.

And.

The Rising Star, Najin.

The five White-Ranked adventurers at Cambria’s peak, and the subjugation team formed around them, surrounded Stonehenge. Knights sent from the Imperial household began deploying artifacts and equipment, while merchant association employees moved busily, laying out supplies.

The time when the seal would break was deep night.

To illuminate the night, mineral lamps and flares provided by the merchant association lit up the sky. Spare equipment and supplies were placed in the rear, and top-grade potions for mana and stamina recovery were distributed.

And Najin.

He walked to the position he had chosen.

A low hill rising from the vast plain. Stone pillars encircling the hill that resembled a tomb. The seal created by Merlin a thousand years ago.

Stonehenge.

A seal and a dragon’s tomb.

Najin stood at a spot with a clear view of the stone pillars. This was the position he had requested, and there was only one reason—Merlin had said this was where Arthur had stood.

Najin drew his sword.

The same place as Arthur. The same stage. The same situation.

Today, at this place, he would write the first chapter of a new legend. Najin had decided so. Not anyone else, but Najin himself had decided.

That high night sky.

Because his star had not yet found its place, it still felt like a distant place.

Tonight, Najin would engrave his own star there.