Ch.283Solution (6)

“I’m sorry.”

The Dragon King apologized.

The reason for her initial shock was already fading from memory, and having just awakened, she couldn’t fully grasp the situation. But it wasn’t that she was displeased with all the outcomes.

At the very least, she was grateful to be free from the dragon-folk’s curse, even if her body’s transformation was regrettable.

“Truly, I am grateful. Earlier was just… my body has changed so much…”

“I know. I understand. You don’t need to apologize so much.”

Llewellyn responded, and the Dragon King apologized with expressions more vivid than when she was a dragon-folk.

Her expressions were worth seeing.

Perhaps because it wasn’t her original dragon-folk face, she couldn’t hide her emotions, displaying them clearly.

Or maybe she never hid them even as a dragon-folk, if he recalled how she had always shown distinguishable expressions.

That gave the Dragon King a unique charm. A sharp, steadfast beauty—closer to handsome than pretty—wearing a dejected expression like a downcast puppy.

It had its own appeal. Llewellyn walked while discreetly observing her face, and the Dragon King tightened the blanket wrapped around her body.

“But I have one question… did these need to be this large? Wouldn’t it have been better to make them smaller…?”

She was touching her enormous breasts that peeked out from the blanket, so Llewellyn had no choice but to look straight ahead, unable to turn his head.

Moreover, he couldn’t respond that bigger was better. The Dragon King’s breasts were larger than his sister’s.

Her original body hadn’t been small either. But considering that was a dragon-folk’s chest, it had been strange.

Dragon-folk were egg-laying creatures, not mammals, so they essentially had no breasts.

Despite being reptilian with no need for large breasts, the Dragon King had possessed enormous ones.

Transforming into a mammal naturally made them even larger.

As a result, the Dragon King’s breasts were truly worthy of their name, massive in size.

Large enough that two hands wouldn’t be enough to hold them. Like having three heads, with two head-sized mounds on her chest.

“…Why are you looking at me like that? Is it that strange?”

It wasn’t strange that Llewellyn’s eyes kept wandering there. It’s common sense that all breasts have gravity, and larger ones exert a greater pull.

“Well… I suppose having such enormous things attached would seem strange…”

“No, they’re not strange.”

Llewellyn realized he had answered too quickly. Even the Dragon King, who knew little about human bodies and biology, tilted her head at his speed.

It was a mistake, but Llewellyn decided to own it. He considered it one of his strengths.

“It’s just that they’re so enormous, I couldn’t help but look. Large breasts are considered attractive to most humans.”

“Is that so? That’s reassuring. Thank you, even if it’s just empty words.”

The Dragon King’s faint smile was beautiful. Despite having a face that seemed to show little expression, rich emotions were clearly visible.

Perhaps it was her human side showing through despite the curse, mistakes, and hardships she had endured. In a way, she might be the most human among the Three Powers of the continent.

Valterok wasn’t human at all, and the Sword Saint was more like a walking blade than a human.

In that sense, the Dragon King was quite likable.

First, she was emotional and human. She had attacked Ortemilia the necromancer immediately because she thought they were the culprits, and she had sought out Llewellyn because she considered him her only lifeline.

Upon learning otherwise, she despaired, and though uncertain about what would happen next, she chose without hesitation when a solution appeared.

She did scream upon awakening, but that was a reaction to her body’s transformation. Llewellyn remembered how shocked he had been when he first awoke as a homunculus.

In that respect, the Dragon King, with her relatable and human charm, was a good person.

She wasn’t a bad person, but rather kind-hearted and ordinary.

It also helped that she didn’t seem to be on bad terms with Ortemilia after their conversation.

That meant she possessed some rationality. Though still lacking compared to the other three pillars, Llewellyn believed those shortcomings could be addressed over time.

Perhaps her more human aspects might even become advantages over the other three.

So Llewellyn was honest, not intentionally trying to gain her favor but not trying to antagonize her either.

“It’s not empty words. Truly, Dragon King, you currently have the appearance of an attractive woman.”

Llewellyn gazed at the Dragon King with conviction and sincerity, and she twitched her long, pointed ears and rolled her eyes slightly.

“Hmm, ahem. W-well then. Such a perspective is new to me…”

Perhaps because Llewellyn’s words carried such sincerity, she didn’t add anything more.

Had she continued, she might have embarrassed herself further, so it was a wise decision.

In Llewellyn’s view, the Dragon King truly possessed the appearance of a beautiful woman.

There stood a combination of an attractive body unrelated to homunculus abilities and dragon-folk features.

Her enormous breasts, larger than her head, formed hills one could get lost in, but her other features were equally impressive.

Her large buttocks, proportionate to her chest, had a beautiful shape that could be called ideal for childbearing. Her slender waist reflected the excellent physical abilities of a fighter, creating a flowing line with good proportions.

Her long, flowing hair was fiery red like flames or blood, but its curls cascading over her breasts, buttocks, and back added a unique charm.

And what about the horns protruding from her head and her tail, similar to Ortemilia and the necromancers?

Llewellyn found all of it incredibly alluring. Enough to stir his baser instincts.

‘Though her lack of clothing probably contributes to that.’

In response to Llewellyn’s obvious stare, the Dragon King blushed slightly and tightened her blanket.

After all, even dragon-folk would be susceptible to Llewellyn’s charm if influenced by the Three Clans.

Recalling this fact, Llewellyn smiled awkwardly.

“Let’s continue.”

“Let’s do that.”

After some deliberation, Llewellyn chose to walk ahead, and the Dragon King silently followed behind him.

They crossed through the fortress of the Three Clans, the core of Netel’s fruit, toward the dock where observation and descent equipment was located.

On the way, the Dragon King quietly spoke up.

“So, this is above my people’s land?”

“Yes. We moved while you were asleep.”

“Didn’t it take a long time? It’s across the continent, after all.”

“Um… it didn’t seem to take that long. Two days at most?”

“Two days… I must have been asleep for a while.”

“Your body completely changed, so that’s understandable.”

Actually, from Llewellyn’s perspective, the Dragon King had awakened quickly.

As Lucilla had experienced, the protagonist of Grim Darker slept for nearly a year after their body changed in the second volume.

It was no wonder that a madman like Eshaterna left their side. Everyone would have assumed they were dead.

But waking up after just two days? It showed how incredibly strong the dragon-folk’s vitality was.

It also demonstrated how powerful the physical limitations of dragon-folk were.

It made sense that the necromancers chose to flee and avoid death after much deliberation.

“So, what now?”

The Dragon King asked, tightening her blanket. The cleavage visible through the blanket momentarily stole Llewellyn’s attention, but he answered without delay.

“Everyone will receive the same procedure as you, Dragon King.”

The dragon-folk are a race facing extinction.

They were the necromancers’ burden, original sin, and victims deserving of sympathy.

At the same time, they were unfortunate mortals whose problems wouldn’t be solved by simply leaving them alone, cursed in a way that could only be resolved through two methods.

One was to lose their life by avoiding death, like the necromancers.

The other was to overcome everything with abundant life force.

Llewellyn had already made his decision.

Perhaps.

“Actually, the procedure is already complete.”

“…What?”

The Dragon King’s eyes widened in shock. Astonishment settled on her steadfast face, but Llewellyn didn’t retract his decision.

“I’ve already decided to accept your people as my people. As the fourth clan of the Pantheon, my new inner circle, the fourth immortal race.”

“How…? Persuading them couldn’t have been an easy task.”

The Dragon King stepped forward, and Llewellyn stepped back. Her proximity was troubling because she smelled too good.

“I hate to say this, but dragon-folk are all stubborn and narrow-minded. How did you persuade such people…?”

“There was no need.”

Someone answered instead of the troubled Llewellyn.

When the Dragon King turned her eyes, there stood a girl similar to her current form.

A small girl walking with heavy steps, looking somewhat tired, with her alchemist’s robe removed and tucked under her arm.

A necromancer unlike the others, with green hair and a pair of horns.

Perhaps something that might be called the first “dragon-kin” rather than a necromancer.

Ortemilia.

She walked unsteadily, appearing tired.

“No need?”

The girl yawned and staggered despite having a body that didn’t require sleep, leaning against Llewellyn.

Befitting someone who claimed to be a mother, she didn’t hesitate to lean on Llewellyn, who could be considered her “son.”

“Exactly as I said. When we arrived, the dragon-folk were already near annihilation.”

The Dragon King’s eyes widened. Her body showed signs of restlessness.

She looked like she might dash off at any moment. Ortemilia shook her head at the Dragon King.

“The procedure is already complete. We just finished now, working without rest.”

“Annihilation? What on earth…?”

“The curse. It had already spread to an irreversible level.”

The curse upon the dragon-folk.

It was clearly a problem that occurred when magic power overflowed and exceeded what an individual could endure.

Excessive magic power caused the heart and all internal organs to die, and the body, unable to withstand even with its powerful vitality, swelled and dissolved.

It drew on the power of the heart, and the more magic power used, the worse it became.

Only someone like the Dragon King, born at the pinnacle of dragon-folk with a fighter’s physique that barely used magic power, could withstand such symptoms.

“Why…?”

Llewellyn knew the reason. Though he seemed to be considering how to explain it.

After a moment’s thought, he answered.

“The master of magic power is currently exerting some force.”

Some enormous being that those who obtained unique weapons could vaguely sense.

Perhaps an ancient deity who was once the will of this planet and the master of this world.

The world’s first transcendent being.

Named Netel.

The overflowing magic power in the world was a reaction to her using her power to close the world.

Seeing understanding dawn on the Dragon King’s face, Llewellyn gestured for her to follow.

“Would you like to go see?”

After a long time, Llewellyn finally brought the Dragon King to the dragon-folk.