The Dragon-Obsessed Alchemist

+++

In Doyun’s room at the World Tree dormitory, Doyun opened his eyes from his slumber on the bed.

He slowly turned his head to the side, looking towards a corner of the room.

There…

“…”

There was a large egg about waist-high to Doyun.

+++

Eloah, as the World Tree’s master, had tea with her guest Tiamat and conversed with her.

“Really?”

“Yes. Eloah Atwood, your story was quite famous even among dragons. It was truly a one-of-a-kind case.”

“Heheh…”

In the midst of their conversation, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

Having sensed his presence beforehand, Eloah called out welcomingly.

The door opened and Doyun entered.

“…”

“Seems your bedding wasn’t comfortable.”

Spotting Doyun’s peculiar gaze, Tiamat casually sipped her tea.

“…What is that?”

“What is that, you ask. My one and only daughter.”

“…I see. But why is your daughter in my room?”

“Razvolnic. I’m truly delighted. To have such a hotbed for hatchling nurturing overflowing with life force, unparalleled anywhere else on the continent, located right nearby.”

“You mean my room?”

“Right next door.”

“…”

Tiamat sipped her tea again, while Eloah tilted her head as if to ask ‘What nonsense is this?’

“Let me continue. For the child of the Atwood family, the elf guardians, to leave the elven lands at a mere seven years old and establish the massive World Tree Guild – you have truly grown splendidly.”

Doyun took a seat while pinching his brow.

“This is a famous anecdote among dragons as well. Everyone praised it, saying Razvolnic was truly the greatest babysitter of this era.”

“What?”

Caught off guard by the sudden remark, Doyun furrowed his brow while reaching for a snack.

“Many lamented that had he been alive, he could have been of great help in nurturing hatchlings.”

“…Why did you leave your child with me?”

“Of course, I was merely jesting. A hatchling still has much to learn from an adult dragon, and above all, cannot properly mature without a dragon’s lair’s life force. But then…”

She looked at Doyun.

“I ended up staying here too. And an environment even more life force-rich than a lair has been provided. So it’s no longer a joke.”

“…”

“Do me a favor, my friend.”

“Phew…”

Doyun let out a sigh while pinching his brow again.

Still, he didn’t refuse. Seeing his reaction, Tiamat smiled faintly.

“In return, I had intended to turn this house into a lair…”

“Huh!? Re, really!?”

Eloah exclaimed in surprise.

Dragonizing a lair referred to the phenomenon where an area a dragon stays in for an extended period becomes their domain, overflowing with life force and turning into an auspicious land.

Eloah’s face was filled with uncontainable excitement.

A guild house located in the Dragon Lord’s lair!

While the positive effects of life force were too numerous to list, the greatest benefit was undoubtedly the positive influence it would have on Disciples’ growth and conditioning.

However, finding auspicious lands was exceedingly difficult, and they also had a transient nature. Hence, establishing guilds, cradles, or other buildings there was highly improbable.

But a dragon’s lair was one of the highest-tier auspicious lands while also being semi-permanent. And this was none other than the Dragon Lord’s lair, no less!

If the World Tree’s house was dragonized by Tiamat, it would be an unprecedented case in history, bringing immense benefits to the World Tree.

“Yes! Please, I implore you! Lady Tiamat, please do!”

With an elated expression, Eloah clasped Tiamat’s hands tightly, pleading fervently.

Doyun, who had unexpectedly been saddled with caring for her child, felt any discomfort melt away seeing Eloah’s sheer joy.

‘Right. If she’s giving such a gift…’

Tiamat wasn’t the shameless one after all. In fact, her gifts were always on an immense scale.

Doyun nodded in agreement.

However, Tiamat’s subsequent words went against their expectations.

“…I had intended to, but it seems Doyun’s lair is already in the process of forming.”

“Huh?”

“Hm?”

Both of them opened their eyes wide, as if asking ‘What does that mean?’

“It’s not strange. The concept of a ‘lair’ isn’t limited to just dragons, but applies to many other divine beasts as well. Moreover, aren’t you currently an existence surpassing even dragons?”

“…Is that so?”

“There are no noticeable changes yet since it’s only the initial stages. But as time passes, the environmental transformation will become more apparent. It may well become the finest lair on the continent.”

While Tiamat herself had said it would surpass even her own lair, Eloah still couldn’t fathom it. Not a dragon’s lair, but Doyun’s – Razvolnic’s lair?

“Anyway, since that’s how it is, I’ll consider how to repay you for the nurturing later.”

“…I suppose.”

Having heard so many unexpected things since the morning, the tired Doyun could only let out another sigh.

+++

Doyun arrived at his destination via teleportation portals.

‘So this is the place.’

It was the city where the Master Alchemist Winny-Kaisk resided.

The Vagabond Hero had mentioned that he didn’t actually have high expectations of Doyun succeeding either.

If sending someone dragon-like would have worked, he would have dispatched his own disciple Ley, who was part-dragon.

Sending Doyun was one attempt among many, an expression of desperation.

Winny, it was said, simply didn’t listen to anyone at all.

Even if extremely important research or a commission came through with immense rewards offered, if it wasn’t a subject she was interested in, she would absolutely not take it on.

And this ‘absolutely’ wasn’t just an exaggeration.

‘Her track record is quite colorful…’

There was an instance where a king had tried to forcibly assign her a commission by royal decree.

Of course, it wasn’t an act of tyranny. It was a matter crucial to national interests, and they had politely requested her countless times beforehand.

The compensation offered was an eye-popping amount that would be paid in full upfront, regardless of success or failure. It wasn’t even a particularly difficult task for her.

But Winny, not wanting to do something uninteresting, had immigrated to this neighboring country overnight.

The continent’s greatest alchemist had defected over. Naturally, this country protected her with all their might, bringing the two nations to the brink of war.

Of course, amidst all that, Winny had simply continued with her own research, unbothered.

‘A classic eccentric.’

Even Doyun had been tongue-tied upon hearing that anecdote.

And this time was no different.

It was a matter of utmost importance to the Alliance, with even the Vagabond Hero himself pleading fervently.

Considering the Lion King’s inexplicable self-isolation and the Martial Saint’s refusal to leave his homeland, the Alliance had mobilized their biggest names and shown the highest degree of sincerity.

Yet Winny remained utterly unresponsive, holed up in her workshop and continuing her own research as always.

‘Not sure if she’ll even meet me.’

Of course, Doyun was confident. There was no one on the continent more experienced or skilled at handling geniuses than him.

However, if she outright refused to meet him, there would be nothing he could do about it.

Praying that he would at least get to see her face, Doyun headed towards the workshop where she was staying.

‘This must be it.’

Doyun looked up at the sharp black tower piercing the sky.

The Alchemist Tower. The building where Winny currently resided…

Creak-!

“Guard the house well. Do as instructed.”

“Ah, no! Winny, please!”

‘…Hm?’

The gate had abruptly flung open, and a woman was briskly walking out with an elderly white-haired man running after her in a panic.

‘Did he just say Winny…?’

Doyun observed this sudden situation for a moment.

“Please…! It’s the meeting the Marquis has waited six months for! Just bear with it for today, Winny, I beg you!”

“Can’t bear it!”

Finally, the bearded man dropped to his knees, grabbing onto the foot of the woman who appeared to be in her thirties.

“Winny! This is really unacceptable! The Marquis, no less…! It’s not like you’re in a hurry to get to Skeletonia, is it? Please, just endure until tomorrow, yes?”

“How can I endure this? The Dragon Lord has arrived, you know! Could you endure that?”

“I could endure! I would endure if I were you!”

“And you call yourself an alchemist?!”

“Kkulajil! I fear the Marquis, our benefactor, more than the Dragon Lord!!”

“Hey!”

Even she couldn’t bear to kick the white-haired old man, so she crouched down and struggled to pry him off while whining.

“Do you really want to get fired?!”

“The livelihoods of our tower’s research students depend on this meeting! Even if I get fired, I can’t let you go!!!”

Doyun nodded in understanding.

‘So that’s how it was.’

Having grasped the situation reasonably well, he approached the two of them.

“No, no, I can’t let you!”

“Let go! I said let go! Hurry and… Huh?”

Winny, who had been grappling with the old man, suddenly glanced over at Doyun approaching from the side.

Complex runic patterns surfaced in her blue eyes as she used a scanning spell to read Doyun’s information.

“…Eh?”

Seeing her eyes widen in shock, Doyun judged that things would become easier.

“I’m Disciple Han Doyun from the World Tree. It seems that…”

Han Doyun… Han Doyun…?

Upon hearing his name, Winny and the old man muttered the familiar name they had heard multiple times recently.

“I believe the Dragon Lord you’re looking for is my acquaintance. Could you spare me some time?”

A black hole opened in Doyun’s palm, and a mana stone the size of a human head dropped out with a thud.

A crystallized embodiment of advanced magic far beyond human craft – it was a core created by the Dragon Lord.

“I’ve brought a gift.”

Winny’s eyes widened to the point of popping out upon seeing the item.