Chapter 178:
Phoebe stared quietly at the ceiling in her room.
She had been looking at the ceiling for 30 minutes already.
'Becoming the origin of the dragon.'
She asked what would happen if she became the origin of the dragon.
And Astrophe answered like this:
- It's escaping the constraints of humanity and living a new life. Becoming an immortal like us.
"Does that mean my size will also increase?"
- Yes.
Phoebe looked at Astrophe's body.
A giant body over 70 meters in size, standing tall.
A being worthy of being looked up to, reigning supreme over all creatures.
However, if that becomes her, the story changes.
Phoebe didn't want to become a dragon.
Rather, she hated her power.
She had the blood of the most skilled in battle, but once she fought, she couldn't stop.
When her siblings were resurrected, she barely managed to suppress her power and prevent her sanity from collapsing.
'Becoming the Black Dragon.'
What would happen if she became the Black Dragon?
Phoebe opened the illustrated book and looked up information about the Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon had been killed by humans, so there was a lot of information about it.
It was a well-known fact that the Black Dragon had been brutally tormenting humans, so the contents were similar to her memories.
What about the appearance?
‘82 meters long, 12 meters tall... What's tall? Is it the best typo?'
She looked up another dictionary and found out it meant height.
Anyway, she knew it was even bigger and taller than Astrophe.
'I'll grow a lot.'
She tried to think positively and smile, but it wasn't easy.
As she turned the page, a sketch of the Black Dragon's face caught her eye.
Three pairs of threatening horns and sharp teeth.
Even the simple drawing seemed fierce.
'I... become this.'
Phoebe leaned her body against the backrest and looked up at the ceiling.
'I can accept... a change like this.'
Even if she becomes a giant lizard, she is still herself.
She might have tried to bear it like that.
Maybe, at least, it could be an opportunity to get rid of the distracting thoughts in her head.
But it wasn't just that.
- And it won't be the same as before. Everything you've seen will be seen through our eyes.
"That means..."
- The balance of the continent. You could help your enemies, or you could hurt the ones you love.
That was the decisive factor that obstructed her choice.
The conversation ended there.
Reed got angry, saying that it was no different than dying, and refused to talk further.
Astrophe didn't force her.
She had already killed someone precious to her.
However, they had already been dead, and it was only to protect even more precious people.
'Master of the Tower...'
She had imagined countless times in the past about killing him, but now she didn't even dream about it.
There was only one way to stop it.
- If you don't want that, you can fall into eternal sleep. Just like we did.
It was about disappearing, biding time like they had when they hid after ruling the continent.
'What should I do...'
Unable to find an answer on her own, Phoebe stood up from her seat.
It was a reflexive action that had become a habit long ago.
There was always someone who would give her the answer in times like this.
She took steps to find that person.
***
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***
Knock knock-.
Reed, who had finished showering and was about to fall asleep, opened the door at the sound of the knock.
Standing on the other side was Phoebe.
"Phoebe?"
"Uhm..."
She had walked up to the door and knocked, but still seemed hesitant.
Seeing that she didn't speak for a while, Reed opened the door wide and said,
"Would you like to come in?"
"..."
Phoebe entered without saying a word.
She sat quietly on the opposite side of Reed.
"You came because of what Astrophe said, right? It's difficult to make a decision on your own because of that."
"Yes..."
Phoebe nodded her head.
"You don't have to bear it."
Reed preempted the conversation Phoebe was about to bring up.
Flustered for a moment, Phoebe continued the conversation.
"Is there an alternative?"
"Do you remember Dolores' case? Removing the magic seed after transferring it to an artificial body. We might be able to find a way like that again."
"Is that... possible?"
"It might be possible."
"Please don't just tell me hopeful stories. I want to hear the truth now."
"..."
At Phoebe's words, Reed pondered for a moment and then gave her an answer.
"Honestly, it's going to be difficult. We need to create a state similar to that of a half-dragon, and it's not easy to create that state."
"I guess so, huh?"
Phoebe smiled.
Her face seemed refreshed, as she didn't have to hold onto unnecessary hope.
Back then, they had barely found a solution in a pressing situation.
Reed could guess that Phoebe would think the same way.
"If you don't want to, you could also tell your siblings about the current situation..."
"I don't want that."
Phoebe cut her off decisively.
"I don't want to involve Gorgon and Saul."
She didn't want to do it, but she also didn't want to pass the burden onto others.
That was Phoebe's dilemma regarding the current situation.
"I'm sorry. Lately... I keep getting agitated..."
"No, I can understand that it's a sensitive issue since it's about family."
He could understand, but it was a headache since he couldn't find an answer.
"So, do you want to become that?"
"I... I have to become that."
"If you can make that decision, then why did you come to me to talk about it?"
Her hands, which were politely folded together, tensed up.
"That's... right."
Phoebe's voice trembled.
"Why did I come here... to talk about this...?"
Phoebe seemed confused, as if she didn't even know herself.
Reed put both his hands on her shoulders.
Phoebe's shoulders seemed to ascend, reaching for the sky.
Her body stiffened as if she had been electrocuted, but soon softened.
"Master of the Tower?"
A strange atmosphere flowed.
Reed wrapped his arms around Phoebe, hugging her close to his chest so she couldn't escape.
Poof!
"Cough!"
Reed choked.
He had forgotten one thing.
The fact that Phoebe's horns were pointing forward.
He could be stabbed if he hugged her too hard.
"Master of the Tower!"
Phoebe, who belatedly realized the situation, made a fuss.
Her horn pierced through Reed's shirt and embedded itself into his flesh.
Although the tip was blunt, it hit his chest, so he couldn't help but clutch his chest.
Phoebe gently patted Reed's back to calm him down.
"Why would you do such a foolish thing!?"
"That's... right."
The romantic atmosphere and embarrassment were all shattered.
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Reed rubbed his chest and explained his impulsive action.
"I realized I had never hugged you even once."
"Didn't you hug me once because of the Hupper Kingdom incident?"
"Well, that's true, but the purpose was different then."
Phoebe swallowed the words that it didn't matter.
An awkward atmosphere flowed.
She wanted to get out of it right away.
"So, then...!"
Phoebe gathered her courage and spread her arms wide.
Her flushed cheeks were exposed without any filter.
"Let's... try it again...!"
At her words, Reed stood in front of Phoebe again.
And they hugged each other again.
This time, Phoebe lifted her head so her horns wouldn't touch his chest.
Reed wrapped his arms around Phoebe's shoulders.
Phoebe placed her hand on Reed's shoulder.
She gently placed it, like a butterfly landing.
'I must not relax. I must not relax...'
If she relaxed and lost control, Reed's waist could break.
Her strength was more than enough to do that.
It was so resentful that she had to restrain herself even when it came to love.
After about a minute, Phoebe carefully pushed him away, and the hug ended.
"Thank you."
Phoebe said her farewell and left the room as she was.
It was unclear whether it had helped her decision.
However, she decided to be grateful that at least she didn't have to worry about a problem that didn't need to be solved right now.
***
In the basement where Astrophe was trapped.
Magicians immersed in research day and night studied the dragon's weaknesses in various places.
Since his conversation with Reed, Astrophe had been sitting still with his eyes closed.
Except for the occasional twitching of his body to show that he was alive, he remained motionless, almost indistinguishable from a corpse.
-Hmm?
"Eek!"
Astrophe opened his eyes and raised his head.
The researchers who had been examining the dragon's scales were startled and retreated.
Astrophe looked down at the researchers he had frightened.
Although he only glanced at them wondering what was going on, they were sweating profusely, thinking they might have disturbed Astrophe's nap.
"Did we, by any chance, disturb you?"
- No, that's not it. It's because a guest is coming.
"A guest?"
Astrophe raised his front paw and spoke.
- Sorry, but you guys should sleep for a while.
"What is this...?"
Magic circles appeared from his claws, and pink gas spewed out, filling the enclosed space.
"Huh, what?"
"Why am I sleepy..."
The magicians who inhaled the gas began to collapse one by one.
It was Astrophe's sleep magic.
After confirming all the magicians had fallen asleep, Astrophe withdrew his magic.
Then, with a mischievous face, he sat still, staring at the gate.
A moment later, the door opened and a guest entered.
"It seems everyone is asleep here. Strange, isn't it?"
-Meow.
"They said we shouldn't sleep during work, but they're all sleeping. Should I tell Dad?"
-Meow.
"Um... I guess I'll let it slide just once since we came secretly too!"
-Meow.
The Princess of Silence Tower, Rosaria, and her contracted spirit, Meowmeow, came down to the secret area together.
-Can you communicate with that child?
"Ah!"
At Astrophe's question, Rosaria shrugged her shoulders.
She was so preoccupied with talking to Meowmeow that she didn't notice Astrophe watching her.
Rosaria answered his question.
"I don't know if we can communicate! But Meowmeow always listens to my stories well!"
-Is Meowmeow the name of that peculiar spirit? How unusual.
"Meowmeo is happy!"
-Meow.
Meowmeow responded with its mouth wide open.
The dragon quietly watched Meowmeow.
Whether it resembled its owner or not, it didn't show any signs of nervousness or sweating like other humans.
-What brings you here, little girl?
"I came here to be friends with you!"
The ruler of the old continent, an absolute being whose status still continues.
But when the little girl called him, she called him 'mister'.
There was no confusion or anger.
She was so pure that he could only respond to her innocence.
-How will we become friends?
"I'll give you what I like the most."
-What you like the most?
Rosaria took something out of the bag she was carrying on her back.
It was a sandwich wrapped in paper.
"This is my favorite! It must be delicious, right?"
-It's been a long time since I've felt the taste of something delicious.
"Do you eat tasteless things every day?"
-I don't know because I have no reason to eat.
"Why don't you eat? Aren't you hungry?"
-Immortals do not feel hunger. Desire clouds reason and kills the senses.
"Really? I thought you would eat a lot..."
-If this body felt hunger, half of this continent would have become a desert.
"Wow, that sounds terrifying."
-Yes, terrible things would happen.
Astrophe laughed.
Seeing his hearty laughter, Rosaria spoke as she looked at Astrophe.
"You don't seem like a vicious dragon."
-What is viciousness?
"Vicious creatures are those monsters that torment people."
-We don't torment humans. We simply rule.
"What is ruling?"
Rosaria tilted her head and asked.
-It's maintaining the balance of this continent. Making it comfortable for all living beings to live. Thanks to that kind of rule, there wasn't a single war during the hundreds of years we reigned.
Rosaria blinked her eyes and innocently argued.
"But that's because you guys were tormenting people."