Chapter 47

Dozens of ‘!’ marks appeared above Kim Beolkkul’s head.

They were mana patterns created with Dragon Language, invisible to human eyes.

『?!』

『!!!』

『!!!!!!!』

『?!!?!?!?!?!?!』

Countless patterns of question marks and exclamation marks were created and disappeared at the speed of light.

Kim Beolkkul seemed to have gained a great realization.

The face of Isabel that he had just seen through the window was truly a happy face.

Kim Beolkkul, a honey badger, came to a higher level of thinking.

『Isabel’s joy = Money』

The honey badger, having achieved that supreme enlightenment, became a little more awakened and returned to the Dragon’s Nest according to his instinct.

Returning to the form of Arun, he walked briskly inside the nest.

“Arun, you’re here?”

The Black Flame Dragon Kadelina called Arun’s name several times.

Arun shook his head a few times.

Having awakened his dragon self, he remembered something.

“Mom, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“How do I become rich?”

“Rich?”

It was an overly absurd question for a dragon.

Dragons were creatures that could become the richest in the world if they wanted to.

“Well, through amicable conversation and agreement, you can rob……”

Ahem.

She coughed.

“If you want to be rich by human standards, you just need to become strong, right?”

“I just need to become strong?”

“Yes, that’ll do. Being good at fighting is the best in everything.”

“That’s a bit strange.”

“No, your mom is right.”

In fact, Kadelina didn’t know any other way than to become strong. So she couldn’t explain any other way.

To begin with, dragons didn’t even try to become rich.

“But why do you ask?”

Arun made eye contact with Kadelina.

At the same time, he felt something.

‘I feel like I shouldn’t be honest for some reason.’

Now that his dragon self had awakened, Kim Beolkkul’s memories remained faintly.

He didn’t have complete memories, but the expression of someone smiling brightly like the sun remained vivid in his memory.

“Well, I feel these strange desires. I want to have, I want to achieve, and things like that.”

“That’s called greed. It’s also called desire in a more refined way. It’s a very natural emotion.”

“We can’t feel that, can we?”

“That’s why we learn. By experiencing various lives.”

“Well, dragons don’t need to be rich, right?”

“That’s right. What meaning would that have for us?”

Although the nest was littered with all kinds of treasures for some reason, Kadelina smiled anyway.

“Yes. By indirectly feeling and experiencing various emotions like that, you can become a wonderful a*ult.”

“I understand. I’ll keep trying my best.”

Kadelina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“But Arun, do you remember anything else by any chance?”

“Well.”

He can’t remember. Because his dragon self might be shaken.

He should only have a rough image of emotions.

Sometimes, he remembered overly intense experiences, and in such cases, the mother dragons would erase those memories.

Arun thought.

‘It shouldn’t be too honest, but it shouldn’t be too false either.’

It was uncomfortable to deceive his mother, but he had no choice.

Arun didn’t want to lose Kim Beolkkul’s memories. The memories that came to him from time to time were so dazzling that he was happy just looking at them.

“Well, I think there’s someone who shines as brightly as the sun.”

“Is that so? Specifically, how are they like?”

“Ugh. I don’t know.”

Arun pretended to be thinking hard while holding his head.

“I don’t know!”

Arun looked at Kadelina with a worried expression.

“Am I a deficient dragon? Am I an idiot who can’t even remember?”

“No, you’re not.”

Kadelina was relieved only then.

She hugged her son tightly.

“It’s proof that you’re having very good experiences. Don’t blame yourself too much and come back happy.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“It’s so natural that you don’t remember, so don’t worry about it. Okay?”

“Yes.”

Arun, embraced in Kadelina’s arms, was smiling like a strategist.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Marco Yurmiel, the continent’s best appraiser, discovered a strange phenomenon.

“Oh!”

His research spirit was burning brightly.

One night, red light suddenly bloomed from the Proposal Stone, and flowers bloomed at the same time.

“This can’t be, the legend is real?”

He examined the Proposal Stone with his special magic glasses. He couldn’t be sure, but it seemed like some kind of magic was at work.

He was able to find one related passage in his family’s secret book.

“When a marriage contract is successfully completed, this kind of miracle happens……”

Of course, there’s no way a marriage contract could have actually been made. There’s no way anyone could have sworn marriage on this Proposal Stone.

Legends are just legends, and this Proposal Stone is just a device that gives stories and history to the treasure.

“Hehe, it’s interesting anyway.”

It was a day when he didn’t regret the 100 million Luden he gave to Chief Attendant Dailtha at all.

“Let’s see…… If you sincerely give your lives to each other and sacrifice for each other, diamonds will pour out of the Proposal Stone. I doubt it’s real, but it’s still a very interesting story.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Before returning to Kim Beolkkul, Arun took a deep breath.

‘Remember. Even if I can’t remember everything, remember. I am Arun.’

It was okay if he couldn’t remember everything. Still, he wanted to remember Isabel as his ‘real self’.

So he made up his mind again and again.

‘I won’t be able to remember anyway.’

Nevertheless, he thought it would be nice if he could remember even the smallest piece at the edge of his consciousness.

Soon, his form gradually became smaller and turned into the form of a honey badger.

He, who was Arun, became Kim Beolkkul.

Kim Beolkkul came to a higher level of thinking than before.

‘What am I?’

He couldn’t recall his dragon self when he was in the form of Kim Beolkkul.

For Kim Beolkkul’s existence, a dragon was too huge a being. If it was too big, nothing could be seen in front of him.

But one thing was certain.

‘Isabel, I miss you.’

He missed her sun-like appearance.

Kim Beolkkul sneaked into Isabel’s bedroom and carefully burrowed into the blanket.

Isabel was fast asleep.

Kim Beolkkul carefully pushed himself in and hugged Isabel.

‘Something, should I remember?’

It felt like he had lost something very important.

A sweet voice came.

“Mmm, Honey is here?”

Isabel was still asleep, but she unconsciously hugged Kim Beolkkul tightly.

Kim Beolkkul had to exercise extreme patience.

‘Kim Beolkkul. Patience.’

His tail kept moving regardless of his will.

If he moved too vigorously here, Isabel would surely wake up.

‘Stop. Tail.’

He became a honey badger who could now control even his tail at will.

The next day, Isabel left the Imperial Palace with Viaton.

“You don’t have to escort me personally, Sir Viaton.”

“I’m dying to escort Your Highness personally.”

Inside the carriage.

Viaton smiled and looked at Isabel.

“I’m sorry to take up your time.”

“I’m very happy to receive the gift of time.”

Even though she thought it was lip service, Isabel couldn’t help but laugh.

‘This, this old fool! Stop laughing!’

Don’t laugh.

She couldn’t help it even though she thought so.

The child’s body reacted honestly and smiled brightly again.

Soon, Isabel’s face turned red. She was a little embarrassed that she was too honest with compliments and kind words.

“Why did Your Highness laugh?”

She was embarrassed, but she answered honestly.

“Because Sir Viaton spoke so kindly to me, it made me feel good.”

As she spoke, her voice gradually became smaller. She was embarrassed because it felt like her heart had been completely revealed.

She quickly changed the subject.

“Yuri-eonni and her mother will get here safely, right?”

“Of course. My direct subordinates went. They’ll escort them well.”

“Your direct subordinates went?”

This was the first time she had heard of it.

Viaton was the Emperor’s aide, and his direct subordinates were all the best.

It costs an astronomical amount to move such skilled people.

“I, I don’t have that much money.”

“Don’t worry. I decided to do it for 10 million Luden.”

“……Yes? Is that possible?”

“Yes. It’s possible.”

Although a considerable level of amicable conversation and agreement was required.

He didn’t say that.

Isabel’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Yes. I guess those friends fell for Your Highness’s warm heart. How can they not fall for it? It’s a request from someone as lovely as Your Highness.”

If they don’t fall for it, hellish nagging, no, training will follow, so how can they not fall for it?

Viaton, who didn’t say that, smiled brightly.

But at that moment.

Bang!

With a loud noise, the carriage shook violently.

Neigh!

She heard the horses screaming.

Viaton quickly opened the carriage door and went outside.

“What’s going on?”

Viaton quickly grasped the situation.

“……A traffic accident?”

The horses collided with a person.

But somehow, the horses seemed to be in more pain than the person.

The coachman hurriedly got off and apologized to Viaton.

“A, Aide-nim, I’m sorry. I was careless……”

“It’s a personal injury accident.”

They collided with someone.

It was a woman.

He meant to take care of that person first.

The coachman hurriedly nodded in fear.

He ran to the front of the horses and calmed them down. And he asked.

“Are you okay……”

Are you?

He should have asked that, but……

“……Yes.”

She looked perfectly fine.

It was the horses that were in pain, and the person was just standing blankly.

She was a very tall woman with red hair.

The woman asked.

“Guys, are you okay?”

The horses snorted and shook their bodies.

Fortunately, no horses were seriously injured.

“Yes, yes, you must have been surprised. Good boys.”

She patted the horses’ necks and calmed them down.

It was Kiruen, the Captain of the Outer Wall Guard.

Kiruen turned her gaze towards Viaton.

“Oh my, who is this crazy noble who rides a four-horse carriage on this narrow road? Somehow, the face looks a bit familiar to someone I know.”