Chapter 23: It starts with resentment. When the time comes, it becomes a thought

“Th-Then what will happen to us now?”

The ground trembled oddly, and looking around, I could feel the bodies of the dragons buried with their faces in the dirt trembling violently.

No matter how many centuries they had lived, these were still young dragons.

If you compared it to humans, they were like children under the age of ten.

Yet they had almost broken the most sacred rule of dragons, the one adults must never break, so it was natural they were terrified.

“Everyone, stand up.”

The dragons who had their heads buried in the dirt lifted them.

One looked particularly pale, and though the backlash from the magic had somewhat subsided, it was still breathing heavily compared to before.

Of course, I didn’t pity them since this was all their own fault.

“The representative among you will go to the Lord and explain in detail what happened here. No matter how arrogant dragons are, this is just a mistake made by young ones who haven’t even become true adult dragons yet. If you show honest remorse, there’s a good chance it’ll be overlooked. I’ll be going to the Heavenly Palace myself later, so it’s better if none of you even think about lying.”

“Th-Then… the Betrayer?”

“As I said earlier, since I plan to visit the Heavenly Palace anyway, I’ll find the Betrayer you’re looking for and bring them myself.”

One of the dragons, wearing a sullen expression, spoke.

“I can’t trust you… yo.”

I wished the young one would at least decide whether to use formal or casual speech, but considering how young it was, I decided to let it slide.

Kwang!

The dragon who had just been hit by my Holy Sword on the head slammed back into the ground and shouted in protest.

“I used formal speech, so why?!”

“I didn’t kill you for it.”

“I understand that you don’t trust me. So, go to the Lord and tell him, ‘Hero Owen will find the Betrayer and bring them to the Heavenly Palace.’”

“…!”

At my words, the dragons shook their shoulders vigorously.

“Are you serious… yo?”

“You mean you’re staking your name on this with the Lord?”

“…Ah, you knew?”

A name is the definition of one’s existence.

To lose one’s name is to lose all the history and essence built by that name.

The Dragon Lord, who rules over the dragons, has the authority to interfere with names.

“Do you think I’d tell the Lord my story if I didn’t know about him?”

For some reason, the dragons’ eyes brightened.

“Why those eyes?”

“You know the Lord, don’t you? I’ve never seen a human like you before!”

“…What?”

It seemed there was some misunderstanding.

Their eyes looked as if they were gazing at a sage, someone so knowledgeable they could converse with the village’s eldest.

‘Never thought I’d get that kind of look from dragons in my life.’

But it’s best to clear up misunderstandings early.

I spoke the truth without holding back.

“I only know your Lord’s power due to personal circumstances. Don’t imagine anything strange. I’m not even acquainted with him yet.”

“Ohhh.”

Yet the dragons’ eyes grew even brighter.

‘Why?’

As I struggled to understand, the polite dragon replied.

“If someone knows the Lord without knowing him personally, it means they have a deep connection with the dragons. I’d heard some adults were close to humans, but I never imagined I’d see proof like this.”

…Ah, right.

They must have mistaken me for someone who had built friendships with dragons somewhere along the line.

‘Not entirely wrong if you include my past life.’

But I was tired of explaining and just changed the subject.

“First, there’s something you must do before you leave.”

“What is it?”

I pointed my thumb toward the forest behind us.

“If you’ve caused trouble, you need to apologize properly.”

I sensed the elves hiding in the forest flinch.

The dragons didn’t seem surprised, so they probably already knew.

“Ugh… why do we have to do that…”

The sullen dragon grumbled but lowered its gaze and shrank back when I stared at it.

I immediately turned my head and waved for them to come over.

The elves exchanged glances, and soon an elderly elf maintaining a barrier stepped forward as their representative.

“I am Jilbero, one of the Elf Elders.”

I nodded and then gestured to the dragons.

The polite dragon stepped forward.

“Sorry for the surprise attack without warning.”

As the others hesitated, the dragon who spoke first signaled his comrades.

‘Better apologize now or get beaten again?’

Only then did the others each say a word of apology.

“Sorry. We didn’t realize how fragile you were, barely able to survive a single hit. That was our mistake.”

“We had our reasons, but we never thought it would be this hard for you. I apologize.”

“No one died, but creating that crisis must have been terrifying. Sorry.”

“Ah, um… yes. Um.”

The elderly elf looked deeply bewildered.

Understandable, I suppose.

Watching dragons who nearly turned the palace into a blazing inferno be reformed by a single human would be baffling to anyone.

“I will not apologize.”

At that moment, the dragons who had been apologizing all turned to look at the one who spoke stubbornly.

It was the same sullen one from before.

“Those who hide the Betrayer don’t realize how foolish they are. Because we don’t know what the dragon the Lord foresaw might do, even if it was for that reason, the whole world could suffer. I cannot accept that our actions are no different from the Demon Army.”

Getting angry and arguing here is the mark of an amateur.

“I do not spare those who refuse to admit their mistakes.”

So I calmly drew my sword.

Even with the blade pressed up to his neck, the young dragon surprised me by responding boldly.

“Then I’ll fight and die according to my convictions.”

Thinking these young dragons were even more foolish than I expected, I sheathed my Holy Sword.

“My mistake. To fight and die by conviction, you truly are a Warrior.”

“Strictly speaking, I’m a magic user… guck!”

He got punched right in the face.

“No, no. You are a Warrior. Barbaric. You speak without thinking. Worse, you don’t realize how wrong that is.”

The reason I sheathed the sword was simple.

He wasn’t refusing to admit he was wrong because he knew better—he didn’t even know what he did wrong.

Ignorance isn’t a sin, so the first step is to make him realize his mistake.

And I usually solve that with a punch.

I climbed onto the fallen dragon’s neck, stepped on it with a chokehold, and rained punches on his face with both hands.

Each strike sent shockwaves around us.

“I understand your faith in the Lord’s prophecy, but because you know it, you shouldn’t make the choices you’re making now.”

Kwang!

“Because it only increases the enemies you must face.”

These young dragons were pure but not stupid.

That sullen one in front of me wasn’t convinced, but he was intelligent.

He even lost a tooth from a bad punch to the jaw, but I ignored it.

“No matter how powerful your attack to invade the Elf Kingdom and find the Betrayer, you cannot exterminate an entire race. Isn’t that right?”

“Kuhk, w-wait! N-no matter what, I wasn’t planning to go that far… kuhk!”

Another punch to the jaw.

“Your intent doesn’t matter here, young dragon.”

I paused my punches to look around at the aftermath of our scuffle.

The barriers protecting the Elf Kingdom were partially restored, but some parts of the forest were utterly scorched.

“Suppose you destroy the Elf Kingdom searching for the Betrayer and return. Who will the elves direct their hatred toward then?”

Eventually, a dragon with a bloody nose said,

“Cough! Cough! Of course, those who hid the Betrayer!”

Even with missing teeth and a bloody nose, dragons were tough.

Good. I can hit him some more.

“No. The hatred won’t end with those who hid the Betrayer. Ultimately, the elves’ grudge will be aimed at you dragons who killed their comrades, children, and parents.”

This is usually where a cycle of hatred begins.

“And I, who carry that hatred, will crawl all the way to the Heavenly Palace just to slap your faces.”

Even as a dragon, the experience of being dominated and beaten by a mere human had clearly unsettled them—their expressions had turned pale.

I took this as a good sign and continued.

“Dragons pride themselves on being a perfect race. We don’t. Humans, elves, dwarves, you dragons, and other minorities—we’re all flawed. That’s why we unite against threats like the Demon Army. But what about you?”

“Dragons never ask for help. They carry the responsibility and pride of standing alone, achieving everything by themselves.”

This is the curse of perfection.

They call themselves perfect and so never grow beyond a certain point.

‘Which is why the Thrall, Dragon King of Destruction, wiped them out.’

I can say without hesitation: there is no perfect race in this world. You are already flawed at your core.

Because you approach the world with ideology, no one will lend you a hand when you’re in danger.

When the Thrall, Dragon King of Destruction, ran rampant, if just one race had helped the dragons, neither the Heavenly Palace nor the dragons would have been erased.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re the same as the Demon Army…”

“Your intentions don’t matter. You’re using strength and violence to enforce what you believe is right. I ask again, how is that any different from the Demon Army?”

Those who try to dominate others are no better than beasts.

Why would the ‘lesser races’ of this world worship you as protectors if violence was the way?

It was only possible because of dialogue, mutual respect, and compromise.

The moment you abandon that attitude, you won’t be regarded as protectors—not just by the elves.

One dragon nearby muttered,

“But does that human have the right to say that?”

Hearing that, I nodded.

“Yes. Because you’re being beaten for your mistakes.”

…

Both dragons and elves fell silent.

“Anyway.”

I looked down at the bloodied dragon with trembling eyes and spoke calmly.

“I am certain that the moment elves see you as enemies, dragons will no longer be the protectors of this world. The ‘lesser races’ will consider those who threaten them as foes, and they will fight until one side is destroyed.”

“…Can it really escalate that far from just a grudge?”

I nodded.

“Though it starts as a grudge, in time it becomes ideology.”

And once it becomes ideology, there’s no turning back.

This will be an important turning point for this world.

I stepped down from the dragon’s neck and quietly bowed my head.

“Still, if you cannot accept this, I have a request.”

“…?!”

The dragons flinched, not expecting me to bow.

“Please, let us still see you as our protectors.”

The bloodied dragon rose and bowed his head to the elderly elf.

“Sorry… for the sudden attack. I am truly sorry.”

No need for formal speech, but as I listened, it was clear they felt guilty.

I raised my head and replied to the apologetic dragon.

“Thank you.”

Judging by his trembling eyes, he wasn’t sure if he should be grateful or not.

I spoke to the dragon who had been polite because this wasn’t just a job for hire.

“Don’t worry about the Betrayer. I will find them and bring them back.”

As I sent the dragons back to their nest, the elderly elf who had been tense relaxed and let out a deep sigh.

“Thank you. I don’t know where you came from, but thanks to you, the damage was minimal.”

Considering elves live so long that this elder might have lived more than twice as long as me, he spoke respectfully.

“I only did what needed to be done, so there’s no need for excessive thanks. Oh, by the way, we haven’t even introduced ourselves. I am Owen, Special Task Force Captain of the Kingdom of Lumin.”

“You’re with the Kingdom of Lumin? I’m Jilbero.”

After all this, it seemed they still didn’t guess why I came.

Not surprising, I nodded in greeting and asked,

“I originally came from the Kingdom of Lumin to offer support, but I was surprised to see dragons suddenly invading.”

“…Ah! Could it be you’re here because of that?”

At last, the elf who had grasped the situation, I handed over the letter I received from Torman.

After reading it, Jilbero’s expression brightened noticeably.

“Oh, so you are the one the World Tree guided.”

It’s a common phrase among elves whenever a fateful event happens; I listened half-heartedly and asked,

“You came because the Elf Kingdom is in danger, but aside from the five dragons just now, was there any other threat?”

Jilbero’s face hardened as he looked around before nodding.

“This is not the place to discuss it. Please come inside first. I will explain everything.”