Chapter 246 – It is Not Arrogant, It is Humble

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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I do not forget to grasp my place.

Before entering the Arcana Continent.

I was the one who tried to make full preparations.

From doping up with elixirs to taking out magic tools on loan.

Even keeping in mind the possibility of encountering dragons including Eunaxus.

Wracking my brain while thinking I might at least escape a sudden unnatural death if I know my enemy and myself.

Even gathering information by voraciously reading books related to the Great Dragon-Demon War left in the Mage Tower.

‘If the opponent was a demon, that would have been enough.’

Whether it’s a Great Evil or a High-ranking Demon King, it doesn’t matter.

Granfel’s pride would become even more elevated rather than breaking down in front of a demon.

Besides, the Demon Hunter’s only strength.

Because I could have even steeply milked the unique skill, [Natural Enemy Relationship].

Well, even if that was not enough.

‘There are our Akshan seniors.’

The [Torch of Hell] I borrowed from the Explorer’s Guild Master, Fabian, is also still safely stored inside my inventory. It meant I would have been confident of full preparations if the opponent was a demon.

‘But that probability was low.’

Why, when thinking about the flow of things.

Death looming over Eunaxus happened right after the ‘All Dragon Convocation’ ended.

The most likely possibility would be…

That he was attacked by his kin right after the All Dragon Convocation ended.

So I eventually reached out for the last remaining means.

…To that possibility I sincerely wanted to turn a blind eye to!

That’s right.

It was Claudi.

It was the Claudi family.

‘If it actually exists, I cannot turn a blind eye to it forever.’

I realized it while coming into contact with Raymond Sean.

That I still have a long, long way to go regarding my knowledge of Arcana.

Even if I put aside Raymond Sean, who is full of questions, it’s the same.

Not to mention the High-ranking Demon Kings and Great Evils, as well as demons.

Like Urs or the woman riding a broomstick.

The transcendent beings who each harbor some kind of will.

And like the dragons or elves.

Even forces with the power to shake the Arcana Continent.

Because grasping my place is my specialty, I made a resolution.

‘…I must face it and use it.’

I was able to come this far thanks to Granfel’s realized settings.

So if the Claudi family was also truly realized.

I had no choice but to utilize even those settings to move forward…!

‘Whether dying a dog’s death far from home or dying of embarrassment…’

Since dying is the same either way.

Having made such a resolution, after entering the Arcana Continent, I gave missions to Hiel and The End respectively. As you know, the mission to chase after Eunaxus’s presence went to Hiel.

To The End.

-“Find the darkest place in the Arcana Continent.”

With Granfel’s manner of speaking.

-“Because that place will be Claudi.”

And it was now.

Craccccccck

The End’s voice digging into my brain.

I deactivated the manifestation of [『Absolute Zero』].

Messages pop up before my eyes.

[The distorted flow of time returns.]

Within the chill that freezes even the flow of time.

I couldn’t tell exactly how much time had passed.

But I guarantee.

A time long enough to make such a fuss wouldn’t have passed.

Because I can tell just by looking at the states of me and Froznax.

Slosh slosh

I was still in a state where I couldn’t even empty one cup of green tea.

Because cold green tea isn’t my taste.

It might partly be due to Granfel’s picky palate taking slow sips.

But I could tell just by looking at Froznax’s eyes, which were still full of defiance.

“In the end, it was going to turn out this way. You spent futile efforts, speck of dust.”

Look, look at him trying to counterattack immediately.

Then someone might ask.

Why did you abruptly deactivate Absolute Zero.

The answer I can give is simple.

A single word from The End.

That single word saying he found the mansion of the Claudi family.

Was reviving my memories.

The vast dark past that I had forgotten due to the passage of over ten years…!

『The symbol of the Claudi family is silver hair emitting dazzling light. Because that silver light was more radiant than platinum overflowing with magic power, which is precious even in the Arcana Continent. Someone said; doesn’t Claudi’s majestic ability stem from their silver hair…?』

…Now I understand.

Why Eunaxus.

Was so startled to look at me.

‘He didn’t see through my status window.’

The symbol of the Claudi family, silver hair.

To the point where his eyes felt strained.

He must have noticed by looking at the radiant silver hair.

Anyway, you are truly amazing, my past self.

‘What, plastering all these settings over mere silver hair…!’

However, the hair was just the beginning.

The settings of the Claudi family burrowing into my head.

That was truly.

Like recording the history of an entire family.

Because it was endless without bounds.

‘This is why my middle school grades were like that, Ho-yeol.’

At this point, even I myself am amazed.

Truly, not getting sick of it.

Without feeling shameful either.

You scribbled out settings extremely specifically.

‘If there was a mouse hole, I’d really want to hide in it.’

However, as I said just now.

I had already finished grasping my place.

And made up my mind.

‘…Yeah, whether freezing to death or dying of embarrassment, death is the same.’

And even if I truly end up dying of embarrassment.

In front of those I will encounter from now on, I.

Would acknowledge that I am in a situation where I even have to utilize the terrible background of being.

The successor of the Claudi family.

So I had no hesitation.

『Dragons. In the Arcana Continent, their existence was considered akin to a legend. That is, until they roared at the very peak of the Zero Mountain Range and made their presence known themselves. However, there was a hidden truth behind that incident.』

When on earth did I stick this setting in.

More importantly…

The guy called my past self.

His tastes are consistently the same.

Starting from a great family that makes even an emperor bow his head.

An unseen real power.

To the true ruler of the continent hidden behind a veil…

You really were severely ill, Ho-yeol.

The moment I became aware of it.

Embarrassment surged, but I do not show it.

I spoke confidently.

“I announce that I, the successor of Claudi, have returned.”

I proclaimed that the successor of Claudi has returned.

If someone were listening, they’d ask again.

So what do you want us to do about it.

No, they would ask if the dragons didn’t know that in the first place.

Because they would have heard that news from Eunaxus and known about it.

However, do not underestimate the Claudi family.

I’m saying the me from that time attached the modifier ‘Great’ to it…!

『…Dragons were saved by Claudi. On the day the legend returned, the cries echoing across the continent were an act of awe towards Claudi. The truth of that day was passed down only between Claudi and dragons. As an oath that remains valid even if eons of time flow by.』

That’s right.

That was the exact reason why I deactivated Absolute Zero.

Well…

Since quite a long time has passed, it seems neither you guys.

Nor I remembered it.

It seems there really was something called an ‘Oath’ between us, you see.

“…!”

As soon as my words dropped.

Froznax’s head begins to tilt.

Exactly like someone trying to bow his head to me.

Even while seeming to not know the reason.

It’s an appearance of trying desperately to resist.

Crack

Ice Dragon, Froznax.

You still seem to be failing to grasp the situation well because you’re a hatchling.

But resisting to the point your bones shatter like that is useless.

An oath is not a common promise.

Even if it results in laying down one’s life.

An oath is something that must be kept.

And all of you except Eunaxus broke the oath.

In that sense.

There might not be any more mercy for you from me.

I spoke coldly.

“Considering your youthful folly ends here, hatchling.”

“…?”

“Do not block the path ahead of me.”

“…!!”

Wiggle!

Froznax flinches his massive physical body.

I looked at such Froznax with a steady gaze.

However, our eyes never meet.

‘What’s with him.’

Because Froznax avoided my gaze.

That reaction was a boundless, familiar sight to me.

Since it was exactly the same as a demon terrified in front of me.

As if responding to my thought, a message pops up.

[The Ice Dragon, Froznax is inflicted with ‘Terror’.]

In the end, Froznax completely bows his head.

At the same time.

The scenery of the snowy mountain began to scatter into the air.

[You have cleared ‘Peace, the Snowy Mountain of the Ice Dragon’.]

When I first entered.

I didn’t think I’d clear it like this.

Anyway, this too is thanks to the dark past…

No, it was thanks to my full preparations.

I said to The End.

“The End.”

“Please speak, my Lord.”

“We shall hold the talk about the mission later. Because according to procedure, there are matters I must prioritize.”

“The End shall follow the Lord’s command.”

With this, my next objective on the Arcana Continent has been decided.

Now that I resolved to make use of it.

I must grasp its true reality properly to make use of it even better.

‘I should go. To the territory of the Claudi family.’

Even if it has fallen.

It seemed there would be some elements to make use of among the settings popping up freshly in my mind. However, as I told The End, there’s an order to everything.

I looked at Eunaxus and flinched.

‘No, why are you bowing your head again?’

It’s newly burdensome, really.

I quickly continued my words.

“Raise your head, Eunaxus.”

“I shall follow your command. O Claudi.”

“May I request you to guide me to the Dragon’s Temple.”

“It is an overwhelmingly great honor.”

Fwaaasssh!

Eunaxus spreads out the white outer wings and flies toward me.

The picture of getting off and climbing onto his back again looks a bit awkward…

But it can’t be helped.

I once again stood upright on Eunaxus’s back.

‘The damn weight class difference.’

Holding Froznax down with Absolute Zero.

The consumed magic power must have been so extreme.

Now facing the Dragon’s Temple ahead.

What unexpected situation might occur, nobody could know.

Therefore, I had to recover my magic power as much as possible.

It meant I even had to conserve the magic power consumed by levitation.

‘Anyway…’

I looked back at Froznax behind me.

Right now he was heavily shrunk back, terrified by the fear named Claudi, but I wouldn’t know how he might suddenly change his tune later. In that sense, I must securely stamp the impression on him until the end.

‘Even more shamelessly, you see.’

I spouted as majestically as possible.

“I will not hold you accountable for your sins, hatchling.”

“…?”

“But keep this in mind.”

And as always, beyond expectations.

Isn’t it the Granfel-style of speaking that transcends imagination.

Thanks to that, I ended up declaring with boundless arrogance.

“That even the fiercest hound does not attempt to bite its master.”

“…!”

…Do you have to earn a beating with your mouth to be satisfied, Granfel?

Comparing a dragon to a hound is already something that was worrisome but.

This is basically meaning he’s worse than a dog.

This, worries start taking the lead.

‘Even right now when I haven’t witnessed it with my own two eyes, he’s like this.’

That thing called the Claudi mansion that The End discovered.

If I get to witness it with my own two eyes.

Just how high will Granfel’s arrogance skyrocket…!

Whether he knew my feelings or not.

Eunaxus spoke.

“You are boundlessly humble.”

Humble?

Me?

That’s sarcasm, right?

“Even though you are not in a position to bestow mercy upon anyone…”

To think it’s a halo that makes even such arrogance look like humility.

An ordinary citizen who will be tormented by the halo of the Claudi family from now on.

Thinking of pitiful me, Lee Ho-yeol.

My head already started getting dizzy…

.

.

.

The Dragon’s Temple.

All dragons (全龍) looked at each other with their heads bowed to the floor.

Like the Ice Dragon, Froznax.

The relatively young dragons could not grasp the situation.

Wiggle!

They wriggled their physical bodies this way and that, excluding their heads fixed as if glued to the floor. As the Kings of All Creation, they were desperately denying the helplessness they felt for the first time in their lives.

However, to those who knew about Claudi and.

The ‘Oath’ entwined with them, it was a different story.

He was gradually approaching.

As the distance closed.

They came to grasp their place.

That the oath wasn’t something they could disobey.

Just because they made up their minds to disobey it.

And that the time had come.

To pay the price for breaking that very oath.

“Huhu…”

The Earth Dragon (大地龍), Kudhanax, let out a small chuckle.

An overwhelmingly serious situation.

The sudden laughter was enough to incense the dragons.

Sharp words rained down on Kudhanax.

“What is so funny, Old Dragon.”

Kudhanax.

He was an Old Dragon who lived in the same era as Eunaxus.

That was why he merely maintained his silence.

It wasn’t because he opposed Eunaxus’s words.

It was because he couldn’t hastily trust his words.

Because the words that Claudi had returned were that hard to believe.

But he had belatedly ended up realizing it.

That was why laughter came out.

“Have you still failed to grasp your place, dragons.”

Ice Dragon.

Lightning Dragon.

Wind Dragon.

Flame Dragon.

And even himself.

It seemed they had forgotten with arrogance.

“Who dares to style themselves as the King of All Creation in front of them?”

If he dared to draw a comparison to themselves.

Claudi, they were like.

The unthinkably great Dark Dragon (黑暗龍) that had been observing and tuning.

The Arcana Continent.

From the shadows.

From behind the scenes.

Kudhanax let out a magnificent Fear.

“All dragons, pay respect to the entrance of the Dark Dragon!”

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.

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…Wh- what did you just say?!

En- Entrance of the Dark Dragon…?!

By any chance, is that Dark Dragon talking about me?!