It had been such a long time since I’d heard that voice, and it was one I never wanted to hear again—a grating sound that echoed in my mind. What kind of mischief is it trying now? What nonsense is it planning this time?
If only it had left me alone like before. Predictably, it was going to cause trouble, so I ignored it outright. Still, it seemed to have learned something since it didn’t force unpleasant illusions on me or mess with my head like it used to.
…Upon reflection, hadn’t it messed around in my head just a few days ago? Though not to the extent of overtly tampering, it merely emboldened me slightly more than usual. But meddling is meddling.
The demon in my mind kept nagging, but I continued ignoring it as I visited the forges again and retrieved some valuable ingots.
Though I couldn’t get them for free like I did from Soleo, when I handed over gold nuggets of equal volume, they gladly gave them to me without hesitation.
—”Child? Just a moment, there’s something I wish to say… Won’t you listen? Ah, don’t worry; it’s nothing strange as you might think. It’s merely one of many methods.”
—”Child? Are you listening to me? Strange, your mental barriers are still intact… Then you must be hearing me. Child? If you’re upset about something, I apologize. Please listen.”
There was no need for gold here due to the abundant gold veins. After visiting about five places, the demon in my mind, seemingly unable to endure this treatment any longer, began speaking with emotion instead of its usual gentle tone.
—”Child, even though I’ve wronged you deeply, can you at least pretend to pay attention when I speak? Again, this method is harmless to both you and your lover… probably.”
Probably? So now this demon brat wants us to try something where even it doesn’t know the outcome? Irritated by this suggestion, I glanced upward in protest.
Direct conversation felt inappropriate, so this was my way of lodging a complaint. Since it claimed to be a god, it should be somewhere above. The sound of the demon sighing reached me, followed by a wistful remark: “Finally, you’re paying attention…”
“How could I trust you after everything you’ve done? That’s insane talk. And ‘probably’? Even if you were certain, it wouldn’t change much… Probably?”
It was because of her interference that Myungho almost went astray. If she had a physical form, I would have drawn my sword immediately. Since I can’t kill her outright, I simply let her be.
People looked at me strangely, but I didn’t care at the moment and instead scowled toward the goddess who might be watching.
—”That… I haven’t personally tried it myself, which is why I said that. Forgive me, child. Let me correct myself. If the records my followers have seen are accurate, it should work.”
So it wasn’t a story someone told her friend, but rather something her follower recounted.
Alright. Losing interest. Answering her summons in the first place was meaningless. Go ahead and interfere with my mind all you want—I won’t falter.
—”Ah, just hear me out for a moment! It’s neither strange magic nor suspicious drugs! What do you think of me?! If your blood is processed properly, it might extend the life of my follower whom you love so dearly!”
Isn’t that suspicious drug talk? I wanted to ask. However, the idea that my blood might help intrigued me.
“…Is it true?”
—”Didn’t I say I don’t know? It’s just a story from somewhere a follower read. Regardless, dragon blood is a precious ingredient for elixirs, so surely it will benefit your lover.”
I thought she would only talk about brainwashing, infidelity, or love triangles, but surprisingly, she does seem to care for her followers.
Or maybe not. Why would a deity who cares for her followers drive them collectively mad?
—”Isn’t that obvious? The blossoming of enduring love overcoming trials and tribulations—what could be more beautiful? Most of my followers may have succumbed to the challenges, but isn’t that also part of love?”
Just admit you’re crazy. You’re the type who pushes others onto thorny paths and forces them to walk till the end. Knowing it won’t change anything, I tuned her out again.
…Still, could processing my blood really create something like an elixir of immortality? Maybe not eternal life, but perhaps longevity. Though I’m not a real dragon, only half.
…Let’s think about this later. Myungho isn’t dying tomorrow morning, and he’s still young and healthy. Worrying about this now is premature.
As the demon’s annoying voice played in the background, I consumed the ingots. Regenerating armor, reinforcing bone density, and… practicing. I needed quite a bit of metal for that.
—
After she left, all that remained were boring discussions. Akashi siblings conferred about soldiers with plants embedded in their bodies while Yuna gazed at the apple she’d brought back from the volcano, reminiscing.
Meanwhile, I idly recalled what Alterra had just said.
“Maybe she’ll live a long time since she’s half-dragon.”
I thought I was the only one concerned about this. I assumed Alterra hadn’t given it a thought. Perhaps I underestimated her too lightly, and guilt weighed on me as these worries resurfaced.
Although it seems unnecessary to plan for the distant future now, isn’t it better to prepare early in youth? Or not.
I thought she would live longer than me. She’s half-dragon after all. Surely, she’ll live a long time. Maybe, being human, she’ll share a similar lifespan with me.
But if she lives longer… Hmm. I want to live longer too. Who wants to die early? Moreover, leaving her behind feels unsettling.
Alterra probably wouldn’t remarry, but who knows what other things might bother her. If that happens, I won’t rest peacefully even in death.
…Let’s ask the demon. I doubt it will come looking for me. Quietly, I probed our connection and addressed it.
“I have a question. Are you there?”
The goddess answered immediately as if waiting for me to speak.
“Of course, my most favored disciple. I’ve been waiting for your call. Are you curious about the secrets of immortality? Or great power…?”
“Before that. I have two questions for you. First, do you know the lifespan of a half-dragon?”
“That… hmm. A difficult question. Others in my position might not know either… Perhaps a goddess would, but she’d need a reason to answer someone else’s call. Sorry, I can’t help with that.”
I didn’t expect much anyway. Beautiful Demon, despite her versatility, isn’t omniscient. This ongoing conversation proves it.
“Akashi, Acacia. Sorry to interrupt, but how long do you think Alterra will live…?”
“Hmm…? Likely longer than you. She has human blood, so she won’t live as long as humans, but hybrids between elves and humans exist, so… I don’t know. We’ll find out in this lifetime.”
“The same goes for both Akashi siblings. Besides, that woman herself doesn’t know. She’s only seen dragons from afar and never asked how long they live. In this life, we won’t know… Leave it to the next generation.”
Both Akashi siblings shared the same opinion. I secretly prayed to the goddess, but received no response.
“Hmm… Hybrids usually live as long as the average lifespan of their two races combined… If we knew how long dragons live, we could figure it out, right?”
Yuna added that she met hybrids during her adventurer days and cautiously offered her opinion.
“That might be true, but do the rules apply to dragons? If they do, living 500 years would be trivial.”
Eh. Hmm. 500 years? The number far exceeded expectations, leaving me flustered.
“…Then, my second question. Do you truly cherish your followers?”
I need to live longer. Yes, I must. Yuna might be wrong, but 500 years? That’s too long. I don’t want to leave Alterra alone for such a long time.
“Of course, I do. Do you think I enjoy driving my followers into madness? I merely wish to witness undying love that withstands all worldly storms. If they break along the way… Isn’t that also part of love?”
Her tone conveyed genuine affection. The problem lies in her desire to see this “undying love.” With many followers, it might be different, but now with only three, I believe she won’t resort to such madness.
“…So, what’s the method?”
