Chapter 278

〈Chapter 278〉 Part 1, Chapter 12, Section 24

All measures concerning the couple Light Blade and Rusalka have been completed. I handed over the drunk Illusory Dragon to Baeg Cheongyoung and waited in the open space. The Illusory Dragon Group has already transformed into a Core by Illusory Dragon, leaving only Baeg Cheongyoung holding the blue cube to greet me. Illusory Dragon was leaning against Baeg Cheongyoung’s body, groaning from the hangover.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Yes. You should pass this over to Illusory Dragon now… Hmm… I don’t think I can manage with this body.”

Hwarak.

I transformed into my monster form and pulled Illusory Dragon into my embrace. Illusory Dragon slightly widened their eyes and entrusted themselves to my armor.

[If you fall midway, it will be a disaster, so hold on tight.]

“…Yeah.”

Illusory Dragon embraced the blue core passed by Baeg Cheongyoung and buried their face in it.

[Do you know what’s inside?]

“But the packaging is all your magic power, isn’t it?”

It made sense that they were burying their head in a clump of your magic power, but doing so while knowing what’s inside felt… strange.

[…Baeg Cheongyoung. Become the Core. When you wake up, we’ll be in Beijing.]

“Understood. I look forward to it. Hehe.”

Baeg Cheongyoung cheerfully turned into the Core as instructed by Illusory Dragon. Illusory Dragon tightly held both the Core of the Illusory Dragon Group and the blue cube in my arms.

“While traveling, make sure not to drop it. Let’s go slowly… leisurely.”

[Unfortunately, we don’t have time.]

Even though we gained some time flying to Moscow, we’ll lose just as much heading east again.

[Let’s go.]

“……Tch.”

Illusory Dragon revealed dissatisfaction by pouting and I firmly pulled them into my embrace.

[Once we enter Chinese territory, we’ll fly as slowly as possible.]

“……Do as you please.”

Afterward.

I followed the exact route through the sky that I had flown when I stole the Cube from Black Scythe and headed toward Beijing. Two hours until arrival.

“…….”

Illusory Dragon peacefully fell asleep in my arms.

[What if I do something while you’re sleeping?]

That meant they trusted me this much, but I still didn’t understand why Illusory Dragon showed affection for me.

“I’m really sorry.”

“……! Was that your voice just now?”

The sleeping Illusory Dragon opened their eyes wide and sat up.

[Nope. Are you hallucinating?]

“No. It was definitely your voice that I saw from Chang-yeom. Hahaha.”

[…….]

I truly felt sorry for Illusory Dragon.

“Anyway, stop with these constant chatter.”

This is the protagonist’s voice. Even while hugging Illusory Dragon, I somehow felt a growing distance between us.

“We need to awaken the other officers quickly.”

“Aah, your voice sounds nice. Why haven’t you spoken until now?”

“……Shut up.”

As soon as I switched to Chang-yeom’s voice, Illusory Dragon gagged and recoiled.

“Don’t use that body to produce that voice! I don’t want to hear it!”

“I don’t care.”

I completely changed my form into human shape. My broad shoulders became narrower, and Illusory Dragon struggled, but I grabbed their neck and snatched the blue core.

“Then let’s go full speed to Beijing!”

“Si, sigh… I hate it!!”

I flew east at top speed.

Although it took over 30 minutes during my previous nighttime flight with Chang-yeom, this time it didn’t even take three minutes.

I learned for the first time that spirit bodies emit gray magic power.

* * *

<Beijing, July 22nd, 4 PM, Mo Taegyeong Manor.>

Upon completing the mission, I laid Illusory Dragon down on the bed, and Xiao Lin, who greeted us, began nursing Illusory Dragon while boiling honey water. Perhaps because they blew a whistle while carrying dozens of bottles of vodka in both hands, Illusory Dragon’s breath still reeked strongly of alcohol.

“What happens if we give alcohol directly in spirit form?”

“……If we just circulate magic power once, the drunkenness will vanish. Why must I be scolded?”

Though I too consumed alcohol together, I immediately burned off the alcohol with flames as soon as it entered my stomach. In the end, the moment it passed through my throat, the alcohol became a beverage, and I converted it entirely into magic power within my belly.

Illusory Dragon did not do that. They considered enjoying hangovers also part of drinking.

“Illusory Dragon could instantly dispel all alcohol if they wanted. They simply enjoy being tipsy right now.”

“Haa….”

Xiao Lin sighed deeply, covering her face with her hands. It seems Illusory Dragon often indulged in revelry while I was in Seoul.

“If this continues, our lord might as well be considered useless junk.”

“Xiao Lin. Junk? Correct that.”

Baeg Cheongyoung, revived with the last bit of remaining consciousness, scolded Xiao Lin with a seemingly stern expression.

“Our lord may live like junk, but we can support them. Isn’t that right, Phoenix Sir?”

“……Yes. That’s how it is.”

Though Baeg Cheongyoung enthusiastically expressed their willingness to work harder to compensate for Illusory Dragon’s lack of effort, having conversed with him several times, I knew his true nature.

Baeg Cheongyoung’s ultimate goal is a five-day workweek for Illusory Dragon. Even after defeating Seongju, he cleverly brainwashes Illusory Dragon to ensure they work only minimally.

“Therefore, our lord can rest a little more. Um… Lord, shall we wake you up in two hours?”

“……Three hours.”

“Understood.”

Having recorded it, Baeg Cheongyoung adjusted the watch to ring an alarm after three hours. After the alarm rings, there will likely be wrestling matches with “five more minutes,” but Baeg Cheongyoung will say, “Then I’ll wake you up again in ten minutes,” making Illusory Dragon feel guilty.

‘That’s the method I frequently used on Illusory Dragon.’

Indeed, DLC protagonists seem different in some way. Expecting the creation of a ‘working Illusory Dragon’ through long-term training by Baeg Cheongyoung, I warmed the area around the sleeping Illusory Dragon.

“Hooaaaaa….”

With a droopy voice, Illusory Dragon drifted into deep sleep.

“Fenghyo, make sure to wake them up exactly in three hours. There’s real work to be done then.”

“Oh ho.”

Baeg Cheongyoung held the blue core meaningfully, clearly expecting that I was about to carry out one of his ideas. Though I wasn’t wrong, it wasn’t something I could do immediately; I needed time.

“Wait three hours. Then, we’ll create a monster with it.”

“Is it not Illusory Dragon’s monster?”

“What if Illusory Dragon flips out and charges at me with that thing?”

“……I think it’s fine!”

I signaled across my neck at Baeg Cheongyoung’s arrogant shout. Xiao Lin seized the blue core from her brother to prevent any trouble, leaving Baeg Cheongyoung sorrowful like a child who lost a treasure.

“Aah! We should’ve embedded it into Black Scythe!!”

“Wait three hours. I’ll do it afterward.”

“That changes things. I’ll wait. Shall I prepare some food? She liked strawberries, right? I’ll prepare a mountain of strawberry tanghulu.”

“Set it up. I’ll eat it when I return. Don’t cause any trouble.”

Baeg Cheongyoung was indeed a quick-turnaround monster. Although I worried that either Baeg Cheongyoung or Xiao Lin might cause unintended problems, since Rasputin’s… vital organ was sealed with my magic power, no one else could open it except me.

“Do you need anything? Or would you like Xiao Lin to accompany you?”

“I am ready. If it’s combat, leave it to me.”

Xiao Lin showed enthusiasm, but unfortunately, this battlefield was not for SS Rank.

“…While I’m gone, play with Black Scythe, the two of you. Got it?”

“Understood. Though it’s disappointing, there’s nothing we can do.”

Baeg Cheongyoung pulled out the reward dress I gave him—a pure white gown. Smiling, he spread the wedding dress, intending to dress Black Scythe in it.

“Shouldn’t it be a more revealing sheer dress?”

…She wasn’t far behind her brother in insanity. Both must have lost not just one screw but all components when they became monsters.

“Aiyo.”

Since they asked, I adjusted the magic power under the waist of the wedding dress Baeg Cheongyoung held, loosening the condensed magic power to make it slightly see-through.

“Of course.”

Xiao Lin clasped her hands and bowed deeply to me. Fearing what mischief the siblings might get up to with Black Scythe, I left the scene.

“Then, I’ll be going somewhere briefly.”

“Where are you going? Since you rarely visit, wouldn’t you like to sightsee…?”

“It’s fine. Send me a video later. I really have something to do, so I’m leaving.”

I slipped out of Illusory Dragon Manor. Though I wanted to witness the core production show featuring Black Scythe in a see-through wedding dress, there was no urgent need to see it right away. Time was pressing for me.

Hwarak.

I unfurled my wings and soared into the sky. While Moscow must be seeing the sun rise, here the sun had long passed its zenith.

“In three hours, I’ll conduct an experiment… Returning to Seoul will align perfectly.”

During Illusory Dragon’s three-hour rest,

I flew west to retrieve the bento I left in China.

***

At that moment.

Heo Yoon-hwan and Rusalka, severely reprimanded by Suborof, were utterly deflated.

“What kind of food does your daughter like?”

“……Master?”

“When we first picked her up from the orphanage, she ate a lot of rice soup, right….”

Wrong. It was joy at tasting delicious food she’d never tried before, and over time, Seok Harang’s palate shifted entirely to Western cuisine.

“Do you know how your daughter usually spends her time?”

“I know she trains her special abilities.”

“She’s S Rank, Dad. She won’t skip her self-discipline.”

Another miss. Seok Harang, hailed as a prodigy since childhood and genuinely displaying prodigious talent, hadn’t put in serious effort until stimulated by Phoenix. Only through regular sparring with Phoenix did her latent potential explode, eventually reaching SS Rank.

“Ugh.”

Suborof genuinely lamented upon realizing that the couple knew absolutely nothing about the information Phoenix imparted before leaving. Unintentionally, his true feelings leaked out.

“Are you really Seok Harang’s parents…?”

“Suborof.”

“Dad.”

The deflated duo vanished just moments ago, but Heo Yoon-hwan and Rusalka glared fiercely at Suborof.

“She’s my child, born from my pain.”

“…….”

“With my previous body, I mean.”

“Alright. Let’s not worry about that anymore.”

Suborof decided to think about it casually. Rusalka also didn’t want to criticize that point further.

“Alright. Since the girl was overseas, let’s overlook that. What about you? Didn’t you at least act as her teacher for about eight years?”

“……I kept my distance because I feared she might find out she’s my daughter.”

Heo Yoon-hwan hung his head like a sinner. There were various excuses, but ultimately, Heo Yoon-hwan had neglected Seok Harang.

“Tsk. Well, you did the right thing. Neither of you were prepared as parents; bringing in a 12-year-old girl as a daughter would have made things awkward. Let’s move past this now.”

Suborof sighed in relief as the couple relaxed, then delivered his final question—something Phoenix hadn’t told him before departing.

“…So, does your granddaughter like anyone? As they say these days, is she ‘flirting’ with someone?”

“…….”

The couple hesitated to answer more than ever. To respond to Suborof, who had endured shockwaves of responsibility and mental fortitude despite already collapsing three times, would be too overwhelming.

“Uh, Dad. So…”

“Does she?”

“Yes, she does, but…”

“Suborof. Wouldn’t it be better to hear this later?”

“You shut up. What’s this about hearing it later? What are you hiding that you’re dragging this out?”

Frustrated, Suborof thumped his chest, and Rusalka took a deep breath before revealing the truth.

“She likes Phoenix…”

“……?”

“Spirits are genderless, right? They can choose their gender. Ha-rang is trying to knock Phoenix down to change them into male form…”

“Ho ho.”

Suborof chuckled nervously…

“I give up.”

And fainted.