LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 115
The next morning, I received a summons from the Red Gate. It was only natural, as I could no longer hide the physical changes that had come from fully absorbing Kashpa’s mana.
Walking along the grand road, many eyes were drawn to me. It seemed no one among the Dragon’s Blood had ever been born with two attributes at once, as whispers followed in my wake.
From members of the Blood Dragon House discreetly spying from a distance to those from the Blue Dragon House peeking over the wall, especially the gaze of Ch’eong-bin carried an incomprehensible shock.
If only people would listen until the end. What began from misunderstanding had now turned into an uncontrollable wave. I smiled softly at Ch’eong-bin.
He must have entertained some happy thoughts. A bit nauseating for me. But what could I do? The world rarely goes as one desires.
I felt oddly refreshed. I bounced lightly, stopping in front of the office.
[Come in.]
The commanding voice of the Red Gate was as imposing as ever. Did he still see me as a mere child of the Dragon’s Blood?
Tilting my head, I flung open the heavily shut door. Inside, a man from the Blue Dragon House and Jeok-pung were seated.
Jeok-pung’s gaze was a tangle of complexities. Meeting my eyes, he awkwardly smiled.
“What is the matter?”
“Just come inside first.”
I nodded obediently at the Red Gate’s words, stepping in. As I walked, I observed the middle-aged man sitting next to the Red Gate. He radiated a chill that could tingle the skin, nearly matching the stature of the Red Gate. He must have been the head of the Blue Dragon House, the likes of whom I had never seen.
I lowered my head slightly and took a seat in the prepared chair.
“What happened to your body?”
At the Red Gate’s question, I briefly raised my hands. Red scales were evident on my right hand, and blue scales on my left.
“Well, it seems the blood of the Blue Dragon House and the Blood Dragon House are mixed in half.”
I knew they wouldn’t believe me even if I told them the truth. So I answered in a way they would find easiest to understand.
The expressions of the Red Gate and the unnamed head of the Blue Dragon House turned grave. After a brief silence, the Red Gate spoke.
“Impossible…”
“What do you mean impossible?”
“How can two opposing energies reside within one body…?”
“You’re witnessing it right in front of your eyes.”
I seized the moment to channel my energy. As the swirling circle drew forth both heat and cold, a small flame flickered from my right hand, while a chill emanated from my left.
Is it something unfathomable by their common sense? The Red Gate seemed to reach a point of denial, refusing to accept what was before his eyes. Then the head of the Blue Dragon House chimed in.
“Did you say Lan?”
“It’s Seris.”
“From today on, it would be better to go by the name Cheong-lan.”
As soon as the Blue Dragon House head finished speaking, the Red Gate sprang up. A fierce heat erupted from him in an instant.
“Cheong-sim, what do you mean by that?”
“I mean we should correct the child’s identity. Can’t you see? The blue scales signify the blood of the Blue Dragon House. Clearly, this child is one of theirs.”
“Your eyes seem to see only what you wish. Can’t you see the red scales? Jeok-lan is the child of Jeok-pung.”
“Are you sure…? It seems Cheong-lan doesn’t agree.”
As the opposing energies of the two began to clash, the office was enveloped in a fierce storm. Papers soared into the air due to the strong winds, yet nobody in the room paid them any mind.
“I already told you, I am not of the Dragon’s Blood. Wasn’t it said that one cannot contain opposing energies?”
“That’s a statement revealing how you usually treat this child. The child of the Dragon’s Blood denies being one? Absurd.”
Cheong-sim coldly retorted at my words. Jeok-mun’s face grew red with indignation at being insulted in front of everyone. With a long sigh, he addressed me. His breath held a trace of heat, making the air shimmer.
“Lan… it seems I misspoke. For the honorable Dragon’s Blood, there’s nothing impossible. Yes. What’s the problem? The ability to harbor opposing energies is proof you possess the remarkable blood of our Blood Dragon House.”
He was still interpreting the situation to his benefit. I realized that this was how he had lived his whole life. Now I understood why the Dragon’s Blood were treated badly outside.
“Hey Cheong-sim… before claiming Lan is a child of the Blue Dragon House, shouldn’t we bring his parents?”
“Hmmm… that’s true…”
At Jeok-mun’s words, Cheong-sim’s tension lessened. As the cold air mingled with the hot winds brushed my cheeks, his gaze turned toward me.
Cheong-sim stared at me for a while. He tilted his head and shifted his gaze to Jeok-pung, who was sitting in the corner. Jeok-mun also turned to look at Jeok-pung.
“Who are you?”
“Huh…?”
“Jeok-pung. Unless you want your horns broken, it’d be wise to speak honestly.”
“No… I…”
As the pressure from both heads began, Jeok-pung’s face began to turn pale. His trembling voice came out slowly.
“I-I truly didn’t… I swear I have never met a woman from the Blue Dragon House…”
“Are you implying this child appeared out of nowhere?”
“Jeok-pung… it seems I mistook you.”
“Really, I didn’t… haah…”
Jeok-pung sighed long and bowed his head. He too knew that the two heads before him were not the sort to swallow his words easily. The tightly wound heads were those who interpreted the world to suit themselves.
Time passed without resolution. Despite the continued pressure from both heads, Jeok-pung ultimately remained silent.
Finally, Cheong-sim exhaled deeply and spoke.
“It can’t be helped. We must go see the ancestors at the Sanctuary.”
As Cheong-sim’s words ended, Jeok-mun’s gaze shifted sharply.
“Are you serious…? To see the ancestors over this…?”
“What do you mean over this? This is probably a critical matter for the entire Dragon’s Blood.”
“… The ancestors will be quite angry.”
“Isn’t it just a matter of receiving a scolding? The ancestors will clarify whose blood runs thicker in this child…”
It seemed we had come to the conclusion that we needed to visit the ancestors of the Dragon’s Blood, as Cheong-sim suggested. I tilted my head at the two.
“Um, what do you mean by ancestors?”
“Hmm. Seems like Lan is still unaware.”
“I can’t believe they didn’t even tell you that?”
Jeok-mun and Cheong-sim began to explain; it was about the shrine where the ancestors of the Dragon’s Blood and the bodies of past heads were enshrined.
“Is that ancestor still alive?”
“Hmmm…”
The two heads exchanged glances at my question.
“Should we consider them alive?”
“They’ve only left behind small fragments…”
“Small fragments?”
Fragments of scales and souls…?
It sparked an interest within me. I had been planning to leave this land tonight, but it seemed that plan would have to be postponed.
“I need to prepare…”
*
The next day, I was caught by some folks who came early in the morning and had to bathe and dress in splendid clothes. They tried to adorn my head with accessories, but when I shook them off in folly, they retreated obediently.
Once all preparations were complete, I began to climb the mountain with the three people I had met yesterday. Given that not a single leaf was seen on the neatly paved steps, it appeared they cleaned them every day.
The energy of the mountain was incredible. It felt as though I had entered Kashpa’s snowy mountain. The trees, nourished by the rich mana, were entirely different in size from those in other regions.
A shimmering golden thread rose from the base of a giant tree and swayed gently in the dawn breeze. A long talisman fluttered in the wind, creating a strange atmosphere.
Since all of us climbing the mountain were not ordinary people, we moved at a very brisk pace, reaching the summit in less than an hour.
If I had sprinted with all my might, I could have arrived even sooner, but it seemed rules dictated running was not allowed in the sanctuary.
“We’ve arrived.”
It was a gigantic shrine. It appeared well-maintained, though the signs of age were unmistakable. The worn signs of time added a sacred ambiance to the place.
As I crossed over the golden thread encircling the shrine, I felt an intense gaze from within. It felt as though a great presence was watching me, akin to the moment I faced Kashpa’s essence; I could hardly breathe.
“This is…”
“Lan, what are you doing?”
Do the others not feel it?
Shaking my head at the Red Gate’s call, I fell in line behind him. The moment I opened the ancient door of the shrine, I was greeted with a shocking sight.
“This is…”
“Those are the past heads. Don’t be afraid.”
I glanced around with an uneasy eyes at the Red Gate’s words. To the left and right, lined along the path, were the mummies of the Dragon’s Blood.
If the mummies looked familiar to those I had met before, I wouldn’t have been this shocked.
They were more monster-like than human, resembling lizards. Their human-like arms and legs were somehow maintained, but their long heads and the dragon-like features were evident. Tail-like protrusions extended from beneath their backs.
The appearance of the mummies varied. Some were even without tails, while others had what appeared to be wings unfurled behind them.
“What in the world is this…”
Reaching the end past the mummies, something enormous was lying there with its mouth agape. At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but as I blinked and surveyed the surroundings, the larger image came into focus.
What was gaping was a dragon’s head. Its color had faded, giving it a dull gray appearance, devoid of vitality.
As I recognized it, the overall image formed in my mind. The mana I possessed resonated with the mana saturating this area, and one undeniable truth dawned upon me.
This mountain was not a natural creation. It was the decayed remains of a gigantic dragon, solidified over the ages. This was the true nature of the mountain that the Dragon’s Blood referred to as their sanctuary.