Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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Clap, clap—

The tail that had grown beneath me thumped against the floor. Even though it was the first time using such a strange appendage, I could handle it as if I had been using it for ages.

The advantages of having a tail were significant. My center of gravity had become much more stable, and I occasionally wielded it like a weapon.

Of course, this appearance didn’t come without its downsides. Not being able to wear my usual pants or losing the custom-made full plate armor I’d spent a fortune on were quite troublesome drawbacks that were hard to voice.

It was a given, really. I gathered the mana spreading throughout my body and released my transformation. Perhaps it was because I had been in the shape of a dragon for quite some time that removing the horns from my head left me with an inexplicable emptiness.

As I examined myself in the mirror, I summoned hot flames above my red-tinged hair. The dye covering my head flew off, and I returned to my original blonde color.

Swoosh—thud.

At that moment, the firmly shut door swung open, and a fox beastman entered, letting her light brown, fluffy tail droop. The woman, slightly bowing her head, wore the attire typical of the Blood Dragon House.

“Um, Lady Azlan…?”

After quietly closing the door, the fox beastman turned toward me with a surprised expression. Her ears perked up as she calmly came down.

“That hair is… no, right now…!”

“No. Please stay still.”

“Uh, okay…”

I halted the fox beastman, who was frantically trying to escape the room. She tilted her head at my words but eventually decided to listen.

“How long have I been lying down?”

“About a day…”

I nodded at her response. It didn’t seem like much time had passed after all. I walked past the hesitant fox beastman, opening the door and peeking outside.

The first thing to enter my vision was the empty interior of the Blood Dragon House. I couldn’t see the usual busy figures of the beastmen.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Um, well… to tidy up the collapsed sanctuary…”

“The sanctuary collapsed…?”

I furrowed my brow at the fox beastman’s answer as I turned to check the mountains behind the city inhabited by the dragon’s blood.

Just as she said, a large portion of the great mountain was partially collapsed. The section that had soared high above the clouds was completely gone, revealing the white dragon’s bones inside the half that had completely blown away.

About half, huh?

I frowned as I observed the flow of mana running over the sanctuary. The mana that had initially swirled around the shrine was now halved.

It was easy to guess where all that mana had vanished to. I looked down at my body.

A body without a single scratch despite enduring an attack powerful enough to collapse a mountain, the tail that had suddenly sprouted, and the slightly increased total amount of mana. These were the changes I could perceive right now.

The dragon’s spirit that claimed my body must have absorbed the surrounding mana to recover me. The newly sprouted tail too must have been influenced by the dragon’s spirit and the mana it consumed.

If that spirit had truly killed me and claimed this body, it wouldn’t be me witnessing this scene, but the dragon’s spirit instead. I was lucky.

“Um, Lady Azlan…?”

“Ah, wait a moment.”

I brushed past the fox beastman standing there blankly and pulled out ink, an inkstone, paper, and a brush from the drawer to start writing. My calligraphy was quite messy since I hadn’t focused on learning it, but as long as the meaning got across, what did it matter?

I could have just left without a word, but the dragon’s blood were some of the few who welcomed me as family. Of course, that was born from a great misunderstanding.

Quietly departing would be disrespectful. Thus, I resolved to leave a note. The truths I had uncovered by absorbing the dragon’s spirit and residual mana were plenty. They would be greatly shocked if they discovered that they were not true descendants of dragons, but rather a family created artificially from a dragon’s body.

Sometimes, not knowing is the better option.

“Perfect…”

I nodded and looked down at the letter I had written.

Thank you for everything.

I’m off to find my dreams.

Don’t look for me.

I also included content denying my dragon blood. After all, they wouldn’t believe me anyway. I ignited a small flame at my fingertips to dry the damp ink. The moisture evaporated, slightly scorching the paper, but the writing remained intact. I neatly folded the letter and handed it to the fox beastman.

“Please take this to the head of the Blood Dragon House.”

“Ah, yes!”

The fox beastman hurriedly stuffed the letter into her bosom and exited the room in haste. She mentioned that most of the members were heading to the sanctuary to clean up the mess. Expanding my perception, I could sense that the dragon’s blood were also gathered near the sanctuary.

Before the fox beastman, who possessed my letter, reached the head of the Blood Dragon House, I had to leave this place quickly. I grabbed the belongings left in the corner of the room and exited, heading toward the room where the Nightmare was resting.

Whoosh—

The Nightmare was snoring atop a fluffy silk blanket.

“Wake up.”

The creature, having grown pudgy thanks to me taking good care of it for the past few days, lazily stirred from its spot. I chuckled lightly at the sight.

“It’s time to leave.”

At my words, it looked at the silk blanket with regret. But its hesitation didn’t last long. The Nightmare clopped its hooves, making its way out of the room.

Just as I was about to ride the Nightmare and exit the Blood Dragon House, a warm breeze brushed against me, revealing the Red Wind atop the wall.

As his name suggests, he was man-like like the wind.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m planning to see the world.”

In response to my answer, Red Wind stared at me in silence. He hesitated for a moment, then tossed me a rather hefty leather pouch.

Thud—

The leather pouch I received was filled with the snacks I used to enjoy at the Blood Dragon House. It seemed he had set it aside for me.

I looked at Red Wind with a light smile, and he averted his gaze, looking somewhat sheepish.

“Thank you.”

It was a small gift to say goodbye, but that made it even more appreciated. I tossed a small candy into the Nightmare’s mouth and one into my own, then pulled on the reins.

Hee-haw—!

The Nightmare began to gallop over the high wall, racing through the sky. White fragments of crystal stone scattered beneath my feet.

The Nightmare dashed out of Jinchun in an instant.

Once again, there was no destination. A journey where I went wherever my feet took me began anew. The red cloak fluttered like a cape in the wind. I pulled out the fox mask I had tucked away in my bag and put it on.

—

Was it because I returned from red hair to blonde?

There weren’t many beastmen attacking me during my travels like before. Granted, they weren’t completely absent either, but most were thieves who preyed on the pockets of travelers rather than targeting me directly.

My aimless travel led me to a region called Taebaek. It was a place where cold snow fell all year round, and the entire world was blanketed in white snow.

Was it famous for its beautiful scenery as a tourist spot?

There were quite a few wizards wandering around here, aside from me.

In places like pubs or inns, where drinks and people gathered, various tales were always exchanged. This place was no different.

Inside the extravagant inn. While waiting for my ordered food, I listened to the drunken ramblings of patrons. My enhanced senses allowed me to overhear all the conversations around me without intending to.

“Jinchun is finished now. That sanctuary or whatever collapsed and scattered the earth’s energy in all directions.”

“Is that really true…?”

“It seems so, but there were just too many witnesses. I’ve heard the more perceptive merchants are already leaving Jinchun.”

“Wow… That must be a huge loss, but will it be alright? Even if the earth’s energy is gone, the dragon’s blood still has strength, right…?”

“I think it’s more about securing a future and tying up with another place… Well, how could we ever guess what’s going on in the minds of merchants.”

At that moment, the food I ordered arrived at the table. It was a dish of hot noodles with steam rising, and shredded chicken mixed in a spicy sauce.

Just as I was about to lift my chopsticks, I felt a gaze from nearby. Turning my head slightly, I saw the employee who brought the food looking at me.

“Do you have something to say?”

“You speak the language quite well.”

“Um, I’ve worked hard to learn it.”

“Um, did you come to look for the Ice Stones from Taebaek Mountain as well?”

“Ice Stones…?”

It was a term I had never heard before. As I put down my chopsticks and looked at the employee, signaling for more details, he glanced around the inn with a slightly troubled expression.

“They’re jewels made by refining the breath of a dragon. Didn’t you know?”

“Refining breath…? Dragon’s breath…?”

How on earth can you refine something that isn’t physical into a stone? I looked up at the employee, who was babbling nonsensically.

“I’d like to explain more but… I’m a bit busy…”

This person had a knack for piquing my curiosity and then running off. I raised the corners of my mouth and flicked a shiny coin to him.

“Ahem…”

As he hurriedly stuffed the coin into his own pocket, the employee cleared his throat and continued slowly.

“The Ice Stones made from refining dragon’s breath are not ordinary jewels…”

How did he refine a non-physical breath? Normally, such stories were filled with legends passed down through generations. I felt like I was listening to an old tale as I picked at the meat while tuning into the employee’s words.

“An incredible artifact that brings cold winter to the surroundings…! The reason this area known as Taebaek exists—!”

I tilted my head curiously. Would the dragon’s blood allow something related to dragons to get through so easily?

After all, they consider themselves the descendants of dragons.

“Did the dragon’s blood just let that slide?”

“Oh, of course, the dragon’s blood has also tried to find it.”

“But couldn’t find it?”

“Right.”

“Then why do you think I, someone who can’t find the Ice Stones even as the dragon’s blood, would be searching for them?”

“Well, you see, the recent earthquake caused the massive Taebaek Mountain to collapse. Because of that, rumors started spreading that hidden Ice Stones were revealed. That’s also why many wizards have been visiting Taebaek lately.”

“Hmm…”

“Considering your reaction, it seems you weren’t aware?”

“Where exactly is this Taebaek Mountain?”

The employee smiled as if awaiting my question and produced a crisp-map from his pocket. It was a detailed map of the Taebaek region.

What a clever sales tactic.

I chuckled and purchased the map from him.