Chapter 320: Faded Promise (12)

Ever since the news of the Dragon God’s death, the Dragonian Kingdom had been like a house in mourning. For the first time in a while, it began bustling again.

Murmur, murmur.

Dragonkin, who had gathered after hearing about an important announcement, packed the banquet hall.

Kellion stood on the stage. “Thank you all for coming.”

His low voice echoed through a mic with sound-amplifying magic.

Tens of thousands of eyes fixed on him.

“I know full well that this is a difficult time for all of us.”

The banquet hall fell quiet. In the cold silence without even the smallest murmur, Kellion quietly continued.

“I’ve called you here today because the Dragon’s Virgin Maiden has something important to share with us.” He stepped back like a host introducing a guest singer and turned to the side.

Song Ha-Eun, who had been waiting below the stage, slowly walked up the steps. Her expression clearly showed her nervousness. Swallowing hard, she stood in front of the microphone.

“

Ahem

.” She cleared her throat unnecessarily. “Not long ago... the Dragon God Kaleios’s soul entered me.”

The dragonkin's eyes went wide. They had heard of the Dragon God’s death, but this was the first time they were hearing that his soul had entered her.

“At first, I couldn’t hear the Dragon God’s voice, but I slowly began to hear it once his soul settled inside me completely,” Song Ha-Eun said.

The shocked murmurs among the dragonkin grew louder.

“T-The Dragon God’s voice?”

“Then, you mean his soul hasn’t disappeared?”

Kellion stepped in to calm the commotion. “Quiet down.”

Silence fell again.

Song Ha-Eun licked her parched lips and continued, “He said he wants to speak with you all by borrowing my body, even if just for a short while.”

Suspicion filled the dragonkin's eyes.

“Borrow your body...?”

“Is that even possible?”

The god they believed to be dead, who in fact was actually dead, now suddenly wanted to speak through a human woman? They couldn’t easily believe it.

Before their distrust could grow any deeper, Song Ha-Eun clasped her hands together as if praying.

“Then, I will call upon him now.”

Fwoosh!

Flames burst to life around Song Ha-Eun. The blazing fire surrounding her transformed into massive wings that spread wide like a dragon’s. The enormous wings of fire spanned dozens of meters and overwhelmed the dragonkin.

Just then, a dignified voice rang out. “It’s been a long time.”

The dragonkin's faces, once filled with suspicion, now turned to shock.

“

Huh?

”

“T-That voice... Lord Kaleios?”

“N-No way!”

The human woman with the Draconic Eye sounded exactly like the Dragon God they remembered.

“What in the world...?”

Had the Dragon God actually manifested through her? Confusion spread in the face of the unbelievable.

Kellion, standing beside the stage, dropped to his knees before Song Ha-Eun. “Oh, Lord Kaleios!” The elderly dragonkin trembled slightly as tears welled in his eyes. “I-I have waited so desperately to see you again.”

A single tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek.

The dragonkin, unsure of how to react at first, slowly began to have changed expressions. It hadn’t just been anyone, but Kellion himself who knelt and bowed. The elder, who led the dragonkin while their god slept, had just acknowledged the Dragon God’s soul within that human woman.

The towering wall of disbelief that had gripped the crowd collapsed like a broken dam.

“

Ah...

”

“L-Lord Kaleios!”

“It’s him! That’s definitely Lord Kaleios’s voice!”

They had waited for him so desperately. His voice remained vivid in their memories, unfaded by time.

“I’ve kept you all waiting for far too long.”

They could finally hear their god, who had been out of reach.

The dragonkin fell to their knees in tears.

“

Ah.. hic.

”

“

Waaaaa!

”

“Lord Kaleios!”

They bowed their heads before Song Ha-Eun, or rather Kaleios, who had descended into her body.

“Thinking about the pain you’ve endured over the past hundred years... It weighs heavily on my heart,” the Dragon God sorrowfully said.

“And yet, that suffering... It seems like it still hasn’t ended to this day.”

Song Ha-Eun looked across the dragonkin. They looked even more devastated than when the demonkin had invaded their kingdom.

“Listen to me, my children.” Looking down at the kneeling dragonkin, Song Ha-Eun continued to speak.

More precisely, she mouthed the words. The Dragon God’s echoing through the hall didn’t belong to her. It was Kwon Oh-Jin speaking behind the stage.

“Though my physical body has melted away, my soul will remain here.”

Tears flowed down the kneeling dragonkin's faces.

“

Ah

...”

“Oh Dragon God...”

News that the god they had so desperately waited for still lived instantly scattered their despair.

“Lord Kaleios...!”

“We’ve waited so long for this moment!”

The pillar called hope rose again in their collapsing hearts.

“Please watch over us again, Lord Kaleios!” one dragonkin cried out.

Song Ha-Eun turned her head and mouthed the reply, “With only my soul remaining, I can no longer care for you as I once did.”

“T-That’s...”

“Then what are we supposed to do...?”

Their eyes trembled. If their god could no longer protect them, how would they go on?

“We need your guidance, Dragon God!” someone pleaded desperately.

“No. You no longer need my protection.”

“T-That’s not true!”

“We can’t go on without you!”

“For the past hundred years, haven’t you stood firm without me? You didn’t give up even when the demonkin invaded the kingdom. You fought to defend your home.”

They no longer needed to be protected.

“But that was only because we believed you’d awaken again, Lord Kaleios.”

“Even that belief would have meant nothing if you hadn’t acted on it.”

If they hadn’t thrown themselves into danger as bait, the Dragon’s Virgin Maiden wouldn't have been able to reach the lair so easily.

“It’s thanks to everyone's courage that my soul could remain in this place.”

“Lord Kaleios...”

“Thank you,” Kaleios said.

At that heartfelt thanks, the dragonkin all bowed deeply. How could they not be moved by this? They had been born as mere slaves to serve dragons, and now their god was thanking them directly.

“Never forget this.” The merciful god’s voice rang out. “You are not slaves. You are my proud children. You are my most precious treasures.”

These were the words the Dragon God once told Kellion when he told him to run. The voice of the god who loved them more than anyone filled their hearts.

A soft breath escaped a dragonkin’s lips. “

Ah...

”

Tears rolled down their cheeks.

“My children...”

The massive wings of fire, stretching dozens of meters wide behind Song Ha-Eun, fluttered majestically.

“Do not grieve. Do not fear. Do not feel alone.”

The scorching heat filled the banquet hall.

“I, Dragon God Kaleios, will always be by your side.”

Fwoosh!

The fierce flames died down, and the wings of fire that had spread so gloriously returned into Song Ha-Eun.

The dragonkin wept, clinging to the words their god had left behind.

“

A-Ah

.”

“

Sniff... sob!

”

After a hundred years of waiting, the tender voice reached them in the depths of despair and lifted them so they could rise again.

Looking out at the hall filled with crying dragonkin, Song Ha-Eun awkwardly said, “

Um

s-so...that was the Dragon God.”

A thunderous cheer erupted. “

Whoooooo!

”

Even though the Dragon God had borrowed a human body, hearing his voice after they thought he had died filled them with overwhelming hope.

“Oh, Dragon’s Virgin Maiden...!”

“N-No, shouldn’t we be calling her a shrine maiden now?”

“You’re right!”

“Oh, Dragon’s Shrine Maiden!”

“Thank you for sharing the words of the Dragon God with us!”

Just like that, Song Ha-Eun became the Dragon’s Shrine Maiden. She couldn’t hide her awkward expression under all the blazing gazes directed at her.

“Oh, Dragon’s Shrine Maiden!”

“Please, let us hear Lord Kaleios one more time!”

A few overly excited dragonkin even began trying to climb onto the stage.

Kellion struck his staff to the ground and shouted at the crowd, “Calm yourselves!”

Thud!

“Summoning God's soul places an enormous burden on her!”

“B-But—”

“Do you intend to lose her too?”

The feverish atmosphere instantly cooled. They had already experienced the despair of losing the Dragon God once. The thought of losing the shrine maiden seemed unbearable.

“W-We’re sorry.”

The dragonkin deeply bowed their heads and looked at Song Ha-Eun like loyal vassals awaiting her next command.

“

Uh...

so...” Song Ha-Eun scratched her cheek awkwardly, clearly overwhelmed by the attention.

Kwon Oh-Jin hadn’t told her what to do after this.

“W-Well, how about we start by repairing our homes?”

Restoring their kingdom in ruins was their first priority.

“We shall follow the Shrine Maiden’s orders!” A resounding reply echoed throughout the banquet hall.

Song Ha-Eun glanced at the dragonkin and faintly chuckled. Their eyes, once lifeless, lit up with purpose.

“Alrighty then! I’ll help too, so let’s move fast and get to fixing!” She rolled up her sleeves and raised her fist energetically.

Song Ha-Eun wanted to join in and help the dragonkin, but they frantically shook their heads.

“N-No! Absolutely not!”

“Please rest, Maiden!”

“We will handle it!”

“W-What? But I can totally help,” Song Ha-Eun said.

“What if something happens to your sacred body?!”

“You must be starving after the Dragon God descended within you! Please allow us to serve you a meal!”

“This way, Maiden!”

And just like that, Song Ha-Eun found herself being treated like royalty.

“What the heck? Why are you suddenly...

Aaah!

Okay, okay! I’m going! Stop pulling me, you brats!”

The overzealous dragonkin dragged away an annoyed Song Ha-Eun.