CH 330

The land and sky were brightly lit up by the lights from the magic facilities whose lights did not go out till late at night, as well as, from the aviation corps’ airships that patrolled the vicinity of the capital on behalf of the patrol cavalry. 

This nightless appearance made Kim Seon-Hyeok feel nostalgic for the big cities in the other world. His memories of that world were now blurry and he didn’t enter the Imperial Capital for a long time as he ended up staring at the night view. 

Krrrrrr.

Who knows how long he stayed watching the distant view of the lights. Redvern’s low growling burrowed into his ears.

“It’s alright. It’s not the enemy.”

Coming back to his senses, he calmed Redvern down. 

In the distance, an airship flashed its lights and sent him a signal. Although he did not know the exact meaning of the signal, he could guess what it meant by the airship calmly waiting for something.

Are they saying they’ll escort me?

Kim Seon-Hyeok grinned at this unprecedented greeting. He had Redvern slowly approach the airship and then had him follow the airship’s guidance.

Flash, flash.

When the airship entered the capital, lights flashed from the ground below. The airship responded to the signal from the ground by flashing its light several times. 

It felt more organized.

This was an unwelcomed procedure for Kim Seon-Hyeok who had always flown over the Capital’s skies without any restriction, but now that the Empire had taken control of the sky, it was a necessary procedure.

Flash.

The airship had been moving forward for a while, but when it reached a certain point, it stopped in place and began to descend slowly.

Kim Seon-Hyeok followed the airship and slowly lowered his height as well.

Seeing the ground close up, he realized that it resembled the airport of the other world so much to the point that it was strange. 

But it wasn’t surprising.

It wasn’t just the airfield for the airships that were familiar. On his way over, he had seen many things that resembled the things in the other world. However, this was natural since one of the main forces behind the Imperial Capital’s development was the foreigners. 

Thud.

While he had been immersed in his thoughts, Redvern landed on the ground. The knights who had been waiting for him saluted him.

“Salute to the living legend and patron god of the Empire!”

It wasn’t just empty words. The knights looked at him and Redvern alternatively with gazes full of respect and awe.

Well, it would be rather strange if they didn’t. The knights, who had grown up listening to the sagas and songs of the Indomitable Grand Duke that filled the Empire, were now meeting the actual person. It would be stranger if it didn’t light a fire in their passionate hearts.

If the Emperor they needed to protect with their lives wasn’t there, they would have thrown aside their honor and everything else as they made a fuss to grab at the hem of the legend’s robe. 

“Welcome to the Imperial Capital, Father.”

Victorius shook his head as he looked at the breathless knights staring at his father. He took a step forward. 

“It’s unfair. Why is it that you haven’t changed at all, Father? People would believe it if I said that I was the father and you were the son.”

Victorius was speaking as though it was unfair, but there was no need. While he could not compare to his father, who still looked to be in his 20s when he was over 80, Victorius looked to be in his 30s even though he himself was in his 50s. 

“If you think it’s unfair, then why don’t you go find a dragon.”

Responding playfully, Kim Seon-Hyeok spread his arms wide.

“It’s been a while; give me a hug.”

Victorius smiled broadly as he embraced his father. 

“I really thought you wouldn’t be able to come this time.”

“I got in trouble today about it. If Ophelia knew I was back in the capital, she probably wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“I promise it’ll be worth the risk.”

The father and son looked at each other with eyes filled with a sense of unity and bond.

***

“To tell you about this mage mount…”

“The night is short.”

An elderly mage stood proudly in front of something massive covered by the cloth. He had just been about to start talking when the Emperor criticized him. His shoulders drooped. However, it was only for a brief moment. The mage soon regained his confidence and pulled the cloth away. 

“Ooh!”

Kim Seon-Hyeok cheered when he finally saw the robot being revealed.

“Unlike before, this is a fully completed mage mount with even an exoskeleton, sir.”

The mage spoke pompously as he continued his explanation. Victorius only shook his head as he exclaimed in admiration. This time, he didn’t rebuke the mage.

That’s how majestic the mage mount was. 

The giant kneeling on one knee as it waited to be operated was like a fully armored knight. It had a commanding presence that was completely different from the prototypes that had revealed a bare endoskeleton. 

But somehow, its shape was familiar to Kim Seon-Hyeok.

Armor that looked like scales had been linked together, a helmet that looked like he was looking at the drake - it was definitely him when he was in the War Dragon’s form. 

“I ordered it so, Father.”

He wasn’t mistaken. Victorius chattered in his ears as he said they could frighten the enemies a little more by having the robots made in the likeness of the legendary knight of the Empire. 

And Victorius’ words were quite convincing.

If there were any that remembered the Dragon Knight’s legend and saw the mage mount, then they most likely couldn’t help but think that the guardian deity of the Empire had returned. 

That’s how faithfully the War Dragon’s appearance had been reflected by the robot.

“Father, if you do not disagree, then I wish to name that mage mount as Drakan.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok looked shocked at Victorius’ words. He felt as if he had received an unexpected present. 

“Didn’t I promise you that it would be worth mother’s scolding?”

Victorius started acting pompously as he watched his father.

“Then, we’ll start demonstrating the mage mount’s movements now. Lowenthal von Ausuria Wilhelm, the commander of the aviation corps and a senior knight of the Empire will demonstrate for us, sir.”

Lowenthal, who had been waiting for the mage’s introduction, stepped forward and paid his respects to the Emperor and the Emperor’s father. 

There wasn’t a single thing to find fault with his modest movement and attitude. Lowenthal had become the epitome of an experienced knight. 

Seeing this, Kim Seon-Hyeok uttered words that were either a lamentation or admiration.

“Sir Trail has truly worked hard.”

Although he had taken on the guardianship of Lowenthal, he had departed the Imperial Capital soon after and could not take care of the Wilhelm child. In the end, Asha Trail had been the one to take him under her wing. Kim Seon-Hyeok had decided that out of all the people he knew, there was no better mentor than her, and Asha Trail had taken that trust and gone beyond his expectations. 

The fact that Lowenthal had become a member of the Imperial Guard as well as the commander of the aviation corps, a force that could be called the most elite of the empire, was proof of that. 

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever said thank you properly to Sir Trail. After finishing today’s business, I should say hello before I leave. After all, I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back to the Imperial Capital.”

“I don’t think mother would like that. You’re already going to be scolded for going out…”

When Kim Seon-Hyeok tilted his head at the incomprehensible words, Victorius gave him a meaningful smile.

“It is said that superhumans who have reached a high level are able to avoid the passing of time. Sir Trail is just that. According to the public rumors, after she reached rank 2 on the Gradus List, she stopped aging.”

“She must be a grandmother in her 70s now.”

“But Father, you can’t think like that. There are quite a few young knights in the Imperial Guards and the aviation corps who have a crush on Sir Trail. Of course, most of them got thrashed by the disciple she had worked hard to raise.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok was about to faint when he heard that there were people who were crushing on a woman who was as old as a grandmother. 

“Well, you’ll figure it out when you see her yourself.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok’s expression soured at Victorius’ ominous remark. But then, a mage, who sounded as if he had turned into a hawker, shouted.

“The mage mount is waking!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound rang out and a flash of light came out from the inside of the helmet that resembled the drake’s head. 

Screech.

With a rough sound, the mage mount’s bent knee straightened and it began to move.

This was the moment that the giant, which had taken the Empire 50 years with countless failed experiments, was finally completed and presented to the world.

“Yes! This is exactly it!”

Even after the mage mount’s demonstration was over, Kim Seon-Hyeok couldn’t calm himself down. Although it was closer to an armored knight than the robot he had expected, there was something about it that made him clench his fist as he watched the giant 10 meters high bipedal weapon’s movements.

His heart had cooled while he had been living a stagnant life in the forest, but now, it was finally burning hot again after a long time.

“The mage mount’s exoskeleton is designed to withstand the magic of normal high-leveled mage and there is no need to talk about impacts from physical attacks, sir. In other words, the magic robot is the most powerful piece of armor that would protect its occupant.”

Spit flew as the excited mage explained the greatness of the magic robot. 

“However, the mage mount’s real strength isn’t from its hardness. The true weapon of the mage mount is the heart that can amplify the sword power of its occupant by at least 50%.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok’s eyes widened at the mage’s words.

“It’s only 50% because it’s the beginning. If we improve as time goes on, then I believe that it will be possible to achieve not 50% but 90%, no, perhaps even several times more than that.”

Although a knight’s sword power wasn’t everything, it was a fact that if their base sword power was strong, then it would be more advantageous for them in battle. But the mage was saying that the mage mount could amplify that by several times. 

Of course, there were downsides as well. There were still a lot of problems that needed to be addressed - the tremendous fatigue the mage mount’s pilot felt, which would lead to the inevitably short maneuvering time, and the possibility of the occupant’s death from the heart overflowing. 

Nevertheless, Kim Seon-Hyeok was convinced that the wars and battles in this would be completely different with the appearance of the mage mount. 

If the airship ruled the Empire’s skies, then the mage mount was the most powerful weapon to rule the land. 

If there was a problem, it was that the Empire had unified the continent and there were no more enemies left. And depending on the situation, this mage mount could even become a double-edged sword aimed at the heart of the Empire.

“If the mage mount is dangerous, then knights and mages are also dangerous. And what about the airships? There is nothing better than an airship to infiltrate the heart of the Empire at any moment in time. If you fear such a thing, then the Empire should immediately abolish all magic devices and return to how it was in the past; just as our ancestors have done.”

However, the Emperor of the Empire declared he would continue to develop the mage mount.

Once the mage mount’s demonstrations were over, Kim Seon-Hyeok bade Victorius goodbye. 

“Father, once its development progresses to a certain extent, I’ll select a decent one and send them to the forest.”

Cough. 

“I won’t reject it.”

Even as he was about to leave, he could not forget about the mage mount. So when his son offered, Seon-Hyeok pretended he couldn’t win against him and accepted. 

“Sir Trail.”

And just as he said, he visited Asha Trail to express his gratitude for raising Lowenthal into a great knight. 

“It was nothing, sir.”

Just like Victorius said, she still looked like she was in her thirties even after reaching her seventies. Facing her like that, he could awkwardly feel the passing of time. 

“Will you cross swords with me, sir?”

It wasn’t just her appearance that hadn’t changed. Her pure passion for swords remained the same as in the past.

“Gladly.”

He accepted her challenge without hesitation. However, they never actually crossed swords.

“I yield, sir.”

Before they even crossed swords, she acknowledged her defeat while they were in the process of exchanging their fighting spirits.

“You have also gotten stronger, Sir Trail.”

He couldn’t help but pour out words of admiration when she acted unlike her usual competitive self. He realized that she had reached a level that couldn’t be compared with how she was before when, in the short period of time where they exchanged mental blows, she accurately gauged the difference in their powers. 

“Grand Duke, as long as you live, the number 1 ranking on the Empire’s Gradus List will remain the same.”

Before he could even respond to her simple comment, she bade her farewell.

“I hope to see you again, but I fear it will be difficult, sir. Thank you for everything and it was an honor to know you, sir.”

“I, too, will never forget your teaching, Sir Trail.”

After a brief meeting of eyes, Asha Trail turned around. The farewell was as simple and plain as her nature. 

Lowenthal appeared from somewhere and bowed his head before disappearing after his master.

“Farewell.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok stared after them for a long time before he too left the place.

“Ah… Ophelia.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok was alarmed when he saw Ophelia standing in the middle of the room and waiting for him. He had tried to return home as secretly as possible. 

However, she didn’t find fault with him. Instead, she stared at him for a long time before saying just one thing. 

“It seems like you’ve finished your business, so I won’t say anything.”

For some reason, Kim Seon-Hyeok felt like his connection with the Imperial Capital had ended with his saying goodbye to Asha Trail, but it felt like his wife’s attitude helped slightly ease the emptiness he felt. 

“Thank you.”

Decades had passed, but his wife was still wise and thoughtful. He unintentionally smiled at her attitude. 

“If I think that this is the last time, there’s no reason I can’t let this go.”

Even though the only response he got back was a rather harsh request, he couldn’t stop smiling. 

Anyway, if he ever had to go out of the forest again, she would pretend that she couldn’t win against him and allow him to go out, just as she had always done. 

“Do not think it’s just empty words, because it really is the last time.”

Somehow, her warning was different this time, but that was alright. He had already caused trouble and he didn’t have a choice. He could only thank her for her generosity.

Time passed once again in the forest. 

Although it wasn’t as intense or as varied as the outside world, time truly passed in the forest, albeit slowly. 

The Empire’s emperor changed, and changed again, and again. 

Who knows how much time had passed like this. 

The people no longer believed in the existence of Dragons and the legendary knight who saved the continent was also a groundless legend. 

Most of the people believed that the existence of the great half-human, half-dragon knight that dominated the battlefield in the past was nothing more than glorified propaganda for the first pilot of the Empire’s Imperial Family’s private craft, the ‘Drakan.’

However, the legend was real, and the person involved was alive. He may be living as an ordinary husband under the supervision of his strict wife, but the War Dragon was alive and well. 

[I am finally back.]

The Dragon, who had fallen into a deep sleep in order to regenerate the wings she had lost in the fight against Chaos, spoke to her Contractor who remained unchanged even after hundreds of years.

[You are still the same.]

Although she was admiring the humanity that hadn’t dulled in him even after hundreds of years passing, as the listener, it didn’t sound like a compliment at all. 

“Welcome back, Edda.”

Well, whether it was admiration or not, Kim Seon-Hyeok welcomed the return of the Dragon in a carefree manner.