Chapter 81
"Is there a dragon near you?"
The Association President asked me with a solemn and serious face. It was a question I found quite difficult to anticipate, so I was flustered.
'...Is there a dragon near me? How does the President know about that?'
Cold sweat ran down my back. I thought I had hidden it thoroughly. How did he notice that there was a dragon near me?
I tried to maintain a poker face as much as possible and said.
"...President, what are you talking about? More importantly, why are you threatening my chastity? Step aside right now."
I glared at the President, trying to warn him. However, the President spoke without any change in expression.
"There's no need to lie. You don't need to hide it in front of me."
"What nonsense are you spouting, President? I have nothing more to say. Move."
Let's escape quickly. I quickly headed towards the entrance to leave.
However, the President seemed unwilling to let me go, blocking my way with his sturdy muscles and saying.
'W-Why is someone who's eaten their fair share of years so strong?'
He's not budging at all. It seems he's not occupying the President's position for nothing. His body was as solid as a wall, and I couldn't resist.
'H-Help. I can't breathe.'
Just as my emotions were shifting from confusion to fear,
"I merely asked if there was a dragon nearby. I don't understand why you're so scared."
The President said, stroking his impressive mustache as if he didn't understand.
"I'm just curious about what kind of dragon is near you."
"...I don't really understand what you're saying."
"Sigh, you still don't understand? Let me speak first then. I've met a dragon before. And I'm still in contact with them."
"What?"
He's met a dragon before? He's still in contact with them? Were there dragons on Earth besides my daughters?
'Looking again, he doesn't seem to have ill intentions. Was he really just curious?'
Hmm.
To resolve my misunderstanding and curiosity, I immediately asked.
"You've met a dragon, President?"
"Yes, I have. Since you seem to know about dragons, I'll tell you. The system of this Association was created by a dragon."
"What?!"
That's shocking news. To think a dragon created the Hero Association's system.
The President began to tell me about the past with eyes that seemed lost in memories.
"It was a very long time ago before dimensional gates appeared. That dragon knew that dimensional gates would appear on Earth. In my day, we couldn't even imagine such things-"
"President. Please summarize."
"...Ahem, shall I?"
The President smiled awkwardly and summarized his explanation.
From what I gathered, it seems the dragon explained the Association system and helped implement it in Korea.
"The dragon and I founded the Association together. We ran the Association together, but she quickly lost interest in the Association. She wondered if a human like me could manage it properly, and she still thinks that way."
Sigh-
The President suddenly started smoking and muttered with a wistful look.
"After that, I became her follower and pushed for her return to the Association. But she didn't seem interested in coming back. It seemed she wanted to enjoy herself hiding among humans. To think I'm doing the work that the great dragon should be doing. It's still sad to think about it."
"Gramps President. Your eyes look a bit strange."
"Ah, I'm sorry. It's my first time meeting someone who knows about dragons. I guess I got too excited."
The President's eyes as he said this looked somewhat off. It was like seeing a religious person blindly devoted to something.
'This is just dragon worship.'
Scary.
I don't want to tell him about my daughters. I took a small step back to leave the room.
The President, lost in the past, suddenly looked at me and said.
"Oh, by the way. Ha-jun."
"Y-Yes?"
"What about the dragon near you? If possible, I'd like to meet them in person."
"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea."
At first, I thought he was a cool alpha male middle-aged man. But looking at him now, he's just a crazy dragon worshipper.
It seemed too risky to introduce my kids to him. I waved my hands vigorously, rejecting the President's request.
"Let's just bury this conversation. It doesn't seem helpful to either of us."
"Is that so? I find it very beneficial."
"No, it's not beneficial at all, President. More importantly, how did you know there was a dragon near me?"
I have no idea how he found out. How did he know and call me here?
The President looked at my puzzled face and answered simply.
"I've experienced it myself, so I know well."
"You experienced the same thing?"
"Yes, dragons coat their saliva on beings they like. That's why magical beasts don't attack, making it easy to resolve dimensional gates."
"I see."
"Until I saw you today, it was just a hunch. But after smelling the dragon's scent around you, I could be certain. That there's a dragon near you."
He's not the Association President for nothing. He had his own deductions.
'I should be more careful next time. Although the President is obsessed with dragons, it's fortunate that he's purely obsessed.'
If I had to say, it feels closer to worshipping dragons rather than being hostile to them. It didn't seem like he would harm them particularly, even if his very existence felt like a threat.
"...Well, that's about it. Please don't tell anyone else."
"Then, from today we're sharing a secret. You keep it a secret first."
"Yes, anyway, are we done? Can I go? Take care."
Phew-
I feel like my heart hurt less when my chastity was threatened. I caressed my heart that almost fell out and headed for the door.
Just then,
"Wait!"
The Association President stopped me and made a suggestion.
"Would you like to meet the dragon I follow?"
"Pardon?"
"I think she would enjoy talking to someone who knows about dragons too! Are you interested in meeting her?"
A meeting with another dragon. The answer to that question didn't take long.
'I should ask the dragon directly. How exactly should I raise dragons?'
What exactly are dragons? I decided to meet an adult dragon and ask directly.
"So where is this dragon?"
"She came to work today and is working on an F-grade dimensional gate."
"...What?"
"She's enjoying herself as an F-grade hero."
"..."
A dragon enjoying herself as an F-grade hero. What kind of enjoyment is that? It was hard to imagine what that would look like.
***
The Association President says he's too busy to accompany me.
He seemed genuinely disappointed, even trembling, but I guess the position of President is a heavy one.
'Well, that's fortunate from my perspective.'
That old President. He looks normal and neat on the outside, but he spouts words like a madman as soon as dragons are mentioned. It wouldn't be wrong to say the word 'follower' suits him more than anyone.
"More importantly, a dragon polymorphing as an F-grade hero... I wonder what she's thinking..."
Well, Dragons shouldn't be understood with common sense. Dragons are dragons. The more you try to understand them with your head, the further away they become.
"Dragons are just something you feel. Like music."
With that thought, I arrived at the dimensional gate the President had pointed out. It looked like work was in full swing inside to close the dimensional gate.
'I guess I'll have to wait a bit.'
I asked a low-ranking employee nearby.
"When did they go in?"
The employee glanced at me while using his smartphone and answered indifferently.
"Four hours ago. They should be out soon."
"...I see."
How rude. Is it because it's a dimensional gate F-grade heroes enter?
The state of the Association employee in charge was terrible. So I waited in front of the dimensional gate for the dragon the President mentioned to come out.
After about an hour, as the signal for the dimensional gate closing sounded, the heroes inside started pouring out all at once.
"Ugh, aaagh!"
"Oh, shit!"
Crash, bang-!!
Four heroes fell to the ground as they came out of the dimensional gate. Among them, a bald middle-aged man with a red face shouted angrily.
"You bastard!! How the hell do you handle monster aggro!! We almost all died because of you!!"
The target of the bald man's criticism was a very small-framed woman wearing glasses who kept bowing her head and apologizing.
"I'm sorry...! I'm sorry...! I'm sorry...!"
"If you're going to work, do it properly! We almost all died because of you!!"
"I'll be more careful next time...! I'm sorry...! I'm sorry...!"
Bow- Bow-
The glasses-wearing woman bowed her head excessively. All team members were shooting murderous glares at her.
"Hmm..."
I read the text message the Association President had sent.
[When you get to the location, someone will be getting scolded or apologizing... That's the great dragon…]
...
"That's supposed to be a dragon?"
I couldn't believe it and checked the message content again. The President's message wasn't wrong.
Which means,
"...You're saying that woman apologizing like a loser is a dragon."
Just what… What kind of enjoyment is this dragon experiencing? What kind of being is a dragon?
"You make us all angry every time!!!"
"I'm sorry...! I'm sorry...! I'll work hard...!"
Is this the end of a dragon that failed to evolve?
I couldn't help but hope my daughters don't grow up like that.