Chapter 82
My first encounter with the second dragon I've met in my life was quite peculiar.
"I told you to be careful!! Why did you touch the Killer Bee's hive?! I shouted not to touch it!!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was curious and touched it by mistake!"
Bow- Bow-
The glasses-wearing woman apologized earnestly, bowing deeply. If the Association President's words are true, this woman is a dragon.
'But why is a dragon acting like that? And disguised as an F-grade hero at that.'
I did want to meet a dragon, but I didn't want to meet a dragon like this.
"Sigh. I can't just leave without seeing her."
I should meet her anyway. I sighed and approached the dragon who was continuously apologizing. Then, I politely addressed the F-grade heroes who were looking at me, who had suddenly appeared.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to that woman for a moment. Is it okay if I take her?"
"If you can take her? Ha, you call that asking?"
The red-faced bald man snorted and said.
"Please take her. I don't even want to see her face! Take her away right now!!"
He must have been thoroughly fed up. The bald man pushed the loser dragon towards me.
The loser dragon, seemingly flustered, turned her head back and muttered.
"Ah, mister..."
"Shut up! Quickly disappear from my sight! It's my fault for teaming up with you!"
The loser dragon was forcibly pushed away with a tearful expression. Watching this, I thought to myself.
'So this stupid-looking act is all a performance. Sheesh, it gives me the creeps.'
I don't understand what she's thinking, maintaining this concept. I observed the overall impression of the loser dragon standing in front of me.
'Black hair and black eyes. Plain-looking glasses. Shoulders hunched from lack of confidence. Bent waist. From the outside, she'd look like a timid ordinary person.'
But I know that this woman in front of me is telling a blatant lie. I took out my smartphone and showed her the message from the Association President.
"I'd like to talk with you for a moment. Do you have time?"
"..."
The loser dragon's eyes sharpened for a moment. Then, as if nothing had happened, she answered with her usual timid gaze.
"Y-Yes..."
"Let's go to a nearby cafe and talk."
"O-Okay... I scratched your car... It's my fault... I'll compensate for everything... I'm sorry..."
Bow-
The loser dragon bowed to me and apologized. Seeing her act to the end, I thought she was quite professional in a way.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'll compensate for everything..."
"Sigh."
I hope my daughters don't develop such perverted hobbies. And so, I headed to a nearby cafe with this strangely evolved dragon.
***
Arriving at a nearby cafe, I ordered iced Americanos for both of us, then sat down and asked the loser dragon.
"Let's start by sharing names. I'm Lee Ha-jun. What's yours?"
"It's Yu Na-ri..."
Shrink-
Yu Na-ri answered, acting timidly. I felt a bit frustrated at this sight.
"You saw the message content, right?"
"Yes, I saw it..."
"Then you know that I know your true identity. Can't you stop acting and just be comfortable?"
Yu Na-ri stared at my face intently. Then suddenly, she straightened her hunched shoulders and said to me.
"Shall I? Actually, I'm more comfortable this way too."
Grin-
With a smile at the corner of her mouth, the atmosphere changed instantly. Yu Na-ri took off her plain glasses and looked at me.
Unlike her timid appearance before, her face was now full of mischief.
"Your current appearance is so creepy compared to before."
"Of course. That's not the real me. That appearance is just for enjoying my hobby. It's my taste."
"Taste?"
"Well, you can understand it that way. More importantly."
Swish-
Yu Na-ri, with her loser appearance completely gone, asked me with a sharp, piercing gaze.
"The Association’s President told you my identity?"
"Yes."
"Why is that bastard doing things I didn't ask for? How annoying. I'll have to teach him a lesson next time I visit."
Yu Na-ri said this with a slightly suggestive expression. It seemed she was thorough in educating her followers. Just then, a waiter interrupted us.
"Your coffee is here."
Coffee placed on the table. Yu Na-ri reached out to the cup to drink the coffee.
At the same time, the cup full of coffee spilled forward.
"Oh my."
"..."
Drip, drip-
Coffee flowed on the table. My pants were also soaked from the spilled coffee.
Yu Na-ri put her hands together and said playfully.
"Sorry! Acting like a loser has become a habit!"
"...It wasn't intentional, so it's okay."
"Sorry! This was really my mistake!"
Sigh-
I feel like I'm sighing more since meeting Yu Na-ri. I did my best to wipe my pants with tissues. Although it was uncomfortable, I opened my mouth to get to the main point.
"I have something I'm curious about."
"Ask freely. I'll answer what I can, if only because I feel sorry."
"Well, you see."
Exactly.
"What is a dragon?"
What is a dragon? What kind of being are they compared to humans? Yu Na-ri answered this fundamental question simply.
"A dragon is a dragon."
"Then, is enjoying yourself by acting like a loser among humans also being a dragon?"
"...You could say that. But that's not the answer you want, is it? The dragon scent lingering around you. You're asking because you're curious about those young ones, aren't you?"
Not only can she smell dragons, but she can even distinguish their age?
I nodded vigorously at Yu Na-ri's question.
"Yes, I want to know about them. To be precise, I want to know how to raise them and what they're like."
I'm curious about dragon child-rearing methods and their basic characteristics. Yu Na-ri seemed to understand the intent of my question, nodding deeply with her eyes closed.
"I understand what you mean. I haven't lived that long, but I'll tell you specially for my junior dragons."
"How old are you?"
"Only about 500? I'm still young."
She's quite old, but she calls herself young. Dragon time seems to flow differently.
Anyway, Yu Na-ri began her lecture about dragons.
"First, Ha-jun. What types of dragons are near you? For reference, I'm a Yellow Dragon."
"They're Red, Blue, and Green Dragons. And I'm their dad, for reference."
"Hmm, so you probably know their personalities too?"
"Yes."
Yu Na-ri pondered my answer. She seemed to be choosing what to say.
After a moment, Yu Na-ri spoke as if something had occurred to her.
"You said you're their dad, right?"
"Yes."
"Then I can't tell you what you should do. But I can tell you what you shouldn't do. Want to hear it?"
"Of course."
Finally, I'll hear something helpful. Yu Na-ri held up one finger and said.
"First. Dragons in their growth period can change. For example, I'm a Yellow Dragon now, right?"
"Yes."
"But if I had an overwhelming experience during my growth period and couldn't overcome it, I could have changed from a Yellow Dragon to a Black Dragon."
"Hmm, simply put, it's like evolving in a strange way."
"You could say that. We dragons call it 'turning dark'."
It wasn't very specific, but I think I've heard something similar from the kids.
"Dragons that become Black Dragons are hunted by other designated dragons. If left alone, they'll lead dimensions to destruction."
"Hmm..."
"So be careful. If you don't want to see your children become Black Dragons and destroy dimensions, or be hunted by other dragons."
I stored Yu Na-ri's words deep in my mind. She spread two fingers to continue the conversation.
"The second is about nests. Do you know about dragon nests?"
"I've been to one, so I know. There were lots of things piled up."
"You probably know that all those things are dragons' memories?"
"Yes."
They say that when dragons finish their entertainment, they bring the most memorable item from that entertainment to their nest. I know this very well from hearing it directly.
Yu Na-ri looked at me with a serious face and said.
"Do you know why dragons do that?"
"No, how would I know? I'm not a dragon."
"Let me, a dragon, tell you. It's because of dragons' unique 'possessiveness'."
Possessiveness. They say dragons are more possessive than any other being, and that possessiveness is beyond imagination.
"Dragons are greedy. They try to possess everything they like. And they never let go until they get it."
"...So, what are you trying to say?"
"It's simple."
Yu Na-ri sipped the newly arrived coffee and said.
"It's best to be careful not to become the target of that possessiveness."
"What?"
"Dragons can target living beings too. Even for me, if I thought my follower, the Association President, was following another dragon, I'd tear that dragon apart."
Yu Na-ri's eyes were filled with killing intent as she said this. It was the truth.
"So be careful not to become that target yourself. Not to be dragged to a nest by a dragon who's finished their entertainment."
"..."
"You still don't understand? Dragons and humans are definitely different when it comes to possessiveness. You might understand if you experience it directly today."
Grin-
Yu Na-ri smiled mischievously and suddenly reached out to grab my collar. Then, pulling me by the collar...
Smooch-
"That's all I'll tell you. I think it's best if you experience the rest yourself."
She playfully kissed my lips and smiled devilishly. I was flustered by this sudden situation.
'What just happened? The dragon suddenly... kissed... my lips? A 500-year-old dragon...?'
Bewilderment and strange emotions coexisted. It feels good, but thinking about it, kissing a 500-year-old dragon...
"..."
"If you have any more questions, contact me through the Association’s President or something. Take care."
I couldn't finish organizing my thoughts until I parted with Yu Na-ri. What was the meaning of that dragon's actions towards me, and what was the meaning of her warning?
"...In the end, nothing was resolved."
I thought this as I left the cafe. And I only realized the meaning of her words when I arrived home...
"Dad, whose smell is that? It's not our smell. Is it another dragon? Where's that dragon? I'll kill it!!"
"...I want to destroy this rotten world."
"I guess I'll go out and litter. The environment is no longer needed."
To the point of feeling a threat to my life, painfully so.