Disconnected

Chapter 7: Chance Encounter (pt.2)

'A Wyrm,' thought Serein. 

She expected the creature to be extremely huge since it was said that a full-fledged Wyrm would be able to even eat an adult elephant. Yet the monster that was approaching was not even as big as her skinny arms. However, there were two of them at the moment, so she still needed to be cautious.

The wyrms, one was bluish-green with blue eyes, while the other was greenish-blue with green eyes.

“Humans?”

“How can humans be here?”

They hissed with hostility, but they were nothing more than hatchlings now.

'Right, I forgot about the details.'

One of these Wyrms would eat the other due to their greedy nature, needing more power, not knowing that by doing so, it would also get the penalty of eating its own kind and go berserk in the nearby village.

'Arlia, who was supposed to visit his friend there, came too late, though he ended up killing this monster anyway.'

[Wyrm speaks only with wisdom, but few appreciate being told they’re food.]

That was the only detail written about the monsters before her. However, it was safe to say that these are creatures with intelligence.

Them speaking in human language is one of the signs that they could communicate, unlike those mutants in the deep woods.

"We do not wish to fight here." 

Serein said to them, although she hadn't completely let her guard down.

“Nonsense! Humans could not be trusted.”

“We won't let you get past us.”

Despite their wariness, the two looked ready to attack at the slightest provocation. That being said, Serein was focusing more on their words instead.

'...they sounded like they're protecting something?'

The proud and greedy beings such as Wyrms protecting something?

What could they possibly be hiding?

Not to mention, this familiar hostility was shown to her not so long ago. Gil was the one who showed her this kind of view.

'So, whatever it is that they're trying to protect, it's likely to be injured or so.'

Serein draws a line on the ground with her dagger.

"I promise we will not cross this line or enter any further. We are not here to aim for the three of you."

The two young Wyrms flinched.

“Liar! All humans are liars!”

“Leave this place or else! We will—-” 

"Sam, Pam, that is enough."

A stern voice resounded in that dimmed cave as a cloaked figure soon made his figure known.

A person, 2 meters tall, walked closer and hid the two behind him as he faced Serein himself while ignoring the violent protests of the two.

'Hmm?'

Serein found herself staring.

'Who… is this guy?'

She has no info about this person… which is weird. 

Shouldn't she know about everything around here the best?

“What's your purpose here?"

Instead of asking 'who are you?' The mysterious figure straightforwardly asked for the real deal with a pressing aura that would have made any monsters kneel before him.

It's a presence that makes anyone sense the fear of death and triggers their fight-or-flight reflexes.

That being said, Serein's expression remained indifferent while she tried to suppress her instinct to flee.

'Ha! So there's someone like him here as well.'

This person in front of her felt similar to a certain scarred man she knows. Which is why she didn't cower like her two companions.

"There is no hidden agenda; we simply seek shelter for the night." 

She spoke eloquently towards the mysterious figure.

"To step into someone's lair without any notice, what a rude guest you are."

'Ah.'

Serein instantly remembered a certain line about this place.

[...as he walked inside, there were remains of the eaten Wyrm near a skeleton. An old skeleton that was oddly preserved well with magic]

This person, a character that not even she knows about, is that skeleton.

'A mage...? No, he said lair…'

Her opened mouth was closed immediately as realization hit her. Finally figuring out who this esteemed person was, she kneeled in that instant.

"This Serein, humbly greet the mighty dragon…"

Min Suhyun made this story when she was interested in cliché Munchkin Novels with their overpowered characters. 

This draft is actually one of the first attempts she ever wrote a fantasy story before then giving up on the genre altogether and ending up being a mystery novelist instead.

Well, either way, a deep silence fell inside of that cave upon her words.

"Heh."

Per contra of her initial thought, however, instead of a cold voice filled with authority, a scoff could be heard coming from the owner of this territory.

“A dragon, huh.”

That smokey voice resounded once more before it was then followed by a chuckle.

“Stand up, little girl. You’re not in the presence of a dragon. So, there’s no need for all of that bullshit.”

Serein lifts her head, though not yet standing up as she was told.

‘Eh? Not a dragon?’

Her confusion wasn’t transparent. That being said, the person doesn’t seem to be in the slightest annoyed with how she keeps having eye contact, unlike the two Wyrms who are hissing at her.

“Disrespectful!”

“Keep your eyes down, you puny humans!”

Their words contradict the man who seemed to be their guardian.

“Sam, Pam.”

Another warning. 

This time the three of them could see how the eyes glow in the dark and showed its reptilian features that made the wyrms retreat in disdain.

The place is dark, however, with Cherry's light Magic, the three humans could see some features of the man, like that ashy-colored hair that he has and just a bit of his face.

Even with the dim lighting, the man looked ethereal. Which is why, at the very least, Serein can confirm that he is not a human.

Humans are just potatoes when compared to the beauty of other races.

If he was an elf, this man would have distinctive freckles and sharp ears. And likewise, if he was any of the beastmen, the man would have at least some of the unique features that could be easily seen if you paid attention.

But this person has none of those.

His hair is ashy-gray and he has a really handsome face, but everything else looks like he's indeed a human.

Two arms, two legs, one head, and...

She trailed her eyes down briefly before maintaining eye contact once more.

'Yep, just like most human men.'

That being said, as mentioned before, though he looked like a human, he is not a human.

Hence why Seirin thought to herself.

‘So he is a dragon after all?’

At any rate, only a dragon and some of their stronger kin would be able to polymorph themselves to other beings.

‘How curious.’

A dragon that does not acknowledge himself as one.

Min Suhyun was sure that she had been writing dragons as selfish creatures who thought of themselves as someone who is possibly only one level below the divine beings.

Even the kindest Dragon Lord would not share their territory with any others.

Yet this person has two Wyrms clinging onto him?

‘Weird.’

This Character is so weird to her, and the fact that she has no idea about his background whatsoever only intrigued her further.