Iss looked up and twisted his neck.

He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, with a huge black book spread out on his lap, feeling a little groggy and his eyes were sour and astringent. There was a soft glow in the study that he couldn't tell where it came from, but after reading the book for too long, he began to feel that all the words were writhing around, and he refused to be obediently grasped by him.

The book on his lap, which is not marked by Ingris, contains the legend of the dragon as it is known. He pulled it out in a moment of curiosity, wanting to see what kind of creature dragons really were, and it turned out to be the same as he knew.

Proud, greedy, cunning, powerful, murderous...... And in the end, it didn't end well, and it was simply a model of the dragon story that people love the most.

The author of this book is an interesting bard, often digressing, and the first thing he can do to catch the adventurer from a word of stumbling and loneliness is not to tear their bodies apart, but to bury them half-in the earth, and listen to it ramble on and on for two or three days...... All the way to how the sea elves raise their offspring.

There are many things in the book that have actually happened, and some of them have never even been heard of by him—and his ancestors. He suspected it was all made up, but the bard had strangely spelled the name of each dragon in Elven language.

Among them were even his parents, the real parents, who, because they lived in isolation, rarely clashed with humans and had only a few words of "supposedly", "seemingly" and "maybe".

He was stunned for a moment. I couldn't help but scratch my wrist again.

They didn't make much progress in the past two days. Inglis concocted several potions and applied them to the hoop one by one, saying that he wanted to see what the reaction was. One of them made the skin around the hoop itch unbearably, and the old mage had to spend most of the day concocting another potion to quench the itch, but until now, Istu still felt itchy.

But it seemed that the iron ring did loosen a little, at least, he was no longer weak every day, and just wanted to sleep. There is no longer that gasping pain that cannot be shaken off.

It gave him a little hope, and he no longer had to be impatiently throwing books or spinning around irritably. Mulder would bring them three meals on time. It's a wood golem that is pretty good at cooking all kinds of food...... Nalya might be good friends with it.

Ise glanced back and realized that Mudd hadn't been there for a long time.

He shoved the book back into the shelf, walked through the invisible barrier between the study and the living room, and was surprised to find that it was actually completely dark. The candle, which would never extinguish itself, burned quietly on the table, not even moving with the wind, but there was no shadow of Mudd anywhere.

Will the Wood Golem also go missing?

Iss thought a little uneasy.

There was a faint red light in the room, then a white light like lightning, but no thunder sounded.

Light came in from the outside of the house. Isis ran into the garden, looking at the sky in the direction of Taniguchi, which was bright and dark, and realized that it was the light of some kind of spell.

"Ah, we have guests. ”

Ingris appeared behind him at some point and spoke calmly.

Uninvited guests.

Isis turned around and ran back to the house. Soon he ran out with a long sword from the old mage's collection.

“...... What are you going to do?" the old mage asked him slowly.

"Why? Mulder is made of wood, what if someone chops it up?"

Iss replied angrily.

"Ah......" Ingris looked at him thoughtfully, "you're worried about it?"

Iss was sure he was blushing - hoping Ingris wouldn't notice because it was dark.

"I just don't want no one to get us food!" he denied angrily and humbly.

The old man seemed to laugh.

"Don't worry. Little Dragon, Mudd can stop even a dragon, and he won't be able to deal with those guests who refuse to give up. ”

- A dragon that has lost its power and is imprisoned in human form!

Iss thought indignantly, realizing that his help was not needed here. Those "guests" were obviously not visiting for the first time, and the old mage should have been prepared.

But he still involuntarily stood in the courtyard filled with the scent of flowers with his sword. Looking in the direction of Taniguchi. The light of the different colors flashed for a while before it suddenly subsided.

He waited apprehensively. At last the sound of slow, regular footsteps was heard, and Mulder's slender figure emerged from the darkness, walked unhurriedly towards them, and then tilted his head and leaned slightly in front of them, as if to ask, "What are you doing here?"

It looked unscathed, not even a single leaf on the top of its head. In fact, a new leaf has sprung up. Iss doubted that it would be able to produce flowers.

“...... I am hungry. The young ice dragon spoke angrily, feeling that his concern was ridiculous. This golem is much more powerful than he is now.

Mulder nodded slowly, and walked past them with his long legs, and Is's sharp eyes spotted a knife mark on its leg that was not deep or shallow.

It doesn't seem to be completely uninjured.

“...... Do you bake rabbits?" he involuntarily followed Mulder, "I see rabbits in the kitchen. I've had enough of the stew, can't you change it to something else......"

Ingris stood in the courtyard, silently watching their backs, the wrinkles on his face becoming deeper and deeper in his smile.

On the evening of the fourth day, Ingris finally claimed that he had a solution.

Iss watched incredulously as he pulled out a few small, slender white bones out of nowhere, burned to ashes along with the other mess, and summoned a slimy black-green thing, which he carefully applied to the hoop.

This time he didn't say any incantations, just stared at the ring, as if it could bloom too.

At first, there was no movement, but gradually, Iss felt the ring start to heat up, as it became so hot that it began to burn his skin...... The hoop detached from his wrist.

Iss watched in amazement as it suddenly disconnected. It fell softly on the table like a black snake, breaking into several pieces, and couldn't help but poke curiously. It felt like poking a lump of mud.

“...... How did you do that?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Ah, I made the mistake of trying to unravel the magic that was placed on it and aimed at those bound by it - but in fact, I could have ignored that altogether and chosen to destroy it itself. Lydia probably felt that it was sturdy enough that it didn't need any more protection. But I'm the one who made it. ”

The old man was rarely a little proud.

“...... How do you know it's Lydia?" asked Is, in a low voice. If he remembered correctly, Alan hadn't told Ingris how the ring had been put on his wrist.

"I have my secrets. The old man smiled and held up a finger.

Isis didn't ask any further. I gradually felt the ease and freedom that I had not felt for a long time.

He jumped up and rushed out of the house, out of the flower-filled courtyard, letting the excitement and joy wash over his body.

And, power.

When Inglis slowly moved out the door. What I saw was no longer a sullen, awkward-tempered young man, but a huge ice dragon.

The greatest creature of the world, which is said to have been conceived by the world alone, was raising its long neck, stretching its wings in the sun, and its tail was beating happily against the stream, startling several small black and gray fish to leap high into the water.

Murray swayed behind him, and the old man nodded, as if he could hear its silent exclamation, "That's right. That's right, a dragon...... It's big enough, isn't it?"

The ice dragon walked up to them with proud and majestic steps, and bowed his head to the old man.

"I owe you a favor. It said.

"Actually. I owe Alan Cavo a favor, and I should pay it off. The old man smiled.

The ice dragon shook his head stubbornly: "You still owe him, and I owe you, what do you need me to do for you?"

The old man was silent, as if he had suddenly fallen into a trance, and after a long time he spoke: "When I was young. I once met a half-elf...... He told me that one day I would meet a dragon. And it will need my help. ”

"Celebryan?" the ice dragon asked, confused. But when the old man in front of him was young...... It wasn't even born yet.

"Can he see the future?" it could only guess.

Inglis shook his head: "For us it is the future, but for him it is very likely to be the past...... No one I have ever met is more mysterious. ”

“...... Did he ask you to help me?" the ice dragon instinctively didn't want to owe a half-elf affection, it would definitely be more trouble.

"Nope. He just told me that and didn't ask me to make any promises. Ingris replied.

"Then I still owe you. The ice dragon said, looking unquestionable.

The old man chuckled lowly, "If you insist so much...... Then there is one thing that you can do for me. ”

He looked back at the cottage among the flowers, at his silent but faithful servant.

"I'm just human...... And humanity will inevitably die after all. I'm not afraid of death, but here...... It's my life's work, and it's a treasure that shouldn't be destroyed or fall into the hands of some guys. ”

The old man's voice was as calm and slow as ever: "You asked me who the 'guests' were that night, and I can only tell you that they covet everything here, my knowledge, my collection...... My creation. People like them will always exist, and there will be a need for a Guardian here. ”

“...... I can't stay here, at least not right now. The ice dragon said with some embarrassment. It understood what the old man wanted it to do.

"Not now, little dragon. I'm still alive, and even if I'm dead, Mudd will be able to hold this place, but its power will fade day by day. The old man reached out and patted the ice dragon's jaw gently, "When you are needed here...... You'll see. ”

"Then I promise you. The ice dragon nodded solemnly, "I swear I'll protect everything here...... Like a dragon guarding your treasures. ”

Once it finds Scott, it will be able to come back here. This quiet and beautiful valley, with its silent companion and endless collection of books - it is simply more like a gift than a burden.

"The treasures here are much more useful than gems and gold coins. The old man smiled with satisfaction, "You must admit this." ”

Ice Dragon didn't refute.

(To be continued)