In this episode, a bizarre world spins out of control, and those who don’t go insane cannot maintain their own lives.
Whether it’s an Empire, a Kingdom, or even the Demon Realm, this saying holds true everywhere.
As a kind citizen bleeds out on the street after being stabbed by a robber, no one seems to care anymore.
To get promoted, it has become customary to bribe one’s boss or a noble.
When an entire family suffers from starvation, selling off the youngest child to a slave trader is seen as perfectly normal.
While I was fully aware that none of this was a normal situation, there was no way any individual could muster the strength to condemn the times.
They simply complied and accepted their fates.
Among the throngs of humanity who merely survived day-to-day hunting rabbits in the Sierra Mountains was a man who introduced himself as Raven.
Yet in this chaotic era, while plenty of crazy people were around, none could be more insane than the woman fiddling with pebbles right in front of him.
“You want to hunt a dragon? Are you serious?”
“To quell this erosion, I absolutely need a Dragon Heart.”
“Hah, anyone can say that. There are many ways to commit suicide.”
The man snickered.
To claim one would hunt a dragon was akin to challenging the feat of divine slaying.
And to do it solo.
Watching the woman munching on rabbit meat without a care, Raven decided to lose interest.
‘She must be completely off her rocker.’
Was she born this way, or did something happen that forced her to live in madness?
From what Raven knew, there were plenty of both kinds of people.
Most survivors of the disastrous war and the “erosion” acted like they had a loose screw in their heads.
In the midst of all this, the woman’s beauty was like nothing Raven had ever seen, making it hard to look away even when he wanted to.
“Did you have any trouble getting here? Did anyone bother you…?”
Raven’s words came from genuine concern.
Having such stunning looks was like a mark for trouble in these times.
The eastern regions of Kaizen were lawless zones where even the Emperor’s power could not reach.
Many women had been assaulted and buried alive by the ignorant, brutish eastern folk.
No matter how sorrowful one felt, if they had no strength to protect themselves, they would face dire consequences.
“Do I look weak to you?”
“Do you have any confidence in your strength?”
“I haven’t been beaten up anywhere. I’ve eaten well. This rabbit meat is really delicious.”
The woman spat a bone piece into the bonfire.
Raven fed more firewood into the dwindling flames.
Despite wanting to take a bite of the rabbit leg himself, he scrunched his face in disgust.
“As expected, she’s insane.”
The meat was contaminated with magic.
While a moderate amount would have been fine, the level of contamination in this case wouldn’t vanish no matter how much you cooked it until the bitterness was gone.
Eventually pondering whether he would have to go hungry tonight, Raven’s gaze shifted to the woman playing with the pebbles.
“What’s with those stones you’ve been fiddling with?”
“These? They’re called Ji-gi-dol.”
“Ji-gi-dol? That’s quite the mouthful.”
“It’s a fun game from my hometown. Want to see?”
As she sat on the rough dirt, she tossed five pebbles into the air.
Her pale, slender arms peeked out from her robe.
Then she demonstrated some skillful tossing and catching of the pebbles.
“Doesn’t this look fun?”
“You find all sorts of stuff entertaining, don’t you? It’s definitely a game for street urchins.”
“Well, at least you can play with stones you find lying around.”
Despite Raven’s sarcastic remarks, the woman brushed it off lightly.
As she tossed the stones to impressive heights, Raven asked,
“What are those pebbles made of?”
“Excuse me, they’re not just pebbles! They’re somewhat valuable items!”
“They look like ordinary stone fragments or glass pieces to me.”
“These are artifacts. Preserved artifacts. Each stone holds quite the precious treasures. Curious about what’s inside?”
“Hoo… It would be a lie to say I’m not interested. Will you show me?”
All this while, hidden in the darkness, Raven hadn’t noticed until he looked again that, indeed, the artifacts seemed to be what she claimed.
“I’ll show you one piece for every question you answer. How about it?”
“I’ll do my best to answer within my knowledge.”
Ensnared by her enticing words that piqued his curiosity, the hunter immediately consented without second thought.
The woman, having guessed this would happen, pondered her first question.
“How long has the erosion been ongoing in the Sierra Mountains?”
“Erosion? Which one are you talking about? The one where all the animals turn to stone, or the one where all the animals become demon beasts?”
“It’d be great if you could tell me both.”
“The former, I’m not sure, but it’s been over three years. For the latter, it’s been exactly 20 months.”
“20 months… Got it. That was helpful information.”
“I’m glad it helped.”
The woman infused mana into a slightly reddish pebble before lightly tapping it.
Soon, the pebble cracked with a click, and twelve small magic circles formed a dodecahedron.
She reached into the center and retrieved an unfamiliar object, holding it up to the firelight.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a pink diamond ring.”
“Is this all diamond?”
Raven marveled.
Anyone who sees such a thing couldn’t help but feel greedy.
After all, the gemstone in the ring was not just the size of a thumbnail—it looked bigger than a thumb!
The ring’s shoulder and mount were carved with astounding precision.
“This one’s called Agnes’s Tear. It’s the beloved treasure of the current Empress of the Praha-in Empire.”
“Wha… what? An empress?”
“At first, it was pretty, so I wore it, but honestly, it’s terribly heavy and uncomfortable.”
“Don’t tease me. How on earth do you possess such an item?”
The woman gazed intently at Raven.
“Can I ask the next question?”
“…Let’s hear it.”
Feeling an inexplicable sense of pressure, Raven gulped nervously.
There’s no doubt this woman was crazy. But the issue was that she was terribly crazy in a way that could spell disaster for him.
With the empress’s ring and now the emperor Airogen’s seal, he began to understand the situation he was in.
“You’re no ordinary person. If I make even one wrong move, my life could be on the line.”
“How long has it been since the Blue Dragon returned to its lair?”
“How could I… no, how could I possibly know that!”
“You’re a hunter, and you don’t know?”
“Umm… maybe a year and a half? It couldn’t have been more than two years… that’s just my guess.”
“What’s your reasoning?”
“It’s based on the time when the habitats of monsters, including orcs, changed abruptly.”
“Excellent deduction. That was helpful.”
Despite not wanting to learn more about the artifacts packed within, the woman unwaveringly revealed a third item.
“This one is something you won’t recognize, so I’ll explain. It’s called the ‘Key to Paradise’—the only means to enter the vault of the Alphenheim Vatican.”
“Wait, why do you have this… No, what are you?”
“That’s the fourth question. So, where can I find the Blue Dragon’s lair? With time running out, you better answer quickly.”
“I don’t know! After all, dragon lairs aren’t fixed in place, are they?”
“I know that. That’s why I’m asking you. Haven’t you seen an empty lair before?”
“Umm… Well, a decade ago, one of the lord’s sons ventured out with troops to search for a dragon lair and ended up wiped out. I believe it’s northeast from here.”
“Not the best answer, but I have no choice. Now this next item will surely be something fascinating. I had quite the trouble stealing this one.”
Were the previous items merely found on the street then?
Raven’s inference coincidentally got closer to her, but she seemed blissfully unaware.
What appeared next was a pendant radiating a sinister blood-red light.
“This belonged to the Demon King Al Zahab. I still don’t know its purpose, but it must be precious, hence the ruckus I’m causing to keep it.”
“I think I’m gonna head out now.”
“No, you’ve come this far. You have to see the last item, alright?”
“I don’t even want to know more…”
“Sit.”
The woman commanded in a low, firm tone.
Yet when Raven tried to ignore it and escape, she effortlessly kicked him in the back.
Rolling through the mud, Raven expressed his indignation.
“I’m quite busy too! I thought you were crossing the Sierra Mountains without camping gear, so I cooked this meat and provided shelter for you! And this is how you repay me?”
Princess Estasha’s black hair began to shimmer gold as it regained its original color.
Her golden irises glinted brightly.
“Last question. I heard news that a notorious fugitive, who’s committed around twenty murders and robberies, has been hiding in the Sierra Mountains. Where can I find the half-dragon Craven Gordon?”
To catch the parents, you must find the child first.
One of the Empire’s malicious strategies against the princess.
“Looks like you’re not willing to share.”
“…….”
There’s no way a sane person could reside here in the Sierra Mountains.
The gazes of the princess and the hunter entwined fiercely.
It wouldn’t take long before Craven Gordon’s entire body was covered in scales.
The two fugitives charged at each other.
