Chapter 327
Having spent nearly two years on Earth, Yong-Yong had fully assimilated into life on the planet. No one adapted faster than he did, especially when it came to modern Earth’s culture, which he had completely mastered, particularly Korean dramas. However, there were times when, for reasons unknown, he would enter a state of extreme lethargy.
“He must be really bored,” Yoon-Hee whispered to Do-Jun in the kitchen, looking at Yong-Yong.
Sprawled on the sofa, staring blankly at the screen, his eyes looked as lifeless as a dead fish’s. As he watched TV, Yong-Yong effortlessly, and a little sarcastically, predicted the next lines of dialogue in the drama in a mocking tone.
“What are you even talking about?”
“You adorable little pup, are you trying to pick a fight with me?”
“Looks like he’s caught up on all the dramas,” Yoon-Hee whispered to Do-Jun.
Do-Jun silently watched Yong-Yong, who sat there with his mouth half-open, staring vacantly at the ceiling, completely out of it.
Well, this happened every now and then. It was nothing special.
***
Do-Jun was away handling business in the Core, and Yoon-Hee and Byeol had gone to their respective schools. The house was calm. Sunlight streamed softly through the clear glass windows, greeting the space with a warm glow.
What a beautiful and tranquil world. Wasn’t this wonderful?
“Ah... the luxury of a bowl of chocolate milk...” Yong-Yong muttered.
Sitting by the window, he closed his eyes and savored the rich aroma of chocolate. He took a sip from his bowl, chuckling to himself, then turned on the TV and flipped through the channels.
He smiled gently. He had already watched these dramas countless times. Then he began to cackle softly.
“
Heh
...
Hehehe
.”
Karsiel had been quietly studying at the low table in the living room. Sensing an ominous presence, she instinctively tried to make a discreet escape. It felt like the slightest trigger would set off an explosion.
Unfortunately, she locked eyes with Yong-Yong.
“I’m b...” He trailed off.
“B...?”
“I’m so b...”
“Pardon...?” Karsiel just couldn’t understand what Yong-Yong wanted to say.
Then, it began. Rolling across the floor, Yong-Yong howled in all directions—north, south, east, and west, “I’m... so... booorrrrred!”
Startled by the sudden outburst, Karsiel leaped onto the sofa. She sighed deeply, biting her lip in frustration.
“Not this again, Lord Izaas.”
Yes. She had seen this many times before. It occurred once every three months at the longest, or once a month at the shortest. And it always happened during months when no new dramas were released.
“Lord Izaas, if you’re that bored, why don’t you go outside?” she suggested.
“But... but...! I need to save my allowance! If I go out, I know I’ll lose control and spend it all! And then—oh! Then—oh! I’ll get caught by Master after making a mess, and I’ll have to write another reflection paper!”
He knows himself so well...
Karsiel couldn’t help but give him brownie points in her mind.
It was admirable that he was saving up to buy fried chicken for the family, but honestly, it would be better if he just went out and spent his money instead of throwing a fit like this. Besides, Karsiel could easily buy chicken with her own allowance. She had saved up more than a million won, thanks to the generous allowance Do-Jun gave her.
“Haaah... I have no choice.”
Yong-Yong finally stopped his dramatic rolling and lay sprawled out on the floor, blankly staring at the ceiling as if he had transcended earthly concerns.
Had he given up on going out? Karsiel felt an uneasy sense of foreboding.
“I’m heading out,” Yong-Yong suddenly declared.
“Where to?”
“City Hall.”
“Why there...? Master isn’t even there right now.”
“Just for fun. Is that so bad?”
“You’re not going to cause trouble, are you?” Karsiel asked cautiously.
“Don’t worry. I’ll behave myself,” Yong-Yong promised.
Karsiel paused thoughtfully. Out of all places, Seoul City Hall was actually the safest choice. He had no history of causing trouble there or at the Hunter’s Bureau, and there was no chance Yong-Yong would lose control and create a scene at Master’s workplace.
She finally relaxed. “Alright, be careful, Lord Izaas.”
“Okidokes.”
Just as he was about to leave, Yong-Yong stopped and looked back. “Actually, do you want to come with me? There’s nothing for you to do at home anyway.”
***
Seoul City Hall was located in a tall building, easily over twenty stories high.
Yong-Yong had been here countless times, whether following Do-Jun or coming alone, but this was Karsiel’s first time visiting without Do-Jun. She had accompanied him a few times when he worked late, but never on her own.
“Oh! Our Yong-Yong is here! And Karsiel too!
Hahaha
!” Cheol-Soo exclaimed as soon as he laid his eyes on the pair of adorable pets.
Apart from Hyuk-Soo, no one at City Hall knew that these two were actually dragons. As such, he looked slightly startled at their sudden visit. After all, Yong-Yong was the undisputed ruler of the Core.
“Oh my! How adorable! Look at those sparkling eyes! What was your name again?” someone asked.
“Hello, my name is Karsiel. I apologize for interrupting while you’re busy with work.”
“Wow, so polite! Do-Jun really trained his pets well.”
By now, no one questioned why these creatures could speak, act freely, and refrain from harming humans without control bracelets. They simply accepted it as normal. Only Hyuk-Soo flinched every time the dragons roamed around.
“Yong-Yong,” someone called in a sing-song voice, “Come here! I made some snacks for you.”
“
Teeheeeee
.” Giggling, Yong-Yong trotted over.
The treat was a handmade pie covered in strawberry jam. Taking two pieces, Yong-Yong happily munched on one and brought the other to Karsiel.
He whispered, “Hey, come on. Act cute.”
With strawberry jam smeared all over his mouth, he looked completely content. There wasn’t a trace of dignity befitting the Dragon Lord.
“Do it,” he urged.
Karsiel stared at him, speechless, thinking,
Yep, no dignity. Not one bit.
***
“Is that true?” Young-Chul asked to confirm.
“Yes, sir. It is undoubtedly an S-rank Great Fissure.”
“
Sigh
... What’s the wave level reading?”
“We’re still confirming the exact figures.”
Just two years ago, the emergence of a new S-rank Great Fissure would have sent the entire nation into a panic. However, thanks to Do-Jun’s assistance, the S-rank Hunters grew rapidly, significantly lessening the threat these Fissures posed.
However, there was one major issue. Most of the key S-rank Hunters were currently busy in the Core. Although they had established an advanced communication system using the Core Talismans, which allowed them to return in emergencies, this was intended as a last resort. Ideally, the remaining S-rank Hunters on the outside would have to handle the Great Fissure.
As long as it doesn’t exceed two thousand...
Young-Chul thought.
On the situation board, the size of the Fissure was steadily expanding.
“Sir, the reading just exceeded two thousand,” one staff member ed.
The location was Umyeonsan Mountain. Again. How did an S-rank Great Fissure appear there for a third time?
For most districts, experiencing even a single S-rank Great Fissure in a lifetime was a rare occurrence. But this was the third one at Umyeonsan Mountain alone. To make matters worse, it was quite literally the mountain behind Do-Jun’s house.
Young-Chul remembered that Do-Jun was currently in the Core.
“Three thousand!”
At the urgent shout from a staff member, Young-Chul’s face contorted. A reading of three thousand meant that the currently available S-rank Hunters wouldn’t be enough to raid it. Young-Chul debated on summoning the S-rank Hunters from the Core.
“S-sir!” A staff member gasped sharply, having caught a glimpse of something within the Great Fissure.
Young-Chul looked at the ninth panel, which the staffer had been monitoring. There, projected on the screen, was a massive pair of wings.
Is that a Wyvern? Wait, no...
Cold sweat trickled down Young-Chul’s face.
Wyvern wings aren’t that large.
Then, within the Fissure that was now practically confirmed as an S-rank, the monster’s head emerged.
Young-Chul’s eyes widened in shock. “A d-dragon?!”
“Sir! The reading just exceeded nine thousand!”
The Fissure’s danger level was rising exponentially. This was now beyond the scope of S-rank Hunters.
Young-Chul racked his brain. The best solution would be Do-Jun’s assistance, but he wasn’t available right now. Then, a name flashed in his mind—someone other than Do-Jun who could provide a definite solution.
“First, issue an evacuation order for the nearby residen—wait. How much time until Breakout?” he asked.
“Approximately three hours remaining, sir.”
“Hold off on the evacuation order for now.”
“Excuse me? B-but sir, it’s required by law—wait, where are you going? Sir!”
***
Meanwhile, at Seoul City Hall, Yong-Yong had eaten so many snacks gifted by the office staff that if someone gave him a slight push, he’d probably roll across the floor. Of course, that was just a figure of speech.
Karsiel, on the other hand, was starting to think they should head home soon. She felt they had imposed enough on the office staff. She curled up on top of Do-Jun’s desk, closing her eyes.
The door to the Fissure Management Division burst open, and the person who walked in was none other than Young-Chul, the Chief of the Hunter’s Bureau. The unexpected appearance of such a high-ranking official caused everyone to freeze before they quickly stood up. The first to greet him was Cheol-Soo, the Section Chief of the division.
Young-Chul gave a brief nod before quickly scanning the office, his gaze settling where Do-Jun’s spot was.
Thank goodness
, he thought, when he saw Yong-Yong there.
This could be resolved more easily than I thought.
In reality, Young-Chul had come intending to ask Yong-Yong to handle the situation. Of course, by handling, he didn’t mean killing the dragon. As the Dragon Lord, Yong-Yong could command other dragons. The plan was to have him resolve the issue by simply giving an order.
Who would dare defy the command of a Lord?
A smirk crept onto Young-Chul’s lips. However, he couldn’t just ask Yong-Yong directly. Revealing Yong-Yong’s true identity as the Dragon Lord would cause all kinds of complications. So Young-Chul decided to take a different approach.
With everyone in the Fissure Management Division now focused on him, he decided to make the situation public. That way, Yong-Yong would learn about the dragon’s appearance naturally and handle it through persuasion, resolving the crisis without spilling a single drop of blood.
“S-sir, what brings you here all of a sudden...?” Cheol-Soo stammered, caught off guard.
Ignoring the question, Young-Chul spoke urgently. “A dragon has appeared in Umyeonsan Mountain.”
“A-a dragon?! But sir, in such an urgent situation, why did you come to City Hall yourself inste—”
Young-Chul interrupted. “This isn’t the time to argue logistics. The priority right now is evacuating the citizens—”
“A dragon appeared, you say?” Yong-Yong interjected.
Good. He took the bait.
Young-Chul celebrated inwardly. Now things would progress smoothly.
“Yes! A dragon has appeared!” Young-Chul confirmed.
“Hah... These damn dragons...” Yong-Yong furrowed his brow in frustration.
Then, without another word, he grabbed a bag from somewhere, stormed toward the pantry, and started shoveling snacks into it.
“Just when I start to forget about them!”
The rustle of a bag of chips followed.
“They crawl out of some random places!”
Then a chocolate bar.
“And start causing trouble!”
Followed by several more items. Then, after stuffing his bag to the brim, he hesitated.
“Ah, I took too many.” Grumbling, Yong-Yong removed one snack from the bag before turning to Karsiel. “Karsiel! Let’s go deal with this troublemaker!”
With that, Yong-Yong bolted toward the automatic doors of the office, which slid open.
As they closed behind him, Karsiel watched him disappear into the distance. She debated whether to stop the troublemaker dragon or the one who was about to cause even more trouble.
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