“Kuuek. Keek. Kehekk.”
A white chick that still couldn’t fly properly soon plopped down like a small ball of cotton on the head of the sprawled-out Imoogi.
It ended up with a baby bird perched on its head.
‘What’s this? How is this baby bird sitting so balanced like that?’
Suppressing a baffled chuckle, he spat out the grass stuck to his lips.
Brushing off the dust, he stood up and looked at the white sphere in front of him.
‘I did bring this firefly-like thing, but…’
[ㅇㅁㅇ;;;;;!!]
This situation was beyond Rai’s wildest imagination.
Not only had the hatchling accurately used one of the high-level magic spells, teleportation, but it had also completely left the lair.
“Kuuek. Keek.”
‘Hey, calm down.’
[ㅇㅁㅇ!!;;]
Rai flew around frantically, clearly flustered.
Unfortunately, the Imoogi wasn’t skilled at soothing anyone, so he just scratched his cheek and watched for a moment.
‘Cristina used to do this easily, but is it really that surprising?’
It was indeed more shocking than expected that the young hatchling had used teleportation magic he hadn’t even been taught.
Come to think of it, if it were natural for an ordinary hatchling to use teleportation magic, they wouldn’t have ended up with just one firefly-like thing.
‘Tch. Nothing can be done about it now that it’s already used.’
Rather than dwelling on what had already happened, he thought it better to figure out what to do next. So he surveyed the surroundings to grasp the situation.
“Kuuek. Keek…….”
‘Where is this?’
He could distinctly see the direction to Cristina’s lair.
Only the roof part not obscured by trees was visible, which formed a golden, translucent dome.
Feeling that the lair wasn’t far away, the Imoogi decided to walk around and check out the surroundings.
Rai followed along, not knowing what to do, while the young bird, perched like an ornament on the Imoogi’s head, started to look around.
Crunch, crunch.
Though lush flowers and thick trees grew wildly, they coexisted without encroaching on each other.
It was full of things that seemed familiar yet different from the world he had been in.
It looked like a dense jungle but had the orderly feel of a garden.
For the Imoogi, who had lived in a place where not even a single blade of grass grew properly, this scenery was unfamiliar.
‘This is what it looks like outside the lair.’
Everywhere he went, there were living, breathing entities. Grass, trees, small animals, birds, and butterflies.
The Imoogi slowly inhaled and exhaled.
‘This land and the lair are interconnected like a single piece of nature.’
The lair was a massive heart of mana.
In other words, it was like the heart, and the surrounding land nurtured life by receiving mana from it.
‘I get the gist of it.’
Having grasped the situation, the Imoogi stretched to loosen his stiff body, and Rai looked at him helplessly.
“Kuuek. Keek. Kehekk-!”
The baby bird atop the Imoogi’s head spread its wings and let out a vigorous cry.
Enjoying the refreshing outside air, it chirped happily, looking back at Rai.
“Kuuek. Keek. Kehekk”
[ㅇㅅㅇ!]
Hearing that pure cry, Rai came to his senses.
These were beings that Cristina had taken a liking to.
Also, they were beings Cristina had personally asked Rai to ensure their safety.
Rai wanted to protect and guard them well.
Even though the essence he felt from the Imoogi was of a type that the light spirit, Rai, found distasteful, they were beings Cristina cherished.
Rai, having calmed his mind, softly circled around the baby bird, emanating a warm light.
Then he flew ahead of the Imoogi and the baby bird, scattering a soft glow.
[ㅇㅅㅇ~]
Rai took the lead to guide them toward the lair’s direction.
‘This firefly-like fellow seems to want us to go this way.’
The Imoogi glanced at Rai and started to walk according to the spirit’s guidance.
Though he appeared worried, Rai guided them along the safest paths he could find.
The white baby bird, watching him intently, shook a tuft of black feathers sticking out, making a questioning chirp at the Imoogi.
“ku?”
Sensing the bird’s question, ‘Is it safe to follow?’, the Imoogi nodded.
“Kuuek. Keek. Kehekk.”
“Kuuek.”
The bird responded concisely and settled down.
Following Rai’s guidance obediently, the Imoogi thought to himself.
‘If I had intended to leave him behind from the start, I would have come without him when using teleportation magic.’
If any problem arose from this outing, there would surely be more restrictions on his actions in the future.
Therefore, even if he went outside, he needed to show that he would return properly following Rai’s guidance.
It would be ideal to present himself as a smart hatchling capable of using teleportation magic but not venturing far alone and maintaining self-control.
‘Cristina is someone who values ability. If she deems the child she’s taken in to have talent beyond a certain standard, she may actually help to develop that ability.’
Fortunately, Cristina seemed to genuinely wish for the Imoogi’s well-being, so it looked quite possible if he could appeal to that sentiment.
On top of that, he could relieve some frustration and get a sense of the surroundings near the lair, so it would be perfect as long as he returned well.
‘I’m worried I might handle things too smartly and arouse suspicion.’
Everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly.
But not everything went as planned.
For instance, he might suddenly encounter a life-threatening situation while trying to return.
“ Kehekk?”
‘Wait a moment. What’s this?’
As the Imoogi walked through the forest, he noticed a particularly bitter yet distinctive-smelling plant.
It was ginseng, also known as Korean ginseng.
Moreover, it was the heavenly seed variety, called Cheonjong !
Opening his eyes wide, he approached cautiously to examine the ginseng.
‘……Remarkable. Truly extraordinary, as befits something grown in a sacred mountain. The energy feels different.’
He couldn’t help but repeatedly marvel.
‘Wouldn’t eating this help me regain my strength?’
With a flash of an idea, his eyes twinkled.
Swallowing his saliva, he reached out his hand toward the herb.
[(ﾟДﾟ;≡;ﾟдﾟ)]
As if greatly alarmed, Rai flew in front of his hand, glowing and blocking his way.
‘This firefly…’
The Imoogi’s face twisted in irritation.
Sensing his displeasure, the baby bird flapped its wings and flew up.
[(ﾟДﾟ;≡;ﾟдﾟ)!]
Rai fluttered around confusingly, as if trying to prevent him from touching the plant.
It blinked its light and crossed rapidly in front of him in an X shape.
The Imoogi tried to catch Rai but found it impossible.
‘This firefly-like guy, how is he so fast?’
Ignoring Rai and reaching for the herb, Rai flew frantically in front of his face, making expressive lights.
‘Agh, annoying.’
When the Imoogi swatted Rai away with his hand, the light creature appeared with a ( ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ ) expression and flew back in.
At the same time, the baby bird, sensing an opportunity, leapt off the Imoogi’s head and body-slammed into Rai.
“Kuuek. Keek!”
‘Good job!’
Seizing the chance before Rai could cause more interference, the Imoogi pulled out the herb.
Without giving anyone time to stop him, he brushed off the dirt and stuffed it into his mouth.
Crunch!
He could taste the soil, but he thought that once he ate it, the annoying firefly would give up, so he kept crunching it down.
Gulp.
‘Yuck, it tastes bad.’
But, confident that Rai wouldn’t be able to bother him anymore, he turned around triumphantly.
Kkeuuu, kkeaaakkk!
“……Kkuu?”
From the half-consumed herb came a sharp scream loud enough to shatter eardrums.
At the same time, he felt a wave of nausea and dizziness.
Dropping the herb, he staggered, unable to maintain his balance.
“Kuuek. Keek. Kehekk!”
“Beep, beep, beep, beep! Byaak! Byak?”
The startled baby bird ran over in panic, while Rai hovered around, unsure of what to do.
Kiieeeek! Kyaaaakkk!
The root of the herb, lying on the ground, screamed even more wildly, while he was overcome by a terrible dizziness.
‘Damn it. Wasn’t this the ginseng I knew?’
The world began to spin chaotically.
10 episodes later
Even when he tried to cover his ears, the sonic waves pierced through his body.
It felt like his vitality was being twisted.
“……Kaak!”
Something was very wrong.
He tried to vomit what he had eaten, but nothing came out.
What he had pulled out wasn’t ginseng but a plant called , which screams when uprooted and kills anyone who hears it.
Though it was a potent medicinale herb, obtaining it meant risking death.
Knowing this, the light spirit Rai floated around, not knowing what to do
.
[ ( ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )!!! ]
Rai’s entire being pleaded for help.
Although some plants and distant animals briefly looked over at Rai’s desperate plea, there was no one who could drown out the Mandrake’s screams.
“……Ugh.”
Just when the Imoogi thought this might be the end, gasping for breath, he collapsed.
Whoooosh
Ssshhhhh
A gust of wind blew.
Kieeeek… eeeee….
The wind formed an air barrier around the screaming Mandrake.
Simultaneously, the wind wrapped around the collapsed Imoogi, shielding him from the mandrake sound.
In the tightening air pressure, the Mandrake found itself in a vacuum.
Its scream started to lessen.
After complete silence, only the soft sound of the wind remained.
Suddenly, the atmosphere around them fell still.
Amidst the silence, soft footsteps approached, rustling the grass.
[ㅇㅁㅇ!]
“Byak… Akk!”
A startled Rai, with tear-filled, glittering eyes, along with the baby bird, looked at the owner with green hair.
The person, with calm, empty eyes like a dark forest, felt uniquely out of place compared to Cristina’s lair.
“…….”
Without saying a word, he approached the fallen Imoogi.
“Keuk. Kehuk.”
Then he took out a round pill and popped it into the Imoogi’s mouth.
It instantly melted like jelly in the Imoogi’s mouth, flowing down his throat like water.
Feeling relief from the pain and regaining his senses, the Imoogi looked up at him.
“Kyuu… U.”
‘Who…?’
“……”
The savior, who had rescued the Imoogi from peril, turned away without a word.
Feeling the sudden disappearance of his presence, the Imoogi slumped, gradually recovering.
Although drenched in cold sweat, his condition slowly improved.
Meanwhile, Cristina was facing a giant red dragon named Pasyas.
“It’s been a while, Pasyas.”
The massive, red body with golden eyes filled the vast stalactite cave.
[Is that you, Cristina?]
An issue that necessitated a direct meeting was being addressed, but he remained unaware of her intentions.
However, it didn’t sit well with Pasyas, the elder of the red dragons.
Allowing an audience with someone who didn’t even disclose their business was a concession made only because Cristina was an elder of the gold dragons.
Nonetheless, there was a certain displeasure he couldn’t hide.
As a result, Pasyas’ attitude remained somewhat relaxed.
“Go on, speak.”
Thud.
The stalactite cave was grand and beautiful, but it was a tight fit for two dragon bodies.
Knowing this, Cristina chose not to assume her dragon form and instead perched on a protruding rock in front of Pasyas.
