[Complete the Beastfolk Alliance’s request. Time remaining: 156 hours 13 minutes.] Few things in life ever occur exactly as planned. I had learned that truth long before coming to the Tower of Ordeal, and my time here had only reinforced it. This time was no exception. Realizing that Parein would be on the same dragon carriage as us didn’t change the fact that we couldn’t prevent it. Sure, I could have tried intimidating him into backing off, but there was no guarantee it would work. Moreover, if it provoked him into lashing out, things would only spiral into more of a mess. If we got caught in a dispute and had to reveal that we were using fake identities—or worse, members of a foreign nation’s intelligence organization—we wouldn’t even be allowed to board. Even though Langley had managed to forge documents at the mercenary guild, this was an entirely different country. We didn’t have any allies here. If the authorities decided to investigate deeper, it would waste my precious time. There was no telling how that delay would impact my ability to conquer the floor. Not that it would be any better for Parein either. At the end of the day, I had the most to lose. Not just time, but my life. Although I briefly considered forcibly removing Parein, that wasn’t a good option either. A total of seven other passengers were already rising from their seats. With so few of us, every individual stood out. The station staff were already observing us closely, so there was no way I could just make him disappear without raising suspicions. If someone abruptly vanished before boarding, the employees would immediately notice. Parein himself seemed momentarily startled that we were to board the same carriage. Though he quickly turned away, I caught a look of recognition flicker across his face. Langley and I turned to each other. Her expression, tinged with unease, conveyed everything she wasn’t saying aloud. Despite this irritating obstacle, we had to board the dragon carriage. How we handled it and moved forward mattered more in the end. If Parein was heading toward the same destination as us, that likely meant he was somehow tied to this trial. Of course, it could still be a mere coincidence. For now, I would keep a close watch over his actions and react accordingly. A station employee’s voice rang through the crowd. “Final boarding call! The dragon carriage to Quinan departs in five minutes! The next departure to Daksukur is in thirty minutes! If you need to use the restroom, go now! Have your tickets ready for boarding!” Langley turned to me. “Are you alright?” As we moved forward to submit our tickets, I caught Parein sneaking glances in our direction. Is he trying to determine whether this is an actual mission? Or is he still second-guessing if we are truly lovers? Wait, is he just uncomfortable? I had no idea. Even though I returned his gaze with a sharp look of my own, he didn’t stop. The constant, prying glances were starting to grate on my nerves. Langley, too, was visibly uncomfortable. Then, the pettiness within me suggested something. Wouldn’t it be hilarious to act like an actual couple? The more I thought about it, the more appealing the idea became. What annoyed me most wasn’t the fact that he was continuously suspecting us, but that I had to sit there and take it. If I were the one playing with him, however, that changed everything. Climbers often had fragile mental states, so it was crucial to find ways to relieve stress. Messing with Parein sounded like a damn good stress reliever. Of course, Langley’s opinion mattered too. “Do you still have lingering feelings for Parein?” Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt She shook her head slightly. “I thought I did... but after last time? Not really.” Judging by her complicated expression earlier, that didn’t seem to be the whole truth. Perhaps what she felt wasn’t affection but just a sense of unfinished business. Well, asking wouldn’t hurt. “We’re supposed to be posing as lovers, right?” “Yes. Wait, don’t tell me—” Langley caught on almost immediately. “Getting side-eyed is fairly annoying.” She let out a quiet chuckle. “Payback does sound entertaining.” Of course, I wasn’t planning to take things too far. Resting a casual arm over her shoulder should be enough to make Parein seethe. I was about to ask if she was fine with it, but before I could, Langley smoothly linked her arm around mine. “This much should be fine, right?” “I was actually going to ask if I could just put a hand on your shoulder.” “Won’t this be more convincing? I mean, we may as well commit.” “Do whatever makes you comfortable.” Parein’s face visibly darkened, twisting in sheer contempt. When our eyes met, he shot me a dagger-sharp glare, only to immediately look away the moment I returned it. In all honesty, I couldn't blame him. If I were in his position, I would probably be pissed too. Still, I didn’t know what gave him the confidence to lash out. He knew damn well he didn’t stand a chance against someone who had bested a swordmaster. With Parein burning holes into my back, Langley and I crossed the station and stepped into an open clearing. Seven dragons stood in a neat formation, harnessed and ready for departure. I locked eyes with the dragon positioned at the very front. The beast tilted its head, then its eyes went wide. Crying loudly, it sprang up from its resting position and lunged toward me. The chain jerked tight and held it back, although the thick iron stake anchoring it shuddered under the strain. “What the—? What’s happening?!” Langley gasped. The station workers were just as alarmed. “Calm down! Hekle! Hekle!” I assumed it was the dragon’s name, but the creature ignored them, its gaze locked onto me. My best guess was that they were reacting to the earrings I had equipped the night before. I took a step forward, and the station workers panicked. “Sir, please step back!” I ignored their protests and kept walking. Reaching out, I lowered my voice. “Calm down.” The dragon instantly settled, causing the workers to fall into stunned silence, confused. I closed the remaining distance. As I approached, the dragon knelt, closed its eyes, and lowered its head toward me. This is just like what Herkest did after I healed him. I placed a hand atop its massive skull and gently ran my fingers over its scales. A deep, rumbling purr resonated through its throat, reminiscent of a contented cat. Huh. Up close, it is actually kind of adorable. The station workers let out a collective sigh of relief. That relief quickly turned into horror—the commotion had drawn the attention of every single dragon in the field. The situation only calmed down after I petted every last dragon. Unfortunately, this resulted in a slight delay in our departure. Hey, it isn’t my fault. It isn’t like I asked the dragons to adore me. Sure, I had expected some level of deference, but even I hadn’t foreseen this level of chaos. After all, I had put on the earrings for the dragonkin. Just as I was catching my breath from the extensive petting session, Langley remarked. “The dragons seem to like you.” “How did you do that?” “I’m not entirely sure myself.” “You wield the spirit of the ancient tree, and now dragons are fawning over you as well. You certainly have a knack for attracting the extraordinary.” Not knowing how to respond, I just let out a somewhat awkward chuckle. Langley, however, gave me a skeptical look. “Wait, you’re not some ancient dragon who survived from the old era, are you?” “The way you seem clueless about worldly matters, your overwhelming combat prowess, your connection to spirits, and now dragons treating you with reverence.” As she spoke, it was as if she were piecing together a puzzle in her mind. Her eyes suddenly widened in realization. “There have been rumors that the surviving dragons have been disguising themselves! It’s true, isn’t it? You’re using polymorph to maintain a human form—” I cut her off with a flat, serious tone. “Langley. No.” She burst into laughter. Apparently, she had just been messing with me. Maybe pretending to be lovers had made her feel comfortable enough to joke around with me. Still grinning, she teased, “Be careful. But don’t worry. I’ll keep your secret safe.” “Yeah. Thanks for that.” Langley chuckled again, then mused, “In any case, I’m glad I entrusted this mission to you. If even dragons adore you, perhaps the dragonkin will take a liking to you as well.” Instead of answering directly to her sharply intuitive comment, I deflected. With that, I turned away and climbed the steps of the dragon carriage. The interior could seat around fourteen passengers, but only five people had entered besides us. One noblewoman, two knights—presumably her bodyguards—one man who looked like a mercenary, and Parein. Parein cleared his throat, his arms crossed as he watched Langley and me step in. “Ahem.” The carriage’s interior resembled a small aircraft, with compact windows lining the sides and every seat facing forward. Aside from Parein, who sat in the center, the other passengers had taken seats toward the front. Is the back considered a bad spot, like in a bus? Regardless, I didn’t have any complaints. I had no interest in sitting near Parein or giving him the satisfaction of having my back turned to him. At the driver’s signal, the dragon carriage lifted into the sky. [Complete the Beastfolk Alliance’s request. Time remaining: 152 hours 2 minutes.] Thankfully, the journey itself proved to be uneventful. The dragons flew at impressive speeds, making the flight relatively short. Apart from Parein stealing glances at us under the pretense of gazing out the window, there was nothing noteworthy. Every time he did, Langley would casually link her arm around mine. He has to be aware that this is deliberate. Somewhere deep down, Parein knew we were doing this just to mess with him. Despite that, whatever lingering attachment he held toward Langley was enough to cloud his reasoning, fueling his frustration and resentment instead. He had to have cared for her deeply. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be reacting this way. Eventually, we arrived outside the fortified city of Quinan. As soon as we disembarked, the dragons once again rushed toward me in an overwhelming display of affection. The situation caused a bit of a scene, but I managed to handle it. Parein vanished the moment he set foot on solid ground. Langley let out a quiet sigh of relief as she watched him disappear into the city. Something felt off, though. I had a nagging feeling we would be running into him again very soon. I nodded and followed Langley onto another dragon carriage. The Dragons’ Grave was still a considerable distance away, making this our only real choice. The previous carriage had only taken us as far as Quinan since the ones stationed in this region were restricted to local routes. At the signal, the dragons took flight once more. A breathtaking sight unfolded below. Unlike Balaran, where forests and greenery stretched endlessly beyond the city walls, this landscape was the polar opposite. Reddish-brown hills rolled out into the horizon, forming a vast, rugged terrain reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Following the winding ravines would eventually lead us to the Dragons’ Grave. At least, that was what Langley had said. The journey would take around thirty minutes at best. For now, I simply enjoyed the passing scenery. After some time, Langley moved to the front of the carriage, leaned toward the driver’s compartment, and asked, “Would you be able to take us directly to the Dragons’ Grave?” “Hah? Absolutely not! That's restricted airspace!” Langley casually reached into her bag and handed the driver a heavy pouch. She whispered something too quiet for me to hear. Whatever it was, it worked. The dragon carriage slowly veered off course. Ten minutes later, the driver turned back toward us and shouted over the wind, “I’ll drop you off, but this was your decision!” “Listen, arriving on a dragon will make you a prime target. Those vagrants down there will be watching, so stay on guard!” Despite his warning, Langley sounded completely unconcerned. It was likely because she knew I was here. I shifted my focus back to the ravine below. Now that I had seen the place firsthand, the search seemed even more daunting. The towering cliffs stretched endlessly, deep fissures carving through the landscape. We had to figure out how the hell we were going to find a hidden legacy in a place . Since the dragonkin had undoubtedly searched this area before, and countless outlaws lived here, someone else would’ve already taken it had it been easy to find. Honestly, I would rather just go straight to the dragonkin and negotiate on the basis that the scale tokens will work. Considering that we had come all this way, though, it felt wrong not to at least look. As we flew over the ravine, I could feel watchful eyes tracking us from below. They were the so-called vagrants and criminals who lived here. Some of them had decently strong auras. Nothing close to Redirun’s level, but if they came at us in numbers, things could get annoying. “There! Drop us off there!” At Langley’s command, the dragon carriage began to descend. That was when it hit me. A chill ran down my spine. It was a sharp, piercing sensation like a needle pressing against my nape. It wasn’t a direct threat to my life, but something with deadly intent was heading in our direction. I stood up, gripping my axe tightly in one hand. A beam of violet light streaked through the air. It was so fast that even my training with Angelina couldn’t have prepared me to react to it. There wasn’t even enough time for Flash Strike to make a difference. The violet-hued blast tore through the dragon’s torso.