Fwaat!
The dragons and the shamans were shining in response to the power of the Dragon Palace.
They stood under the sea, and when Hwangryong finished his greeting, everything in the Dragon Palace shone.
The dark deep sea seemed bright because of the light from the palace.
I could even see outside the boundary of the palace which I couldn’t see earlier.
‘The earth is as strong outside as inside the Dragon Palace.’
When I turned my gaze outside because of the eye-popping bright light, the terrain caught my eye.
I realized that the bottom of the sea isn’t flat like a swimming pool.
A ridge with a steep mountain range, a trench that seemed to lead to the other side.
Intermittent waves from deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
A five-colored reef under the influence of the Dragon Palace.
The scenery was fantastic, to say the least, but at the same time, it was terrifying.
‘If the boundary around the Dragon Palace collapses, we’ll be thrown into the deep sea.’
The more unfamiliar and unrealistic the scene is, the more likely it is to be a difficult place for life to survive.
And we have traitors here with us.
I was prepared, but I was nervous to face enemies in this unfamiliar place.
I often felt this way when I was a chess player because not many tournaments were held in Korea.
I had to get used to fighting alone in unfamiliar places.
I was stunned for a moment when my thoughts reached that far.
‘It was always the case when I was a chess player, and it was the same when I suddenly arrived in this world…’
I came across it in PMH, but I was still a stranger in this world.
I had to fight in a world that I didn’t know.
But at some point, I think I’ve become accustomed to living in the tiger’s mansion and comfortable with Eungwang High’s environment.
I can’t believe I’m nervous about fighting in a strange place again.
I went to the underworld just recently, but I wasn’t nervous because I wasn’t there to fight.
“…Jo Euishin-gun?”
I must’ve been immersed in my thoughts.
Kim Shinrok called my name and I came back to my senses.
I turned my head and saw Kim Shinrok and Jeokho.
Behind Jeokho was Yong Jegun.
Yoon Yeorang, my playable character, was also seen as she looked at the Dragon Palace with exclamations.
When I saw them, my nervousness gradually faded.
Rather than disappearing, I think other emotions took over.
“I was just looking outside. It’s hard to take my eyes off the view since it’s not something I see every day.”
“…Is that so?”
Kim Shinrok didn’t ask any further after I gave a moderate excuse.
Jeokho tried to say something to me, but before he could, the light of the Dragon Palace subsided and Hwangryong spoke.
“The Dragon Palace welcomes you. It shines to the point where your eyes hurt. This must be why it’s hard for you to stay here.”
“It won’t hurt if you wear a blindfold.”
“That’s for you and me, Yong Jegun.”
Hwangryong was generous enough to entertain Yong Jegun.
On the other hand, Cheongryong must be tired from seeing Yong Jegun like that especially since he used up a lot of power for the transfer.
Hwangryong continued when the candidates, who blinked their eyes from the bright lights, calmed down.
“As you already know, this test will be longer than before. I’m planning to organize everything to make your stay easier.”
It sounded like hospitality, but for me who knew the situation, it sounded different.
As expected, Hwangryong is planning to change the Dragon Palace’s structure.
Jeokho and Yong Jegun talked about this before.
— I’ve been mapping the Dragon Palace’s structure from memory.
— Hwangryong can manipulate the palace’s structure, so there’s a possibility that this would change. Since Jeokho-ssi, an outsider, visited, he’ll surely reconstruct it.
— Is it possible to increase the number of rooms or the length of corridors
— If it’s just Hwangryong’s power alone, then no. If the size of the palace is going to be changed, it needs the Dragon King’s power.
— Then we have to think of this map as kind of a jigsaw puzzle.
By way of comparison, Hwangryong can manipulate a huge three-dimensional puzzle which is the Dragon Palace.
Only the Dragon King can increase its overall size and space, but Hwangryong can assemble the puzzle to his desired shape.
In other words, the Dragon Palace can change its appearance from moment to moment.
‘It’s the worst condition for Yoon Yeorang who’s bad at directions.’
On the other hand, the shamans who planned Yoon Yeorang’s assassination had a deep understanding of the Dragon Palace.
Because of that, it’s more difficult to get Yoon Yeorang out of their claws.
‘All of the dragons called to the palace said they know well its principle.’
Care was taken in the selection of the dragons who would come with us.
As a result of concessions and compromises, five dragons were chosen.
They showed no signs of agitation even when the Dragon Palace shone to the point that their eyes hurt.
“You must’ve been tired from the transfer, so go and take a rest. I’m going to hold a welcome banquet tomorrow. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you.”
That’s how the first meeting between the guests of the Dragon Palace ended.
After that, we each headed to the place where we would stay.
Me and the tiger guests headed to the Blue Dragon Palace.
The dragons and the shamans from earth are going to the Yellow Dragon Palace.
The candidates are headed to the Red Dragon Palace.
It’s been a long time since he went to the Dragon Palace, but instead of staying at the place that bore his name, Cheongryong said he was heading to the Yellow Dragon Palace too.
“He said he wanted to spend time with the shamans who he hadn’t seen for a long time. I don’t know what game they’re going to play, so I’ll go ahead and watch.”
“Should I go too?”
“Yong Jegun, shouldn’t there be at least one dragon left in the Blue Dragon Palace? Explain to us the structure.”
“Euishin seemed to know better than me.”
Yong Jegun spouted some nonsense, but he explained it properly before Cheongryong left.
It’s like reviewing what I already heard, but it wasn’t bad.
When dinner time came, Unryong came to serve some seafood dishes.
Unryong explained by gesturing something over the cloud.
Of course, since I wasn’t a dragon, I didn’t understand a thing.
“It’s a dish prepared by the Dragon Palace shamans. They must’ve worked hard for the guests.”
Yong Jegun translated it as so.
Kim Shinrok and Jeokho nodded and expressed gratitude in a cliche but polite tone.
I added after the tigers.
“Thank you. Please tell them we received it well.”
As we settled down in front of the table, Unryong looked with anticipation.
He must be looking forward to if the food suited to our taste.
Unryong floated on the cloud and stared so hard that it was burdensome.
Before we picked up the tableware, Yong Jegun spoke.
“It will be hard for the guests if there’s an unfamiliar dragon around. I am a dragon that they’re familiar with, so I’ll watch them instead.”
“…”
Kim Shinrok looked like he lost his appetite after Yong Jegun spoke.
His words were from a place of consideration, but just the fact that Yong Jegun made Kim Shinrok upset.
Unryong threw clouds a few times at Yong Jegun’s mouth and blindfold, but he eventually left.
Hwiii…
After confirming that Unryong had completely left, the corners of Yong Jegun’s mouth rose.
“Alright, enjoy your meal.”
Yong Jegun was looking down at the table with anticipation.
Like so, the dinner and breakfast the next day went according to plan.
Finally, the second day came.
Hwangryong visited us at the Blue Dragon Palace.
“Did you sleep well, Hwangryong? It’s been a long time since you greeted me in the morning.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve received your greetings, Yong Jegun.”
“I know. But I thought you would come to the candidates first.”
“They are still resting.”
Even if they suffered less, the candidates must’ve also been in shock from the transfer.
I don’t know about the other candidates, but I think Yoon Yeorang will wake up excitedly and look around the Dragon Palace.
While I was thinking about Yoon Yeorang, Hwangryong talked to me.
“Has your motion sickness subsided?”
Hwangryong worried about me despite his hectic schedule.
I’m the only human other than the candidates, so it can’t be helped.
“Yes. I’m comfortable now, thanks to your hospitality.”
“I see. I can’t believe Yong Jegun’s student is such an excellent and polite child.”
“Yeah, my student is quite nice.”
Yong Jegun’s student!
I felt as if something heavy hit my head.
It wasn’t wrong.
Yong Jegun is my second homeroom teacher, so I really am his student.
But it was a bit…
I think all our classmates would feel the same if they heard it.
Then, I suddenly realized something.
‘Oh, then should I say that Hwang Jiho is also Yong Jegun’s student?’
Even though I can’t see him, I can imagine Hwang Jiho making a subtle expression.
What a shame, I would’ve enjoyed it if I saw it in person.
Even after the aftermath of being called Yong Jegun’s “student,” the conversation continued.
Hwangryong’s questions were directed at Kim Shinrok.
When such a conversation flowed for quite a while, Hwangryong said with a smile,
“You can’t take your eyes off my blindfold.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Kim Shinrok averted his gaze in a hurry.
Although he responded relatively calmly to Yong Jegun’s jokes, Kim Shinrok was very shaken this time.
It’s obvious why he’s interested in Hwangryong’s blindfold.
‘The design is similar to Yong Jegun’s. Does it bother him?’
It caught my attention too, but I didn’t dig into it because I could easily guess its origin.
I wonder why Kim Shinrok is bothered about that.
‘It must be made by the same person. It could be Hwangryong or one of the shamans, but if the latter made it, I’m sure Yong Jegun wouldn’t wear it. That means Hwangryong made the blindfold.’
Hwangryong confirmed my theory.
“I gave Yong Jegun his blindfold when he visited the palace with your father.”
“…May I ask who made it?”
“I made it myself. I felt vaguely that Yong Jegun was raising his divinity.”
Kim Shinrok’s face turned blank.
Was that information unexpected?
Perhaps it was because Kim Shinrok stiffened, but after Hwangryong spoke, the surroundings turned quiet.
Hwangryong spoke softly.
“It’s been quite a while since Yong Jegun started to grow his divinity. It must be from a long time ago, during some battle…”
“Hwangryong.”
Yong Jegun cut off Hwangryong’s words.
Other than calling his name, Yong Jegun only smiled and said nothing.
There was no pressure or sharpness in his words that made the atmosphere strange, but the conversation didn’t continue after that.
“I’ll have to go now. The shamans from earth said they’d stay at the White Dragon Palace after relaxing, so I’ll have to reorganize the palace.”
Hwangryong got up.
Before leaving, he looked at the tiger guest whose speech decreased significantly.
“I think the guests want to tell me something, but now must not be the right time. We have a few more days, so I can wait.”
Hwangryong spoke as if he had read my mind.
No, it felt like he read all our minds.
After Yong Jegun and Kim Shinrok, Hwangryong slowly stared at Jeokho and lastly at me.
“Alright, I’ll look for you later.”
I accepted Hwangryong’s invitation.
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