Episode 1188
by Cristae“Strictly speaking, it’s not impossible.”
You might not understand it if you call it jealousy, but surprisingly, as you learn magic, these things happen sometimes.
A phenomenon where one magic interferes with the execution of another.
There were various reasons for it.
It could be just a difference in difficulty, or because of rules imposed by extra-dimensional beings entangled with that magic, or because training in one magic makes it harder to practice another.
“In order to transform into a dragon, you need to be recognized by the dragon race itself. So maybe magic has its own conditions.”
“Isn’t that a bit petty?”
Carnella said with a tone of disbelief.
Of course, Jarun’s guess made sense, but that didn’t make it any less petty.
To have a restriction that you have to master dragon transformation before anything else, just because they’re a noble race…
For such a refined, complete race, it was a bit…
“Power and pettiness are different things. You can tell just by looking at the headmaster. If you read the ancient dwarven records, you’ll see how petty dragons were.”
‘Honestly, in that case, wasn’t it the dwarves’ fault for mining right under a sleeping dragon…’
Carnella thought this silently.
She’d actually said that out loud once before and almost ended up never speaking to her senior again.
Jarun, being a top-notch miner, was well-versed in dwarven records, including all the incidents they’d been involved in.
He’d seize any chance to recount those stories and claim, “Dwarves were wronged.”
But to Carnella, it sure seemed like it was the dwarves who decided to dig noisily right under a napping dragon…
“Why so quiet? Are you thinking something else?”
“Ah, no. Not at all, senior. Dragons really were so unfair!”
Carnella quickly made excuses, under Jarun’s suspicious gaze.
“…Well, dragons might not have been interfering magically. It could just be a matter of magical structure.”
“What do you mean by structure?”
“That kid’s got so much mana. In that case, with transformations, the usual forms might not fit easily.”
“!”
That actually made a lot of sense to Carnella.
Other magicians might have found it absurd, but the sheer amount of mana the junior had was already beyond normal standards.
You had to adjust your perspective to match.
Normally, when casting transformation magic, the magician tries to fit the standards of the target form…
…but sometimes it’s the target form that has to try and fit the magician’s standards.
From that perspective, it was understandable for him to keep turning into a dragon.
During transformation, you could easily lose control of your mana, and then, by instinct, you’d end up in the form most familiar and best able to handle your mana.
In that junior’s case, that’d most likely be the dragon.
“You were able to turn just part of your body into a basilisk, right? Once he gets used to dragon transformation, he’ll probably be able to try other forms too.”
“You should’ve said that in the first place! That’s way more convincing than jealousy!”
“I still think dragons being jealous is more believable, though.”
Jarun looked at his junior as if to say, “Come on.” Carnella hastily switched positions.
“Actually, I thought dragons being jealous was more believable too. Dragons, you know.”
“So what’s the actual reason?”
Lee Han asked in a tired voice.
It was frustrating hearing them mumble to each other and not getting an answer.
“It’s probably because of the dragons’ jealousy.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s shocking, but the senior’s right. You need to accept it, junior.”
Carnella gave an agreeing nod, mouthing the words,
‘Because of the amount of mana, dragon form is easier.’
“……”
Lee Han almost replied, but stopped. Multiple transformation attempts had left him very exhausted.
‘I’m definitely asking someone else next time…’
He could not figure out what was going on with these two.
Fortunately, Lee Han managed to maintain the form before he collapsed.
“Thirty minutes or so? Anything beyond that is too much. In fact, when you first start, even less time is better.”
Jarun gave some advice to his junior in dragon form.
It was best not to push yourself when you didn’t have much experience with transformation magic. Gradually build up over time.
“Until you get comfortable, I suggest not trying other forms.”
-Even basilisk?
The baby basilisk cried plaintively, but the magicians couldn’t hear it. Lee Han, too tired, just nodded.
“Hm. Really is a beautiful creature, though.”
Jarun muttered in a low voice. Carnella, surprised, asked,
“Wait, senior, didn’t you have a grudge against dragons?”
“That’s separate from the truth. Dragons are powerful and beautiful creatures.”
“Right! Just look at those gorgeous wings and scales. If you entered a polo tournament, you’d trample every other creature.”
Although Lord Joulin couldn’t be fielded, if it was the junior, maybe there was still a chance.
Carnella’s eyes blazed with ambition.
Jarun, oblivious to her crazy ambitions, continued,
“Look at those pitch-black scales. No gem can reproduce that color.”
…Wait, why is it a black dragon?
Exhausted and holding his form, Lee Han finally spoke up out of curiosity.
It was a little funny to ask while transformed, but he hadn’t been thinking of any particular dragon color when he did it.
But clearly, he’d become a pitch-black black dragon.
Why was that?
“Maybe you hung around black dragons too much?”
“No way? The dragon the junior’s friendly with is definitely a gold dragon.”
Carnella said, puzzled.
Lord Joulin, who followed the junior everywhere, was definitely a gold dragon.
“How would you know, Hormasi? He could be closer to some other dragon.”
“Could he…? Hm. Maybe.”
Jarun’s retort made Carnella nod.
Friendships were tough to assess from the outside.
Maybe he was friendlier with the Black Dragon who’d recently become inspector…
‘Come to think of it, he did play the right-hand role.’
Absolutely not!
Lee Han, forgetting his exhaustion, suddenly shouted.
No matter how tired he was, he couldn’t just let that stand. If Joulin found out, who knows what would happen.
‘Would Your Highness attack Uman? …But they’re siblings…’
“It’s hard even for you to know your own heart. It’s natural to prefer helpful dragons over clingy ones.”
Lee Han snorted, blasting Jarun down a slope in the basement.
“Hey!”
Stop spreading weird rumors.
“That was just one idea! You’re way too hasty, brat…”
Jarun grumbled, tromping back up.
If it wasn’t about friendship, there were other possible reasons.
“Have you been handling a lot of dark element or spending time with big shots in black magic lately? You might have been unconsciously influenced.”
Yes!
Lee Han replied with delight.
He’d met some famous black magicians and, through them, the Most Wise and Most Cantankerous Hag they followed.
Hearing the reasonable explanation, Lee Han sighed in relief.
But Jarun remained skeptical.
“Are you sure you aren’t imagining things? Unless it’s something truly big, that doesn’t affect transformations easily.”
I met top black magicians in the Empire and the otherworldly being they worship. Satisfied?
‘He’s clearly lying.’
‘Isn’t that the most obvious excuse ever?’
The two seniors frowned at the blatant setup.
Even so, they nodded with pleasant faces. It was their junior, and besides, he was still in dragon form.
Not provoking your comrade when they were in the form of a powerful animal was a transformation magician’s rule.
All the more so when it was a junior’s first dragon transformation.
“I see. If that’s the case, turning into a black dragon makes sense.”
“Really does, junior.”
…Fine. Anyway, can’t I change the color?
“Color? Why be so hung up on it?”
For dragons, color was meaningless.
Some gossips claimed a dragon’s scale color reflected their mindset and powers, but in fact, it was more a matter of taste and choice.
Rather than waste practice time on that, wouldn’t it be wiser to work on something else?
I really need to. Especially, I need to be able to become gold.
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
When Lee Han gave him a serious look, the two seniors shuddered. Transforming into a dragon and spilling mana, that presence was truly overwhelming.
“If you want gold, maybe… spend more time with a gold dragon…”
Anything else?
Lee Han grimaced.
The only gold dragon he could spend more time with was Joulin, but Joulin was weirdly perceptive in the strangest ways.
If she figured out Lee Han could now transform into a dragon, it’d be a real hassle.
‘And if it’s black dragon, who knows what could happen.’
-Hmph. You should just be grateful you can turn into a dragon at all.
The baby basilisk grumbled.
No matter how close a friend, envy was envy.
“…Are you two really friends?”
“Shh. Maybe their relationship soured. Don’t pry, senior.”
The two seniors eyed Lee Han, who was avoiding contact with Joulin, with suspicion.
That black dragon transformation… maybe they weren’t as close after all?
“Hmm. Another option… You could play around with some gold to get used to its traits…”
“Oh! Senior, you can just lend some gold, then!”
“Are you nuts?”
Jarun instantly stiffened.
He wouldn’t give up gold even if his parents asked.
Let alone to a junior?
“I said lend, not give.”
“Same thing!”
“And your junior stole a professor’s artifact for you.”
“…That’s…”
It’s never been officially acknowledged, strictly speaking.
“R-right.”
Carnella was a bit flustered by Lee Han’s precise reply.
Poof!
Lee Han returned to human form, brushing dust off his hands and legs.
Dragon power was certainly strong, but wielding it properly would take time.
-Sniff. When do you think you’ll be able to do basilisk next?
“…I’ll try my best. Sorry I don’t have the talent.”
“……”
“……”
Jarun and Carnella stared at their junior in shock and disgust.
Turn into a dragon after just a day, and that’s what you have to say?
‘What an insufferable brat.’
Jarun was anew reminded why he never summoned his juniors.
Juniors were nothing but a pain.
“I’ll try to gather some gold and practice.”
“Oh, come on. How much could you have? Just ask your senior.”
At this, Jarun muttered in old dwarven,
“■■■■ ■■.”
‘No idea what he said, but that’s obviously a curse.’
Anyway, Lee Han shook his head.
Maybe in the past, but now he’d built up a decent stash. All thanks to constant, diligent work.
“I have some saved myself.”
“How much?”
Curious, Carnella sidled up to Lee Han and asked for a whisper.
“So… about this much…”
“What… that much?!”
Carnella’s eyes bulged as she glanced at Lee Han, then Jarun.
And finally, she looked at Jarun with a gaze of pity and sympathy.
‘After all those years in the basement, and it’s only…’
“What’s up with that look?!”