Dance with the Dragon
Using a seismic bomb to extract Eresnium was a very simple task.
First, Kals and I drew our Sword Spirits and carved a deep notch into one corner of the cliff.
Then, in that newly made hole, we planted the seismic bomb.
"...And boom."
Simple as that.
['Small Seismic Bomb' is being activated.]
[Danger: Extremely hazardous. Please evacuate immediately.]
Rrrrmmmm...
As the item began operating, we could feel a subtle vibration under our feet even from a good distance away.
And then—
KWA-A-A-A-A-ANG!
Part of the mountain shattered.
A whole section of the cliff was cleanly sliced off and collapsed downward.
The seismic bomb wasn't an explosive weapon—it induced seismic waves that made the surrounding minerals resonate violently.
If controlled properly, it could split a rock wall however one wanted.
The result was a cliff cleaved so neatly it looked like a god had struck it with an axe.
"Wow..."
"Good heavens..."
Seeing Kals and Tyrbaen gaping side by side was rather amusing.
"Is it that impressive?"
"If this doesn't impress you, Your Highness, I don't know what would."
"No mage could alter terrain in such a simple way. Remarkable."
Was it, though?
If you asked me, this dragon egg was the more fascinating sight.
I suppose it's a matter of perspective.
Smiling quietly, I walked closer to the collapsed cliff.
Amid the fallen rocks, palm-sized blue metallic fragments shimmered faintly.
That was Eresnium.
***
[Mineral] A gem said to enhance all matter and grant strong vitality to living beings.
State: Unrefined ore
As if prepared to feed a hatchling, the rare metal was scattered near the lair.
Truthfully, there are rarer metals than Eresnium.
The strongest metal known, Calicodium.
Migallunium, blessed by the gods deep underground.
Obioteen, which changes its form when exposed to mana...
Those metals were harder to find than Eresnium.
But—
In terms of value, Eresnium was the undisputed number one.
And not just for humans—this ranking held true for all living creatures.
Why?
Because the supply of Eresnium was absurdly small compared to its demand.
To give an example, that Calicodium—
It was mainly used for weapons and armor, and its incredible strength made it hard to forge. Only a few master blacksmiths could handle it.
At least a high-rank dwarven smith or a top-tier elven artisan is required to even touch it.
Once forged, Calicodium tools were nearly indestructible.
Thus, it was valuable—but its limited use meant its demand wasn't particularly high either.
The same went for other rare metals.
All had their unique properties, and their worth was defined by the balance between rarity and usability.
That's how value was determined in the first place.
But Eresnium was different.
Eresnium was prized above all by mages.
Its ability to strengthen materials and invigorate life made it endlessly useful as a magical reagent.
But it wasn't only mages who sought it.
Priests of the temples.
Knights of the armies.
Races of the forests and deserts.
Even ordinary NPCs with no relation to combat.
Everyone wanted Eresnium.
The reason was simple—
Because the metal was very soft.
Snap.
Soft enough to break apart with bare hands.
And with its low melting point, it's easy to mix with other materials.
No wonder everyone coveted it.
And for me—
Crack.
It was perfect to break into small bits and feed to a hatchling.
Watching the little dragon nibble away at it would be adorable.
"Alright, shall we start picking them up?"
Kals, Tyrbaen, and I began walking around, gathering the Eresnium fragments.
"If we sell all the Eresnium here, we could buy a mansion in the center of Kertion, Your Highness."
"Oh? Planning to set up your newlywed home already?"
"...Pardon? What do you mean?"
Playing innocent, huh.
"Don't be so greedy. Just pick up as much as you can fit in your inventory."
"Hmm, are you sure we should leave the rest? It's quite precious."
"This area's restricted—no one else will come this way."
"I doubt the necromancers of the Far Eastern Sea would care about such restrictions."
...Necromancers of the Far Eastern Sea.
Right, there's a quest involving them too.
They stood apart from the Empire, the Revolutionaries, and the Beastfolk in the three-way war, but they occasionally entered the continent to wreak havoc.
The Revolutionaries, especially, were often their punching bags, fighting small border skirmishes against them.
But they're unlikely to come this far inland.
If something did happen, I'd deal with it when the time came.
By then, I'd probably be flying with a dragon anyway.
Right now, it seems more likely we'll end up clashing with the Duchy of Wyler.
...Well, that wouldn't be so bad either.
I chuckled softly, imagining what was unfolding in Aulrax.
"Your Highness, we're done."
"My inventory's full too."
Alright.
"Then let's head back."
Through the ruined monastery—back to Aulrax.
['Red and Small Dragon Egg' is undergoing incubation.]
[Current progress: 31%...]
***
By the time we returned to the abandoned monastery and finished dinner, I heard a faint, peculiar sound coming from the egg.
Now I was lying on the bed, cradling the small nest with the egg in my arms.
"You look like a brooding hen, holding it like that."
"When you have a dragon of your own, Master, I guarantee you'll be doing the same thing—if not warmer."
With my stomach full, drowsiness began to wash over me.
Kals was already nodding off.
Still, I kept circulating my mana slowly, letting the hatchling inside the egg feel my energy.
It was an important process—to imprint my presence on the little one before it hatched.
'And honestly, moving mana is more fun than I expected.'
Handling the mana flowing out from my Mana Heart felt like slowly moving my limbs in warm water.
It was a little hard to breathe, but a gentle warmth enveloped everything around me.
And making that "water" move according to my will brought an indescribably special feeling.
Gilroshan, you poor guy.
The original owner of this body hadn't enjoyed any of this.
So I couldn't help feeling both sympathy and guilt toward Gilroshan.
Was it really okay for me to indulge myself using his body like this?
A faint pang tugged at the corner of my heart.
Then, the little witch who'd been staring at me suddenly spoke.
"This is only the beginning, my disciple."
"...Huh?"
What's she on about all of a sudden?
"What do you mean, 'the beginning'?"
"I mean your life is only beginning now, you frozen-hearted prince."
...My life is beginning now?
I let out a small, awkward laugh—but couldn't say anything back.
It felt like she'd seen right through the thoughts I'd been hiding.
"So stop making that sly grin that doesn't suit someone who just started learning magic, understand?"
"When did I ever grin slyly? It was a gentle, sweet smile."
"That kind of smile isn't something a brat like you can pull off."
"Oh, but I'm sure Sir Silion of yours could manage it, Master?"
"...Shut up."
While the deeply asleep Kals lay between us, Tyrbaen and I traded pointless jokes.
And then—
Crackle...!
The dragon egg suddenly shook violently, nearly bouncing out of the basket.
"W-What the—!"
Startled, I shot upright.
The trembling shell was a familiar sight, yet still shocking.
"...No way?"
A hatchling!
The little dragon was cracking through the shell that had surrounded it, struggling to emerge into the world.
I couldn't help but panic.
What's going on? It's too soon for this!
Before dinner, the progress had only been 79%.
It should've taken at least until dawn to reach 100%.
And yet...
The egg had started hatching now.
What the hell?!
[Incubation progress has reached 100%.]
['Red and Small Dragon Egg' shell is breaking!]
"Oh my! The egg is hatching! Wh-What do we do?! What should we do now?!"
Tyrbaen immediately dropped her "ancient witch" act and began panicking like a nineteen-year-old girl.
"W-Whoa! The dragon's egg? So the hatchling's coming out now, Your Highness?!"
Kals jolted awake, flustered as well.
Ugh, what a commotion!
"Both of you—quiet!"
"..."
"..."
Alright, calm down.
I fixed my eyes on the constantly quivering egg and pulled up everything I remembered.
All my knowledge about hatchlings.
If the egg suddenly accelerates hatching progress when the player isn't monitoring it...
Yes, I knew this sign.
It was that omen.
...Which meant we had a serious problem.
Let's wait and see for now.
Crack, crackle.
The surface of the egg fractured further.
Through the gaps, a tiny glimmer appeared—
Bright, vivid red eyes.
"Piiiii..."
They were the same color as the mad Emperor Vareshan from my visions.
But unlike that lunatic, the hatchling gave a frail, gentle cry toward me.
It struggled to break the rest of the shell, crawling its way toward me.
"Piik, piiik."
It was the most wondrous sight imaginable—the birth of new life.
"..."
All of us—me, Kals, Tyrbaen—were struck speechless.
Especially me; my body trembled from shock and joy.
This is nothing like what I saw in the game.
There, it was just a simple animation—a few cracks, a baby dragon popping out in CGI.
But this... this was a sacred moment. A real, living being coming into the world.
After what felt both like an instant and an eternity—
"Piik, piik."
A small, beautiful baby dragon finally broke free of its shell.
I gently lifted the tiny creature into my hands.
An indescribable, burning emotion swelled in my chest.
Was this... what a parent's heart felt like?
Can I even feel this, when I've only held it for a day?
[A new dragon has been born and has begun following you.]
[You may name your dragon.]
"Your Highness, what will you name the dragon?"
Kals' smiling question brought me back to reality.
Sure enough, the hatchling's color was unmistakable.
...Black.
The egg I'd picked had beaten a 1% chance—producing a troublesome Black Dragon.
Oh, great.
I stared at the little dragon chirping at me and sank into thought.
Would it really be alright for me to raise this creature?
"..."
As much as I pitied it, I couldn't help but evaluate the situation.
***
[Monster] Among the mighty Dragonkin, its power varies drastically between individuals. No one knows how strong it may become.
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