Dragon Maken War

However, she became confused the more she interacted with him.

‘First, it is his magic.’

Atein’s ability to apply his magic had risen to an unbelievable level. Atein used his magic with speed, precision and efficiency. He was the embodiment of magic, and he was what all magicians strived to be.

However, the spells he were using wasn’t surprising at all. Laura and Yuren had expected Atein to use spells that they didn’t know about. However, they could discern the final product by how he was using his magical energy. They were able to cope with the spells.

‘Moreover, part of his magic is outdated.’

Was it because Atein was a figure from 220 years ago? While time passed, the Plain of Darkness had diligently progressed in the study of magic. It didn’t matter how much magical energy was possessed by Atein. His spell’s effectiveness had fallen behind.

For some reason, it was hard to accept that fact.

Atein, Aunsaurus and Baldazark were magicians that had transcended the standard of their era. Atein was the founder and the pinnacle of magic. It had only been 220 years, so why did his magic feel so outdated?

‘This is odd.’

The Great Darkness and the Road of Emptiness..... Then there were the numerous other miraculous artifacts left behind in the Plain of Darkness. If one analyzed each of them, one would have a hard time grasping how these items were created. They were on an entirely different level.

She could say this with certainty. No other magicians in the past 220 years within the Plain of Darkness had been able to come close to the techniques developed by Atein.

Suddenly Arrieta spoke.

“Atein.”

7

Atein turned his gaze towards Arrieta, who had spoken his name.

Arrieta had become marginalized in this fight. It wasn’t, because she didn’t have enough power. She still hadn’t acquired her Dragon Soul, but she would be an asset fighting in concert with Laura and Yuren.

The problem was Azell. Azell was close to death, so someone had to look after him. Moreover, if an opportunity presented itself, she had to run away with Azell. When facing a strong opponent like Atein, the weakest amongst the three had to take on this assignment. Naturally, Arrieta had to take on that role.

Arrieta continued to speak.

“I am Arrieta Weil Rulain. It is said that I am your descendant.”

“I’ve read about your information. Why are you bringing up that fact?”

“Of course, I’m not expecting you to go easy on me for being your kin. From what I’ve heard, there are over several thousand beings that is of your own flesh and blood. Is that correct?”

“It isn’t.”

“Mmm?”

“If we are talking about bloodlines propagated by me, the number should be in the ten thousands at the very least. There are bloodlines that continue to this day, but there are also the broken bloodlines.....”

“.......”

“My life is too long to be measure by everyone else’s standard. I’ve directly sired many, and several hundred generations of descendants had resulted from it. Isn’t it an obvious result?”

Atein sounded amused as he spoke, but it was truly a shocking information.

For a brief moment, she was at a loss for words.

Arrieta spoke.

“This is... I knew Azell was a pretty big playboy, but you are on an entirely different level.”

“Ha ha ha. My enemy, Azell, must have left behind a lot of descendants. However, the process of me leaving behind descendants probably differs a bit from what you are imagining.”

“How?”

“This era accepts certain actions and knowledge to be common sense. It would take me too long to explain how they became to be common sense, but you should try imagining it. It was an era where humans separated by a mere mountain didn’t communicate with each other. It was an era where humans killed other humans, and people practiced cannibalism. The Dragons were a calamity, and they prevented the humans from expanding their territory.”

His words drove home the large span of history he was talking about. Everyone listening to his words knew that Atein had lived through that era.

Arrieta furrowed her brows.

“It sounds like an excuse made up by a man that had no self-restraint. You used your nether region as you please, and your explanation is such a reach that it makes me feel faint. I asked you why you touched so many women, yet you are going to blame it on history and legends. You truly are a great being.”

“.......”

For a brief moment, Laura and Yuren looked at Arrieta with a stupefied expression on their face. Atein’s eyes widened as if she had scored a point against him.

Arrieta smirked.

“Well, all right. I brought up being your descendant as a self-introduction. The fact that I’m your descendant gave me trouble in the past from your followers, so I brought it up.”

“Is it something I have to apologize for?”

Atein tilted his head. Arrieta spoke.

“I might feel a bit better if I heard an apology.”

“Then I will apologize. In terms of a human’s sense of time, it is an action too far in the future to assign blame. For me, it is within the time frame to be sufficiently be called as being part of my life.”

Atein elegantly bowed his head. Arrieta laughed.

“You are my ancestor. All men praise you for being a legend, so it is an honor that you’ve lowered your head. I want to ask you the question I’m most curious about. However, before I do that do you mind me asking you another question?”

“I don’t feel any affections for my descendants, but I’m willing to acquiesce to that request.”

“I heard from your son that you were the one to create the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual.”

“My son?”

For a brief moment, Atein’s eyes widened. He tilted his head in puzzlement. It didn’t take him too long for him to realize what she was talking about.

“Hmm. If it is right now.... Teedar and Glacian is dead. So are you talking about Saibein?”

“That’s right.”

“I see. He is still alive.”

Atein nodded his head as he spoke, and his words made the party feel uneasy. In the beginning, it was as if Atein hadn’t known he still had a son. Next, his attitude indicated that he didn’t care much about not knowing about his son.

During the Dragon Demon war, Atein had three queens.

The first queen was Aincera. The second queen was Tedrin. The third queen was Kayalia.

Aincera had a daughter named Rebecca, and she bore Atein two sons.

Tedrin bore him two sons named Teedar and Glacian.

Kayalia had no children.

Amongst his children, only Saibein was still alive. All the others were killed in battle. That is why Atein should have naturally thought about Saibein, so why did he react like that?

As Atein spoke more, the sense that something was wrong grew stronger. There were too many holes to this situation.

Atein spoke.

“That’s right. I created the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual. Did you want to confirm that fact with me?”

“No.”

Arrieta quickly broke out of her thoughts as she shook her head from side to side. Atein queried her.

“What are you curious about?”

“It is a question I just had when I heard your story. Atein, were you perhaps behind the legend of Babel?”

The legend of Babel was the reason why the world was using a single language.

It was a legend. It had been hard to believe that a single figure could be responsible for such a feat.

Atein spoke as if it was no big deal.

“I also did that.”

“As expected.......”

Arrieta had received an answer she had expected, yet she shuddered. Both the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual and the story of Babel were stuff of legends. However, humanity had forgotten about the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual. The story of Babel held a different weight compared to the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual.

Arrieta gulped as she queried him.

“Why did you do that?”

“I did it, because I can. Are you satisfied with that answer?”

“It isn’t enough.”

“Then I’ll expand on my answer. It isn’t too different from the story you know. At the time, I thought many of the tragedies suffered by humanity was based on having different languages. If everyone could speak the same language, I thought these misfortunes would disappear. I thought everyone would understand and love each other... I carried out my work believing in this. I worked at it for a truly long time even by my standard.”

Atein had been considered a legend well before humanity had written history.

“At the time, magic was much more primitive. That is why I took on disciples when I needed talented individuals around me. I researched with them as if my life depended on it. I gathered those that wanted to realize the essence of magic. I gathered those that harbored desire to change the world.... I gathered a lot of them, yet it took around 1000 years.”

“.......”

Atein spoke in a calm manner, but the party was overwhelmed by his words.

Atein had tried to changed the world through good intentions.

This wasn’t on the same level as placing rules and a societal system, so humans could live as a group. What he tried to accomplish was like the process of union and birth. It was considered to be the natural order of the world.

In order to accomplish his goal, he had taught magic to countless people, and they had worked collaboratively. None of the people around him lived to see the work to the end, yet he continued to work hard to achieve his goal.

Above all else, he had finally achieved his goal. He worked for a long period of time. It was a thousand years. He was able to make the whole world speak a single language.

“It didn’t take me too long to realize that I had failed. I had to accept that fact, and I accepted this fact much faster than the time I had invested in this venture. Humans didn’t love and understand each other, because they spoke the same language. I was naive and foolish. It was like the time I created the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual.”

He let out a bitter laugh. Arrieta realized that she was shaking.

She was terrified. This man was talking about legends yet it was the story of his life. He had changed the fate of countless individuals, yet he was talking about it like a normal frustration in his life.

The being in front of her was the main character in the legends. She could now understand why the Dragon Demon King worshippers worshipped him as a god.

Atein continued to speak.

“Is that answer acceptable?”

“...it is enough. However, if it is as you’ve said, you keep repeating the greatest failures of your life. You unified the language of the world. You reset the relationship between the Dragons and humans. Then you tried to conquer the world with your army to create an ideal society.....”

“Yes. They were all failures. However, I cannot stop. I know it won’t work, but how can I give up? I’m still alive, and there is work to be done.”

“I usually like an iron will, but.... I think it would have been ok if you gave up along the way.”

“On that point, we clearly differ in opinion. I see failure in my future, and I accept that. However, I have no plan on stopping. The failures are just burdens that I will have to carry in my life.”

Atein shook his head from side to side. Arrieta asked him a question.

“That means you know your plan will clearly fail, but you will still try it out?”

“I didn’t say that. Hmm. I think I might have misspoken. However, it doesn’t matter.”

Atein mumbled to himself before he spoke.

“It has been fun conversing with you, but I should start doing my work. My descendant, Arrieta Weil Rulain, ask me what you are truly curious about. I will answer it.”

“...you said you don’t plan on killing Azell.”

Arrieta realized that Atein had made a firm statement.

Half the reason for the conversation was to buy some time. Atein knew this, yet he had indulged her request. However, that was at an end.

“We know that you cursed Azell, so you could make him into a Dragon Demon general.”

“I don’t know how you found that out, but your are correct.”

“Why did you do that?”