Chapter 302: How to Persuade the Dragon King (1)

Seoul.
The undeniable capital of South Korea.
A city bustling and complex, ranking among the busiest in the world, where ten million people go about their lives.

Life here was truly dynamic, affecting people of all ages.
From street cleaners bustling before dawn, to salespeople tensely preparing for a critical meeting in the morning, to office workers hurriedly crossing the street to avoid being late, to bus drivers transporting them, to taxi drivers who used to be middle managers at major companies, to chicken shop owners hoping for better sales, to college students sending part-time job application texts, to students returning from military service, to professors scrutinizing their reports, to delivery workers picking up professors’ lunches—everyone vigorously lived their own lives.

That was Seoul.

And there, across several dimensional barriers, at the edge of the Lorasia continent’s eastern mountains, lay the Frontera estate’s guest room, where Dragon King Verkis scratched his flank.
“Zzzz…phew.”
His sleeping pose was impeccable, exuding an unblemishable relaxation. Whether the morning sun seeped through the curtains or a refreshing breeze fluttered them, his scratching adjusted rhythmically—from a leisurely andante when sunny, to an allegretto when breezy, escalating to a prestissimo resembling a Jimi Hendrix solo when he heard estate workers outside.

Despite this, Verkis never opened his eyes—too heavy-lidded, too bothersome to let in the light, or perhaps, he simply enjoyed his sleep too much. He had been rolling in bed for days, months, an enviable, leisurely routine to any hardworking Seoulite.

Yet, Verkis remained undisturbed, never waking. No one in Frontera could carelessly awaken him. Numerous attempts had been made—shouting, beating drums, even throwing lively dances. Still, he remained unrousable, the epitome of a slumbering guest room dragon.

Today, on such a typically bright morning, after months of failing to wake the Dragon King, a man with a significant smile silently opened the door to Verkis’ room.

“Ah, our dear Dragon King, still deep in sleep,” Lloyd remarked, unable to suppress a bitter smile. He couldn’t help but think, ‘He’s in the same sleeping pose as when I left to find clues for the Jewel of Truth.’

Indeed, the consistency was remarkable.

But now was not the time for mere admiration or observation.

‘The last core material of the Jewel of Truth. I need to go to Seoul for that.’

Lloyd’s smile faded, replaced by the memory of yesterday’s events at the vast Klarmas Plains, just after winning the bet with Ice Dragon Tirannus.

♣

“Seoul.”
“…Yes?”
The answer that fluttered through the plains’ air caught Lloyd off guard.
‘What did that Ice Dragon just say?’
He wondered if he had misheard due to the stress of the bet dissipating, or perhaps his ears were playing tricks on him. He almost wanted to ask the dragon to repeat it with a beat to ensure clarity.
Fortunately, or perhaps knowingly, the dragon repeated, “I said Seoul. Heard it now?”

“…Yes, I heard.”
“It’s a city in another dimension. A capital city crowded with a massive population, busy and glamorous. Ever heard of it?”
“No.”
Lloyd quickly answered, glancing at Javier to add, “It’s the first I’ve heard of it. But another dimension… What am I supposed to do?”

The absurdity of it all was overwhelming. ‘How is Seoul relevant here? And how am I supposed to get there?’

He was clueless and, frankly, reluctant. What if he couldn’t return?

But the Ice Dragon, perhaps sensing his apprehension, just smirked significantly. “What to do? Hmm, follow me first. Let’s gather the core materials you can find here, and then you’ll get your answers.”

“Understood.”
Lloyd nodded. The plan made sense. Collect the known core materials first—the second, found at the ice caves according to the Ice Dragon, then the third and fourth.

“Excuse me for a moment.”
He closed his eyes, focusing on his mana heart, and unfroze time. The ice barrier dome dissipated, and the intense cold withdrew.

[Magic Heart Skill Option: Time Freeze has ended.]

The moment the ice melted, Lloyd felt an icy clench in his heart as if ice cream was plastered over it. The usual transient chill didn’t fade this time. Even employing Asrahan techniques didn’t help.

“Sigh.”
With a heavy sigh, Lloyd opened his eyes, realizing, ‘The Ice Dragon was right about the side effects of the Heart of Winter.’

No need for elaborate explanations or understanding the magical principles—the persistent chill was proof enough.

“Damn. I’ll need to suppress the side effects with Asrahan techniques for now.”
But preventing the restoration of fate was the priority. With that in mind, Lloyd proceeded.

He bid farewell to the Centaur tribe and rode north across the plains on Yongyong to where the second core material, Taupo, was located. The reward was sweet.

[Ding-dong.]

[You have obtained all 16 pieces of Taupo, a core material of the Jewel of Truth, Aotearoa, destroyed at the end of the Mythic Age.]

[This is a historically rare archaeological achievement. Your name will be long remembered in the historical records as a key discoverer of the Jewel of Truth’s core materials.]

[A massive amount of RP has been specially awarded for this rare achievement.]

[You have gained 2,200 RP.]

[Current RP: 3,955]

‘Yes!’ Lloyd clenched his fist. More RP than expected, but he wasn’t satisfied yet. “Dragon King Tirannus, shall we go then?”

“…Tsk. Let’s go.”
The Ice Dragon’s magic was formidable, teleporting everyone, including Javier and Yongyong, in a single gesture.

When they opened their eyes, they were inside the tranquil ice caves, not the windy mountain peak. There, two more core materials awaited—Hauraki and Takapuna.

The rewards continued to be sweet, earning 2,400 and 2,600 RP respectively, totaling 5,000 RP.

Now, with 8,955 RP, Lloyd was wealthier but not satisfied. The last core material still needed to be found, or all efforts would be in vain.

“So, after much thought, could Dragon King Verkis… send me to Seoul?”

“Huh. Guessed that, did you?”
“Yes. Since he sent the last core material across dimensions.”

“A good guess and the right one. Anyway, are you expecting a round trip?”
“Hmm, possibly?”
“It’s a complex magic. I can’t do it right, but Verkis might, since he devised it.”
“Is he capable?”
“Yes.”
“Only two can send something precisely to another dimension and return it—my son Verkis and my daughter Flores.”
“Verkis and Flores…”
“Yes, brilliant siblings. But Flores is traveling, location unknown. Only Verkis can safely send you to another dimension now. He’s usually in the Mar Dragon caves…”

“He’s at my house, actually.”
“Huh?”
The Ice Dragon paused, perplexed.
Lloyd shrugged, “He’s probably rolling around sleeping at my place. There were… reasons.”
“Reasons?”
“Roughly…”
Lloyd briefly explained how he had ended up bringing Verkis to Frontera.
The Ice Dragon chuckled. “Typical of him. So, you’re heading home then?”
“Yes, that’s the plan. I was about to ask if you could…”
“I’m not going.”
“I hadn’t asked yet.”
“You just did, subtly loaded with hope and desire.”
“…”
“Don’t take continuous kindness for granted.”
“…Yes, sorry.”

Lloyd sighed internally, realizing he might have overstepped. He swiftly backed off, only asking for a teleportation service from the ice caves back to Frontera.

Now, this morning, he arrived back at the estate’s guest room in just a few steps from the Antarctic ice caves.

‘And to see him still sprawling there.’
Lloyd chuckled, recalling the journey. He cleared his throat and whispered to the still-sleeping Dragon King.

“Um, Lord Dragon King? I’ve brought your wife, no… the Dragon Queen, here.”

At those words, the previously deep-in-slumber Dragon King’s eyes snapped open.