Chapter 1235: 222. Wrath (VIII)

“Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was the most beautiful city in the world...”

...

A gentle breeze swept through the flowers. Butterflies danced gracefully through the air.

The warm sunlight hung down like a gauze curtain, coating everything in the world with bright colors.

Moss covered the ancient stone walls, yet the patterns belonging to the distant past still retained their simple and elegant beauty.

Muen opened his eyes.

He looked around in confusion. His gaze swept across the somewhat familiar streets and houses, his fingertips brushed over the ancient, mottled wall, and finally, he turned around and looked at the people coming and going along the street.

This was Tars.

In an instant, Muen understood where this place was, because whether it was the phantom of the past he had seen among those ruins, or the New Tars he had measured with his own two feet... the images in his memories were rapidly overlapping with this place.

However, there were still some slight differences in the details. For example, this place appeared even more ancient, and the traces left by time felt far more real. But aside from that... neither the phantom of the past Muen had once witnessed nor the perfect city created by the survivors through the power of an Evil God could compare to how this place... sparkled.

This should have been a city that truly existed, a city built not through some kind of chaotic power, but through the effort and sweat of the people who lived here. It had even endured that period of great chaos and undergone unimaginable trials and disasters... There was no reason it should have been this perfect.

In other words...

“So this really is... the softest place in your heart?”

Muen murmured softly.

“Quick, quick... Big Brother Clarence said that a special guest seems to have arrived in the city today!”

Groups of still-childish boys and girls raced along the street. The spinning pinwheels in their hands were like holy swords cutting through every obstacle, guiding them as they wove through the crowd.

Quite a few people laughed and scolded them for it... but they merely laughed and scolded. There was not the slightest trace of blame or anger in their eyes. In this city bathed in sunlight, everyone was so kind and approachable.

“Hey, young man.”

Someone suddenly called out to Muen.

Muen turned his head and saw a middle-aged man from a fruit shop tossing him an apple.

“You look so sad standing there all by yourself. Don’t tell me your girlfriend dumped you? Here, have an apple. It’s on me.”

“Do I really look that miserable?” Muen rubbed the corner of his eye with one hand.

“Haha, let me tell you, I’m an old veteran of romance myself. When I was young, I passed through a field of ten thousand flowers without letting a single leaf touch me. I can tell what happened to a romantic novice like you with a single glance! Come on, eat the apple. At times like this, something sweet will make you feel better.”

The fruit shop owner laughed loudly... and then someone grabbed him by the ear.

“Huh? Wife? What are you doing? Ah... I’m watching the shop! I’m watching the shop! I definitely wasn’t taking the opportunity to secretly look at the young girls passing outside. You have to believe me, you have to...”

Watching the man being dragged back inside, the corner of Muen’s mouth twitched... Perhaps you really did once pass through a field of ten thousand flowers without letting a single leaf touch you, but in the end, you still accidentally fell into the hands of the most terrifying man-eating flower of them all.

Muen shrugged, raised the apple, and took a bite...

Then his expression froze slightly.

He remained stunned for quite a while before lowering his head and smiling with complicated emotions.

“You were always saying that the survivors were dreaming about Tars... but isn’t your own dream just as ridiculous?”

How could there possibly be an apple this sweet in the world...

...

...

Muen followed the flow of people and arrived at the liveliest place in the city.

An unknown number of people had gathered there, forming three layers inside and three layers outside, blocking the area so tightly that not even water could pass through.

It seemed that something truly rare and extraordinary had happened, but there was not much panic or fear among the spectators, only curiosity.

“I heard a special guest has arrived?”

“Yes. The third uncle of my neighbor’s second nephew is in the city guard. He just told me that this guest’s identity is truly incredible. It is actually one of the legendary dragons!”

“A dragon? Aren’t those beings that disappeared long, long ago and now only appear in storybooks?”

“That’s why even the City Lord was alarmed this time. Look, all the important figures in the city have come.”

“That’s true... It has been a long time since I last saw such a grand occasion...”

All the whispers around him entered Muen’s ears. He looked toward several elevated places and indeed discovered many figures who appeared extremely powerful hiding in the shadows.

But even under these circumstances, no one released any hostility. They seemed to be merely observing in silence, quietly watching how the situation would develop.

Muen found a relatively good position and directed his attention toward the very center of the crowd.

There, a familiar enormous black dragon lay prostrate on the ground. Her wings drooped powerlessly at her sides. Her scales reflected the sunlight and gave off a gemstone-like brilliance, but they were stained by her own blood, making them appear dim and filthy.

Miss Dragon.

Muen still recognized her at a glance.

She was clearly so elegant, powerful, and beautiful, yet recently, whenever she appeared before him, she was always so wretched and lonely.

As though she did not belong in this entire world.

“Roar...”

A scorching wave of air rushed toward the crowd. The severely wounded dragon barely lifted her head, her golden eyes coldly sweeping across the densely packed people around her as she released a threatening low growl...

A black dragon that had suddenly intruded.

The citizens of the city facing a threat.

In any other story, the two sides would inevitably have already begun confronting each other with weapons drawn. Perhaps, through one coincidental misunderstanding after another, the situation would even have developed into a bloody slaughter between them.

But here, it did not.

The important figures hidden in the shadows remained vigilant, but they did not take the initiative to attack.

Although some of the more timid citizens among the spectators retreated in fear, no one made any disrespectful move.

They possessed no hostility whatsoever. Naturally... a small misunderstanding and a minor conflict would not be able to provoke consequences that could no longer be reconciled.

They even...

Rustle...

The pinwheel spun.

Under the gazes of the many citizens and the puzzled eyes of the dragon, an innocent little girl held up her favorite toy and cautiously approached...

“Whoosh...”

The dragon was dissatisfied at being underestimated in such a manner and deliberately breathed out an even stronger current of air...

“Hee-hee.”

But that only made the pinwheel in the little girl’s hand spin even faster.

Perhaps believing that the dragon was playing with her, the little girl became even bolder. She even walked directly in front of the dragon, opened her large, bright, watery eyes, and met the pair of golden pupils that looked down upon all things.

For a long moment.

A long moment during which everyone held their breath.

“Big Sister Dragon...”

The little girl suddenly raised the pinwheel and called out the same gentle form of address that had never changed from eight hundred years ago to the present.

“Welcome to Tars!”

“...”

At that moment, Muen saw the pair of golden dragon pupils tremble.

“You...”

“Big Sister Dragon... does it hurt badly?”

The little girl gently embraced the dragon’s head, her small hand stroking the scales covered in blood and filth. For her, this should have been an extremely disrespectful action, yet for some unknown reason, the mighty dragon could not even free herself from the little girl’s hand.

After hesitating for a moment, one dragon claw finally reached out gently and touched the tiny pinwheel.

All hostility and vigilance melted away like ice and snow. The sunlight adorned one smiling face after another, creating an unimaginable warmth.

“Welcome!”

The crowd applauded and cheered. The noise surged like a tide as several powerful figures revealed themselves and voluntarily began treating the injuries of this special guest.

The lonely dragon stared at everything before her in confusion, while also feeling the tiny warmth in front of her.

For her, this seemed to be the beginning of everything.

Just like the beautiful opening of a play.

...

...

At night, the entire city was brightly illuminated.

An incomparably lively festival celebration was taking place.

Nearly every resident of Tars had taken to the streets and squares, immersing themselves in the noisy and passionate atmosphere.

Lovely young women whispered to one another along the roadside, imagining what kind of mothers they would become in the future.

Hot-blooded young men fought among themselves over a ridiculous, bizarre mask.

An elegant young man was showing off an ancient clock he had just inherited from his father to the female companion beside him. It was said to have once belonged to the first City Lord and to conceal an unimaginable secret.

Muen sat in a corner, sipping little by little at fruit wine so delicious it seemed impossible, but his gaze never once left the black-dressed young woman in the center.

Miss Dragon was dancing to the music.

At this moment, she had transformed into human form. She was not as tall as the version Muen knew, who even stood a head above him, but instead possessed the perfectly ordinary figure of a young woman.

Her long, fiery-red hair bounced with the rhythm. She still liked long black dresses just as much as ever, but compared to the thorn-covered dress Muen was familiar with, the gauze hem of her current dress flowed gently, making her appear much softer.

Like melted dark chocolate.

Muen simply sat there and watched that piece of dark chocolate twist back and forth.

“Haha, Big Sister Dragon dances so badly.”

Miss Dragon’s dancing drew laughter that contained no hostility whatsoever. Several familiar and unfamiliar faces quietly poked their heads out from the corners.

“It really is awful...” Even Muen could not help sighing softly.

The steps Miss Dragon was dancing at this moment were clumsy and ridiculous, completely different from the kind of dancing Muen was familiar with that could easily captivate him. Every step landed on the wrong beat. It was nothing more than a stiff imitation of the people around her.

Yet she believed she was dancing extremely well, and her golden eyes were filled with contempt for everyone around her... Therefore, after hearing the laughter, she became very angry and charged furiously toward those audacious people.

“Stop... Stop chasing us! We’ll teach you... We’ll teach you how to dance...”

After playfully dodging her several times, the young women voluntarily took Miss Dragon’s hands and guided her through the dance steps.

Every movement of the young women, every sweet smile, was so youthful, beautiful, lively, and lovable. There was no trace whatsoever of the madness and fractured personality they would possess eight hundred years later.

And Miss Dragon?

She learned very slowly. Human dance steps seemed extremely difficult for her. She did not know where to place her hands or how to move her feet. Her coordination and balance were astonishingly poor, and she frequently stepped on other people’s feet.

She became extremely embarrassed and angry, so she secretly extended a dragon tail from beneath the hem of her dress and swung it nimbly back and forth. Only then did her movements gradually become graceful.

Unfortunately, Muen could not appreciate that embarrassed expression, because her face... was still blurry even now.

There was no mist covering it. It was simply blurred. It even made Muen unable to stop himself from wondering... Could it be that the mist had covered that fellow’s face for so long that she had forgotten what she herself looked like?

There was no way to verify it.

And it was not particularly important.

Because even though he could not see her appearance, Muen could still feel the gentleness and joy radiating from her.

Combined with the young woman’s embarrassment that occasionally slipped through without her noticing...

These were emotions Muen had never felt from her throughout all the time they had spent together.

This was the truest version of her...

The person she had once been.

“Big Sister Dragon... drink!”

After the dance ended, the little girl brought over a cup of wine. Without another word, Miss Dragon drained it in a single gulp.

That bold action immediately pushed the atmosphere even higher, and the celebration gradually reached its climax.

“Big Sister Dragon!”

“Big Sister Dragon!”

“Big Sister Dragon!”

The people’s cheers continued without end. Miss Dragon also demonstrated her extraordinary way of eating while in human form. Her appetite and alcohol tolerance defeated countless powerful figures in the city.

Even the City Lord, the strongest person in the city, came forward with heroic confidence to challenge her... and then, unsurprisingly, suffered a crushing defeat, causing everyone to burst into repeated laughter.

...

“How beautiful.”

Muen lowered his head and looked at the wine in his cup, unable to stop himself from sighing.

One celebration followed another. The sound of laughter continued without end throughout spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The lonely dragon quickly and completely became a part of this place. Her footsteps passed through every street and alley in the city, and she became incomparably familiar with every corner. She participated in the operation of the city, working, fighting, and living... as though she had been a member of this city from the very beginning.

She also had many friends and companions. Even as time passed and these people gradually grew older, they still loved surrounding her. Time had not carved the slightest mark into their happiness.

“Big Sister Dragon, tell us stories about the outside world...”

“Big Sister Dragon, teach us the magic you used earlier...”

“Big Sister Dragon, take us outside to play...”

“Big Sister Dragon, you spoil them too much!”

The gentle dragon and the gentle people fit together so perfectly.

This beauty was just like the name of the city—“Tars,” the carefree place.

The dragon who had lost everything regained everything here.

It seemed that she would remain this happy forever...

But...

Nothing in this world was eternal, especially stories whose endings had already been decided long ago.

Drip.

As though a tear had fallen, ripples spread across the wine in Muen’s cup. The world was no longer warm and instead became filled with coldness.

“Big... Big Sister Dragon?”

The sun hid behind the clouds. The little pinwheel fell to the ground. The little girl frowned and said to Miss Dragon,

“I... my body feels so itchy. Big Sister Dragon, can you take a look? Am I sick?”

“...”

What expression was she wearing at that moment?

Muen did not know, but he could clearly feel her shaken heart.

“Why... Why is this here?”

She was clearly so powerful, yet at that moment, she appeared completely helpless, like a little girl who had caused trouble. Enormous magical power gathered within her body, attempting to form some kind of magic... yet she could not construct even a single useful spell.

“Big Sister Dragon?”

“It’s all right.”

Miss Dragon came back to her senses and immediately pressed down the little girl’s hands as she tried to lift her own clothing. She held the girl tightly and whispered into her ear,

“It’s all right... It’s only a minor illness. I’ll cure you very soon, all right?”

“Mm!”

The little girl did not doubt her in the slightest and immediately smiled brightly once again.

But...

—This was wrong.

Muen murmured softly within his heart.

Wrong.