The Reward for Saving The World is a Husband - Chapter 8
It turned out that the Demon Dragon Ermitar served as a bridge between the two worlds, finally allowing us to meet!
‘Maybe he’s a bit slow on the uptake.’
Regardless, it didn’t matter. Even if it took a bit longer than I was hoping for, he would eventually come to realize.
What I needed to focus on now was whether this world contained the materials needed to nurture my companions’ soul stones.
‘I need information.’
From the level of civilization to the distribution of resources.
To do that, I first had to leave this room. There were only two ways: get Elias’s permission to walk around freely or sneak out.
‘Hmm… Both are impossible right now.’
Getting Elias’s permission was out of the question since he was highly wary of me, and sneaking out was not an option since my mana was depleted.
I took out three soul stones from my inventory and placed them on my palm.
“Just rest for a bit. I’ll find a way somehow.”
The three soul stones, each different in color and shape, seemed to understand my words as they twinkled faintly.
They must have been as exhausted as I was. A good rest might make things feel better upon waking.
“I’ve discovered some really delicious food here. I’ll make sure you can eat your fill.”
NO.0’s soul stone flashed a sharp light once, as if to say it would give me taste hell if I didn’t keep my promise.
As Yumi and White Snake’s soul stones also took turns twinkling before calming down, I put them back into my inventory.
The message window remained quiet, indicating that the balance adjustment was not yet complete, and the small, dimly lit room provided an ideal environment for concentration.
As I sat up straight, my unhealed wounds throbbed, the pain wasn’t unbearable. I closed my eyes, introspected, and slowly began cultivating my mana.
Fortunately, the concentration of mana in the atmosphere was not much different from our world.
Actually, qualitatively, it seemed even better. There was no need for the tedious process of filtering out toxic energy.
‘This shouldn’t take more than a few days.’
It only took a moment to clear my mind and focus deeply.
* * *
Returning to his office, Elias habitually sat at his desk and reached for the pile of documents.
They contained requests for support from villages that had suffered attacks by monster hordes. About half of the never-ending paperwork was of this sort.
He read the same content several times before he threw his pen down.
Burying his face in his hands, a sigh escaped him out of habit.
The root of this burdensome task, further weighing down his already burdened shoulders, stemmed from an oracle predicting the arrival of a being capable of either saving or dooming the world.
It had taken a year to interpret the oracle’s details and pinpoint the location and time.
The designated place was within his domain, Rachdel.
His family, which had been trying to erase Elias’s presence thoroughly until then, insisted on leading the matter, rushing over without consulting his wishes, once it was determined that the event would occur in Rachdel.
Even though he had earned his earldom and independence, his family was the continent’s greatest, the Tenaclade. He had no choice but to comply.
The sight of his uncles rejoicing, considering it a stroke of luck that pushed him to the most barren edges of the frontier had unexpectedly turned into a boon, flashed before his eyes.
The family head appointed by the main house was Beric, the eldest son of the first uncle and the most likely heir candidate within the Tenaclade family.
Beric, who was dogmatic and plagued with a deep sense of superiority, began to engage in all sorts of villainous acts as soon as he arrived in Rachdel.
Upon reaching the dragon’s lair, he ordered Elias to enter alone, surrounding him with knights and threatening his men until compliance was his only option.
Elias wasn’t scared or angry.
He simply thought, ‘So, I’ve been driven to this point.’ Giving up had become so habitual that he felt merely numb.
And so, he stepped into the lair of the dragon.