READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 2
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“…This is quite something…”
What a ridiculous situation.
Upon entering the gate, I stumbled upon a door with words reminiscent of the trap rooms from the game, and after stepping inside, here I was, in the Maze existing in the game.
How am I supposed to process this situation?
“It seems like the other party members… aren’t here. Am I the only one who fell?”
With the formal speech that had already stuck to my tongue, Yujin stood up and looked around.
‘If it’s as I saw in the game… of course, there wouldn’t be an exit.’
After all, I entered through a trap room in the game. There’s no way there would be an exit designed to let people escape from traps.
More importantly, in the game, there’s a return system that allows you to return outside the Maze even if you fall into a trap room. Normally, it’s common to return when you fall into a trap room…
‘The problem is that I can’t use it.’
For Yujin, that was simply not possible.
In the game, the return system is like a blessing applied only to those who entered through the entrance of the Maze. It’s said to be mercy granted to mortals by the gods to ensure they can return alive even if trapped in the Maze.
However, Yujin did not enter through the entrance of the Maze. I came through some unknown door from the gate.
Even if that door is considered the entrance of the Maze, Yujin had no memory of receiving any blessings. Normally, if one receives a blessing, a shining tattoo-like mark is etched on their hand.
And Yujin’s hand was completely clean with no markings.
“…This is tricky.”
There wasn’t really a compelling reason to keep living, but I certainly didn’t want to wither away in some random place like this.
Resolving to find something, Yujin began scanning the surroundings.
A space filled with countless sarcophagi and nothing but bones… but it was a rather vast area.
“If I had known this would happen, I should have rummaged through a bit in the game.”
Before I knew it, my phone was gone. All that remained was the gear I was wearing before coming in.
Taking a long breath, Yujin moved forward. While I could check the other sarcophagi, the pedestal located among the bones ahead caught my eye.
I decided to check that first.
As Yujin approached the pedestal, he discovered something resting on top of it.
“…What is that?”
It looked like some gem radiating a crimson aura.
It shed a beautiful red light outward while gradually absorbing light from within, like a black hole… emitting a dark, abyss-like glow.
Mesmerized by it, Yujin moved closer.
Once he reached just in front of the pedestal, he placed his hand on the gem-like object…
『At last, you’ve come.』
“!”
Suddenly, a voice echoed.
It was a majestic, yet somewhat benevolent voice, sweet enough to melt brains.
Yujin struggled to hide his surprise as he gazed at the object he had touched.
“…Who are you?”
『Hmm? How surprising. Normally, mortal beings would panic and be on guard, but… little one, you are quite calm.』
“Haha… Facing incomprehensible situations isn’t something I’m unfamiliar with, even if it’s not a usual experience.”
Yujin forced a smile and replied. The voice, sounding somewhat intrigued, responded.
『How interesting… Little one, may I ask you a question?』
“If it’s something I can answer, I’ll gladly respond.”
『Hehe… Alright. Then, little one, who am I?』
“……. “
With that question, Yujin paused for a moment.
Who is the owner of this voice, which seems to come from the gem? What exactly is this object?
This gem-like object, radiant like the universe, could it be…?
Yujin then glanced up.
Overhead, towering bones stood, resembling arch-like pillars wrapping around this pedestal.
And the name of this space…
Recalling it, Yujin finally spoke.
“…Tiamat.”
According to the lore of the Maze Academy, Tiamat was the leader of the dragons among the Transcendents during the ancient great war, and this space… the name of the tomb.
『…Ahh… Hahaha!』
Upon uttering the name, the voice burst into laughter.
The laughter was clear and joyful, as if truly delighted.
『Hahaha… Yes, you have sharp instincts, and your mind works quickly. I like that.』
“…That’s quite an honor.”
This was a de facto acknowledgment.
The voice was indeed claiming to be Tiamat, a being equivalent to a god in the history of the Maze Academy.
Then she asked.
『Hehe… But isn’t it surprising, little one? The owner of the voice you hear now was the leader of a species in the war among the Transcendents.』
“…It is surprising, indeed. All of this is.”
If you think about it, just entering a space from the game itself is already puzzling. It feels easier to just empty my mind and go with the flow at this point.
Yet, as Yujin thought so, the voice… Tiamat still seemed intrigued.
『Truly remarkable. How can you remain so calm when facing me? Or perhaps, to you, the traces of a defeated being in war are not worth being shocked about?』
“It’s not that. It’s just… when humans face something beyond their comprehension, they tend to become calm instead. It’s as if the sense of reality fades, you know?”
『No, little one. You are different. Your heart is exceptionally calm and serene… as if you’ve emptied it.』
“……”
Is that so? Although I think I’m quite ordinary, the words of this great being somehow suggest otherwise.
『How amusing. I had to wait in this tomb for eons, and yet… the being that finally came to me is more interesting than I expected.』
“I don’t know how long you’ve been here, but if you’ve been asleep since the great war, anyone visiting would indeed be fascinating.”
『Hehe, but you would have gotten bored quickly, wouldn’t you? If a mortal being were to behave typically, it’d be enjoyable for a while, but soon enough it would become predictable.』
“That might be the case.”
Living a life where one can predict anything would likely be incredibly dull. Yujin nodded in agreement.
『So, let me ask… little one, what is your name?』
“My name?”
『Yes, think of it as an honor. When a Transcendent asks a mortal for their name, it’s an acknowledgment that they’re a being worth remembering.』
“……”
Yujin paused for a moment before finally speaking.
“Yujin… Han Yujin.”
『Han Yujin?』
“Yes. Is it strange?”
『Hmm… So Yujin is your first name, and Han is your family name?』
“That’s correct.”
『Now that I mention it, your appearance is quite close to that of the Eastern people. Let me ask, are you perhaps a half-elf?』
“If you mean elves… No, I have no connection to them.”
When talking about elves, we’re typically referring to the forest-dwelling fairies, akin to the Ain, a race similar to humans.
They are said to generally possess beautiful appearances and have a longer lifespan.
Of course, since they are almost mythical creatures on Earth, they don’t actually exist. Yujin couldn’t possibly be a hybrid.
『Is that so? For a mortal, you have quite pale skin and look rather cute…』
“Cute… you say…”
It was the first time someone other than my parents called me cute since childhood. Could it be that my appearance has changed since my past life?
Even as Yujin thought so, there was nothing particularly different about his appearance compared to his previous life.
After all, Yujin had always been slightly avoided due to his suspicious vibe and unreadable demeanor, but in terms of looks, he was quite unblemished.
Even with the dragon’s sense of aesthetics being different from humans, the basic standards of beauty weren’t vastly different.
Isn’t it like how humans perceive dogs and cats? Humans aren’t dogs or cats, but they can still judge that dogs or cats are cute and pretty.
Dragons, too, can discern how a mortal’s appearance may be cute or pretty to some extent. To Tiamat, Yujin probably fell into the category of being quite handsome.
“…Well, thank you for that.”
『That was merely an observation on my part. By the way, little one, don’t you have any questions for me?』
“Questions, huh…”
Given how easily she allowed queries, it felt like Tiamat might genuinely be interested in me, or perhaps she was simply quite bored.
“First… yes. What is this?”
Yujin asked, gazing at the gem-like object he had placed his hand on.
“The moment I touched this, I heard Tiamat’s voice…”
『Ah, you mean this?』
“Yes. I can see at a glance that it’s not an ordinary object… but I have no idea what it is.”
In response to that query, Tiamat casually provided an unexpected answer.
『That is my heart.』
“…Your heart?”
Could this gem-like object actually be a heart? It seems bizarre for something to function as a heart, given its shape and composition.
Noticing the question behind his tone, Tiamat added an explanation.
『A dragon’s heart is not like a typical living creature’s heart. It is commonly referred to as a core, a source of infinite mana, similar to the dragon’s authority and power. It’s the origin of all powers held by dragons.』
“…I see. So it’s an extraordinary object. The core of the leader of dragons, indeed.”
The source of powers possessed by dragons, the core… the Dragon’s Core, right?
“But why is it that just by placing my hand on the heart, I can converse with Tiamat?”
『…Hmm?』
“…? Why do you ask?”
Feeling Tiamat’s curiosity regarding his question, Yujin inquired back. Tiamat spoke.
『It’s nothing much. You just called this an extraordinary object, yet instead of coveting it, you seem more curious about how you connected with me through my heart. It’s unusual for a mortal—typically they’d want to take such a precious item right away.』
“Hahaha, coveting something I can’t handle is a sure way to shorten my lifespan. Plus, given that it seems connected to Tiamat, I’m afraid of the punishment that might come from taking it recklessly.”
『Even considering that, it seems odd for you not to have any fleeting desire, little Yujin… You really are an intriguing child.』
It felt like I had inadvertently piqued Tiamat’s interest even more. The tone of the voice seemed to have turned friendlier.
Tiamat continued.
『Hmm… So, first you asked why you could converse with me? It’s nothing extraordinary. Before I died, I sealed my soul within my heart.』
“Sealed it?”
『During the great war, I was defeated and ultimately met my demise. However, I couldn’t just lie down and die, could I? Accepting defeat was one thing, but I needed to plan for the future.』
In other words, it meant she survived by sealing her soul within her heart to ensure future prospects. Tiamat continued.
『I thought that when someone finally came to my tomb, and if that being faithfully followed me, I would pass my heart onto them. I wanted to create a new dragon. The dragon’s heart is the source of all powers that dragons possess. If someone devoured it and claimed it as their own, a new dragon would be born. And with me being the leader of dragons, the one born would possess tremendous potential.』
“I see.”
So, she intended to pass her heart onto a follower to birth a new dragon… that makes sense.
“But I’m curious. Is there a means to compel the one who receives Tiamat’s heart? Just following Tiamat seems insufficient, in my opinion.”
『…?』
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
I felt an emotion from Tiamat as if she found my question perplexing. Yujin asked.
『Did you understand everything I just said?』
“Yes, I did.”
『The being who receives my heart becomes a dragon. Even a mortal would gain the right to become a Transcendent.』
“Yes, that’s how it sounded.”
『…Doesn’t that tempt you? You’re practically qualified for that right now.』
“But I don’t follow Tiamat.”
She mentioned that if a follower appeared, she would pass on her heart to them to transform into a new dragon. However, Yujin did not follow Tiamat.
It felt ambiguous to claim he fulfilled the conditions. In the first place, Yujin had no desire to become a Transcendent at all.
There was no particular reason to aspire upward, and he was just an ordinary citizen satisfied with retiring by 30, tending bonsai, and living comfortably until death.
There was no reason for him to become a dragon or a Transcendent. Life was simply about living without any obligation to die.
In such a life, the motivation to challenge the heavens as a Transcendent feels like mere hot air.
『……』
Tiamat was left speechless, unable to say anything further.
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