Chapter 85: The Race to the Dragon’s Lair and the Warrior’s Legacy

After spending a long time clearing out bandits, the promised date finally arrived.

With faint anticipation, I headed to the blacksmith’s shop.

“Oh, you’re here.”

As I stepped inside, the blacksmith greeted me warmly.

He seemed to have just finished his work and had been waiting for me.

On the counter lay a pair of gauntlets and boots, small but sturdy.

I glanced at them, and the blacksmith nodded.

“They’re yours. Want to try them on?”

I nodded and inspected the boots and gauntlets.

Since I hadn’t requested anything extravagant in design, they were simple and practical—focused purely on function.

I decided to try on the boots first. Slipping my feet into the long leather boots, I tightened the laces securely.

Then, I fastened the special chromadium guards over them for added reinforcement.

“How do they feel?”

“Oh—”

I let out a short exclamation as I shifted my weight around, testing the boots on the ground.

The interior was well-finished, making them comfortable to wear, and the firm fit provided solid ankle support.

“Adventurers are always on the move, so good footwear is essential. I made sure to put extra effort into these.”

“They’re great.”

Next, I tried on the gauntlets. Given the blacksmith’s skill, the fit was just right.

The balance felt natural, and when I drew my sword and swung it a few times, there was no discomfort or awkwardness.

When dueling human swordsmen, my wrists and fingers were always at risk.

But with these gauntlets, I could significantly reduce that danger.

I flexed my wrists, testing their range of motion, then nodded.

“These are excellent.”

“Hah! Of course. You think I run the biggest blacksmith shop around for no reason?”

The blacksmith beamed at my praise.

As usual, I made my way to the adventurers’ guild to look for suitable requests.

However, today, the guild was unusually crowded.

The request board hadn’t been replenished with new jobs, yet adventurers were gathering here again.

As I observed the bustling crowd, a familiar voice called out from behind me.

“Looking for a request?”

“Ah, receptionist.”

The guild receptionist had approached me, holding a thick bundle of papers as he organized the board.

“Not really. I was just curious.”

Hearing my response, he scanned the guild hall and seemed to realize something.

“Oh, it’s nothing special. Just…”

“Just what?”

“There’s a rumor that Kashpa is dead.”

“Kashpa… You mean the dragon?”

“Yeah. The dragon that brought endless winter.”

I tilted my head in confusion. Winter hadn’t ended yet, so what made people believe Kashpa was dead?

“You haven’t heard the rumors?”

The receptionist smiled—something he rarely did—and began explaining.

The rumors about Kashpa’s death started with a simple question:

Why hadn’t Kashpa acted directly? Instead of using complicated methods, if the dragon had personally descended upon this land, it could have destroyed everything with ease.

One man, determined to find an answer, climbed the snow-covered mountains himself.

“So, did he survive?”

“He did. And because he returned alive, the rumors started spreading.”

“Did he actually see Kashpa’s corpse?”

“No, he didn’t see anything. No massive wings emerging from the blizzard, no glowing eyes piercing the darkness.”

“That just sounds like the dragon wasn’t there at the time…”

“I think so too, but you know how rumors work. Honestly, it doesn’t even matter if Kashpa is alive or dead. Hardly anyone here actually believes the dragon is gone.”

“Really?”

“What matters to them is the treasure in Kashpa’s lair. If the dragon is absent… well, you get the idea.”

“So, whoever leaves first could claim everything for themselves. Why is everyone still gathered here?”

“They’re waiting. The rumor drew them here, but they know it might not be true. Besides, traveling alone into those monster-infested mountains is almost impossible.”

“Hmm…”

“What do you think? If you’re interested, I can introduce you to a party. A silver-ranked swordsman like you would be welcomed anywhere.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know.”

With that, the receptionist resumed pinning new request sheets to the board.

Most of them were calls for party members—people forming teams for an expedition.

As time passed, the weather slowly began to warm.

The fierce winds now carried a hint of warmth, and icicles hanging from rooftops started dripping, signaling the end of winter.

Smiles returned to the townspeople’s faces.

Many rejoiced that the seemingly endless winter was finally receding, while foreign merchants who had come to sell winter goods looked crestfallen.

That was when the adventurers truly started moving.

The shift in seasons lent weight to the far-fetched rumors of Kashpa’s death.

As the adventurers, who had been fully prepared to depart at any moment, began leaving the city, those who remained hurried as if a fire had been lit under them.

Flutter—

“Shall we go too?”

At my question, the Nightmare pawed at the ground as if to say it was ready to depart at any time.

Looting a dragon’s lair—what could be a more thrilling adventure than that?

A wandering adventurer’s life was unpredictable.

Sometimes, getting swept up in the enthusiasm of others didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

I checked my overstuffed bag and pulled on the Nightmare’s reins.

Thud, thud, thud—

The Nightmare’s crystal hooves shattered the slightly melted ice-covered path without hesitation.

Fragments of white ice scattered in all directions, resembling a snowstorm.

The procession of adventurers stretched endlessly, forming a long, continuous line.

Those riding horses or carriages, like myself, surged ahead quickly, while those traveling on foot inevitably fell behind.

Envy, jealousy, admiration, and longing—various emotions trailed behind me.

Some adventurers, recognizing me, waved in greeting as I passed.

It wasn’t just adventurers in the long procession.

Merchants, hoping to profit from them, followed closely behind with large wagons and carts, accompanied by guards.

As I sped forward, I spotted the vanguard—adventurers who had galloped ahead on horseback.

They must have heard the approaching sound of the Nightmare’s hooves because they turned back, startled.

Five adventurers exchanged wary glances before nodding as if coming to a decision.

Then, they shifted positions within the procession, aligning themselves side by side on the narrow path.

They were trying to block me from overtaking them.

With hundreds of adventurers racing toward the same goal, everyone here was a competitor.

Their attempt to hinder me was only natural.

If I had been riding an ordinary horse, I would have either joined their group or waited for a wider road to make my move.

But the Nightmare was no ordinary horse.

Flutter!

The Nightmare, as if offended by those who dared to block its path, picked up speed.

Each powerful stride shattered the frozen ground beneath its hooves, sending tremors rippling through the icy terrain.

As the distance between us closed, the Nightmare suddenly pushed off with even greater force and leaped into the air.

The adventurers, who had been keeping a wary eye on me, all turned their gazes toward us, their expressions twisting in shock.

The moment their astonished faces passed beneath me, the Nightmare conjured a shimmering white platform in midair and used it as a springboard to soar even higher.

Snap—!

The crystal platform shattered into a flurry of white fragments.

As the Nightmare descended from the sky, the five adventurers below stared at me in stunned silence.

The Nightmare didn’t slow down.

Instead, it accelerated even more, leaving the five adventurers far behind, erasing them from my view.

“Master!!! Orcs ahead!!!”

Rain, scanning her surroundings, called out to her mentor.

Having spent her entire life in the Magic Tower, this was her first time seeing orcs.

To Rain, everything in this place was fascinating—the orcs, their culture, and even the small souvenir shop selling carved figurines.

“Huh…?”

“What are you staring at?”

Rain was staring intently at a small figurine of a girl.

“Seris…?”

The souvenir shop was selling a figurine resembling Seris.

Though unpainted, the delicate carving captured her features so well that anyone familiar with her would recognize it at a glance.

“Do you know the Grand Warrior?”

“G-Grand Warrior…?”

“The figurine, I mean.”

Rain looked up at the voice coming from ahead.

There stood a half-orc man, wearing an apron that didn’t quite suit him.

“This is Seris, isn’t it?”

“The Grand Warrior… So, that child has earned that title?”

The old mage gestured toward the figurine. In response, the small statue floated from the display shelf into his hand.

“I’d like to hear more.”

“One gold coin.”

The old mage silently stared at the half-orc merchant.

“Rain.”

“Ah, yes!”

At her master’s command, Rain fished a gold coin from her pouch and handed it over.

It was an absurd price for such a small figurine, but neither Rain nor the old mage cared about the cost.

“Now, can you tell us?”

The half-orc merchant, Agul, nodded and slowly opened his mouth.

His bald head glistened under the light.