Chapter 55 : The Dragon’s Veil: Power, Protection, and the Miko’s Secret

“······Please explain in detail.”

“I plan to keep you and the Miko’s existence officially unannounced, and instead present Aria.”

The Count’s expression as he said this was indifferent.

Jonan momentarily wanted to argue with the Count, but he changed his mind upon seeing his expression.

It seemed too hasty a speculation to think that the Count was excluding Jonan and his daughter out of any greed.

From that point on, Jonan thought briefly about himself and Rachel, rather than the Count.

Having reached a conclusion, Jonan uttered a single word quietly.

“······Because of status?”

“To be precise, it would be power.”

The Count nodded, as if affirming Jonan’s guess.

“You and the Miko have the Dragon God’s backing, but not everyone will accept that positively. There will be those who covet that position. Especially if the target is a commoner.”

The biggest difference between the Craystist family and Jonan’s family was background and power.

For a long time, the Craystist family maintained the Count’s status in the Runan Kingdom and achieved many accomplishments.

Compared to the Craystist family, Jonan’s family had no past that could be considered glorious.

“If you had power close to a Sword Master, I wouldn’t have thought that. Rather, I would have yielded.”

“But······.”

“As you are now, excluding Haeilgum, you are an ordinary commoner. Nothing more, nothing less.”

The blue-rippled Haeilgum gave Jonan power comparable to a Sword Expert.

But that, in the end, was the power bestowed by the Dragon God, not Jonan’s own power that he had cultivated himself.

When Jonan realized that fact, the Count plunged a dagger into his chest.

“If I were to use all my means to take Haeilgum right now, could you stop me?”

The Count didn’t say it, but Jonan could understand the hidden meaning.

‘When I want to kill the Miko, what can you do when your sword is taken?’

Jonan’s fist clenched tightly. Seeing that, the Count tried to pat Jonan on the shoulder.

And the moment his hand touched Jonan’s shoulder, the Count unknowingly withdrew his hand.

‘······Did I just withdraw my hand?’

He even flinched, like a cat feeling threatened.

‘Reacting to the killing intent of a commoner who doesn’t even have a sword.’

There were many who had shown an active defensive posture with just killing intent, but among them, there were no commoners who had not awakened Aura.

Even when facing swordsmen of the same expert level, he had never shown a reaction without realizing it himself.

‘The only time I did that was······ with the First Royal Knight Commander.’

The guardian of the Runan Kingdom, the executor of justice, and so on.

His rank, called by many titles, was Sword Master.

‘······Surely not.’

To compare a commoner to the only Sword Master in the kingdom. The comparison was far too wrong.

In the end, the Count tried to erase his thoughts.

“Anyway, that’s why I want to hide you and the Miko.”

“······I understand.”

“Are you angry?”

“I am.”

“Then become stronger. Use everything to grow to protect your daughter, the Dragon God’s Miko.”

Jonan engraved the Count’s words in his mind.

“And I will announce Aria as the Miko’s proxy.”

“Proxy, you mean?”

At Jonan’s question, the Count asked back as if it were obvious.

“Did you think I would give Aria the position of the Miko appointed by the Dragon God? It literally means that I will hide the Miko.”

“Ah······.”

“I would have been a little disappointed if you thought I was that vicious.”

“That’s not it. ······Yes.”

Seeing Jonan subtly avoiding his gaze, Count Arnus sighed deeply.

“Until you and the Miko are properly established, Aria and I will lay the groundwork for you. And when the time comes, we will officially reveal the Miko.”

The current Jonan and Miko are weak. So, until they are established and the religion grows, they need someone to take their place.

And the Count put himself and his daughter in that position.

“I will build a temple near the cliff of the eastern sea and announce that the Miko is there. And Aria will act as a proxy to deliver the words of the Dragon God through the Miko.”

Jonan bowed his head deeply after hearing all of the Count’s plans.

“Thank you, Count.”

“All thanks are due to the Dragon God. If it weren’t for Him, Craystist might have disappeared from history.”

With the Count’s calm words, the midnight discussion ended like that.

A few days later, a long procession from the Count’s family began to head east.

“······nim!” (Note: Referring to the Dragon, respectful form)

“·········Dragon God!”

It was noisy outside. I had entered the sea to get some sleep due to the sudden exhaustion of power after the battle.

But not long after I fell asleep, faint sounds calling for me from above the cliff could be heard.

‘I told them to come when it was all sorted out.’

It hadn’t even been a day. I wondered if they had taken things too lightly.

I honestly wanted to ignore it and just sleep, but because of the sad length of my arms that couldn’t block my ears, I eventually shuddered and went out of the water.

Splash!

“Oooooh!!”

“Dragon God!!”

“Dragon!!” (Note: Rachel’s more familiar/childish way of saying it)

“Uwa ah.” (Note: Sound of surprise/slight awe, not a scream)

Lined up and kneeling, looking up at me, were the people, and the man standing in front.

And even Rachel and Aria standing in front of all of them.

They were all shouting at me.

Rachel, who saw me, waved her hand at me, looking very happy.

‘She’s very happy even though she saw me in the morning.’

“Dragon! It’s been a long time!! Sooo··· one, two······.”

“It’s been a week.”

“Ah! A week!”

‘What? A week?’

I thought I just closed my eyes for a moment, but it’s already been a week.

I was slightly embarrassed by the time concept of a dragon, which was different from that of humans, and I looked at the Count, who was bowing behind Aria and Rachel.

“God! I have come here to send infinite thanks for saving our territory and saving my daughter!”

By the way, something was piled up on the makeshift altar that Pavore’s group had made.

Jewels··· food··· animal corpses······ animal corpses?

Anyway, various goods and foods were piled up precariously enough to not fall.

I stared at it for a moment, wondering what it was, and then I realized that these were offerings to God.

‘Come to think of it, I forgot about the offerings.’

I had forgotten because I had thought of asking for weapons before on the spur of the moment.

It seemed to be more overdone than before, probably because they wanted to set an example for the people who followed them.

The most highly ranked person’s actions would set an example for those below.

In the end, all of the Count’s actions were helpful to me.

But I did not express my gratitude to such a Count.

[I will not accept.]

“·········Yes?”

The Count looked up at me as if he had been shocked by my words. The people who were awkwardly bowing behind him were also whispering.

But I didn’t refuse his offering in a negative sense.

First of all, the first reason was that these offerings were useless to me.

Of course, it’s not like the gods in mythology accepted offerings because they were lacking something. Offerings are a kind of courtesy.

However, considering that, the goods and foods brought by the Count were too much in quantity.

Honestly, it would have been enough if he had brought only about a handful of that mountain of offerings.

[You have suffered a lot. Use these for yourselves.]

The second reason was that it was too burdensome for them, not me.

It was clear that the Count’s family, which had not been properly managed for two years, as well as the residents of the territory who had faced famine and the red moon, would be struggling.

That’s why I vetoed the offerings, saying, ‘I’ll just take the heart.’

[Give, and prosper. That will be the offering you give to me.]

Then the Count’s mouth slowly opened.

“Go······.”

‘Go?’

“God!!! Please punish me for not knowing God’s will and acting like this!!”

“Pu, punish me···?”

‘Stop it. Don’t follow along without knowing what’s behind it.’

But the Count showed no sign of stopping, and in the meantime, some people who realized my will followed the Count, banging their heads and shouting for the Dragon God.

Honestly, that crazy look was scary.

A little later, when some people collapsed from dizziness after bowing close to headbanging, the Count stopped bowing.

“Gasp··· God, is······. Phew, what I came for today··· haa.”

‘So, don’t bow so much.’

It wouldn’t be strange for him to be so tired, doing it like a burpee test.

The Count took a deep breath and told me the rest of the words.

“Phew···. The reason I came here today is not only to express my gratitude.”

[What is it?]

“I have come to seek permission regarding the treatment of the Miko.”

Treatment?

It seemed serious, but it turned out it was all for Rachel’s sake.
Rachel and Jonan were not in a good position, so they would keep it hidden until they had a solid relationship.

“Of course, if the time comes, the shrine maiden will reveal everything.”

It didn’t matter. If they didn’t do it anyway, I’d do it.
I just wondered if Rachel and Jonan had agreed on this.
‘Rachel doesn’t seem to have any idea, and Jonan… agreed.’

Jonan looked at me with a serious expression. There was a lot of thought in his eyes.
If the parties had decided, there was nothing I could do.

I nodded and sent my consent to the Count’s plan.

“Thank you, Dragon God!”

As I looked at the Count thanking me, an idea came to me.
I’m sure announcing it means taking a date.

‘Then what if you add a little bit of directing to that?’

It would be great.
Okay, I think we need to come up with a plan for that production right away.

“God is half-directed.”

In the end, this is also for the future of the Blue Dragon God Church.
It’s not that I think the reaction of people who are surprised and moved by the production will be funny.
Yes, absolutely not.