4. Arcana Online
4. Arcana Online
I felt the huge sothing inside the iron bars approaching .
It was so large that it wouldn't be strange to hear a world-shaking roar, but there was no sound at all.
A shadow slowly approaching.
A tense mont.
Beyond the iron bars, a human figure appeared.
Only then could I see with my naked eyes.
A woman with long, jet-black straight hair.
Snow-white skin and ruby-red eyes that shone.
She wore an elegant dress and exuded a captivating aura.
As I stared blankly, she smiled and waved her hand, and in that instant, the iron bars disappeared.
No, they turned to dust and vanished.
Surprised by this sight, I couldn't say anything and couldn't control my trembling body as she slowly approached and raised her hand in the sa way.
The mont I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Child, don't be afraid. I an no harm."
Along with a gentle voice, she patted my head with a warm touch.
Only then did I open my eyes and look up to see her smiling.
"Thanks to you, child, I was able to break free from the seal. Thank you. Ah, I haven't introduced myself. I am the Dragon Queen 'Ernia'."
As soon as the introduction ended, blue windows filled my vision.
[You have broken the seal of Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fa points.
[You are the first traveler to encounter Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fa points.
Beginner Tip: The higher your Fa, the better relationships you can form with the inhabitants of this world, and you can purchase items from the Fa shop.
I don't understand any of this.
But there was sothing I was curious about.
It didn't take long for the thought in my head to co out of my mouth.
"Ernia-nim? If it's not rude, may I ask why you were sealed?"
For a mont, her expression hardened, but as if it never happened, she said she would tell when the ti cos, and then asked for my na.
"Child, can you tell your na?"
"My na is Yuna."
"Yuna. A na that suits you, child."
Sothing appeared and disappeared in an instant.
I saw my na in blue letters, but was it my imagination?
When I turned my head for a mont and looked back at Ernia-nim, she was holding sothing?
She handed it to .
The round object looked just like sothing to store an egg.
«Incubator»
Can hatch any type of egg.
"It's a gift. With this, our Yuna can hatch the egg she has."
"How did you know I had an egg!?"
"I have my ways of knowing."
Ernia-nim, who had been smiling brightly, now wore a regretful expression.
"I'd like to take you with , but you can't leave this area, child."
Beginners can't leave the vicinity of the starting village 'Cradle' until they reach a certain level.
"When the ti cos, I'll co for you. Take care until then, my child."
With those final words, a strong wind blew, and when I opened my eyes after closing them, my surroundings had changed.
Just a mont ago, I was inside a cave, but in an instant, I was standing alone in a adow.
I don't know how much ti had passed, but the sun was setting.
I thought I might have been dreaming, but the incubator in my hand proved it wasn't a dream.
And the notification window in front of my eyes.
[You have beco the first human to survive an encounter with Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fa points.
[You have acquired Ernia's Mark!]
W-wait a minute, the first...? Then until now...?
More importantly, what's this mark...?
I don't understand what happened.
But this cos first.
Putting my thoughts aside for a mont, I looked at the incubator I was holding.
She said I could hatch an egg with this, right?
I took the egg out of my inventory.
«Egg of ???»
I don't know what it is.
When I put the egg in the incubator, a notification window appeared.
[It will hatch in 72 hours.]
It takes 3 days!? That's a long ti.
I was worried I might have to keep holding it, but fortunately, there was no problem putting it in my inventory.
As I was about to return to the village because it was too late, I encountered a goblin.
And not just one or two, but an entire tribe.
A situation where dozens of goblins were staring at .
In a panic, I couldn't even think to take out my staff and was trembling in fear when.
"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Follow us!"
"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Don't be afraid!"
Goblins that can speak human language.
More importantly, they're... reassuring ?
With trembling steps, I followed the goblins and saw a small village in the distance.
It looked like a village where goblins lived.
B-but, surely they're not going to do sothing strange to !?
I saw in comics that goblins are the incarnation of lust.
Humans captured by goblins all...!
"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Drink this!"
As soon as we entered the village, they handed water.
S-surely there's no strange drug in this...!
Ah, it's delicious.
"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! If you keep walking with this, you'll see the human village!"
"Kuruk! Be careful, young human! Kuruk! There are many violent creatures in the evening!"
They looked at with worried eyes and handed an item.
«Token of the Goblin Tribe»
While holding this token, you won't be attacked by monsters for a certain period of ti.
"Th-thank you...?"
"Kuruk! Farewell, young human! Kuruk! And we have a request!"
[Quest: Find the Young Goblin Who Left Ho]
A young goblin has left ho. Bring it back to the village or bring back its token.
Reward: ???
Surely this isn't...?
With trembling hands, I took out an item from my inventory.
«Goblin's Necklace»
Old and shabby, but seems to have a story behind it.
When I handed it to the goblin, it had a sad expression.
"Kuruk! Has it returned to nature's embrace!"
"U-um..."
"Kuruk! It's okay, young human! Kuruk! You don't need to comfort us, kuruk! More importantly, thank you, kuruk! Take this too!"
«Goblin's Spellbook»
You can learn a random skill.
As the goblin who handed the spellbook clicked the necklace, there was a small photo.
A photo of all the goblins together.
"Kuruk! This is a photo taken by a human mage of our tribe long ago!"
"......"
"Kuruk! If we find the being that hard that child, we won't forgive them!"
I couldn't say anything.
I set out on my journey after being sent off by the goblins in the village.
As I was fiddling with the Token of the Goblin Tribe while walking, I saw a sli in the distance.
S-surely slis don't have families or anything like that, right?
As I approached the sli, it didn't attack , probably because of the token, and just stared at blankly.
"Um, do you perhaps have a family too?"
"......"
There was no response.
From now on, I should ask about family first before hunting.
Passing by the sli and continuing to walk, I saw the entrance to the starting village in the distance.
The entrance was full of people moving busily.
What's going on?
Everyone was ard and moving in perfect unison.
As I got closer, a guard uncle spotted and imdiately shouted.
"She's back here!!"
At the loud shout, the people who had been moving busily all turned to look at with relieved expressions.
What's going on?
At that mont, Bell unni burst out from among the many people, but her attire wasn't the white apron she wore at the inn, but a robe that a mage would wear.
She approached in one step and hugged , and at that mont.
Sothing felt strange.
Bell unni looked at with a shocked face.
"Wh-what is this..."
*
*
*
Yuna hadn't returned even at this late hour.
She's late today, I thought, when I felt an ominous energy.
It seed I wasn't the only one who felt it, as Charles appeared, pale-faced.
"D-did you just feel that!?"
"I felt it. I hoped it was just my imagination, but it's not."
"I'll declare a state of ergency. More importantly, where's Yuna?"
"She hasn't co back yet, c-could it be."
"Damn it! I'll gather the troops and start searching as quickly as possible!"
Just as we were about to set out to search in the direction of the ominous energy after mobilizing the village's forces, we heard a loud voice.
"She's back here!!"
As soon as I heard that voice, I rushed out urgently and saw Yuna.
Just as I was feeling relieved at her carefree appearance as if nothing had happened, sothing felt off.
The mont I ran and hugged her, I felt the energy of a dragon.
It's happened after all.
Yuna has beco the target of a dragon.
Dragons who view humans as re playthings.
When their amusent ends, they erase their traces and return to their lair.
There's only one way to save Yuna.
I'm sorry, Master.
I promised I would never take another disciple, but it seems I can't keep that promise.
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