How to Live as a Knight After the Ending
Chapter 266: Dragon Species (1)

Dragons are fictional creatures that don't exist in reality. They could only be encountered in myths, legends, and folktales.

However, dragons do exist in this world, and in quite diverse forms at that.

Dragon species, as a large biological category, are classified into three main branches according to their habitat and ecosystem:

[Sky-winged Dragon (天翼龍)]

[Sea-scaled Dragon (海鱗龍)]

[Strange Rock Dragon (奇巖龍)]

As can be inferred from their names, they are dragon species that live in the sky, sea, and land respectively.

Born in different environments, they evolved to suit their survival conditions.

Among them, the most widely known dragon species was the Sky-winged Dragon.

The dragon of the sky. Unlike other dragons, their bodies are slender like a gourd, and they can use their front legs like human arms.

Though their scales are white, when seen flying from far away, they could sometimes be mistaken for birds.

'But they are clearly a higher species.'

Though their skin is covered in scales and their heads are that of dragons, their wisdom and intelligence accumulated through life actually surpasses that of elderly humans.

Above all, Sky-winged Dragons can walk bipedally like humans and perform precise work with their hands.

'In other words, this means they can use weapons too.'

That's right. The dragons of this world use weapons.

They don't make the weapons themselves. While some dragons do, most dragons fight by creating weapons on the spot using Ancient Dragon Law.

Ancient Dragon Law is the dragons' own magic.

It's a branch that split from the origin of magic that humans currently use, and it's a race-specific technique that only dragons can use.

Naturally, since dragons use it, it's stronger than regular magic, and some call it High Magic.

They can communicate with humans in language, form their own culture, and even use high magic.

It's not surprising that Sky-winged Dragons have been worshipped as deities since ancient times.

They occasionally transform into human form to observe human society.

'But this person's appearance is too obvious.'

Osian looked at the man.

Despite his elderly appearance, from the horns on his head to his eyes, he didn't give off a sense of decrepitude.

'Though he transformed into a human, it's incomplete. Rather than being intentional, it feels like this was the best he could do. There's no way an Elder Sky-winged Dragon's magic would be only at this level.'

Perhaps because the old man heard what Osian muttered, his pupils, which were looking at Osian with curiosity, had subtly changed to those of a reptile.

It wasn't a hostile emotion. Rather, it was a change that occurred due to emotional fluctuation from developing interest.

"Hmm. Interesting. Most people who see me for the first time don't notice that."

"I've seen and heard a lot."

Osian answered as if it was nothing special.

At those words, the witch Koroleva was startled and asked Osian.

"Wait. Do you even know who this person is?"

"I don't care who they are. But just looking at them, they seem to be someone important in this city."

At Osian's rather brazen response, Koroleva was dumbfounded, while the old man let out an amused laugh.

"Hahaha. Now this is an interesting person I've met. Yes, young one. As you say, I am an important figure in this city."

As the old man spoke with a smooth laugh, Koroleva shook her head as if troubled.

"Mayor, aren't you being too informal?"

Osian's ears perked up at the word 'mayor'.

"Mayor? Don't tell me you're the mayor of Tirna?"

"Hehe. Yes. I am Aspirex. I oversee one section among this city's five mayors."

Mayor Aspirex extended his hand to Osian.

Osian stared down at that hand.

Aspirex was a familiar name.

'One of the five original mayors who founded Tirna, as Gaien mentioned.'

He never expected to meet him in person here.

Not just any mayor, but a mayor of Tirna. Being the leader of a city comparable to a nation meant he was no different from the king of another country.

He was certainly someone who would be difficult to even meet face to face.

Yet he extended his hand. Wasn't he worried? What if someone suddenly rushed at him?

Osian realized that this action wasn't simply coming from carelessness.

'It's because he's confident. He has a strong conviction that even if he casually shakes hands with an unknown person, he'll be fine.'

Osian grasped Mayor Aspirex's hand and exchanged handshakes.

The moment their hands met, Osian thought it felt like grasping a rock.

His hand was that large, thick, and very solid.

For a moment, Osian saw a certain form overlapping with Mayor Aspirex.

"Strange Rock Dragon?"

Though Osian was surprised at his own words, Mayor Aspirex showed an even more intense reaction.

"...How did you know?"

Osian pondered how to answer.

"That's how it felt."

"Just felt that way, you say. Have you seen my kind before?"

Indeed he had.

Strange Rock Dragons, unlike Sky-winged Dragons that fly in the sky, are dragons that live on land.

They weren't slim and slender like Sky-winged Dragons, nor did they have large wings fitting their bulk.

If one were to make a comparison, while Sky-winged Dragons resembled noble cranes, Strange Rock Dragons resembled crawling lizards.

Their heads were large making their body proportions awkward, and their faces looked fierce.

In exchange, perhaps, Strange Rock Dragons possessed the most powerful physical abilities among all dragons.

'That's inevitable. They're creatures that eat and sleep in places deep underground where magma boils.'

Strong resistance to heat.

Powerful musculoskeletal system to support their heavy and solid bodies.

Tough scales that can withstand pressure that compresses even metal.

In terms of physical abilities alone, they are the strongest among all dragons.

Moreover, since they reside on land, they have the most friction with humanity.

Unlike Sky-winged Dragons, Strange Rock Dragons greatly lacked intelligence.

Furthermore, since they were innately violent and sensitive, whenever they appeared they established themselves as local tyrants.

Most Strange Rock Dragons live in volcanic regions so conflicts are rare, but occasionally some Strange Rock Dragons appear in mountainous regions where people live.

More accurately, it was closer to humans making contact with them as developing humanity expanded their range of activity.

In such cases, it inevitably results in human casualties.

Even in the game, Strange Rock Dragons were always monsters. And whenever they appeared, they were at least field boss level.

Asked if he'd seen Strange Rock Dragons? Of course he had. He had even hunted them.

But there was no need to honestly say that, so Osian gave a vague answer.

"Because I have experience and knowledge."

Though it was an ambiguous statement, it was sufficient to convey the general meaning.

Aspirex looked at Osian with a more serious expression, then looked down at the hand that had exchanged the handshake.

Osian doesn't know what he's thinking. Rather, it was surprising that Aspirex didn't hide the fact that he was a Strange Rock Dragon.

'A Strange Rock Dragon can transform into a human? I've never seen them use Ancient Dragon Law, let alone do this.'

Though Ancient Dragon Law is magic used by dragons, Strange Rock Dragons couldn't use it.

Just as not all humans become magicians just because humans can use magic, the same applies to Strange Rock Dragons.

Their powerful bodies were the price for not being able to use Ancient Dragon Law.

Some seriously debated whether that species should even be counted among dragon species because of this.

Sea-scaled Dragons can't communicate with humans either.

However they have their own intelligence and are at least much better than Strange Rock Dragons.

But now, before Osian's eyes appeared a Strange Rock Dragon using Ancient Dragon Law.

Moreover, he eloquently spoke human language and knew their culture and etiquette.

He even held the position of one of the five mayors symbolizing the city.

"How can a Strange Rock Dragon do such things?"

At Osian's question, the white-haired woman and Koroleva were startled.

It was a very rude question to ask how a Strange Rock Dragon could do such things right in front of Aspirex, who was a Strange Rock Dragon.

It would be unsurprising if Aspirex immediately breathed fire in anger but Osian was so captivated by the scene unfolding before his eyes that he didn't notice this at all.

Was it because his intention came from pure curiosity?

Or was it because Aspirex felt something himself during their handshake?

Despite Osian's attitude that could appear disrespectful, Aspirex answered readily without minding.

"Because I am a special being."

"A special being..."

"Yes. In human terms, you could say I'm a mutant. I was such a being. Among our primitive kind, I was born with the weakest body, but in exchange, I gained unusually clear intelligence."

Aspirex chuckled and tapped his head with his index finger.

"A Strange Rock Dragon who only knew eating, sleeping, and defecating gained intelligence. So I kept thinking. Who am I and why do I live like this? Furthermore, I observed other Strange Rock Dragons."

Aspirex saw his kindred. Those who were born like him and lived underground.

But the Strange Rock Dragons didn't recognize Aspirex as one of their own.

Rather, those more faithful to their instincts knew Aspirex was different from them and acted hostilely.

"I was driven out. Originally Strange Rock Dragons don't live in groups, but they don't clash either. However, in my case, they would try to kill me like having a seizure just from approaching the edge of their territory."

Aspirex smiled bitterly.

He was rejected by his own species, and moreover, he was able to comprehend that situation with his mind.

"But before despair came questions. Why? What was the problem? Why must we crawl on the ground so aimlessly?"

So Aspirex made a choice.

To see the wide world.

"I wandered the world and met various beings. Sometimes I fought, sometimes I made friends, and sometimes I received teachings."

At the end of that journey, Aspirex became a mayor of Tirna.

Not just any mayor, but one of the original mayors who had been there since the founding of the city of Tirna.

"Has your question been answered now?"

Osian nodded. While listening to his story, he vaguely saw an overlap with Balud's image.

That man who came to Tirna hating his barbaric origins, and struggled not to live like a northerner.

"But the conversation has gotten quite long. I didn't come to have such pointless talk."

Aspirex immediately got to the main point.

"First, as a mayor of Tirna, I express my gratitude to you. You made a great contribution in resolving the terrorist incident in District 34."

At those words, Osian recalled this incident that he had momentarily forgotten.

"What happened to Saint Tree?"

"Don't worry. While you were unconscious for half a day, we finished handling everything. All the Saint Tree board members have been arrested. That includes Director William."

It seems Director William was still alive despite that chaos.

To survive despite the Candy Castle's indiscriminate bombardment, his luck was bad.

As the key instigator of this incident, it might have been better for him to die painlessly on the spot.

"We've recovered most of the money they collected. Of course, some have already been used so there are holes, but still."

Considering the scale of money gathered at Saint Tree, even that 'some' would be a very significant amount.

They might try to recover it by squeezing out corrupt officials who ate the money somehow, but it would be hard to expect much.

"The important fact is this. The Great Witch Mother Goose, who had been silent until now, has started activities. Moreover, in a hostile relationship with Tirna."

"Mother Goose..."

"The master of the familiars you fought. Moreover, Mother Goose built up power while in hiding. Not only did she increase her own familiars, but she also joined hands with other witches and familiars."

Osian recalled the moving Candy Castle, so the fact that there were several more witches besides that wasn't particularly surprising.

Rather, what caught Osian's interest was something else.

"What happened to that one? One of Mother Goose's closest aides, the familiar."

"You mean Foolish Hans. We arrested him immediately. That was all thanks to you too. We were able to capture him as he tried to escape because of you."

Though he was smiling and praising Osian, Osian thought it wasn't with good intentions.

Sure enough, Aspirex erased his smile and immediately got to the main point.

"So, I have one question."

This time, with proper wariness, his reptilian pupils captured Osian's face.

"Who exactly are you? Who are you to be able to stop the Candy Castle's movement and face the familiars alone?"

Yes. If someone of the city mayor's status was stepping forward, it could only be for this reason.

"Depending on your answer, we cannot carelessly leave someone who could be dangerous to the city."