When the brown-haired man, Kim Cheolsu, came to, he was already back in reality.
Staring up at the familiar hospital ceiling, Kim Cheolsu let out a sigh of relief as he realized he had made it back alive.
'I lived… I got out of there alive.'
He looked at his hands, trembling uncontrollably.
It still felt like a dream—that he had survived.
'What the hell was that black lizard, anyway…?'
That thing, shaped like a lizard and covered in peculiar black scales—when it muttered, a huge storm appeared, hoisted him and his teammates into the sky, and kept dropping them.
There was no torture worse than that.
Over and over, being hurled up and slammed down—each time, the terror that he might die any second drove him insane.
In that mind-splitting torture, he finally blacked out, and when he came to, he’d thankfully returned with all four limbs intact.
It felt like he’d had an endless nightmare.
'What happened to the others?'
He glanced around, but it seemed to be a private room—no one else was there.
'…Don’t tell me they’re all dead.'
He pictured his friends with twisted limbs, dead from the fall, and his whole body began to shake.
He was gnawing nervously at his nails when the door opened and a nurse in white stepped in.
“Oh my, you’re awake?”
“…Where is this…?”
“This is the hospital inside the Center. You were found collapsed outside the building next to the Center and were rescued immediately. Are you feeling all right?”
“…Um, were my friends not nearby?”
“Ah, the two who were lying next to you? They had seizures as soon as they regained consciousness. It’s presumed they suffered severe psychological shock, so they were urgently transferred to another hospital.”
“So… they’re alive?”
“Yes. They’re alive. Once they stabilize, you should be able to see them again.”
“Hah, thank goodness. Really… really thank goodness.”
If they were alive, that was enough.
Mental damage was unavoidable.
Rank often correlated with mental fortitude. He himself was A-rank, and even now he was shaking all over, scared out of his wits; there was no way those a rank below him could have endured.
If they were alive, he could see them again anytime. Time would heal the rest.
“Looks like you’ve finally come to.”
The door opened then, and in walked a man over one-ninety centimeters tall, his whole body corded with muscle. He had a few small scars on his face, but his distinct features and close-cropped hair made him strikingly, ruggedly handsome.
“Y-you’re…!”
There was no way not to recognize him.
The strongest S-rank in the flame category. Kang Cheon!
He’d only ever seen him on TV; this was the first time in person.
Kim Cheolsu hastily sat up and bowed.
“It’s an honor to meet you!”
“Mm. Good to see you too. The other two still haven’t come to, so they’re useless—but at least one of you woke up properly.”
Every word dripped with cold.
A cold sweat prickled at Cheolsu’s back; he straightened, nerves taut, and listened.
He doubted an S-rank like Kang Cheon had come to check on an injured A-rank. There had to be a reason.
“I’m here about the disappearance of the S-rank Esper, Kim Wooju. I was wondering if you knew anything.”
“…Kim Wooju?”
“Yes. He’s been missing for days. I heard you were the last ones with him, so I went looking—but you were missing too.”
“Ah… missing…”
“It was a headache, but they told me you’d been found, so here I am. What on earth happened?”
'Figures.'
No one cared whether an A-rank like him went missing, but the moment an S-rank like Kim Wooju disappeared, the famous Kang Cheon came running…
Wooju had no offensive abilities—only self-regeneration. Why the government valued him so highly, he couldn’t fathom.
'If it’s about ability, I’m better than Kim Wooju…'
The thought stung, but he wasn’t stupid enough to bare that resentment to Kang Cheon.
Unlike Wooju, Kang Cheon was his idol—an offensive Esper.
He’d never forgotten the resplendent flames that seemed to wreath Kang Cheon on TV.
Looking at him with genuine respect, Kim Cheolsu told the truth.
“We fell into a fissure. There was an unidentified dungeon inside the fissure… and we met Kim Wooju there. We think he fell into that dungeon before we did.”
He summarized what had happened.
Especially about that lizard.
A lizard with mysterious abilities.
Small, so perhaps not a major threat—but a lizard that used magic was certainly rare.
Kang Cheon nodded, looking intrigued.
“Could be the place from the rumors.”
“…The place from the rumors?”
“Yes. Lately there’ve been people who claim to have fallen into a dragon’s dungeon and barely made it out. I thought it was nonsense, but perhaps not. Where did that fissure occur?”
Once a fissure happened in a location, it was far more likely to happen again.
“It was… there…”
***
I caught fish and grilled them so Kim Wooju could eat.
Even after watching me wield magic with ease, Wooju showed neither fear nor curiosity.
Which was a little unsettling, but it made it easier to move around freely.
When I handed over the grilled fish, he must have been starving; he devoured it.
'…Slow down. You’re going to scorch the roof of your mouth.'
Once the meal was more or less done and I’d finished tidying up, I grabbed a stick to handle the most important matter: sorting out how he addressed me.
Wooju had been trailing after me like a chick after a hen; now he watched me write and murmured,
“Mm, so… Ar?”
“Graaahhh!”
I shook my head hard and roared that he was wrong.
Look closely! There’s a long base line under it!
Frustrated, I tapped the ground with the stick. Wooju looked again at the letters I’d scrawled.
“…Not Ar, but Aru?”
“Graah!”
'Yes, that’s it! That’s it!'
He’d finally realized my name was Aru! But that hope crumbled with his next words.
“What’s Aru, Bambam?”
“Graahhh! Graaahhh, graaaaahhh!”
'You idiot!'
Who knew a failure to communicate could be this maddening…
I pointed the stick at myself, then alternated between the ground and me.
'This is me—this is my name!'
“Ah, Aru! Your name is Aru, right?”
“Graaang!”
'Yes. Exactly!'
After a long, clumsy explanation, he finally started getting it right, and I nodded so hard my head nearly fell off.
At last, it felt like we were communicating.
“Aru, Aru… So you’re not Bambam… Bambam fit better, though… Can’t I keep calling you Bambam?”
“Graah, graaah!”
'Don’t be ridiculous. Absolutely not!'
Thankfully, when I glared, he seemed to get the point. Looking a bit deflated, he tried saying the name Aru several times.
I sighed.
After all that, he wouldn’t keep calling me something weird, right?
Granted, it isn’t my real name, but it is this dragon’s name—Aru—so I wasn’t exactly lying.
And it was miles better than “Bambam.”
We were going to be together for a while; I couldn’t go on being called something bizarre.
“…Aru. I’m sleepy now.”
“Graah, graaahhh.”
'And what do you want me to do about it?'
“Let’s sleep together. Come here. Please?”
“Graaaahhh. Grah.”
'Are you out of your mind? Sleep on your own.'
I took off to avoid his reaching hands.
It was barely early evening—why was he sleeping?
When I dodged, Wooju drooped his shoulders and looked at me.
Those pitiful eyes nearly swayed me, but I’d already compromised by revealing my sanctuary.
At least here, he’d be safe even if I stepped out.
Finally, giving up on grabbing me, Wooju went into my cozy grass-woven bedroom and curled up.
I glanced over at him sidelong.
'Of all ways to sleep, why does he have to look that pathetic? And that’s my spot…'
I hesitated, then let out a sigh and went over to him.
I sat gently by his legs and laid my tail across them, settling in comfortably.
Watching me, Wooju’s eyes curved like crescent moons as he smiled.
Like a satiated beast—that satisfied smile made me grumble inwardly as I closed my eyes.
'…No matter how many times I see it, that smile is too bewitching.'