After asking his question, Noir stared at the golden dragon with sparkling eyes. He was very curious about the magic of this world and how it worked.
Chrysola’s smile softened slightly.
For the first time since they had started talking, the golden dragon seemed to take the question completely seriously.
The enormous cavern fell silent.
Even the little golden sphere stopped flitting around them and slowly descended until it settled on one of Noir’s horns, as if it, too, wanted to hear the answer.
[It seems you’re really interested.]
’Of course.’
Noir didn’t even try to hide it.
’It’s magic.’
The answer was so obvious it almost seemed ridiculous. Who isn’t interested in magic? Back home, he had read about witchcraft, but... he isn’t sure whether to classify it as magic.
Besides, to begin with, he isn’t even sure if witchcraft is real.
The golden dragon nodded slowly. Then she raised one of her claws and pointed to one of the enormous reddish crystals growing on the walls of the cavern.
[Then tell me.]
Her voice echoed softly.
[What do you think magic is?]
"..."
Noir opened his mouth, but closed it again; he thought he knew the answer, though on second thought... He had never really stopped to think about it.
In all the novels, games, and movies he had consumed in his previous life, magic had no depth.
It simply existed; that was all.
They didn’t have a "why." They were just energy, Mana, spells, explosions, and other things; Noir even wondered more than once if those authors just took magic and that was it... Although there were always exceptions.
But now that someone had asked him that question directly... he didn’t have a clear answer.
’Energy?’ Noir replied off the cuff.
Chrysola shook her head.
[Incorrect.]
’Mana?’
[Also incorrect.]
Noir frowned.
The dragon seemed amused by his reaction.
[I can rephrase the question.]
Her enormous blue pupil was reflected in Noir’s eyes.
[What makes fire possible?]
Noir blinked. That question seemed even stranger—wasn’t it just a series of combinations of fuel, oxygen, activation energy, and a chain reaction?
However, that wasn’t the answer he was supposed to give, so he just blurted out something else.
’Because... it exists.’
[And why does it exist?]
’Because it does.’
[Incorrect answer.]
Chrysola continued without giving him time to protest.
[Most races believe that magic is energy.]
The dragon raised a claw. A small golden flame appeared on one of its scales.
[Humans.]
The flame turned into a drop of water.
[Elves.]
The drop turned into a small crystal.
[Giants.]
Finally, everything vanished.
[Everyone believes that magic is a force.]
Chrysola lowered her claw.
[And they’re all wrong. Magic isn’t energy—it’s meaning.]
’What does that mean?’ Noir froze. And his expression made it clear that he hadn’t understood a single word.
Chrysola let out a little laugh as she stroked the little black dragon.
[I knew you’d make that face.]
’Because it doesn’t make sense.’
[Not yet.]
The dragon gazed at the crystalline veins that ran through the cavern.
[Before the oceans existed, before the mountains existed, before the dragons existed... There were the Concepts: water, fire, life, death, and more.]
Chrysola fell silent for a brief moment, smiling as she watched Noir’s bewildered expression.
[You’re just too cute.]
The little black dragon snorted proudly, as if what he had just said was something he had always known.
’I know.’
[I continue: everything that exists has a Concept, and every Concept has a Word, and every Word possesses power]
Noir’s pupils slowly narrowed. Because for the first time... things began to make sense.
The dragon watched Noir’s reaction and smiled.
[Now we’re getting to the interesting part.]
One of its claws gently descended until it touched the little dragon’s chest, right where its source of Mana—its heart—was located.
[Mana doesn’t create magic; it’s simply the fuel, or what pays the price. True magic happens when you understand a Word well enough for the world to hear you.]
And for some reason, the moment he heard those words... Noir remembered the magic he had used just once, which had caused him to faint the moment he spoke a single word.
Dragon Language.
Chrysola’s smile widened slightly. It was as if she had just realized exactly what the little dragon was thinking. Her blue eyes sparkled softly.
[And now, little one... You will understand why we dragons are such feared beings]
Noir stood motionless. He had assumed that the magic displayed in his status window was an innate ability shared by all dragons and that it was extremely powerful.
But if what Chrysola said was true... Then he was completely wrong.
Noir remained deep in thought for several seconds.
Everything he had just heard was too much to process all at once.
Concepts.
Dragons are capable of speaking directly to the world.
He felt as though he had just opened a door and discovered an entire ocean lying beyond it.
But...
’Words...?’
Chrysola nodded slowly.
[We dragons don’t cast spells; we speak. Elves need affinity. Humans developed other methods—runes, formations, magic circles.]
The dragon raised a claw and traced several glowing lines in the air. The lines came together to form a complex pattern filled with unknown symbols.
Finally, everything vanished.
[These are attempts to replicate the effect of a True Word without truly understanding the Concept behind it. In short, they use methods to approach a Word.]
Chrysola lifted Noir, looking him straight in the eyes and stroking him gently, then added.
[We are born with the ability to speak directly to the world.]
Noir blinked, accustomed to the golden dragoness’s caresses; he hadn’t imagined that the form he had been reincarnated into would be more powerful than he had ever imagined.
’That sounds extremely unfair.’
Chrysola let out a soft laugh.
[It is.]
The answer was so blunt that even Noir was speechless for a few seconds.
’So we’re just born superior.’
[Yes.]
"..."
’What an ego.’
[It’s not an ego if it’s true.]
Noir felt an overwhelming urge to argue with that statement.
Unfortunately, the dragon seemed completely convinced. And the worst part was that she probably had good reason to be.
That monstrous golden body was proof enough.
The golden sphere fluttered around Chrysola and glowed brightly, as if it were in complete agreement.
’I don’t need your opinion.’
Chrysola stroked it, then set it back down on the ground.
[Little, I think it’s time for you to move on.]
Noir felt a pang of sadness. He had only spent a few hours with her, and yet he didn’t like the idea of leaving.
For weeks, he had been completely alone. He had walked through endless tunnels with no one to talk to.
And now that he had finally found someone who could answer his questions...
He had to leave.
The little dragon bowed his head slightly.
’Can’t you come with me?’
Chrysola’s blue eyes softened.
The enormous dragon remained silent for a few seconds before slowly shaking her head.
[I’m sorry, little one. If I could leave this place, I would have done so a long time ago.]
Noir blinked.
[There is an ancient magic that keeps me here.]
Chrysola’s gaze briefly swept across the enormous cavern.
[This cave is not my home.]
[It is my prison.]
The little dragon felt something tighten inside his chest. For the first time since he’d known her, the dragoness’s smile seemed a little sad.
Noir gazed at the immense golden body that dominated the entire cavern.
He sensed the invisible chains he couldn’t see.
And he made a decision.
He swished his tail firmly and then raised his head.
’Then I will become stronger.’
Chrysola nodded slightly.
’I will become the strongest dragon in the world.’
The golden orb stopped spinning.
Even Chrysola looked surprised.
Noir continued.
’And when I’m strong enough... I’ll come back.’
The little dragon’s red eyes shone with determination.
’Then I’ll get you out of here.’
For several seconds, the cave remained silent.
Then... a soft laugh escaped from the golden dragon.
A warm laugh.
[Hahaha...]
Her enormous blue pupils narrowed slightly.
[You’re going to make me fall in love with you, little one.]
Before Noir could react, a gigantic claw slowly descended and stroked his head. The sensation was warm and, strangely, comforting.
[The world is vast.]
[You will see wonderful things.]
[You will also see terrible things.]
[You will make friends.]
[And enemies.]
Chrysola’s voice echoed softly throughout the cavern.
[But never let anyone convince you that you’re something you’re not.]
The dragon smiled.
[After all... We dragons were born to fly above the world. We are proud beings—never forget that.]
Noir stood motionless.
Those words were etched into his mind.
The golden sphere descended slowly and settled on one of his horns.
Chrysola watched the scene with a look of tenderness.
[Go.]
[See the world.]
[Make it tremble if you have to.]
Then she smiled one last time.
[And when you return...]
[I want to see what kind of dragon you’ve become.]
...
Author’s note:
I have a question for you all. I’ve been a bit undecided about the cover, so I’d like your opinion—which of the two is better?
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or
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