Chapter 47: Discovery of other races.
To Kyriaki, she has always been a dragon. The memories of her past life as a human were simply just knowledge for her. The final conclusion she reached about her memories was that It was helpful to sympathize and interact with humans, but to think that she was still a human herself was beyond her imagination.
Perhaps her dragon ego was dominating her human memories as a Higher tire race or she has fully accepted she's a reborn dragon now. Either way, the more she interacts with both races, the more knowledge she gains. The more knowledge she gained the more she advanced and understood her new life. That was what mattered to her.
"Humans?" Kyriaki looked down with a gentle smile tugging her lips.
Her earrings glowed faintly in secret as she stared down at the humans with a benevolent gaze.
For all she knew was that not being human anymore doesn't mean she wasn't curious about the topic of humans at all. After all, this was her first time seeing humans after so long. To top it all, It appeared that the fourth race she saw with her own two eyes happened to be humans.
She never thought she'd meet any kind of people from the Primal Plane in this vast void dimension. It seemed that she lacked knowledge of this world. While she silently pledged to study harder, Kyriaki swapped her gaze over all the people.
Eight humans and three beastkin.
By the look of their attire, most of them—including all humans—looked like they were from some ancient Roman empire with a bit of fantasy touch to it.
Like a miracle, they seemed to have survived in this harsh environment for a long time. Each of those people looked ragged, as if they were on the edge of the death door. Even an indifferent person like Kyriaki felt pity swelling her heart faintly.
As she showered them with a pitying gaze, her eyes finally landed on a middle aged man who stood at the forefront of the people, looking at her with wide eyes.
He had grey hair almost the color of an iron blade. Golden eyes, not the same hue as Kyriaki but more similar to a forest basked in the rays of the setting sun, trembled slightly as if he was hit by a hammer on his head.
By the wolf ears and grey fur tail he had, Kyriaki immediately recalled a memory from original Kyrios' memories.
"Interesting." She couldn't help but grin at the miraculous meeting.
'Okay, from now on, a self-rescue mission begins.'
Then she jumped down from the edge of the rift with ease. Ten meters height was nothing to her strong physique. With a soft thud, like a cat landing, she elegantly balanced herself and landed In front of the grey wolf beastkin.
"Greetings to the Wolf King, His Majesty Paul Vasiliev Romanov. I am Kyriaki Elpis Eleftherios. May I dare to guess you already recognise me?" She put her hand on her heart and gave an elegant bow.
Her words, spoken in Wolf tongue, sounded a bit clumsy. But the dignity and noble allure couldn't be hidden even amidst that unfamiliarity.
Wolf tongue was quite similar to Russian in her previous life. Even though she wasn't that interested in the language before, she was at a level where she could hold a simple conversation without twisting her tongue. It made it all the more easier for her to learn the wolf tongue language back in EESOP.
When Kyriaki showed courtesy and introduced herself with a visible respect and faint gentleness, the man she addressed as the Wolf King gasped.
"My goodness…" At that moment, someone mumbled in a shaky voice using wolf tongue. Kyriaki tilted her head and looked past the Wolf King.
Yellow diamond eyes met ruby red eyes.
"Greetings to the Wolf Queen as well." Kyriaki offered her utmost respect, flashing a bewitching smile.
"Damn…" the beastkin boy next to the Wolf Queen hurriedly covered his bleeding nose with a flushed face. And the green eyed woman on the other side looked at Kyriaki with hopeful twinkling eyes.
"If—" The Wolf King opened his mouth for the first time with a cracking voice. "If by any chance—" he choked on his own words as if he was having a nightmare.
"Hmmm?" Kyriaki encouraged him to speak with a polite smile. The wolf King took a deep breath before looking straight at her eyes.
"By Eleftherios, do you mean the Golden Dragon clan? The rulers of Mitherr-ge?"
"That is correct." Kyriaki nodded. "This is a bit embarrassing to say myself, but I am the daughter of King Elysium."
"Ah!" The Wolf Queen ran towards the two of them as if she couldn't bear it any longer and collapsed in front of Kyriaki.
"We are saved!" tears rolled down her eyes like jewels.
Kyriaki, slightly flustered yet never losing control over her facial muscles, looked down at the Wolf Queen crying under her feet. The woman looked so worn out. For someone of her status to cry and break down, perhaps the void had slowly cracked the Wolf Queen's mentality without even her knowing. Glancing at his wife for a second, the Wolf King clenched his hands and knelt before her like a loyal vessel.
"Your Highness, please help us!" He shouted so loudly that the mummering people behind them all shut their mouths reflexively.
They undeniably didn't understand Wolf tongue, yet they instinctively felt he was asking for something irresistibly valuable from her, something he was willing to kneel and beg for.
Meanwhile Kyriaki's eyes opened wide in surprise. She didn't expect such a reaction nor such a request from a kneeling Wolf Royalty at all. Especially from the formidable Wolf King. Flustered and unable to hide it for the first time in her dragon life, Kyriaki hurriedly shook her head.
"No, what is this, Your Majesty? Why are you kneeling?!" If her family saw her soft flushing cheeks, they'd have gone mad and brag about it for ages. Kyriaki felt relieved that no one she knew was present there.
It was an out of character situation for her always elegant and calm self.
"Ummm…" As Kyriaki was trying her best to calm her heated cheeks and convince the Wolf Royalty to stand up, a meek voice called out.
All three of them looked at the dark green eyed woman, who spoke.
"Can you explain what's going on?"
It was the common language of Mitherr-ge. The only language that never changes despite the passage of time. A language said to have been given as a gift from the will of the world. Even though it has so many accents, the language has always been the same no matter what part of the world one lived.
It was almost similar to English in Kyriaki's opinion. As she judged the accent of the words green eyed woman spoke, Kyriaki immediately grasped from which part of the world she came from.
And so, Kyriaki smiled gently at the woman, satisfied after hearing her previous life's language from a human mouth.
"Of course." Her language also switched, matching the woman.
The woman's eyes widened slightly. But Kyriaki didn't care.
Kyriaki motioned the wolf couple to stand up. When they reluctantly got up, she cleared her throat with perfect manners and spoke calmly. The dignity hidden beneath her actions and voice caught the attention of a few sharp eyes.
"My name is Kyriaki. I was accidentally transported here while clearing a dungeon. According to my calculations, it hasn't been a day since I've been stuck in the Void Plane."
"Wait—clearing a dungeon? You? At this age?"
The young beastkin with deer antlers chimed in with a puzzled expression. Kyriaki stopped talking and studied his face for a moment.
Orange-brown hair with white spots, honey brown eyes and freckles over his flushed face. Long deer ears under antlers. He clearly showed signs of a deer beast kin.
"You, of all people, must know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." Kyriaki presented her smile that captured the beauty of a setting sun.
'Show me his status window.'
[Ding]
[Status window
Name: Oscar Morningglory
Race: Beastkin Sub race: Axis Deer Beastkin
Age: 57 years
Core Rank: E
Job: Beginner Mage(Low)
Title(s):
Attribute: Wood
Strength: F
Defence: E-
Agility: E
Sense: E
Vitality: E
Mana: E
Intelligent: C+
Charm: B+
Skills:
Unique: Strength of Dusk
Passive: Danger sensor, nature affinity, diseases resistance, Grassland boost
Active: High Jump, Vitality absorbance, Green absorbance, Sound wave reading
Mage imprint: Basic Magic (1st Circle), Basic Mana Missile (1st Circle), Plant sense (1st Circle), Plant sprout (1st Circle), Wood cutter (2nd circle), Leaf blade (2nd circle)]
"And also, I'm older than you." She politely replied.
""Huh?"" Both the deer named Oscar and the green eyed woman made a dumbfounded expression.
"...are you an elf?" He asked, checking her ears from the corners of his eyes. "No that can't be." After confirming they weren't long and pointed he blinked as if he couldn't understand.
After all,
Ignoring the tiny deer's mumbles, Kyriaki turned to the green eyed woman. She flinched the moment their eyes met, but Kyriaki smiled as if she didn't see it.
"Ah, I'm Marina Oldforest. I- uh- I'm 29 years old?"
The woman said eagerly but she trailed off at the end as if she herself was unsure about what she was saying. She had chestnut brown hair and deep green eyes. But what caught Kyriaki's eyes wasn't her appearance. It was something that greatly surprised her indifferent heart. Noting that fact, Kyriaki scanned her from top of her head to the tip of her toes, then nodded thoughtfully.
[Status window
Name: Marina Oldforest
Race: Human
Age: 29 Years
Core Rank: C-
Job(s): Low level Archer (high)
Title(s):
Attribute(s): Wind
Strength: D+
Defence: C-
Agility: C
Sense: C
Vitality: C-
Mana: C-
Intelligent: B+
Charm: C+
Skills:
Active: Eye of an eagle
Warrior imprint: Basic Archery (G+), Wind Eagle Saga (B)]
One by one, Kyriaki spoke to all the people and wrote mental notes of each of them. She gathered information, analyzed their appearance, personality and habits with just those short conversations. Thinking about observing for more later, she turned to face the Wolf Royalty that were quietly watching her.
[Ding!]
[Status window
Name: Paul Vasiliev Romanov
Race: Beastkin Sub race: Dire Wolf Beastkin
Age: 312 Years
Core Rank: M (Low)
Job(s): Saint-Knight (Low), Grand Martial Artist (High), Grand Assassin (High)
Title(s): The Wolf King, Alpha Blooded Ruler, Shield of the Wolves, Moonlight Assassin
Attribute(s): Earth, Darkness, Metal
Strength: M (Low)
Defence: M (Medium)
Agility: M(High)
Sense: DG
Vitality: M (Low)
Mana: M (Low)
Intelligent: M (High)
Charm: M (Medium)
Skills:
Unique:
Passive:
Active:
Warrior imprint:
'Hmmm… Dad also recently ranked up to M(Low). Comparison tells me this is an excellent achievement for a Beastkin'
Though Dragons tend to be late bloomers because of their natural tendencies to be lazy, short-living species always tend to gain power quickly. And also perish quickly. In that regard, Wolf beastkin are the same.
Yet if he fought against Elysium, who bears the same rank as him, he'd still lose. The defeat would be before even three moves from Elysium. That's how powerful a dragon is compared to a beastkin.
But that didn't matter to Kyriaki. Her father wasn't here. So she had to make use of the one who was here, even if they were a little lacking.
Apart from comparing the Wolf King to her father, if she was to compare him to herself, she would be overwhelmingly defeated.
That fact alone was enough for her to stick with the Wolf King until she gathered all her forces.
[Status window
Name: Tatiana Lyubov Romanov
Race: Beastkin Sub race: Cave Wolf Beastkin
Age: 290 Years
Core Rank: SSS+
Job(s): Arch-mage (High), Sword Master (High)
Title(s): The Wolf King's Omega, Ice Witch
Attribute(s): Ice, Water, Wind
Strength: SSS+
Defence: SSS+
Agility: SSS+
Sense: EX (Medium)
Vitality: SSS+
Mana: SSS+
Intelligent: EX (Medium)
Charm: EX (High)
Skills:
Unique: Omega Sense, Crimson Eyes, Wolf Pack's Link
Passive:
Active:
Warrior imprint:
Mage imprint:
'A brilliant status window for an omega. I suppose there's no need to suffer so much from now on.'
"Would you mind keeping my identity a secret?" Kyriaki was the first to speak. Her switch to Wolf tongue was truly swift. "Not forever. Just until the humans get used to my presence."
"We must ask the same, Your Highness. I dare to suggest that you speak to me by my name." Mr.Romanov nodded in understanding.
"Then please call me Kyriaki, too." Kyriaki smiled gently, her eyes curling into crescent moons as she switched back to Common Language.
It was a hint that they shouldn't talk too long in a language unfamiliar to others. It might cause disturbance within the group. Befitting their status as Royals, the couple immediately understood her hidden meaning and accepted it without question.
"May I ask what kind of dungeon you were challenging and where it was before?" Even so, his tone was still polite, as if he was treating her as his superior.
It wasn't an overreaction.
All the Higher races knew about the existence of dragons. And leaders of some lower species also had the chance to meet the dragons at least once in their lifetime for safety reasons of Mitherr-ge.
Among those lower species, wolf beastkin were among the top ten. As far as she knew, The Wolf King had even visited Elysium's lair in Seeker's Forest before. Way back when she was a month old hatchling.
For someone who had already seen the glory of noble dragons, this submission came naturally. Kyriaki chose to ignore his polite tone and spoke as usual.
"At first we judged it to be a mixed gate dungeon. But it turned out to be a double dungeon set by a trap gate. And it was on Isaz Island."
Mrs.Romanov's eyes turned as round as a full moon.
"A Trap gate?!" She expressed her horror with her whole body.
"...And a double dungeon." Mr.Romanov exhaled sharply.
"What was a trap gate anyway?" Oscar muttered beside them, but nobody paid attention to him.
"And what's Isaz island?" Marina was also ignored.
"What was the rank?" Mr.Romanov asked. His voice returned to his former tranquility.
"C+"
Everyone fell into a silence full of disbelief.
"Me and my teammates were able to clear the dungeon. However, I lost consciousness right after our victory. When I opened my eyes again, I was here without my teammates in my sight." She continued her words.
"...well, if it's you, I suppose you can do it." Mr.Romanov nodded nonchalantly.
Even though he seemed to know Kyriaki was young even among hatchlings, the Wolf King simply accepted the fact that she can clear a C+ dungeon even though her core rank was far weaker.
Marina and Oscar looked at him with eyes about to pop out. Their jaws barely hang on like a broken poppet's as they listen to him speak.
"So I was thinking, Mr.Romanov. Do you happen to know which part of the Void Plane we are in?"
"I'm afraid I am of no use here." He shook his head in regret.
"I see." Kyriaki stared at him for a few seconds like she was calculating something. And then sighed as if given up.
She lifted her hand, exposing her smart watch.
Smart watches, especially this type that students use, lose their most functions upon entering another dimension or a dungeon. Truthfully, who'd think EESOP students would encounter a sudden dimensional rift or a mysterious dimensional jump?
But still, there are some functions that work no matter where they went. Like the compass, flashlight, inventory and stored information including video, audio, documents and images. Although it has lost all connections to EESOP, those kinds of functions were always useful in unexpected situations.
Kyriaki opened the holographic screen, earning surprised and fearful gasps and mummers from all around. She paid no attention to them as she searched for the location tracker.
Then a big holographic landscape manifested before her. There were red rots scattered around everywhere. Kyriaki smirked with satisfaction.
'I didn't use this in the dungeon because the basic academy rules had to be followed. But this app is truly convenient.'
"We are in the Void Lifianest. Hmm… My teammates are also here."
Since the Void Plane was without any civilizations, the places there were named after the Primal Plane. It wasn't difficult for the fact that all five planes were almost identical.
Kyriaki flashed a bright smile.
"I think we can get out of this depressing dimension earlier than I expected."
"R-really?" Marina stuttered. Some people took sharp breaths before everything went silent once again.
"Yes." Kyriaki nodded, glancing at the wolf couple's hopefully eyes. "There's a special kind of dimensional gate in Void Lifianest that connects the void plane to my second hometown. If we can gather my teammates and safely approach the gate, we might all live."
"Hah…" Marina fell on her knees upon hearing her words. Tears threatened to fall down from her green eyes.
"...just who the hell are you?" Oscar asked in a small voice, so small that it barely reached Kyriaki.
The wolf couple stared at her with a dazed expression as cheers erupted from their surroundings. It seemed that everyone was listening to their conversation all this time.
"But how can we trust you?"
When everyone was drowned in ecstaticity of hope, a rather unpleasant voice broke the happiness like someone pouring cold water over their heads. Kyriaki rolled her eyes without even looking at the person.
'Here we go again. The first to die in a horror movie. The bully that gets crushed by the protagonist in romance fantasy novels. The cliché no one can avoid no matter which world they live in.'
"We don't even know your origin. A little kid suddenly appeared out of nowhere and charmed the people with her looks and strange magic tools. Then she says she can get us out of this realm. Do you think I, the High priest of Apollo, would fall for such tricks?"
"High priest Warkan, please…" Marina shot him a resentful glare.
"What?! Aren't I telling the truth?! There's no such thing as special dimensional gates! How can you trust someone so easily!"
It was a delusional priest with eyes blazing with hostility. Kyriaki's expression remained calm, almost natural as she met his gaze, unfazed by the animosity directed at her. Warkan flinched.
"What are you looking at?! You could be a demon for all I know!"
As soon as he linked her with the demons, Kyriaki's natural expression disappeared, replaced by indifferent and aloof that shouldn't have been there on a little girl's face.
"Now, do tell me how that's any of my business." Her voice, still stunningly dreamy, carried an air of indifference. As if she was uninterested in him all together.
"Hah! See? She's not denying it! What are you going to do if she betrays us later?"
"High priest! Stop!" Mrs.Romanov sharply cut him off abruptly. Her ruby red eyes gleamed with a predator's force.
"I can vouch for Kyriaki's identity. No, let's just make a magic contract. That way, everybody can be at ease. My wife and I can take responsibility for this. So, please refrain from your disrespectful behavior, High priest Warkan." When even Mr.Romanov calmly opened his mouth, The High priest took a step back with a flustered expression.
"Wh-what?"
Kyriaki had long since noticed that the Wolf King wasn't someone who'd have given command to someone who's not in his pack. It was clear as day that he must have quietly observed without voicing his thoughts because of racial distance between himself and others.
He was the silent protector of this group. Which meant that when he spoke up, there's no one who could disobey him. And when he vouches for someone, there should be no one who must doubt him or that person.
"Are you ordering me?! You lowly dog!"
Kyriaki held back her sigh. She couldn't understand why this man would cause trouble over such a thing. There was so much room left for him to express his mind without getting angry and arrogant. But of all things, he chooses to be trash with no logic whatsoever.
To her eyes, he seemed to be suffering from an inferiority complex.
"Hey," She felt her eyes turning cold as Frerland's winter. Her voice wrapped with a terrifying chill came from her true emotions of immediate annoyance.
"I hate unnecessary commotions, Human. I wish you'd stop shouting so foolishly. Don't you understand you are attracting monsters with that noisy mouth of yours?" The air turned chilly.
A pair of mysterious golden eyes glittered with hidden ruthlessness. The unpolished yet rational words left everyone speechless. Her tone was still elegant, yes. However it was undeniably cold and merciless. The mesmerizingly beautiful little girl's subtle pity and gentle gaze had vanished as if it was never there. Now, clad in an aura of authority only a ruler could have, Kyriaki spoke with weight.
"And for the part where you mentioned trust, let me tell you something. Trust is something you earn. But neither you nor I earned it yet. That means trusting me entirely depends on you. It depends on your wisdom and choices you make. I have no intention of wasting my time granting you what you don't have. If you are so uncomfortable, well—honestly, I don't care. You can stay behind, not like it would change anything. However, if you are to ask for help and follow me, stop with the nonsense and obey my orders. Or else, you might find yourself in an unfavorable situation."
The heavy silence continued. Kyriaki stared at the tall priest without blinking. He seemed to be choking his words. Or it might be air. She truly didn't care. And slowly, she withdrew her dragon aura that unsettled and intimated the people around her.
"Gasp! Huff. Huff. Gasp—gasp…Ar-are you—gasp—threatening me?" And Finally, Warkan managed to spat out his voice in a timid tone. For a moment Kyriaki wondered how effective her Dragon aura would be when it evolved into Dragon fear. Perhaps this kind of cowardly trash might piss themselves before such a dense killing intent.
Kyriaki held back a chuckle and shrugged her shoulders. A calm and elegant voiced, like a dream, followed;
"Who knows? I told you I have no time to grant you things you don't have. May you gain wisdom along the long journey we are about to take."
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