Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

---

Chapter 387: What Kind of Space is the Ruins?

What purpose do the ruins serve? The ancient stone columns buried beneath that sand remind us that this space exists to uncover the truth behind their existence.

Of course, that’s not their real purpose. The ancients didn’t build them with that intention in mind. It’s just that, from a modern perspective, it feels that way, you know what I mean?

Anyway, observing the relics left by the ancients and examining their styles and levels—that’s why we come to the ruins.

What does that mean? It means that if you’re completely clueless and have no prior knowledge, you won’t understand a thing.

It seems like there’s something written but all I see are worms crawling, and I don’t know whether it’s form or content at all…

The children are just fascinated by seeing this for the first time, but soon they’ll end up feeling like Yeon-woo does.

“I once thought like that too, you know.”

Out of nowhere, Yeon-woo, who had plopped down alone on a stone column, mumbled this. Regrettably, our kids are indeed much smarter than he is.

It’s tough to decide whether to be happy or sad as a father while feeling quite confused.

Then In-young approached Yeon-woo. A click, the characteristic sound of a lighter flicking.

With only one person here smoking, it was easy to identify who it was.

“Well, have you found any clues yet?”

“What have you been doing all this time without helping?”

“They told me not to come near because the cigarette smell is strong.”

“Tsk tsk.”

Cigarettes are that dangerous. If I can’t hug Shar and Tae-oh, where can I find joy in my life? I didn’t smoke before, but now I want to avoid it even more.

It was the moment when the faint seedlings of smoking that might have remained disappeared.

“Clues? How can there be any? It’s not like we discovered any hieroglyphics. All the relics talk about are things only they know. How am I supposed to interpret this drawing of a bunch of worms?”

“Hey, it looks like worm-shaped characters. Just a cliché expression.”

Lucrecia chuckled and plopped down next to Yeon-woo.

Why is she sitting next to me while smoking? When Yeon-woo shot her a glare, Lucrecia boldly spoke.

“You know, the air gets fresher when I smoke next to you.”

“I’m not an air purifier, you know.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t smoke near air purifiers either.”

“Guess you aren’t even that…”

Well, that’s true. It would be a hassle if the filter absorbed the smell.

Yeon-woo didn’t quite understand this either. Many acquaintances had said such things before.

Could it be that the fresh air feeling is due to Dragon Heart? Maybe Yeon-woo is unconsciously using tuning abilities.

Anyway, since he couldn’t just let her smoke next to the kids, he allowed her to sit beside him.

“There aren’t many people willing to be next to me while I smoke, you know. Thanks, buddy.”

“Who would want to? Just appreciate it, will you?”

With that, Yeon-woo brushed his hand along the stone column where he sat. The thick layer of dust cleared, revealing engraved patterns.

“…I really have no idea.”

What are Nea and the kids discussing over there that they know so much about it?

Yeon-woo glanced over at his companions, who were holding a small stone tablet.

“From what’s engraved on that column…”

“No, if you compare it to that stone tablet…”

Regardless of age, status, or race, the family was engaged in a heated debate. Only Yeon-woo couldn’t join in. He was the only one who didn’t know what they were thinking…

“Oh, is it engraved here too? Let’s take a look.”

“Haha, it’s not like you’d know anyway. I don’t know myself.”

“Let’s see, ‘Remember the Mountain Man, the brother of light and friend of darkness.’”

“……?”

Yeon-woo looked at Lucrecia in disbelief as she spoke nonchalantly.

This isn’t about understanding or anything. She can read this? Could it be that Lucrecia wasn’t just a simple dim-witted Dragon Knight but actually a smart person?

“What are you staring at? Just because I can read the letters doesn’t mean anything. This is our town’s script!”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“No, knowing the ancient language means you should change my negative image of you!”

“Knowing ancient languages doesn’t automatically upgrade a person’s intelligence!!”

“That’s pretty harsh.”

Is that something you say after treating someone like an air purifier?

*

“Haha, your efforts were all in vain!”

With a triumphant look, Yeon-woo declared this, and his family stared at him as if he were strange.

Of course, it’s true he’s being odd. He’d been sulking like, ‘I don’t know…’ and now he’s suddenly shouting.

“Here, the great Lucrecia has received divine insight for us…”

Lucrecia scratched her cheek awkwardly at Yeon-woo’s grandiose proclamation and pose.

Uh, it’s not wrong, but… she couldn’t hide her reluctance while mumbling that.

“I can kinda read it, do you want help?”

“Wait!!”

With those words, Shar dramatically spread her arms, blocking Lucrecia. Everyone swallowed hard at her determined expression.

“I-I’ll figure it out myself…!! Just give me hints when I’m okay with it…!!”

Her mixed statement of pride and challenge carried a slight touch of awkwardness.

Is language really this full of life? The excessive vibrancy made everyone shudder.

“Y-Yeah, do that…”

Lucrecia nodded at the passion lighting up Shar’s eyes.

Well, since they came here to have some fun, it wouldn’t hurt to let them figure this out.

Agreeing with a nod, Yeon-woo watched as Lucrecia returned to the stone column she had been sitting on.

The four who had seemed a bit confused by the sudden influx of answers quickly huddled together to discuss.

After observing them for a moment, Yeon-woo sat back down on his own stone column. He realized that even if he stood next to them without understanding, it would only be distracting.

“So, what’s this ruin about? Oh, I guess I can’t know that just from reading this?”

“It’s not that I don’t know. I’ve heard stories about it.”

“Hey!! You two, keep your voices down!! We can hear you!!”

At Shar’s warning, the two shrank back their shoulders. There was no choice but to speak telepathically.

Casting a magical barrier around their voices, they tossed their thoughts to each other. Though it’s a technique only experts should use, they wondered if it was okay to apply it here.

[What’s the story about?]

[It’s about the man of the mountain, who is both the brother of light and the friend of darkness… About the first human in creation.]

A creation myth, perhaps? Since the worlds are different, the feel of it is quite unique. In our world, we usually start with how light and darkness came to be.

It felt a bit like a third-rate fantasy game, and that had its own charm.

[It’s hard to imagine. So, humans existed when there was neither land nor sky?]

[Well, kind of. The man of the mountain was very uncomfortable, so light and darkness went out to gather substances to form the world. They initially called him man, but as all the substances piled like a mountain, he became known as the mountain man.]

[Which of the three should we consider the creator god?]

[Who knows? They don’t worship any of the three as gods in the first place.]

Was it the man of the mountain who expressed discomfort and led to the creation of the world, or the light and darkness who crafted the world directly?

They say human history is built on discomfort, but who would have thought there would be a dimension where even the world itself was created from discomfort?

[What’s interesting is it’s not a mere myth. It’s because evidence proving the existence of the man of the mountain has been found.]

[What?!]

[From the previous kingdoms, ancient empires, to primordial civilizations of an unspeakably distant past. Every civilization commonly refers to the man’s existence. They say there’s evidence that he survived at least until the prior kingdom. I don’t know the exact details after that because I died, though.]

Somehow, it feels like I’m starting to understand why he’s been called the man of the mountain.

No matter how long the time passes, standing firm like a mountain, perhaps the praise of his immortality turned into that nickname.

[But how does that relate to defeating the Demon King of Fire?]

[Well, if you look carefully, there might be hints. I don’t know this ruin, but with something this vast, you’re bound to find something worthwhile, right?]

That’s likely true. Leviathan isn’t the kind of being that makes mistakes in such dealings.

If she decided to trade, she always follows her creed of exchanging accurate values.

[For now, we should wait a bit. Well, once I know how to read it, I’ll finish it quickly.]

[Haha. With three dragons, including the half-dragon, we’re golden.]

I appreciate the compliment, but Yeon-woo had no intention of interrupting.

The intelligence of dragons is certainly not to be underestimated. Watching Nea get excited to start a library time attack because she needed knowledge terrified Yeon-woo.

He thought his intelligence or those related stats had increased quite a bit, but there was simply an insurmountable wall between true dragons and himself.

*

Kugugugu…

The ancient stone columns began to rise from the ground. Bursting from beneath, the enormous ruins flaunted their majestic form.

What could be compared to it? It resembled the Parthenon temple.

Restoring the ruins is a challenging task, but with sufficient mana, skilled mages, and outstanding physical prowess, it could be done. Especially thanks to the effort of Shar.

Transforming into a massive wolf, her giant paws scraped the earth, relentlessly digging. She was truly a walking giant excavator.

“No matter how you look at it, it’s a temple.”

But that was a bit strange.

Lucrecia had said that in her world, there was none who worshipped the light, the darkness, or the man of the mountain.

Yet, was there really any need to construct a temple-like structure?

Sure, the ancient civilization may have regarded them as gods, but at least during the time Lucrecia lived, there was no reason to worship them.

Considering the similarities in culture, it was hard to think that a mere rise and fall of a nation would lead to a shift in faith.

Thinking about this, Yeon-woo stood in the center of the temple. It could only be described as a scene engulfed in obsession and madness.

“Remember the man of the mountain.” That phrase was densely inscribed throughout the ruins. It seemed like a reminder not to forget.

As if the reason for the ancient civilization’s destruction lay in the man of the mountain, they echoed his name like a curse.

“‘The man of the mountain will kill the brother of light and the friend of darkness, reincarnating as the destroyer of worlds and providence.’”

It was a line from the very first stone tablet he picked up. Clearly, it was positioned in the very center of this temple.

Like a puzzle missing one piece, there was an impression on the temple’s floor that matched the stone tablet.

Muttering with a complex expression, Lucrecia handed the tablet to Yeon-woo. She signaled him to fit it in however he liked.

The destroyer of worlds and providence… it must mean the Demon King.

That implies that the Demon King, who destroyed the world after Lucrecia’s death, has come to this planet.

Though he seemed casual about it, there was no way that wasn’t bothering him. Yeon-woo averted his gaze from emotions he couldn’t comprehend. Then he slid the tablet into place on the floor.

“Thump thump…!!”

Shar, Tae-oh, and Dawn, having finished their work, clenched their tiny fists, gazing at the scene.

(To be continued…)