I Became the Father of a Degenerate Emperor

Episode 26. Endangered Species

Episode 26. Endangered Species

Under the blue sky, the warhorses gallop across the vast plain.

Dugdak! Dugdak! Dugdak!

I rode a warhorse with the Imperial Knights and was quickly crossing the Florentine steppe.

The wind brushing my cheeks is very cool.

Because it was near the border, there were no people around.

Northwest of Florente, the end of the Golden Meadow.

I ran all the way there without stopping.

And finally, we arrived in front of a hill nestled in a place not too far beyond the border.

It can’t be compared to Taishan Junryeong, but it’s quite large for a hilltop, and it’s quite high.

The densely planted trees and lush bushes look very luxuriant.

Occasionally, the wind blew and the leaves rustled and rustled, but no other sounds were heard.

In fact, this mountain was where Olric Desapio first met the demon Camilla.

“I’ll go alone from here.”

I had the knights stand by at the entrance of the mountain.

Because from now on they will only be burdens.

Salryongsa doesn’t usually attack ordinary humans. It was because mana was scarce and it was not recognized as prey.

But those with a lot of mana would consider them desirable prey, and they would definitely react positively.

So, if you climb the mountain with the knights, there is a high possibility that the eyes of Salryongsa will be distracted.

Of course, if it were me, I wouldn’t have to worry about being attacked by the Slayer.

It was because after the mana circulation was broken by the poison, even the little bit of mana was continuously being absorbed by the poison.

After a while, Max asked with a disapproving expression.

“What are you going to do when a monster appears?”

“There are no monsters here, so there is nothing to worry about.”

As if trying to confirm my words, Max closed his eyes and stood still for a while.

It was to maximize the senses to see if there were any monsters around. It was impossible to grasp the whole mountain, but it wouldn’t be too difficult if it was nearby.

After a while, he opened his eyes again and continued with a dumbfounded expression.

“There really isn’t a single one alive nearby. But that’s even weirder. There must be something terrifying lurking there. Are you really okay?”

I just nodded once without saying a word.

“Okay, come on. However, in case of an emergency, please call me.”

If Max had sensed the killer dragon, he wouldn’t have let it go so easily.

Of course, even if I go alone, I will maximize my senses and keep looking around.

Perhaps, after a while, he would come running after feeling the movement of the dragon warrior.

So I asked Max in advance.

“No matter what you hear, don’t come up.”

Max made an expression as if he was talking like a dog bone.

“I am Hwangmyeong.”

I also met him with a stubborn gaze, and in the end he had no choice but to answer meekly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I took out the swollen leather pouch from the Book of Greed and entrusted the Book of Greed to Max.

It was because the Salryongsa could recognize the energy of mana felt in the Book of Greed as food.

Then I dragged my pockets and started up the mountain.

It was quite heavy, but not so much that I couldn’t move.

However, because of the large size, I had to turn a little around where the trees grew densely.

I climbed the mountain slowly for a long time with a limp.

As we approached the mid-slope, we came across a large clearing, and we saw a large cave in front of it.

That cave was Camilla’s residence.

Camilla was secretly raising a baby Slayer in this cave, and that was the reason why there were no monsters around.

Originally, the living things must have been used as food, and the aura of a predator possessed by the Salryongsa was blocking the access of other monsters.

It’s been some time since Camilla died, so the Slayer must have been quite hungry.

I placed a leather pouch in front of the cave entrance, grabbed the rope tied to the pouch, and retreated far out of the clearing.

Sseuk- Sseuk-

After that, I pulled the rope little by little to create movement in the pocket.

It was to appear alive.

SSS-

Shortly, a sound like something heavy dragging the ground begins to be heard from inside the dark cave.

A salryongsa who only slightly sticks his head out of the cave.

As expected, he was much younger than when he fought the main character.

Sure, though, it looked a bit bigger than an adult anaconda.

Shhh-

A tongue that flickers continuously.

In an instant, the head of the salryongsa turned around.

Gazes met in the air. He was definitely looking in my direction.

Shhh-

Certainly, he probably didn’t recognize me as prey.

Salryongsa’s body had a very strong elasticity.

Although it was quite far away, if you put your mind to it, it would explode explosively and fly right in front of you in an instant.

Of course, that would never happen to me, who has almost no mana.

Actually, I already knew very well that the Slayer could never leave this clearing.

Therefore, standing outside the clearing will never be dangerous for me.

Even so, the presence is so strong that the tension that has risen suddenly does not subside easily.

Instantly, the Slayer turned his head and looked at the leather pouch again.

It must have been because he sensed the magic stone inside.

But just because it sensed mana, it didn’t mean it recognized it as food.

I continued to tug at the rope.

Sseuk- Sseuk-

This was to make it move and make sure it was recognized as prey.

Shhh-

Soon after that, the head of the Salryongsa went back into the cave.

Could it be that the operation failed?

Sseuk- Sseuk-

To stimulate the Slayer, I pulled the string much more quickly and lightly.

And the next moment,

Pak!

Something exploded from inside the cave.

A salryongsa that flew like a dart and attacked the leather pouch. At some point, the pockets were wrapped tightly.

Indeed, it was not astonishing speed, but it could not be done.

Hook! Hooked! Hooked!

An eerie sound immediately followed.

If you stab a bag of flour with dozens of knives, wouldn’t it sound exactly like this?

A series of fangs protruded from the dragon’s stomach, mercilessly piercing the leather pouch. The poison was also constantly being injected.

It was a very bloody sight.

Just by watching from afar, I feel empathy in my pocket for no reason, and a lot of cold sweat comes out of my body.

Soon after, several long, sharp teeth protruded forward from its face.

Chop! Chew!

A slayer dragon that burrows deep into its leather pouch.

They were aiming for magic stones.

As the Slayer struggled inside the pocket, a lot of poisoned cotton balls and rags were pushed out.

Even from the hole pierced by its fangs, black venom gushed out in sync with its movements.

After a while, the Salryongsa that came out through the other side crawled leisurely and went back into the cave.

No matter how much poison he injected, the poison was still flowing from the hole.

And belatedly, I discovered a big problem.

The poison had seeped into it, and the weight of the pouch was much heavier than expected.

So I couldn’t pull it out with my own strength.

I had no choice but to call Max, and as if he had been waiting, he jumped out with the knights in an instant.

Looking at the urgent expression, it seemed that he had already sensed the existence of the Salryongsa.

“Your Majesty!”

Max grabbed his greatsword and started staring into the cave.

Seureung-Seureung-

Other knights hurriedly drew their swords and lined up next to Max.

Shhh-

Before I knew it, the Slayer Slayer had put his head out again, diligently flicking his tongue.

That guy also sensed the mana of Max and the knights.

Fangs were moving in and out of its face, as if it was feeling better with the arrival of new prey.

“Anyway, it doesn’t seem like an ordinary monster! Step back, Your Majesty.”

At that moment, the dragon’s head went back into the cave.

“Nothing to worry about. He won’t be able to come here.”

As soon as those words were finished, the Salryongsa flew at great speed.

Pang!

But I hit an invisible wall and slid through the air.

Shhh-

The swiftly flicking tongue continues to skim the invisible wall.

The fact that I couldn’t even taste the food even when I put it in front of my eyes, it seemed very regrettable.

After a while, he finally realized that there was nothing he could do, and the Salryongsa went back into the cave.

This invisible wall was a very strong barrier that Camilla created by sacrificing countless monsters.

It was surrounded all the way from the edge of the clearing to the back of the cave, and it was a measure to safely protect the endangered Salryongsa by confining it.

In fact, the Salryongsa was a snake that could kill a dragon, but its intelligence was not very high.

Then, from the point of view of a dragon with a much higher intelligence, did he want to leave the Sallyongsa alone?

The explanation of that part was very detailed in the side story.

It was a very interesting part, so I still remember it vividly.

Originally, dragons were beings who enjoyed individualism and thoroughly neglected the affairs of the world.

So, whether it was a human, a demon, or a monster, as long as they didn’t attack first, I wouldn’t touch them.

But at some point in the past, quite far from now.

Salryongsa suddenly appeared and increased its number explosively.

Actually, there were demons behind it, but even the dragons couldn’t figure it out.

Anyway, as a result, the dragons that felt a sense of danger began to gather in groups and intensively hunted the dragon warriors grazing all over the continent.

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Of course, it wasn’t that difficult for the Slayer to kill a careless dragon. Because the dragon couldn’t do anything once it penetrated into the body.

However, it was much easier than that for the hordes of dragons to exterminate the Slayer.

Dragon possessed not only magic that reached its peak, but also a myriad of all kinds of great weapons.

Dragons transformed into various shapes and permeated all over the world, and quickly began to annihilate Salryongsa.

As a result, the Salryongsa was driven to the brink of extinction.

But the venom was so useful that Camilla could never give up on the Slayer.

So I managed to steal the last egg, and it was hatched here.

Anyway, if the dragon caught the dragon’s eye, he would be killed instantly, so he even set up a barrier to prevent him from going outside.

Of course, I’m not sure why, but it was also written that other beings could enter and exit freely.

Soon after, Max and the knights brought the poisoned pouch right in front of me, and I put it in the Book of Greed.

“Two thousand.”

Max and the knights stood idly by for a while, then hurriedly started following me.

Now, the only ingredient left is the ‘saint’s orchid’.

*

After obtaining the magic poison, I headed to the imperial palace with Estill.

I still can’t forget the look on Duke Bright’s expression as he saw me off with tears.

– I will see you as soon as possible as soon as the affairs here are settled.

I don’t know about his brother-in-law, but he definitely won the heart of his father-in-law.

Although it was slower than when it came, it came back pretty quickly nonetheless.

Of course, the Imperial Knights were also present, but the Knights’ cloak was hidden in their luggage.

Esteel and I also wore hooded cloaks, thoroughly hiding our identities.

I stopped at a town or city in the middle to have a snack or take a break, but I didn’t stay overnight.

It was because Esteel kept urging him.

– Didn’t you say that an antidote for paralysis is urgent?

– You have to get up now.

– It would be better to go a little further and rest.

Thanks to her caring about me more than myself, she couldn’t help but drive her horse all the time.

Fatigued, after arriving at the imperial palace, I fell asleep for a whole day.

And now.

In the early morning, I was in a situation where I left the palace alone without anyone noticing.

The saint’s orchid.

It was to save it.

With the secret secret hidden in a cloak that covered the front of the body, and wearing a hood, I sneaked out through a secret passage that only I knew.

If someone saw me now, they might consider me an assassin.

Anyway, the stop is not too far from the imperial palace, and I’ll be back soon, so there won’t be any problems.

The saintess’s orchid is definitely a type of orchid, but it is extremely rare because it is a flower that grows in a unique environment.

That’s why, apart from being incredibly expensive, it was hard to see just once in a lifetime.

Of course, in the elven kingdom, it was known that quite a few were cultivated.

It would be best if we could officially trade with them, but right now, elves and humans were in a very hostile relationship.

And the biggest reason was the slave system of the Kratus Empire.

If the empire had been running properly, the elves would never have fallen into slavery.

Ever since Kratus I made peace with them by stealing the secret palace, elves have always been treated as honored guests throughout the empire.

However, the owner of this body, the emperor, went mad, and now, even in the middle of the empire’s capital, elves were being traded.

Of course, there was no codified law prohibiting the sale of elves, but by convention, something was happening that should never have happened.

Madox, even if you can make the antidote, you have to take it steadily for a long time.

So, if the saintess’ orchid could not be continuously saved, complete detoxification would eventually be far away.

So I made the move myself.

To normalize the twisted relationship with the elves.

Of course, it was something I was very reluctant to do publicly. It might end up making enemies of most of the nobility of the Empire.

I stopped in front of a three-story building.

A large signboard above the entrance read “Mother’s Blue Hand.”

There were several types of plants that looked like medicine bottles and medicinal herbs.

Just by looking at this, it would seem like an ordinary herbal shop.

But in reality, it wasn’t like that at all.