Alon stood blankly for a moment after witnessing the cosmic horror(?) of the Poison Swallower’s head instantly changing into Blackie’s head.
[Meow?]
When the Poison Swallower’s—no, Blackie’s—head tilted with a confused little motion, he cautiously opened his mouth.
“Blackie?”
He called out just in case.
Blackie, who until moments ago had been taking on the form of the Poison Swallower, let out a soft, low “Meow” cry and unconsciously began shrinking its body.
[Meow!]
Soon, it returned to its original size, while still maintaining the Poison Swallower’s form.
As Alon stared intently, Blackie tilted its head again, then finally seemed to realize that its form had not changed from the Poison Swallower, and reverted its body back to normal.
As spider legs popped out with a soft thud and disappeared again and again.
“Uh…… what exactly is going on right now?”
Penia, who had followed Alon belatedly, looked at Blackie and asked in confusion.
“I don’t really know either.”
Watching Blackie naturally come over as if nothing had happened and rub its body against his leg, Alon had no choice but to answer that way.
***
A short while later.
“So, you’re saying Blackie absorbed the Poison Swallower?”
“That seems to be the case.”
Alon nodded.
Penia asked as if she could not understand.
“How?”
“……I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“Why do you think I would know?”
“You’re Blackie’s owner, aren’t you?”
Penia’s words were reasonable.
However, it was true that Alon did not know much about Blackie.
After all, the only thing he knew was that Blackie’s true nature was a shadow dragon.
Alon looked at Blackie, who was repeatedly transforming into and back from the Poison Swallower’s appearance in front of Basiliora.
[Tch, it’s hideous beyond measure.]
Basiliora clicked its tongue.
Perhaps displeased by those words, something flowed out from Blackie’s body.
[Huh? Kyaaaaaaak! What is this! Kiiyaaaaak~!]
The moment Basiliora came into contact with the flowing mist, it thrashed about miserably like a fish caught on a fishing line.
Watching that scene, Penia slowly opened her mouth.
“That looks like something the Poison Swallower used, doesn’t it?”
“It seems so. The power looks much weaker, though.”
As Alon stared with a dumbfounded expression, the door creaked open and Evan entered.
“Marquis, I looked into it as you asked, and the Swallower’s corpse has disappeared without a trace.”
“As expected, it absorbed it.”
He had realized that the corpse that should have been where Blackie had been earlier was gone, and had Evan check just in case.
As expected.
‘I did think absorption itself would be possible, since I saw it absorb an abomination before, but to think it could even absorb divine-blood……?’
While Alon was lost in thought, he called out to Blackie.
“Blackie.”
[Meow?]
“Can you also transform into the Swallower? You don’t need to become the exact original form.”
At Alon’s request, Blackie tilted its head a couple of times as if it were easy, then instantly transformed into the Swallower.
An enormously bloated head, and dozens of legs with webbing grown on them, seemingly to swim through the ground.
“……Wow.”
“No, it’s even creepier than I expected……?”
Penia exclaimed at the sight.
Just as Evan was recoiling at the tentacle-like legs numbering in the dozens.
[Meow-]
Blackie, which had been maintaining the Swallower’s appearance, soon reverted its body back to normal and then slumped down as if it had no strength left.
Anyone could see it was completely drained as it began melting on top of the desk.
Penia, who was observing this with great interest, exclaimed.
“It seems transforming requires stored mana.”
“Stored mana?”
“Yes. Until now, it looks like it transformed using the mana you gave it during the last battle, Marquis.”
Alon nodded at her analysis, but only for a moment.
Urk—
“?”
The sprawled-out Blackie made a suspicious noise and spat something out of its mouth.
“……What is this?”
“What could it be……?”
It was a stone.
Two black stones that seemed to allow no light whatsoever.
Alon checked them, then looked back at Blackie.
[Meow-]
As if extremely tired, it let out a small cry and crawled straight into Alon’s coat pocket.
“It seems like it could become a strong asset, but it looks like it’ll need some research.”
Following Penia, who watched Blackie with eyes full of curiosity.
“I agree.”
Alon nodded as well.
***
After a few days had passed and Alon had recovered to some extent.
After researching Blackie together with Penia, Alon discovered two interesting facts.
First, as long as Blackie had sufficient mana, it could transform into any divine-blood it had absorbed at any time, and even if not perfectly, it could weakly use their abilities as well.
Second, while it could transform into divine-blood, it could not transform into the abominations it had absorbed so far.
The second point was not a major problem.
What mattered to Alon was that Blackie had gained new abilities and would be a meaningful addition to his combat power.
‘If Blackie could transform into all the divine-blood it has absorbed……’
Suddenly, one question came to Alon’s mind.
About Blackie’s true identity, something he had already thought about countless times while researching it.
‘If I go ask Kylrus, it would be more certain.’
Alon clicked his tongue in regret.
He might have been able to hear something from Kylrus.
After all, he was a mage who used dragon spirits.
Unfortunately, Alon could not meet him.
For some reason, the Foot That Runs to the Past, which he had used to meet Kylrus, had not been functioning properly since the battle with the divine-blood.
As if it were broken.
‘I should show this to Alexion.’
Recalling that Alexion had some expertise in handling artifacts, Alon tucked the Foot That Runs to the Past into his clothes.
‘If even Alexion has no good solution…… should I try looking for Lainisius?’
Lainisius, the Golden Dragon.
Just as Alon’s thoughts reached the dragon he had first met upon going to the borderlands.
“Marquis, you’re planning to leave soon, right?”
Evan asked, and Alon nodded.
“It’s about time.”
“Where will you be heading?”
“…Hmm.”
Alon pondered.
Originally, Alon’s next destination should have been Fildagreen, the Mage Tower, or Teria.
No, more than that, if he wanted to dig deeper into Blackie, he first needed to stop by the marquis household, and thinking back, he also needed to consider the Divine Land.
Thus, after only a brief moment of hesitation.
He came to a conclusion.
“First, we’ll go to Caliban.”
“To Caliban?”
“Yes. We can head there first, then return to the marquis household.”
“……”
“……Ah, right. There is work that needs to be handled at the marquis household. Then I’ll prepare in advance, assuming we leave tomorrow.”
Alon nodded and ended the conversation.
And so, the day after telling Karsem that he would be leaving the Colony.
While moving to board the carriage that had miraculously suffered no damage despite the city being wrecked, Alon.
“Thank you so much, Marquis!”
“Thank you!”
Was met by the citizens of the Colony bowing to him.
All of them expressing their gratitude toward him.
“……”
It was not as though he had done it to receive thanks like this, but feeling inexplicably embarrassed and scratching his cheek, Alon accepted their greetings while feeling a sense of doubt.
Although he had helped, in the end, it was Seolrang who dealt with the divine-blood.
“Marquis, why do you look so sullen?”
“Because Seolrang killed the divine-blood……?”
“That’s true, but you were no small help either, Marquis.”
Of course, Evan did not seem to think that way.
“We will definitely repay this kindness.”
Anyway, while having such conversations, Alon arrived at the carriage.
He exchanged final farewells with Karsem,
“Master! If anything happens, call me anytime!”
“Alright.”
And also said goodbye to Seolrang, who was smiling brightly.
“If I need you, I’ll call.”
“Yeah, got it! Master, you also have to tell me if you need me! I’ll be waiting anytime!”
Seolrang nodded while receiving Alon’s pat.
After staring straight into her eyes, Alon boarded the carriage as his final act.
Soon, the carriage left the Colony.
And after some time had passed.
[Meow-]
[Kyaaaaaak! You crazy bastard! Let me go! Hey! Don’t just watch, help me!!]
“Oh, that reminds me, Marquis. There was something I hadn’t told you yet.”
Alon, who had been watching Blackie turn into a small Swallower and gulp Basiliora down, turned his gaze to Evan.
“Is it new information?”
“In many ways, yes.”
“What is it?”
“Yesterday, a divine-blood appeared in Teria as well.”
“……In Teria?”
When Alon looked surprised, Evan answered immediately.
“But you don’t need to worry too much.”
“Don’t tell me, did a friendly divine-blood appear in Teria as well?”
“No, that’s not it…… to get straight to the conclusion, Teria succeeded in dealing with the divine-blood.”
“They dealt with the divine-blood?”
“Yes.”
At Evan’s reply, doubt arose in Alon’s mind.
‘Is there someone in Teria who can handle a divine-blood?’
However, Alon soon shook his head.
At least as far as he knew, there was no one in Teria who could stop a divine-blood.
No, it was reasonable to say that at this point, there was no nation or individual capable of fending off a divine-blood.
The divine-blood Alon had faced himself was so strong that even he, who had prepared carefully without letting his guard down, had been left speechless.
“Then who did it?”
That was why Alon asked.
“Well, honestly, I don’t really believe it either, but……”
Evan scratched his head, dragging out the moment before speaking.
“According to what the information guild relayed, it seems the queen handled the divine-blood.”
“……The Queen?”
“Yes. At least, according to the information.”
It was a statement that could not help but make his mind go blank.
