Chapter 647
Neo Seoul had developed by using the dragon’s corpse as nourishment.
And this was by no means limited to magitech engineering alone.
The soil, the trees, and even the humans lived under the influence of the energy flowing from the dragon’s corpse.
The reason the people of Neo Seoul had managed to survive in such a barren environment was largely due to the energy emanating from the dragon’s remains. But if the dragon’s corpse disappeared completely, it would inevitably affect humans in one way or another.
Zeon silently watched Jin Geumho, who had closed his eyes and fallen into thought.
He could tell him the facts and offer his opinion, but the decision ultimately belonged to Jin Geumho.
Neo Seoul was a city that had grown according to Jin Geumho’s way.
Without Jin Geumho, Neo Seoul itself could never have come into existence.
That was why his decision had to be respected.
At least when it came to the city called Neo Seoul, Jin Geumho knew it better than anyone and loved it more than anyone.
After pondering for a long while, Jin Geumho finally spoke.
“We’ll have to move up Cheonbeol’s launch.”
“Do you think Cheonbeol can solve all these problems?”
“At the very least, I believe things won’t get any worse.”
“Hmm.”
“Once Cheonbeol secures Neo Seoul’s safety, I’ll fully open the Central District where City Hall stands, as well as the forest, to the World Tree Village and the Primordial Forest.”
“You intend to borrow their strength to restore the land?”
“That’s right. The key is sending the satellite safely into space.”
“Ha.”
Zeon let out a sigh.
Because he knew that sending a satellite into space was nowhere near as easy as it sounded.
“Are you aware that a mana field covers the entire Earth?”
“So you found out as well.”
“You already knew?”
“A very long time ago, with someone’s help, I was able to ascend to a very high altitude. That’s when I learned it. Humanity is like fish trapped inside a mana field. As long as the mana field exists, humans are bound to this dried-up Earth.”
That was the moment Jin Geumho had resolved to create Cheonbeol.
He had decided to eliminate the oppressive mana field weighing down humanity and Earth and seize true freedom.
That was how Cheonbeol was conceived.
To create an attack satellite powerful enough to break through the mana field and protect Neo Seoul.
Not passive defense relying on high walls and anti-magic force, but active defense and preemptive strikes through overwhelming offensive power—that was the answer he had arrived at.
“Fortunately, I possessed strong authority and a great deal of money. I also had countless people who could help me. Together, we worked for decades. Thankfully, those efforts weren’t wasted, and we were able to bring Cheonbeol nearly to completion.”
“Nearly? So it isn’t one hundred percent complete.”
“That’s right. One final piece is missing. That’s why we still haven’t launched Cheonbeol.”
“What is it?”
“If you knew, would you help?”
“If it’s something I can do.”
Zeon answered calmly.
This was not for Jin Geumho personally, but for Neo Seoul and, beyond that, for humanity.
There was no reason to hesitate or calculate gains and losses.
It had to be done.
Suddenly, Jin Geumho smiled.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because I’m grateful.”
“What?”
“That’s enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll accept the sentiment alone. I won’t need your help.”
“You’re saying you don’t need my help?”
“No. I’m saying it’s the kind of matter you can’t help with. You’ve already done more than enough. The rest is something I must resolve myself.”
Zeon frowned at Jin Geumho’s words.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help?”
“If you truly want to help, then protect Cheonbeol when it launches. The monsters up there in the sky certainly won’t leave it alone.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you.”
Jin Geumho smiled.
Zeon found that expression unfamiliar.
It wasn’t the kind of expression he would normally show to him.
What is he thinking?
For a moment, he became curious about what was on his mind.
---
### ***
After seeing Zeon off, Jin Geumho entered the laboratory where Cheonbeol was being built.
A massive cylindrical metal satellite.
On the outside it looked like nothing more than an ordinary metal structure, but inside it was the very essence of Neo Seoul’s magitech engineering.
Its power source was the heart of Mobydick, Gaia’s mother, and the heart of the S-rank monster Kraken. Countless other major monster byproducts had also been incorporated.
More than several thousand Awakened had been mobilized to obtain those materials.
A considerable number of them had lost their lives in the process.
The sacrifices had been immense.
An enormous amount of funding had also been poured into it.
In simple monetary terms, it had consumed more than ten years’ worth of Neo Seoul’s budget.
Even so, it had taken decades to reach this stage.
If Cheonbeol failed to launch, it would take decades to build another.
Whether Jin Geumho would still be alive by then was uncertain.
He had already lived for well over a hundred years.
Thanks to his Awakening, he had surpassed human limitations and survived this long, but there was no guarantee how many more years he had left.
He was at an age where it would not be strange if he died tomorrow.
Remura was nearby, so no matter how severe an injury he suffered, he would not die.
But aging was different.
No matter how powerful Remura’s abilities were, she could not save someone whose lifespan had run out.
In other words, this was the only opportunity he would ever have.
If Neo Seoul was the masterpiece of his lifetime, then Cheonbeol was the work that would give meaningful closure to his life.
Jin Geumho reached out and touched Cheonbeol.
The cold metallic sensation traveled through his fingertips.
“Hoo.”
A sigh escaped him.
As he had told Zeon, the most important component of Cheonbeol was missing.
If it had been something Zeon could provide, he would have knelt and begged for help.
But this was not the kind of thing Zeon could assist with.
“Somehow, it’ll work out. Somehow…”
His quiet monologue echoed through the silent laboratory.
---
### ***
Zeon returned to Neo Seoul’s forest.
Unlike when he had first entered, the condition of the trees looked noticeably better overall.
The trees that had been drying up and dying had regained vitality, and their leaves shone with a healthy luster.
It was all thanks to Olivia and Undine.
Of course, no matter how exceptional their abilities were, even they could not revive trees that had already died completely.
Zeon asked Olivia,
“What will you do about the dead trees? Do they need to be cut down?”
“There’s no need. Dead children become nourishment for the others.”
“Then you’re just leaving them?”
“I’ll plant seeds from the trees that are growing especially well.”
“You have something like that?”
“Of course.”
Smiling, Olivia took out a handful of seeds from her subspace pouch.
She drilled small holes throughout the dead trees and planted the seeds.
“If I do this, in a month or two, you’ll be able to see sprouts growing from the dead trees.”
“How will they be maintained afterward?”
“I’d like to come regularly and take care of them. Would that be possible?”
“Of course. I’ll speak to the mayor.”
“Thank you! By the way, do you think the root problem will be solved?”
“I don’t think it’ll be easy for the time being. But the mayor seems to have plans of his own, so if we wait, it should be resolved.”
“I understand. Until then, I’ll travel between the World Tree Village and here to take care of the children.”
“Thank you.”
“No, I’m the one who should be thankful. Thanks to you, I was able to save so many children.”
Olivia, whose love for trees showed plainly in everything she did, was an elf through and through.
Even though it was only a small forest in the middle of a city, this place was precious to her beyond measure.
“There’s one thing I regret.”
“What is it?”
“There aren’t any living creatures besides the trees. There’s no life here other than us. I think that’s also one of the reasons the forest is dying.”
“I see. It really is quiet.”
Zeon nodded.
Both the Primordial Forest and the World Tree Village were home to countless living creatures.
Insects, birds, and small animals.
They hadn’t been there originally, but the moment the forests came back to life, they had appeared from somewhere and settled down.
Even rabbits and deer, species thought to be extinct, had appeared from nowhere and made homes for themselves.
A forest had the power to attract living creatures.
But unfortunately, this forest had none of that.
It was eerily silent.
Not the slightest presence could be felt.
There was no birdsong, not even the sound of insects.
Places this perfectly quiet were rare.
As Olivia had said, this was certainly not normal.
“It seems to be because of the barrier.”
“That’s right. If this forest is ever to fully recover, the barrier surrounding it will have to be removed someday.”
“I’m sure that day will come eventually. Not right now, though.”
“When that day comes, I think I’ll be truly happy. I love the World Tree Village, but I also love a forest like this in the middle of a city. I hope not just me, but other elves and humans will be able to use this forest freely.”
“I hope so too.”
“Hoo. Until then, I’ll take good care of the forest.”
“I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me.”
“Then shall we head out for today?”
“Yes!”
Zeon left the forest together with Olivia.
Even after leaving, Olivia kept looking back several times, unable to hide her lingering attachment.
Zeon brought her to the place where the portal was located.
After sending Olivia back to the World Tree Village through the portal, Zeon let out a small sigh.
His meeting with Jin Geumho had left his mind troubled.
He stood there blankly for a while before finally making his way toward the slums.
After walking for quite some time, he arrived at his destination.
Tesserina’s lair.
Knock, knock.
The moment he knocked, the door opened immediately as if it had been waiting for him.
But there was no one behind it.
“What?”
Zeon tilted his head and stepped inside, and the door closed by itself.
When he climbed the stairs to the upper floor, Tesserina greeted him.
“Welcome!”
“The door opened by itself.”
“Oh, that? I registered your mana pattern, so it opens automatically whenever you approach.”
“So it’s an automatic door?”
“Well, something like that. It’s convenient. I got tired of walking over and opening the door every time someone knocked.”
“Then how many people have you registered?”
“Not many. Just you, Levin, Brielle, and Remura.”
“For a dragon, aren’t your social connections a little too limited?”
“What’s the point of having a lot? I prefer meeting only the people I’m comfortable with.”
“You’ve become a shut-in dragon.”
“Well, something like that.”
Tesserina nodded.
Just as Zeon said, lately she spent almost all her time in her lair. She hardly went out and rarely met anyone.
“How have you been lately?”
“Good!”
“Which do you prefer—living as a dragon or living as a human?”
“Overall, I’m happier now.”
“Don’t you regret giving up your original body?”
“I do, but what could I do? If I’d left it alone, the parasite would’ve taken it and misused it. Did something happen?”
“Hm?”
“The fact that you’re bringing up that topic makes it seem like something happened.”
“Actually…”
After a moment of hesitation, Zeon told her about what he had seen beneath City Hall.
Even when he spoke about the dragon corpse being dismantled, Tesserina showed little reaction.
Seeing how calm she was, Zeon asked,
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I already guessed as much. That’s how it always ends for dragons captured by humans. That’s why I’m lucky. My original body disappeared, so I don’t have to see something like that happen to it.”
“Really?”
“Now that I’m human, my time as a dragon feels incredibly distant. The me from back then and the me now feel like different people. I think my human identity has become much stronger.”
“You really have become human.”
“Yep!”
Zeon could only agree with Tesserina’s confident answer.
The distinctive mindset and behavior of a dragon were no longer visible in her.
“Zeon!”
“Hm?”
“Don’t worry so much.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yeah! Everything will turn out fine.”
“Will it?”
At Zeon’s question, Tesserina smiled.
“It will. That’s the intuition of a former dragon. Everything will be fine.”
“That’s oddly reassuring.”
A smile similar to Tesserina’s appeared on Zeon’s face as well.
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