Volume 6 Chapter 28 Visitor
The twelve participants moved with a fluidity that far surpassed ordinary martial artists. Their sheer presence and overwhelming skill turned each clash into a mesmerizing spectacle.
"Everyone's incredible!" Lucia gasped.
"But... Master and Rangella haven't even started trying," someone murmured beside her.
High above the arena, magic cameras recorded the matches. Outside, in the bustling food court and merch area, large projection screens broadcasted the action for all to see.
In that same food court, Lucia was busy piling her tray with snacks. Beside her, Ulrika calmly sipped juice, her gaze fixed on the screen.
"They're really holding back, huh?"
"They are," Ulrika replied. "Especially Rangella. She's... different now~."
"Different? Really?" Lucia blinked.
"Yeah. Ever since she defeated Shildress, something in her changed."
"I don't see it."
Ulrika gave a small smile. "That's because it's the kind of change you don't usually notice, Lucia. Probably something outside your radar~."
"What do you mean?"
Lucia munched on a rice ball, her expression blank with curiosity.
Though she seemed like someone who'd impulsively launch a rocket just to see what happens, Lucia was surprisingly sharp when it came to reading people. Her instincts for navigating human relationships were uncanny—even members of the elite hero group Luster Report admitted she had an almost unnatural sense for it.
On the other hand, Ulrika was the team's intellectual powerhouse. Her ability to analyze and connect the dots rivaled even Horace's, and in certain fields, she might've even outpaced him. That said, Horace had literally turned himself into a golem—rewiring his brain and achieving cognitive abilities beyond human comprehension.
Still, even with all her insight, Ulrika couldn't fully grasp the strange presence surrounding Lucia's "Chaos Stone." And even Lucia, with her sharp people-sense, couldn't understand what was happening with Rangella.
There were simply too many memories—too many truths—that Rangella herself hadn't come to terms with.
A thousand years ago, she had rampaged as the Transcendent Frost Dragon, Ran Jailer—one of the four legendary Keystone Dragons who served the Source Maidens. And now, she had been reborn in human form.
What happens when a dragon's heart is reincarnated into a girl? Even Lucia couldn't answer that.
But if anything, Rangella seemed to carry a longing. Perhaps she just wanted to meet the Source Maidens again. After all, she'd casually told Masamitsu, "I'm going to marry my master and become his adopted daughter," which spoke of some... complicated attachment.
Lucia was still only fourteen. She was technically a princess, the only child of a sickly king. She had a fiancé waiting back home, but the nuances of Rangella's feelings were still a bit beyond her understanding.
"I don't really get it either," Lucia admitted. "But one thing's for sure—Rangella's way stronger than she was when she took down the Demon Lord."
"Ramella... are you sulking~?" Ulrika asked.
"My allowance vanished on a single card pull," Ramella grumbled.
"Poker loss?"
"Yeah..."
Ramella, the Luster Report's workshop chief, had apparently burned through her pocket money right as the Blood Duel Cup began.
"Anyway, forget that," she said, waving it off. "The important thing is Rangella. She's changing, growing."
"When she fought the Demon Lord, she was all-in. That battle was her at full strength," Ulrika added. "But after that..."
Rangella hadn't shown that level of power since. Maybe it was because their role—defeating the Demon Lord—had been fulfilled.
That foe's ability, "Absolute Domination," allowed total control over men, even those as formidable as Horace. Knowing that, Rangella and her team had pushed themselves to new limits.
But now that the threat was gone, unless something of equal danger emerged, Horace could handle most problems alone.
Recently, Rangella discovered she was a descendant of the Glasha House, founders of the Order of the Sealed Dragon. She'd inherited the legendary sword Duran—and that revelation surely came with its own weight.
Yet Horace remained unchanged, as did his calm resolve.
And Rangella? Despite her brawn-over-brain reputation, she wasn't a mindless warrior. Ten years ago, she'd set out on a journey—not for glory, but out of gratitude to Horace, the man who had taken her in.
That was all it had ever been.
"...This might be the first time we see Rangella truly awaken," Ramella said.
"I'm excited! ...Wait, huh?" Lucia blinked at a figure in the crowd. "That guy... I've seen him before."
"Raig?" Ramella followed her gaze. "Looks like he came all this way."
"Who's that?"
"There's a smithy called Smith House Angel in the Dragonstone Kingdom. He runs it. I dropped by when I first arrived with Master. Picked up some solid training gear."
"Stuff useful for both you and Master? That's rare~," Ulrika noted.
"Exactly. When I looked into him more back at the mansion... turns out he's kind of amazing."
Raig wasn't just a blacksmith. His craft blended earth-attribute magic, alchemy, and artifact technology—a combo even Horace couldn't pull off. In the Diamante Kingdom, where only metal channels were supported, Horace had to specialize. He was a master of metal, but not a blacksmith.
"...Wait, that's my name. You're... oh! It's you guys!"
Raig suddenly approached them, eyes lighting up.
"And even Your Highness is here."
"Want a rice ball?" Lucia offered with a grin.
"I'll take one," he said without hesitation.
Lucia was royalty—officially registered under the Chaos Stone Dragonstone Kingdom for the World Conference—but she didn't care much for formality.
"Been a while, Ramella."
"I've dropped by your shop with Master from time to time, but I didn't think you'd show up here."
"I've known Rangella personally for a long time."
Raig's past was no less legendary. He'd lived since the time of the Four Source Maidens. He'd met Rangella when she was still Ran Jailer. Now, he stood as the current leader of the Order of the Sealed Dragon.
Running a blacksmith shop was just one small part of who he was.
"Rangella, huh?"
Raig looked up at the screen.
"The sword she's using—'Dragon Silver Sword Tel Agatha'—I forged that myself."
"!"
"She's not using its full potential yet. It needs deeper knowledge as a prerequisite. But..." Raig glanced toward Horace.
"If she treats this as a chance to prove her growth... we might witness something extraordinary."
He chuckled softly, as if already picturing it.
Notes:
• Ran - A silver-haired, busty, and beautiful young girl with a dominating spirit. She is one of the 'Four Source Maidens' and is deeply affected by her mother's disappearance.
• Ulrika - Slender girl with short blue hair, calm and strategic. Sub-leader of 'Luster Report,' quick-thinking with a gentle demeanor. Speaks uniquely ('のだ～'). Critical role in information gathering, despite lacking specific knowledge. Appears in v2c34.
• Masamitsu - Known as the Holy Knight. Member of the 'Moonlight Nine'. His appearance is not described. He expresses concern about Horace being in the spotlight, indicating a friendly or cautious relationship.
• Ramella - B-rank blacksmith from the hero community, known for advanced, dangerous creations requiring skilled magic manipulation. Her 'failed creations' carry significant meaning. Wears tank top, shorts, and sneakers, revealing yet energetic. Skilled in combat, trained by Horace, with enhanced physical abilities. Uses Smith hammer, refers to herself as 'me (ore)'. Strict about rules, refuses to sell special sword without certification. Dominates problematic adventurer with ease. Creations highly regarded, respected in hero community.
• Raig - A blacksmith and shopkeeper of 'Smith House Angel' in Jewel City Lapis. He is married to Tracie, a former Adventurer, and has a young daughter. Raig created a legendary sword named 'Angel' a thousand years ago, which was given to Laris Glasha. He is immortal and has lived for a thousand years, currently serving as the head of the Order of the Sealed Dragon.
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