Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 156: Knowledge Seal
Nol used the secret passage he first told the little black dragon about. This was his first time standing upright in the Dragon’s Lair, looking up at the blue sky.
A dozen giant dragons circled the peak of the mountain. Magic glows burst from time to time, and the dragon’s power scraped across the skin like a blade.
Nol felt somewhat emotional; this was still the custom he had personally set up—adult dragons conducting magic training for the not yet fully grown young dragons, exactly like the concept map they had planned at the time.
Two hundred years, for dragons, is roughly equivalent to two years—not enough time for a generational change, let alone to make any significant changes. However, according to the neighbors, changes still existed. The dragons were even more stubborn and conservative than Nol had initially set them to be, almost completely isolated from the world.
For such a strong and arrogant race, this abnormality must have its reasons.
The Dragon’s Lair—the place where he woke up.
The mystery of the bloodline of the Black Candle Kando.
The moon that stood alone above the sky.
The deeply buried Oracle Cave underground, and that meaningful prophecy…
No matter which one he was interested in, they would all lead him here. The Dragon’s Lair was like a point where thousands of clues and red threads converged, fate pushing him back to his “homeland”.
Nol extended his palm. What he saw wasn’t the void of blue fire, nor the pale bones. The sunshine was splendid, and the palm lines obediently nestled in his palm, with pale blue veins visible beneath his fair skin.
Now he would get his answers.
The Red Dragon Granatum lived on the second highest peak.
His cave didn’t have golden products, but heavy books with gold-stamped covers. They were written in different languages from various races, with many showing burn marks. Perhaps to facilitate reading or to show some sincerity, the host, Granatum, had taken on human form—
A man over two meters tall, with bulging muscles.
Flame-like curly red hair spread across his muscles, and his bronze skin was covered with scars of all sizes. His eyes were orange-yellow like burned charcoal, flickering with a light that normal humans shouldn’t possess, and his pupils were thin vertical slits.
Nol: “……” Truly a strong scholar. His arms could match the thickness of his legs.
Red Dragon Granatum was created under Nol’s leadership. In the setting of the “Tahe” team, it was a dragon obsessed with magic and knowledge. When the Dragon’s Lair instance was opened later, players could exchange high-level spells with it using their rare magical items as bargaining chips.
It shouldn’t have so many scars, and its form should be slenderer and weaker. Granatum’s appearance had changed too much; Nol didn’t recognize it at first sight when they first met in the Dragon Tomb Garden.
Fortunately, some things remained unchanged. Two hundred years later, the trade of knowledge for knowledge was still ongoing.
“Hello, wise Mr. Granatum. I am a friend of Godfrey Painter, specially coming to you with questions, hoping to add bricks to your tower of knowledge.”
With a strange sentiment, Nol took the lead in bowing.
This was a life he had personally set, not twisted by Thief Stealer Sol; he knew too well how to deal with it.
Painter raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Should he say as expected of the “Newborn Demon King”? In front of this ancient red dragon, Nol had a confidence he couldn’t explain. He didn’t even use honorifics.
“Not bad. A bit of courage and politeness, much better than Painter’s first visit.” Red Dragon Granatum wasn’t angry. He crossed his arms, making his muscles bulge exaggeratedly.
His voice was so loud it didn’t sound human, creating a rumbling echo in the cave. “You pose the question, I set the price. If you don’t accept, leave. There’s no room for negotiation.”
Teest found a stack of books and leaned against them boredly. ‘It’s starting,’ he thought. Nol would probably first ask about that candle…
“Why kill that innocent black dragonling?” Nol got straight to the point; his tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
Teest and Painter almost simultaneously turned their heads towards him, their eyes showing varying degrees of surprise.
Who could have thought that Nol’s first question would be so… sharp.
“Subelbot is indeed conservative, but it must be a rare exception for you. It promised you knowledge not of this world, and you have too many methods to restrain it,” Nol continued calmly.
“Imprisonment, contracts, curses… You just need to ask Subelbot to let it live.”
When killing that college student neighbor, Red Dragon Granatum didn’t hesitate at all. It wouldn’t be surprising for another dragon, but this was the knowledge-obsessed Red Dragon Sage.
“Strange question.” The Red Dragon, atop a pile of books, narrowed his charcoal-like eyes, his expression unreadable. “What will you exchange for it?”
Nol: “The secret of that dead dragonling—a secret you definitely don’t know.”
“I’m afraid that’s not enough. I’m not interested in the secrets of the weak.” The Red Dragon laughed, but his voice lacked genuine amusement.
“Then, in addition, why I know this,” Nol answered without missing a beat. “Painter doesn’t know this, and Imnarka wouldn’t betray without reason. Aren’t you curious?”
The Red Dragon looked at Nol for a long time with those burning eyes.
“Not all knowledge is good.” After a few seconds, Granatum said indifferently, “Some knowledge is poisonous, so it’s better not to know. Since you know the secrets deep within the Dragon’s Lair, you should also know about the undead monster running rampant outside. Our enemies have brought disaster to this land. Any anomaly could be part of this calamity—we cannot tolerate the presence of the enemy’s spies within our lair.”
After speaking, Granatum looked towards Nol, slightly lifting his chin.
“That dragonling…” Nol pursed his lips. “I cannot bring that dragonling back from death. Its death is more absolute than other beings’ deaths.”
He had once seriously considered whether to turn the black dragon and players who died on “Night of the Hunt” into undead monsters. Even if memories were damaged, even if there might be some ethical issues, Nol still hoped to gather them in Paradise and bring them home one day.
But they were completely dead, leaving nothing but hollow flesh.
Perhaps their souls didn’t belong to this land. However, Nol wasn’t too keen on such mystical and vague explanations. He was more inclined to believe that the “death” of Tahe creatures was defined by the system—this land has undead monsters, and to leave room for their birth, the “disappearance” of local beings of Tahe was more prolonged.
Knowing the enemy was Star Stealer Sol, by now, Nol no longer had naive fantasies like “perhaps the dead just wake up back on Earth”.
They were indeed dead, gone, never to return.
“As for why I know this, it perfectly answers your second question,” Nol continued.
His formal robe at the back tore open, and a pair of eerie and beautiful desiccated dragon wings spread out with a swish. Nol deliberately released a bit of the false god’s aura, causing his moonstone pendant to shake uncontrollably from the aura and rustling the pages in the entire cave wildly.
“I was there when it happened,” he said.
The Red Dragon showed a rare blank expression. “…Dracolich…”
The undead dragon was but a faint echo of the living, lacking a complete self. Dracoliches, however, are genuine dragon-blooded monsters, often ancient and powerful. Their strength was definitely considered the pinnacle among dragons.
“Now you know my bargaining chip.”
Nol sounded like a real dragon. “The Dragon Tomb Garden is my domain. Imnarka is my student—I’ve slept too long and am very curious about the current situation, Granatum.”
It didn’t matter if the other party dug deeper. Nol was confident.
The Dragon Tomb Garden had removed the “Corpse Dragon” boss, but they kept its hidden map, planning to use it as an easter egg for players. If the Red Dragon wanted confirmation, Nol would pretend that was his resting place.
“No wonder…” the Red Dragon Sage murmured.
No wonder this guy is so familiar with dragon customs and is even more arrogant than Painter; no wonder the black dragon Imnarka runs to the Dragon Tomb every now and then, able to come up with such vicious attack magic.
If the one in front of him was a Dracolich born from dragons, long asleep, everything made sense.
“The first question is settled. Please continue with your questions.” The tone of Red Dragon Granatum became much more serious, and he lowered his head.
Teest ignored Painter’s complex gaze, looking at Nol with satisfaction.
Look at this boldness. Look at this deceit. His once naive Master has finally graduated.
“Who is your enemy?” For the second question, Nol still didn’t ask about the secrets of dragon bloodline.
“The moon,” the Red Dragon said solemnly. This time, he was very sincere, not asking for a price.
Nol was slightly startled.
“There should only be one moon in the sky. Ill-intentioned voyeurs destroyed it and replaced it. Wherever the four fake moons shine, there exists a twisted aura that makes us very uncomfortable. In recent years, that distortion has grown stronger, truly unpleasant.”
The Red Dragon said solemnly, “This land possesses a peculiar protection. It supports the nearby sky, keeping us away from prying eyes—the source of that power is the subject of my research.”
“Oh—” Teest couldn’t help but exclaim. “That means the power of this land can suppress the false gods.” No wonder Star Stealer Sol left the Oracle Cave here; it turns out it was to add another shackle to that unfortunate, brainless fool.
“Silence!” Facing Teest, an outsider, the Red Dragon sternly rebuked without any politeness. Its breath formed a beam, striking directly towards Teest.
Nol raised his left hand and casually dissipated it.
“This is my person. Our conversation continues, Granatum. What is the source of the remaining power?”
“An ancient god, a god that belongs to us, is what I guess. This power is pure and stable, without any stench of distortion.” The Red Dragon choked up but eventually chose to suppress his anger. “We are the favored children of the Creator God, who chose to protect us to the end. Repelling that malevolent invader will be the mission of the dragon lineage.”
The Creator God himself was confused for a second.
Nol couldn’t remember intentionally protecting the dragons, but he could somewhat guess the source of the power. It was the highlight of the “Tahe” promotional video—the novice village filled with laughter and joy. Under the twinkling stars, players on the hillside looked up to see the beautiful dragons flying under the moon.
The moonlight danced on the dragon scales, captivating everyone.
That was their most dedicated work and Nol’s personal favorite shot. During many nights close to breakdown from overtime, he would pull up this VR video to watch.
Standing in the cool night, he gazed at the dragons flying freely, imagining the joy of players entering this beautiful world.
The system wasn’t fully infiltrated by Star Stealer Sol, so this obsession remains to this day. Perhaps the protection of the dragons wasn’t about favoritism but the creator’s love and blessings for this world.
A fragile, illusory sky.
A gentle moon.
It protected the land’s oldest and most powerful witnesses. It made the dragons very sensitive to the unknown outside, and they explored abnormalities with caution and vigilance.
Come to think of it, why didn’t Star Stealer Sol “domesticate” a dragon? It would have been more convenient to dominate other intelligent beings.
…Now Nol knew the answer.
Nol couldn’t help but lower his head again, looking at his own hands, feeling a subtle sourness in his eyes. Near the Dragon’s Lair, the system’s original power was strongest. Was it really just a coincidence that he would awaken in the Dragon’s Lair?
Painter also looked thoughtful.
After saying this, the Red Dragon Sage fell silent, quietly waiting for Nol’s knowledge exchange.
“Next to the bones of Elfric in the Dragon Tomb Garden, lies the seventh volume of ‘The Essence of Magic’ you’ve been searching for years. Under the water of the Broken Finger Waterfall, the ‘Starfire Sigh’ crystal that can enhance the magical power of dragons is sealed there. You can unlock that seal yourself.”
Why is there only one moon, and why is the dragon race secluded?
Having answers to these two questions, Nol directly gave out two significant treasures on the Dragon’s Lair map as an exchange.
Red Dragon Granatum showed joy. He cleared his throat vigorously, trying to suppress his happiness. “I will go to verify. Please continue—if you have any other questions.”
“No more,” Nol said. He needed time to digest the newly acquired information. And since he had successfully blended in as a senior among the dragons, it wasn’t appropriate to formally ask such bloodline idle talk. Nol decided to inquire later under the guise of “chatting about family matters”.
The Players won’t come so soon. They will stay in the Dragon’s Lair for a while and there’s plenty of time…
“No more questions? What a pity.” Granatum lifted his burning pupils. “Then may I ask a question? I will offer a price you’ll be satisfied with.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why is there a sealed aura on you?”
Granatum raised his hand, pointing towards Nol’s chest, “A beautiful, pure seal. That is the power of our God. I’ve studied it for over two hundred years, so I’m absolutely not mistaken.”
Nol was a bit stunned.
…A seal? What kind of “god” seal could be on him?
…Could it refer to the [Physical Destruction] that seals his power?
“So, do you know how to unlock it?” Nol asked directly. With his strength, it wasn’t too bad to exchange information about the curse. “The source of the aura in exchange for the solution—a fair trade.”
“No, no, no.” Red Dragon Granatum shook his head desperately. “I haven’t reached that level, and I won’t in this lifetime. Noticing it is already my limit. The presence of the seal is very subtle, but it’s too similar to the protection here. That’s why I could find it…”
He scanned Nol with a curious gaze, obviously very interested in this mysterious Dracolich.
The aura of [Physical Destruction] is so friendly? Nol didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Moreover, being a system’s curse, Teest’s [God’s Forsaken] was even more significant, yet the Red Dragon didn’t mention it?
‘Well, it’s better to clarify the situation of the Dragon’s Lair first,’ Nol thought. His thinking was so smooth it seemed automatic—now his mind was full of the mysteries of the Dragon’s Lair. The matter of the curse could be put aside for now.
“Since you can’t unlock it, let’s not make a deal.” Nol said, “This is where…”
“Dragon.”
Teest suddenly interrupted again, his tone no longer frivolous but rather solemn. “The seal you mentioned—what does it seal? Power?”
The Red Dragon wrinkled its nose. “Too rude, even if this one protects you—”
Before it could finish, Teest disappeared into the air. The next moment, he appeared behind the Red Dragon. A golden line strangled his throat, and the cold aura of the Demon King surged.
“I’m prepaying for your knowledge.” Teest’s voice softened, lacking the matching warmth. “‘I have the power to kill you.'”
The Red Dragon fell silent for a few seconds. “…Very interesting external information. It is indeed enough.”
“If I’m not mistaken, it seals knowledge,” the Red Dragon Granatum said. “Only knowledge—not power.”
“Explain clearly. What are the consequences of sealing knowledge?” Teest continued softly.
“Forget what one should know and cannot know again,” the Red Dragon continued willingly. Teest’s trade seemed to satisfy him. “In very rare moments, between the cracks of dreams and reality, a faint impression might appear. But they quickly disappear, no different from forgotten dreams.”
Teest looked up at Nol, who returned a gentle gaze. Even though this conversation was right in front of him, Nol seemed as if he didn’t hear it at all.
“Teest?” Nol called him with a smile, then just stood there, motionless.
Amidst towering stacks of books like some kind of plant, Nol stood silently in the shadows and pages of the forest. The long earring gift from Teest seemed to freeze in the air. His God was no longer even breathing.
Teest had seen Nol like this before.
It was long ago, on a moonlit night, at the door of Witch Lynn’s cabin. Nol stood just like a statue for a very long, long time.
…What exactly have you lost?
The author has something to say:
An unexpected gain! (In that tone)
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