“Wheek… Wheek…”

Dang So-young was crying and fanning herself.

Slap!

“Kyah! It was just a joke…”

I didn’t want to do this either, but I had to establish some discipline.

Especially when my body had shrunk like this.

In the end, if she wanted to check my body, she would have to touch me, and Dang So-young might do something strange again.

I lay comfortably on the bed, being fanned by Dang So-young.

“Keeng.”

The spiders calmed down from their earlier excitement and treated me gently.

Tus and Pus brought me snacks from a plate.

“Keeng!”

Pus was staring at Dang So-young as she hit her own butt.

Good, I’m feeling better.

Slap!

“Keyoong!”

It’s been a while since we met, and we should enjoy this peaceful time.

“Wheek… My arm hurts. How long do I have to do this?”

The spiders were calmed down, and Dang So-young was being punished.

Let’s set aside the treatment for now and check on their condition.

First, Tus and Pus.

Antrachomartus lv30
Status
「Worship」「Infatuation」「Expectation」

Atelcopus lv30
Status
「Worship」「Infatuation」「Satisfaction」

Let’s focus on the levels for now, forgetting about the status.

Level 30!

How well did Baek Yeon-young take care of them for them to reach level 30 already?

“Keyoong…”

Some are struggling to reach level 20.

Of course, my level 1 isn’t the same as their level 1.

Even so, there was something strange about it.

When I was a gecko, my maximum level was 10.

As I evolved, the level cap increased.

Yet these guys surpassed 10, then 20.

Now they reached 30 but still hadn’t evolved.

Instead, they had grown immensely.

Spiders that were clearly about 5 cm have now grown to the size of small dogs.

I suspect that the stronger the species, the higher the level required for evolution, but could these spiders really be something incredible?

I stared at Tus and Pus.

“Keyoong?”

That didn’t seem right.

Look at those innocent faces.

I remember them trembling while hugging each other when facing a dying water beetle.

Tus and Pus weren’t particularly strong species.

If I were to compare, they would be on par with or below the gecko.

So how did they become level 30?

Could it be that they are storing power through some means without evolving?

My evolution might be the odd one.

Typically, you could gulp down a few potions lying around and evolve right after filling up the level.

Considering what that… person said, it seems that the transformation of other beasts involves a rather complex process.

“Keyeek.”

If not that, perhaps they’re collecting power without spending it on minor evolutions.

Nephila Jurashica had once reached the appearance of Arakne in one evolution.

That meant skipping many evolutions that should have happened in between.

Of course, it didn’t take long for her to revert to her previous state.

Tus and Pus probably had similar goals.

To transform into humans right away.

What remarkable little creatures.

And how did they know I liked humans?

“Keyoong!”

Tus and Pus wiggled their arms joyfully.

“Keyeek!”

And Nephila Jurashica.

Nephila Jurashica lv30
Status
「Infatuation」「Affection」「Adoration」「Yearning」「Admiration」「Single-mindedness」「Reproductive Desire」「Possessiveness」「Appetite」「Obsession」

The injuries had vanished.

That meant most of her body had healed.

The status screen had more details than before, but why?

…Let’s put that off for now.

If I dug deeper, it would feel like I might get hurt.

“Keyeek.”

Nephila had healed her body, so she must be aiming for a transformation.

I imagined Tus and Pus, along with Nephila Jurashica, transformed into humans.

Thanks to Gechal-goatal, I had seen that form for a moment.

They had become complete humans, devoid of any spider traces.

Even the last form Nephila had shown was astonishing; how wonderful it would be if they transformed like that.

I closed my eyes and imagined our Dang family sisters transformed into humans.

….

…….

“Geek…”

Suddenly, I felt weak.

“Ugh, huh? What’s wrong with you?”

I had suddenly realized an uncomfortable truth.

How had I just come to know this?

I looked at Dang So-young, who was worried about me.

“Geek…”

“What’s with that expression? Why do you look more…?”

Dang So-young looked down at her chest.

Then she raised her head again to look at me.

“Geekeek…”

She lowered her head again.

Then raised it once more.

“Hey, you little lizard!”

The truth I realized.

If this continues, I’ll starve to death.

“Keyeek!”

“Keyoong!”

Tus and Nephila also showed similar reactions, waving their legs around like Dang So-young.

“Geekeek…”

I felt weak.

“Keyoong!”

Amid everyone’s anger, one spider wore a triumphant expression.

Compared to Baek Yeon-young or the Queen Snake, it was lacking, but Tus was still sturdy.

“…Geck.”

Hey Tus, want to touch my tail?

“Keyoong!”

“Keyeek!”

“Kyah!”

Tus was jumping up and down, while the other spiders were angrily clamoring.

One could think it was a bit excessive, but it was all for your sake.

You’ll understand my great intentions later.

Since I’m still not evolved, this could be a chance to gain an excellent mana pocket.

…That person is unfortunate, but it seems like it’s time to prepare to return to the Dang family.

“I-I feel strange! I have a feeling I’ll be discarded for something so trivial…!”

Trivial?

How important that is.

•  

Volcano.

A harsh land and beautiful plum blossoms.

Along with hot lava.

In this mixed, strange place, a messenger bird flew in.

“Ah, Miss!”

A small woman with crimson hair.

Ilhwa was looking for someone while holding a letter from the messenger bird.

“It’s deafening, you know.”

A red-haired woman soaking in a half-bath replied irritably.

Gulp.

Ilhwa swallowed her saliva.

Unlike her meager self, her counterpart had a voluptuous body.

Moreover, she had the skills even recognized by the volcano’s head.

Although it was known to the world that she had entered the volcano, she had never actually received any teachings from it.

She was just a weirdo who holed up here because she liked the name volcano.

However, her outstanding skills meant no one could treat her carelessly.

“So, what’s this all about?”

“I-I have a letter from Namgung Yeon!”

“Namgung Yeon?”

It didn’t take long for the volcanic master to remember his name.

“Oh, that suspicious fellow?”

The woman sometimes even forgot the headmaster’s name.

But Namgung Yeon was someone who provided her with helpful information.

“Let me see it.”

She read the letter Ilhwa handed over.

“Huh, interesting.”

The red-haired woman smiled slightly, as if intrigued.

Swish.

The red-haired woman stood up from the hot spring.

As she stood up, the bubbling lava splashed out.

Sizzle…

It didn’t matter that the lava splashed.

What was concerning was that she, who disliked moving, had already finished her hot spring bath.

“Tell the headmaster.”

“Y-Yes?”

“I’m going to meet an old friend.”

Meeting an old friend.

At first glance, it sounded harmless.

But the problem was that this woman’s hometown wasn’t in the Central Plains.

“…Are you talking about the Western Regions?”

“Western Regions? That’s where I was born, but it’s not my hometown.”

“No way.”

Going all the way to the Western Regions would pose a problem.

Her true hometown is the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

It was clear she wasn’t trying to say something sentimental.

“It’s not allowed!”

The hometown she was speaking of was the base of the Demon Cult, the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

“Why, they say the sky over there has darkened.”

“Even so…”

“You’re going to send something there for an investigation, right? So, I’ll go along as well.”

“Miss…!”

Gulp.

Ilhwa swallowed her saliva.

This wasn’t something she could decide recklessly.

But she couldn’t just wait for the headmaster’s response either.

This was an unilateral notification, not a request for permission.

“The volcano is not ready for war with the Demon Cult yet…!”

“Hey, who’s going under the name of the volcano?”

The red-haired woman smiled.

Crack.

Crimson wings slowly sprouted from her shoulder blades.

“As I said, I’m just dropping by my hometown.”

“At least tell the headmaster…!”

“She’ll be grateful if you just relay the message.”

Swoosh.

The volcanic spirit changed her clothes.

It was a garment made just for her.

Because of her large wings and tail, she couldn’t wear ordinary clothes.

Ilhwa was taken aback.

What could possibly be written in that letter that drew the woman’s interest?

What could capture the attention of a volcanic spirit to the point where she found the volcanic lava boring?

“I’ll get to see that girl’s face again after a long time.”

Ilhwa was startled.

She knew who the volcanic spirit referred to when she said “girl.”

“The Demon Lord can’t be allowed!”

“Am I crazy? Do you think I’d go to fight her?”

No matter how aggressive a volcanic spirit might be, she wouldn’t think of invading the Demon Lord’s base.

Moreover, this woman had experienced the Demon Lord’s power firsthand.

“Then why are you going to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains?”

“I told you. I’m going to investigate various things.”

The volcanic spirit smiled at Ilhwa.

“And there’s someone I’ve become personally interested in.”

“P-Personally interested?”

“Ilhwa.”

“Y-Yes, Miss.”

Receiving the volcanic spirit’s interest.

Ilhwa had served this spirit for a long time, but she had rarely encountered a situation like this.

Many young masters from prestigious families had courted her, but the volcanic spirit had never glanced in her direction. Ilhwa had thought she would live her entire life alone.

Yet now, receiving interest from such a being.

She must be a strong opponent capable of igniting her competitive spirit.

But what followed from the volcanic spirit’s mouth was entirely different from Ilhwa’s thoughts.

“Have you heard of a handsome lizard?”

“Y-Yes?”

Ilhwa was at a loss for words.

The volcanic spirit smiled knowingly.

“Isn’t that absurd? You should deceive properly; trying to deceive me by saying a lizard is handsome is ridiculous.”

The phrase “handsome lizard” made no sense.

“If it were just that, I’d have ignored it, but they say it has the potential to become a true dragon?”

A dragon.

Even a being like her, who could be called a red dragon, hadn’t yet reached the level of a true dragon, known only in myths.

If one were to put it that way, she would be described as a being on the path to becoming a dragon.

Among the spirits she knew, there was no existence ahead of her.

Therefore, she could call herself endlessly close to being a true dragon.

Yet even she was but a half-dragon.

No pearl or divine power.

Moreover, a true dragon refers to beings that can fly without wings, unlike her.

In such a situation, there was another spirit walking a different path.

A lizard with the potential to become a dragon.

Moreover, whether it was a provocation or not, the note had even mentioned its handsome face.

“I should at least check it out.”

Checking it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“If it’s a worthless being, I’ll swallow it whole.”

If it was merely to mock her, she’d swallow the lizard and then burn Namgung Yeon to death.

“If it’s just someone with a decent face, I’ll keep it in my nest.”

There’s no way a handsome lizard could exist, but if it did, living with it wouldn’t be bad either.

“If it really has the potential to become a dragon as Namgung Yeon said…”

Would she kill it?

Or would she gently push it to become a true dragon?

“…I don’t know. I should see its face first and think about it.”

The red dragon postponed her decision.

Whatever it was, it was fine.

If it could make her heart, which was growing cold, beat again.

Whether it was anger at being deceived.

Or jealousy at discovering someone surpassing her.

Or perhaps an emotion she had never experienced in her life: love.

The name of the red dragon includes “Rija” (利慈).

Sharp love.

If she could act according to her name and experience love, perhaps she could become a true dragon.

“…Am I getting old? I’m becoming foolish.”

But that couldn’t be.

Despite her fiery body, her heart was growing colder.

An emotion that wouldn’t heat up except for her competitive spirit.

Because there was no one to set her heart ablaze.

Even if Namgung Yeon said that lizard was exceptionally beautiful, she wasn’t a person who would just overlook it based on looks alone.

It would be just the right level to play with for a while.

Neither more nor less than that.

The red dragon thought that way.