Chapter 756: Dragon Keeper (10)

White Hall at the White Dragon Palace.

This was used as a hospitality room for dragons.

Those who encountered each other in front of the palace entered with Yoohwang’s guidance.

It was well-organized to serve guests, but there were many small wounds on the walls and pillars.

‘Is it because it’s a white building? I can see a lot of scratches.’

Hwangryong, who was walking in front, must’ve noticed where I was looking.

He spoke in a voice full of longing.

“Ah, these traces are still here. Baekryong and Heukryong used to cause as much trouble as Yong Jegun, and their influence is all over the whole Dragon Palace. This is the trace of when Heukryong covered Baekryong with ice.”

A power that causes as much trouble as Yong Jegun’s.

Baekryong and Heukryong must’ve been troublemakers of their own league to be compared to Yong Jegun.

Wait, if people of royal lineage who symbolize the same color are similar to each other, does it mean Baekryong is like Baekho-gun?

My last playable would never.

“The White Dragon Palace is so nice! Shaman unnie, is that a photo of Baekryong-nim when he was still a royal lineage?”

“…I think so.”

“Wow, I see. I can feel Baekryong-nim’s spirit even in his portrait. I can’t wait to look around the palace!”

The youngest palace shaman’s words trailed off, and she was obviously sick of being dragged around by Yoon Yeorang.

It seemed to be an excuse to escape where Hwangryong and Yoohwang wanted to meet.

There’s no way that Yoon Yeorang would let go, so it’s best to go with her.

‘I don’t think that youngest shaman is a traitor.’

It’s ridiculous to outcast someone when the shamans are planning a terrifying betrayal.

If an ostracized victim reveals everything with vindictiveness, wouldn’t their plan of betrayal that they made over a long time collapse?

If there’s no choice but to ignore her, she would be thoroughly monitored and cracked down, either to shut her up or kill her.

‘There’s no particular bullying, they’re just ignoring her. And it’s so blatant that everyone can easily notice it. Plus, it’s been a few years since she came to the Dragon Palace so there’s a good chance she doesn’t know anything.’

I thought the youngest shaman wasn’t a traitor, but there was no guarantee that she’d join their side so I still kept an eye on her.

It’s possible that she’d join them to put an end to the ostracizing.

Meanwhile, Hwangryong and Yoohwang who sat first looked at them happily.

“She’s a bright kid, just as I heard.”

“I see. I think the Dragon Palace has become brighter thanks to that child.”

It was a picturesque scene where a shaman spoke to a dragon in a beautiful Dragon Palace, but I was reluctant to stare for a long time.

Honey-mouthed, dagger-hearted.

(T/N: Translation of a Chinese idiom which means hypocritical and malignant.)

Even though I had to observe her, I couldn’t keep my eyes on Yoohwang.

I had to put my mind into controlling my expressions.

“I heard that you’d be at the Yellow Dragon Palace to help prepare for the test. I must’ve heard wrong.”

“Omo, is that so? I think everyone was in a hurry. Please don’t blame the shamans for saying that.”

“I know that you’re all working hard for the Dragon Palace. How can I put the blame on them? A tiger guest gave me nice tea leaves. Let’s have it together.”

Although Yoohwang made excuses, Hwangryong didn’t bother to dig further.

It was obviously a lie.

Seeing that Yoohwang is showing interest in Yoon Yeorang, I roughly guessed her intentions.

‘She’s trying to see the candidates’ qualifications now that the test is close.’

Yoohwang wants to annul this test.

It’s possible to drop all candidates, but Yoohwang wanted to check them out just in case.

If they were better than she expected, her plans would be broken.

However, because of Hwangryong’s presence here, Yoohwang did not take the initiative in the conversation.

‘Hwangryong doesn’t talk much, but he keeps changing the course of the conversation. I don’t have to step up here.’

Hwangryong’s conversation skills were unusual.

I prepared various topics to not allow her to dig for information on Yoon Yeorang, but I don’t think I would have to use all of them here.

When Hwangryong emptied his teacup, the center of the conversation became Yoohwang.

At some point, instead of Yoohwang knowing more about Yoon Yeorang, we got to know the shaman instead.

“You’ll step down as a shaman once the test is over. Have you thought about what you’re going to do after that?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“There’s still quite some time so I want to take my time thinking about it.”

Time stops for those who become shamans of the Dragon King.

As long as they are connected to the Dragon King, this is guaranteed.

However, the shamans are still humans, and there is a limitation to this.

If a shaman’s power declines, she can no longer be connected to the Dragon King, and therefore a new shaman to replace her is chosen.

Of course, it is said that a comfortable life for the retired shamans is guaranteed by the Dragon Clan.

‘Yoohwang has ten years at most. It would be better to pick the next shaman now because she can’t handle the Dragon King’s shaman after that period.”

Yoohwang intends to invalidate this test to buy time.

Hwangryong spoke again.

“Your time will soon move again once you stop being a shaman, Yoohwang. Don’t forget that human life is finite.”

Hwangryong’s tone was friendly, but considering the Dragon Clan’s speculation on why the shamans betrayed them, the content was nothing like that.

The Dragon Clan thinks that the shamans want longer lives.

Considering what mankind has done in history in the pursuit of immortality, it was a convincing hypothesis.

“That’s right. Human life is very short. I often forget that while serving as a shaman.”

Yoohwang’s voice did not have a single hint of agitation.

Rather, her calm voice made me feel like she thinks as deeply as Hwangryong.

It was hard to see because she was covered with yellow cotton yarn, but I could imagine her smiling affectionately.

“I will take your words to heart, Hwangryong-nim.”

After talking, Hwangryong and Yoohwang headed to the Yellow Dragon Palace.

Hwangryong suggested that Yoohwang take a look at the shamans who were preparing for the test, and the latter couldn’t refuse.

Before leaving though, Yoohwang talked to the youngest shaman.

“Keep a close eye on the candidate. Tell me right away if anything happens.”

“Yeees.”

Yoohwang looked disappointed at the youngest shaman’s insincere reply.

Still, she couldn’t make it obvious in front of Hwangryong so she retreated.

Thus, Yoon Yeorang’s expedition to the White Dragon Palace resumed.

Yoon Yeorang chatted with the youngest shaman like a blast that she had been holding back with all her might.

“Did she say that time stops when someone becomes a shaman? I think I can stop mine, I’m tall enough for a recently graduated middle schooler. I’ll grow again after I retire though, right?”

“Yees.”

“Ah, I heard that time stops for the Dragon Palace shamans too. Time moves again when you exit the palace. So do you not age too?”

“Yes…”

The youngest shaman answered soullessly, but the conversation kept going as Yoon Yeorang filled in her share of heart and soul.

The youngest shaman answered Yoon Yeorang occasionally and had nothing to say except to guide her on dead ends, hidden staircases, and others.

I sometimes joined in on the conversation, but I generally kept silent because I prioritized observing the two.

It was after the White Palace expedition ended that my inquisition was completed to some extent.

“Ah, today was so fun! Though I’m a little sad.”

The youngest shaman and Unryong didn’t ask what Yoon Yeorang was sad about.

It can’t be helped, they must’ve been exhausted.

I decided to ask instead.

“Why are you sad?”

“There was no place where I felt close to the Dragon King. I’m exploring the palace to look around, but also to find him.”

The youngest shaman and Unryong did not find it strange.

They know that the entrance to the divine world was not in the White Dragon Palace so it’s natural that she won’t feel close to him.

‘So Yoon Yeorang was looking for the Dragon King. But right now, the Dragon King can’t come around the Dragon Palace.’

Yoon Yeorang seems to like the Dragon King very much, and I very much want to help her become a shaman.

Before heading back to the Blue Dragon Palace, I offered Yoon Yeorang an item card.

“What is this?”

“It’s a carrier pigeon item. We can’t communicate through device here.”

What I gave to Yoon Yeorang was an SR— rank consumable item Messageless Carrier Pigeon

.

“Call me if anything happens.”

“Yes!”

Yoon Yeorang responded energetically, her face not showing a hint that she was sensing any crisis.

I’m afraid she’d use it to call me to have snacks.

‘I can just give her another one then.’

I intend to keep giving her carrier pigeon items so that she’d have one when a true emergency comes.

That’s how the time passed.

The day after Yoon Yeorang lamented that she failed to explore the Black Dragon Palace, the test for the selection of a new shaman was only a day away.

The shaman candidates were summoned to the Yellow Dragon Palace.

“You’re all here.”

Hwangryong rose from the yellow throne to greet the shamans and the candidates.

The candidates who saw Hwangryong a few days ago were flustered when they saw his complexion.

Unsurprisingly, Hwangryong was getting visibly thinner.

“Is Hwangryong-nim okay…? His complexion doesn’t look too good.”

“He has no strength in his voice either.”

The sharp-eyed candidate and the sharp-eared candidate lowered their voices.

Yoon Yeorang blinked once and opened her eyes wide when she heard her fellow candidates.

“What? Ah, come to think of it, I guess so.”

“It’s surprising that you didn’t notice, Yeorang.”

“But he looks much more brave and dragon-like than when we first met him!”

Perhaps because her voice was a little loud, or perhaps her words sparked interest, the dragons who came early looked at Yoon Yeorang.

Everyone seemed to admire her even though they didn’t make it obvious.

Yoon Yeorang is indeed braver now.

‘The other shamans didn’t notice, but I’m glad Yoon Yeorang did.’

Hwangryong smiled at the candidates.

“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry. Brave, huh? That is a nice thing to say.”

The shamans didn’t seem to have much thought about Yoon Yeorang’s remarks.

They think that the eccentric girl is just saying something strange.

“Before I explain the test, I have a word to tell to the witches. Yong Jegun, come forward.”

“Yep.”

Yong Jegun flew next to Hwangryong with a big smile.

As they stood side by side, I felt the difference between the two.

Although Yong Jegun and Hwangryong wore blindfolds of different designs, their aura was very different.

The shamans looked at Yong Jegun with doubt and tension.

They must be worried that he’d play a prank before the exam.

“The shamans have done a lot of hard work all this time, but us Dragon Clan haven’t given anything in return, right? Just in time, I’m about to ascend and I’m full of energy from staying at the Dragon Palace these past few days.”

Yong Jegun spoke with a playful look on his face.

“So before I ascend, I will grant one wish from the shamans.”

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