Episode 09
What made her gasp in shock was the face of the bandit they had just taken down in the forest.
“So, that wizard was the leader of the bandit gang, huh.”
Kur commented as he looked at the wanted poster. Baberi barely registered his words; her attention was entirely drawn to the numbers on the poster.
“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand… 10,000 gold!”
The reward for that bandit was 10,000 gold. To Baberi, whose entire fortune consisted of the 100 gold she had taken from the bandit, it was an enormous sum.
“…Should we turn back now?”
Baberi asked Kur, her eyes glinting as if shaped like gold coins. Kur felt as if her gaze had literally turned into gold.
“It’s been two full days. Do you think if we go back, those guys will just be sitting there?”
Kur answered coldly. But Baberi, her eyes clouded with greed, couldn’t let go of the thought, unwilling to give up.
“And besides, the one who placed the bounty is none other than Lord Rondar.”
“The late lord? Then even if we bring him in…”
“No one would pay the money.”
Baberi, who had already turned to head back the way they came, froze on the spot.
“I absolutely cannot forgive those mercenaries!”
If they hadn’t killed the lord, that 10,000 gold would have been mine! Baberi stomped her foot in frustration.
“Forget the bounty for now. Let’s go find the mana stones.”
Kur pulled at Baberi’s arm, unwilling to let her take off just yet. He pointed toward the distant market street.
“No. We need to fill our stomachs first.”
Baberi insisted; they hadn’t eaten properly since morning.
“We can eat all we want after we get the mana stones.”
“If you think that way, you can look for the stones after eating too.”
Even the sacred Mount Geumgang waits until after a meal. Baberi quoted a Korean proverb, emphasizing practicality.
“We need the stones to retake the castle from the mercenaries, right?”
“Who said they weren’t necessary? I just mean don’t rush.”
Even if they had to fight the mercenaries, they needed the energy for it. How could anyone fight on an empty stomach? Baberi shook her head, and Kur sighed.
“This is enemy territory. The moment they realize you’re an enemy, they’ll try to kill you.”
His voice grew tense, teeth clenched. Exhaustion and lack of mana made him sensitive, irritated even by small things.
“And you’re just going to eat and let that happen?”
Kur found Baberi’s casual talk about food pathetic.
“If you don’t shout too loudly, no one will know why we’re here!”
Hungry and weary, Baberi’s voice grew louder in return. Kur’s body tensed, the sound of his scales clicking sharply.
“Enough. Let’s stop.”
Startled, Baberi regained her composure and lowered her hand. If they fought again now, one of them might actually die. She needed a way to resolve things peacefully with this stubborn lizard.
After a moment’s thought, she had an idea. Baberi pulled a coin from her pocket—the one she had taken from the bandit.
“From now on, if we disagree, we’ll decide with this.”
Kur looked displeased, but he didn’t object. Baberi smiled inwardly.
In truth, the coin had no tails—only a front side. She had kept it for its uniqueness. With this, she would always win. Baberi deliberately showed only one side to Kur as she tossed the coin.
“Front.”
But Kur called it first. Baberi almost lost her grip in surprise. She barely caught it and glared silently at Kur.
“I’ll give you a chance to change it.”
“Front.”
Kur repeated firmly. Baberi clicked her tongue in frustration and withdrew her hand. The coin, resting on her hand, clearly showed the front.
“Should’ve done this from the start.”
Kur smirked knowingly; he had already realized Baberi’s trick. Dragons had exceptional peripheral vision. He had seen that the coin only had a front side the moment she threw it. Baberi remained blissfully unaware, attributing his luck to chance.
Ultimately, they followed Kur’s lead and first searched for a shop selling mana stones. But a problem arose. Rondar, not a mining region, had received mana stones through trade with Martu. That supply had recently been cut off.
“You won’t find any anywhere right now.”
The shopkeepers said, but Kur sniffed around, determined to find whatever stones remained.
“Like a dog,” Baberi muttered, amused. The mighty dragon, feared across the continent, seemed so trivial. Still, how long would he wander the village? Baberi hoped he would give up.
“There will surely be some in the castle.”
Kur stubbornly insisted one last time. Baberi protested, exasperated.
“Sure, there might be. But the mercenaries are there too!”
She grabbed Kur’s arm, lowering her voice. But he simply dragged her along, straight toward the castle gates, confidently.
At that moment, a man leaving the castle noticed the two struggling. Not a guard, judging by his attire, he carried a ledger—likely a castle administrator.
“Looks like outsiders. What brings you to the castle?”
He raised his curled mustache in tandem with his words.
“Are there mana stones in the castle?”
Before Baberi could respond, Kur asked outright. Baberi closed her eyes; there was no way the question would earn an answer.
“Mana stones? None.”
The administrator, carrying a ledger, answered candidly. Like the shopkeepers, he explained that trade with Martu had ceased, so no stones had arrived.
“But there must be some left in the castle, right?”
Kur questioned him.
“The mercenaries took everything.”
“Then where are they now?”
Baberi assumed the mercenaries held the castle tightly. But when they arrived, it seemed empty. No guards, no mercenaries.
“I wouldn’t know. They appear and vanish at random.”
The administrator twirled his mustache, leaving them with a tip.
“If you want to find them, try elsewhere. They don’t hang around the castle.”
Kur approached the gate, sniffed a few times, and returned with a disgruntled face beside Baberi. Apparently, there was no trace of mana stones.
“Worthless mercenaries. They’ve drained all our energy running around.”
Frustrated, Baberi kicked a stone. It rolled to a shop with a wooden sign adorned with a fork and knife.
“Let’s not search for them now. I’m about to collapse.”
She strode into the shop, Kur reluctantly following. The shop had about ten tables. A young woman with red hair and freckles approached.
“I recommend the fish pie today.”
Baberi, too impatient to even check the menu, said:
“Then I’ll have that.”
The owner quickly brought freshly baked pies. Baberi, ravenous, took a bite and was amazed.
“Don’t get greedy for mine too.”
Even though Baberi eyed his portion, Kur, normally strict, took his share without objection.
“How is this yours?”
“I ate two pieces, you ate three.”
“But mine were smaller.”
They argued over the last piece.
“Flip a coin, remember? That’s what we agreed.”
Kur suggested, and Baberi retrieved the coin. Once again, Kur called it first.
“Front.”
“…”
“Check before it cools.”
Baberi bit her lip and conceded, letting Kur take the last slice.
The shop owner approached, introducing herself:
“I’m Sharon.”
Baberi exhaled quietly.
“I’m Margaret, from Tosen village. I fled here after hearing a dragon appeared in Pony Gorge. This is Kur, my brother.”
She repeated exactly what she had told the guards. Kur, displeased by being called her “brother,” scowled silently.
“Good thing Rondar accepted you. I heard it was under lockdown—when did they open?”
Baberi continued casually, ignoring the dragon’s glare.
“People displaced by the dragon come here sometimes. We’ve been open for a few days for them.”
Sharon’s voice carried pride.
“Without a lord, by whose orders?”
Baberi asked. Sharon’s faint smile vanished. She shook her head nervously.
“I don’t know. That’s determined by the castle.”
She swiftly returned to the kitchen, clearly avoiding further conversation.
Moments later, she returned:
“Strange. If it was under lockdown, why did you come to Rondar?”
Baberi paused, then smiled:
“…I have a cousin in Rondar. But I don’t think they’re here anymore.”
Of course, this was entirely fabricated.
“Really? It might be someone I know. I can ask around to find them for you.”
Sharon’s eagerness put Baberi in a tight spot. She scrambled for a name.
“Jacob.”
“What does he do?”
Why so nosy? Baberi realized Sharon was trying to probe her.
“He’s a mercenary. Two years ago, he joined the campaign against the evil dragon.”
Baberi tried to probe Sharon in return. Sharon’s expression stiffened.
“He probably survived the campaign. I received a letter saying he returned to Rondar. After that, no news.”
Baberi feigned concern over her “missing cousin”:
“I hope I could at least find out where Jacob went…”
Sharon opened her mouth, then shook her head.
“Sorry, I don’t know.”
Baberi cast a glance at Sharon, pretending to be disappointed.
This woman clearly knew something.
“Jacob… is my only family.”
Baberi spoke with serious, sorrowful expression. She wished tears would come to complete the act.
“Didn’t you say this person is your brother?”
Sharon tilted her head, looking at Kur with curiosity.
