I Became the Youngest Summoner in the Strongest Guild

4. Arcana Online

4. Arcana Online

I felt the huge something inside the iron bars approaching me.

It was so large that it wouldn't be strange to hear a world-shaking roar, but there was no sound at all.

A shadow slowly approaching.

A tense moment.
Beyond the iron bars, a human figure appeared.
Only then could I see with my naked eyes.

A woman with long, jet-black straight hair.
Snow-white skin and ruby-red eyes that shone.

She wore an elegant dress and exuded a captivating aura.

As I stared blankly, she smiled and waved her hand, and in that instant, the iron bars disappeared.

No, they turned to dust and vanished.

Surprised by this sight, I couldn't say anything and couldn't control my trembling body as she slowly approached and raised her hand in the same way.

The moment I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Child, don't be afraid. I mean no harm."

Along with a gentle voice, she patted my head with a warm touch.

Only then did I open my eyes and look up to see her smiling.

"Thanks to you, child, I was able to break free from the seal. Thank you. Ah, I haven't introduced myself. I am the Dragon Queen 'Ernia'."

As soon as the introduction ended, blue windows filled my vision.

[You have broken the seal of Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fame points.

[You are the first traveler to encounter Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fame points.

Beginner Tip: The higher your Fame, the better relationships you can form with the inhabitants of this world, and you can purchase items from the Fame shop.

I don't understand any of this.

But there was something I was curious about.
It didn't take long for the thought in my head to come out of my mouth.

"Ernia-nim? If it's not rude, may I ask why you were sealed?"

For a moment, her expression hardened, but as if it never happened, she said she would tell me when the time comes, and then asked for my name.

"Child, can you tell me your name?"
"My name is Yuna."
"Yuna. A name that suits you, child."

Something appeared and disappeared in an instant.
I saw my name in blue letters, but was it my imagination?

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When I turned my head for a moment and looked back at Ernia-nim, she was holding something?
She handed it to me.

The round object looked just like something to store an egg.

«Incubator»
Can hatch any type of egg.

"It's a gift. With this, our Yuna can hatch the egg she has."
"How did you know I had an egg!?"
"I have my ways of knowing."

Ernia-nim, who had been smiling brightly, now wore a regretful expression.

"I'd like to take you with me, but you can't leave this area, child."

Beginners can't leave the vicinity of the starting village 'Cradle' until they reach a certain level.

"When the time comes, I'll come for you. Take care until then, my child."

With those final words, a strong wind blew, and when I opened my eyes after closing them, my surroundings had changed.

Just a moment ago, I was inside a cave, but in an instant, I was standing alone in a meadow.

I don't know how much time had passed, but the sun was setting.

I thought I might have been dreaming, but the incubator in my hand proved it wasn't a dream.

And the notification window in front of my eyes.

[You have become the first human to survive an encounter with Dragon Queen Ernia.]
Gained 100,000 Fame points.

[You have acquired Ernia's Mark!]

W-wait a minute, the first...? Then until now...?

More importantly, what's this mark...?
I don't understand what happened.
But this comes first.

Putting my thoughts aside for a moment, I looked at the incubator I was holding.

She said I could hatch an egg with this, right?

I took the egg out of my inventory.

«Egg of ???»
I don't know what it is.

When I put the egg in the incubator, a notification window appeared.

[It will hatch in 72 hours.]

It takes 3 days!? That's a long time.

I was worried I might have to keep holding it, but fortunately, there was no problem putting it in my inventory.

As I was about to return to the village because it was too late, I encountered a goblin.

And not just one or two, but an entire tribe.

A situation where dozens of goblins were staring at me.

In a panic, I couldn't even think to take out my staff and was trembling in fear when.

"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Follow us!"
"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Don't be afraid!"

Goblins that can speak human language.
More importantly, they're... reassuring me?

With trembling steps, I followed the goblins and saw a small village in the distance.

It looked like a village where goblins lived.

B-but, surely they're not going to do something strange to me!?

I saw in comics that goblins are the incarnation of lust.

Humans captured by goblins all...!

"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! Drink this!"

As soon as we entered the village, they handed me water.

S-surely there's no strange drug in this...!
Ah, it's delicious.

"Kuruk! Young human! Kuruk! If you keep walking with this, you'll see the human village!"
"Kuruk! Be careful, young human! Kuruk! There are many violent creatures in the evening!"

They looked at me with worried eyes and handed me an item.

«Token of the Goblin Tribe»
While holding this token, you won't be attacked by monsters for a certain period of time.

"Th-thank you...?"
"Kuruk! Farewell, young human! Kuruk! And we have a request!"

[Quest: Find the Young Goblin Who Left Home]
A young goblin has left home. Bring it back to the village or bring back its token.

Reward: ???

Surely this isn't...?

With trembling hands, I took out an item from my inventory.

«Goblin's Necklace»
Old and shabby, but seems to have a story behind it.

When I handed it to the goblin, it had a sad expression.

"Kuruk! Has it returned to nature's embrace!"
"U-um..."
"Kuruk! It's okay, young human! Kuruk! You don't need to comfort us, kuruk! More importantly, thank you, kuruk! Take this too!"

«Goblin's Spellbook»
You can learn a random skill.

As the goblin who handed me the spellbook clicked the necklace, there was a small photo.

A photo of all the goblins together.

"Kuruk! This is a photo taken by a human mage of our tribe long ago!"

"......"
"Kuruk! If we find the being that harmed that child, we won't forgive them!"

I couldn't say anything.
I set out on my journey after being sent off by the goblins in the village.

As I was fiddling with the Token of the Goblin Tribe while walking, I saw a slime in the distance.

S-surely slimes don't have families or anything like that, right?

As I approached the slime, it didn't attack me, probably because of the token, and just stared at me blankly.

"Um, do you perhaps have a family too?"
"......"

There was no response.

From now on, I should ask about family first before hunting.

Passing by the slime and continuing to walk, I saw the entrance to the starting village in the distance.

The entrance was full of people moving busily.

What's going on?

Everyone was armed and moving in perfect unison.

As I got closer, a guard uncle spotted me and immediately shouted.

"She's back here!!"

At the loud shout, the people who had been moving busily all turned to look at me with relieved expressions.

What's going on?

At that moment, Bell unni burst out from among the many people, but her attire wasn't the white apron she wore at the inn, but a robe that a mage would wear.

She approached me in one step and hugged me, and at that moment.
Something felt strange.

Bell unni looked at me with a shocked face.

"Wh-what is this..."

*
*
*

Yuna hadn't returned even at this late hour.

She's late today, I thought, when I felt an ominous energy.

It seemed I wasn't the only one who felt it, as Charles appeared, pale-faced.

"D-did you just feel that!?"
"I felt it. I hoped it was just my imagination, but it's not."
"I'll declare a state of emergency. More importantly, where's Yuna?"
"She hasn't come back yet, c-could it be."
"Damn it! I'll gather the troops and start searching as quickly as possible!"

Just as we were about to set out to search in the direction of the ominous energy after mobilizing the village's forces, we heard a loud voice.

"She's back here!!"

As soon as I heard that voice, I rushed out urgently and saw Yuna.

Just as I was feeling relieved at her carefree appearance as if nothing had happened, something felt off.

The moment I ran and hugged her, I felt the energy of a dragon.

It's happened after all.
Yuna has become the target of a dragon.
Dragons who view humans as mere playthings.
When their amusement ends, they erase their traces and return to their lair.

There's only one way to save Yuna.
I'm sorry, Master.

I promised I would never take another disciple, but it seems I can't keep that promise.