I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 164

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Dragons naturally possess distinct identities within their transformed bodies.
However, Kadelina’s sense of self as Kadelina was far stronger than her identity as Cadelinon.
Though she currently inhabited a human form, she harbored no hesitation in wielding draconic power.
‘This is troublesome.’
The curse of Narbidal limits a person’s lifespan.
This child now had less than ten years remaining.
‘Even ten years won’t be enough?’
Great miracles demand great prices.
In the eyes of divinity, restoring Maria appeared to be a ‘miracle far too great.’
‘I can usually accomplish most things within three years.’
I peered into the near future through draconic sight.
If things proceeded as they were, this child’s life would end here.
She would sacrifice all her remaining years for a single miracle.
‘Ah, that truly is problematic.’
I glanced once at Isabel, sleeping peacefully upon the altar.
‘We were rather harsh back then.’
To speak of taking five years from a child who treasured life so dearly.
It had been genuinely cruel.
‘Yet she offered her own life for Arun without the slightest hesitation.’
Even as Robena insisted otherwise.
For Arun, it must have been an extraordinarily precious and invaluable experience.
Meeting someone willing to surrender their life for you—that is truly a difficult thing to encounter.
It must have exerted a profound influence on the spirit of Arun, the dragon.
‘Sigh.’
There was no helping it.
‘I have no choice but to demonstrate it myself.’
The curse of Narbidal is a divine condemnation.
No matter how mighty a dragon, one cannot defy it.
‘But I can twist it slightly.’
However, that too would require an enormous price.
Something like a dragon’s heart, for instance.
A dragon’s heart is a colossal mass of magical power.
‘If I were to sever about half of it, wouldn’t that suffice? I’m the strongest among dragons anyway, so I shouldn’t die.’
Dragons are typically indifferent to life and death, but Kadelina was no ordinary dragon.
She desired to live as long as possible.
Unlike other dragons, her affection for her child was immense, and her desire to witness Arun’s growth was considerable.
Much like humans, in fact.
‘That’s right. If the child could do it, why can’t the parent?’
Kadelina, wearing Cadelinon’s form, placed her hand upon Isabel’s chest.
She manifested the image within her mind.
How would I express this in dragon language?
The power granted to dragons.
I had to use “dragon language”—the means of miraculous authority.
‘Transplantation? Transfer?’
Kadelina decided not to overthink it.
Constructing complex and delicate dragon language was something only her older sister Ravina would do.
Dragon language spilled from his lips.
“The super magnificent transplant gift from the mightiest black flame dragon on earth.”
* * *
From the inside, this place had the form of a Temple, but it was actually Ravina’s Lair.
And at the entrance of the Lair, an enormous dragon was positioned.
The dragon spoke.
“I didn’t expect you to find this place so easily.”
Ron glanced at the tidal wave and spoke.
“So you’re Duke Robena’s true form.”
“You knew all along.”
“I know my daughter is here.”
“That’s right.”
Ron was in a hurry.
“Move aside, or I’ll cut you down.”
“A human? Against a dragon?”
Ravina spoke with a mocking tone, but internally she was tense.
‘A monster of a man.’
He was likely the swordmaster with the greatest martial power throughout all of human history.
Ten years ago, he wasn’t quite at this level, but Ron had become absurdly powerful.
If they clashed head-on, even a dragon would likely not escape unscathed.
This was beyond reason.
Since the Princess was born, Ron had transcended the bounds of humanity.
Ravina asked again.
“Do you have no intention of respecting your daughter’s will?”
“None.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a selfish father.”
Ron understood Isabel’s heart.
But he had no intention of honoring that heart.
To give up her lifespan for someone named Maria, a complete stranger.
As a father, it was absolutely unforgivable.
I could do anything for Isabel, but not this.
“That child may resent you for the rest of her remaining life.”
“I don’t care.”
Right now, the priority was bringing Isabel here.
That was the most urgent matter.
Ron saw nothing else.
“I’m counting to three. If you don’t move by then, I’ll cut you down and pass through, Robena.”
Ravina realized Ron meant every word.
‘Well, I’ve done what I could.’
Light seeped from Ravina’s body as she transformed into the appearance of Duke Robena.
She held no sword.
She stepped aside smoothly.
“Do as you wish, Your Majesty.”
Ron passed Robena without hesitation and entered through the entrance.
The interior was decorated like a temple, making it easy to find the way.
He ran forward at full speed.
He brushed past marble pillars, and at the end of that path, a massive altar came into view.
He sensed Isabel’s presence upon it.
“Isabel!!!”
He leaped up dozens of steps in a single bound.
There was a priest he had seen before—Cadelinon.
The priest’s right hand was placed over Isabel’s chest, emitting white light.
Kadelina spoke with only one eye slightly open.
“Don’t make a fuss and wait. You’re breaking my concentration.”
“Stop this instant.”
Ron hurriedly examined Isabel’s wrist.
All the sand in the hourglass had fallen to the bottom.
For a moment, he nearly lost his reason.
“I’m trying to save this kid too, so please shut up and wait. You brat.”
The dragon rumbled with a deep, resonant sound.
It was a more intense reaction than when facing any other dragon.
Ron stepped back one pace.
‘I felt it before too.’
This was likely the guardian dragon of the imperial house, as recorded in imperial history.
Ron clenched his fists tightly.
‘Whether it’s a guardian dragon or anything else doesn’t matter.’
What mattered to him now was Isabel opening her eyes again.
If anything happened to Isabel, Ron had no intention of ever forgiving the two dragons responsible for this.
Kadelina spoke with her eyes closed.
“Are you really that good at fighting?”
“….”
“I was thinking of having a bloody match with you, but that’s a shame.”
Kadelina felt considerable helplessness.
I severed half of the dragon’s heart—a colossal mass of magical power—and grafted it into Isabel’s body.
Had Ravina witnessed this, she would have screamed that I’d lost my mind, but fortunately, she remained outside.
“If we fight now, I’ll lose.”
A violent heave.
Cadelinon coughed up blood.
The blood drenched Isabel’s upper body.
“Isabel!”
“Hey, isn’t that a bit much? I’m the one who coughed up blood, aren’t I?”
Ron lifted Isabel into his arms.
He hurriedly examined Narbidal’s mark.
“The sand…”
All the sand had still fallen through.
That meant Isabel’s death.
In that instant, an intense aura erupted from his body.
He looked as though he might draw his sword at any moment.
Kadelina spoke.
“I did my best.”
“Your best was not my best.”
Just before Ron lost his composure, Kadelina spoke again.
“She’ll open her eyes. I don’t know when, but she will. I grafted the dragon’s heart. Half of it, no less.”
“Then Isabel can live?”
“Yes. Regardless of the sand.”
Kadelina’s body became translucent.
It was as if her physical form was gradually disappearing.
“Of course, the child’s end is already determined. She’ll die on her twentieth birthday.”
“…”
“Just pray she opens her eyes soon.”
Kadelina clutched her chest and trudged forward, opening the coffin lid at the back.
She extended her hand and poured sacred power into Maria.
“Treasure this miracle that child brought forth.”
Whoosh!
A brilliant, radiant light enveloped Maria’s body.
Maria’s body rose into the air, then gently descended.
“There. Done.”
Kadelina’s body became semi-transparent, and her lower half began to fade away bit by bit.
She coughed up blood once more, but Ron paid it little mind.
“Mind your manners. Don’t you see the patient? Aren’t I the critical one here?”
“…”
Kadelina’s voice did not reach Ron.
She murmured to herself alone.
“I need to sleep for about five hundred years.”
Kadelina’s body disappeared.
* * *
Robena could not comprehend it.
‘Just how great a miracle is saving Maria that it consumes all of her remaining lifespan?’
This was the first time in her long dragon’s life that she had witnessed such a thing.
She too could not understand the gods.
In any case, through the sacrifice of Isabel and Kadelina, Maria was able to regain consciousness.
With care from the Imperial Palace’s specialists, she gradually became capable of living a normal life.
‘What on earth did Kadelina do?’
She gave away a dragon’s heart?
Normally, that means death.
Robena shook her head slowly.
‘It’s not my concern.’
I keep finding myself absorbed in Kadelina’s way of thinking.
Dragons do not cling to bloodlines, nor do they care about anyone’s life or death.
To show such concern is unbecoming of a dragon.
She spoke as the Duke of the North, Robena, and as Arun’s mother.
“Arun. Will you just keep drooping like that?”
Arun never left Isabel’s side for a moment.
He spent all his time beside the sleeping Isabel.
It had already been a month.
“When Isabel opens her eyes later, shouldn’t you show her a more dignified appearance?”
“….”
Arun’s body flinched at the word Isabel.
‘Isabel’ was the magic word that moved Arun.
“I understand, Mother.”
Arun trained his swordsmanship daily like a man possessed by something.
His sparring partner was none other than Emperor Ron.
Summer passed, winter faded, and spring came again.
Arun and Ron exchanged blows with their swords every day, accumulating their training.
Duke Robena of the North watched them and sighed.
‘Madmen.’
She thought humans could not grow any stronger, yet they were becoming excessively powerful.
Direct comparison would be difficult, but they seemed to rival the Black Flame Dragon at its prime.
‘Ron is one thing, but what is happening with Arun?’
Arun was also becoming far too strong.
This was likely the result of a mixture of guilt for failing to protect Isabel and an intense desire never to lose her again.
Another cold winter came, and spring arrived once more.
Arun’s and Ron’s swords touched each other’s necks simultaneously.
“It’s a tie, Your Majesty.”
“I touched it first by approximately 0.01 seconds.”
And seven winters had passed since then.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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