After Ten Millennia in Hell

Chapter 411 - Dragon of Caldesann [Bonus Image]

She was wearing a white bikini that suited her very well. Two huge objects filled Kang-Woo's vision. He had seen her naked in bed many times, but seeing her in a swimsuit outside was amazing in its own right.

'Fuck. I'm so glad I'm alive.'

Kang-Woo gave Seol-Ah a thumbs-up while tears flowed down his cheeks.

"I-It's a little embarrassing if you react that way," she muttered while covering herself with her arms, but she smiled widely despite her embarrassment.

"So this is a swimsuit? Hmm. What a strange culture. Humans wear things that are no different from underwear in public?" Lilith said in fascination as she pulled on the string of her black bikini.

"That's the point," Kang-Woo remarked.

"Really?" Lilith tilted her head as if she was having a hard time understanding.

"Haaa, haaa. Good... Very, very good," Layla muttered as she rapidly pressed the shutter of a giant camera that she had pulled out of nowhere.

Her heavy panting made her look extremely shady.

'Gaia... Are you sure you want someone like her as your incarnation?'

Kang-Woo chuckled as he stared at Layla, who had also changed into a swimsuit.

"Please get out of the way, Kang-Woo. I need Seol-Ah to be in full view."

"Ah, yes, ma'am."

Kang-Woo took a step back.

"Ahem," Kim Si-Hun coughed as he peeked glances at Layla in her swimsuit.

Kang-Woo stared at Si-Hun pitifully.

'Si-Hun... Your future wife is a bit weird. I think there's a pervy old man inside her.'

However, there was no way Si-Hun, who was blinded by love, could see such a thing. Si-Hun walked over to Layla and chatted with her affectionately.

Then, Halcyon and Echidna approached Kang-Woo.

"M-Master Kang-Woo. I..."

"Why don't we have swimsuits?"

"Well, there are very important reasons." Kang-Woo calmly nodded. "First, Echidna."

"Yeah?"

"You can't wear a swimsuit."

'It'll affect the novel ranking.'

"You can wear one once you're older," Kang-Woo continued.

"Is there an age limit for swimsuits?" Echidna asked.

"Yup."

'Fifteen and up.'

"But I'm older than Seol-Ah."

"You still can't."

"It's unfair."

"Life is usually unfair, Echidna."

Kang-Woo patted Echidna's head with a warm smile. Echidna tilted her head, unable to understand the complicated truth of life.

"M-Master Kang-Woo. Wh-Why can't I wear a swimsuit?" Halcyon asked.

"You..."

Kang-Woo slightly looked down at Halcyon's lower body; more specifically, he imagined the magnum dong under Halcyon's clothes. Kang-Woo was swept over with dizziness.

"You just can't," Kang-Woo replied.

"I-I just can't? Wh-Why only me...?"

'If I say you can't, then you just fucking can't.'

"It's unfair!" Halcyon shouted.

'I feel the same way, man. I feel the same way.'

"Hmph, you made an entire lake just to see some swimsuits? You're fucking crazy." Cha Yeon-Joo walked over to Kang-Woo while shaking her head.

She was wearing a hoodie, but she was wearing a red bikini underneath.

"Mmm." Kang-Woo nodded as he stared at her.

"What?" Yeon-Joo glared at him.

"No, I just thought it suited you better than I expected."

Yeon-Joo was quite slim so she looked very good in a swimsuit.

"H-Hmm~ Really?" Yeon-Joo turned her head away while blushing and smiled. "I guess you have eyes, at the very least."

Kang-Woo smirked at the smug Yeon-Joo and said as he turned around, "Anyway, go have some fun in the lake. I'll be preparing the barbecue."

"Urgh."

"No fair, Kang-Woo."

Kang-Woo turned away from the complaining Halcyon and Echidna. As he was about to get the barbecue set that was packed in a bag...

"Ah..." he muttered.

"My king, is this the barbecue set?" Balrog asked.

"Huhu. I, Vernaak, have prepared the meat and vegetables already."

A red giant in massive swim trunks and a skeleton wearing a pink apron came into view.

"God..." Kang-Woo covered his eyes. They hurt as if they were rotting. "Fuck off... I'll take care of it myself."

"That is unacceptable! How could I dare call myself your subordinate if I let you do everything yourself?!"

"We will assist you!!"

"Please... Just fuck off..."

Kang-Woo's sobs echoed throughout Caldesann's peak.

***

Tsssss!

The meat on the grill sizzled mouth-wateringly. Kang-Woo distributed the meat to each of his party members.

Si-Hun put down his plate and came up to him. "I'll take over, hyung-nim."

Kang-Woo shook his head. "Forget it and eat some more with Layla."

"But..."

"Hurry up and go talk her down."

Kang-Woo pointed at Layla, who was rapidly pressing the camera shutter without eating any meat.

"Daaaaaayumt! Huff, huff. P-Please give me just one sexy pose, Lilith!"

Si-Hun smiled awkwardly. "H-Haha. Layla seems a bit excited."

"I doubt even her parents would be able to recognize her when she's like that."

'Though I don't know if they're alive.'

"A-Ahem," Si-Hun coughed as he walked over to Layla.

Kang-Woo chuckled.

'She's completely different from when I first met her.'

It might be a bit too severe of a change, but it was not a bad one. After all, it meant that she trusted him and the other party members.

"You have some too, Kang-Woo," Seol-Ah said as stuck next to Kang-Woo.

"I'm eating as I'm grilling."

"You haven't been eating at all since earlier, though." Seol-Ah pouted. She grabbed a piece of meat with her chopsticks and held it out in front of Kang-Woo. "Here, ahhh~"

Kang-Woo ate the meat. As expected of meat that he grilled himself, it melted in his mouth.

"What was this meat called again?" Kang-Woo asked.

"I'm not sure. I believe it came from an animal called... Triton. I've never seen them, though."

"I see." Kang-Woo's eyes shone.

Seeing that, Seol-Ah smiled faintly. "Shall I put some in your kimchi stew?"

"That's my darling."

'You know me so well.'

"Hohoho. Give me just a moment. I brought the ingredients just in case."

Seol-Ah walked to where the bags were while humming. Kang-Woo watched her walk away and then looked at the other party members. None of them would ever get tired from just a little fun in the water, and they were having fun chatting while eating the grilled meat.

'How nice.'

Kang-Woo smiled faintly. It was such a sweet feeling that he felt as if his brain would melt.

"Hm?"

Just then, Echidna entered Kang-Woo's field of vision.

"Munch, munch."

She was eating with a dark expression as if she were deep in thought. Rather than enjoying the taste of the meat, it looked more like she was just chewing for the sake of it.

'What's up with her?'

Echidna had been acting weird since a while ago. As Kang-Woo was about to stop grilling the meat and go to her, Balrog beat him to it.

"What is wrong, young dragon?" Balrog asked as he sat next to Echidna.

Because he was in his demon form, he towered over her even while seated.

"Nothing." Echidna shook her head.

"It doesn't look like nothing. Your expression has been dark since earlier.

"If you have something on your mind, tell me. I, Balrog, will hear you out." Balrog laughed heartily.

Echidna's lips quivered with her head lowered. She then looked to see if anyone was around.

'I'll give them some space.'

Kang-Woo gathered the other party members somewhere else with the excuse that they needed to help make the kimchi stew. He wanted to hear what was on Echidna's mind, but it seemed like the better choice to step out.

'Echidna is overly dependent on me.'

That could partially be the reason why she was not able to talk to Kang-Woo about it.

Balrog chugged down an entire barrel of beer.

"Kaaahh." He wiped his mouth and said, "The only thing that is good for you to keep inside is loyalty, young dragon."

Echidna pouted and grumbled, "You talk like an old man, Balrog."

"Kahahaha! I'm far past the age where I can be called an old man, even by dragon standards."

"I've been here before."

"Oh?" Balrog's eyes widened.

Kang-Woo, who was also listening from a distance, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Are you saying this isn't your first time on... What was this mountain called? Oh, Caldesann?"

"Yeah. I came here with my dad when I was little," Echidna muttered.

She recalled the days with her father, who had suddenly disappeared one day and left her. Her expression darkened.

"Hmm. I see."

Balrog nodded as if he had understood why Echidna had been so down.

Crack!

He broke open yet another barrel of beer.

"Have a drink, young dragon. Hehe. This thing known as alcohol is great in times like this."

Balrog lightly patted Echidna's back. His hand was so big that it could cover her entire back.

"It's too big." Echidna softly giggled while pouting.

"In that case, please use this." Vernaak walked up to them and handed Echidna a transparent glass.

"Thanks, Vaal Z— I mean, Vernaak."

Just as Echidna was about to take the glass that Vernaak handed her...

Whaaaam—!!!

"Wh-What the—?!"

The mountain shook all of a sudden.

[Who dares disrupt the sacred Caldesann?!]

A thunderous voice shook the entire mountain. The ground split and from between it emerged a giant dragon with red scales. The enraged dragon covered in intense flames looked down at the intruders that had made a mess out of Caldesann.

"Huh?" Echidna's eyes widened. She muttered with her mouth agape in disbelief, "Dad...?"