Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1444 Do Love and Hate Not Exist?

"Heraswalg?"

He instinctively called out the name the teacher had mentioned.

The young dragon, who already possessed the demeanor of a leader, chuckled lightly: "I'm glad you know my name, just as I know yours, Nidhogg."

Despite saying that, there was no joy in his tone, as if it were perfectly normal for other dragons to know his name.

Nidhogg was quite displeased by this unintentional display of superiority, and he said indifferently, "And then?"

“And then…” Heraswalg repeated his question, saying, “Then, shouldn’t I be qualified to apologize to you on their behalf, Nidhogg?”

"I told you not to call me by my name."

Nidhogg's gaze was exceptionally cold: "I defeated those guys, so I don't care about their attitude. You don't have to apologize on their behalf. I have no need to hear your reasons, nor am I obligated to accept your apology."

"That is indeed the case."

Heraswalg nodded approvingly: "I hadn't considered that, Nidhogg..."

call out--! ! !
A pebble grazed past his head, leaving a faint mark on his scales.

Heraswag gently extended his dragon claw to wipe the shallow wound on his forehead. Facing Nidhogg, who was glaring at him with murderous intent, he seemed oblivious to having provoked a wild beast. He simply asked softly, "To you, is calling someone by their name a provocation, Nidhogg Obsidian Jewsit?"

He not only called out Nidhogg's name again, but even his full name, as if pouring oil on a fire, determined to thoroughly enrage the other party.

But at this point, Nidhogg remained calm—or perhaps that wasn't quite accurate, for a surge of anger still burned within him, threatening to erupt at any moment, but he suppressed it with astonishing willpower, preventing himself from losing his temper in the ensuing conversation. He stared coldly at Hraswalg: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

He was now certain that the dragon of his own kind before him had not come to apologize, or rather, not only to apologize.

"..."

Heraswalg was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "What do you want to say? I have a lot to say, and I should have told you a long time ago."

He suddenly stepped closer, and Nidhogg instinctively let out a threatening growl, forcing him to stop and maintain a safe distance from him.

“There’s no need to be so wary. I can vouch for my good intentions, though you might not believe me.” With that, Heraswalg stopped trying to get closer, walked to the edge of the cliff, and stood at the same level as Nidhogg. He quietly looked at the deep, inky night beyond the cliff and said, “You hate it when people call you by your first name, and you see it as a provocation because you look down on them and think they’re not qualified. But I think I’m somewhat of the qualified type, aren’t I?”

Although it was a question, the tone didn't suggest seeking opinions at all; it was as if the fact had already been confirmed.

This confident tone was exactly what Nidhogg loathed, and his undisguised growl rolled in his throat: "Don't compare me to you!"

Hrascwald turned and glanced at him. "Does this bother you?"

"Without a doubt."

After uttering those words, Nidhogg flicked his tail and turned to leave, not intending to linger with this inexplicable fellow. But a second later, a sentence from Hraswalg made him stop in his tracks: "The qualifications I'm talking about are probably different from what you're thinking. It's not because of my exceptional talent, my stable personality, or how much the other students trust me..."

These are facts, and therefore his tone is matter-of-fact. However, what he wants to express has nothing to do with these facts.

"It's because 'Nidhogg' is very important to me."

The dragon whose name was called paused for a moment before realizing that Heraswalg wasn't calling him, but simply stating his name.

Before he could speak, Heraswalg continued, "Haven't you ever wondered who gave you the name 'Nidhogg'?"

He asked a very strange question, so strange that it was almost meaningless.

Besides his/her parents whom he/she had never met, who else would name him/her?

Since he became conscious, other dragons had always called Nidhogg that, and he naturally accepted it, regarding it as the last legacy left to him by his deceased parents. Now, most of his kind feared and loathed him, isolating and estranged. His personality was also too eccentric and perverse; he even saw others calling his name as a provocation. Over time, apart from his teachers, no one called him "Nidhogg" anymore. Most of the time, they called him "that guy" instead, and occasionally they would call him a "monster" or "outcast"—because his dragon horns were naturally different from those of his kind, not graceful crescent-shaped, but straight, just like his temperament.

Nidhogg disdained to answer such a foolish question, or even to give a response, plunging the surroundings into silence, where even the sound of snowflakes being blown by the wind and gently falling could be clearly heard.

What you take for granted may not be so for others.

Heraswalg said softly, “So I should tell you that it was not your parents who gave you the name ‘Nidhogg,’ but… His Majesty Bahamut.”

Nidhogg abruptly turned his head, his murky eyes fixed on Hraswalg, trying to detect a trace of guilt or pretense on his face, but there was none. His eyes remained clear and pure, their light undiminished even in the deep night, making him all the more repulsive. "What...did...you...say...?"

Nidhogg practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.

There's no reason for me to lie to you.

Heraswalg withdrew his gaze, deliberately avoiding eye contact with him: "I heard about this from my father."

Horusvarg's father was the current Dragon King, His Majesty Bahamut, the Infinite Dragon God—however, the "His Majesty" he referred to should not be his own father, but rather his father's father, the original Infinite Dragon God, Bahamut. He created history for the dragons, brought civilization, and conquered other races, forcing them, despite their resentment, to grit their teeth and acknowledge that the dragons were the most powerful race on the continent. Therefore, all the dragons obeyed his commands and bowed in submission.

Later, the war among the hundred races came to an end, and the dark age returned to peace. Bahamut, wounded by the war, passed away, before his death commanding the dragons to compete for his successor. His son, who was also the father of Horace Vargoth, emerged victorious in the selection ceremony, ensuring the name of the Dragon King would continue to flow in his bloodline. To commemorate his father and to stabilize the hearts of the people, he declared upon assuming the title of Dragon King that he also inherited the names of the Infinite Dragon God and Bahamut. If nothing unexpected happens, the next Dragon King will likely follow suit; this has become an unwritten rule, or rather, an open secret, within the dragon race.

It's public because all the dragons know it, but it's a secret because no dragon would reveal this information to the outside world. Therefore, in the eyes of other races, Bahamut, the Dragon King, has always been the same Bahamut, protecting the dragon race for tens of thousands of years. Even though he is very old, as long as he is still guarding Mount Platinum, no one dares to challenge the majesty of the dragon race.

The declining dragon race needs the authority of Bahamut, so all dragon kings should abandon their names and become Bahamut, the name of the infinite dragon god, and thus be passed down infinitely.

From this perspective, Hraswalg's lineage is indeed illustrious. Both generations of Bahamut rulers are his blood relatives: one overlooks the race he loved throughout his life, while the other silently guards the race's last glory atop the Platinum Peak. All their noble blood has not been eroded by time; the will of direct inheritance still boils within their veins, as if the ruler's gaze still watches over humanity. Therefore, it's not difficult to understand why Hraswalg said he was qualified.

Compared to the great and infinite dragon god, Nidhogg is like a speck of dust on the ground. It would not be an exaggeration to describe the distance between them as vast as the difference between heaven and earth. Who would have thought that they would have any connection?

"According to your father, your parents were His Majesty Bahamut's most trusted subjects, entrusted with many important tasks and fighting alongside him against powerful threats. Later, in order to block the enemy's offensive, they perished outside the Dragon Language Wall. This was something His Majesty did not expect, and he felt very guilty and could never get over it. His Majesty passed away at the very moment you were born. Upon hearing the news, His Majesty, who was on the verge of death, was greatly comforted and believed it was fate's arrangement. Therefore, he personally named you, which is... Nidhogg."

Heraswag raised his head, gazing at the night sky. For some reason, seeing his back at this moment, Nidhogg felt a sense of loneliness and desolation: "You have also studied with your teacher, so you should know what Nidhogg means in the ancient dragon language—a dragon that devours heaven and earth. For us, what name could be more fitting? This is also His Majesty's expectation for you, hoping that you can grow into a great dragon and live up to your parents' illustrious reputation."

By this time, Nidhogg had recovered from his initial shock. Upon hearing this, he frowned and coldly replied, "I don't have to meet his expectations."

Even if he is the universally respected infinite dragon god, His Majesty Bahamut.

Out of guilt towards his parents, he tried to make amends through himself as their descendant, but it was ultimately just wishful thinking. Nidhogg, who had never met His Majesty or his parents, and had never received a single word of advice about life or destiny, considered it none of his business and dismissed it with disdain.

If other members of the clan heard such treasonous remarks, they would surely condemn him for his audacity in defaming His Majesty's glory. But strangely, as His Majesty's direct descendant, Heraswalg felt no anger, only disappointment: "Is this your reason for your continued depravity?"

"Fallen?"

“Your grades are excellent and you are very strong, but you always go your own way and don’t communicate with any of your clansmen, which has led to some misunderstandings about you. Coupled with your innate personality and acquired habits, you often clash with them, just like the fight before. Don’t you think that adults see this as nonsense? It’s just that you’re acting recklessly because you’re a young dragon and you haven’t taken any responsibility.”

When Heraswalg said this, he selectively ignored the fact that he was also a young dragon. He probably understood this long ago, so he forced himself to mature and appear more composed, unlike the other young dragons.

“So what?” Nidhogg scoffed at his statement. “What responsibility should I bear?”

"Of course!"

Without hesitation, Hrathwalg said, his eyes shining in the night, gradually brightening: "You are the dragon bestowed the name 'Nidhogg' by Grandfather... by His Majesty Bahamut. You are the one among us whom he had the highest expectations for. You should have, as he expected, possessed the power to devour the heavens and earth, grown into a great dragon like him, led the dragon race to rise again, and once again surpassed all races, receiving glory upon yourself. Only then would you not have disappointed him... wouldn't you?"

“But,” he changed the subject, “I see absolutely no such possibility in you. You are withdrawn, stubborn, eccentric, extremely unsociable, and also irritable and easily angered, always fighting with your peers. If it weren’t for the teachers, I really don’t know who could control your temper. If this continues, you will disappoint your grandfather and many other people.”

Does that include you?

"..."

Remaining silent and offering no reply, Nidhogg grew bored. To be honest, he hadn't expected his name to have such an origin, nor had he imagined that Hraswag's reason for seeking him out would be so uninteresting. Disheartened, he rose and turned to leave, saying before he went, "I'll say it again: I don't need to respond to others' expectations. Besides, it's ridiculous to think that a name can determine what I should do and what fate I should bear. Even if he is a great dragon king, and I am merely a lowly dragon in your eyes, I still find it laughable. Of course, Hraswag, you are laughable too; you say something completely different from what your teacher said."

What did the teacher say to Nidhogg? Hraswald didn't know. Watching the other's retreating figure, a sudden impulse welled up within him, and he said to the departing back, "Between us, there will be a battle, Nidhogg. I will make you admit to all your feelings! Those you've been searching for but never received—"

Love.

But saying "I love you" would only humiliate this unruly black dragon, so the last word stuck in his throat and he couldn't say it.

Nidhogg walked away without looking back.

From that day on, for three thousand long years, he never heard anyone else say the same thing to him again.

For him, love and hate are non-existent.

Give me some cats