"Camilla, I'm sorry, but I have to leave."
"Why? After you made me feel this way, shouldn't you take responsibility?"
"That's... it's probably just you confusing gratitude with love."
It was a total bullshit excuse. But it wasn't like I could explain the game mechanics and the favor system to her.
"Besides, I'm an adventurer. I have to travel all over the place. I can't stay settled here."
"Then I'll follow you."
"No. Adventuring is far more dangerous than you think."
She was far too fragile to tag along on such a lethal journey.
Knowing that fact better than anyone else, she dropped her gaze to the floor and said nothing more.
Since I'd laid it out that bluntly, there was nothing she could do. I turned my back and left the inn without looking back.
"Wait, Mister!"
Choi Ha-neul called out to me and tried to follow, but then she turned back around to face Camilla—
"I'm sorry. Just think of it as a stroke of really rotten luck."
She offered that apology-that-wasn't-really-an-apology before running to catch up.
"Don't you think you were a bit too harsh?"
"And who's going to take responsibility if she follows us and gets killed or maimed?"
"Well, that..."
She might think I'm heartless, but this was for Camilla's own good.
If she doesn't see me for a while, she'll forget about me eventually. I truly hope things work out for her with either Sven or Faendal.
One thing this incident taught me for sure: I should avoid completing quests for marriageable NPCs as much as possible. Whether it's Mjoll the Lioness or Muiri, it's not that I'd hate being surrounded by beauties.
But I have to help the Dragonborn defeat Alduin, the World-Eater. I don't have time to leisurely play through a romance sim.
"Wow, you really are a bad boy..."
"...."
As I kept walking while ignoring Choi Ha-neul's grumbling, the walls of Whiterun finally came into view.
The guard at the gate opened the way as we approached, and we stepped inside.
The atmosphere was still chaotic due to the news of the dragon attack at Helgen and Ulfric's escape.
But what can you do? A dragon is about to descend on Whiterun very soon. I offered a silent prayer of sympathy to the citizens and guards of Whiterun in my heart.
"Great Talos! Unassailable Talos! To you we give praise!"
Passing by Heimskr, who was screaming his lungs out as usual, we entered Dragonsreach.
Choi Ha-neul headed straight for the wizard's study to deliver the Dragonstone to the court wizard, Farengar.
"Finally, you've returned. I thought you'd died since you took so long," Farengar said, noting it had been over a full day since she took the quest.
"Haha, things got a bit complicated. Here is the Dragonstone."
She handed over the stone tablet. Farengar examined it with genuine admiration.
"Oh... I suspected it would be there, but to actually retrieve it... You're far more competent than the usual brutes the Jarl sends my way."
"So, what can you find out from that stone?"
"By studying this, I can determine the locations where dragons are buried and uncover other clues. My associate will be quite pleased."
As everyone likely knows, that 'associate' is Delphine, the innkeeper from Riverwood.
"Ah, you'll need a reward, won't you? Here, take some scrolls I've crafted."
We received scrolls for Ice Spear and Lightning Bolt from Farengar. In this reality, where magic pack a serious punch, scrolls would be incredibly useful.
While we were talking, a guard suddenly sprinted into the wizard's quarters.
"Farengar! It's a disaster! A dragon has been sighted near the Western Watchtower!"
"What? A dragon has appeared? For real?"
"A dragon? You mean that monster from the execution block?!"
Farengar and Choi Ha-neul both looked shocked. Since I knew exactly what was coming, I wasn't surprised, but I was definitely worried.
To kill this dragon, not only the city guards but also Choi Ha-neul, the Dovahkiin, would be deployed.
'I guess we have to fight too...'
We struggled so hard just fighting high-tier Draugr. The thought of facing a dragon made me think I might actually die this time.
While everyone was in a panic, the guard approached us as well.
"Jarl Balgruuf has summoned everyone to the briefing room upstairs. You adventurers as well. Come with me."
Following his summons, we went up to the second-floor meeting room where the Jarl was waiting.
Irileth was there reporting on the guard who sighted the dragon at the Western Watchtower. The Jarl stood with both hands on the table, which was covered by a map of Whiterun Hold, listening silently.
"Jarl Balgruuf! Is it true? A dragon has appeared?" Farengar asked.
"It seems so. You, tell them what you saw," Balgruuf commanded.
Following the Jarl's order, a soldier with a bandage wrapped around his head recounted his experience vividly.
"It just appeared from the western mountains... It was massive! Loud! And it...!"
"That's enough."
The guard spoke with a trembling body, clearly overwhelmed by both the pain of his injuries and the sheer terror of the dragon.
While he was giving his testimony, all the soldiers of Whiterun, including us, gathered together.
The room hummed with frantic whispers. The unprecedented appearance of a dragon had everyone on edge.
Then, Jarl Balgruuf began his speech.
"Men! Today we face a calamity out of myth. But we do not run. Each of you standing here is the hope of this city and Whiterun's final shield. Therefore, in the name of Jarl Balgruuf, I command you: March to the Western Watchtower! We shall plant our flag in that dragon's back!"
"YAAAAAAH!!"
The murmuring vanished instantly. Inspired by Balgruuf's words, the guards let out a thunderous roar and began marching toward the Western Watchtower under Irileth's command.
"Are you the adventurers who brought the Dragonstone? I thank you for your service to Whiterun. You will be a great help."
"Don't worry, Jarl! Whether it's a dragon or anything else, I'll slay it all and come back!"
It seemed Choi Ha-neul was also deeply moved by the Jarl's speech. I could guarantee that her triumphant attitude wouldn't last long.
"Wait, I'll go with them. I don't want to miss the chance to see a real dragon," Farengar chimed in.
"No. Farengar, you stay here and focus on the city's defenses."
"Yes... understood."
Farengar's curiosity was piqued, but he couldn't disobey the Jarl's direct order.
"Mister, let's go quickly!"
"Yeah, let's head out."
I just hoped we'd get through this with minimal casualties.
"Good luck to you, adventurer," one of the guards at the Whiterun gate said. Although a dragon had appeared, they couldn't send the entire military, so some remained to ensure the city's safety.
"Thanks. I'll make sure to come back alive."
When we arrived, the Western Watchtower was already a scene of total devastation.
Soldiers were gathered around the crumbling tower. I approached Irileth to ask about the situation.
"What happened? Where's the dragon?"
"It attacked the watchtower just a moment ago and disappeared into the mist. You and the Elf, get to the top of the tower and scout for its location."
"Understood."
Choi Ha-neul and I climbed the spiral staircase inside the watchtower to reach the summit.
'I don't see anything like a dragon...'
"Wow, that eagle is really huge."
Out of nowhere, Choi Ha-neul started rambling about an eagle.
Were there even eagles in Skyrim? While questioning her, I looked in the direction she was pointing.
Wait, for an eagle, it's getting awfully big—
"You idiot! That's not an eagle, it's the dragon!"
Finally, the legendary beast, Mirmulnir, made his appearance.
"Yol!"
—FOOOOOOOSH!
Emerging from the mist, the dragon utilized the Thu'um, spewing a torrent of fire breath onto the top of the tower where we stood.
I quickly grabbed Choi Ha-neul and pulled her down, huddling against the tower wall to avoid the flames.
Even though the fire didn't touch me directly, it was searingly hot. I genuinely thought I was going to melt right then and there.
"AAARGH!"
"KYAAAAH!"
The pain was so intense that Choi Ha-neul and I both screamed. As expected of a legendary dragon; they weren't the primary antagonists of Skyrim for nothing. Its very existence was a catastrophe.
Being a Nord, I only have Frost Resistance, not Fire Resistance. Just my damn luck.
The dragon eventually passed the tower, and the breath attack ceased.
"Ugh..."
"Nggh..."
Choi Ha-neul, who had higher Health points, was relatively okay, but I had suffered minor burns over my entire body. This was just from hiding behind a wall; if I'd taken a direct hit, I'd be dead for sure.
"Mister! Mister! Stay with me!"
Choi Ha-neul grabbed my face and shouted. But because the damage was so severe, I couldn't even lift a finger.
I was using every ounce of my willpower just to keep from blacking out from the shock of the pain radiating through my body.
Below, the dragon was now engaged with the soldiers at the base of the watchtower. As expected, the soldiers were at a disadvantage.
The dragon soared through the sky, raining down fire breath while the soldiers could do little more than fire back with bows. Most of the arrows missed, and even fewer managed to pierce the dragon's iron-hard scales.
"Mister, you can't sleep here!"
I knew that, but my consciousness kept fading. I really thought this might be it.
Suddenly, someone came up the stairs. It was a middle-aged man wearing yellow robes.
"Ah! Priest! Please, help him! Save the Mister!"
"Step aside!"
The priest knelt down in front of my collapsed body, clasped his hands, and focused his Magicka.
A warm, comforting golden aura enveloped me. The pain vanished instantly, and the burn marks disappeared with it.
Is this Restoration magic? I thought to myself—you really do need a healer on the team.
"How did you get here?" I asked. In the game, only the guards participate in this fight; no priest ever accompanies you to the watchtower.
"The temple ran out of supplies so I was out shopping when a guard explained the situation. I ran here as fast as I could, hoping I could be of even the slightest help."
As expected of a priest serving the Eight Divines; their sense of morality was on another level.
"There are more wounded below. I must go to them."
"Thank you... really."
Thanks to the priest's healing, my body felt fine again. I reached for my bow to resume the fight, but—
The earlier fire breath had already charred my bow into useless black kindling.
Well, I'm screwed.