DKFTI 29

Aizen put his arm on Sibel’s shoulder. It was like he was using him as an armrest, but Aizen’s behavior didn’t feel rude to Sibel. Maybe because it was too natural.

“What do you think, Shanti?”

“Hm.”

Shanti crossed his short arms and looked at Kairin with displeasure. No matter how you looked at it, he didn’t seem like he approved.

Was it that he would only be satisfied if he was the only dragon under the sky of the Demon King’s castle?

“If you drive me out, I’ll burn everything down!”

Kairin, who had barely stopped crying, burst into tears again and shouted. Sibel flinched and raised both hands to calm him down.

“If you play with fire, you’ll wet your blanket!”

“And that’s supposed to be a threat?”

Aizen found Sibel’s petty threat laughable.

“Why do you keep spoiling everything….”

Sibel pouted his lips and glared at Aizen, who wasn’t helping in the slightest. Why was that man sticking to his side since earlier only to make everything more complicated. He really was no help.

“Let’s get some rest first. You must be tired from the long journey.”

“Can I rest here?”

“Yeah. As long as you don’t spit fire.”

“I won’t! I won’t!”

Kairin answered cheerfully as if he hadn’t just been crying. He’s a quite resilient kid.

“Shanti, give him some new clothes and show him to a room to rest.”

“…Yes.”

And so the little dragon gained a small room in the Demon King’s castle.

***

After seeing off the little dragon and Shanti in the corridor, Sibel dragged his weary body and decided to head to his room.

Just as he was about to leave with his soulmate, the ice golem, Aizen came out of a room and blocked his way.

“What’s the matter with a coward like you bringing something dangerous into the castle?”

“You were the one who let that dragon in first.”

“You keep saying ‘this side, that side.¹’”

Aizen, who was standing one step in front of Sibel, shifted his gaze to Sibel’s hair that had grown a little longer. The horns Sibel hated so much had now grown enough to be visible at a glance. Feeling his gaze, Sibel raised his hand to cover his forehead.

“Ah! This doesn’t have any of the effects you said!”

“Who said anything?”

“A lecher who’s always eyeing my horns!”

“…What do horns have to do with being a lecher.”

“It’s obvious what you’d use them for!”

How outrageous. It’s outrageous. He fed him, housed him, no, he hadn’t, nor had he protected him, but Aizen was treating the Demon King’s castle like an inn, all while colluding with the Holy Kingdom. And now, though they were was close, who knew when he would flip on him.

They had never even been on the same side to begin with, and he hadn’t actually betrayed him yet, so why did it feel so infuriating?

“Oh, do I look so destitute that I’d sell that?”

“You look you have no house or temple.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“What, do want to come with me to the Holy Kingdom so I can prove it?”

Sibel thought Aizen was finally showing his true colors.

This guy was trying to drag him to the Holy Kingdom with such a shallow trick! And like there’d be anything so great to see! Probably some grand house or treasures, or a smooth road paved by his honor and wealth.

“Your eyes are bulging.”

Aizen’s hand touched Sibel’s puffed cheek.

“Stooop.”

Sibel stopped glaring at him and struggled to remove Aizen’s hand kneading his cheek.

Amused, Aizen pinched his cheek for a long while before finally pulling his hand away.

Sibel, who was rubbing his cheek where the hand had left, suddenly wondered how Aizen’s clothes always turned into fresh, clean ones every day.

“Where do you get your clothes? Magic?”

“I’m not a demon, why would I use magic. That fox of yours brought me a pile.”

“Why did Ruru do that?”

“Who knows. I think he said something he wanted me to spare him even if I kill the rest.’”

“Bat-like Ruru.”

And he dared to talk about spies?

“Anyway, don’t keep that little dragon too long.”

“Why not?”

“You need to realize you’re not someone who can just trust anyone.”

Was he saying he was the official outcast of the world? That was rude in such a natural way.

“Let him stay a few days, then send him back.”

“Do you really think this is your house….”

Aiden’s eyebrows rose at Sibel’s words, he was muttering under his breath since he wasn’t able to speak openly to him. Sibel quickly lowered his eyes.

“Anyway, don’t make make trouble again, handle it properly.”

“He seems to know that he’s a headache….”

“I can hear you.”

He had always noticed this, but the Hero had sharp ears. He caught every word Sibel mumbled.

“Go inside.”

After a polite bow, Sibel quickly scurried off toward his room.

***

“Nooo! Meat! Meat!”

The Demon King’s castle was noisy. The reason was because of the sudden appeared of a guest.

“Shall I kill him?”

Shanti, who was clutching a ladle, gnashed his teeth.

“Why, he’s your kin.”

“What family?!”

Shanti, scowled and answered.

The reason Shanti was so riled up was simple. The dragon Kairin, who suddenly appeared, was throwing a tantrum over food.

But also because Karin, who was rolling around in dragon form while whining, destroyed parts of the Demon King’s castle like pieces of a cookie house.

“Hey, hey, stop him.”

As Sibel sweated profusely, Shanti let out a sigh.

“Young dragons can’t control their emotions. They’re such troublesome creatures.”

While the two of them were at a loss, Kairin’s riot only grew worse.

“Give me more meat!”

“The freezer’s already emptied out!”

The freezer had long been raided. At that answer, Sibel stomped his feet.

“Then is our whole castle going to collapse?”

“Should I kill him?”

“Kill what!”

“Then at least knock him out by cracking his head.”

Boom-! Thud-! Crash.

Another pillar of the castle broke with Kairin’s kicks.

“It’s violent, but it might be a clean solution….”

Sibel wavered. Since he was a dragon, wouldn’t it be fine even if he got hit on the head?

“Lord Demon Kiiiing! Why are you just standing there while the castle’s being wrecked!”

Ruru came running from far away. Seeing the castle crumbling under the dragon’s rampage, he jumped at Kairin in shock. His paw slammed into Kairin’s side like a bullet.

Thud-!

“Waaah! It hurts!”

Kairin, who was hit in the side, was sent flying with a smack.

“Sniff.”

Rolling and landing, Kairin wiped his tears with his short hand.

“Why’s he like that? Argh! There’s too much damage already!”

Ruru glared at Kairin, his face twisted with fury at the thought of having to repair the ruined castle.

“He’s hungry. And wants meat, but our freezer’s already empty.”

“What? Then throw him into the forest! Let him eat monsters or gnaw on trees!”

“You think carnivore and herbivore diets work like that?”

“Ugh, whatever!”

“What if he eats my summons instead….”

Sibel was afraid that omnivorous dragon might devour his familiars.

Boom!

When Kairin stood up, another part of the castle broke.

“T-That brute!”

As Ruru beside him tried to kick the dragon again, Sibel grabbed him firmly by the scruff.

“Any animal gets ferocious when it’s hungry. Don’t be too harsh.”

“And you’re just going to leave him like that?”

“We’ll have to bring in some cows…. Shanti, go fetch them.”

At Sibel’s order, Shanti, who had been standing arms crossed and tapping his foot, gaped.

“See! That’s the problem with you, my lord!”

“Huh?”

“With such weak resolve that takes pity on everything, you’ll never accomplish anything!”

“You little brat!”

Of course, Shanti wasn’t wrong. He really was being too soft. But though Sibel was already furious enough at the castle being destroyed, Shanti now glared and shouted at him, which only made him angrier.

Sibel grabbed Shanti’s horns on both sides and shook them.

“Aaah! Why always me, just because I’m easy! You got slapped over there and now you’re taking it out on me!”

Shanti scratched Sibel’s arms as he dangled, kicking his feet.

“They say bullies pick on the weak. That’s exactly our Demon King.”

Ruru, who was watching the scene, smirked and wagged his tail.

“Anyway, hurry and go buy a few cows!”

“Look at that thing’s size, even a dozen would go down in one gulp!”

“Then buy ten!”

“What a luxury, in a castle that doesn’t even have tribute coming in!”

“You’re making a point just to jab at me, aren’t you?”

The bickering between Shanti and Sibel grew louder.

“Uwaah, meeeat!”

Kairin’s wailing rose as well. It was a complete mess.

“Pfft, I’ll just go play board games with the Hero instead.”

Ruru decided to wash his hands of the matter and turned away.

“But… do we really have no money for cows?”

Sibel, who was suddenly worried about money, asked Shanti.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaa.”

Shanti’s long sigh echoed down the corridor.

1. Sibel said “저 용을 가장 먼저 여기 들인 건 그쪽이거든요.” But 그쪽 literally also means that side / that direction. Aizen intentionally interpreted “그쪽” not as “you” but as “your side.” ↩︎