DSB 109

[I don’t like associating with humans….]

“If there are humans you don’t like, then there are humans who are acceptable as well. My husband here is someone even I can trust, so you can be reassured.”

However, the dragon’s expression remained sullen. He looked at Yutis with an expression that reflected his disbelief, seemingly recalling someone else.

Lebel wondered what kind of first impression the first lord had left on him.

“My wife, must we really take him with us?”

“Why, do you dislike it?”

“He himself seems to dislike it.”

Lebel had a separate reason for wanting to take him along.

The thought of releasing an innocent demon who knew nothing into the Middle Realm unsettled him more than he expected.

The rift had disappeared, but the demonic energy the dragon continuously emitted remained. He didn’t seem to know how to properly control it, nor did he make any attempt to hide his own aura.

In the Demon Realm, demonic energy served as an indicator of strength, so it didn’t matter there. However, this was the Middle Realm, and the North at that. His demonic energy, like the one that flowed from the rift, could affect the nearby monsters.

Moreover, with the Demon God’s barrier gone, it was possible that someone else might notice his demonic energy. Someone like Norman, for example.

If someone were to deceive a child who had just been born and knew nothing, and then use him for wicked purposes, it would be a serious problem.

And since he was a being who had once granted strength to the Hestro family, he thought it would be fitting if he served a role similar to a guardian for Yutis.

There was no reason a demon couldn’t become a guardian. His essence was demonic, but his form was that of a dragon. In ancient times, dragons had even protected entire nations, so it wouldn’t look bad.

If a dragon that could be seen with one’s own eyes were guarding the North, no one would dare touch it. The Empire was the issue now, but if the North continued to grow stronger, other countries would inevitably start keeping it in check as well.

“Let’s take him with us.”

Above all, since he was a lifeform created by the Demon God, he was a being Lebel ought to look after.

“If that is your will.”

Yutis readily agreed to Lebel’s words.

[I told you I’m staying here!]

The dragon curled his body, refusing to go.

‘Was this how Karon or the Demon God felt when they looked at me.’

The stubborn demon looked nothing but foolish.

At least Lebel had spent a comfortable life in his own castle, but this place had nothing and was only cold.

“Lie down on a bed, not on this hard ground.”

[I don’t know what a bed is.]

“I told you other demons would come if you stayed here. Can’t you feel that the barrier disappeared along with the rift?”

[I fixed it myself last time when the barrier broke!]

He proudly said, but with his current power, he could no longer maintain the barrier, so it simply floated around in a crude, unstable form.

Unaware of that, he puffed his chest and looked satisfied.

Clang.

Lebel deliberately shattered the barrier with a single finger. The dragon’s mouth fell wide open.

“It’s sloppy.”

Lebel grabbed the dragon’s tail, who was whining that he didn’t want to go outside, and dragged him down. Because he resisted and refused to move, long claw marks were left on the ground.

Yutis stepped back and watched the two struggle.

Recently, Yutis had been directly feeling that Lebel’s strength was far from negligible, but seeing him subdue a massive dragon so easily with strength alone was astonishing.

“My wife. Taking him along is fine, but with a body that large, he won’t be able to enter the castle. It will also take time to prepare a separate place for him to stay.”

“Ah….”

Indeed, the dragon’s size was far too large. If something that big suddenly entered the castle, it would destroy everything. Furthermore, the renovation of the annex that Norman had destroyed still wasn’t finished.

“Let’s use the mountain behind us as his dwelling.”

Mountains were abundant in the North.

“Will he stay there obediently? If he leaves this place, he will inevitably encounter people, and he doesn’t seem friendly toward humans, so I’m concerned.”

Lebel recalled the dragon shouting at the top of his lungs about how much he hated humans.

“Hmm, I understand what you’re worried about. We can just make him listen.”

[Wha-what do you mean….]

The dragon felt a shiver run down his spine and turned his head up to look at Lebel. However, he was immediately overwhelmed by his unwavering gaze.

“Are you going to go around killing humans?”

[When did I ever go around killing humans….!]

“You won’t do it?”

[I-I won’t!]

“You heard him. He’s gentle, so he’s even afraid of killing others.”

To Yutis, it looked more like the dragon was afraid of the being right in front of him than killing humans, but he kept his mouth closed.

To be honest, he wanted to separate that dangerous existence from Lebel. He couldn’t forget how the dragon had breathed fire at him.

He was completely cowed now, but he couldn’t tell when he might bare his fangs later. Yutis naturally drew Lebel’s hand, which was clutching the dragon’s tail, toward himself.

“You said we would take the dragon with us, but how do you plan to leave? I don’t see another exit, and the small hole we came down through is all there is.”

Lebel lifted hid head. No light entered even through the hole, making it clear how deep they had fallen.

“We fly.”

If you want to go up, you have to fly.

He couldn’t carry both Yutis and the dragon in his arms and fly. Fortunately, there was another winged being here.

[Get up.]

The dragon, who had been sprawled out as if resigned to melting into the ground, jumped to his feet.

The dragon realized that his body had moved against his will because of Lebel’s command. While he was frozen, Lebel and Yutis climbed onto his back.

“Yutis, be careful.”

“That’s something I should say.”

The dragon tried to struggle once he regained control of his body, but when Lebel warned in a low voice, “If you drop us, I’ll punish you,” he froze again.

“Now, let’s go.”

[I…]

“Let’s go.”

Oppressed by Lebel’s aura, the dragon snorted angrily and hissed in frustration, blowing hot breath, but he couldn’t resist and eventually spread his massive wings.

He flapped wings larger than his own body. The walls proved no obstacle. As he soared, slamming into cave walls with the horns that towered above his head, the walls crumbled.

The dragon flew into the world, leaving behind the place where he had been born and stayed until now.

***

Edmund and Karon led the injured down the mountain. It delayed them considerably, but the fortunate thing was that there were no attacks from monsters.

It was probably because of Karon, who stretched lazily as if he was bored despite being a young demonic beast.

For some time now, Edmund had vaguely been aware that demonic beasts were afraid of him because of some power he possessed.

Some said it was because of the aura he exuded, but that alone couldn’t possibly frighten demonic beasts. He thought it was related to how his appearance turned monstrous during his rut.

Demonic bloodline. It probably wasn’t just a baseless tale. The descendants of the Hestro family had many traits that differed from humans.

That made him even more curious. About the true identity of their young madam, who didn’t fear them, calmly accepted that inhuman form, and even commanded demonic beasts.

“Karon, what kind of being is your master?”

Karon, who had been draped over Shati’s head, only turned his head back and looked quietly at Edmund. Then, as if he wasn’t interested, he dismissively turned his head away.

Edmund shook his head with a helpless smile. It was just like a child who listened to no one but his master, Lebel.

It was then, Edmund suddenly felt an overwhelming aura approaching from afar. Karon must have felt it too, because he jumped up from his sprawled position.

His expression brightened, and Karon growled loudly toward the sky with a powerful “Grr.” Edmund could tell who was coming. The familiar presence belonged to those he cherished.

“My-My Lord, look at that!!”

In contrast, the knights tensed up as something flew toward them at high speed. As the shape grew larger, they formed ranks and prepared to fight.

Soon, the dragon revealed himself, crushing trees and whipping up snow as he landed before Edmund’s group. The knights stared with eyes wide open, leaving their hair in complete disarray from the wind.

“Grrr.”

They regained their senses when the the dragon growled, and the knights began to speak hesitantly.

“Wh-what in the world….”

“D-dragon?! My Lord, it’s a dragon!”

“If it’s a dragon… it isn’t a demonic beast, right?”

“So what if it isn’t a demonic beast! It’s just as threatening! It’s even more dangerous than a demonic beast! There’s a legend about a dragon in the North, but it was real!”

“Wait, that legend… wasn’t it connected to the family….”

As the knights panicked, Lebel peeked his head out from behind the dragon’s massive one.

“My Lord, the young madam…!”

The knights drew their swords in shock, as if he were under attack. Lebel looked down at the knights staring up at him in a daze.

‘It seems Karon guarded them well. There are no signs of battle.’

Furthermore, wasn’t the legend tied to the Hestro family about demons? Dragons had existed, but they were said to have fallen and become demons. Well, legends changed depending on how they were passed down.

Honestly, even if the dragon had been a guardian, people would probably accept it easily.

“Everyone, put your swords away.”

“Young-young madam?”

Yutis, who had gone down first, held out his hand so Lebel could descend. The dragon also lowered his body quickly, urging him to get off his back.

“My wife, please come down carefully.”

Lebel took Yutis’s hand and stepped down. Then he calmly spoke to the knights.

“Don’t worry. He won’t hurt anyone.”