9 - Chapter 9
Dragon Baby Saves the Duke's Family, Episode 9
"I also think it's just a rumor, but we can't completely ignore the fact that the Divine Creature's Room is currently undergoing major construction. They say the outer wall on the corridor side has even been breached..."
"Since there's no Divine Beast, they must have been negligent in managing the Divine Creature's Room. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What else can you expect from a young one? He's making a mess of managing the estate."
Biante wore a look of disdain. His aide quickly chimed in.
"That's right. A lord like you should be the Duke."
"If only Father had half your insight."
He should have known from the moment his brother, who was only better than him in terms of looks and work ethic, was chosen as the next Duke.
The day his brother incurred the wrath of the Divine Beast, he lamented how he should have been made Duke instead.
So, when a new Munrepe Duke was to be decided, he had high expectations.
Finally, it's my turn, he thought.
But the title went to his young nephew.
He gathered his vassals and went to see Elkai, but Elkai's decision was firm.
Why does he only care about that family?
I'm also Father's son, did he pick me up from under a bridge or something?
The more he thought about it, the more he ground his teeth.
"Come to think of it, they said that monster looks like a Wyvern."
"Yes. They say it's a lizard that resembles a Wyvern."
Biante smirked.
"Doesn't Father draw his sword?"
Having spent his entire life hunting Wyverns, he must be sick of even hearing the word 'Wyvern'.
But, strangely, his aide, who should have agreed, was carefully watching his reaction.
Then, with difficulty, he shook his head.
"Actually... he always carries it around in his arms..."
"What?!"
Biante was shocked by the unexpected words.
But only for a moment, he quickly regained his composure and said with a mocking voice.
"I see. He carries it around in his arms, waiting for a chance to kill it. He's a cruel man, even for my father."
"That's not it... they say he actually dotes on it."
"What?!"
Biante was genuinely dumbfounded.
A man who had never said a warm word to his children, let alone his grandchildren, what was going on?
"He's not planning to make it his Divine Beast, is he?"
"Well..."
"What do you mean, 'well'! If he's carrying it around like that, he must be planning to make it his Divine Beast!"
He said he was weak, what on earth has gotten into him?
Why does Father act like he's lost a screw whenever Edenber is involved?
Biante, completely biased, gritted his teeth.
Trying to ease Biante's mood, the aide eagerly offered some comforting words.
"...Still, if that thing becomes a Divine Beast, it could be an opportunity for us."
"What opportunity?"
"After killing it with your Holy Beast, we can use the fact that the Duke chose such a trivial thing as his Divine Beast to overthrow him..."
"No, I could be blamed for killing a Divine Beast."
The aide quickly shut his mouth at the unexpected objection.
However, despite the sharp retort, Biante didn't seem too upset.
Stroking his chin, Biante opened his mouth.
"If we kill it before it becomes a Divine Beast, there won't be a problem."
"Yes?"
"Send a message saying I'll be there soon, and send the Bear Holy Beast. Tell them I can't come right away, so I'm sending my Holy Beast first."
"Ah!"
Only then did the aide realize Biante's scheme and exclaimed.
"When it arrives at the castle, like last time..."
"Make it look like it broke out of its cage and escaped on its own, and release the Bear Holy Beast on the path that monster frequents."
He had done the same thing before to damage Edenber's reputation.
The aide, who had previously admired his brilliant idea, expressed his anxiety with an 'ah'.
"But what if the Duke, having lost the monster, summons another monster?"
"If he had the money for that, he would have summoned it a long time ago."
Biante, who knew the Munrepe Dukedom's financial situation inside and out, smirked.
"Once that thing is dead, Edenber is finished."
"Yes, I understand."
The aide, his expression brightened, quickly left the room.
It was to send the Bear Holy Beast to the Duke's castle.
Left alone, Biante gazed out the dimly lit window.
The sight of not being able to see even an inch ahead made him feel very good, as it seemed like it would soon be Edenber's future.
Tap, tap, tap.
It was morning, a few days after Ashil kidnapped Elkai.
Ashil was walking down the hallway listlessly.
To put it simply, the plan to kidnap and punish Elkai had failed.
'Grandfather ate all of Ashil's strawberries.'
He only gave him one to taste because it smelled a bit strange.
Elkai said the strawberry tasted good and ate them one by one until they were all gone.
'Oh my!'
Startled and dismayed, he said shamelessly.
"You were eating so slowly, I thought you didn't want any more."
He wasn't eating slowly, his mouth was just small. He was so upset that tears welled up in his eyes.
"Bbiya." (Grandfather go now.)
He kidnapped him for nothing, only to have his snacks stolen.
Ashil decided never to kidnap humans again.
Instead, he spent days thinking of other ways to appear fierce to humans.
However, he couldn't come up with any good ideas just by racking his brain in his room, so he decided to take a walk to clear his head.
While walking down the hallway, Ashil overheard a conversation between the maids around a corner.
"This is terrible. Lord Biante's Bear Holy Beast is arriving soon."
"It escaped from its cage once before and almost caused a disaster. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but still."
Their voices were filled with worry and fear.
Ashil tilted his head.
'Is the bear friend that scary?'
Having lived with various predators in the Beast-man forest, a bear was nothing to Ashil.
But it seemed that humans didn't feel the same way.
"I wonder if the Duke can stop it from entering the Duke's castle?"
"I don't know, it might be difficult. He can't just stop Lord Biante's Holy Beast."
"I should be careful for the time being..."
Listening to this, a lightbulb went off in Ashil's head.
'If I punish the bear friend that humans are afraid of, Ashil will become an even scarier being than the bear friend.'
He was impressed with his own idea.
Alright, this time I'm going to become a fierce and scary dragon!
Ashil, who laughed bbi-hya-hya in his mind, quickly left the spot.
A few days later, Biante's Bear Holy Beast arrived at the Duke's castle.
People who knew the Bear Holy Beast's ferocious nature were nervous.
Some shuddered, recalling the time it escaped from its cage and turned the castle upside down.
Edenber, in preparation for any possible danger, assigned a trustworthy knight as Ashil's escort.
"My uncle's bear is dangerous. You should be careful."
"Bbi..."
Ashil pouted.
He could beat a bear friend. Ashil had a history of being number one in strength at Beast Kindergarten.
'Humans other than Husband and Grandfather are scary.'
Husband and Grandfather were okay because Mom often talked about them, but he couldn't help but be afraid of the other humans.
The kindergarten taught him that humans were dangerous until his ears were ringing.
So, he was about to say that he didn't need an escort, but then he changed his mind.
'I should have a witness when I fight the bear friend.'
That way, they'll believe that Ashil beat the bear friend.
In the end, Ashil suppressed his fear and introduced himself to the knight that Edenber had assigned.
"Bbiya." (Hello.)
"Greetings. You can call me Dylan."
He was openly frowning. He didn't seem happy about being assigned this task.
Ashil pretended not to be scared of Dylan at all, hid behind the rabbit, and peeked out.
"Bbiya." (Ashil is Ashil.)
As he rubbed the rabbit fur off his chin, the color drained from Dylan's face in an instant.
