I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Salt and Sand
Thump!
The sound of an explosion echoed deep within Abel’s body.
Simultaneously, Abel’s body went limp.
The groans of pain and the tremors all vanished.
“Ah….”
A gasp escaped Ruri’s lips.
She thought to herself:
This must be a dream.
In reality, I’m in bed, and a demon has snuck into my chambers to show me a nightmare.
But she didn’t wake up.
The more she focused on waking, the closer the cold reality pressed in.
“Ah, ah….”
Ruri staggered toward where Abel lay.
She rolled over his collapsed body.
His pupils were unfocused.
His pulse was gone.
His body temperature was growing cold.
She tried to use healing magic.
But she knew it was impossible.
His heart had been shattered.
No dragon spawn could survive a shattered heart.
Ferda must have known this as well.
Ferda had no intention of leaving him even a margin for life.
The sensation of this atrocity, occurring in this cold, dark place amidst the blizzard, was seared into her mind.
A spawn of the Silver Dragon was dead.
Another child of her father had died today.
What that other child had seen, she saw as well.
And the man responsible stood right before her.
“Do you….”
Her voice forced its way through her choked throat.
“Do you realize what you have done, Ferda-nim?”
“I do,” Ferda replied flatly.
“It is murder.”
His tone was as cold as the Northern air.
“It is not just murder… Ferda-nim.”
Ruri’s hands trembled.
“Silverwind’s child is dead. You have killed one who carries their blood. Do you understand what that means?”
“I understand.”
“No. You don’t.”
Ruri lifted her head.
She walked toward Ferda.
“You have killed one of dragon blood. They will never stop seeking revenge.”
“I know.”
“They will never stop… until you are dead.”
“I know.”
“If you knew that!!”
Ruri grabbed Ferda by the collar.
“Then there is no way you would have made this choice!”
Everything she had built.
“Because of your actions!”
Because of what Ferda had done.
“The peace I maintained for Valdrova-nim has been shattered!”
It had all crumbled away in vain.
“You… because of you….”
Ruri’s head dropped.
The hands gripping his collar trembled violently.
Her legs shook, barely supporting her weight.
She thought:
Can this even be fixed?
Can we just move past this as if nothing happened?
What on earth is going to happen next?
She tried to gauge the coming consequences, but she couldn’t.
This was beyond her control.
There was no way to resolve this peacefully.
“Haah, haah….”
Tension strangled her.
She let out short, ragged breaths.
Her vision began to blur.
“It’s because of… you.”
Resentment spilled from her lips.
“Valdrova-nim was… perfectly happy even without you.”
Harsh words she didn’t truly mean poured out.
“Because you…! Because you tried to force your way into her life…!”
But Ferda didn’t flinch.
Ferda was looking down at her.
With eyes that seemed to be looking at a pitiable child.
“Ruri.”
“Don’t you dare say my name with that mouth! With that mouth…!”
“Ruri.”
His cold voice took hold of her confusion.
“Look at me.”
Ruri raised her head.
Lost silver eyes looked up at Ferda.
“Abel had to die. This was an unavoidable choice.”
“There were other choices. And I made mine.”
“That choice—to sacrifice yourself—was the absolute worst one.”
“What does it matter whether I’m here or not? All you need is Valdrova-nim, isn’t it? Weren’t you supposed to protect the peace like that?”
“There was no peace to begin with.”
“There was! Right there, clearly! There was a peace that I created!”
Ruri fired back.
A doubt that she might be wrong swelled in her chest, but she refused to acknowledge it.
She didn’t want everything she had done to be in vain.
“Ruri,” Ferda asked.
“Did I break the peace you created?”
“Yes.”
That was a fact.
“Did I put my fiancée in danger?”
“Yes.”
That was also a fact.
“Then, am I wrong?”
“….”
Ruri couldn’t answer.
She didn’t understand why she hesitated.
Clearly, he had killed Abel.
Because of that, the peace was broken.
Valdrova was in danger.
So, was he wrong?
In a corner of her heart, she didn’t think so.
“You… are wrong.”
She lacked the courage to admit it.
She threw one last tantrum.
“Is that so?”
Ferda pulled her hands away.
Ruri’s hands followed his movement.
Her eyes widened.
He moved them slightly above his collar, making her wrap them around his throat.
“Then kill me here and now.”
Ruri asked in a trembling voice.
“Are you… serious?”
“That is what I asked of you.”
Ruri recalled something she had tucked away in the back of her mind.
Back when Ferda had finished selecting all the talented individuals,
The last name he had written down was his own.
And he had made this request:
“If I ever put my fiancée in danger or act wrongly, do not hesitate to kill me.”
Ruri hadn’t believed him then, of course.
No living creature in the world wants to die.
Not humans, not dragon spawn.
Not even dragons.
“If I die, the peace you protected will return.”
Ferda was different.
There was no wavering in his eyes.
From the moment he killed Abel until now.
His resolve had not faltered even once.
Ruri spat out the question she had kept buried, the one she couldn’t understand.
“Ferda-nim… do you not regret your actions?”
“I do not regret them.”
Ferda had thought about it countless times.
He thought before he acted, he thought while he acted, and he was thinking even at this very moment.
The conclusion was always the same.
“Even if I were to turn back time a thousand times, I would still save you.”
“Why?”
Unlike her, whose pupils were shaking, his eyes shone clearly.
It was a light that Ruri did not possess.
“Because I do not doubt that this is for the sake of my fiancée, Valdrova.”
That light brushed against Ruri’s cheek.
“She needs you more than she needs me.”
The moment she heard those words, everything that made up Ruri collapsed.
“Just… why?”
The hands gripping Ferda’s neck loosened and slid down his body.
“Why… I’ve lived longer… I’ve served Valdrova-nim longer….”
Her voice was thick with moisture.
“Why are you, a human….”
Ruri hated humans.
Human greed always ended up hurting Valdrova.
Ferda was different from those humans.
And yet.
She hated Ferda more than any other human.
Why?
He acted for Valdrova’s sake.
He actually had the power to do so.
She hated him to death.
“Why can’t I… be like you….”
Ruri’s body slumped forward.
She didn’t want to lean on a man she hated.
But she hated the thought of him seeing her cry even more.
“Ugh, hic…”
Ruri tried desperately to swallow her sobs.
But knowing she couldn’t, she buried her face in his clothes and forced the sound to stay muffled.
As she wept uncontrollably, Ruri caught a faint scent.
A village that had been completely razed by a great fire long ago.
The scent of the man who had taken in the girl who was the sole survivor.
He smelled like that man.
Ferda returned to Count Consilus’s castle with Ruri.
“Thank you.”
“….”
Ruri didn’t answer.
She hadn’t spoken a word since she finished crying.
“You should head back now.”
Neither an affirmation nor a denial.
Instead, her hand gave the answer.
She couldn’t let go of his sleeve.
The anxiety remaining in her heart seeped through her grip.
“Ruri.”
“….”
“Are you afraid that a war will break out?”
She gave a small nod.
It meant she was worried, but that wasn’t everything.
“There is no need to worry. If I am right, war will not break out.”
“….”
“Go back to my fiancée’s side. Return as if nothing happened and prepare for the tea party.”
“….”
“Can you do that for your master?”
Only then did Ruri release his collar.
In the end, without saying a single word, she flew away in a flash.
Ferda straightened his clothes and opened the balcony door.
The inside of the castle was already a mess.
“Kill that demon wench already!”
“Don’t just kill her, burn her to death with holy light!”
Knights were fuming with rage.
“Waaaaah!! I don’t want to die!!”
A pink-haired demon was wailing so loudly the castle shook.
“No, just calm down and listen to me!”
And Zed was sweating profusely, trying to mediate between them.
“Sir Zed, move aside!”
“Have you been possessed by that demon wench?!”
“You damn parachute knight! Hand her over right now!”
“No, you people are crossing the line! I’m not shielding her, I’m telling you I received orders!”
“Hwaaaaah, Sir Knight! Save me!”
“No, you crazy wench! Let go of my leg! Ugh, seriously, why do I have to suffer like this because of that man?!”
They say there is no high or low in work, but accepting this job was a mistake.
Zed regretted it over and over again.
“Kill her now!”
“Waaaaaaah!!”
“What is going on here?”
“This demon wench, who’s worse than a dog, hijacked the gate the Regent-nim was supposed to use and caused this mess… Huh?”
“Re-Regent-nim?”
The appearance of the Regent, who was at the center of the controversy, brought an immediate silence.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. A few ribs and fingers are broken, but nothing serious.”
“That demon said that you were the one who let her in….”
“Waaaaah! I told you I wasn’t lying!!”
“She’s not lying. I’m the one who let her in. So, lower your weapons and return to your posts.”
“Ah, yes. If you say so….”
“See! I was right! Why did you all call me a liar! Seriously, life as a demon is so miserable, ububub!”
“You’ve been noisy for a while now, seriously!”
Penelope was about to pour oil on the fire.
Zed promptly gagged her with a piece of cloth.
“I’m glad everyone returned safely from the sudden operation. I am fine, so go and rest.”
And so, the commotion was settled for the moment.
Ferda turned his gaze.
He saw two people.
A sweating Zed.
And a snot-trailing, teary-eyed Penelope.
“You two have a separate task to do.”
Early dawn at Count Consilus’s castle.
The black sky was slowly beginning to find its color.
It was the twilight just before the break of dawn.
Ferda waited without sleeping.
He was the one who had suffered broken ribs and snapped fingers.
He had restored his body using healing magic, but the aftereffects left him more fatigued than ever.
Nevertheless, he endured the drowsiness and waited.
A moment later, Ferda felt a presence intruding nearby.
“My darling, you’re back?”
The great demon, Sitri, crawled out from the shadows.
“I was so worried because things seemed to have gone wrong, but I guess it worked out somehow?”
“….”
“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like I did anything wrong, right?”
“Right, it wasn’t your fault.”
Ferda leaned back and crossed his arms.
“But it seems you were hoping I wouldn’t return safely.”
“No way. You can’t do business with a dead man, can you? I was waiting for your return more than anyone.”
Sitri gave a seductive smile.
But her expression was somewhat different from the one he had seen a few hours ago.
It was impatience.
“Your dog is dead, Sitri.”
“My dog? Who are you talking about?”
“Don’t play innocent. I know Abel Silverwind was one of your dogs.”
“Oh my, that’s really too much. Is everyone who dislikes darling on the side of the demons? I hate that kind of prejudice….”
She feigned innocence skillfully.
Her eyes curved like a crescent moon.
“Even if that Abel was my dog, there’s no evidence, is there?”
Sitri laughed deeply.
It was exactly as she said.
There was no evidence.
If a deal is made with a demon, a seal or a trace of demonic power is usually left behind.
Abel had no such thing.
“If you try to pin it on a poor demon without evidence, do you think that will work? If you deny it so much, they’ll want to call me as a witness. Then I’ll just deny it.”
“Then I’ll be in a difficult position.”
“The picture would be: Regent Ferda, who broke in and committed murder, is trying to avoid responsibility by blaming everything on a demon. And….”
Sitri crawled closer.
“It will only look like darling is struggling to survive. Even if it doesn’t look that way, the humans won’t let darling be.”
She whispered into Ferda’s ear.
“And the one who actually held hands with a demon was darling, wasn’t it?”
Sitri revealed her true colors.
“You borrowed a demon’s magic to sneak into the territory, and you rescued a demon.”
Sitri would have already secured that evidence.
From the moment she offered to provide the Bending Bridge, she had set multiple traps, ensuring Ferda would have no choice but to fall into them.
“My poor, cute Regent-nim.”
Sitri stroked Ferda’s face.
“Isn’t it strange? Why does the warning not to deal with demons never change over the years? Because they make the same mistake every time, no matter how much it’s emphasized.”
“….”
“The moment darling used my Bending Bridge, you already crossed the point of no return. If you had asked another child sooner instead of me, wouldn’t this have been avoided?”
She mocked all of Ferda’s decisions as mistakes.
The tide was turning.
Demons always aim for those gaps.
Sitri opened her mouth to make a proposal.
“If….”
Ferda spoke first.
“The word ‘if’ is an escape for those who regret their actions.”
Ferda raised his head.
“If you don’t regret, there is no need for ‘if’.”
The atmosphere Sitri thought was hers changed in an instant.
Sitri felt a sense of dissonance in those eyes.
He was too calm for someone thought to be cornered.
She wondered if he was a fool who couldn’t even grasp the situation, but that wasn’t it.
It was definitely a certainty forged by decisiveness.
“Are you going to start a war? Or break off the engagement with Valdrova? Either way, it won’t be good for you, will it?”
“There will be no war and no broken engagement.”
Ferda spoke leisurely.
“Because the fact remains that Abel was a demon follower and he collaborated with them.”
“Did you listen to a word I said with your ears?”
Sitri was flabbergasted.
“I told you, didn’t I? There’s no evidence. Without evidence, how can they believe darling? Are they idiots?”
This game was overwhelmingly in Sitri’s favor.
She held many cards in her hand for this very moment.
She was prepared to counterattack no matter how he acted.
Ferda was no fool either.
To prevent the fallout from a demonic deal, Ferda had also made thorough preparations.
“Yes, there is no evidence.”
However, by killing Abel, all those cards had slipped from his hands.
He had no cards to oppose Sitri’s.
“Therefore.”
Instead, what he held,
“You will be the one to create it from now on.”
Was a leash to bind the demon.
