I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 71
Ferda was momentarily dazed by what he had just heard.
After laying out such a logical deduction, her conclusion was completely out of left field.
A child of a demon?
Was this woman talking all this nonsense just to crack a joke?
He looked at her closely, but Erdes’s expression was serious. No, she wore a smile tinged with mischief, but her face showed she was certain that her words, at the very least, were no joke.
Ferda thought for a moment.
How should he react? Should he jump up in a fit of rage, or maintain this look of utter exhaustion?
In the midst of the awkward silence, it was Erdes who spoke first.
“I paid a visit to Erembalt Rosnova.”
It didn’t sound like a simple social call. She had undoubtedly turned the place upside down.
The Rosnova family. He had assumed she would have done a background check the moment she got involved.
Erdes blinked at Ferda’s lack of reaction.
“Oh my? That’s an unexpected reaction. Usually, people get all riled up when you touch their family.”
“That man is someone who wanted to deny my very existence.”
After his mother died, Erembalt Rosnova never treated Ferda as a son. He turned a blind eye to the bullying from his siblings and servants—in fact, the atmosphere he created practically encouraged it. The father had been at the center of the torment.
“What a heartwarming father-son relationship~. Still, he didn’t deny your existence. Maybe because you’re living well under Valdrova.”
Erdes continued as if pulling out her next card.
“But it was different for your mother.”
His mother.
“Oh? You must have loved your mommy dearly. Your expression changed.”
Finding a weakness, Erdes grinned like a bratty child.
“He said he spent years in a dreamlike state, bewitched by that bitch, and only came to his senses after she died.”
Her childish, petty gestures were starting to grate on his nerves.
“It was truly fascinating. Do you know what he said? He lived for ten years believing he loved a woman he didn’t actually love. He said he’d hypnotized himself for ten whole years. I guess the mage bloodline really does manifest properly. Or is it a demon?”
Her intention was obvious without even having to think deeply. This damn woman was desecrating his mother’s memory.
“Anna Rosnova was a wonderful mother.”
“Even a hedgehog thinks its own offspring is beautiful. Especially if it’s a child carrying the blood of a demon she loved so much.”
“I don’t care if it’s a hedgehog or a goblin. If you keep flapping that mouth, I won’t just stand by.”
“And if you don’t just stand by, then what?”
A sharp light radiated from Erdes’s eyes.
“Do you think your petty motherly love is going to change my deduction?”
Erdes was shaking Ferda’s emotions.
She hated black magic. She hated demons. She hated those who possessed a Red Circle.
Ferda read her intent. She was trying to rattle his emotions to induce a rampage.
Behold, this is the true face of those who follow black magic.
Yes, it was a blatant provocation. Even so, he couldn’t help but be drawn in. Even the doctrine of Alte, which preached mercy, ruthlessly killed those who stepped into the divine realm.
His mother was a divine realm. He had always killed every single person who dared to touch it.
‘Erdes Roton.’
It seems you are destined to die by my hand in this life as well.
“Don’t you think you’ve strayed too far from the subject, Erdes Roton?”
A refined, noble tone reached his ears.
Ferda remembered this voice. For Ferda, who remembered those he disliked better than those he liked, she was an unforgettable presence.
He turned his head to find her standing there. A woman with blue hair, dressed in a uniform.
Erica Iorga.
She was the representative of the Blue Dragon spawn.
Why was she here?
Ferda shifted his gaze and glanced toward Ruri. As if to answer, Ruri gave him a subtle thumbs-up.
It seemed she was an ally for now.
“Strayed from the subject? Whatever do you mean by that?”
“The subject we are discussing is surely the death of Abel Silverwind, is it not? Your intention to shake his emotions by naturally claiming his mother was a demon is quite transparent.”
“He’s a child of a demon, so of course he would have received favors from Sitri, wouldn’t he?”
“Demons do not help other demons. And it makes no sense for a Great Demon like Sitri to help him simply because they are of the same race.”
She defended Ferda by using the characteristics of demons.
Erdes laughed and twirled a strand of her golden hair with her index finger. It was a sign of irritation.
“It’s been a long time, Erica-chan. How have you been?”
“Yes, it has been a long time, Erdes Roton.”
Erdes spoke with casual familiarity, while Erica smiled with formal politeness. However, a psychological battle no less intense than the one between Goz and Ferda raged between them.
“Lord Iorga is doing well, I assume? Hmm? I heard there’s been a lot of gossip surrounding the Magic Tower lately.”
“There is no need for concern. Compared to the criticism you’ve received, Erdes, it’s nothing more than a drop in the bucket—the dust on a fly’s front leg. It’s well within manageable levels.”
“Oh, really? But a jewel that’s supposed to shine shouldn’t have any flaws, right? At the very least, a leader shouldn’t tolerate such things.”
“It is fine. We are in a different class from those who claim to be jewels when they don’t even realize they are broken glass.”
The two maintained their smiles in a situation where even a graze could be fatal. Unlike with Ferda, a deep chasm was felt between them.
Watching their conversation, Ferda felt his anger over the insults slowly subside.
“To continue the defense, what Ferda-nim uses is Shadow Magic. It does not align with Sitri, who governs hallucinations and lust, so claiming he made a deal with a demon is incorrect.”
“Amon could have given him Marbas’s Grimoire. That wouldn’t be impossible.”
Amon is the demon of fire, and Marbas is the demon of ice; they are sworn enemies.
“Perhaps, if it benefited him. But that would be meaningless, and demons don’t do meaningless things. How can an authority on black magic not know such a thing?”
It was as Erica said. It would be like me putting in all the effort just to let someone else reap the benefits. There was no way demons would tolerate that.
And Erdes knew it too. She knew she was being unreasonable. She was just being stubborn and trying to force him to waver. She was incredibly annoyed by Erica, who had suddenly appeared to interfere.
“Then do you think it’s okay for the man who will become the dragon’s consort to use black magic? Or is the reason you’re so hell-bent on framing Valdrova as an evil dragon just a cheap trick to induce her to take her own life? Erica-chan, your insides are pitch black compared to your pure white clothes, aren’t they?”
“Just because the Regent of Valdrova uses black magic does not mean his nature is evil.”
She asserted firmly, and Erdes let out a hollow laugh as if she were appalled.
“Erica-chan. I’ve told you time and again, haven’t I? That damn black magic is a filthy thing that pollutes Serdes. I want to wipe all those bastards out.”
That was the obsession Erica held.
“The Red Circle of humans is rooted in emotion. The easiest among them are negative emotions. Those negative emotions draw out the darkness. Those who use black magic are a threat.”
“Among the virtues of a knight, there is a saying to utilize one’s rage. If one knows how to handle negative emotions, it is by no means a bad thing.”
“It’s the magic of demon bastards trying to swallow the continent.”
“The intentions of the demons themselves are foul, but one cannot claim it is unconditionally bad just because it was derived from them.”
“Ha, you’re still obsessed with that damn Dragon-Demon War. So? You participated in it too, and since you contributed to the war effort by using black magic, you think you have a right to speak?”
This was another shocking fact.
Erica Iorga. Unlike other spawns, she was an Elemental Master and a Meister who could handle all elements. Today was the first time he had learned that she used black magic.
“Erica-chan, that’s not magic. It’s a tool that gives humans a sense of omnipotence and draws out their inherent evil nature to make not only themselves but others miserable.”
“No, you are wrong.”
Erica also asserted firmly.
“Magic is a tool, and it is the responsibility of the person who wields it. Even if it is the magic of Hell, if it has value to be researched and developed, then it must be used.”
“So you believe this brat will use it well?”
Erdes gestured toward Ferda with her chin. Erica also turned her eyes to look at Ferda. Her eyes looked as though she had made some kind of decision.
“When it is time to change, one must do so boldly.”
Erica spoke, articulating every single syllable clearly.
“I, Erica Iorga, as the representative of all Blue Dragon spawns, hereby propose an alliance with the Valdrova Principality.”
She used the shock of the sudden declaration of alliance to pressure the opposing side.
“If the Silverwind faction declares all-out war, Iorga will fight to protect the Valdrova Principality.”
Her persuasive voice countered the opponent’s momentum. Erdes, who had been twirling her hair, wore a look of utter disgust.
“You’re making a big mistake, Erica-chan. You’re jumping into a fire pit.”
“You are too extreme, now as you were then. If I leave Regent Ferda like this, I know exactly how you will torment him, so how could I stay still?”
“You could just stay still. Who told you to step in? What does this have to do with you, Erica-chan?”
“He is the man who declared the reclamation of the Far East, something no one has brought up for a hundred years. As someone who protects the continent, if he made that statement, I have no choice but to support him.”
“Hmph. So you’re going to side with that young thing?”
Her eyes grew even more malicious. She looked as though she wanted to throw the conversation aside and start a fight right this second.
Goz, who had been sitting quietly watching the situation, opened his mouth.
“Erdes.”
“Yeah, you say something too! There are two of them and two of us, so we can do something about this!”
“Let’s head back.”
“I’ll take care of that bitch, so what—?”
Erdes’s eyes widened as she glared at Goz.
“What are you talking about? I’m not even done talking yet!”
“All I wanted was the full story. I only needed to know what that piece of trash Abel did.”
“I told you!! That’s a trap Regent Ferda could have set—!”
“Didn’t he already make a deal before he died?”
“Well, yes, but—!!”
“Then it’s over. The trash made a deal, and the Regent performed the execution. That doesn’t change.”
“Can’t we just ask why he executed him so arbitrarily!? Why do you people with ice for brains suddenly start thinking for yourselves!?”
“Someone who can’t even beat a single human despite making a deal with a demon… that fate was a bargain for him.”
As if he had nothing more to say, Goz stood up and walked toward the door.
“Then, we shall take our leave.”
His eyes briefly lingered on Ruri one last time before he left the hallway.
Watching his retreating back, Erdes made a dissatisfied face and then glared at Ferda.
“I guess the talk is over. Regent Ferda, shall we end it here?”
Her eyelashes blinked three times per second. It was a question of whether he had anything to explain and a provocation to fight further.
Ferda, having cooled his head, replied.
“I’ll see you out.”
“No. That might not be necessary. Being near black mages makes me want to die. Or maybe I want to kill them? I’m not really sure. Anyway, it’s like that.”
She showed her loathing now without any attempt to hide it. Then, she spun around and ran down the hallway, shouting.
“Agh! Wait for me! Seriously!! Is it a trait of your race to abandon a lady instead of escorting her!?”
The death of Abel Silverwind. The deal with the demon Ferda had made.
Contrary to the thought that those two storms would sweep everything away, the matter was settled peacefully for now.
He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but he couldn’t do so just yet. Ferda turned his gaze to the opposite side.
Erica was now sitting in the seats Goz and Erdes had occupied. Ferda asked her.
“Why did you help me?”
At that question, Erica raised an eyebrow. Her voice was full of the pride of a dragon spawn.
“Shouldn’t you be saying thank you? I helped you.”
“It was something I could have handled perfectly well on my own.”
“You say that even though you were getting caught up in Erdes’s pace. That woman is incredibly skilled at getting under people’s skin. I’ve fought her many times, so I can handle it flexibly, but it’s not easy for others.”
It was true. Even Ferda had inadvertently been drawn in.
“And you went ahead and proposed an alliance on your own.”
“If you were unhappy about it, why didn’t you throw some water on me? You even provoked those fools with ice in their heads.”
He had never asked for her help, but to say it hadn’t been helpful would be a lie born of mere pride.
“Of course, I will express my gratitude for resolving the matter smoothly.”
“I accept your thanks.”
“However, the alliance is a matter that requires further consideration.”
“It seems my sincerity didn’t reach you during the defense.”
“I don’t believe in such things.”
“Yes, I know. For people like you, evidence is required.”
As if she had been waiting, she flicked her finger. At that moment, a clipboard manifested in the air and was placed on the tea table.
“What is this?”
“Do you see the date here? 150 years ago.”
“Yes.”
“It was the day the Grand Council was held under Lord Blancaros’s leadership after the first Dragon-Demon War, the day before she was designated an evil dragon because of her ‘wicked nature.’ It’s the proposal our Lord Iorga made the very next day.”
The header of the document read:
- Project: Hestia
Hestia was the name of a little-known ancient myth, a goddess who guarded the hearth. The secrecy level was marked as the highest, and the execution level as top priority.
Ferda checked the contents. The summary was that Iorga was researching how to remove Godwin’s madness dwelling within Valdrova, and it was still ongoing.
He skimmed through the dates and then closed it.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Simply that Lord Iorga’s will was not to use Lord Valdrova as a shield.”
“Why should we interpret it that way? One could just as easily think Lord Iorga started it because she felt threatened by Godwin even back then.”
“I thought you might think that, so I brought something else.”
She set aside the document and this time pulled out a heavy object. It was a crystal ball.
“This is a record containing the proposal. I will prove that Lord Iorga’s intention was to protect Lord Valdrova.”
A voice recording was a different matter. Above all, since these internal materials weren’t made to be shown to the outside world, their true intentions would be clearer.
Ferda nodded. He infused mana into the crystal ball, and it reproduced the situation from that time.
- Lord Iorga, is this proposal really what I think it is?
It was Erica’s voice. Someone replied to that voice.
- That’s right.
It was very brief, but Ferda knew this was the voice of the Blue Dragon, Iorga. Even though it was just a recording, he could feel the resonance of how deep her mana was.
- I am against it.
The voice of opposition was Erica again. She opposed it more vehemently than anyone else among the voices heard.
- We have absolutely no reason to help that damn lizard!
“Ahem!”
Erica cleared her throat and temporarily stopped the playback of the crystal ball. She tried to explain the situation calmly, but her voice came out flustered.
“At this time, many of our spawns had died, so we were emotional. Please take that into account.”
“I will.”
While he didn’t like the content itself, one thing was certain: the contents of this crystal ball were raw and unedited.
No. We must help. There is no reason for that child to be called an evil dragon. The reason she went on that rampage was because of Godwin’s influence.
Then shouldn’t we kill her? If she has become unstable, shouldn’t that be what we do?
I cannot kill her. Godwin is already dead, and Silverwind is dead too. There must be no more sacrifice.
I cannot understand, Lord Iorga. Don’t you hate Valdrova more than anyone? You’re going to help your enemy?
I do hate her. But I only hate her because she’s stupid. It’s not that her nature is evil. I cannot kill that child.
He could feel it. Iorga understood Valdrova. And she was worried.
What if a second Godwin is born because of this? What if that is what faces our future?
That won’t happen. That child will constantly resist and endure her unstable self.
It was clear that this research was purely to help Valdrova.
- She’s stupid enough to be able to do at least that much.
However, the insults began.
- All she’s good at is fighting; she’s dull and not very bright. Since she knows nothing, her head is basically a flower garden.
“Ahem!”
- Despite that, she’s a coward, gets hurt easily, and can’t even voice her own opinions properly.
“Ahem, ahem!”
- As a Being of Power, she doesn’t even lead a single spawn and insists on carrying everything herself. It’s just because she doesn’t use her brain. She’s no different from a red lizard with wings attached, floundering around—.
“Cough! Cough, cough! Hack!”
Erica coughed like someone whose food had gone down the wrong pipe, and eventually, she stopped the record.
“…….”
Erica’s forehead was damp with cold sweat. Only then did she remember what kind of conversation followed.
Thus, she made a polite request to Ferda.
“Could we… skip about 10 minutes?”
