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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Ater's Makeover
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"Lety. No matter how young the young lady is, she's someone you'll have to serve someday. Don't go acting recklessly."
Viscount Preto said sternly.
He still vividly remembered his youngest daughter blabbing about Nibelria and Arep's little kiss all over the neighborhood.
"Peeh..."
Letitia half-listened to her father's scolding.
After parting ways with Viscount Preto as he headed off to work, Letitia hugged the picture book she'd brought tight against her chest with both arms.
'Gotta show this to Nini and Arep! They're still too little to know what love is, so I'll teach them all sorts of things...'
Meow-.
Letitia froze in place and whipped around toward the sound.
"Meow. Meeeow."
There sat a tiny little kitten.
"Wah!"
Letitia rushed right over to the kitten.
"Lety!"
Just then, Nibelria popped up behind the cat.
"Nini!"
Letitia's eyes sparkled as she glanced back and forth between the kitten and Nibelria.
Then, in an excited voice, she asked,
"Is your new friend a kitty by any chance?"
"Not a kitty. It's Ater. The evil dragon."
"Its name is evil dragon?"
"Evil Dragon Ater."
"What a weird name..."
At that, the kitten let out a sharp meow.
As if protesting, 'What's wrong with my name! Friend of that cheeky kid!'
Even that was adorable. Letitia's lips stretched into a huge grin.
"How about something cuter? Like Cookie or Ribbon!"
"But this one's Evil Dragon Ater."
"Aww..."
"Grandma called it Evil Dragon Ater too."
"Oh, Muniel Grandma..."
Letitia gave up, looking like she had no choice.
Nibelria set the kitten down on the floor.
She'd thought its fur was pitch black all over, but up close, the right front paw had white fur right up to the ankle.
Plus, there were scattered white hairs across its body, like the beginnings of gray.
"Meow!"
After a short, grumpy meow like it was complaining, the kitten held its tail high and trotted into the room.
'Definitely suits a cute name like Choco or Ribbon.'
She regretted not being able to change its name, but vowed to pick out the perfect accessories for it no matter what.
With that black fur, something red or yellow would look great.
"Hey, Lety."
Nibelria asked.
"You're super stylish, right?"
"Huh?"
"You're older than Nini, so you know what accessories look pretty and cool. You rock those awesome headbands too."
"......"
Letitia's shoulders twitched just a bit.
She already had two big sisters above her.
Out in public, she was the prim and proper youngest lady.
But at home? Just a rowdy little sister copying everything her sisters did.
Still, it meant she got praised for being more grown-up and fashionable than kids her age.
"Not to brag, but yeah, kinda."
"That's why I called you, Lety!"
Nibelria's room, which Letitia had followed her into, was littered with all sorts of accessories and doll clothes.
"Pick something that suits Ater!"
Kyaaah!
Letitia let out an excited squeal in her head.
"Ahem."
But she'd just heard her father's warning—right after arriving at the mansion—not to get carried away.
"I'll gladly help!"
She settled for tilting her chin up a little.
"......"
Ardores stared at the kitten decked out in garish finery like it was some kind of beast.
Then he asked,
"What in the world happened...?"
"How's it look? Stylish, right?"
Evil Dragon Ater proudly showed off its dress plastered with accessories and ribbons everywhere.
"That cheeky kid's friend fixed me up!"
"I'd appreciate it if you refrained from talking about my granddaughter that way."
"It's an honor just to call her that."
"......"
"...Should I call her Nini?"
Ardores stifled a sigh before he could say anything.
'Still not even a year out of the egg.'
Even with all those ancient memories and knowledge passed down, Evil Dragon Ater was just a baby younger than Nibelria.
An evil dragon wilting under the gaze of a retired holy knight.
But it was cunning as could be.
"...The color's shifting bit by bit."
Ardores carefully scooped up the kitten in both hands.
Evil Dragon Ater spent a lot of time in cat form.
This way, it could roam the mansion freely—and even those who knew its true nature acted carefully around it.
Of course, Nibelria in her cat days hadn't given a damn about that.
Ardores expertly scratched under Evil Dragon Ater's chin and behind its ears.
Golongolong. A blissful purring filled the air.
"Uuuuuhhh..."
Evil Dragon Ater melted away like a snowman in summer sunlight.
While it basked, Ardores checked its fur.
"The white patches have grown."
"Everyone who sees me says the same. Ahh, right there! More scratches there!"
"Don't moan in that old man's voice. Turns my stomach."
"Can't help it! Everything I heard from inside the egg was that gross old coot's voice! Latro reeked of sweat and was nasty! At least they couldn't be bothered to wipe down with a wet rag!"
"Yet you went along with my daughter's request anyway."
"Your daughter's cute. Doesn't stink of sweat."
"......"
"Ah! Aaaah! That hurts!"
Evil Dragon Ater's head nearly cracked open in Ardores' grip, its eyes wide with fright.
"Anyway."
Ardores asked.
"Your fur—no, your scales turning whiter little by little. Is that a good sign? Does it mean that abomination's losing its power?"
"Can't say for sure."
The dragon paused mid-lick as it groomed its rumpled white paw with its tongue, then fixed Ardores with an unreadable gaze.
Ardores clearly spotted flecks of gold in the evil dragon's black pupils.
The evil dragon was changing.
The moment it confirmed the shift, Evil Dragon Ater had finally admitted—accepted—that it wasn't truly an "evil dragon."
And it had verified beyond doubt that some eldritch thing was meddling in the world across time and space.
Yet it could stay this laid-back because...
"But now it's settled."
It had something solid to lean on.
"The victor who endured this bitter chill."
The last "dragon" left on earth, Ater declared.
"Seletrina Dayamor wins."
The words of "dragon tongue," slowly reclaiming its primal power, echoed into the world.
"Ugh, it's freezing!"
The Degladis servant who'd stepped out beyond the garden for a bit shivered violently.
He glanced sidelong at the 500-Uba eternal snow duck down coat he had on.
"Is this really made of eternal snow duck feathers?"
If anything, it felt colder than going without.
'And why's it so damn heavy...'
As he grumbled and started shrugging off the coat, Al approached.
"Out and back already?"
"Y-yes, Young Master Al. And Miss Rima."
Rima clung tight to Al's hand at his side.
"What's wrong?"
Rima flashed an innocent smile, pure as could be, like she hadn't a clue.
The servant's mood lifted at the adorable grin. He shook his head, insisting it was nothing.
But Al toyed with the coat draped over him.
"This the one? Duck down coat?"
The one sold for 500 Uba?
Al asked in a gentle voice.
The servant flinched under a sudden wave of pressure he couldn't place.
For a split second, he thought Al was mad at him.
But a closer look showed Al merely inspecting the coat with curious eyes.
"Rima. Looks like this is it. That bargain eternal snow duck feather coat."
"Whoa, so cool! They say it's super duper toasty!"
"Try it on?"
"Uh..."
Rima rolled her eyes a touch.
"Sh, shil..."
"Actually."
"Huh?"
"Actually. Repeat after me: actually."
"Sh, shil-eun..."
"Good job."
Al patted Rima's head like she'd done something praiseworthy, then pulled a candy from his pocket and held it out.
It had softened from his body heat, the wrapper sticky against the surface.
"You don't hafta give me more..."
"Eat up quick. I got it special just for you."
"Awwright..."
Rima hesitated, then popped the candy in her mouth and crunched down.
The moment it hit her tongue, a fierce mint blast surged up—thick, bitter, and so intense it chilled her straight through.
'Fuck...'
Rima swore inwardly, her hidden fist clenching in her clothes.
'I fucking hate mint and peppermint...!'
But Al, utterly clueless, beamed with anticipation and asked,
"Tasty, right?"
"......"
"Not good? I went to the candy shop myself and ordered these special for you..."
My favorite flavor.
"N-no, it's fine!"
Rima blurted it out. Al's crestfallen look brightened into a grin.
"Yer too nice..."
"Rima. It's tasty."
"T-tasty..."
"Good girl."
This time, Al unwrapped a mint candy and fed it to her himself.
The servant watched the heartwarming scene and spoke up.
"I just stepped out to check the snowfall. Even with the eternal snow duck down coat on, I was freezing my butt off."
"But they said it was made from eternal snow duck down."
Al asked.
"Shouldn't it be warm?"
"......"
The servant blinked slowly.
Only then did he realize the coat trapped zero body heat.
No—it felt like wrapping himself in an ice pack.
'Wearing it or not, same difference.'
No, actually colder.
With that thought, he shrugged off the coat...
Bam-!
Bam bam!
The shop's firmly shuttered door rattled like it might splinter.
The man dozing in the cramped back room jolted awake with a start.
"Ah, damn it..."
He ruffled his pillow-smashed hair and grumbled curses under his breath.
"What the hell's their problem in the dead of night! Can't they let a guy sleep, you bastards...!"
He snatched the eternal snow duck down coat from beside the bed and slung it on.
"Aaack!"
But he hurled it straight to the floor.
"Wh-what the!"
The coat was soaked clean through.
