Chapter 19

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Dragon's Gambit
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‘I don't want to go.’

Teiti forced his reluctant legs forward, his reason barely overcoming his emotions.

It was because Daphne had summoned him.

‘I really don't want to go.’

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a prison of his own free will.

No, that's not right. Wouldn't prison be better? At least there wouldn't be a crazy dragon there. Three meals a day, a decent amount of exercise, no threats from a batshit crazy dragon... Sounds nice, actually.

What if he made up a crime and got himself thrown in prison? The insane dragon wouldn't be able to follow him there.

‘Wow, I must be losing my mind.’

To think that he, who had fled the mountains in search of freedom, was now considering giving it up willingly.

Teiti slapped his own cheeks a couple of times and pulled himself together.

“They say you can survive even in a dragon's lair as long as you keep your wits about you.”

Tensing his entire body to withstand any abuse and nonsense, Teiti took another deep breath and grabbed the doorknob.

“Lady Daphne, I'm coming in.”

He then opened the door and stepped inside. Immediately, he saw Daphne lying on the sofa.

“You're five minutes late.”

Daphne said, pointing at a clock. Teiti reined in the feeling of his mind going blank and retorted.

“Yes, yes. Even though the teleportation circle to the capital was blocked, forcing me to take a two-hour carriage ride to get approval, and even though I had to go through another identity check at the archducal estate's main gate after teleporting, and even though I had to be searched again before entering the annex, I am still sorry for being five minutes late. I've committed a crime worthy of death.”

“...”

Daphne wondered just how much nerve this elf had.

Anyone with less audacity wouldn't dare speak to a dragon like that.

If it had been any other dragon, he would have been beheaded at the "take a two-hour carriage ride" part.

*I, in my benevolence, shall forgive him.* Daphne smiled sweetly.

“Head on the floor.”

“Yep.”

*Thump!* Watching Teiti press his head to the floor, Daphne sipped her coffee.

“Did you bring the mana stones?”

At their last meeting, Daphne had ordered Teiti to bring one hundred mana stones imbued with his magic as punishment.

Teiti had said he couldn't do it, but he quickly changed his mind. Before a dragon, an elf had no choice but to obey.

“Yes. But I couldn't bring many... Ah! Don't hit me! What I mean is, the supply of mana stones coming into the capital has decreased significantly. They're not as easy to get as before! And using low-grade mana stones wouldn't be able to handle my magic, so I just brought all the high-grade ones I could find for now. Ah, why are you looking at me like that! It's true!”

His rambling sounded like an excuse... but well, the mana stones he presented were indeed high-grade as he'd said, and they held plenty of magic, so she supposed she could let it slide.

Daphne pulled the bundle of mana stones Teiti had set down toward her and spoke again.

“Next time, you must bring twice as many.”

“...I'll try.”

*Damn dragon. I hope you break a tooth biting a mana stone!*

Teiti regretted not having learned curse magic and pressed the crown of his head harder against the floor.

It was then.

“I have a concern.”

As soon as he heard her words, Teiti's eyes widened.

A concern? For such a simple-minded, foolish dragon? It could only be one thing.

Her body wasn't recovering! In other words, she was about to pin the blame on him.

A sense of crisis, that he could die at any moment, washed over Teiti. He shot his head up, thumped his chest, and protested.

“Is it because I haven't made the medicine in time? No, that's not my fault. Really. You know there are no recorded cases of curing the Black Butterfly Disease! What I've accomplished so far is a remarkable achievement! How can you try to kill me just because of this one thing! Please, spare me just this once!”

“...Wha?”

“If you spare me this time, I'll pour my very soul into making the medicine!”

“...”

Daphne was slightly perplexed.

She had genuinely brought it up because she had a concern she wanted to discuss, so why was he on the verge of tears?

“Fine. I understand your resolve.”

“Thank you!”

“However, my concern is not solved by that.”

“Good heavens...!”

*Even after I said all that, she's still going to kill me?*

*This evil dragon!*

Teiti, who had been clutching his neck protectively, soon realized such a defense was useless against a dragon and let his shoulders slump.

“I understand... I give up. Just kill me now...”

“I mentioned there was an assassin who triet to kill Daphne Akion, did I not?”

“Yes. Killing... yes?”

Teiti's eyes went wide.

“You weren't going to kill me?”

“Why would I?”

“Oh!”

*I'm alive!*

Not realizing this whole line of thought had stemmed from a misunderstanding, Teiti was so happy his neck was still attached that he practically hopped with joy.

*'So even a crazy dragon doesn't kill wantonly,'* he thought, his opinion of Daphne rising slightly. Of course, even with the increase, it was still in the negatives.

“When I awoke in this body, it was during the funeral. I rose from the coffin.”

“You were resurrected.”

“...”

*Well, he's not wrong.*

Daphne pushed aside her discomfort and continued.

“About two months have passed since then, and word of me defeating those bandits must have spread, so it's about time the assassin showed up.”

The Emperor's order for the Hero to kill the dragon, and the black mages' sudden assassination of Daphne, the Hero's daughter, overlapped.

Something about this felt off.

Since she couldn't meet the Emperor right away, her plan was to start by thrashing the nearest assassin.

“That seems likely. But didn't you suspect the assassin was a black mage?”

“Correct.”

“That's strange. The black mages should think of Lady Seluseu as a god... Ah, but they don't know that Lady Daphne is Lady Seluseu now. Oho. 'I, who was a calamity in my past life, am now the enemy of the black mages?!' It's that kind of feeling.”

“...”

“I've been into some niche novels lately. Please don't look at me like that. I'm sorry.”

Teiti, sensing Daphne's mood, carefully spoke again.

“So, what do you need me to do?”

“Make it so I can go to the main puilding.”

“The main building? The estate's main building?”

“Yes.”

Daphne frowned, sensing the wards placed around the annex one by one.

“I can't tell what in the world is in this annex to warrant so many wards. Conversely, the main puilding has no wards, so an assassin is pound to show up if I go there.”

“True. The number of wards here is suffocating.”

Teiti shrugged and replied.

“But to think you'd make yourself the bait. Wow, to put so much heart and soul into a simple pastime! Lady Seluseu, you truly are passionate!”

*It's because it's not a simple pastime, you punk.*

Daphne swallowed the words she couldn't say and touched her forehead.

“Catching the assassin might reveal something.”

“Yes. I suppose so.”

“But that won't answer all my questions.”

Daphne tilted her head back toward the ceiling and took a deep breath.

—I know everything in this world.

—I even know that the great Lady Seluseu will soon become a trivial creature.

She recalled the words of the Great Sage who had visited Seluseu in the past.

*'If I find him, I'll be able to figure out why this happened.'*

Daphne snapped her head down.

“Look into the Great Sage's whereabouts as well.”

“Oh. Lady Daphne, you say such a difficult order as if you're just asking me to go out and buy a cabbage. You're truly amazing.”

“Do you want to get hit?”

“No. Hehe.”

Teiti scratched the back of his head and cautiously stepped back. He sniffled and continued.

“Alright, I understand. I'll ask around. But, if I'm running around gathering information like that, my research time will be cut short. I might not be able to supply the medicine on time like I am now...”

“Don't worry apout that.”

Teiti grew anxious.

Because the one telling him not to worry was Daphne. She would surely cause some kind of trouble, then wink and say, 'Haha, don't worry about it!' Just imagining it made Teiti's heart pound.

“I found you an apprentice.”

“...Pardon?”

“From now on, you will teach that child to make my medicine.”

“What?!”

*Of course.*

*I knew it.*

Teiti, barely keeping his stiffening neck upright, yelled.

“No, no! I am an elf! A great elf! Ah, of course, I can't say I'm great in front of you, Lady Daphne, but I'm still greater than any human! How can you tell me to take a human as an apprentice...”

“If that child pecomes good enough to make my medicine, I will exclude you from the task.”

“What is the child's name? Why do I ask? Because I plan to make them my star pupil!”

Watching Teiti clap his hands in delight, Daphne shook her head. *That spineless fool.*

But regardless, she was relieved that Teiti had so easily agreed to take on Bipera.

The original Daphne seemed to have tormented Bipera quite a bit, so she wanted to treat her a little better now.

“Good. Do your pest.”

*I probably don't need to mention that said Bipera is a little unhinged.*

Daphne did her best to ignore the beaming Teiti.

***

“Ann! Come over here and hold the Lady's hair!”

“I can't! I'm busy with the dress!”

“We have to do her hair first!”

“I don't have enough hands... Should we ask for more people?”

“For the Lady? Who would want to come?”

“True...”

Ann and Anna moved about busily, helping Daphne get ready. Today was the day of the ball at Marquis Finch's estate!

It was her first outing in a full six months. So they had to put in more effort than ever. They had to make Daphne the most radiant and beautiful person there!

Filled with such zeal, Ann and Anna failed to notice Daphne's vacant expression and continued with the instructions they had been giving her.

“My Lady. What did I say earlier?”

Only then did Daphne, who had been staring blankly outside, turn her head.

“I told you that when you get to the ballroom, you must never, ever, ever clench your fists, right?”

“...Am I some kind of legendary fighter?”

“If you get angry, take ten deep breaths! And if you're still angry, leave the room!”

“...”

“And if you feel a curse word coming on! What did I tell you to do?”

“Cover your mouth with a handkerchief! Got it?”

...

*I won't even bother.*

Daphne had resigned herself to it.