Chapter 10
Sizzle… Sizzle…
A whole wild boar slowly roasted over the fire, filling the air with its rich, mouthwatering aroma.
Yet only one person was actually eating it.
Munch… munch…
I feel like I’m going to choke from the tension.
Even so, Lucy didn’t stop eating.
While chewing diligently, she cautiously glanced around.
Edward and his two escorts had been exchanging silent looks ever since earlier.
Please don’t be having a silent conversation about disposing of me…
Earlier…
“Ahhh!”
The blade that had flown toward Lucy hadn’t belonged to Edward.
“Your Grace! Get away from that woman!”
Carrying their hunting prey over their shoulders like sacks of grain, the two knights had leapt forward, swords drawn.
At that moment, they looked less like royal knights and more like mountain bandits.
Of course…
Their swords were split cleanly in half by a single dismissive wave of Edward’s hand before they could even touch Lucy.
“She may be a spy from the temple!”
“She’s dangerous!”
Both men looked completely serious.
And understandably so.
Lucy had just revealed one of House Tesseron’s greatest secrets—
A secret known only to Edward and a handful of his closest retainers.
That Edward was an incomplete Dragon Incarnation.
“Woman! Step away from His Grace immed—”
“No. That’s enough.”
Just as Lucy wondered how this disaster could possibly get any worse…
The person who seemed most likely to explode in anger—
Edward himself—
Calmly stopped the two knights.
Though…
His face had become far colder than either of theirs.
“We can question her from here on.”
It’s funny… and kind of sad…
But somehow I found that expression much easier to deal with.
At least he wasn’t hiding behind that pleasant smile anymore.
For the first time…
He actually looked human.
After that, following Edward’s orders, they built a campfire and began roasting the wild boar.
But why am I the only one eating?
This is so awkward…
Still…
Lucy continued eating enthusiastically.
She was starving.
She needed to regain her strength.
And food was precious.
Besides…
The meat was unbelievably delicious.
Just don’t eat so much that you upset your stomach.
As Lucy stubbornly continued chewing…
“How did you know?”
One of the escorts—the taller, more slender one—finally spoke.
It was Tepe.
“You knew His Grace was… incomp—”
“An incomplete Dragon Incarnation?”
The way his eyes sharpened the moment she said the words made Lucy wonder what exactly she was supposed to do.
What is this? Is his title forbidden to say or something?
Like Voldemort?
Still…
She answered honestly.
“Don’t worry.”
“The temple doesn’t know.”
“I’m the only one who does.”
“…”
“It’s just… whenever His Grace and Lady Sepina underwent purification… I could feel certain things too.”
“What exactly did you feel?”
“…Just… things.”
Lucy awkwardly dodged the question.
As Tepe frowned deeply…
A strange smile returned to Edward’s face.
“So you could tell I was incomplete just from that?”
“…”
“We weren’t even touching.”
“Well…”
“If we touched directly, would you be able to see straight into my heart too?”
At those words, Lucy immediately sat up straight.
“Of course not!”
“It’s just that… I’m unusually sensitive to mana… and holy power.”
“Sensitive?”
“Yes.”
“When you were with Lady Sepina… sometimes your aura felt… strange.”
“And that’s how you concluded His Grace is incomplete?”
Tepe openly looked at her with suspicion.
“Exactly.”
Lucy deliberately answered with a carefree smile before swallowing another bite of meat.
Actually… it’s because I read the novel.
This information had originally appeared in one of the side stories narrated by someone close to Edward.
The truth that Edward had been born an incomplete Dragon Incarnation.
Because of that…
He secretly believed himself to be weak.
He constantly feared the day he would lose control completely.
That was why he desperately longed for the one destined to complete him.
So when the temple presented Sepina as his fated partner…
He accepted her despite his doubts.
That side story felt like it was trying to justify why the male lead slept with the fake heroine.
Of course…
Many readers still hated him for it.
To them, cheating was cheating.
Lucy…
Didn’t feel quite that harshly.
In fact…
She understood him a little.
…Because I was the same.
She had believed she was weak.
Incomplete.
That was why her older sisters had left her behind in the shelter.
I thought everything was my fault.
So she convinced herself…
If she became stronger…
If she became perfect…
Then someday she’d leave the shelter and reunite with her family.
…
That hope hadn’t lasted very long.
But back then… I was desperate.
Even while starving…
She had run laps around the tiny shelter to build stamina.
She memorized every monster’s weaknesses.
Practiced over and over how to fight them.
Anything…
To become stronger.
To become perfect.
Edward endured Sepina for exactly the same reason.
For that reason alone…
Lucy could understand the emptiness inside him.
Of course…
Using that knowledge for her own survival was an entirely separate matter.
“Anyway…”
“I have no intention of telling anyone.”
“…”
“But if you sign a contract with me…”
Now came the important part.
Lucy deliberately straightened her shoulders.
“I think I can solve that problem for you.”
“…”
“If you become a complete Dragon Incarnation… you’ll be able to find your true destined partner.”
“Oh!”
“And of course… I’ll help with that too.”
Silence settled over the camp.
Tepe and Gorgo stared at Lucy as though she were some suspicious cult recruiter handing out flyers in front of a train station.
I understand why they don’t believe me.
Edward’s condition existed because he had been born incomplete.
And now…
Some random experimental subject from the temple was claiming she could fix it.
It sounds like a scam.
She couldn’t blame them.
Still…
She wasn’t speaking without evidence.
There were clues in the side story.
Clues explaining how an incomplete Dragon Incarnation could become complete.
She’d reread those chapters countless times in the shelter.
She remembered them surprisingly well.
All he has to do is perform the ancient ritual that awakens a dragon’s mana.
Obtaining the required materials wouldn’t be easy.
But with House Tesseron’s wealth and influence…
It should be possible.
“Don’t worry.”
“I won’t use this as an excuse to throw myself at Your Grace.”
“…”
“I can stay out of sight.”
“Other than holding hands once a week for purification… I’ll keep my distance.”
“…”
“I also need time to research how to solve your condition.”
She knew the ritual required special ingredients and a magical circle.
Unfortunately…
The novel had only described the procedure vaguely.
I’ll have to figure out exactly how the ancient ritual was performed.
Just as Lucy organized her thoughts—
“Hah.”
Tepe frowned.
“I knew it.”
“You’re talking about research.”
“So you don’t actually know the answer yourself.”
“…Please think carefully, Your Grace.”
Gorgo quietly added, making sure Lucy couldn’t hear.
“Didn’t you say you were only planning to use her… and then discard her?”
Edward ignored them both.
“So that’s why you insist on a contract?”
Instead…
He looked only at Lucy.
“Your Grace?”
Tepe and Gorgo immediately turned toward him with a bad feeling.
“Yes!”
“I’ve already said this before, but verbal agreements are just…”
“So a written contract is absolutely necessary?”
“Of course!”
Seeing a glimmer of hope in Edward’s reaction…
Lucy nodded enthusiastically.
“What if I dislike the contents?”
“Then we negotiate!”
“You’re willing to negotiate?”
“Absolutely!”
“Hoho!”
“After all, Your Grace is the superior party!”
As she spoke…
Lucy hurriedly scratched out the section of the contract where she’d secretly labeled herself as the superior party and Edward as the subordinate.
A bright smile spread across her face.
She couldn’t hide how delighted she was.
Watching her smile…
Edward slowly curled one corner of his lips upward.
“…!”
Tepe and Gorgo’s eyes widened.
They knew that expression all too well.
Whenever Edward smiled like that…
It meant he was about to do whatever pleased him.
Your Grace… what are you about to say…?
“Your Grace, wait—”
“Perhaps we should discuss this among ourselves first—”
Just as the two knights anxiously stood up—
“Very well.”
“Let’s negotiate.”
“Oh! Wonderful!”
Lucy beamed so brightly her eyes curved into crescents.
She looked genuinely happy…
As though simply being connected to him in any way made her happy.
She’s fallen for me that much?
Well…
She possessed purification abilities.
Even if he discarded her someday…
There was no harm in treating her a little better for now.
Quietly studying her smile…
Edward asked,
“Can we change the title of the document as well?”
Lucy nodded.
“Uh… yes!”
“But… what would you change it to?”
As long as it remained a contract…
She didn’t mind changing the title.
“The title shall be…”
Just as Edward tilted his head—
Neighhh!
The horses pulling the carriage suddenly became restless.
The coachman, who had been sleeping in the distance, jolted awake and came running toward them in alarm.
“…Your Grace!”
Everyone turned their heads at once.
In the distance—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Horsemen were charging straight toward them…
The banners of the Grand Temple flying high above their heads.
