Chapter 02
One week.
It’s already been a week since I possessed this body.
“Hiiiyu…”
Having barely succeeded in merging my soul with this body and finally being able to move properly, I looked down at my tiny hands and let out a long sigh.
To think that I, the mightiest dragon known as a calamity, ended up possessing the body of this child!
What on earth happened? No matter how much I racked my brain, no answers came.
‘Should I meet the sage?’
I recalled the great sage who, fifty years ago, fearlessly invaded my lair, got beaten, and was driven out. If I met him, I might get some answers.
‘But I can’t go in this body.’
I can barely walk as it is.
‘I need to grow a bit more.’
With that thought, I turned toward the mirror.
Reflected in the mirror was a child with long, flowing blonde hair down to her waist and sparkling light green eyes.
That’s me.
“She looks exactly like that hero bastard. Ugh.”
Even from three hundred meters away, anyone would think she’s the hero’s daughter, with a face so similar to his. Until I got used to it, looking in the mirror would probably make me angry every time.
‘But…’
There’s at least one silver lining. With a face this identical, no one would ever imagine that my soul has been swapped.
‘Even that hero didn’t know.’
No, rather than not knowing…
‘He didn’t seem to care about this body.’
Even on the day I came back to life,
“You didn’t die.”
He left the funeral parlor with just that cold remark.
After that, the hero never came looking for me. Doesn’t he even worry about a body that came back from the dead? What a strange thing.
‘Don’t humans usually cling to this thing called family?’
The concept of “human family” I knew was vastly different from the hero’s behavior. To treat his own daughter worse than a stranger.
“Well, that’s not what’s important.”
Right now, the most important thing for me is to take revenge on the hero.
“What should I do…”
I pondered, but time was short.
I am the calamity of the world, the great Black Dragon, and now, as the youngest daughter of the hero, the greatest swordmaster in history.
Nothing will stand in my way.
Therefore,
“I’ll take the position of family head and destroy this household!”
When I claim the position of family head, I’ll say, “Actually, I’m the very Black Dragon you sealed!”
What will the hero’s expression be like? Won’t even that cold-hearted hero collapse in shock?
“Argh!”
Just thinking about it feels so good!
Die, hero!
I’ll bring you down, hero!
“For now, let’s explore this body.”
When I was a dragon, I imprinted my magic into my soul. That way, I could use magic comfortably even after polymorphing.
So, even after entering this body, I wasn’t particularly worried. After all, my magic is all imprinted in my soul.
But strangely, for the past week up until now, I haven’t been able to use proper magic.
It feels as if my magic is blocked by a massive dam.
If I explore, maybe I’ll find some answers.
With that thought, I sat cross-legged and slowly closed my eyes.
*Flash!*
[Daphne Akion]
It seems this body’s name is Daphne.
I read the information that appeared next.
[Daphne Akion]
Health: 10 Charm: 300
Strength: 1 Magic: 0
Traits: [Delinquent][Ruffian][Little Devil][Brat]
“…”
Is this really the personality of a mere five-year-old child? It feels like they’ve gathered all the bad traits together.
No, no. More importantly, what’s with this health and strength? What are these? Is this body even alive?
And then,
“…Magic is 0?”
That’s absurd.
“Didn’t they say she’s the youngest daughter of the hero’s family?”
How could it be this pathetic?
This can’t be right.
‘Could it be…’
It suddenly hit me that the moment I opened my eyes in this body was at a funeral parlor.
And the maids’ constant remarks of “how pitiful” came to mind. At the same time…
*Cough!*
My chest felt ticklish, and soon a cough came up like nausea.
*Hack! Hack!*
Dark red blood dripped down.
Blood? Blood?!
In disbelief, I stared at my stained clothes with my mouth agape. Even then, the coughing didn’t stop.
“Kyaa!”
“Lady!”
The servants who entered the room at that moment screamed and rushed toward me.
“Call the physician! Hurry!”
As they moved in perfect coordination, one of them tightly embraced me.
“Lady, no! You mustn’t cough! It’ll strain your lungs even more!”
I don’t want to do this either, human.
But how can I stop coughing?
*Hack! Hack!*
“No!”
I’m telling you, I don’t want this either!
Right now, I have no idea why this body is like this.
As I struggled to hold onto my fading consciousness, I overheard the humans’ conversation.
“As expected… even if the lady came back to life, it’s clear that disease hasn’t been cured.”
That disease?
“Poor lady… what a pity…”
Wait, something’s off.
“Such a beautiful lady…”
Me?
“She’s terminally ill…”
“…”
Human.
What did you just say?
Terminally ill?!
☆☆☆
I am the great calamity that conquered the continent, the Black Dragon.
And the body I’ve possessed is that of the youngest daughter of the mightiest swordmaster, the hero.
I thought that combining my centuries-honed magic with the lineage of this body would make me far stronger than I was as a calamity—perhaps even a transcendent being capable of reaching the heavens.
I swore I’d destroy this damned hero’s family and crush all those bastards who criticized me!
But…
“Terminally ill? What does that mean?!”
Oh, this is so unfair!
I thrashed about, rolling on the bed.
[Daphne Akion]
Health: 10 Charm: 300
Strength: 1 Magic: 0
Traits: [Delinquent][Ruffian][Little Devil][Brat]
It seems this terminally ill body is why such stats came up in the scan.
Trash health, even worse strength and magic, and maxed-out charm in this damned body! And to top it off, a rotten personality!
I felt the back of my neck stiffen as I tilted my head back. Then I saw them, still looking at me with worried expressions.
Anne and Anna, the twin maids. They’re the ones assigned to this body.
Light brown hair, brown eyes, egg-shaped faces, and unremarkable features—completely average appearances you could find anywhere. The only notable thing is that they look identical.
Anne is the one with smooth skin.
Anna is the one with a mole under her lip.
Distinguishing them by a single mole feels a bit tricky, but since they’re always together tending to me, there’s probably no need to bother.
From what I’ve observed, they’re the only humans in this mansion who stay by my side, so they seem trustworthy.
“Hey.”
So I spoke to Anne and Anna.
“What illness do I have?”
I still don’t know the name of my disease. I only just regained consciousness after collapsing and coughing up blood.
That’s why I asked, but for some reason, Anne and Anna looked flustered.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“W-Well, it’s just…”
“Speak quickly! What’s my illness?!”
At my repeated urging, they stomped their feet nervously before cautiously opening their mouths.
“Um, Lady… You used to hate even mentioning the name of your illness…”
“Yeah, if we say it, you’re just going to throw another vase, aren’t you? We’re not falling for that again.”
Anne’s shoulders slumped in tension, while Anna snorted and turned her head. Their personality differences were clear.
Whatever the case, it seems the original Daphne tormented them quite a bit. That’s why they’re worried I’ll get angry the moment they answer.
I shook my head.
“It’s fine now. And there’s nothing around me to throw. So tell me—what’s my illness?!”
“Well…”
Anna hesitated before slowly speaking.
“It’s the Black Butterfly disease.”
“Black Butterfly?”
Hearing the name, I crossed my arms, tilted my chin, and closed my eyes.
Then, from my memories, I recalled the book *Encyclopedia of World Diseases*, which I had taken from the western magic tower after destroying it.
**Black Butterfly Disease**
The cause of onset is unclear. The most likely theory is that it’s a curse from dark magic.
Patients with this disease develop butterfly-shaped spots on their body, and when all four wings turn black, they die. There is currently no cure.
‘Damn it.’
A disease with no cure. I groaned and touched my forehead.
“Are there spots on my body too?”
At my question, Anne glanced at Anna before pointing to the center of my chest.
I lifted my clothes slightly and looked down at my solar plexus. There, I saw a butterfly shape with half of one wing completely black.
“Hmm.”
I frowned.
“I know it’s said you die when all four wings turn black, so why did I die early?”
“D-Die…?”
Anne’s face turned pale. I shrugged my shoulders.
“Tell me. Why did I die?”
Anne and Anna tilted their heads simultaneously. They rolled their eyes as if recalling the past.
“There was definitely something that happened back then…”
“I can’t quite remember. All I know is that the lady’s condition suddenly worsened.”
They can’t remember? And my condition suddenly worsened?
Something was off.
‘Did someone kill this body?’
When I entered this body, it was definitely dead.
If someone killed this body and then erased the memories of those around it…
‘Dark mages.’
Those vermin are the most likely culprits.
‘It seems this body was a target of dark mages.’
A curse and an assassination.
It’s practically a gift set.
“Has the fact that I came back to life been spread outside?”
“N-No, probably no one else knows.”
“Did you deliberately keep it a secret?”
Anne gasped and glanced nervously, but Anna, with a calm expression, answered.
“He ordered us to keep quiet since you might die again.”
“Who did?”
“His Excellency.”
“That damned bastard.”
I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.
Of course, it’s a relief that the hero didn’t spread the news of this body’s survival, so I don’t have to worry about assassination attempts for now.
But isn’t his motive suspicious? To not reveal I’m alive because I might die at any moment? I want to smack that bastard’s mouth.
I have to get stronger.
I’ll get stronger and beat them all.
I took a deep breath.
“Anyway, fine. Now that I know everything, I need to find a solution.”
I clenched my fist.
“I will survive.”
To take revenge on the hero,
To reclaim the name of the great Black Dragon, Celus!
“No matter what, I will live!”
This isn’t an empty cry.
Because I know a way to break the curse of the Black Butterfly disease.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
By Anna 💓
