Chapter 124
“Did you leave Artson alive?”
At Shio’s question, Daphne slightly lowered her head and avoided his gaze.
It was understandable, given that she had talked big in front of Shio before.
– I will smash them all to pieces!
– I will kill them! Without fail!
Daphne was the one who, every time the topic of dragons came up, had repeatedly said with fire in her eyes that she would kill them.
After jumping around and shouting like that, to actually leave Artson alive.
Daphne felt incredibly embarrassed, feeling like she had become a pathetic dragon who couldn’t even take responsibility for her own words.
“Well, it, it turned out that way.”
Shio laughed softly while looking at Daphne.
“But why are you hanging your head like that? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Ahem.”
After letting out a dry cough, Daphne finally raised her eyes slowly.
“I intended to kill him.”
“Yes.”
“But I did not know if I had the right to kill that fellow.”
Daphne said while pointing toward Artson, who was collapsed over there. At that, Shio’s brow narrowed.
“Daphne is the one who suffered damage because of Artson, so why wouldn’t you have the right?”
Wasn’t it Daphne—the Calamity Black Butterfly disease—whom Artson, Lani, and Kalid had joined forces to create? Black Butterfly disease had lived a difficult and lonely life for hundreds of years while receiving the results of their causality.
Therefore, Daphne had more than enough right to roast them or boil them as she pleased.
“Why do you think that? I don’t quite understand.”
“Well, you are right too.”
Daphne nodded toward Shio. Since Daphne had originally thought exactly the same as Shio, it wasn’t that she didn’t understand his heart.
Revenge, it’s good.
Revenge against the bastards who created me, revenge for the sickening results of causality that tormented me…… I can do it.
However, if asked whether revenge is something that ‘must be done,’ she wasn’t so sure.
In any case, the current Daphne had become free from the laws of causality and, moving further, had come to belong to the structure of a family while receiving warm affection.
She was peaceful enough that she couldn’t even remember her previous loneliness, so she didn’t want toわざわざ fan the embers of revenge here.
If others heard, they would say there is no pushover like this one, but…….
“But I want to live loving someone rather than living hating someone.”
Time is finite.
No matter how long one lives, it is a life that has an end someday. She wanted to fill the entirety of such a finite life with love now. Daphne hoped for that.
“Well, if I kill that fellow, I would be happy because the revenge would be successful. But the joy would be brief. Given my personality, I would feel uncomfortable and uneasy the whole time. Throughout my life, it would feel strangely stifling, as if a thorn were stuck in my throat.”
So Daphne made a decision.
“Therefore, I shall not kill him, but I intend to find out ‘why’ he did so.”
Shio’s brow furrowed even more.
“I don’t know why ‘why’ is important. I think he went around doing those things simply because he was a fellow with a rotten temperament from the start.”
“There is no one who is evil from the beginning.”
Daphne shook her head.
“That fellow is one who has only lived a hedonistic life.”
“Yes. He lived however he pleased.”
“It is simply that he did not learn how one should live life.”
“Hmm.”
“No one would have told that fellow. How to live, or what kind of choices to make.”
“…….”
Shio wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. This was because he had also lived in the same ‘state of knowing nothing.’
No one had ever told Shio the direction of life. No one had ever advised Shio on the choices he made.
Shio, who was originally interested in accumulating knowledge, was very fortunately able to avoid walking the wrong path, but the other dragons were different.
When he thought that they, unlike himself, were no different from wandering in a vast maze without a guide, Shio felt a lingering discomfort in a corner of his heart.
“So I intend to give him one chance.”
Shio glanced over at Artson.
“Are you going to keep him by your side and teach him?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
Shio swayed his body from side to side with his arms crossed.
Artson is a fool-like fellow. He acted only as he liked and ran only toward what he wanted. He is a guy who doesn’t even care if someone gets hurt or suffers damage.
But when he thought that such a hedonistic way of thinking might not be Artson’s true self, he gained a very small amount of hope. The hope that Artson could also walk the right path.
However, the fact that it was Daphne who would lead Artson to the right path bothered him a little…….
“Are you not angry?”
It was because Daphne was the one who had suffered for hundreds of years because of them.
“I know Lady Daphne is someone who moves forward pursuing goodwill, but still, this is a bit excessive. To just forgive the bastards who changed your life completely.”
“……Yes. You are right as well.”
“How about considering it a bit more? Right now, it might be too sudden a decision.”
“Sss…….”
Daphne smacked her lips and frowned.
“Even if I think I might be too soft, if I think only of that fellow, there is a pitiful side in his own way. He is detestable, but if I give him one more chance……”
It was then.
The body of the collapsed Artson twitched.
“Ugh…… what…….”
Artson, who rose unsteadily, blinked his eyes and scanned the surroundings.
“Uh…… where is this…….”
Since he had just woken up after being knocked out, it seemed he hadn’t grasped the situation yet, as he sniffled and tilted his head. Then he discovered Daphne sitting there with a sulky expression. Uh, uh-oh?
“C-crazy dragon…….”
Artson, as if he finally remembered everything, covered his mouth and scurried backward while sitting.
“A-as expected, a truly crazy dragon! Did you leave me alive so you could chew, tear, taste, and enjoy every bit of me? Because it’s no fun if you kill me at once? Are you even a dragon after doing that? You’re a fellow with a worse temper than Kalid and more cruel than Lani!”
Right. I knew it would be like that.
Wasn’t Artson the one who didn’t even consider Daphne—Black Butterfly disease—a fellow dragon from the start and merely treated her as a trash dump?
No matter how much he was beaten and succumbed to power, it was obvious his fundamental mindset would not be fixed.
Shio sighed, pressing his forehead.
“Um, Lady Daphne. How about thinking about it once more……”
Thwack!
Before Shio could even finish his sentence, Daphne’s fist landed on Artson’s face.
Artson flew off, drawing a parabola.
“A crazy dragon. It has been quite a long time since I heard those words.”
“U-ugh! Why, why are you hitting me!”
“Since ancient times, a club has been the medicine for a crazy person.”
“Agh!”
Daphne ran toward Artson and performed a flying kick with both feet.
Thwack!
“I shall fix your mindset properly.”
Thwack!
“Mind, set! I am, your master!”
“Ack! Agh! It hurts! Master! You are the master! I’ve fixed it! I fixed my mindset!”
“No, not yet.”
“Aaaaagh!”
“…….”
Watching Artson being beaten until the dust rose like on a rainy day, Shio muttered to himself without realizing it.
“It’s not soft at all.”
He shivered, wrapping his arms around his shoulders as if feeling a chill.
“If she were soft twice, the dragon would die. Ugh, scary.”
***
Daphne, who had finished a round of beating, came down to the village with a refreshed face. Of course, while dragging the tattered Artson along.
“Whew. Is everything settled here?”
Shio nodded.
“The children helped a lot. Thanks to them, it was organized quickly.”
“Children?”
Daphne narrowed her eyes. Then she took a look around the village, which had been completely burned down.
“What about that fellow Teiti? Did he do nothing?”
“That……”
Shio scratched the back of his head and slightly avoided her gaze.
“He probably went back to the elf village. He said he was worried about his family. I tried to stop him, but it didn’t work out well……”
Daphne let out a hollow laugh. This crazy elf bastard dared to refuse my order and run away……!
“Eh?”
Daphne tilted her head.
“Teiti, he’s over there?”
“Pardon?”
Shio asked back in surprise.
However, the person their eyes landed on was definitely Teiti. Elf Teiti, Slave Teiti.
But, how should I put it…….
Teiti’s face was a bit strange.
It was the face of a sage who had gained enlightenment.
What is it? Why is he like that?
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