Chapter 130
Teiti was truly at his wit’s end.
Enlightenment or whatever, it was useless in front of this crazy, blockheaded dragon. He was certain that even an ancient sage who had grasped the truths of the world would swing a staff and beat this fellow up.
“No, seriously. Lady Artson. Why… why don’t you try actually thinking? Huh?”
“I am thinking, though? I’m doing it a whole lot?”
“No… You thought a lot… and decided to run away?”
“Yep! And with you!”
Teiti let out a long breath.
The fact that Daphne defeated Artson—okay. He understood.
And the fact that Daphne, who forgave Artson—though it was more like she beat her to a pulp—dragged her back—okay. He understood that too.
But for the awakened Artson to throw her common sense away and say she’s going to run away… he didn’t understand that at all.
“If you’re going to run away, do it alone… And why are you dragging me into it…?”
“Because I can use you as a shield to escape!”
“Argh! So why me!”
When Teiti shouted while stomping his feet, Artson tilted her head and opened her eyes wide as if she had heard something truly strange.
“You’re an elf, aren’t you?”
Then she said with a bright smile.
“Shouldn’t a lowly and useless elf sacrifice themselves for a dragon?”
“…….”
Wow.
Humans must have felt this way all along.
I was wrong.
I was trash.
“I am gaining enlightenment once again. As expected, mirror therapy is the best.”
Artson, who did not understand Teiti’s words, still looked at him with a sulky expression.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but anyway, you’re going with me, right? Hmm?”
“No! No! I am not going! I don’t want to be scolded by Lady Daphne!”
“Ayy, if we run away secretly, we won’t get caught.”
“…….”
It would be less frustrating to talk to a wall.
Teiti dropped his head, then peeked up with sideways eyes and looked at Artson.
“Lady Artson, you say that because you don’t know, but Lady Daphne. She is a truly crazy dragon. In all my life, I have never seen such a crazy being. I’m telling you, she’s out of her mind? A total psycho?”
“Uh… hmm?”
“Do you know what you have to do to preserve your life next to such a psycho? You keep your mouth shut and stay still. Seriously. It’s not like I like you, Lady Artson—in fact, I’m closer to hating you—but I’m saying this because I feel sorry for you.”
“Hmm…….”
Artson’s face distorted subtly. She rolled her eyes around, then pointed a finger behind Teiti and spoke.
“I get it, but how about looking behind you?”
Behind?
Teiti whipped his head around.
And,
“He-e-e-ek!”
He found Daphne glaring at him with her arms crossed. Teiti clutched his blank mind and swallowed hard.
“D-did you hear?”
“What?”
Daphne tilted her chin up.
“Are you asking if I heard the part where you said I’m a crazy dragon, a psycho, and the most insane person in the world?”
“…….”
Teiti’s body trembled like an aspen leaf. He breathed heavily.
“Should… should I hit my head on the ground?”
“Why even ask.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Thud!
The crown of Teiti’s head hit the floor. Daphne habitually climbed up and sat on his back. Artson’s eyes sparkled as she watched Daphne.
“Wow. That looks fun. Can I try that too?”
“If you climb up, wouldn’t this fellow die?”
“So what?”
Artson’s eyes were truly clear, without a single speck of dust. It was pure innocence itself. An attitude that showed she had no idea why it would be bad if Teiti died, or what the problem was.
-That fellow is someone who has lived only a hedonistic life. It is simply that she hasn’t learned how one should live life. No one would have told her. How to live, or what choices to make.
-So I intend to give her one chance.
As expected, she felt she had made the right decision.
If she had killed Artson, who was like a wild brat, in a single stroke… she might have reproached herself, thinking she should have at least tried to discipline her once before deciding.
Daphne chuckled and looked at Artson again.
“Why do you think I kept you alive?”
“Hmm.”
Artson swayed her body from side to side and blinked.
Actually, she had been curious. Why on earth did she keep me alive? Even though she acted like she was going to kill me? I really thought I was going to die without a choice.
So she thinks about it. Why did she save me?
After agonizing with her non-functioning brain, the answer was only one.
“Because I’m cute?”
“…….”
Daphne slowly lowered her gaze. Then she spoke to the trembling Teiti.
“Honestly, don’t you think she’s crazier than I am?”
“I think so too… Ouch, Lady Daphne. You’ve gained weight.”
“Shut up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Daphne looked at Artson again.
“I have given you an opportunity.”
“Opportunity?”
“An opportunity to live properly. An opportunity to learn what is right, to realize, and to move forward.”
“Uh… hmm.”
Artson frowned.
“Why do I have to do that?”
Artson’s face, scratching her cheek with wide eyes, was filled with genuine curiosity.
“Why do I have to learn such things? Why do I have to realize? Why can’t I live like I do now? Why?”
“…….”
“Hmm? I’m doing well enough now? Explain a rational reason why I should.”
“…….”
Daphne looked up at the sky.
The clear, cloudless sky looked exactly like Artson’s empty head.
“Do you know something?”
Daphne smirked and continued.
“The fastest way to learn is to learn while being beaten.”
“U-uh?”
“Once you get hit, you’ll feel like learning something.”
“No, no! I really asked because I was curiou- Ack! It hurts!”
Artson struggled to escape, but she could not break free from Daphne’s grip.
“If you have no intention of taking this opportunity I have given you, say so now. I will kill you then.”
“No, I’ll take it! I’ll take it!”
“Fine. I understand. Then I shall hit you more.”
“No! I said I’ll lea-rn!”
“Right, right. Let’s get hit step by step.”
Aaaaack!
Artson’s screams filled the villa’s backyard.
***
Thud!
Yebara, the leader of the phantom, slammed the table with his fist and clenched his teeth.
“Artson… has lost contact.”
“…….”
“Furthermore, all the other black magicians have been annihilated.”
At his bizarrely sharp voice, the black magicians standing beside him flinched and bowed their heads.
Yebara’s fists trembled as he tilted his head back.
“Ha, haha. Hahaha!”
And he let out a laugh mixed with hollow desperation and lamentation over the current situation.
Damn it, damn it!
Lani, whom he had trusted, had disappeared. He thought he would reappear after vanishing suddenly as in the past, but his disappearance in this situation was by no means a good sign. A situation where the entire phantom could collapse at this rate.
In addition, the warrior continues to track their traces, and the attempt to kill Daphne to retrieve the previous leader’s power continues to fail.
It cannot go on like this.
If it continues like this, we will collapse!
“Change the plan.”
Yebara shouted loudly.
“Cease the imperial invasion and prioritize finding the traces of the Calamity. No matter what! By any means necessary!”
The Calamity, Selus.
If only they could find his body, if only they could inherit the energy dwelling in his body, then they would be able to win!
“We must be the ones to inherit the power of the Calamity!”
Yebara’s eyes, filled with desire and anger, flashed.
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