Chapter 159
“If you touch that, you won’t be able to return to the Calamity’s body.”
‘What kind of nonsense is that?’
Not understanding at all, Daphne simply stared blankly at Artson.
Artson tilted his head as though asking what the problem was.
“You killed humans earlier.”
Daphne flinched, but soon nodded in response.
“…If creatures like those can be called human, then I suppose I did.”
“And that’s why causality has formed in that body.”
At the mention of causality, Daphne looked at Shio.
Shio simply nodded, as if telling her to keep listening to Artson.
“Are you referring to the causality created by killing people?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
Artson continued,
“Once causality is formed, the soul becomes attached to the body. Right now, it’s only the causality of killing a few people, so it’s still negligible. But if you absorb whatever is attached to that Rache guy, the soul attached to your body will never be separated again.”
Daphne’s eyes trembled slightly, but Artson did not stop speaking.
“You said you were going back to the Calamity’s body. That’s why you stopped caring about that curse or whatever, wasn’t it? Because as long as you returned to the Calamity’s body before you died, everything would be fine.”
“…”
“But if you absorb that causality now, you’ll never be able to return.”
Without realizing it, Daphne lowered her gaze.
Then she looked at Rache, who was receiving healing magic from elf Teiti.
Rache was still alive.
But it was difficult to call that state *living*.
‘Will he die soon?’
‘Or will he simply disappear?’
She was worried enough to think so.
“So choose.”
Looking straight at Daphne, Artson said,
“Will you save the human, or will you save your own body?”
***
“…”
Kalid silently stared at Yan, who remained completely speechless.
Sniff, sniff.
He smelled him once more.
The scent was still unpleasant.
A foreign sensation pricked at his nose.
“Hey.”
Letting out a quiet sigh, Kalid looked at Yan.
Squatting with his chin resting on one hand, blinking innocently, he looked remarkably gentle and kind.
But Yan knew the truth.
The Red Dragon before him, Kalid, was one of the most savage, violent, and cruel beings in existence.
“I think I know what you are. Yeah? That’s why I’m really annoyed right now. I’m angry.”
Without realizing it, Yan hunched his shoulders.
He could almost feel the heat of Kalid’s anger radiating from him.
“But you could be a victim too, so… yeah. I’ve been learning lately that I should treat humans kindly.”
“So I’m giving you a chance.”
‘A dragon… treating humans kindly…?’
‘Where would he even learn something like that…?’
From beginning to end, Kalid’s words—especially the part about humans—made very little sense to Yan.
Still, he remained silent.
He knew this was not the time to question it.
“So hurry up and tell me. If you say it yourself, I won’t kill you.”
Kalid’s orange eyes rolled toward Yan.
Yan stared blankly at him before letting out a long sigh and repeating exactly what he had told Heros earlier.
“I cannot speak.”
“What?”
“…I cannot.”
Kalid hummed softly and tilted his head.
After blinking slowly for a moment, he let out a faint chuckle.
“So it’s a prohibition spell. Well, then it can’t be helped.”
Fortunately, Kalid did not seem displeased.
He even hummed to himself as he stood up.
Then he placed his hand on top of Yan’s head.
Kalid carefully examined every spell placed upon him.
Up until that moment, an innocent smile remained on his face.
But that smile disappeared in an instant.
“Huh?”
Grinding his teeth, Kalid muttered,
“Looking at this, I’m even more certain now. That crazy bastard…”
Crack—!
Crash!
The sound of something shattering echoed through the room.
At that moment, Yan felt his mind become perfectly clear.
It was as though he had spent his entire life blind, only to see the world for the very first time.
Blankly staring into space, he gathered his thoughts.
His head no longer hurt.
He was no longer suffering.
“You.”
However, Kalid had no intention of waiting for Yan to enjoy the relief.
“Ghk!”
Grabbing Yan by the collar and lifting him into the air, Kalid growled,
“Did you transplant Gold’s body?”
After searching through Yan’s mind and everything contained within it, Kalid was certain.
Yan was a mutant chimera created by transplanting a dragon’s body.
That was exactly what he was.
***
Count Imperial sat across from Heros, glancing at him repeatedly while looking thoroughly intimidated.
Well, of course, showing up here without any prior notice had been his fault.
He knew it was discourteous.
But what could he do when it was urgent?
Besides, in the past, he had always been received immediately whenever he came like this.
And hadn’t Heros also visited the Imperial estate in the same manner?
He thought it was a little unfair, but the Count remained silent.
Teppy, sitting beside him, had also become much more perceptive than before.
Now a teenager, Teppy had grown much taller than he had been during his days at the academy.
His arms and legs had lengthened, and fortunately, he had not taken after the Count, giving him a clean and handsome appearance.
Teppy casually picked up the teacup before him and took a sip.
Then he flinched.
‘Whoa, that’s hot.’
Even so, he did not spit it out.
Not simply because of manners.
But because it would be a waste.
‘Why would anyone throw away food?’
‘Eating is the best.’
Ever since attending the academy, that had become Teppy’s motto in life.
***
In any case, he had become a child who devoted himself wholeheartedly to eating.
So he gulped down the hot tea.
“…So.”
Heros slowly opened his mouth.
His sharp gaze settled upon the Count.
“What is it?”
The Count took a deep breath.
Then he straightened his back and answered in a low voice.
“W-Well… we’ve received reports that the tribes are making unusual movements along the western frontier.”
He hurriedly added,
“We sent a reconnaissance unit there, but we’ve lost contact with them. I believe we should investigate…”
Heros frowned.
Without hiding his displeasure, he looked at the Count.
“Strange incidents occur in that region quite often, so it doesn’t seem particularly urgent.”
Tap.
Tap.
As he lightly tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers, Heros lifted his chin.
Then he looked down at the Count with an indifferent gaze that seemed almost to betray him.
“Speak.”
“What is the real reason?”
“…Uh.”
‘Damn. He saw right through me.’
The Count averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head.
“Well… um. Lady Daphne’s fourteenth birthday is approaching, isn’t it?”
“So?”
Heros shot back sharply.
Even so, this was no time to retreat.
The Count spoke carefully.
“When that time comes, she’ll enter high society, meet other young nobles, then perhaps become engaged, and eventually marry…”
Heros’ expression grew darker and darker, but the Count continued anyway.
“What do you think of my son?”
Then he grinned.
“As Lady Daphne’s future husband.”
Crash!
The teacup in Heros’ hand shattered into pieces.
The truly remarkable thing was that Teppy—who had been sitting beside the Count and who, until that very moment, had believed that drinking tea was the single most important thing in the world—also dropped his teacup
