Chapter 44
“No, but isn’t it? Being weak is their own choice, so why should I protect the weak just because I’m strong?”
“…….”
Daphne stared blankly at Teiti.
Teiti’s words were also the thoughts that most non-human races had.
Humans are weak. They’re just numerous, but they’re using that to occupy the world. Worthless, insignificant things.
Daphne had thought that way a very long time ago too.
But now she knows that thought was wrong.
Daphne looked straight at Teiti and opened her mouth.
“Do you think you’ll be strong forever? Do you think you can live like this forever? Do you think you’ll never become weak?”
“…….”
“When it becomes natural for the strong to protect the weak, those who benefit will increase, and it won’t become harm. Even the blue pine doesn’t last forever; that’s the way of the world.”
Teiti’s golden pupils shook slightly. But that was momentary. Teiti turned her head away abruptly.
“Still, I won’t receive help from humans.”
“……You.”
Daphne gaped her mouth, then closed it soon after.
Anyway, these kinds of guys would spout nonsense a hundred times even if told a hundred times.
“No, forget it. I was talking to a stupid rock.”
“Goodness. Did you just call me a rock?!”
“Shut up.”
“Yep.”
It was a conversation that ended somewhat uncomfortably, but Teiti felt like she had somehow won against Daphne.
That’s strange. Normally, she would have hit her and shouted, ‘Fix that damn mindset properly!’
‘Maybe my way with words was good?!’
The proud Teiti vowed inwardly. When I go back to the mountain, I have to brag. The elf who beat a dragon!
“Now now, let’s camp here for today.”
At that time, the guardian leading the front pulled the reins and said.
The stopped place is a forest no different from yesterday.
But it wasn’t a place where fresh energy or signs of life were felt like yesterday.
Rather, it feels like a desolate and damp swamp.
“This place is also where the black dragon caused an earthquake in the past.”
No wonder!
Since it’s a place affected by that disaster’s power, it has to be like this!
People murmured and whispered among themselves.
“lady Daphne. Did you really cause an earthquake?”
“Would it be real?”
Daphne let out a scoff as if it was absurd. Then she got off the horse and slowly scanned the surroundings.
It’s a place she knows.
It’s also a place she visited a very long time ago, when memories are faint enough to be hard to recall.
A bitter smile formed on Daphne’s lips without her realizing it.
“It was just to save the village humans from a landslide. An earthquake happened in the process.”
“So did you save the humans?”
“If I had, it wouldn’t have been called a disaster.”
From the mountain top, soil and debris came rushing, and in the natural disaster where the ground split, Celus wanted to save the humans. She wanted to take them to safe ground somehow.
But the humans didn’t come out of their houses. Because more than the landslide, more than the earthquake, what they feared was the disaster itself, Celus.
Daphne slowly closed her eyes and then slowly opened them.
Then, the numerous humans who died on this land came to mind.
If I hadn’t been here at that time, could even one have survived? If I hadn’t been born as a disaster, could I have saved them?
Daphne clenched her fingers into a fist.
“Forget it. It’s already an old story.”
“Shall I pat you?”
“Get lost.”
Daphne swatted away Teiti’s hand and regained her senses.
Because there was too much to do to be lost in old matters here.
The guardian who spoke first opened his mouth again.
“Anyway, since that disaster might still remain, please be careful.”
At his words, the knights of the Pinch marquis family replied.
“But that evil black dragon died, didn’t it?”
“It must have been slain by Daphne lady’s father here!”
“Oooo!”
The knights of the marquis family turned to Daphne with proud expressions, and some even clapped.
“…….”
Since this body’s father killed me, should I celebrate that it turned out well?
Daphne frowned deeply.
“She didn’t die though. Right?”
Teiti, who knew nothing about Daphne’s current feelings, whispered.
Daphne felt a desire rising to hit Teiti first before the knight of the Finch marquis family who spoke. This one is really an elf begging to be beaten.
“Still, be careful. Even if dead, power often remains.”
No.
Power my ass, nothing remains.
To begin with, this is just a place she visited a very long time ago!
“So that’s why it became this uncomfortable swamp?”
“A disaster is a disaster.”
“The grand duke really did a great thing.”
It wasn’t me who did it, and this area was originally like this, so why is it my fault?
Daphne felt her neck stiffening and inhaled sharply.
“Oh!”
Rache, who had been secretly observing Daphne from behind, exclaimed in admiration.
Because it was immediately visible that Daphne’s mood had soured.
As expected!
She doesn’t want to stay in such a ominous place!
Now, what fault will she find? Food? Sleeping place? Medicine? Whatever!
If I watch a bit more, she’ll cause some accident, right?
Rache clasped his hands and prayed for Daphne’s rampage.
But…….
“She’s making that again. The simple bed.”
Kenrick, who had approached Rache at some point, said.
As he said, far from rampaging, Daphne was quickly making the simple bed she made yesterday again.
“Where on earth did she learn such things?!”
Rache shouted as if it was truly absurd. Kenrick looked at such Lache and smiled faintly.
“I said the same thing yesterday. Probably the harp will come out soon too.”
“……Strange. Really strange.”
Rache bit his thumbnail anxiously while looking at the harp Teiti took out.
What on earth?
Why is she like that? Why isn’t she causing an accident? What’s her scheme?
“Could it be…….”
With a flash of thought, Rache jerked his head up.
“Did His Grace know all this and deliberately send Daphne?!”
Kenrick crossed his arms and let out a low hum.
“There’s a possibility. The grand duke is meticulous in many ways.”
“Why? Why deliberately send Daphne?”
“Normally in such cases, there’s only one conclusion.”
“What?”
“To have a conversation with Daphne again.”
Rache’s face crumpled deeply, but Kenrick didn’t care at all.
“Since you left home because of Daphne, if you learn that Daphne has changed, he might think you can return home?”
“……That grand duke?”
Rache made a suspicious expression.
“He must have forgotten my existence.”
“Aren’t you too harsh on His Grace?”
“It’s not harsh, it’s fact. If I go, he’d ask ‘What’s your name?’ He asked how old I am more than 10 times a year. To begin with, he’s a person with no interest in anyone except the grand duchess!”
“He was a devoted husband.”
“It’s not something to wrap up with such a simple word! If he was just a devoted husband, I wouldn’t be this angry!”
If you stay with the grand duke for just a few days, you’d understand what I mean! Frustrating!
Rache, who had been biting his nails anxiously, gnashed his molars.
“I won’t move according to His Grace’s will.”
“Well…… do as you like.”
“Good. I’ve decided.”
Rache clenched his fist and shouted.
“Until the subjugation ends, I won’t say a single word to Daphne!”
Are you a kid?
Kenrick shook his head.
***
“Yawn.”
Daphne yawned, placed both hands behind her head, and looked up at the sky.
The night sky is packed with stars. It’s so full that the moon is hardly noticeable.
‘Stars…….’
Daphne, who had been blankly counting stars, suddenly recalled what Heros had said.
-Even if you join the subjugation party, you must not neglect training.
-Train for at least 3 hours a day.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t swung a sword once yesterday or today.
It was natural that there was no time to train since she was riding horses all day.
Also, riding horses all day with this weak body was somewhat strenuous, so she wanted to rest a bit at night.
But,
-If when you return, you haven’t improved from now or show a worse appearance, I’ll stop the teachings immediately.
She couldn’t lie around after hearing such words. Anyway, Daphne wanted to learn the grand duke’s swordsmanship to become strong.
Ugh, petty guy.
Daphne reluctantly got up. And grasped the bamboo sword from the luggage.
“…….”
Everyone is asleep.
Some seemed awake, but they appeared half asleep.
If I move here, they’ll all wake up.
Daphne carefully left the campsite to find a suitable place.
“No matter how I think, I really seem kind.”
Is there another dragon in the world who considers humans like this?
Daphne admired her own kindness and giggled.
It was right then.
“Damn! Why isn’t it here either!”
“Didn’t the leader say this way? Is the leader wrong?”
“The leader can’t be wrong!”
Unfamiliar voices were heard.
Who?
Is there a diligent human guy like me who
rejected sleep and came out to train?
If so, praise…….
“Hmm?”
“Uh?”
“Uh uh?”
……I shouldn’t.
“They’re black mages.”
Because the gathered ones were black mages.
“Were you guys originally something you could encounter this often……?”
Daphne became a bit puzzled.
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BY ANNA 💓
