Chapter 8
I looked down at my left hand, tightly wrapped in bandages.
“Why my blood?”
[The smell of your blood was so sweet. It was the first time in a while I’d smelled blood that felt like real blood.]
At the enraptured tone, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
“Are you, by any chance, a vampire or something?”
At that, Bled jumped in surprise.
[What kind of low-class nonsense is that?! I don’t do things like sucking blood! What I eat is…!]
“What you eat?”
Bled hesitated for a moment before changing the subject.
[…Dragons don’t need the kind of food humans think of. Anyway, I came here because I was drawn to your blood.]
“So, why?”
[I don’t even know myself, okay?]
“What do you know, then?”
At my sharp retort, Bled’s face quickly turned gloomy, his head drooping as he muttered.
[…Are you really human? If you were human, this shouldn’t be happening…]
“I’m human, obviously. Do I look like some kind of monster like you in your eyes?”
[What?! Monster?!]
From my human perspective, he was clearly a monster, but Bled seemed to take offense, getting visibly angry.
[Don’t lump me in with those low-class creatures! Once I become a holy dragon, I could wipe out you humans with a single breath! Watch your words!]
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Bled.
This guy was acting all high and mighty just because I’d called him cute. I can’t stand this kind of attitude.
“Funny. You’re threatening to wipe out humans once you become a holy dragon—what makes you any different from a monster? Try causing trouble for humans. If I even catch a hint of it, I’ll take you down first.”
[W-What…!]
“If you don’t want to be hunted by me, you’d better watch your own words. You heard what the Archduke said earlier, right? I’m a Swordmaster. The blood of thousands of monsters stains my hands.”
[Hic!]
Intimidated by my menacing aura, Bled curled his tail tightly and started watching me cautiously.
I sighed as I looked at him.
‘Ugh, what a headache.’
There was no mention of dragons anywhere in the original story. So why did this little dragon suddenly show up?
Moreover, the assassination attempt by the maid today had put me on high alert.
In the past, I wouldn’t have cared whether the Fourth Princess got slightly hurt or not and would’ve dodged the incoming fork.
But now, having awakened to my past life, whether it’s the spirit of Taekwondo or something else, I threw myself into danger without caring if I got hurt.
And what happened after that?
When the blood started flowing, I couldn’t focus on the assassin because of it, and in the end, I had to leave the finishing blow to Kaiden.
It was the first time since becoming a Swordmaster that I’d felt so weak.
‘I need to break away from the original story.’
That was the only thought in my mind.
[Um…]
The now-subdued dragon cautiously spoke to me, watching my expression.
“What?”
[Can I… stay by your side?]
“What? Why?”
When I asked, bewildered, Bled looked at me with pleading eyes.
[To be honest, I’m a bit sick, so I can’t grow properly. But for some reason, when I’m near you, I feel energized and my body feels lighter.]
“…You’re sick?”
I couldn’t help but ask in a sympathetic tone. Bled, quick to pick up on it, clasped his hands together and gave me an even more pitiful look.
[Yeah. Just let me stay by your side, and I’ll never forget this kindness.]
“…Hmm. How are you going to repay this kindness?”
When I asked in a skeptical tone, Bled’s polite expression faltered for a moment, but he managed to compose himself.
Even so, it was just a cute lizard face.
[You said you wanted to retire, didn’t you?]
“!”
[Even though I look like this, I’ve lived for over a hundred years and know a lot.]
How did he know?
I was puzzled, but then I remembered I’d mentioned wanting to retire earlier.
“Must be nice to know so much.”
At my sarcastic remark, Bled frowned again. Giving up on managing his expression, he spoke in an irritated tone.
[I’m saying I can be someone you can talk to about your worries. To retire as a Swordmaster, you need the Emperor’s permission, right?]
When I looked at him with surprised eyes, Bled grinned at me.
[So, how about it? Feel like talking with me now?]
* * *
The next day.
I was suppressing yawns while eating breakfast. As usual, I was with Kaiden and the royal siblings.
“Sir Marion, is your hand alright?”
Lucas, radiating a holy aura even in the morning, asked with concern.
“Yes, it’s fine.”
Then, a response came from the seat next to me.
“…Thank you for saving me, Sir Marion.”
I turned to see Serena looking at me shyly, her attitude quite different from before. It was probably because I’d saved her life right in front of her.
Honestly, it was unexpected. High-ranking people usually take it for granted that knights would save them.
But Serena went a step further.
“And… I’m sorry for being rude to you all this time. I apologize, Sir Marion.”
I looked at her with surprised eyes.
She had apologized to me directly.
A royal, no less!
This was a story worth boasting about for a lifetime.
My lips twitched, but I did my best to remain composed.
“…Thank you. Protecting the royal family is my duty as a Swordmaster, so please don’t worry about it.”
My knightly response softened the atmosphere at breakfast. Lucas spoke to me with a gentle expression.
“I truly don’t know how to repay this kindness. Is there anything you wish for?”
‘Oh, time for a big shot’s gift?’
If that’s the case, I’d better take it without hesitation.
“A gold ingot, oof!”
Bled, perched on my shoulder, mercilessly slapped my cheek and shouted loudly in my ear.
[Excessive greed is a no-go! Did you forget everything we talked about yesterday?]
At Bled’s nagging, I bit my lip mid-sentence.
‘How could you hit my cheek like that? And lower your voice. I thought my eardrums were going to burst!’
[I got too worked up and couldn’t help it.]
I continued the conversation with Bled in my head. He had some mysterious ability, as expected of a dragon.
He said that if I focused my thoughts with the intent to communicate, he could hear me.
Bled was amazed by it too. Apparently, this was something impossible for ordinary humans and only possible for higher beings, or so he said.
Was it because I’m a Swordmaster?
But when I looked at Kaiden, it seemed he couldn’t see or hear Bled at all.
[For your retirement, the first thing you need to do is change your image, like I’ve been saying until my ears hurt! And yet, you’re already acting greedy for gold?]
‘Alright, I get it!’
With a sulky expression, I recalled the conversation I’d had with Bled last night.
[…You got caught badmouthing someone and ruined their shop, shredded the dress of a noble lady who looked down on you to humiliate her, have gambling debts, and what? You half-destroyed a wing of the palace?]
“The gambling debts are really small… And the other things had their reasons… Wait, why are you bringing up my past actions?”
[If I don’t know what kind of person you are, how am I supposed to coach you? But this is just…]
Bled clutched his head and shook it.
[Your behavior is the definition of a delinquent. If I were the Emperor, I’d keep a ticking time bomb like you bound as a knight for safety’s sake.]
“…Is that so?”
[Listen up. You need to transform from a delinquent knight into an exemplary one.]
“An exemplary knight?”
[Yes. You need to revamp your image and show people you’ve changed.]
“Even if I do that, I doubt they’d let me retire.”
[Haven’t you ever heard that people change when they’re about to die?]
I was utterly shocked when I heard that. I hadn’t mentioned anything about my past life to Bled.
When I asked what he meant, he just snapped back, asking what nonsense I was talking about…
‘Must be because he’s a dragon. Pretty perceptive.’
I muttered to myself, glancing at Bled sitting on my shoulder.
He said that if I suddenly went from being a delinquent to an aloof, exemplary knight, people would take notice and wonder what was up with me.
Only after my reputation changed could I start talking about retirement—that was his idea.
I thought it was a valid point and agreed with him at the time.
But after sleeping on it, a huge problem hit me.
I didn’t have time.
The original story was set to begin in about a month. How could I wait for my reputation to improve?
With the mountain of bad deeds I’d accumulated, the road ahead seemed impossibly long.
“Sir Marion?”
I’d been silently biting my lip for a while, and Lucas prompted me again. I’d taken too long to respond.
I finally opened my mouth.
“…Something I wish for.”
“Yes. Please, speak freely.”
Lucas gave me a benevolent smile, so harmless and beautiful it was almost irritating.
‘Because of you, the protagonist of the original story, I might end up dead.’
I was annoyed. Since asking for a gold ingot would definitely make Bled scream at me, I blurted out whatever came to mind.
“Let me retire.”
“Marion.”
[What are you doing?!]
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By Anna 💓
