Chapter 54
“What did you say?”
Her chest ached from the betrayal of someone she had trusted, but even so, Shanelika had to find a way to survive. Yet no clever method came to mind for escaping from Stern.
So Shanelika decided to choose the truth. If Stern really had the ability to distinguish truth from lies, then perhaps he would believe her.
Calming her emotions, she spoke as evenly as she could.
“I can’t—transform into my true form. So let me go.”
Just as Derwin had said, Stern was strong enough to lead an order of knights. If he set his mind to it, there was no way to win. Dragon or not, Shanelika was just a hatchling who couldn’t even use magic or assume her true form.
“Why not?”
Stern’s frenzied gaze pierced her, then gradually froze cold. It was the look of someone unwilling to believe the truth in her words.
“Because I can’t.”
“I said—why not?”
“Because I’m still young.”
“Young?”
“I’m just a young dragon who can’t even use magic on my own.”
She deliberately avoided the lofty word “hatchling.” All she could do was hope her truth reached him.
“So let me go. If you return me, I promise. Once I’m able to take my true form, I’ll show you then.”
Since lies might be detected, she spoke with all sincerity, with genuine resolve. Once she became an adult dragon and could freely polymorph, she could show him somehow. It didn’t have to be now. Even if it was just before his death, it would be enough.
“No, I can’t do that.”
But Stern rejected her earnest eyes without hesitation.
“I want to see it now. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”
In that moment, what shone in Stern’s eyes—was it greed?
“You said you can tell truth from lies, didn’t you?”
“Yes, and I see no lies in your eyes. But even if you mean it now, who knows how you’ll change later? Dragons in particular are arrogant, as though they were gods. They change their minds as easily as flipping a hand.”
“I think it’d be better to trust my future self. You know I truly can’t do it now.”
“Too late. I’ve brought you here already. Don’t worry. If you can’t, I’ll make you.”
Stern smiled. Outwardly it looked no different from usual, but Shanelika felt only terror.
I have to run.
It was instinct. She didn’t know what he would do, but she knew it would be nothing ordinary.
Tap-tap-tap!
She sprang to her feet and dashed right. Having lived so long in a lair, she could tell where fresh air was flowing in even without light. For the first time since she had taken human form, she pushed herself so hard her veins felt as if they might burst.
I have to get away from him!
Thud!
“Ahh!”
How long had she run? Just as her breathing grew ragged, a sharp pain struck her right calf. At first just a sting, it soon became heat, then burning, then unbearable agony.
There was no time to check what was lodged in her leg. She had to keep running, pain or no pain. Instinct screamed at her to escape.
But it didn’t last. Though she thought she could run farther, her right leg soon gave out under searing pain.
No. I have to go farther!
Her mind had already fled outside the cave, but her wounded leg had no such will. Gritting her teeth, she dragged it along with all her strength on her left.
Thump!
But unbalanced, her body crashed to the ground. Her knees flared with pain. Even so, she began to crawl across the rough stone floor, clinging only to the will to escape.
“I can’t watch this.”
As if battling only herself, Shanelika crawled desperately. Stern calmly walked over and blocked her path. Squatting down, he looked at her struggling form.
“Shame. I was curious how far you’d get with a knife in your leg. But at this rate you’re slower than a crawling worm—I’d catch you no matter how slowly I walked.”
He looked delighted.
Shanelika couldn’t understand. Even if the Stern she once knew was gone, how could anyone be so cruel?
“What… do you want?”
She glared up and asked. But Stern only smiled pleasantly.
“My dear, cute Shanel. Didn’t you hear me? I’ve been saying it again and again—your true form.”
“And why do you want to see it so badly?!”
“Can’t you just accept that I want to see it? If I told you everything, you’d be far too afraid.”
“Tell me!”
“Oh, sharp little Shanel. I don’t mind that side of you.”
His thick fingers toyed with her chin. She slapped his hand away with a glare fierce enough to bite.
“Tell me!”
“Even your rude tone is cute. Why not growl at me some more?”
Her fear only sharpened her voice, but Stern prodded her on, amused. Then he tapped the knife embedded in her calf.
“Ugh!”
Shanelika clenched her teeth, swallowing the scream. Hot. She could feel it without looking—the hot liquid flowing from her leg was her own human blood.
“It hurts, doesn’t it? Why try to leave? I went to the trouble of bringing you here. Isn’t this the perfect place for a true form?”
So this is what a madman is.
Every thought of his led back to her true form. Her fear froze the blood in her veins.
“Do you feel anything? The resentment, the sorrow of your kind?”
“…What?”
“This place. It’s special.”
Stern stood, circling her prone body.
“This is my family’s secret place, passed down for centuries. Many things have been done here. What was it again…”
He nodded to himself, muttering.
“First, catch dragons who enter the human world, force them into their true forms. Then strike them down. Don’t kill them—keep them alive but unable to move. Then dissect them, piece by piece.”
His amber eyes glowed with bliss as he imagined it.
“Dragons are treasures without waste. Their scales make armor. Their flesh, crushed and fed to horses, breeds fine steeds. Their blood and organs brew excellent medicines. Above all, their three dragon hearts are called the cure-all—reviving even the dying, worth any price. Once everything is stripped away, their bones remain, perfect for forging powerful weapons.”
His voice trembled with excitement.
“Just one dragon means owning the whole world—wealth, health, honor! Nothing left to envy! Ha-ha!”
Laughing at nothing, Stern suddenly bent down and embraced Shanelika’s small head. She shrieked and struggled.
“What are you doing! Let me go!”
“Shanel, you are my most precious treasure.”
His hand stroked her hair tenderly despite her thrashing. It sickened her. She wanted to cut that hand off.
“Have you heard of dragon slayers?”
Ignoring her struggle, Stern went on.
“My family is that line of dragon slayers. Whenever dragons appeared, we lured them into their true forms and used them well for generations.
But after the last dragon was caught two hundred years ago, none appeared again. Our wealth dwindled. My father, raised as a spoiled heir, knew only how to spend money, not earn it. He just stared at the sky waiting for a dragon to fall. In the end he gambled away everything.”
“Let go! I said let go!”
“So I grew up poor. Watching my foolish father, I vowed—I’d rise high, where transformed dragons walk among humans. I trained in martial arts from childhood, studied every book on dragons my ancestors left. I survived countless battlefields, clawed my way up. And finally, I met you. No, before you—I met him first.”
Shanelika didn’t care for his history. But at that one word—him—her strength drained.
He must mean Lord.
Of course Stern knew Derwin was a dragon. He also knew she thought Lord was Derwin.
“Heh. Why not struggle harder? Or is it painful? Or maybe—are you happy, hearing of him?”
“…He came here too?”
“Sadly, you’re the first dragon I brought here. I knew long ago that he was a dragon, but he wasn’t possible. Like you said—because he’s a Lord.”
“How did you know he’s a Lord?”
“Well. How did I?”
Stern smiled meaningfully. In that moment Shanelika recalled the note she’d read yesterday:
‘No matter what happens, pretend to know nothing.’
Lord had pretended ignorance, denying their bond, denying their being dragons. He had truly acted like he didn’t know. And then a dreadful thought struck her.
“Does Lord… know you’re a dragon slayer?”
At her trembling voice, Stern studied her eyes. Then he grinned. Perhaps things would go easier than he thought.
“Shanel. Ever heard of a win-win strategy?”
He said slyly.
“Maybe he and I aren’t on good terms. But how did I know he was a Lord? Simple. He told me. Now why would he say that to me?”
“……”
“Because he knew I was a dragon slayer. I thought he would kill me. But instead he offered a deal. He said sometimes dragons come looking for him. Wouldn’t it be better if I disposed of them? He promised not to interfere.”
“……”
“So I became the one to remove nuisances. That’s all I wanted.”
Shanelika’s mind went blank. The puzzle pieces clicked.
Derwin knew Stern was a dragon slayer, yet told her nothing. He let her go with the dangerous man.
If he hadn’t known, it could be excused. But knowing—and doing nothing—was unforgivable. Lord had allowed a hatchling to be endangered.
Even if she had insisted on going, he shouldn’t have let her. If he was Lord, he should have stopped her, or at least revealed the truth of who he was. If he was truly Lord, and her fated partner.
How… how could he? Was I nothing but a nuisance? So much so he wanted me gone—by human hands?
From deep within her, a formless emotion crept upward. Not just hurt, but betrayal.
Everything else blurred. Losing blood, her mind fogged. She couldn’t see the time spent with Derwin, nor the flaws in Stern’s words. Her thoughts clung only to this: Derwin knew, and left me anyway.
“So he won’t come. Now, shall we begin the true form?”
Stern smiled with satisfaction.
