Chapter 135
“Time… there’s not enough time.”
I had succeeded in protecting the children and destroying the hourglass, but the problem was that using a spell I had never used before, and stacking it excessively, had suddenly drained my magic.
Elarion, already in his dragon form, was letting out a ferocious roar in the air as he exhaled flames.
“I have to go and subdue Elarion myself…”
I needed just ten minutes—or even five—to recover some magic.
But if I left that enraged dragon unchecked for even five minutes, the entire region of Snoud would be reduced to ashes.
“Should I have summoned just ten clones…?”
I almost felt a pang of regret.
“Don’t step in for now. I’ll handle him somehow.”
Nox must have sensed my condition, because he quickly approached me and draped an arm over my shoulder.
The cold, piercing aura in his eyes as he looked at Elarion was palpable.
“That bastard is not only your father’s enemy, but also my parents’ enemy.”
“But…”
“I’m not saying I’ll take down the dragon. My skills are laughably insufficient compared to yours. So recover your strength as quickly as possible and help your husband.”
He lightly pressed his lips to my forehead and smiled at me.
“You won’t last long.”
Nox drew his sword with a resolute expression and slowly walked toward Elarion.
Elarion, who had been spewing flames, noticed Nox, stopped moving, and turned his gaze toward him. In a gloomy voice, he muttered:
“Useless bravado only shortens one’s life. Well, starting with destroying one as an example wouldn’t be too bad, I suppose.”
“Which one of us ends up destroyed? We’ll see who that is, won’t we?”
“Better start by tearing that insolent mouth of yours!”
Elarion violently sliced through the air and lunged at Nox.
Nox sneered and was about to confidently raise his sword when—
“Y-you evil, wicked fiend!”
A blue dragon shot into the air from the ground, throwing itself directly at Elarion.
“D-do not torment our Creator!”
It was my cute and courageous companion dragon, Gari.
“And who are you?”
Elarion asked with a look of annoyance. Gari, trembling slightly but glaring at Elarion, responded firmly.
“I-I am the companion dragon of our Creator!”
“Ah, the byproduct of creation magic? The useless one you tossed into the dragon’s waters because it was of no use? So that’s you?”
“I am no mere byproduct! I am a proper, noble dragon, with a name given to me by the Creator!”
Elarion looked exasperated and, as if shaking off dust, swung his wings sharply.
Gari was swept away by the wind Elarion created and tumbled across the ground.
“G-Gari…!”
I shouted his name in alarm, but Gari sprang into the air again and relentlessly attacked Elarion.
Even when knocked down by a single gesture of Elarion, or thrown into the dirt by his overwhelming power, he continued his assault.
Seeing him persist despite the obvious danger made my heart ache, and a scream escaped me.
“Gari, please… stop!”
I desperately reached toward the sky to stop him, but Gari ignored me and kept charging at Elarion.
The determination was clear even in the set of his mouth.
Nox seized the brief opening and joined Gari, sending a full-powered sword strike toward Elarion.
The two dragons and the swordmaster became entangled in a chaotic battle.
“You pests, worse than a swarm of flies, are irritating me greatly!”
Elarion growled, blocking attacks from Gari and Nox.
Gari’s body quickly became covered in wounds of all sizes, and Nox rolled across the dirt several times, panting heavily.
“You will kneel before me anyway. Dragons possess immense power over humans, so you should worship me. The weak kneel beneath the strong! That is the natural order of the world!”
A rough, beast-like voice roared from Elarion’s throat.
When he closed and reopened his eyes, they glowed red with madness.
His massive body trembled. From tail to spine to neck, faint blue light leaked through his scales.
Instinctively, I realized he was preparing an extremely powerful attack.
“Both of you, dodge…!”
But neither Gari nor Nox showed any intention of evading Elarion’s attack.
Nox gripped his sword tightly with both hands, and Gari prepared to exhale flames, staring down Elarion head-on.
“Foolish…”
The moment Elarion slowly opened his mouth, I stopped hesitating and dashed forward, leaping into the air.
“That… is Balamir’s form?”
Elarion blinked in disbelief. Confusion and shock swirled in his eyes.
“Why is my older brother, who died twenty years ago, here…?”
A massive dragon covered in golden scales shone brilliantly under the sun.
Its crimson horns looked incredibly strong, its claws razor-sharp, and its huge wings stretched as if they could cover the sky.
The Dragon King who once ruled the Arcanis Kingdom. Exactly as Balamir had been in life.
“Elarion!”
When the golden dragon opened its mouth, Elarion convulsed violently and screamed.
“…Balamir! My brother, who should be rotting in hell, why are you appearing here?”
“I am not Balamir. I am his one and only daughter, Giana.”
The golden dragon shook its head, but Elarion ignored it and shouted at the dragon in rage.
“Responsibilities of a dragon! Duties! Nobility! I hated all of that! It was enough for my brother to do well! Why pile these tedious duties on me?”
The ghost of his brother clung to him relentlessly.
No matter how he shook it off, the relentless shadow of duty followed, forcing the dragon’s obligations upon him.
Alone, noble, compassionate, and just—all the good done alone!
“Why should I care about human affairs? If they don’t obey, I can just throw them in the mud and stomp them. They’ll learn on their own! So why!”
Elarion screamed in anguish and spewed his breath recklessly.
Yet his flames were struck directly by the pure breath of Giana, Balamir’s worthy successor, and dissipated.
Elarion roared in fury several more times, but the result was the same.
“How much did I struggle to escape my brother! Even here, created by my own hands, you still chase me down and seize my ankles?”
Consumed by fear and rage, Elarion shot into the sky with a piercing scream. Giana followed closely behind.
The two dragons circled each other, climbing higher and higher.
“This is my kingdom, my world! I will never hand it over to my brother!”
“You will not have your way!”
“Uaaah! Kraaah!”
Elarion’s roar tore through the sky as he folded his wings and dove at Giana’s back.
Giana twisted in midair, evading the attack.
At the same time, she struck Elarion’s wing with her tail, causing him to falter briefly in midair.
On the ground, everyone and a single dragon stared up in awe at the dazzling display above.
“Wow… I never realized the Creator could be such a magnificent dragon…”
Gari watched Giana’s every move with complete admiration.
Duke Lupellen chimed in proudly:
“The future Grand Duchess and the one who will be my wife.”
“Hmph, don’t be so proud! I was the first to bond with the Creator as a companion!”
“True. Our Gari has worked hard for Giana.”
The Duke chuckled and patted Gari’s head. Gari jumped in surprise, almost fainting.
“W-Why all of a sudden? You’re calling me Gari instead of the usual ‘dragon brat…’”
“If we bickered here, Giana up there wouldn’t be able to fight freely.”
The dirt-covered Duke laughed and scooped Gari into his arms, sitting back down and resting her on his lap.
Above, two dragons waged a fierce battle.
Flames erupted in all directions, painting the sky in brilliant colors. The overwhelming force surrounding them made it impossible for anyone on the ground to approach.
Nox slowly reached toward the sky and smiled.
“So, let’s sit quietly here and pray for Giana’s victory.”
