Chapter: 04
Pop, pop, pop.
The short little legs made the wooden floor creak with every eager step.
Lulu, who had been walking toward her target, let out a spirited shout and kicked out with her right leg.
“Pyak!”
This was the so-called “Revenge of the Short Legs.”
Last night, Lulu had been deeply inspired when her big sister said she was going to imprison the duke. From that moment, Lulu had set a single goal:
“I’m going to get strong!”
Strong enough to protect her “Oongni” (big sister), and instead of traveling the world, she’d go around beating up people like the knight, so no one would dare mess with Lulu and her sister.
It had been one day since they locked up Duke Velix.
He still hadn’t woken up, but Lulu—who had opened her eyes early—declared an emergency from today and began her training.
With her nimble short-legged martial arts, Lulu toppled a pillow, her quick eyes already scanning for her next target.
“That one! Pyak—!”
Her tiny foot sank into the soft white fabric.
It was a fierce enough attack for her age, but Lulu was still too young to tear or burst the pillow.
Well, for now, she’d have to be satisfied with leaving wrinkle marks on it.
“I’m gonna protect Oongni. The fairy tale I picked is The Princess and the Baby Dragon!”
Just then—
As she hurried to target the next pillow, her legs moved too quickly, and she tumbled over with a thud.
“…Oops. No one saw that, right?”
Lulu, covering her reddened forehead with her palm, was just about to get up when—
Something on the floor caught the light.
“…?”
It was a pair of luxurious leather shoes.
Even though they were matte, their smooth gleam made her momentarily mistake them for jewels.
Her gaze traveled up the long pants to the chair, where a huge man sat.
The sleeping Duke Velix.
…Oh no, Lulu was so into training, she wandered right into the final boss’s lair.
Gulping, Lulu began to quietly scoot backward on her bottom.
It was probably best to leave.
She was about to finally stand up when—
“…Don’t go.”
Flinch.
“Please… don’t. Lian.”
The knight’s low voice was desperate.
…Is the knight having a nightmare?
If her sister found out she was here, Lulu would definitely be scolded.
But the voice, as if it were holding her back, made her look at the duke again.
His brow was furrowed in such deep pain that it made even the onlooker feel solemn.
“Lian, Lian… please….”
He was clinging to that name.
“…Knight, who’s Lian?”
She asked quietly, looking up at him, but of course there was no answer.
Strange.
The knight was a scary person… yet even someone like that could wear such a sad expression and desperately call for someone.
Just like she had a year ago, when she wandered in search of her mom and dad.
“But sorry, Knight. Lulu’s on Oongni’s side….”
She was curious about who Lian was, but she couldn’t just wake the knight.
And besides, the knight didn’t like her. If Lulu was around, maybe it would only make him sadder.
Pretending not to hear, Lulu covered her ears and rose on tiptoe to grab the doorknob.
Or rather—she had just grabbed it when—
—Don’t go, little dragon.
A desperate voice came from behind her.
It was soft and gentle, unlike the sharp, low tone of the knight.
Lulu whipped her head around to scan the room, but as expected, there was no one else in the storage room but the knight.
Yet—
—Yes, I mean you.
Someone was here. Something invisible!
“Wh-Who’s there?!”
She was scared, but Lulu was a righteous dragon!
She raised the small fist that had just knocked down a pillow.
“Whoever you are, if you’re someone who bullies my sister or me, I won’t forgive you!”
It had only been a day since she started, but she’d already completed excellent training against pillows.
And if all else failed—she’d just call Oongni!
—I’m right here, young dragon.
Still trembling and bristling, Lulu realized the sound was coming from the knight’s cloak.
“Lulu’s not an easy dragon to mess with!”
—Indeed. For you are a young hero.
Hero…?
That didn’t really go with “dragon.”
…Wait, Lulu’s a hero?
“Why am I a hero?”
Trying to hide the pleased twitch at her lips, Lulu turned her head.
The source of the voice was the knight’s cloak—
More precisely, the red jewel ornament attached to it.
—Now that I call you a hero, you finally look at me. Do you enjoy fairy tales?
“J-Jewel? The jewel’s talking?”
Gasp.
First the knight from a fairy tale appeared, and now a talking jewel.
Could this be… inside a storybook?
Her mouth fell open in a triangle shape from shock.
The dragon-shaped jewel seemed pleased with her reaction, its mouth curling in satisfaction.
—Would you mind speaking with me for a moment?
Lulu, who had been about to leave, found herself standing in front of the knight again after only a few steps.
For the record, dragons were suckers for jewels.
She wiped the drool from her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Mm-hm. Of course!”
* * *
Emergency! Emergency!
Lulu yanked the jewel off the cloak and dashed straight to her room.
At first, she thought of telling her sister—
But Oongni hides fairy tales from Lulu. So if she finds a talking jewel, she might think it’s dangerous and eat it.
Conclusion: For now, this jewel was a top-secret matter.
“Talking jewel, you okay?”
Exhibiting meticulousness, Lulu even locked her door. As soon as she entered, she switched on the lamp with its magic stone and plopped into her kiddie chair.
Opening her palm, red light leaked between her fingers.
The dragon-shaped jewel, thankfully, seemed intact.
—Young dragon, I’m fine. Aside from the mild displeasure of being wrapped in your sweat-soaked palm.
Oh. She’d been holding it too tightly in her nervousness.
Lulu quickly wiped her palm on her sleeve.
“Thorry!”
—Your consideration is appreciated.
He was a jewel that spoke his mind, but politely—seemingly a kind jewel.
But why could a jewel talk?
Could it be… because Lulu was a hero?!
Her bottom wriggled with all the questions she wanted to ask.
She started with the most pressing one.
“Jewel, why did you call me?”
—First, could you free me from this slick and sticky palm?
“Ah, okay.”
Would a warm handkerchief work?
Lulu rummaged through a drawer.
—For reference, I prefer being wrapped in the finest silk rather than a cold floor…
“Here it is. My absolute favorite handkerchief.”
—Oh, your cherished… snot-covered handkerchief, I see!
The dragon jewel’s mouth fell open, forcing a strained smile.
“Mm-hm. They say I have rhinitis. I dunno what that means, though.”
Regardless, Lulu smiled shyly.
For the first time in her four years of life, she was giving up something of her own.
Carefully avoiding the snotty part, the dragon jewel muttered reverently—
—…Oh, Lord! Please deliver this young, runny-nosed dragon from her plight!
“Please deliver me.”
After finishing their little prayer, they finally got to the real point.
—Anyway, young dragon, thank you for responding to me. The reason I called you is because I have a request.
“What kind of request?”
—Would you save a boy named Lian?
“…Lian?”
If she remembered right, that was the name the knight had murmured in his sleep earlier.
Lulu’s previously excited expression turned serious.
“What is it? Tell me everything!”
She felt like she might finally find out why the knight had been so sad.
* * *
Velix’s furrowed brow eased as his eyelids lifted.
“…?”
When he came to, he was in a dusty storage room.
A small rectangular window let in no sunlight.
It was probably built to store supplies, but there seemed to be nothing inside.
If not for the fact that it was fairly clean, the dust alone would have made him think he’d been abandoned somewhere deserted.
First, he needed to figure out where he was.
He was about to rise from the chair when—
“…?”
His body wouldn’t move, as if bound.
Only then did Velix realize he’d been tied up.
He let out a dry chuckle, remembering the faint voice he’d heard before losing consciousness—realizing it had belonged to the princess.
“…Well, life does throw some surprises. You imprison the one who came to rescue you?”
That was when the door opened.
“You’re awake?”
The princess he finally met was dressed more plainly than he’d imagined.
A dark navy dress a commoner might wear.
She carried a steaming bowl of soup and a spoon, perhaps meant for him.
Even her loosely tied hair bun had strands sticking out messily.
“…What exactly are you doing here?”
Velix, too baffled, skipped any greeting.
