Chapter 20 : On the brink (7)

The dusky window.

The pitch-black bedroom of the Black Dragon, with all the lights turned off.

Tick, tock.
Only the regular ticking of the clock and the soft crackle of the small animal-oil lamp echoed through the quiet room.

“……Haa…”

Dante, clinging tightly to Olivia’s chest like a stuffed doll, had his cheek pressed stiffly against her arm.
Eventually, he let out a deep sigh.

“What is it? Why are you suddenly sighing like that?”

“I don’t know. It just… came out on its own.”

“Don’t sigh. You’ll scare off your luck, Dante.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes as she wrapped one arm tightly around his waist.

The strands of jet-black hair scattered over her nape looked beautiful.

“And stop tensing up. Relax already. I’m not gonna eat you, dumb*ss.”

At least not today.

Poke.
She nudged Dante’s thigh with the tip of her tail and spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“How the f*ck am I supposed to believe that?”

“What are you gonna do if you don’t?”

“What else? Guess I’ll have to start a new life in a dragon’s stomach.”

“Are you stupid?! That’s not what I meant by ‘eat you’!”

“Then what did you mean?!”

“……It just has a meaning. Okay?”

Still, maybe because he had finally relaxed a little, Dante half-closed his eyes like a sleepy cat and slowly smiled.

That faint, sweet scent.

Olivia’s embrace was warm—so much so that you wouldn’t think she was from a race known to be cold and ruthless.

Honestly, ever since his parents died, the idea of being held by someone else felt unimaginable.
And yet now, here he was, being hugged by a dragon.
Maybe this really was life’s twist of fate.

He stared blankly at her red eyes, glowing like jewels in the darkness.
After a long moment, Dante gently reached out and caressed Olivia’s cheek.

Two distinct red scars were etched clearly on her right cheek.

Looking closely, they seemed to have been caused by something sharp—like claws.

“Hey, Olivia.”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while. How did you get that scar?”

“Oh, this?”

Olivia wrapped her hand around his, still resting on her cheek, and smirked cynically.

“What do I get in return?”

This little sh*t.

“……I’ll brush your hair later.”

“Deal.”

But it’s always the thirsty who dig the well first.

“Let’s see… Back when I was a little hatchling around 200 years old, I once wandered out of the lair without knowing any better.”

“As expected of Olivia! A born troublemaker since the beginning of her life…!”

“Shut it! Be quiet and listen to the rest.”

Olivia brought her forehead to Dante’s and began.

“Unfortunately, that happened to be during a territorial war between the Black Dragons and the Blue Dragons.”

“Black lizard versus blue lizard… What an epic battle– mmph.”

She covered his mouth with her palm and continued.

“For adult dragons, protecting young hatchlings was supposed to be a duty.
But that was a time of war when reducing each other’s numbers took priority.
Bad luck struck, and I ended up face-to-face with a Blue Dragon scout near my lair.”

“!”

‘A young Black Dragon who hasn’t even had their coming-of-age yet…
Kid, I have no personal grudge, but… you’ll have to die.’

“Pfft! So what happened next? Did a mysterious stranger show up like fate and save you?!”

That’s usually how these stories go, right?

Dante, eyes sparkling, removed her hand and asked excitedly.

He was at that age where hero and warrior stories still fascinated him.

“Nope.”

“Then did you manage to fool the Blue Dragon with agile movements and clever tricks and escape?
And that scar came from back then?”

“…Nope.
Also, have you been reading too many fantasy novels?”

Trying to calm him down, Olivia patted his back.

“I beat the sh*t out of him.”

“………What?”

“I said, I beat the sh*t out of him. Just straight up–”

‘F*ck off, a**hole.’

BAM!!!

‘W-What the…!? Kugh!!
What power… from a child who hasn’t even come of age yet…!’

‘Dragon life is about real combat, dumb*ss!!’

“The scar came from getting slightly scratched by his claws.
I could’ve healed it, but when I looked in the mirror, I thought,
‘Damn, I look f*cking badass!’
So I left it.”

“……….Give me back my childhood.”

“You never had one, you little sh*t.”

To think she beat up a grown dragon as a hatchling…
Olivia, just what are you…

She finished the story with a chuckle.

“In the end, the Black Dragons won the war.
The Blue Dragons, forced out of the land, had no choice but to move underwater.
That’s why humans associate them with the sea now.”

“So the Blue Dragons were originally land lizards, not water ones?”

“Pretty much.”

This guy still insists on calling dragons ‘lizards’…
Seriously, what a ridiculous bastard.

“[──What?! You dare attack the Achaia Empire under my protection!!]”

RUMBLEEEEE──!!

The earth shook like an earthquake as the furious roar echoed out.

Deep under the sea.

In a cave of stalactites.

Receiving a report from his envoy stationed in the empire,
a massive being slammed his tail into the ground in uncontrollable rage.

Shimmering blue scales vibrated with the impact.

“[That f*cking Black Dragon b*tch…!!
Not only did they drive us into the ocean, now they’re even trying to steal what’s ours…!
Unforgivable!!]”

Emerald eyes narrowed, revealing sharp fangs.

Scales like armor covered its entire body.

Webbed feet on four limbs.

Thick membranes stretched across its wings.

“[I, Bacalion, eldest son of the Blue Dragon Lord, will never forgive this!!!]”

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE──!!!

The massive Blue Dragon roared, unleashing his wrath.

Later, Bakalion would lament to his subordinate, “[You idiot! Why didn’t you tell me her name?! All you said was ‘Black Dragon’!]” And he wept bitter tears.

Bacalion wept bitterly.

(Image: Dante brushing Olivia’s hair.)