Chapter 26 : The Lawsuit (1)

“───So, seriously, what is your deal, Lady Olivia?”

“? What kind of bullsh*t are you spouting now?”

Like a kid snuggling a plush toy in their sleep, Dante leaned comfortably against Olivia’s chest, speaking in a lazy tone.

“I mean, that blue lizard started trembling the moment he saw your face and called you ‘Lord’. What’s a ‘Lord’, anyway?”

“Ah, that.”

She replied while absentmindedly playing with his cheek.

“Simply put, it’s a title used for the dragon that leads a clan. If it’s the Red Dragon Clan, it’s the Red Dragon Lord. If it’s the Blue Dragon Clan, then Blue Dragon Lord. That kind of thing.”

“Aha, so basically… you’re the boss?”

“Aw, listen to my baby’s vocabulary. So clever.”

…Why the hell am I your baby?

With a tone filled with pride, Olivia rubbed her cheek against the back of his neck.

“Then that would make you the Black Dragon Lord?”

“Damn right. I’m the top dog.”

“But… is it really okay for a Lord to just be out here alone in the human world? Shouldn’t a Lord be leading and protecting their clan or something?”

“I didn’t raise my clan to be weak.”

“Bullsh*t must be in season.”

This… this is the one representing an entire dragon clan?

Condolences to the Black Dragon Clan. Looks like they’ve got a dysfunctional family too.

As Dante shot her a cold glare, Olivia turned her head and whistled. A perfect, clean note.

Wait, what the hell? She’s good at whistling too? I thought she only knew how to beat people up. Freakin’ talented…

“…So, you know that blue lizard? He said your name like he’d met you before.”

“Heeeeh? Wait a sec. Are you jealous? Because I dared to say another man’s name~?”

With a sly grin, Olivia narrowed her crimson eyes halfway.

Dante scowled.

“A dragon talking nonsense like a cow chewing cud. Cut the crap and just answer the question. I’m asking because I’m curious about that blue lizard.”

“You’re not curious about me, but about Bacalion…? Dante… you little sh*t, don’t tell me──”

“…S-Stop right there!! If you say one more word, I’ll bite my tongue and die right here!!!”

Whatever misunderstanding she had, Olivia pulled a face, sticking out her tongue dramatically. Watching her antics, Dante screamed internally and yanked at his own hair.

“F*cking hell… I thought I was safe because he’s a guy…! Damn it, Bacalion, you really stabbed me in the back, you cunning bastard…!!!”

“That’s not itttttt!!!! It’s not like that, okay!!!!!! Why are you jumping to conclusions all by yourself!!? I can guess what you’re assuming and I hate it too!!!”

With tears brimming in his eyes, Dante wailed and lost it.

“Whew, well, I mean… they say love takes many forms in this world. As your gracious master, I shall respe—nah, f*ck that. Stay right here, Dante.”

“I said it’s not like that, damn it!!!?? If you really respect me, listen to me, you insane lizard b*tch!!!”

With a savage growl, Olivia cracked her knuckles.

“That sly fox—that water b*tch? Whatever. I’m gonna go rip him apart. I’ll bring back the rest of her horns.”

“YOU F*CKING PSYCHO!!! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!!? You totally are!! Just admit it!! Please!!”

And the most terrifying part? Olivia was dead serious.

It took Dante nearly a full hour of screaming in anguish to list 100 reasons why he wasn’t gay before Olivia finally dropped the misunderstanding.

She was overjoyed to know her “defense perimeter” had shrunk again.

***

“That bastard’s name is Bacalion. As you saw, he’s a member of the Blue Dragon clan—firstborn of the Blue Dragon Lord.”
“He’s been a rising star in dragon society since his hatchling days. I bet he’s pretty popular.”

“Really!? But he looked like absolute sh*t… All bulky, rough around the edges, and that sharp snout? He looked like a damn swordfish.”

“Pft—swordfish?! Damn, Dante, your analogies are f*cking wild!”

Olivia burst into laughter while Dante continued, watching her reaction closely.

“I don’t know what counts as attractive for dragons, but from where I’m standing, I’d say you’re at least… three hundred thousand times more popular than Bacalion.”

“Hmph. And what makes you say that?”

“Well, you’re beautiful, for starters. Even in your true form, you’ve got that refined look.”

Dante spoke nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

…Though, now that I think about it, she probably doesn’t even know what she looks like in that form. There aren’t any full-body mirrors for dragons lying around.

Olivia, clearly not used to these kinds of comments, made a sour face.

“…What’s this all of a sudden? I don’t need any cheap flattery, thanks.”

“It’s not flattery. I’m serious. You know me—if something’s pretty, I say it’s pretty. I’m not the kind of guy who says ugly for the hell of it. I’m not that twisted.”

“……”

Well, everything except her personality is fine.
Seriously, her personality could make a demon cry. I’ve never met someone—no, some dragon—so warped from head to toe.
That whole ‘beauty grows on you’ thing? Yeah, bullsh*t. ‘You grow to hate them less’ feels more accurate.*

Chuckling at the thought, Dante launched into a monologue on why he thought Olivia was beautiful, listing one reason after another.

Around the twentieth reason, he suddenly paused.

Olivia’s expression had grown increasingly strange, and now she had lowered her head, lips pressed tightly together.

Huh? What’s with her all of a sudden? Did she eat something weird?

Peering more closely, he noticed the blush creeping across her cheeks through her hair.

“Are you okay? Your face looks kinda red.”

“You… seriously…! Haa…”

Olivia covered her eyes with one hand and shook her head in disbelief.

“I’ll give you three seconds. If you’re not out of my sight by the time I open my eyes, you’re f*cking dead. Go.”

“What kind of bullsh*t eviction order—”

“GO!!!”

And with that, she slammed the verbal door in his face.

Why the hell does she treat me like this? F*ck.

—Thunk.

Right after Dante stepped out and closed the door behind him, Olivia slowly lifted her head.

“Ah, f*ck…”

Her face and ears were burning crimson. She touched her chin gently, murmuring to herself.

“D*mn stiff-skulled bastard… coming in that hard out of nowhere…”

Olivia’s dragon heart was racing uncontrollably.

Could she hold the line?

***

Dante’s Room.

“Lady Yeonhwa… Lady Yeonhwa.”

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Dante placed a hand over his chest and whispered softly.

[───]

A few moments later, Yeonhwa’s gentle, serene voice echoed inside his mind.

[Yes, Dante. You called?]

Something about her calm tone made his heart feel lighter, and a small smile spread across his lips.

-Lady Yeonhwa, you won’t believe what just happened. Lady Olivia, she—

He launched into a rant, explaining the injustices he had just endured.

-Isn’t it messed up? I mean, okay, I’m technically a s*ave, but that doesn’t mean I deserve to be told to f*ck off to my face! All I did was give her a compliment! That’s it!!

[Hmm… The Black Dragon… I think I understand your frustration. Perhaps she lacks emotional intelligence more than I thought… despite appearances…]

-Huh? What was that?

[Ah, nothing. Please, go on.]

-And then she said this, and after that, she…—

Dante’s Olivia venting session lasted well into the night.

***

The Next Morning.

A letter arrived at the Demon King’s castle.

Addressed to none other than Olivia.

Dante handed it to her, eyebrows furrowed.

“Weird. Didn’t think Lady Olivia had any friends.”

“Alright, so you’re just straight-up asking for a fight today, huh?”

“Hey, I only speak facts. If it stings, maybe you should just die.”

“F*ck, can’t even deny it. My dragon life is a goddamn tragedy.”

“It’s fine. I don’t have any friends either.”

“Of course you don’t. If you did, I’d have killed them by now.”

“…That’s a joke, right?”

“…Does it sound like one?”

As always, the two exchanged pleasantries in their own unique way.

Olivia tore open the envelope with a scoff.

“Alright, let’s see what this is ab—what the f*ck?”
“What the hell…? Is this for real?”

As the contents sank in, both of them blurted out curses simultaneously and turned to stare at each other, faces pale with disbelief.

Huh…?

[Lawsuit]

Plaintiff: The Entire Blue Dragon Clan
Defendant: Black Dragon Lord Olivia

-Nature of the Crime-
Assault and Battery

Trial Start Date: Dragon Calendar Year 467, 27th Day, Hour of the Rat (Midnight)
Trial Location: Lair of the Ancient Dragon Lord