While watching the collision of silver magical powers up in the sky, South recalled his lord’s words.
“—Regardless of its form, this is still our empire. If I were to be defeated, what I’m anxious about is Radea. If it’s true that the Dragon Princess has appeared, the sacred relic will manifest within the temple. Kratos may be waiting for the moment I disappear. I don’t know if it’s alright to entrust the sacred relic to the rumored Dragon Princess.”
He didn’t want her to take it for granted.
He confided to South about his reason for rebelling.
He rebelled because he was aware of it—
—that the current Rave royal family was false. Meanwhile, his ‘heavenly sword’ was something he had secretly procured from Kratos.
Still, in order to protect Rave Empire—be it as of the present, and in the future, Georg Theos Rave stood up. He was prepared to be accused of being an imposter.
To protect his homeland and his family.
Georg’s unwavering determination struck their hearts. Thus, they decided to obey him.
“You’re the true Rave royal family.”
While thinking so, South followed Georg.
“—If I lose, it’s the Dragon Emperor’s victory.”
South didn’t want to consider such an impossibility.
—for the day where he thought that the Dragon Emperor was the emperor the Rave Empire needed all along to come. For the day where he would want to protect said emperor to come—
—it should be impossible.
South wished for that day to never come.
To endure the shame, laugh at the traitor, and swear allegiance. The new Rave Empire had a homeland to protect.
“General South, that baker is actually…”
Don’t make me think it’s possible.
Don’t make me want to kneel to him.
That man shone like the dawn. His power, which was meant to protect them, was truly dazzling.
Before South knew it, he was shedding tears.
That memorial day marked his defeat, and also the birth of his hope.
“You’re General South?”
The voice of a little girl returned him to his senses. The girl looked a little surprised when she saw South’s face, but she quickly regained her composure. She had a golden, soft, hair, and purple, dignified, eyes. No matter how he thought about it, the girl was cute.
Before the girl could even introduce herself, South had inkling of her identity.
She was the rumored Dragon Princess.
“I am here to retrieve the sacred relic of the Dragon Princess—to protect His Majesty.”
She wasn’t afraid to lock eyes with South. Her gaze even gave off an impression that she was challenging him.
“What are you going to do?”
“Well… we need to affirm our position, first.”
After the girl stared at South’s face, she suddenly laughed adorably.
“My Majesty is cool.”
It caught him off guard. Suddenly, he heard a squeak, and a small dragon appeared behind the girl. The soldier who noticed it immediately knelt.
“A g, gold-eyed, black dragon…!”
“N, no way, the Dragon King!?”
“Rho, won’t you stay here? I need to go.”
“Kyu.”
Nodding, the girl returned on her heels. In a hurry, South beckoned to her.
“Hey, leaving him in this area is dangerous!”
“If so, please protect him. That child can’t fly.”
South went agape at her nonchalant reply. His surroundings were the same.
However, she didn’t look back. The girl ran straight to the back of the temple.
The child dragon who couldn’t fly approached South. His round eyes bore into his.
How young…
That girl and the emperor were still young.
They’d die if South didn’t protect them.
His lost right arm was aching. He could no longer be a soldier.
Therefore, that would be his last battlefield.
“…The flag of the Rave Empire is still there. We need to take it down.”
Everyone gave him a familiar salute.
At his feet, South could feel that the golden black dragon was laughing at him.
***
In was the back of the temple, jill ran, hiding from the signs of battle that creeped on from behind. Mysteriously, she didn’t get lost. Even though she didn’t have the gold ring, she knew the direction.
Jill, who hardly ever fought so far, had a lot of physical strength and magical power. However, she still couldn’t beat that person. For the moment, all she could do was entrust him to Hadith.
A half-baked weapon will only be decimated in a single blow.
She reached the top of the altar. At the back was a marble statue of a woman holding a dragon with its wings spread and a sword. A mysteriously colored jewel was set in the handle of the woman’s sword.
…Red and blue?
Was it due to the lighting?
Somehow, the colors didn’t mix, but shimmered instead, as if they were intertwined.
The color of blood, alongside the color of the sky—the sparkle belonged to a condensed magical power.
“This is it…”
When she tried to reach out for it, she was blown away by the statue. The magic seal rejected her. Was it because of the absence of the gold ring?
A dull pain spread from her fingertips. Taking a deep breath, Jill turned to the statue. She didn’t have the luxury of time.
As it was, she didn’t have enough power to protect. If she didn’t use the sacred relic, she wouldn’t be able to help Hadith.
Even if I have to resort to violence, I need to break that seal!
She stuck her hand towards the jewel once again. A magical blast blew directly at her.
[—…Who?]
Jill opened her eyes to the voice that echoed in her head.
[—Who, are you?]
Her fingertips burned with magical power. Jill yelled back while suppressing the pain.
“I’m the Dragon Princess!”
The seal stopped resisting her for a moment. When she thought such, something black grabbed her left wrist.
“Eh—”
[—The Dragon Princess.]
[The Dragon Princess, the Dragon Princess, the Dragon Princess! The new Dragon Princess! The new sacrifice! I shall make, him, despair!]
Her legs, which struggled to prevent herself from being pulled away, were also dragged forward. The small red and blue jewels seemed to have grown.
As they tried to swallow Jill like a doorway, magical power swelled around her.
“What is this!?”
[—I wish I hadn’t loved such a man.]
Jill’s sight was dyed by the black despair which swelled in front of her.
***T/N: Let me guess, the previous Dragon Princess doesn’t include ‘smacking my hubby with a rolling pin when he tries to do some antihero stunt’ in her marriage.