Chapter 24 : New Friend (1)

“So, where did you find them?”

“Uh, over there, in front of the forest.”

Grandmother Baal looked at the elf lying on the round table and continued speaking.

“They’re still breathing.”

“…Yes.”

“You did well. I’m the only one who can save them without any aftereffects.”

Grandmother Baal, who was smiling kindly, gently patted my head.

“First, we need to save this elf friend.”

“How old do you think they are?”

When my sister asked, Grandmother Baal replied.

“Hmm… I’d say about thirty?”

“Oh…”

They’re the same age as me.

“They seem to be around Yuri’s age.”

Baal answered while smiling at my sister.

My sister had an expression that screamed, “I’m the same age as this kid…?”

But doesn’t that mean my sister would look incredibly old for her age?

I glanced at her with that thought, but she still looked like she was in her twenties.

Even when I died, she still looked youthful, and now, three years later, it seemed like she had aged in reverse.

It was probably because that Seungho guy took good care of her after I died.

“Alright, wake up now.”

While I was lost in unnecessary thoughts, Grandmother Baal lightly snapped her fingers.

And then—

Whoooosh!!

“Whoa…”

“That feels nice.”

“Hehe.”

A green light emanated from the ground, and a strong gust of wind surged upward.

My cloak flapped violently.

“Minho, your skirt.”

“Oh.”

I had completely forgotten I was wearing a skirt.

Even though I had shorts underneath, I still felt embarrassed and quickly pulled my skirt down.

“Good grief, you’re so careless.”

“Hehe.”

“…But cute.”

My sister tugged at my cheek.

“Uwaah…”

Grandmother Baal watched us with a pleased smile.

“I’m glad you two get along so well.”

“…Huh?”

“Dragons tend to have intense power struggles. Maybe it’s because you’re still young?”

We’re both old enough to know how the world works, but I don’t think we’ll ever get into a power struggle.

“Can a half-dragon even become a king?”

“Hmm… If Princess Minho wins the fight, it should be possible.”

“Gasp!”

I instinctively covered my mouth.

I had always thought half-dragons couldn’t inherit the throne.

But if that’s the case, then I can just act like an idiot and toss the throne to my sister while I live an easy life!

“…Hehehe.”

“Min-Mino?”

As I let out a sinister chuckle, my sister looked visibly flustered.

Now that the greatest dilemma of my one-year-old life was solved, no one could stop me.

With the green light rising from the ground, I looked even more like a villain.

Minho stood before Baal, grinning ominously.

“Should I tell her that half-dragons actually can’t inherit the throne?”

Seeing Minho in such a suspicious state, Baal debated whether to reveal the truth.

“…Ehehe.”

“…!!”

Hmm, she’s cute, so I’ll just leave her be.

Hearing that silly laugh a moment later, Baal decided to let it go.

She would figure out the truth once she got a little older anyway.

Baal planned to secretly tell Yuri later.

Meanwhile—

Whooosh…

The wind subsided, and the elf sitting in front of them began to breathe steadily.

“It looks like it’s done.”

“Thank you!”

“It was you who saved them, Princess.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

Hearing Baal’s words, Minho’s tail wagged back and forth.

Watching this, both Baal and Yuri thought the same thing.

…A puppy?

Like an excited puppy, Minho lifted the elf from the round table and gave Baal a polite bow.

“Thank you.”

Following suit, Yuri also expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was getting a little bored anyway.”

Baal chuckled, and Yuri bowed once more before closing the door.

Silence returned to the elder’s chamber, but it was a peaceful kind of silence.

“You’re back.”

“Yes! They’re completely healed!”

“That’s a relief.”

The head maid greeted me with a gentle smile.

I had always thought she was expressionless, but she looked really pretty when she smiled.

“You’re so pretty!”

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes!”

The head maid laughed, clearly pleased.

“By the way, where are we taking the elf?”

“I’ll take them to the VIP room. Judging by their clothes, they seem to be from a noble family.”

“Oh, I see!”

I handed over the elf, who was still resting on my arms, to the head maid.

As soon as I did, the elf’s previously uncomfortable expression relaxed.

…Maybe I should’ve asked my sister to carry them instead?

Since I was small and the elf was bigger than me, they must have been uncomfortable.

I should apologize once they wake up.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

“Okay!”

“Goodbye.”

As my sister and I bid farewell, the head maid smiled again and disappeared down the hallway.

“…She’s gone.”

“Yeah.”

Now what?

I looked at my sister, hoping she had an idea, but she suddenly picked me up and said—

“I’m going to see the wizard now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I still haven’t properly thanked him, and I want to help out a little.”

Now that she mentioned it, that wizard, Damian, did look exhausted this morning.

But why, when Grandma Anuket is so kind and pretty?

I didn’t understand, so I just stared at my sister blankly.

“Do you want to come too, Minho?”

“…No, I’m sleepy. You can go alone.”

“Oh, really? Then I’ll take you to Mom.”

“……”

Sleep was overtaking me.

Someone would probably wake me up when it was time to eat, right?

With that thought, I nestled into my sister’s arms and drifted off to sleep.

The dark dawn approached.

Ramir, who had been squirming under the blanket, opened their eyes.

Still groggy, they tried to grasp their scattered thoughts.

“Ad!”

Ramir sat up from the massive bed in the simply decorated room.

The name they had instinctively called out belonged to the coachman who had been assassinated by a Republic assassin earlier that dawn.

Ramir stared blankly ahead.

An unfamiliar room.

Beside them, a massive window let in the moonlight, casting a glow over the elegant chandelier.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

But there was no time for admiration.

Ramir quickly tried to recall what had happened.

They remembered escaping the forest.

They remembered losing consciousness due to a brain hemorrhage.

But… where was this place?

If they had been kidnapped, the room was far too luxurious.

Their clothes were clean.

The garments that should have been torn and caked in dirt had been neatly mended.

There were no dried clots of blood tangled in their hair.

It was hard to believe that dragons, of all beings, would show such kindness to another race.

Dragons weren’t the type to carefully pick up some half-dead body and nurse it back to health.

“…That means, the Empire?”

Ramir’s face turned pale, completely misunderstanding the situation.

The Empire must have retrieved them, realizing that the Republic had attempted to assassinate them while they were disguised as a pro-Empire noblewoman.

That could only mean one thing—

They had failed to reach the Dragon Kingdom.

And that meant something even worse.

The grand plan that the rebels had envisioned had been crushed right before their eyes.

Destroyed by the combined efforts of the Empire and the Republic.

“Even the Republic in the end…”

Even the Republic had succumbed to corruption.

That’s what Ramir thought.

“I—I have to escape.”

No matter what, they had to make it to the Dragon Kingdom.

If they didn’t, they would end up just like their mother.

And if that happened, the only elves left would be the pro-Empire ones.

Realizing this, Ramir pushed the door open and bolted out of the room.

—Thud thud thud.

Their brown robe concealed their distinctively colored hair and elf ears.

They were too disoriented to cast an illusion spell.

Dashing down the pristine white corridor, Ramir kept their senses on high alert.

A white castle…?

Was there ever a place within the Empire’s castles that was this white?

No.

They had never seen anything like this before.

…Is this the Republic?

Maybe the Republic’s goal was to abduct them.

After all, the Empire and the Republic had been at war ever since the hero who founded the Republic had split from the Empire.

The two nations were constantly at each other’s throats, mostly over the ethics of human experimentation.

It was then—

—Slap slap slap slap.

From the end of the dimly lit corridor, a sound echoed—

A soft, rhythmic pattering, like tiny feet squishing against the floor.

It was an oddly adorable noise.

But to the terrified Ramir, it sounded like the footsteps of a monster.

“Hic.”

—Slap slap slap slap slap slap.

Did the creature hear their hiccup?

The sound of fast-approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor.

“…Shuuuung…!”

A tiny, almost whisper-like noise came from the creature.

But Ramir, paralyzed with fear, dismissed it as a hallucination.

Run, run!

The thought of being caught meant certain death.

Ramir sprinted toward the end of the hallway at full speed.

I need to check my status window…!

But there was no time.

The distance between them was too far to check, yet too close for comfort.

And then—

“…?”

“A-Aaaah!!”

A terrifying creature stood in front of them, its golden eyes glowing ominously.

Ramir was so shocked that they stumbled and fell backward.

The creature took a step closer.

Then another.

“D-Don’t come any closer!”

Unfortunately, Ramir failed to notice the golden tail and horns on the “monster.”

“A-Aaaah!!”

As the creature reached out its hand, Ramir curled into themselves, preparing for the worst.

But something felt… off.

…A tail?

—Swish, swish, swish, swish.

Behind the creature, a golden tail was wagging wildly.

—Whoosh whoosh.

It was moving so fast it seemed to slice through the air.

Finally, under the moonlight, Ramir noticed the golden horns gleaming brightly atop the creature’s head.

And then—

The “monster” opened its mouth and spoke words so absurd that Ramir could barely process them.

“Get up, dummy.”

“…? A… baby?”

“Yeah. What, never seen a baby before?”

At that moment, Ramir felt utterly embarrassed for being so tense.

Meanwhile, Minho thought to herself—

…Did they sneak out because they were hungry, just like me?

Was Ramir, too, unable to bear their hunger and trying to escape their room for a late-night snack?