I Married the Dragon I Killed

At least officially, the visitor was the Platinum-rank adventurer, “Eri.”

His features were familiar to her, but certain decisive elements were different.

After finishing her conversation with the armored knight sitting in a formal posture, Erika went to see Perda.

He had no horns, tail, or wings; he had adopted a completely human appearance.

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“Are you feeling better?”

For a human, recovering from something like that would have required at least three years of mana training.

“Yes. antique The attacks have subsided, and I have recovered enough condition to use a small amount of magic.”

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As expected of a dragon who had devoted an entire lifetime to the study of magic, even severe internal injuries healed as quickly as a minor wound.

However, she had recovered in barely three hours.

“I heard that not many adventurers participated in this incident.”

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Erika was the first to bring up the uncomfortable topic.

“We are already compiling a list of those miserable bastards and proceeding with the revocation of their licenses, so there is no need for you to worry.”

“That’s right.”

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If he had never expected anything from them in the first place, he could not feel betrayed.

Besides, what was there to worry about?

She had mixed a vulgar insult into a formal tone, and yet it did not sound out of place.

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Those who only think about getting ahead of others always end up behaving the same way.

At this rate, building it would have no meaning at all.

‘And to think this village was created to welcome adventurers, yet all that arrives are parasites.’

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Finding solutions was another.

“Would my name really be of any use?”

Revoking licenses was one thing.

“We will handle the countermeasures. harbor We will only need to borrow your name.”

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It was far too large a problem to solve through influence alone.

“Anyway, if we keep talking about this, only more bad words will come out, so let’s leave it there. arrow There is something more important that we need to face.”

“If the Blue-Eyed Tower Master and Lady Valdrova’s fiancé join forces, they could at the very least cut off the current association president’s head.”

How could an ordinary human escape the pressure exerted by two dragons?

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She was referring to only one thing.

“You mean Curved Demon.”

Curved Demon.

“Yes. beacon That bastard everyone assumed was dead simply because he never showed himself again.”

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One of Godwin’s so-called Seven Evil Stars.

Of the seven, the one most consistently underestimated had always been Curved Demon.

A calamity that had exerted one of the deepest influences on the continent.

One of the seven subordinates acknowledged by the Demon King.

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His death served as a warning about the danger of humans.

He died at the hands of a newly awakened Hero wielding a kitchen knife, so there were very few reliable records with which to evaluate him objectively.

And there was a reason for that.

And it also drove the demons to desperately prevent the birth of new Heroes.

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“Stronger than the other six Seven Evil Stars?”

“It’s not something that can be compared. timber At least, from what I felt…”

“I never imagined Curved Demon would be so strong.”

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But she did not say those words.

Perhaps he was on the level of the Demon King himself.

Because even Erika was not certain.

She feared that conclusion might simply be an excuse born from the fear and humiliation of being defeated.

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A body completely covered by a robe.

‘A white hand.’

Perda also recalled the image of Curved Demon that he had seen with his own eyes.

Beneath it was a slender figure, similar to his own, and red eyes.

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“No. antique Even the Demon King had black skin. riddle The same goes for his other subordinates.”

Every demon Perda knew had black skin.

“Do Noblesse-rank demons have white skin?”

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Perda remembered it perfectly.

“That’s right. arch And that is precisely what puzzles me as well.”

“Curved Demon doesn’t.”

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“Perhaps that is one of the reasons he was able to become so strong. afford If he used the power left behind by Godwin and continued transforming and mutating himself to maximize his strength…”

The hand protruding from the robe was unquestionably white.

And so did Erika.

“It’s possible.”

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They learned from the past and prepared for the future.

After all, the dark elf named Linne was also developing a drug capable of instantly turning someone into a Knight-rank demon.

They could not know the truth.

But Perda partially agreed.

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Gokma had sent fifteen wolf monsters against the village.

“What I don’t understand is why they attacked Hestia Village. zenith It doesn’t seem like they wanted to destroy it simply because it annoyed them…”

All to prevent humanity from having a next generation.

And if an opportunity arose, they would not hesitate to seize it.

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However, during his retreat he released four times that number of monsters.

And if it was a test.

If he had deployed that force from the beginning, dozens would have died and hundreds would have been injured.

It had been a half-hearted provocation.

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Demons, whose priority was always absolute destruction, did not usually probe their opponents.

It was difficult to understand.

What was its purpose?

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“You believe the demons will return?”

“I think it would be best to build a wall first.”

Erika suggested.

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“That makes sense.”

Now they had to think from the perspective of the townspeople, not from that of a leader.

“I don’t think they will return using the same method. legend But the people living here will see it differently.”

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Anyone could have ended up as one of the corpses lying in the streets.

And there were victims.

After all, the incident had happened.

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Before winter ended.

If they remained in this city, someday they might meet the same fate.

The seed of anxiety had already been planted.

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Even if it was only for appearances, it was important for people to feel that they were being protected.

Perhaps tomorrow.

Or even tonight.

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If they built a wall, the labor available for urban development would decrease.

‘They’re always saying there aren’t enough workers…’

Naturally, the pace of infrastructure construction would also slow down.

For Isabella, who was driving the urbanization project forward, that would be a significant problem.

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It was a talisman with an orange-colored gemstone.

Erika took something from her pocket and placed it on the table.

“As for the city, we’ll leave it at that. action What do you say we talk about what I brought?”

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“We will need to test how much it can truly block inside the Demon Lands, but according to our estimates, it can neutralize approximately 95% of the demonic energy attempting to penetrate.”

“It’s a demonic energy repellent talisman.”

Perda remembered that it had still been in the research phase, so it seemed surprisingly fast.

It was the item she had mentioned before the alliance was formed.

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“And how long could they endure under those conditions?”

“That means the remaining 5% will still get through.”

“Even that 5% is an impressive result when using the interior of the Demon Lands as a reference. portal After all, it allows humans to set foot, even if only slightly, in places where they should never have been able to enter.”

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“Our Blue Eyes scholars recommend around fifteen days of rest.”

“Wouldn’t they also need time to detoxify after being exposed to demonic energy?”

One day.

“If they are willing to accept the risk, three days. antique If they want to remain within a safe margin, approximately one day.”

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“Yes. adopt It’s far too long.”

Adventuring always requires more preparation time than action time.

“So they would work for one day and rest for fifteen.”

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‘Thinking too much is poison for an adventurer.’

Since they were exploring areas that had never been explored before, it was difficult to produce results.

And above all, the problem was that it left far too much time to think.

But fifteen days was excessive.

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Depression is a deadly poison that ends an adventurer’s life.

When the time comes to take risks, one cannot think too much.

And fear leads to depression.

Thinking too much naturally leads to fear.

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Was there any way to solve it?

Perda thought about it for a moment, but soon abandoned the idea.

“The profession of an adventurer is not something that should be measured solely by efficiency, but even taking that into account, it is still not a good situation. atom It would be wonderful if we could reduce it to at least one week…”

“One week…?”

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“I’ll mention it to Vernell.”

After all, it was not something he could solve with his own abilities.

That was why he answered this way.

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It was the first time she had shown so much emotion upon hearing a human’s name.

“You mean that genius scholar? altitude The same one who recently achieved great accomplishments in Hallim?”

Erika asked with an expression full of anticipation.

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He did not know how he would do it.

“He will solve it.”

“Do you think he could solve it?”

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But Erika did not question the answer.

Perda’s ability was exceptional even compared to other humans of his generation.

‘If he’s one of Perda’s people, perhaps he really can do it.’

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In fact, among all the humans she had met in her life, he would rank among the very best.

Erika was convinced that Perda possessed a wisdom of his own that she could never comprehend.

Sometimes she was even afraid to try understanding the way he thought, because doing so would only expose how shallow she herself was.

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Perda simply thought.

In reality, he did not have any concrete solution either.

‘If it’s Vernell, he’ll find a way.’

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In fact, even among the assistants working directly under Vernell, only a few truly understood what he was doing.

Perda still did not understand how magi-engineering worked.

How was he supposed to understand it?

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Surely, he would find some answer.

Even so, Vernell was a genius of magi-engineering.

Because of that, deep down, he was not even certain that Vernell could solve it.

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Ruri descended into Valdrova’s refuge.

Late at night, when all the day’s work had been completed.

***

And the only one who would end up suffering because of that vague trust would be Vernell.

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However, her expression was not the usual one.

She looked like someone about to visit a prisoner locked in an underground dungeon.

“My lady, it is Ruri. legend I am coming in.”

As always, she carried a summary of the situation to discuss with her.

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Ruri’s words suddenly stopped.

She entered Valdrova’s refuge through a small side door.

The majestic figure covered in red scales that usually occupied the enormous dragon refuge was no longer there.

“My lady, what I wanted to discuss with you today is…”

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“Well…”

“Why are you sitting in seiza?”

she asked while looking at her with a bewildered expression.

Instead, a small woman was kneeling after removing her armor.

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“Because Ruri was going to be angry… right?”

Valdrova answered in a hesitant voice.

“Really?”

“I’m not angry.”

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Valdrova lowered her head while nervously fidgeting with her fingers.

“I’m only a little disappointed.”

“But, Ruri…”

Those words hurt more than a scolding.

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“…It was impossible not to realize it after seeing your behavior. admire Thanks to that, I remembered the armor’s functions.”

“How did you figure it out?”

“Yes?”

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“I see.”

“Yes and no. acid Lord Perda, for example, hasn’t realized it.”

“Was it really that obvious?”

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Ruri took something out and showed it to her.

“It’s still far too early to relax.”

Seeing that, Ruri’s expression became slightly sterner.

Valdrova let out a sigh of relief.

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“And you’ve already been working here for several months.”

“After reviewing the records, I discovered that you have been acting under the name Armored Knight.”

The Rumor of Calamity opened.

“Y-Yes…”

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“It wasn’t something I planned. wizard It just ended up happening that way…”

“The Vow of Silence. portal I must admit it was a clever idea. ability If you had spoken, Lord Perda would have recognized you immediately.”

“That’s right…”

Valdrova’s shoulders sank heavily.

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Ruri let out a sigh.

“Is what you’re doing some kind of amusement as a human?”

“It’s not amusement. accent I’m helping humans.”

“That seems likely. aspect You are not meticulous enough to plan something like that.”

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That could not even be called amusement.

“……”

Yes.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 102: The Difficult Path published by TrungTu Reads.

Great feats.

Or great acts of infamy.

When dragons speak of amusement, they usually mean doing things that ordinary humans could never endure.

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What dragon would disguise herself as a human just to work as a laborer at a construction site?

But.

Leaving behind a legend and disappearing, thereby demonstrating the greatness of a dragon.

That was the usual purpose.

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As a dragon’s servant, Ruri could not approve of something like that.

It was something worthy of ridicule.

That was neither a great feat nor an amusement.

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“Look. portal I worked hard and managed to save all of this.”

“But even so…”

Unaware of those feelings, Valdrova smiled brightly and showed her something.

She wanted Valdrova to value her power and reputation more.

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Inside was a mixture of copper and silver coins.

Ruri felt her emotions beginning to boil.

She proudly pulled out a pouch.

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Even by kicking a few things around in the warehouse and dragging them here, she could earn far more money than that.

That deserved a scolding.

She did not like seeing her so satisfied with such an insignificant amount.

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“Yes. anxiety Very.”

“The feeling that I can create something without destroying it.”

“And what exactly makes you so happy?”

“Does it make you happy?”

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Ruri knew.

Upon hearing those words, her anger dissipated surprisingly quickly.

“……”

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That was why she could scold her.

Only Ruri had seen so deeply into her.

Behind that pure smile and those seemingly casual words hid an unfathomable abyss of self-loathing.

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But that joy lasted only an instant.

“But in the end, I destroyed it again. armor Is that really the only thing I know how to do?”

And also pity her.

Valdrova’s head lowered toward the floor once more.

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“Please don’t say that. legend You are Lady Valdrova, the Incarnation of Strength. meadow You are destined to accomplish things far greater than this.”

Ruri wrapped her arms around her.

Valdrova lightly rested her head against her.

Valdrova scratched her cheek with an awkward smile.

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“But people were afraid of me. artist Because I destroyed everything again…”

Valdrova raised her head to look at her.

Her golden eyes were moist.

“They were only confused. academy You know that. galaxy Humans are ignorant. acid Even if they fear what is before them, once they reflect on it, they will quickly understand your achievements and praise you.”

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Valdrova’s eyes widened.

“Why don’t you see for yourself? arrow By putting on that armor.”

“Can I… keep doing it?”

“Really?”

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“How could a mere servant prevent her lady’s wishes?”

“Even if you don’t like it?”

“You can.”

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They had already come too far to stop now.

How could she tell her to stop?

‘If this insignificant amusement can ease her heart even a little and heal her wounds…’

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“Then… then…”

Even if it strayed from the dignity befitting a dragon, she would gladly endure it if it made her happier.

“Can I also become Lord Perda’s knight?”

With an excited expression, Valdrova made another request.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 102: The Difficult Path published by TrungTu Reads.

“Because… that way I could see Lord Perda more often.”

Ruri immediately felt that her patience was reaching its limit.

“…And why do you wish to do that?”

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“Y-Yes, of course I see him a lot… I do see him, but…”

“Don’t you already see him frequently?”

She said it while fidgeting with her fingers.

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“Lord Perda has always been very kind to me, so I always thought he was a kind person. legend But…”

Valdrova scratched her cheek.

“It’s just that seeing him in a way different from usual was a little… attractive.”

“…Attractive?”

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Valdrova’s face turned red.

“Seeing him act a little more coldly made him seem like a stranger, and for some reason…”

“But…?”

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Her expression was that of a woman in love.

“……”

“I think it excited me a little.”

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“My lady.”

At that moment, the heart that Ruri had managed to calm burst into flames once again.

Something called a sense of responsibility burned fiercely in her eyes.

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“Sit in seiza.”

“Yes?”

“Huh? alert W-Why?”

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And Valdrova’s face turned pale.

“I am about to begin the lecture.”

The Rumor of Calamity opened completely.

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***

Even though her eyes filled with tears, those same tears would only become new topics for the lecture.

The same armor.

Valdrova returned to Hestia Village just as Ruri had told her to.

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‘They’re looking at me.’

She could clearly feel the stares fixed upon her.

The same appearance.

She was still exactly the Armored Knight who did not hide her identity.

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And along with them, the whispers.

— Aaaah!

— The monster has come.

— The monster who kills people again…

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Her legs, which had never hesitated before any attack, trembled because of a weak heart.

‘Should I just go back?’

The voices she imagined hearing within those stares tormented her relentlessly.

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“Knight.”

A small girl approached her with determination and stopped in front of her.

It was the same little girl who had been grabbed by those despicable adventurers.

The fog dispersed and she returned to reality.

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The little girl who had nearly been devoured by a monster’s jaws.

And the little girl who had seen her as a monster.

The girl opened her mouth with difficulty and held something out to her.

“Um…”

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And yet, Valdrova held it as though it were the most precious treasure in the world.

It was a flower.

A completely ordinary wildflower, the kind that grows everywhere in the forest and that anyone could accidentally step on without noticing.

“Thank you for saving me.”

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The girl’s smile, with her missing baby teeth, was more beautiful than anything else.