I Married the Dragon I Killed

Everyone except one person.

Ruri Silverwind.

After Perda received the witch’s invitation, all the castle workers returned to their duties.

She alone remained staring at the place where Perda had disappeared after accepting the invitation.

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‘Why did he make that decision?’

A complicated mix of emotions kept swirling through her mind, tormenting her.

She could not read Perda’s true intentions, and that made her constantly imagine the worst.

By now, she should have been cleaning, but at that moment she could not focus on anything.

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He had negotiated with a Great Demon.

He had allowed a witch and a demon into the castle.

When she remembered everything Perda had done, she could not help it.

It was something that would have shaken even a saint.

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He was a man who did absolutely everything he was told not to do.

‘If it were ordinary humans, what would I have done?’

And now he had accepted an invitation from the leader of the witches.

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Any one of those things alone would have been enough for her to throw them out without hesitation.

What would she have done?

But in Perda’s case, there was not just one reason.

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There were many.

The reason she did not do it to Perda was simple.

That alone was enough to justify an execution.

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In fact, even when serious problems arose, he responded flexibly, and so far he had not caused a single disaster.

‘Because I can trust him.’

Perda was someone capable of doing anything for her lady.

This invitation might also be something she could perhaps trust.

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He was just like every other fragile human.

However, the situation had changed.

Once she realized that he was also a ridiculously fragile human being, she could no longer see him the same way.

Ruri had seen Perda’s weakness.

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‘I must kill him.’

And if a human with the potential to become a threat appeared—

Ruri looked at her own hands.

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Ruri thought.

“I will kill him with these hands.”

She remembered the promise she had made to Perda.

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Killing humans was not something that made her hesitate.

She was the one who had killed the Third Prince’s subordinates when they tried to use Valdrova as nothing more than a stepping stone to power.

‘If he tries to harm my lady, will I really be able to kill him?’

She was a Dragon Spawn.

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Even if Perda were to be hated by Valdrova, even if it led to their engagement being broken and gave her more than enough justification, could she kill him?

She was also the one who had tried to kill Perda during their first meeting.

But her heart was no longer the same as it had been back then.

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She was not even sure of that.

What those hands wanted to hold was not Perda’s neck.

‘I too…’

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She wanted to see humans gather in that barren land and make it prosper.

Just as her lady, Valdrova, did.

‘I wish I could rely on that man without worrying about anything…’

She wanted to watch his actions without overthinking them.

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However, even now that all those misunderstandings had been resolved, Ruri still could not do it.

She believed Perda was no different from the Third Prince.

Her task had been to look for any excuse in his actions to drive him away.

At first, she had reasons not to trust him.

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They are destined to die someday.

Humans are mortal.

‘Perda is human.’

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Perda could not escape that.

The image of his fragility continued to linger faintly before Ruri’s eyes.

Someone had to remain vigilant.

And the closer they come to death, the more unstable they become.

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And that someone had to be Ruri.

Not only for Valdrova.

She had to remain cautious and search for any trace of malice in his actions.

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She had to protect him from all the things that constantly tested him.

‘I must protect him.’

She had to protect the man who wanted to protect her lady.

As she continued staring at that place without moving, she felt a wave of mana from within the castle.

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‘Lord Perda.’

And once she knew that, she also knew who had returned.

Ruri immediately knew where it had originated.

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“I-It seems quite a commotion broke out…”

She looked at Ruri with a confused expression.

In the place where only Morida should have been, Echidna was standing.

Ruri ran there with the speed characteristic of Silverwind blood.

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The moment Echidna saw Ruri’s expression, her face turned pale.

“Chief Researcher.”

She tried to ease the situation with an awkward smile and nervous gestures, but Ruri walked straight toward her.

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“Y-Yes?”

“Where did you leave Lord Perda? album Why did you return alone?”

Echidna shrank under Ruri’s pressure.

“Tell me the truth.”

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Ruri’s pressure intensified even further when she heard Big Sister’s name.

“W-Well… Big Sister wanted to see Lord Regent…”

“What did they do to Perda?”

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A brutal force exploded right beside Echidna’s head.

Boom!

“H-He’s safe! crystal Lord Regent told me not to worry and asked me to deliver a message…!”

At last, Echidna began speaking hurriedly, on the verge of tears.

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“Can you guarantee those words?”

The impact caused several books to fall from the shelves.

Ruri’s leg had slammed violently into the library floor.

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“Th-That is…”

“Y-Yes?”

“Can you guarantee that Lord Perda is safe, just as you returned unharmed?”

He’s fine.

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He’ll return safely.

“I-I don’t really know either…”

It was a situation that could have been resolved simply by saying that.

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Precisely because she had once been a Philiaz witch, she knew the nature of witches well.

It was far too dangerous a place to guarantee that everything would be fine.

But Echidna could not do it.

What she did not know were the true intentions of Big Sister Lucy Philiaz.

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And she could not read Lucy’s intentions either.

She looked angry, but what she actually felt was confusion.

When she heard that, Ruri’s expression tightened.

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‘I can’t leave him there alone.’

But hearing that even Echidna did not know only increased her anxiety.

She remembered what had happened between Perda and Abel.

She had not asked that question seeking simple reassurance.

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If he found himself in such a helpless situation again, Ruri would not be able to help him.

“Can you take me to the Garden of Witches?”

“Chief Researcher. artist You used to be a witch as well, correct?”

“O-Of course…”

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Echidna replied.

Ruri demanded an answer.

“Can you or can you not?”

“T-To the Garden? timber Even if I wanted to go…”

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“I-I can’t… Even if I try to go, entering that place depends on Big Sister. august If Big Sister does not allow it, reaching it is impossible. ability If I try to force it, I could die, or worse, become a wandering specter trapped in Limbo forever.”

Perhaps it was a fate even crueler than death.

Mages who misuse teleportation magic end up becoming ghosts trapped between time and space.

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That meant she could not simply force Echidna to do the impossible.

What could she do?

‘And above all, if someone must do something, it has to be me.’

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She, who only knew how to use force.

At that moment, a sensation passed through Echidna’s mind.

“Huh?”

What exactly could she do…?

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“!!”

As if she had been waiting for that exact moment, she looked at Ruri and spoke.

“L-Lord P-Perda has returned!”

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Just as Echidna had said, Perda was there.

As though afraid of missing the opportunity, she immediately ran toward the spot where he had disappeared.

The moment she heard that, Ruri also withdrew the foot she had been using to pin Echidna in place.

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Black suit.

So completely unharmed that it made all her worries seem ridiculous.

Gray hair.

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Then her gaze hardened, and she walked toward him.

Ruri’s agitated heart calmed when she confirmed that figure.

And deep blue eyes like a lake.

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Trying to appear calm, she asked.

However, she could not hide the tremor in her voice.

“Lord Perda.”

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“I cannot believe you went all the way to the Garden of Witches and nothing happened. galaxy Besides, they said Big Sister spent quite a long time with you.”

Perda replied.

“Nothing happened.”

“What did that witch do to you?”

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“We only talked.”

“And what exactly did you talk about?”

Perda nodded as though he agreed and answered again.

“About something that you and I had not been able to solve.”

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“Don’t tell me you made a deal with that witch…?”

“I did not make any deal.”

The hands Ruri had politely clasped together tightened.

That meant the witch had seen Perda’s weakness.

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“But she did help me.”

And because of that, she could not.

If he had stopped there, perhaps Ruri would have felt some relief.

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Big Sister, Lucy Philiaz.

“Yes.”

She was a witch who was difficult to encounter, but Ruri had met her before.

“That woman said she wanted to help Lady Valdrova?”

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“Then she also talked about me.”

Her expression hardened.

“Yes.”

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“……”

“Do you know why I ignored her when she said she wanted to help Lady Valdrova?”

“Because witches are a group that sees everyone who is not one of them as either enemies or toys. zenith They are wretches who use other people’s vengeance for their own amusement. amateur The descendants of Silverwind were also victims of that entertainment. agent Do you know what Lucy Philiaz said when we demanded accountability for that?”

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Ruri was a Dragon Spawn.

“She said she could not control the Philiaz over something so insignificant.”

“……”

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It was easy to imagine how much someone who despised family ties would anger her.

Ruri’s anger had a certain logic to it.

And among them, a descendant of Silverwind, the bloodline with the strongest family bonds.

“For that damned woman, you are also nothing more than a small, insignificant piece. atomic Those things know no compassion. crystal They will slowly ensnare you and eventually turn you into one of their toys.”

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“Do you suspect that I might betray her?”

Common sense.

That was the common perception.

Talking with a witch was like carrying a bomb that could explode at any moment.

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But in truth, that was not it.

“Yes.”

At Perda’s question, Ruri clenched her fists.

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She simply did not want to see him turned into a witch’s toy.

Her sharp words pierced Perda once again.

“I’m worried that you’ll end up hurting my lady.”

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“……What?”

“That’s a relief.”

Ruri raised her head.

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“Because if you think that way, I won’t have to lie to myself.”

“What do you mean? atomic How can that possibly be a relief?”

“……”

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“As you said, someday I might end up hurting her. athlete I might convince myself it’s for her own good and end up walking the wrong path. matrix If you keep that vigilance alive, then there will be a chance to correct me if I stray.”

“In part, I am.”

“That sounds like you’re leaving that responsibility to me.”

Perda looked at her with a deep gaze.

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“I can’t help it. apron You’re the person I trust the most.”

“I trust you enough to show you this weakness of mine.”

“That’s irresponsible.”

Trust.

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And Perda’s face began to overlap with someone else’s.

Upon hearing those words, something Ruri could not control arose within her chest.

‘Again.’

Just like that day, a faint smell of ashes crossed her mind.

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Silverwind.

And yet, she ended up confusing them.

He did not resemble the person who had taken her in when she was empty at all.

The cold, steel-like heart of the soldier began to soften.

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Perda had no way of understanding what she was feeling.

“My judgment may become clouded someday, but for now, trust me. alert I won’t become that witch’s toy.”

Trying to hide that feeling, she moved her lips and lowered her head.

Instead, he placed a hand on her head.

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That smell of ashes from that day.

Ruri’s confusion grew stronger.

He gently patted her head without asking permission.

And the smell drew closer as well.

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Wait.

“……A smell.”

This isn’t the smell of ashes.

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“Hm?”

Her expression turned terrible.

“It smells like tobacco…”

Ruri sniffed several times before raising her head.

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“Why do you smell so strongly of tobacco, Lord Perda?”

How many times had she blown smoke directly into his face?

Perda recalled Lucy Philiaz’s actions.

“That’s…”

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It was not a guess.

No.

‘Don’t tell me…’

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‘So she decided to mess with me this way.’

He was certain.

Lucy Philiaz had smoked so excessively precisely to create a situation like this.

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Perda replied with the spirit of an ox being led to slaughter.

“…First, you’ll need to take a bath.”

Ruri pulled out a green towel.

They said that once you got involved with a witch, you would never have another peaceful day.

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***

But the word mercy did not exist in Ruri’s dictionary.

“…Be gentle.”

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He did not know how to do it, but she had left him a clue.

“The boundaries between emotions…”

Perda recalled Big Sister Lucy’s words.

Lucy Philiaz had told him to draw a line between his two emotions.

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‘I become the shadow, and the shadow becomes me.’

The phrase said.

‘The mana circulation technique, Shape of Shadow.’

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“If the shadow can truly become me, then wouldn’t anything be possible…?”

This was a hand.

Muttering those words, Perda raised a Shadow Hand.

According to Lucy, the key to controlling the two emotions he possessed lay there.

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‘But at the same time, it isn’t a hand.’

In fact, by deliberately breaking the orientation of the fingers, he could freely reverse the front and the back.

Since it was not a real hand, it was not strange for the fingers to bend beyond normal limits.

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Or even crudely transform it into a beast’s paw.

He could also alter its shape to imitate a foot.

Alternating his gaze between the hand formed from black mana and his real hand, he pondered deeply.

‘Therefore, this is a hand and at the same time not a hand.’

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‘Then this shadow is also my body and at the same time not my body.’

The Shadow Hand is a hand and, at the same time, not a hand.

Perda stopped trying to control it and allowed his thoughts to flow.

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‘Wouldn’t it be possible to create something that is my Circle and, at the same time, not a Circle?’

In that case—