I Married the Dragon I Killed

When the affairs of the territory had more or less stabilized, Perda contacted Count Consilus for the first time in a long while.

“How is the situation in your territory, Count?”

— If we’re talking about the situation, there hasn’t been much to do aside from the funerals.

While a splendid victory banquet had been held in the Duchy of Valdrova, only a joint funeral followed by a simple reception was held in the County of Consilus.

Most of the deceased belonged to the Far East Alliance, and although the number of casualties had been low compared to the size of the forces deployed, death was still death.

“I’ll send additional compensation for the families.”

— That won’t be necessary. For now, we can still cover those expenses with our own finances…

“Don’t say that. Accept it and pass it on to the relatives.”

— If you insist, I’ll gratefully accept it. I’ll make sure it reaches the families of the fallen in full.

The reason Perda was being so generous was because he understood his own position perfectly well.

No matter how highly placed he was within the Far East, he could never become the axis that united everyone.

The true spiritual pillar of the region was Consilus, the eldest of them all and the one who had protected these lands for so long.

That was why, when it came to supporting him, he had to do it properly.

“Now that you mention it, I heard someone else finished off that Giant Monster you were supposed to eliminate.”

— That’s right. He appeared alone on the battlefield, annihilated an enormous number of monsters, and ended up killing the creature.

Until then, Perda had only received a report stating that a single person had taken care of everything.

It was a good opportunity to ask for the details.

“Was he a mage?”

— No. He was a knight.

“A knight defeated a Giant Monster by himself?”

He found it hard to believe.

“Was he skilled in magic?”

— No. We asked the mages, but they insist he uses neither magic nor aura.

He didn’t even use aura and was still that strong.

That made the identity of the armored knight who had reduced the wolf monster to pulp increasingly obvious.

— I believe he might be the knight you were looking for.

“That knight?”

— Didn’t you say you were searching for a man wearing armor capable of taking anyone’s breath away?

Then he remembered.

‘The Walking Fortress, Alberdo.’

That was how he had described him.

Of course, Perda had never truly believed he would manage to find him.

He was a wandering knight who lived freely and whose sole obsession was exterminating monsters.

— When we asked what he wanted to do with the merits he had earned, he pointed directly toward the Duchy of Valdrova.

“He wants me to receive those merits?”

— It seems so. After saying that, he left on his own. I should have informed you yesterday, but…

“You’ve told me now. Don’t worry about it.”

Perda didn’t mind.

Quite the opposite.

The person he had been searching for all this time was coming of his own accord.

There was no reason to turn him away.

“When will he arrive?”

— At the speed he walks, he should arrive tomorrow morning.

“Tomorrow morning…”

Even without riding a horse, he moved tirelessly.

In practice, he traveled almost as fast as someone riding one.

Perda decided to simply wait for his arrival.

***

When stability began returning to Hestia Territory, Valdrova once again went outside wearing her armor for the first time in a long while.

The last time she had visited Hanson, she had told him she would return to her homeland.

So now she was pretending to be someone who had just come back from there.

‘I’ve been away for far too long.’

A sense of guilt washed over her.

In reality, she had remained watching over everything from Lonely Mountain the entire time.

But the identity of the Armored Knight had completely vanished.

And the fact that she hadn’t been present when they needed her made her uncomfortable.

‘What if people hate me because I wasn’t here?’

Why didn’t you appear when we needed you?

Do you know how many people suffered because of you?

With those fears in her heart, she cautiously approached Hestia’s walls.

The walls had already been completed.

And now there were even guards watching the gates.

“Halt! Identify yourse— Huh? Aren’t you the Armored Knight?”

“?”

“I’m Hans. I worked on the construction of the village. Well, although I could only observe it from afar.”

The young man named Hans smiled broadly and waved him through.

“Please, come in! Everyone has been waiting for you!”

Waiting for me?

Confused, he crossed through the gate.

And just as the guard had said, there were people waiting for him.

The moment they recognized him, they began running toward him while shouting joyfully.

“It’s the knight! The knight has returned!”

“It’s the Armored Knight!”

“Our savior!”

But to her surprise, everyone was welcoming her with tremendous enthusiasm.

Surrounded by the crowd, Valdrova thought.

‘Why?’

Surrounded by the crowd, Valdrova thought.

‘Why?’

She was completely bewildered.

She had gained some fame after the monster attack.

However, she had never received a welcome of this magnitude.

Valdrova thought carefully.

‘All I did was build buildings…’

Could that be the reason?

Because she had built the walls and houses too well?

‘Now that I think about it, they also said they were building much faster thanks to me.’

She had erected homes capable of housing many people in a short amount of time.

She had built walls that protected everyone.

Perhaps they were simply grateful for that.

‘That must be it…!’

She arrived at that extraordinarily simple conclusion.

And accepted it without thinking any further.

Receiving those gazes filled with admiration and respect, she headed toward the workers’ union office.

“Oh! Our hero has returned!”

Hanson, who was now the union leader, welcomed her enthusiastically.

“I had a feeling you’d come here as soon as you returned, so I was waiting for you. Come on in. There happens to be someone who wishes to meet you. Would you mind speaking with her?”

Valdrova nodded.

Then Hanson stepped aside.

Inside the office, she saw a woman sitting at a table.

Blue hair.

Delicate features.

She wore adventurer’s clothing and carried a platinum badge on her chest.

Upon seeing Valdrova, the woman extended her hand with a friendly smile.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Eri, branch director of the Far East Adventurers’ Guild.”

Although she was using a false name to conceal her identity, Valdrova recognized her immediately.

‘Isn’t that Lorga’s favorite girl?’

She was the young woman who always accompanied Lorga.

A Dragon Spawn as serious and intelligent as she was, someone Valdrova had even secretly admired.

‘Why is she pretending to be human?’

She wanted to ask her countless questions, but remembering that she was mute, she simply took her hand in silence.

With a simple handshake, she felt as though she had become a little smarter.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. They say you’ve been here ever since construction of this town began.”

Nod, nod.

“At first everyone thought you only possessed monstrous strength, but when the monsters attacked, you proved your worth.”

Nod, nod.

“And now I’ve heard that you even completely tore apart a Giant Monster. I’m truly impressed.”

No…d?

Valdrova tilted her head.

‘A Giant Monster?’

Although killing such creatures was part of her daily routine, she was certain Eri wasn’t referring to that.

The only monsters she had killed while wearing that armor were a couple of wolf monsters.

‘Besides, I was here the whole time…’

Had the armor somehow come to life and gone off on its own?

The Bronze Dragons were famous master craftsmen, but knowing their personalities, she was certain they wouldn’t have added a function like that.

‘Then there must be another Armored Knight.’

At last, she understood why everyone had welcomed her so warmly.

Didn’t that mean she had been enjoying someone else’s fame this whole time?

Her face turned red with embarrassment.

And at the same time, she felt uncomfortable.

She needed to clear up the misunderstanding.

But the Vow of Silence kept her mouth sealed shut.

“Thanks to your dedication to the development of Hestia, many adventurers have found a source of inspiration.”

I wasn’t the one who did it!

That was what she wanted to say.

But since she had never before heard so much praise directed at her, she couldn’t find the right moment to interrupt.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you at least tell me your name? If you’re an adventurer, I need to verify whether you’re registered.”

A name.

Naturally, she couldn’t reveal it.

Not just to maintain her persona.

The moment she considered doing so, Ruri’s murderous glare automatically appeared in her mind, making her feel as though her throat was closing up.

“It seems difficult for you to say. I understand.”

Eri did not press the matter any further.

“Union Leader.”

“Y-Yes!”

“I’m sorry for occupying the place without permission, but could I speak privately with this person for a moment?”

“O-Of course!”

A mere union leader could never refuse a request from a Platinum-rank adventurer.

Hanson left the room.

But Eri went even further.

She activated a spell that completely isolated the room from the outside world, leaving only the two of them inside.

Valdrova waited silently.

She trusted that someone Lorga valued would never do anything bad.

“What I’m about to say is something that would only cause problems if others heard it, so we’ll speak discreetly.”

Nod…

Tension appeared on its own.

Eri cast another spell.

The union leader’s office instantly disappeared.

No.

Rather, she was reproducing another location.

Valdrova recognized it.

It was the exact place where she had been during the monster attack.

“I have recreated the situation from when you eliminated the wolf monsters. I apologize for doing so without your permission.”

A wolf monster and a man wearing armor identical to hers appeared before her.

Grrr!

The wolf monster charged fearlessly.

Stab!

And it died with the knight’s hand piercing straight through it.

“It took him only 0.3 seconds to eliminate one.”

Eri spoke without hiding her admiration.

“If it were someone at the level of an Imperial Swordmaster, killing a wolf monster alone wouldn’t be anything extraordinary. But you are different from those Swordmasters.”

“……”

“Because you used neither weapons nor aura. You killed it through physical strength alone.”

The word strength made Valdrova tense up.

Eri replayed the scene again and again as she continued.

“They say that before overwhelming power, everything else becomes meaningless. However, this is not something that can be accomplished through strength alone. You are a veteran who has fought at least dozens of monsters.”

Overwhelming power.

Experience.

Inside her armor, Valdrova trembled.

She feared that all of this would eventually lead to the conclusion that she was the Incarnation of Strength.

Would they discover her?

The daughter of Iorga herself, the very person Ruri had told never to reveal her identity?

Just imagining the lecture that would follow was terrifying.

Was this the end?

“You can relax. I have no intention of digging into who you are. The only thing that matters to us is your ability, not your past or your identity.”

Eri’s words calmed Valdrova.

“Based on those abilities, I would like to make you a proposal.”

Eri handed her a sheet of paper.

The title read.

«Demon Lands Exploration Plan»

“As the branch director of the Far East Adventurers’ Guild, and also as an adventurer, I am assembling a team.”

Nod, nod.

“And I would like to recruit you for that team.”

Adventurers…

People who traveled throughout the continent of Serdes, uncovering mysteries and defeating evil.

And living alongside others was a fundamental part of that.

Furthermore, she would probably spend several days away from the castle.

Shake, shake!

Valdrova instinctively shook her head.

She tried with all her might to convey that the only thing she enjoyed was constructing buildings here.

Eri nodded as though she had already expected that reaction.

“Of course, I imagined you would refuse the offer.”

If she had expected a refusal, there would have been no need to make the proposal in the first place.

It was obvious that she fully understood Valdrova’s concerns.

“Considering your pattern of behavior, I imagine you’re uncomfortable working in a team and maintaining long-term relationships with other people. I’m willing to make concessions regarding those matters.”

Although Eri offered accommodations, Valdrova continued shaking her head.

“I see you truly have a complicated story behind you.”

A knight with extraordinary combat abilities and overwhelming strength.

And yet someone who did not fight for honor or glory.

Eri understood that type of person perfectly.

Someone whose heart had lost what once gave meaning to life.

The greatest hero of the Twelfth Expedition had been exactly like that.

However, Eri could not back down.

“But if you truly care about the future of this town, I ask you to consider it one more time.”

The purpose for which Hestia had been built.

“This town was created to conquer the Demon Lands. To house adventurers and develop methods to combat demonic corruption.”

Valdrova had heard something similar before.

But she had always thought it was a matter that had nothing to do with her.

“As always, having good intentions does not guarantee good results.”

Perda generously supported every project in the territory.

Under Vernell’s leadership, technology had advanced by leaps and bounds.

But changing people’s hearts required far more than financial support.

Because everything depended on human will.

Everyone dreamed of becoming rich overnight.

But that only happened when the risks and rewards were clearly defined.

And the Demon Lands were a place where the reward was uncertain.

That was why the truly capable avoided going near them, while mediocre people continued gathering there.

It was precisely to change that situation that Eri had agreed to become the branch director of the Far East Adventurers’ Guild.

“I don’t know what your circumstances are, but I’m certain you wish to distance yourself from everything related to violence. However, we cannot allow a person with such talent to rust away forever at a construction site.”

Eri spoke firmly.

“If you truly love this town of Hestia, then I ask you to help us do what others cannot.”

“……”

What others could not do.

No one could transport more materials than she could.

But if enough people worked together, anyone could do it.

And monsters?

That was different.

Even if dozens of people gathered together, if they lacked the power to fight, they would be nothing more than prey.

‘I… prefer the way things are now.’

From the day she descended to Hestia until today, all she had done was erect buildings and construct walls.

Working honestly, receiving payment, and watching the smiles on people’s faces.

To her, that was fulfilling and wonderful work.

‘If I start killing things again…’

She could not control violence once she resorted to it.

What if…?

What if she misused that power while trying to protect everyone and ended up killing them instead?

Then she would never be able to forgive herself.

As she watched Valdrova’s reaction, Eri thought.

‘Is she going to refuse in the end?’

She had realized long ago that the so-called Vow of Silence was a lie.

She assumed that, just like Perda, Valdrova simply had some secret she could not tell others.

She desperately needed her.

But if she refused again, Eri was prepared to give up.

After all, forcing someone to become an adventurer never led to good results.

After a long moment of contemplation, Valdrova finally responded.

Nod, nod.

“Then you’re going to refuse…?”

No.

“Do you mean you’ll accept?”

Startled, Eri asked again.

Nod, nod.

Valdrova nodded once more.

If this had happened the day before the Beginning of Spring Festival, she would certainly have thought that the simple life of a worker who built houses and walls was more than enough to make her happy.

But she could no longer think that way.

Because she had seen it with her own eyes.

She had seen that those monsters, even from such a great distance, were unimaginably enormous.

And that Hestia, beneath the skirts of her mountain, was incredibly small and fragile.

Under her wings lived lives as delicate as floating plants that would be swept away without resistance if even one of those creatures broke through the barrier.

That saddened her.

It filled her with worry.

And at the same time, she had thought.

If those lands disappeared, I wouldn’t have to worry about this anymore.

‘That girl is right.’

Building things was not enough.

‘I must do what others cannot.’

She had to prevent those disgusting things from continuing to be born.

She had to destroy them.

The hatchling that had broken out of its shell needed to take one more step forward.

***

In front of Hestia’s main gate.

The guards were peacefully enjoying their shift while chatting.

“So what’s for dinner today?”

“They say it’s everything stew. They want to use up the leftover ingredients.”

“Bah, those cooks have it easy. Whenever they need to, they just throw everything into the same pot.”

“I saved a few sausages. I’m going to toss them into the stew.”

“Share some. Are you going to eat all the good stuff by yourself?”

“Then buy your own.”

“You damned pig. Choke on them.”

“How much longer until the shift change?”

“When we got here, the sun was over there, so about twenty minutes. We should start getting ready.”

“Ugh… I swear it feels like three hours have passed. How do you endure this boredom?”

“Better to be bored than fighting monsters all day.”

“That’s true. I’d rather die of boredom.”

The region where they had lived before had been filled with monsters, wild beasts, and goblins attracted by the smell of food.

But the forest stretching out before them now was as silent as a grave.

It was so peaceful that it was hard to believe the Demon Lands lay beyond it.

As they yawned and waited for their relief to arrive—

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

“Don’t you feel like the ground is shaking?”

“Can you feel it whenever the boss moves his leg now too?”

“No, seriously. Stay still for a second. It feels like something heavy is striking the ground.”

“Oh, here you go again with your nonsense, trying to mess with me…”

The mockery abruptly stopped.

Just as he had said, a vibration began traveling through their boots.

And the longer it continued, the stronger it became.

It could no longer be dismissed as imagination.

It was real.

Something was approaching them.