I Married the Dragon I Killed

Five minutes before the incident.

Vernell backstage.

“Huff… huff…”

He breathed heavily.

How many times had he left his house to step onto a stage like this?

And how many times had he held expectations like these?

‘Of course I did.’

But had he really expected a day like this to truly come?

Maybe others did.

But not Vernell.

His entire life had been ignored, and he had even nearly had his organs taken by loan sharks.

Everything changed when Perda intervened, but even so, he never imagined himself here.

Vernell slightly lifted the curtain and looked outside.

He could see the wide seats of the opera theater.

His heart pounded with excitement.

But something even greater dominated him.

Pressure and fear.

— Vernell, do you truly believe something like that can become reality?

The words of Rector Bernard Escolea echoed in his ears, making those emotions grow even stronger.

It had been during the academic conference when he was still a student at Escolea Academy.

— Anyone can propose absurd ideals like those. But what do you plan to do if you end up obsessed with them?

— Do not think you can destroy every existing law. You are intelligent, but you are not that kind of genius.

Bernard had tried to break his will.

But Vernell did not give up.

Even so, from that day onward he began feeling uncomfortable around people.

Especially on main stages like this.

What if they mocked him again?

What if useless comments confused him once more?

What if he disappointed the people who had believed in him?

Those questions transformed into hands strangling Vernell’s neck.

‘Even so, I must do it.’

For Perda, the regent who believed in him.

To humiliate Bernard, who refused to accept his success and insulted him.

And for himself, who had given everything for this.

“Huff…! Why is this damned calming tea not working!?”

He had already drunk several cups of the tea that supposedly calmed nerves, but the thoughts still clung to his mind.

He clasped both hands together and began to pray.

Hoping that, unexpectedly, everything would fall apart before it even started.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

As though his small wish had been heard, a scream erupted.

Vernell snapped awake in shock.

“What was that? What happened?”

The staff members all began fleeing at the same time.

Instead of escaping with them, Vernell chose to observe the situation.

“Hhk…!”

A rift had opened.

In Hallim.

And even worse, inside the opera theater.

A rift from which monsters were emerging.

‘Is that possible?’

There were extremely rare cases where monster gates appeared inside cities.

But right now.

With all these people gathered.

While presenting the monster appearance prediction device.

The coincidence was too perfect.

‘Should I run?’

The moment Vernell took a step backward, something grabbed his ankle.

He saw Perda.

Perda remained standing there.

As if the option of fleeing had never existed for him, he faced the rift with cold and rational eyes.

Noblesse oblige.

Perda was fulfilling the duty of a noble.

That gaze inspired Vernell.

‘I have to do something too.’

Maybe he could not risk his life like that time before.

But he had to be useful.

He quickly turned his head.

There was the magic engineering rifle he had prepared.

Vernell picked it up and began activating it.

Regulate the amount of mana.

Preheat it enough.

Adjust the selector.

Regulate the power according to the indicators.

‘Why does this thing have so many steps?’

More than twenty processes were required to operate it.

Originally there had been over a hundred.

Vernell had gradually simplified it because Malcolm was incapable of using it.

‘And even so, there are still too many.’

Until right before the presentation, Vernell had thought that.

Would this not be enough?

People would be able to use it, right?

‘It was not enough.’

If it needed to be simple enough for even Malcolm to use, then it had to be something usable in any situation.

With something this complicated, reacting quickly in a critical moment like this was impossible.

And while he hesitated, more victims kept appearing.

‘Damn it.’

Idiot.

The rector was right.

I am an idiot.

The result of obsessing only over increasing that miserable 1% without imagining what was truly necessary was this.

Even so, Vernell kept moving without stopping.

At this moment.

Right here and now.

He decided to do the only thing he could.

At last, he finished loading the weapon and pulled the bolt.

Wooooong—!

The object acceleration magic circle inside the barrel began to vibrate.

Vernell grabbed the rifle and climbed onto the stage.

The situation was already close to ending.

Only two wolf monsters remained, and both were charging straight at Perda.

‘They are too fast!’

Vernell would only have one chance.

And with that single chance, he had to land an effective hit.

But it was already difficult just to hold the rifle steady.

He had no confidence in being able to follow those movements and shoot accurately.

Booom!

Lightning shot from Perda’s hand.

He managed to stop one of them.

But not the other.

The monster surpassed Zed and lunged directly at Perda.

It tried to rip out his throat with one bite.

‘No!’

Vernell stopped hesitating.

He pulled the trigger.

The magic formula activated, and a sphere of mana formed inside the crystal tube.

The sphere traveled through the long barrel and fired out as a flash.

Bang!

It pierced through the chest of the monster attacking Perda.

The shot penetrated exactly through the heart.

The pure mana projectile struck directly, and the wolf monster let out a shriek before going rigid.

A single shot.

Just one was enough to bring down the monster.

Even Vernell himself was completely shocked.

He had adjusted the power far higher than normal, but he never imagined it would kill it in one shot.

He had only hoped to buy some time.

But his intentions no longer mattered.

The deafening blast.

And the death of the final monster.

All of it drew everyone’s eyes toward Vernell.

Everyone stared at him with their mouths hanging open like idiots.

“What is that?”

“It looked like magic came out of it.”

“Then is it a staff? Did he use magic?”

“Staves do not look like that!”

Everyone speculated only about the object Vernell held.

After all, even in the presentation, the main focus had been the mana stones.

The magic engineering rifle was only meant to be shown as a derived application.

“Ehmm…”

He had to say something.

Vernell felt the pressure to speak, even just a little.

And finally, he opened his mouth.

“This is… the object I brought this time… the magic engineering rifle…”

That was all.

He could not continue speaking.

But at the same time, it was enough.

Because that simple introduction was impactful enough to engrave itself into everyone’s minds.

***

While the conference hall was plunged into chaos, there were those observing the situation from afar.

The incident had already ended, and they could see the aftermath being cleaned up.

“Seven wolf monsters.”

A man muttered while crossing his arms.

“How many did we think would die from seven wolf monsters?”

The man beside him answered.

“At least three hundred people. Including Rector Bernard Escolea.”

“And yet there was not a single death. Bernard did not die either.”

“The one who planned this will not escape responsibility.”

This was not some simple “miscalculation” or “they exceeded expectations.”

It was a failure impossible to ignore.

“What do you think caused the failure?”

“Do we really need to answer that?”

“I just wanted to confirm whether we think the same.”

The cause of the defeat could be summarized in a single name.

“Perda Valdrova.”

“So it really was him?”

Both had reached the same conclusion.

Perda Valdrova.

Lately, that name kept appearing constantly among the demons.

Ever since he started interfering, everything had begun going wrong.

“I heard he even attacked research facilities using the power of demons. Did we end up like this because we underestimated him?”

“We did not underestimate him. If anything, we overestimated him.”

That overestimation came from the testimony of Research Director Linne.

The demons believed Linne’s words were merely excuses to justify her defeats.

“And even that overestimation falls short.”

Perda was far beyond anything imaginable.

“He knows how to neutralize monsters using first- and second-circle mages who are not even suited for combat.”

“He also perfectly evaluated and distributed the forces. He took a slight risk, but it seems even that was calculated.”

“He is a cold man. He gives the impression of having real experience in battles like this.”

“How can a boy barely eighteen years old do something like that?”

“Maybe he has been on a battlefield before?”

“Look at that body. What could he possibly do with such a thin and muscleless body?”

“Then… could it be something innate?”

“It does not feel like innate talent. There was no improvisation. His level is different.”

There were many speculations about Perda, but no clear answers.

“Perhaps the related factors will give us the answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“That we should broaden the scope. Look for more factors around him.”

The man pointed with his chin toward a brown-haired young man.

“That Zed fellow is strange too. Is it possible to move like that just because of Haste?”

“For a normal human, no. To move that way, he would have had to live his entire life at that speed.”

“I thought it was strange to accept as a knight a guy whose only talent is seducing women, but I see there was a reason.”

The other man nodded as though he understood.

“And that Malcolm…”

“He is just an idiot. Even now, after everything is over, he is still diligently kidnapping mages.”

“…I see.”

Meanwhile, the other man answered thoughtfully.

“We will have to raise the danger level. At least to Alberto level.”

“You mean Perda Valdrova? That sounds hasty. I still think he remains within expectations.”

The man slowly shook his head.

“I am not talking about him.”

What he pointed to with his chin was the blue-haired man still standing on the stage.

The man who had killed a wolf monster with a single shot using something that looked more like a work of art.

Vernell Marquis.

“That man’s influence will undoubtedly surpass even Perda Valdrova’s.”

***

With the deaths of the seven wolf monsters, the situation inside the conference hall finally came to an end.

There were many injured, but the fact that the battle ended without a single death carried enormous significance.

Normally, even the appearance of one monster meant at least three people dead.

And when the number of monsters increased, the death toll grew exponentially.

But this time, even though seven monsters had stormed the place, not a single person died.

Everything ended before Hallim’s reinforcements even arrived.

It was something so incredible that the word “impressive” was not enough to describe it.

And the person who had led that extraordinary situation was Perda.

“Thank you for saving our lives, Regent.”

“We sincerely admire Your Excellency’s brilliant nobility. We are deeply grateful.”

Both those who fought alongside him and those who fled and later returned began showering him with praise.

Perda did not retreat or abandon the front lines.

He fought until the very end.

That was noblesse oblige in its purest form.

Of course, the praise was not directed solely at Perda.

There was another person who left an equally strong impression.

“Do you know who that man is?”

“They say his name is Vernell Marquis. Apparently he was participating in this conference.”

It was Vernell.

Because he appeared at the end of the monster attack and concluded the battle in spectacular fashion, his name naturally began spreading from mouth to mouth.

“Ah, now I remember. Weren’t they saying it was something so impressive that Rector Bernard personally pushed for it?”

“Could that thing be it?”

“I do not think so. If it were a magic stone, the name would not fit. If it is a magic stone, then it should be a stone, right?”

“Then what the hell is that thing?”

Since the concept of magitech did not exist, no one truly understood what that object was.

But there was no need to explain the concept in elaborate detail.

Magitech was a technique capable of killing monsters with a single shot.

And that alone was enough to awaken anyone’s interest.

Vernell felt the gazes directed at him had changed and discreetly approached Perda.

“Uh, Regent… there is something I need to tell you…”

“Speak.”

“I killed the monster, yes… but it actually should not have died.”

Perda turned his head.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I thought about it carefully. Comparing the measured output during the rifle demonstration, the muscle density of that wolf monster, and the projectile’s trajectory, the shot should never have reached the heart.”

“You did not shoot to kill it?”

“I was only trying to buy some time. So I quickly examined the monster after it fell…”

“I see.”

“Do you remember where I shot it? In that area, the muscle was barely separated. The projectile passed exactly through the gap between the muscles, so it barely lost any force and reached the heart, where it exploded.”

Perda summarized Vernell’s explanation.

“So you are saying everything happened because of one coincidence after another.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Perda stared at him.

“And telling people that benefits us how?”

“Uh… no, I suppose it does not.”

“Then stop ruining the mood and enjoy it.”

Perda patted him on the shoulder and kept walking.

The moment he moved away, numerous scholars and merchants immediately began approaching Vernell.

All of them introduced themselves politely and showed him respect.

Vernell smiled awkwardly at them.

It did not feel so bad.

After all, that opportunity had been born thanks to the object he himself created.

Meanwhile, Penelope grabbed onto Zed and jumped excitedly.

“Ze-Ze, Ze-Ze! Look at that, look! Look at those stares from those females!”

“……”

“My god. I already feel full just from looking at them. Can I cry?”

“…Shut the hell up.”

Zed pushed Penelope’s head aside with his hand.

Then he quietly walked away with a complicated expression.

Penelope followed after him like a little child.

“What is it? Are you doing the tortured man concept now? Not bad! But do not overdo the character too much! Tonight we are going to feast!”

While everyone was receiving burning gazes, Malcolm was the only one unable to enjoy it.

“Are you insane?! You threw me into the middle of the battlefield?!”

“I’m sorry! I thought she was a witch…!”

“What the hell does that mean?! Do I look like a witch?!”

“N-no, that is not what I meant! I really thought you could use magic!”

Even five minutes after everything had ended, Malcolm was still diligently kidnapping mages.

The problem was that he had mistaken an elderly wrinkled noblewoman for a witch and dragged her there, earning a shower of insults and spit.

In less than a minute, his parents and his lower parts had verbally disappeared, along with many other things.

In the end, Perda had to personally intervene and stand in front of the noblewoman.

The situation calmed down in barely ten seconds.

Malcolm lowered his head while sweating coldly.

“I’m sorry, Regent. I made a mistake.”

“No. Raise your head. Did you commit some crime?”

“You ordered me to bring mages, but I brought a noblewoman and caused trouble…”

“That was inevitable. You fulfilled your duty. You acted according to my orders as a knight of the ducal territory, and you did well.”

Perda was genuinely grateful to him.

What would have happened if Malcolm had tried persuading the mages instead of kidnapping them?

None of them would have come.

Who in their right mind would voluntarily step into a place where death was lurking?

If he had not brought them by force, the plan would have fallen apart.

The operation succeeded precisely because Malcolm did what was within his abilities.

“Thank you, guh…!”

Malcolm burst into tears from emotion.

When everything finally calmed down, someone approached Perda.

No one remained near the place where that man walked, making it obvious he was someone of high status.

“I greet the great fire strength, Valdrova’s fiancé. I am Ahmad, lord of Hallim, the land of pleasure.”

It was the lord of Hallim.

Before Perda could respond to the greeting, Ahmad fell to his knees.

“On behalf of Hallim, I sincerely thank you for stopping this catastrophe.”

Everyone was stunned by Ahmad’s actions.

“My god… the lord of Hallim knelt…”

“That man they said would not even bend his back before the emperor…”

The lords of the south had the custom of not kneeling easily even before kings.

The fact that Ahmad knelt in front of everyone raised Perda’s reputation even further.

It was not a bad outcome.

“I merely fulfilled my duty as a noble.”

“Who would risk their life to solve a problem that happened in another land? We should not remain here. Allow me to escort you to the castle. There we can treat your wounds and speak more calmly.”

It was then that Perda remembered his neck had been pierced.

The bleeding had already stopped, but the pain throbbed intensely.

‘It will definitely leave a scar.’

He needed a topic of conversation with Hallim, but he did not want to begin that conversation carrying such a scar.

“Can you heal it completely?”

“Of course. I will summon the very best so not even a single mark remains.”

Thus, Perda departed alongside Ahmad toward the lord’s castle.