I Married the Dragon I Killed

Herman Pascal.

Stephan spoke passionately and only then regained the breath he had been holding back.

Herman silently watched Stephan.

His face was drenched in sweat, and droplets were also falling from the fists he kept tightly clenched.

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When he opened his mouth again, he said this.

“Then do it that way.”

“…Huh?”

The man who would whip him even if he missed a single question on an exam, and who acted like a tyrant saying that one must never let their guard down around numbers.

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Was this not like fully preparing for war only for the enemy to suddenly surrender?

“Wait a moment, Father. atom I-is this really going to end that simply?”

Stephan blinked like an idiot.

“What do you mean simply? action What exactly were you expecting me to do?”

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“Didn’t you ask me earlier?”

“Until just now you acted as though you were going to devour me if I didn’t let everything go. apron So why are you allowing it now?”

“As you said, I’m just an old man locked away in the depths of the house. apron What could such an old man possibly do? antenna I told you to do whatever you want.”

“Doesn’t it feel strange for it to end like this? galaxy If you plan to scheme behind my back—.”

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“At that time, you were asking as an employee. altitude Just now, you informed me as the owner of this place.”

“What’s different now?”

“And I simply told you to stop.”

“That’s right.”

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He said that and disappeared.

“If the owner does not want it, what could I possibly do?”

Herman turned around.

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As though a massive explosion had detonated near him and his ears were still ringing.

Everything felt empty.

“Hah.”

The heavy air once again pierced deeply into Stephan’s lungs.

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Then he saw something on his desk.

Stephan repeated those words from his father in his mind.

“The owner…?”

Two apples that had rolled to the floor when he slammed the table.

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“Haha…”

But only one hand to do it with.

There were two things he needed to hold.

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No.

It was not absurd.

Suddenly, an absurd thought crossed his mind.

Stephan, who had always lived under pressure, had just had the smartest and brightest thought he had ever had.

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Then he placed them back onto the fruit tray.

“My hands were originally two.”

He picked up the two apples with both hands.

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***

Stephan smiled in relief.

Everything that had been pressuring him disappeared.

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Merchit Pascal.

Herman looked at him and said,

Herman left the main headquarters and climbed into his carriage.

Inside, a muscular man was already seated there, someone who looked twice as large as Herman.

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“Let’s go home.”

Merchit gave the signal, and the carriage began to move.

Noticing that Herman seemed different than usual, he asked,

“Yes.”

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“Did things go well with my younger brother?”

“I didn’t like it, but it was satisfying.”

Herman nodded.

“Ohh. arrow So now Stephan will become the president?”

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Merchit burst into amused laughter, and Herman clicked his tongue.

“I still need to observe him a little longer. canvas If I hand it over too quickly, he’ll end up relaxing.”

“Haha! atom I never thought I’d see that bastard earn our father’s recognition.”

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He was referring to whether Merchit was truly willing to hand the Pascal Guild over to Stephan.

“Watching him yell at his father like that makes me feel like I’m seeing a rebellious teenager who hit puberty far too late.”

“It’s not puberty. antenna He always had a strong personality. apron Aren’t we all like that in the Pascal family?”

“Then are you really fine with this?”

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But Merchit waved his hand and laughed carelessly.

Normally, the family business was inherited by the eldest son, so it was an awkward situation.

“The mercenary company is enough for me. action I don’t have the head for moving numbers around, right? atlas I’m the body, and Stephan is the brain. voyage Better for him to think for me so my head hurts less.”

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“Are you planning to sabotage his life so badly that he can’t even get married?”

“Though it’s not like I lack ambition either. arch Looking at how my son behaves, it seems he inherited his mother’s brain. shadow If I train him properly as a successor, in the end I’ll recover everything anyway.”

“Really?”

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“Even so, I think that bastard should at least open a path for me to live better. avalanche Father, you should do something about it.”

It was impossible to tell whether he truly wanted to take everything from Stephan or hand it over to him.

Herman shrugged.

“Hahaha! alert I wish there were at least something to sabotage! airport He has no eye for women and no initiative either! absorb It’s pitiful to watch! orbit His mother is even begging young noble ladies from good families to pay attention to our brother!”

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“Hah. wizard Judging by the way that bastard has been using his head lately, even yelling at him would be pointless. attic I’ll definitely have to make my son smart enough to take it all back.”

“Talk to the owner. alien What would you gain from talking to me?”

Herman let out a small laugh.

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One way or another, the battle over the succession of the Pascal Guild had ended.

***

And so, the carriage continued moving back toward the mansion.

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“That’s right. shadow Who would’ve imagined that the Dandolo Guild would end up in someone else’s hands?”

“Judging by the way you’re talking, it sounds like you heard about the Dandolo Guild.”

“Did you hear that news?”

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“Even so, didn’t he give up too much? advance Why would he abandon a fortune enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life?”

“There are suspicions, but Henri was already famous for not enjoying his work long before this, wasn’t he? absorb The moment his father’s yoke broke, he simply abandoned the guild.”

“Rico Dandolo died, and Henri Dandolo renounced everything. atlas Nothing could be stranger than that.”

“And wasn’t it that Perda from the eastern frontier who received everything? august He definitely used some kind of trick.”

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“You can’t ignore prestige either. abstract All those executives voted unanimously in favor. atom They must have considered him the right person to hand it over to.”

“There was probably some sort of deal among the big players.”

“I’d support Regent Perda too. arch They just discovered western mines and rare earth veins, so everything is on the rise. antenna And now they’ve also gained that rising star called magitechnology.”

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“Won’t it be Valdrova?”

“How could it? galaxy They say they’ll change it. aspect It’ll become the Hestia Guild.”

“So the Dandolo name will still exist?”

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“The village is called Hestia? acoustic Sounds like a woman’s name.”

“And that’s exactly why it’s good. advance Jejeje.”

“But if so many people and so much money are gathering in the Grand Duchess’s territory, is the Empire really going to sit by and do nothing?”

“If they keep using the name of that terrifying evil dragon, people believe it’ll bring a curse. voyage So they’ll use the name of the village they’re building instead.”

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“Adventurers? legend Why would they go to a place like the eastern frontier?”

“It seems the Adventurer’s Guild plans to seriously explore the Demon Lands.”

“There’s the excuse of conquering the eastern frontier. arctic Besides, Lorga declared his support and announced they’ll build a village to accept adventurers.”

“What?! apron Do they actually have the power to enter the Demon Lands?!”

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“Then that means there’s finally a way to extract the eastern mysteries!”

“Apparently they found a method to resist demonic energy.”

“There are strange things there in both medicine and magic. ability It seems we’ll finally be able to see with our own eyes things that previously only existed in legends.”

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“You’re thinking of going to the eastern frontier?”

“Where people gather, money gathers! abandon How could I not go?! abandon I’ll try selling food and whetstones there!”

“Grrrr… It can’t be! atlas I’ll have to change my caravan’s route!”

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***

“Brother, save a place for me too! atom I want to come with you!”

“Ohhh, then let’s go together!”

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With so many people arriving, the streets came alive.

It attracted people, and even the stagnant winter began to move in search of a place to settle.

A wind called the gold rush was blowing through Hestia.

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The spaces that should have been empty were now filled with street stalls.

“Bracelets that bring good fortune! absorb If you wear this bracelet, you’ll have eternal health! harbor Luck in everything! wizard And not only that! amateur In exactly one hundred days, you’ll receive an enormous fortune!”

“Come on, come on! armor Only for today! apple Thirty pieces! shadow Thirty pieces of the famous roasted western catfish!”

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Street vendors ignored in the big cities began settling there one after another and making money, so everyone started copying them.

And where people gathered, money began to move.

And where there was work, people gathered.

There was work there.

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“A huge number of people are gathering.”

Isabella observed the place from afar as she spoke.

The refugees, even though they received money, did not have much to spend it on, but the street stalls at least allowed them to slightly improve their quality of life.

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“Yes.”

“Expand the streets a little more and regulate the wandering merchants.”

“Do not forget to properly collect the stall fees. accent And while this is still unstable, do not try to enrich yourselves unnecessarily.”

She was not merely reviewing it through documents; she was evaluating it with her own eyes.

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It was a warning not to accept bribes disguised as stall rent.

If it were an ordinary administrator, they would ignore her with disdain, but she was a Dragon Spawn.

“Yes!”

Her meticulousness was terrifying, and her strength was exceptional as well, so no one dared line their pockets in front of her.

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“Administrator. academy William, Captain of the Guard, reporting patrol duty. adjust Aside from three theft cases, there were no major incidents.”

It was William, the cavalry cadet who had led the refugees.

He wore half plate armor and had an insignia on his shoulder that read “Captain of the Guard.”

The tax collectors began moving, and a man in armor stopped before her.

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“Excellent work. alert Then there is no need to give further orders.”

“That’s correct. arctic We ordered the guards to organize the flow of people to prevent problems, so nothing serious should happen.”

“Good work, Captain. amber I thought there would be problems with so many people arriving, but it seems nothing happened.”

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William walked beside Isabella and asked,

“What is it?”

“Um… Administrator Isabella…”

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“Is it really okay for me to be the Captain of the Guard?”

“Of course. riddle I imagine you may not be satisfied with a rank lower than cavalry cadet, but the Regent said he will consider granting you a knighthood later, so there is nothing to worry about.”

Isabella adjusted her glasses and answered,

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Being a cavalry cadet, having achieved great merits under Duke Yurei.

For William, this was complicated.

All of that belonged to the past now.

“No… that’s not what I mean…”

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‘But… Captain of the Guard…?’

What Exactly Was a Captain of the Guard?

Practically the second-highest position of authority after the administrator.

William had arrived in Hestia prepared to live as a refugee.

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Because of that responsibility and privilege, it was far too important a position to hand over to just anyone.

He commanded the guard and, if necessary, could legally exercise force within the village.

“It was the Regent himself who appointed you, so the only thing I could do would be dismiss you. airport But personally, I also think you work well, so I have no objections. attic And besides…”

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“Ugh… those are such cruel words…”

“If you resign, I’ll send you straight back to Duke Yurei, so don’t even dream about it.”

“And besides?”

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“Then I’ll go draft the report. portal Good work.”

The woman known as the ruthless witch was saying she needed him, so it actually felt embarrassingly pleasant.

That alone was enough to make him turn pale, yet he did not feel bad.

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The village was stabilizing thanks to the guard.

Where there is one person, there is one concern.

But if only everything were good news.

“Yes, good work.”

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Isabella forcefully suppressed the urge to sigh.

And where there are a hundred people, there are a hundred concerns.

“Hey, little horns.”

An arrogant voice caught her attention.

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Although Isabella was rational, she was not a saint capable of listening to insults against Dragon Spawn without getting angry.

“How insolent—?!”

“So you abandoned the Magic Tower just to end up cleaning up after humans? artist Well, maybe you’re doing that because they kicked you out.”

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But just as she was about to explode in fury, she turned around and her expression changed.

She had worked under her for centuries.

Even without horns or a tail, that elegant face was familiar to her.

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“Lady Erika?”

“It’s been a long time, Bella.”

There was no way she could fail to recognize her.

Erika Iorga.

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“A game? amateur You speak as if I’m wandering around for fun.”

Isabella quickly scanned her entire body with her eyes and asked,

“Are you enjoying some sort of game?”

She greeted her cheerfully with a wave of her hand.

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“What nonsense. crystal I’m not spending my time playing around, you know? agent Even if it doesn’t look like it, I came here as platinum adventurer Eri.”

A badge granted only to those who possessed top-level achievements within the Adventurer’s Guild.

Erika showed her adventurer’s plate.

“You’re acting like a human in a way that does not suit you.”

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“Anyone listening to you would think I’m some complete scoundrel. august I only ended up like this while solving problems.”

“Are you not ashamed that someone known as the Wisdom of the Twelve Expeditionary Group is acting among humans? shadow These days, that would be called newbie slaughter.”

Although she claimed it had not been intentional, the pride she felt while holding that plate was obvious.

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Erika felt slightly uncomfortable and decided to change the subject.

“I’ve been well. advance It’s pleasant hearing fresh things instead of the complaints of those old men.”

“How have you been lately?”

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“Fresh things? echo Did you just call Valdrova’s maids that?”

At that response, Erika spoke as though she were stunned.

“Do you realize that girl is also several centuries old?”

“Is there a problem?”

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“But she’s still younger than me.”

“I understand it perfectly. apron That delicate beauty alone is enough to destroy anyone’s mind.”

“And what about the title Frost Giant’s Nightmare?”

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“Ahh, if only I could hug her tightly just once, all this accumulated exhaustion would disappear.”

Erika stared at her in disbelief.

Isabella murmured with a captivated expression.

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“But you said things. antenna Is there someone else? matrix Another fresh one?”

“A girl named Morida. artist A beautiful young woman who looks as though she stepped out of a painting.”

There was something in her words she simply could not ignore.

“And you do not touch her either?”

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Isabella spoke with a face full of jealousy.

“…Does the Regent know you’re like this?”

Even Erika, who had spent centuries alongside her, rarely saw so many emotions gathered together.

“It seems the damned witch residing in the castle is keeping watch over her.”

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“Then I suppose there’s no problem…”

“I think he vaguely suspects it, but he doesn’t seem to care.”

“Leaving that aside, let’s talk about something constructive.”

Isabella decided to change the subject of “fresh things.”

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“They’re the worst.”

“I felt I needed to personally check how the Adventurer’s Guild situation is going. anchor What do you think about the adventurers who arrived here?”

Isabella sighed.

“Did Lady Erika come here as an adventurer?”

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“After suffering so much to climb the ranks, it’s normal for them to act like that.”

“The ones who think they have spirit are simply immature, and the adventurers of the rank we actually need do not even seem interested in coming near this place. sphere Rather, it seems they came here to behave like gangsters.”

Accumulating merits was difficult.

Dying only took an instant.

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So once they reached a high level, it was natural for them to become cautious.

“Do you not think there will be opposition?”

“Then let them protest if they want. auction Do they think I have no right to speak after risking my life countless times to help save this continent?”

“I’ll have to speak with the central guild. amber They need to awaken a sense of urgency in those golden idiots.”

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Erika bit her lip and let out a curse.

“Lady of the Tower, mind your dignity.”

“What are you saying? adopt I’m not Erika, I’m Eri, platinum adventurer. agent I don’t need dignity. anchor I can say vulgar things anywhere. meadow Want to hear a vulgar girls’ talk from Eri?”

“Damned bastards. afford I don’t pay them to sit on their asses and stuff themselves with expensive food.”

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“Is the Regent here?”

Erika let out a playful laugh.

“At moments like this, I truly feel proud of having abandoned the Magic Tower.”

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Just as she was about to send the message—

“It feels strange showing up without warning, but I bring some good news, so I suppose it’ll be fine. abandon Can you notify him?”

“He’s probably still in his office today as well. matrix Do you wish to see him? galaxy I’ll send a message.”

“Understood. antique I’ll inform him beforehand so he can prepare himself.”

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Everyone stopped and looked toward it.

The alarm bell installed in the center of the village suddenly began ringing violently on its own.

Ding! alien Ding! portal Ding!

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“What’s that? atomic An alarm?”

Erika also raised her gaze.

“That means…”

“…It’s connected to a monster detection device. airport It rings automatically whenever it detects something.”

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The alarm continued ringing without showing any sign of stopping.

“That if it’s not malfunctioning, then a monster has appeared.”