The White Dragon Awakens
Oscar whistled sharply.
“You ate a lot.”
After that, the magicians came running.
Onel had gathered all the magicians.
That's why Oscar could slip in among the magicians.
“Protect the conference hall with all your might.”
When Onel declared this, the magicians quickly disappeared.
Oscar winked at me with one eye and followed the magicians.
Five remained in the Yuri greenhouse.
Me, Yuis, Onel.
And Stella and Benjamin.
Benjamin was leaning against the wall, collapsed. Blood was flowing from his forehead.
Onel ignored him and supported Stella.
Stella murmured with a confused face.
“What happened...?”
“What I want to ask is...”
Onel said coldly, Stella looked at Benjamin who was clutching his forehead and groaning faintly.
A moment ago.
Stella faced Benjamin with a tense face.
Benjamin held a teacup and looked at Stella.
“So, since yesterday, why did you desperately look for me?”
Stella took a deep breath.
“I don't know how to bring up this topic.”
“What kind of talk is it that you can't even say it indirectly?”
“I thought a lot about it, but I can't beat around the bush.”
Stella opened her eyes wide and met Benjamin's gaze.
After swallowing dryly, she exhaled and said.
“I want to hold your hand.”
“...”
Benjamin's expression changed strangely.
Watching the highly tense Stella quietly, he lightly raised both hands.
“Rejected.”
“... What?”
“I didn't know it was a confession. I don't want to die by Onel's hand, so spare me.”
“What are you saying. My words are...!”
Benjamin didn't listen to Stella's words and stood up.
He headed for the door.
Stella hurriedly followed him.
“Benjamin, you're misunderstanding...!”
“Misunderstanding?”
Benjamin, gripping the doorknob, glanced at Stella.
This was the first time I saw this face of Benjamin.
After entering the Andres family, the first noble he saw, excluding family.
He was always kind, cheerful, with a kind smile on his lips.
The expressionless face, I didn't know.
I didn't know that the apathetic expression was this cold person.
“Stella, you know, I like smart people.”
“... Huh?”
“In other words, it means I hate stupid ones.”
“...”
“Which one are you?”
Stella's eyes narrowed.
Benjamin smiled faintly.
“Of course Stella is not smart. So you'll understand my intention to end the conversation here.”
“Intention...”
“See you next time.”
“Why?”
Stella's expression hardened.
Benjamin finally released the doorknob and sighed.
“You know what I'm trying to say. You want to talk about 'our' story, right?”
Stella clenched her fists tightly.
If it's 'our', it must be the story of the Old Empire Reconstruction Society.
“Saying it like this?”
Originally, Stella's plan was for her to bring up the story of the Old Empire Reconstruction Society first.
By doing so, when Benjamin was surprised, she could start the conversation from a relatively advantageous position.
Benjamin stared at Stella.
“You seemed to want to bring up the story of 'our' first.”
“...!”
“Then you must have been surprised by my information power or guesses?”
“...!!”
Stella flinched.
Benjamin wore a mischievous smile.
“You know, if you knew my identity, you should have noticed the moment I avoided the conversation.”
“... What?”
“'We' don't need you.”
“If it's really not needed, why tell me that?”
Stella bit her lips tightly.
Stella, gripping her trembling hand, glared at Benjamin.
Benjamin rubbed his neck and let out a small laugh.
“You can't talk about 'our' existence.”
“What does that mean...?”
“Ask your father exactly.”
Suddenly, the words Yustea said in the cave with the Purification Stone came to mind.
“Go ask your father.”
Stella's eyes became sharp.
Calm down, Stella.
“Every time...! Every time! Why do they all speak in that way—!”
Stella! If you go out like that, you'll suffer. Calm down and talk. I'll help you.
“I didn't learn as much as Yustea. There's more than 10 years difference between us!”
This idiot...!
“It's only natural that there's a difference between that kid who was born a noble and studied with all sorts of great teachers in luxury and me!”
“... This.”
“If I had 10 years too, it would be different!”
“It seems I pressed your button?”
Stella shouted in excitement.
Benjamin shook his head as if she was annoying.
“How about solving family issues among family. Cute Stella.”
“Don't ignore me—!”
Stella grabbed Benjamin's collar.
Her breath came out in gasps.
“You think I'm not useful because I'm not a saint? No, I'm □□□!”
Stella—!!
Error!
Error! Error! Error! Error!
Error! Error! Error! Error! Error! Error!
A shock like hitting the head is felt.
Stella sat down abruptly, clutching her head.
Her joints popped like electricity flowing through her body.
“Stella?”
Benjamin looked at the trembling Stella who sat down.
Her condition was strange.
Benjamin quickly bent down and examined Stella.
“Why are you doing this.”
“Aigoo...”
“Hey, Stella.”
The moment Benjamin's hand touched Stella.
Stella's body glowed golden and her neck bent back.
Strange runes appeared all over her body.
Benjamin flinched and stepped back.
'It's Onel's magic.'
That kid, he let them see Stella alone, so he must have cast some magic.
But it was strange.
A strange black whirlwind appeared in front of Stella.
And from there, wings began to sprout.
Kikik... Kiiik...!
The voice coming from inside the whirlwind was familiar yet unfamiliar.
Familiar because it was the same sound as the White Dragon he was carrying, and unfamiliar because the depth was different.
'Could it be...!'
Benjamin hurriedly covered his ears and grabbed the trembling Stella.
A jet-black vein different from Onel's appeared on her Adam's apple.
This was the mark he had directly engraved on Stella in the past.
To put the White Dragon inside Stella!
“Stella, calm down!”
“Ah, uwa...”
“If it's like this, the White Dragon will come out!”
However, Stella couldn't calm down.
Benjamin gritted his teeth.
'It's a failure.'
A few years ago, Benjamin received a mission from the Old Empire Reconstruction Society.
The mission content was like this.
Put the White Dragon inside Stella Andres.
At that time, Stella was the most likely candidate for the saint.
The White Dragon would be the biggest obstacle for Stella who would become a saint.
So he had put the White Dragon inside Stella.
If the time came when Stella would interfere, swallow her heart.
After putting the White Dragon inside, Stella suffered greatly.
Like she had been poisoned.
'But the Marquis Andres noticed the existence of the White Dragon.'
Just the fact that there is a White Dragon inside Stella is evidence that the Old Empire Reconstruction Society exists.
Because of that, the Marquis and the Old Empire Reconstruction Society made an agreement.
That was the truth of the poisoning incident.
Benjamin clicked his tongue.
“Look at me, Stella.”
“Aigoo...”
Stella met his eyes.
Benjamin's left pupil spun and turned white.
In the pupil, a red, panting Stella was reflected.
“It's okay.”
“...”
“It's okay, Stella.”
“...”
Only then, the calmed Stella collapsed on the floor.
'The White Dragon is...!'
When Benjamin turned his head.
KAAAK—!
A sharp cry was heard.
Simultaneously, a pain like the body was splitting was felt.
And when he came to his senses, he was pinned against the wall.
“Damn...”
Before calming Stella, all the Geum-sul was dispelled.
The White Dragon had appeared.
KAAAK!
The White Dragon roared, and the heaven and earth shook.
“... So that's what happened.”
After hearing Benjamin's explanation, I pressed my forehead.
Most of it was as expected.
Because I eavesdropped on the story of the Andres Marquis and Onel through Oscar's crow.
But there was one problem.
'The White Dragon is affecting the system inside Stella.'
Probably the holy instability of Stella created some error.
Now, even if the Old Empire Reconstruction Society comes, they won't be able to calm this White Dragon.
I sighed and stood up.
Then Benjamin asked.
“Why are you talking about the Old Empire Reconstruction Society so straightforwardly. Aren't you going to ask?”
“Not straightforward, but I had no choice.”
“What?”
“Since the White Dragon grew so big and attacked the nobles of the 7 families, you've already revealed yourselves on the surface.”
Benjamin shrugged.
“Smart. Wide-minded.”
“Wide-minded?”
“The poisoning incident. It was actually my doing, so it's not unreasonable to resent, but let it go?”
He smiled faintly.
At that moment.
BOOM!
I kicked the wall Benjamin was leaning on.
If Benjamin hadn't quickly avoided, I would have stepped on his head.
“What kind of words are those for forgiveness.”
“As expected, it's a failure.”
Benjamin laughed “haha”.
“Yuis.”
When I said that, Yuis looked at me.
“Tie that up.”
Yuis immediately cast a spell and bound Benjamin.
Benjamin looked at me.
“What are you going to do?”
“If it becomes dangerous, I'll feed it to the White Dragon.”
“... This.”
“If you say one more word, even if it's not dangerous, I'll feed it.”
Benjamin shut his mouth.
I looked at Yuis.
“Let's go.”
“Yes.”
So we headed to the conference hall.
“Uwaaaaa!”
“Aaaak!”
“Kya—!”
The Andres Grand Hall was an inferno.
Buildings collapsed, and parts of the buildings fell randomly.
Those who could use magic tried to create barriers, but it was insufficient.
KAAAK—!
Every time the White Dragon roared, the barriers crumbled like dry leaves.
“Please get out!”
The magicians and soldiers of Andres blocked the White Dragon, but it was futile.
If the tail brushed, it fell like autumn leaves, and if the claws touched, it swelled up with poison.
The claws weren't the only problem.
Just being near the White Dragon, trees withered and fell.
People who were scared froze stiff.
“H-how... what should we do...?”
“What do you know! Marquis Andres, what is this!”
One of the dukes shouted.
However, the Marquis couldn't answer and glared at the White Dragon.
'It's the White Dragon inside Stella.'
He turned around.
The man from the Old Empire Reconstruction Society among the people shook his head.
'Is it not their doing.'
The Andres Marquis clicked his tongue.
“S-save me... save me...!”
“Uwaak—!”
'Now there's no way.'
He grabbed the communication device.
[Yes, Duke.]
“Open the door. Take out 'that'—.”
At that moment.
“Kuaak!”
A scream came from behind the White Dragon.
It was also a very familiar voice.
“Yustea?”
The two men among the people flinched and looked up.
Aslan and the Duke of Esgard.
Yustea, who was clinging to the tall man with golden hair, landed on the ground.
“I thought you were going to die.”
“I told you to hurry as much as possible.”
“Yuis, you...?”
Yustea narrowed her eyes and glared at the tall man with golden hair.
“Yusi, step back.”
The moment Aslan rushed to Yustea.
“Eh, it's okay.”
“What?”
“Now I have a lot of mana.”
Yustea smiled brightly and immediately put her hand on the ground.
Then....
Fwaaah—!
A light aura completely enveloped the conference hall.
“Purification...?”
Someone murmured blankly.
Not only people were in Yustea's Purification.
Even the White Dragon was trapped inside.
“That, you can't poison it anymore. Go, Yuis!”
Yuis jumped as is.
Aslan also cast magic.
Black needles began to rise around.
And they poured towards the White Dragon.
KAAAK—!
With a creepy roar, the White Dragon flailed.
Because of that, the soldiers nearby were hit by the tail, but....
'Hit...?'
'Eh?'
People flinched.
No pain, no wound.
“That, Purification and healing in one go...”
“Saint...”
The oldest among the 7 dukes shouted.
“It's the saint's power—!”
Yustea thought.
As expected, lots of mana, easy.
Thanks, Essence of Joy.