Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Speaking with a Forked Tongue (6)
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“I’d been expecting as much.”
It wasn’t exactly music to my ears, even if I’d anticipated it. To put it bluntly, it meant becoming a subordinate of the crown prince.
That’s why he’d asked me. Would I be at the front lines, or floundering in the rear?
Of course, it’d be more comfortable in the back, but combat experience is always better the more you get. It’d be best to stay as close as possible to where the fighting actually happens.
Besides, if Pippin shone during this subjugation, the crown prince would surely take a liking to him. I had to prevent Pippin from siding with the crown prince, no matter what.
“I want to be of some help in the thick of the action. I’ll stay close to Your Highness, then. I can only hope Bishop Orchid will lend a hand.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
Bishop Orchid replied with unwavering confidence, not so much as blinking.
“Have you seen the beasts in the strait yourself? Are they huge?”
Pippin, who’d been silent for a while, suddenly piped up with a question. I started to stop him, but I was curious too, so I let it slide. Their absurd back-and-forth continued—Pippin’s wild questions and Bishop Orchid’s calm answers.
Before I knew it, time had flown by as I watched their banter. At last, the imperial palace came into view.
***
Upon arriving at the palace, everyone treated Bishop Orchid with utmost respect. It was obvious as day that he had the crown prince’s trust—you could see it even if you fell over backward.
The crown prince was in the Dragon Garden, they said. Named for the dragon, symbol of the imperial family—and this time, there was a real dragon there.
“It’s a specimen captured during the last beast subjugation. It’s incredibly beautiful... and ferocious.”
As someone representing House Gluttony, Sierra had taken part in every beast subjugation, so in the story’s canon, I should know about this dragon too. But since I’d never seen it myself...
Ah! One thing came to mind.
There was a dragon the crown prince gifted to the heroine as a token of his love.
It was a beast that ignored the crown prince at first, then later bonded with him and played an active role. From my perspective as a player, it was a monster I’d had zero interest or affection for.
Having me claim the dragon felt off, but gifting it to Dahlia would be perfect. The thought of the crown prince having an ally like that just irked me for some reason. Was it because I was the villain? Not that the crown prince seemed like a hero, either.
“Bishop Orchid Libido! Bishop!”
Just then, someone came rushing breathlessly from the Dragon Garden.
“Sir Helio.”
Bishop Orchid recognized him. The man called Helio grabbed the bishop and made a huge fuss.
“The crown prince’s dragon has gone berserk! This is bad!”
“Subdue it.”
“If I could, do you think I’d be standing here like this? It snapped its leash while we were feeding it and started thrashing around! It’s completely mad. I can’t handle it alone. Could we get Bishop Destruudo’s help?”
“Bishop Destruudo’s mana is depleted. He can’t come out for a while.”
“Then we’ve got no choice but to run...!”
Helio, the young man who’d been venting nonstop, finally noticed me and Pippin. He instantly erased his pathetic expression, his face hardening as he glared at me.
“Who the hell are you?”
Hah. I’m a duke—shouldn’t you recognize me on sight?
I deliberately tilted my chin up and replied in an arrogant tone.
“Sierra Gluttony. You’re not going to say you don’t know me, are you?”
“What, Gluttony?”
His rude response left me dumbfounded. Fortunately, Bishop Orchid stepped in to rein Helio in.
“Please forgive him. Sir Helio Heliohellian hails from a neutral nation, so he’s unfamiliar with Noamaz Empire customs. I apologize on his behalf.”
Heliohellian—I remembered the family. They ran a massive trading company. Starting as wandering merchants, they’d leveraged connections to the imperial family and snagged a title. Those connections apparently meant sending one of their own to serve as the crown prince’s subordinate.
Even so, they weren’t bound by imperial law—lawless in a way. Knowing that full well, Helio strutted his arrogance right in front of a duke like me.
“I’m Helio Heliohellian. Everyone just calls me Helio, and Sierra the duke can do the same. I’m the youngest of the Heliohellian family, but I’m not lacking in anything compared to my brothers, so don’t go underestimating me.”
“Pleased to meet you, Sir Helio.”
Arguing with some cocky pup who only knew how to puff up his pride would be pointless. I flashed a friendly smile and offered a handshake.
I couldn’t hide my irritation completely, though, so I gripped his hand hard during the greeting. Listen up, kid—I’ve got experience from arm-wrestling festival gigs.
As if to test him, he winced. I quickly changed the subject.
“You seem pretty desperate. What’s the situation?”
Helio answered readily enough.
“As you probably know, His Highness the crown prince captured a dragon during the last subjugation. Everyone’s trying to calm it down, but the thing goes wild without the crown prince around. We can’t let it out of the garden because of the curse, but it’s too aggressive. Only Crown Prince Taimers can handle it.”
That’s when it happened. An indescribable vibration shook the air, rattling our heads. Thud thud—a massive body smashed through the garden, crushing everything in its path.
A real dragon.
Pippin stepped forward, craning his neck toward it. His eyes sparkled; he seemed thrilled at the sight of the beast.
Pippin glanced at me, and I nodded indulgently.
“The Storm Dragon Desiderium—a violent destroyer of all in its path. It’s one of the three legendary dragons that appear only once per generation. The legends say it dwells at the base of cliffs and summons storms. An incredible beast.”
Pippin spoke in awe, and true to his words, it was impressive. Its sky-blue scales gleamed with luster, its teeth were huge and menacing, and its golden eyes were sharp yet held a strangely human pathos.
“Dahlia would love it.”
Pippin’s tone carried a hint of wanting to take it home. I felt the same, but reason kicked in. “Hold back.”
That’s when the dragon roared and turned toward us. Before I could stop him, Pippin charged. He raised his unremarkable sword and rushed the dragon. The beast whipped its long neck to dodge, snapping nearby trees in the process.
“Let’s fall back for now.”
I calmly retreated, pulling Bishop Orchid and Helio with me. I wanted to help Pippin, but I couldn’t casually unleash my summons in the imperial palace.
Pippin seemed to be getting cornered, though. Maybe he was holding back because it was the crown prince’s dragon and he didn’t want to injure it badly.
“Bishop Orchid, can’t you use vines to bind it? This whole place is a lawn.”
I asked urgently. The bishop shook his head calmly.
“Not possible right now. All I can do is heal. Wild vine growth is Bishop Destruudo’s domain. But...”
Bishop Orchid stepped forward, assuming a stance.
“I can assist Sir Pippin.”
A pale green light rose from Bishop Orchid’s body, a warm energy flowing from him through the ground toward Pippin.
“Germinate.”
At his command, small blades of bright green grass with fresh leaves sprouted at our feet. The grass grew to ankle height, soft and plush. As it spread, a surge of vitality filled me. It was completely different from Bishop Destruudo’s power.
“This won’t be easy.”
Bishop Orchid gazed worriedly at Pippin, who was darting here and there, herding the dragon into a corner.
The dragon backed away from Pippin, then lunged suddenly to bite. Pippin swung his sword but fought passively.
The dragon slammed its tail into the ground, shattering a statue that came crashing toward Pippin.
“Pippin! Run!”
Boom! As the statue hit the ground, something hurtled toward the dragon at tremendous speed. The beast’s piercing shriek shattered the air.
“What just happened?”
Dust clouded the area around the dragon. Soon, I spotted Pippin—he’d fallen but seemed unhurt.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine, but the dragon...”
Looking where Pippin pointed, I saw the dragon with its neck twisted unnaturally. Steam hissed from its nostrils like it was about to ignite. And in front of it stood a man.
A human, far smaller than the dragon, yet he pinned its horn with his arm in a display of effortless strength. He pressed down on the horn, crushing the dragon’s neck. The beast wheezed, its neck bent, glaring at the man.
Anyone could see the human was the stronger one.
His unadorned attire somehow exuded splendor, and he was tall. I instantly recognized him as this game’s true protagonist—the damn crown prince.
He radiated an intimidating presence unlike any human. No—in fact, among everyone I’d met in this world, he had the most vicious aura.
Having subdued the dragon in an instant, the crown prince turned to us. His golden eyes, sharp as the dragon’s, fixed on me first, then slowly shifted to Pippin, Bishop Orchid, and Helio trailing behind.
He fastened a rope he was carrying to the dragon’s collar.
He locked eyes intensely with the dragon once, then walked toward us.
“Sierra.”
His cold voice called my name. Meeting his gaze felt like staring down a killer—I flinched.
Only a beat later did I remember we were supposed to have known each other since childhood in the story.
We weren’t close at all—the canon Sierra cowered around him constantly—but I had to play the part. I could kind of see why she was scared.
“Long time no see, Your Highness Taimers.”
I greeted him warmly. Pure pretense, of course. The atmosphere felt off, sending chills down my spine.
“Cut the fake familiarity.”
The crown prince rebuked me immediately. Then he strode to Bishop Orchid and slapped him hard across the cheek.
Slap!
The sharp sound snapped the bishop’s head to the side.
“I’m sorry.”
Bishop Orchid apologized at once.
I was so stunned my jaw hung open.
Hitting someone the moment you see them? What kind of relationships does this guy have? Where the hell did his personality go wrong?
“I told you not to deploy Destruudo.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Control your emotions.”
“Understood. I have no excuses, Your Highness.”
“I decide where he rampages. Don’t you dare forget it.”
Pippin was just as shocked as I was. Worried the crown prince might strike Bishop Orchid again, I started to step forward, but Helio suddenly grabbed my wrist. His face was pale with fear.
This was utterly absurd. A tyrant crown prince?