Chapter 68: Change
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Change
As the sun dipped into the west, painting the sky in the hues of twilight, Ruri began cleaning up after the tea party with the help of her spirits.
Water spirits scrubbed the dishes while a wind spirit dried them. The desserts that Ferda and Valdrova hadn't touched found their way, one by one, into Ruri’s mouth. It was a perfect distribution of labor—save for the fact that Ferda hadn't left his seat yet.
“Why did you say something so unnecessary?” Ferda asked.
To say there was no emotion in his voice would be a lie. Ruri looked at him with a flat, businesslike expression.
“You womanizer.”
Ferda’s brow furrowed. “That wasn't philandering.”
“I simply stated the facts as I saw them. That you held hands with that wretched woman.”
“Was your goal to rain on my parade?”
“Rain on your parade? Shouldn't you be thanking me?”
“What?” Ferda stared at her, wondering what kind of nonsense she was spouting now.
“If I hadn't said that, would you have even held her hand?”
“Her hand?”
“Yes, her hand. The very hand that was enjoying yours. Who do you think made that possible?”
What on earth is she…
He started to dismiss it, but as he looked back on the day’s events, he realized she wasn't entirely wrong. Ferda had gone into the tea party with the sole intention of doing his best not to hurt Valdrova. He hadn't planned on being so forward as to hold her hand today.
‘If she hadn't mentioned Olivia…’
He wouldn't have reached for her.
‘If she hadn't mentioned that I didn't go hunting today…’
Valdrova would have spent the night in agony. Everything had happened because Ruri had said something that invited a calculated misunderstanding.
“Are you saying this was all intentional?”
“Isn't that obvious?” Ruri snorted. “You are a greedy man, Master. You’re the type who takes a step forward if given even the slightest provocation. I knew that if I brought up that woman, you would naturally take action.”
For a brief moment, he had forgotten. Ruri had managed this castle and watched over Valdrova longer than anyone else. She knew the Archduchess better than anyone.
Ferda couldn't hide his surprise. Has she ever gone this far for me?
Ruri had tried to help him as a maid several times before, but it had always been indirect assistance for Valdrova’s sake. This was the first time she had intervened so directly to help him. Perhaps that was why she seemed different than usual.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ruri asked, noticing his lingering gaze.
“You just seem a bit different today.”
“Different how?”
“I’m not sure. Should I call it… cute?”
Ruri froze. “Cute…?”
“If I had to define it, I’d say you’re like a cute little mongrel.”
“…”
Ruri’s expression contorted instantly. Ferda knew this look well. It was the same look of pure disgust she’d given him when they first met—no, it was even more intense now.
“If you’re just going to talk nonsense, please leave. You’re interfering with the cleaning.”
“I’ll do just that.”
He didn't want to be caught in the crossfire of her irritation, so Ferda quickly stood up to leave.
“Lord Ferda,” Ruri called out.
In the slanted glow of the setting sun, Ruri stood with her back to the light. In that moment, she didn't look like a sharp, professional maid, but like the child she truly was.
“Don’t worry,” Ferda said, cutting her off before she could speak.
Ruri didn't say anything else. She simply gave a small, light nod.
* * *
Valdrova’s Lair.
Aside from the thick iron gate, the interior was a massive, raw cavern. A Dragoon with the head of a red dragon stepped inside. It was Valdrova, the Aspect of Fire and Power.
She had just returned from the tea party. Standing in the center of the cave, she tilted her head back slightly. Only then did it truly sink in that she was alone. She pressed the gem embedded in her chest.
Sssssss—.
The Dragoon Armor hissed open, disgorging its occupant. Inside was a woman about 160 centimeters tall.
“Phew…”
Valdrova exhaled sharply, like someone escaping a brutal battlefield. No, a battlefield would have been easier for her. Even subjugating monsters for six hours straight hadn't been this exhausting. It had only been about two hours—just sitting and talking with Ferda.
Yet every moment had been overwhelming for her, even inside that massive armor. Valdrova looked up at the suit and muttered to herself.
“I couldn't take it off today either…”
The armor was something the Bronze Dragon had made for her to wear when she polymorphed. It was designed to make her look like a terrifying Red Dragon—large, imposing, and capable of producing a threatening voice. The intention was for her to show her dignity as a dragon and a ruler.
In reality, however, she used it as a sanctuary. Like a snail’s shell.
“What would he say if he saw me…?”
With a hollow laugh, she caught a glimpse of herself in a nearby mirror. Two pairs of horns, golden cat-eyes, and flowing red hair that looked as if it were spun from ruby thread.
There were very few people Valdrova had shown this form to. Only Ruri and the other dragons knew her face. Consequently, there were few opinions on her polymorphed appearance. Ruri called it a balanced beauty that hid external strength with softness. The other dragons simply called her a “softie.”
And Ferda, the human…
“Ugh…”
She didn't want to think about it. Whenever she recalled his face from earlier, her mind went blank. She felt as if she were floating, as if a hundred hands were tickling her. She couldn't control the feeling of losing herself.
“I want to hear it…”
She wanted to hear him say she was pretty. She wanted to hear him say she was beautiful. She wanted to show him her true self, not the armor, and hear those words. That was why, even under the armor, she wore a beautiful dress.
Did Ferda know? That inside the armor he looked at, there was a woman in a dress? That she hid inside the armor every time because she lacked the courage to show him?
“And yet…”
Her voice was thick with embarrassment. She remembered what Ruri had said before the tea party.
—He held hands with Olivia Arken and toured the White House.
Valdrova understood. A man of Ferda’s caliber could certainly hold hands with a beautiful woman, couldn't he? Yes. That was only natural.
“As if I could ever accept that…”
She was jealous. She couldn't help it. Her fiancé had held another woman’s hand. The person she was supposed to spend her life with had touched someone else. Even as she felt the jealousy, Valdrova felt pathetic.
“Even though I’m the one who runs away every time…”
Ferda was always waiting. It was Valdrova who hid because she lacked the courage to show herself. And yet, here she was, being jealous.
“Idiot.”
She blamed herself.
“Stupid, big idiot.”
Despite the self-reproach, a smile finally touched her lips.
“But… I did well at the end.”
She couldn't believe she had been the one to ask to hold hands. It had been impulsive, but without that impulse, she never would have dared to say it.
“…”
Valdrova stared blankly at her right hand. The hand Ferda had held. His warmth still lingered there.
“It was so warm…”
Valdrova had felt it clearly—how warm his heart was, and how much he cared for others.
‘That’s why this castle is becoming so lively.’
In the year since he had arrived, the castle had grown noisy with life, and news of the territory’s development was constant. He was accomplishing things Valdrova hadn't done—things she couldn't do. She felt a sense of admiration.
‘So, I have to change too.’
And a sense of motivation. Valdrova repeated it to herself. That would be the best reward she could give Ferda for coming to her as her fiancé.
“I’m sleepy…”
Her eyelids felt heavy, and a pleasant lethargy washed over her. Usually, on days when her blood energy was acting up, she couldn't sleep a wink, but she had a feeling that if she closed her eyes now, she would fall into a deep slumber. She should probably return to her dragon form to sleep, but she didn't want to. She wanted to cherish this warmth, this trace he had left behind, just a little longer.
Valdrova lay down right where she was. Curling up on her side, she hugged the warmth of her right hand tightly. She thought about tomorrow. Her tomorrows had always been a continuation of pain. She used to go to bed just to escape the thought of them.
But today was different. The tomorrow she pictured in her mind made her feel alive.
What should she do?
What would make Lord Ferda happy?
Drawing infinite lines of thought that led to no conclusion, she fell asleep.
* * *
In the center of the Serdes Continent stood a building that seemed to pierce the heavens. It was the tallest building on the continent: the Magic Tower.
Built by the Blue Dragon Iorga, it was where all Blue Dragon Spawns lived their lives. The building’s name was the Blue Eye.
Eyes exist to see. True to its name, the Blue Eye was a surveillance network created to watch over everything under the sky.
Rank within the tower was determined by floor. The very top floor was the lair of the dragon, Iorga. The floor directly below belonged to the representative of the Dragon Spawns, Erica Iorga.
And she…
“It seems the humans are starting to notice.”
“It’s not overt yet, but there are complaints about the laxity of the Blue Eye’s surveillance magic.”
…felt like she was aging faster than ever. She was surrounded by elders, wading through agendas and documents.
“What is the humans’ estimated calculation?”
“They don’t have exact data, but they seem to estimate a thirty percent decrease.”
Thirty percent. A figure that could not be ignored.
“If this continues, they will realize Lady Iorga is absent…”
The Blue Dragon Iorga. The Aspect of Magic, a possessor of mana rivaling the Absolute, and the one who personally provided fifty percent of the tower’s magical power.
However, Iorga was currently being eroded by Godwin’s darkness. Even simply living in seclusion carried too much risk. Thus, Iorga had made the unilateral decision to crystallize her own body.
“What will you do?”
The elderly mages trailed off, waiting for Erica’s response. As the leader of the Blue Dragon Spawns, she was calmer than anyone. Erica, who had been reviewing the documents, looked down at the last page and tossed it onto the desk.
“It is still within the normal range.”
The elders gasped in surprise.
“How is thirty percent within the normal range?”
“In reality, our tower’s mana loss is fifty percent—half.”
The mana required for the Blue Eye’s surveillance network was severely lacking. If they spread it as wide as before, it lacked depth; if they focused on depth, the range narrowed.
“The fact that humans estimate it at thirty percent means our substitutes are twenty percent effective.”
They had abandoned traditional methods in favor of more flexible alternatives. They concentrated surveillance on high-risk areas and coordinated with the Adventurer Guild to use manpower for the areas outside the network’s reach.
“We must analyze further and find more substitutes.”
“We cannot rely on adventurers forever. If we don’t heal the root cause, it’s all for naught.”
“And aren't we going through all this trouble precisely to heal that root cause?” Erica’s eyes flashed sharply as she glared at the elder. “If you can come up with an immediate solution, I will hold my tongue. Please, present one.”
“Well… I didn't mean…” The elder lowered his head, cowed.
Erica let out a sigh and spoke in a softer, soothing tone.
“I know how anxious you all are. I feel the same. Currently, our tower, the Blue Eye, is facing an unprecedented crisis. To maintain our reputation as the eye that watches over the continent, even using all our mana wouldn't be enough.”
But they couldn't do that.
“However, if we do that, it will be impossible to create a cure for Lady Iorga. Since she sensed her condition worsening and entered hibernation, we don’t have much time left.”
They were lacking everything: mana, time, and manpower.
“But we must appear as though we can handle this with ease. If we show any lack of confidence, this tower we’ve built will crumble in an instant.”
The Blue Eye ruled through surveillance. They had to demonstrate clearly that they held absolute control over magic.
“Understood.”
“We have no choice but to trust the Leader.”
The elders concluded the meeting and withdrew. Once the last person had left and the door clicked shut…
“Phew!!”
Erica, who had maintained the face of a steel-willed leader, let out a long breath like steam escaping a pressure cooker.
“Fuck…”
A string of curses tumbled from her lips. They said the crown was heavy, and the one Erica wore felt like it was going to snap her neck.
‘I can’t just wipe them all out.’
Dragon Spawns were naturally inclined to look down on other races. Any other Dragon Spawn would have immediately threatened or used violence against a human for talking back, but Iorga’s descendants couldn't afford to do that.
Magic was a tool for the rational. Throwing a tantrum was irrational and a sign that one’s magic was unstable. Their greatest weapon was their composure—showing that everything was normal and that they had the confidence to overcome anything. Consequently, Erica, as the leader, only grew more sick with internal stress.
“Sigh…”
Erica stood up. She felt like she would explode if she stayed seated, so she looked out at the landscape to cool her head. The rich colors of early autumn were dotted like paint across the land. The scenery changed every year, but her thoughts remained much the same.
The great mountains to the north. ‘Where the idiots with ice for brains live.’
The western plains. ‘The domain of religious zealots full of hypocrisy.’
The southern desert. ‘The playground of extremists bent on self-destruction.’
The black land to the east. ‘…Ferda Valdrova.’
No, that was different from usual. Normally, she would have thought, ‘The grave of greedy men slowly rotting away.’ But since her visit to the Grand Council, that thought had been overwritten by a human’s name.
—What will you do in the end?
His words were still ringing in her ears. The end of the secret created by Godwin.
“The end…”
She turned the word over in her mind again and again. No answer came. Neither an optimistic nor a pessimistic future was acceptable. No one knows the future. One can predict it, but looking into it completely is impossible.
“Arrogant bastard…”
Iorga’s descendants lived in the present to prepare for the future. Erica Iorga was no different. She was neither pessimistic nor optimistic. That was the rationality Iorga pursued.
And yet.
Whenever she thought of Ferda, his words buzzed in her ear like a mosquito.
What will you do?
What are you going to do?
What CAN you do?
“Phew…”
Sensing she was at her limit, Erica raised a finger. A small droplet of water condensed at her fingertip. The droplet expanded into a veil, instantly covering her surroundings completely.
“Haaa.”
She took a deep breath. And then…
“SO WHAT?!” she screamed. “What makes you so special?!”
She stomped on the floor and flailed her arms.
“I went out of my way to crush that motion and stop those damn ice-idiots, and you’re acting all high and mighty?! You’re just a human! A human!! Who do you think you are?!”
If she couldn't stay calm, she had to vent.
“I don’t know! I’m quitting! I’m not doing this! Why do I have to do this?! What’s the point?! Everyone’s always nagging me!! When they can’t even do it themselves!”
She spent several minutes shrieking and letting out everything she had been holding inside.
Knock, knock.
“Um, Lady Erica?”
Her secretary opened the door. Erica, who had been screaming and thrashing like she was having a fit, moved instantly. She dispelled the water veil and sat back in her chair. She returned to her usual composed self.
“What is it?”
The secretary, having no idea that Erica had just been throwing a hysterical tantrum, began her report.
“I’m here to report on the investigation into House Rosnova as you requested. Do you have a moment?”
The timing was impeccable. Erica felt a pang of guilt. “Go ahead.”
“First, there were no major issues with House Rosnova itself. They are one of the Empire’s knightly families, with achievements typical for humans, barely maintaining their lineage. A very common family.”
“Are you saying there are no issues with Regent Ferda’s family?”
“At least not with House Rosnova.” The secretary turned the page. “The issue is Regent Ferda’s biological mother, Anna Rosnova.”
“What about her?”
“There is absolutely zero information on her.”
“Zero? Do you mean she was a commoner or something?”
“No. It’s not like that. I’m not sure if we need to investigate deeper, but it’s almost as if…” The woman hesitated for a moment. “It feels like we’re chasing a ghost that never existed in the first place.”
“A ghost?”
It was the most irresponsible thing an investigator could say. However, Erica did not overlook it. These were Iorga’s children, and they knew Erica well. For her to say this meant that even after digging deep, they hadn't found a single speck of dust.
Erica muttered, “The reason an egg exists is because there is a hen.”
Every effect has a cause. A son exists because there is a mother. Even the dragons, whom they considered gods, had a Creator. To dig for information on Ferda only to be met with an unknown question…
‘Just who is that man?’
As she pondered this, a loud clattering came from the stairs. A man, looking terrified—a state unbefitting the rational Iorga—rushed up.
“T-This is terrible!”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
“T-This! Look at this!”
He handed her a magically captured image. It showed several Silver Dragon Spawns recovering bodies in a snowy field.
“A Silver Dragon Spawn… is dead?”
“Yes.”
That alone was a grave matter. All Dragon Spawns remembered the deaths of their kin. Silverwind, known for having the strongest bonds, would never let an enemy go unpunished. If he had only brought this, she would have assumed a bloodbath was coming somewhere. But she sensed his urgency meant something more.
“The next page…!!”
The Silverwind pack was flying through the sky. In their midst was a Dragon Spawn with massive wings.
“The leader of the ice-idiots is moving personally…?”
Goz Silverwind taking action himself was no ordinary matter. It wasn't just about ending an individual; it was an intent to destroy everything that person possessed.
Why? Why was he moving personally?
Erica thought. A single name immediately came to mind.
‘No way…’
It couldn't be. He wasn't that stupid. He knew exactly what the relationship with Silverwind was like; he wouldn't do something so insane. But she had to be sure, so she asked the difficult question.
“Who laid a hand on the descendants of Silverwind?”
He answered, and her fears became reality.
“It was Regent Ferda Valdrova!”
The fuse had been lit.