Dragons Feel Pain Too
“This is……”
Grandel, the mage ordered by Hades to locate the site of a world-class spell, lifted his head as he sensed something. He tilted it in confusion, then fixed his gaze in one direction.
A powerful mana wave……?
An indescribably strong surge of mana had pulsed through the air before vanishing in an instant. It wasn’t the world-class magic Hades had mentioned, yet something formidable had definitely been there.
Is there something over there? One of our guild members? No, that can’t be right.
“How curious. A coincidence?”
Whether coincidence or not, the direction from which the powerful mana wave had emanated aligned perfectly with the path Hades had indicated. Something was definitely there. Yet……
Why does my chest feel so uneasy?
Anxiety filled his heart. Mages, who wield mana to cast spells, possess heightened senses. High-level mages can even develop a sixth sense beyond their five. Grandel’s intuition was particularly sharp—likely thanks to his bloodline. That detestable lineage had honed his instincts, and now they warned him.
Going there feels like a bad idea……
The moment he did, something terrible would happen. A premonition of great loss washed over him. And as everyone knows, bad premonitions always come true.
The territory erupted into chaos. A colossal dragon, straight out of legend, had appeared in the skies above. Even though the residents lived near Monster Land and had some measure of courage, a dragon was different. Its mere presence radiated overwhelming pressure, and its furious roar knocked the faint-hearted unconscious. The shocking arrival threw the citizens into panic. Elena and Hans had to sprint about, desperately trying to calm everyone.
But it wasn’t easy.
“W-We’re finished!”
“It’s the dragon’s curse!!”
“The dragon’s targeting our territory now!! Aigoo! Monsters were already bad enough—now a dragon!?”
The confusion only grew. Elena broke into a cold sweat. No one would listen to her. The image of the dragon was too deeply ingrained; its presence too overwhelming for her voice to reach them.
“Y-Your Ladyship, what do we do?”
Hans wiped the sweat from his brow, looking just as lost. Ordinary methods wouldn’t work. One glance at their eyes told the story—the dragon stirred the deepest fears within humans. Their gazes shook violently with the terror of death. If left unchecked, something disastrous could happen. They needed a solution.
“What else can we do? We have no choice.”
“What do you……”
“Follow me!”
“W-Where are you going!?”
Elena suddenly dashed toward the mansion and called out.
“Brother!!!”
Only Albert could resolve this.
After handling Elena’s request, Albert stood before the dragon. Fiery red hair and ruby-like eyes glared at him, brimming with killing intent and hostility.
[He looks quite angry.]
Well, that’s understandable.
Dragons possessed sky-high pride. Being captured like this was humiliating enough to make one wish for death—yet even suicide was impossible for this pitiful creature.
“Human, release me at once! Do you even know who I am!?”
“A red dragon.”
“What?”
“You asked if I knew who you were. So I answered—a dragon.”
“You know that’s not what I meant!”
Gaster gathered his mana. No matter that he was in human form, he believed he could snap these ropes with ease. “You think these can bind me!?”
A violent mana vortex erupted. The storm would have knocked ordinary people off their feet. Gaster reinforced his body with magic and poured mana into the ropes, intending to tear them apart in one go.
“These!!! These!! These…… these…… these ropes?”
“Why? Not breaking?”
“H-How?”
“Why don’t you keep trying? Maybe they’ll snap.”
Albert watched him with an irritating smirk, as if to say he was welcome to try. The expression only fueled Gaster’s determination—he swore he would break the ropes and blast the man with his breath.
“Haaaaah!!”
“Haaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“Uwaaaah! Hey! Damn it!”
No matter how hard he strained or how much mana he drew from his dragon heart, the ropes refused to give. He even tried dispelling his Polymorph, but it wouldn’t work either.
“What the hell are these ropes made of!?”
“Material? They’re woven from an ancient dragon’s tendons and the World Tree’s stems. A hatchling like you couldn’t break them even if you wanted to.”
“What……?”
“Anyway, you’ve figured out the situation by now, right? No point wasting your strength.”
“……Do you really think I’ll obey your will just because you captured me!? Kill me instead!!!”
Even bound, his arrogant tone remained unchanged. His eyes burned with hostility, declaring he would never submit. That proud draconic gaze was truly something to behold. Albert smiled with a strange sense of nostalgia.
[He reminds me of Hansel.]
[He had that same determined look when he first met you, didn’t he?]
He did.
Hansel had been an assassin hunter. While the term usually referred to those who stealthily hunted monsters, Hansel targeted humans instead—a hitman of sorts. He accepted contracts to kill people, yet he wasn’t like other villains. He only eliminated targets who deserved death—criminals or the guilty—and never touched women or children. A lone wolf with his own code.
Albert had once been Hansel’s target. Though he never learned why, the assassin had come for him. The moment he struck, however, Hansel was captured instead. It had never been a fair fight. Albert’s information network had warned him in advance, allowing him to prepare. An assassination only works when the target is unaware; once they know, it ceases to be an assassination.
I set the trap instead.
He had captured Hansel and tried to extract the client’s identity, but the assassin’s code prevented him from talking. So Albert beat him.
Beat him senseless.
Some people claim, “I will never yield to violence!” Their eyes gleam with an orichalcum-like will stronger than steel. They’re used to torture and believe no amount of pain will break them. It’s difficult to make such men talk, but not impossible. What’s needed is patience and effort.
If beating them doesn’t work, it’s because the pain isn’t enough.
Pain, that is.
Hansel had held out at first, but after roughly six hours of beating, his tightly sealed lips opened like automatic doors. If he was used to pain, then all that was required was pain far beyond what he was accustomed to. There were side effects, of course.
[After that day, Hansel would flinch whenever he saw you.]
That was the side effect, but it worked. He stopped killing people, too.
Albert clenched his fist. Gaster flinched involuntarily but quickly hid his fear and turned away with feigned calm. Even as a dragon, he was still a hatchling—his instincts were still immature. A wicked smile spread across Albert’s lips.
“You know where the dwarves are, don’t you?”
“……”
“Silence? That’s fine. Breaking that silence is my job from now on.”
He rolled up his sleeves with a look of mild annoyance. Fear doubled inside Gaster, yet he refused to show it.
I am a noble red dragon. I will not yield to mere human violence.
Draconic pride. Even if his arms were torn off and his legs ripped away, he would never speak. Having already suffered countless humiliations, he swore not to endure any more. His ruby eyes ignited with a small spark of defiance.
But he would soon learn—dragons feel pain when struck. A great deal of it.
“Brother really is amazing.”
Elena sipped warm tea with her nanny in the study. The tea’s fragrance seemed to calm her troubled heart.
“You look deep in thought again.”
The nanny smiled knowingly. Whenever Elena grew anxious or faced difficult decisions, she often sank into melancholy. The nanny had seen it many times and always prepared tea, hoping it would ease her worries.
“What’s troubling you this time? Tell me.”
“……Nanny, am I unfit to be a lord?”
“Oh my, what makes you say that so suddenly?”
“After my parents passed, I did everything I could to protect this territory. I thought I’d tried my best, but……”
Clouds gathered over her face. Her eyes were filled with worry. She had given her all to protect the territory, yet she had failed. The self-loathing over her own inadequacy and the guilt toward the suffering citizens weighed heavily on her heart.
“I’m not qualified to be a lord.”
“Don’t say that. The Legrian Territory has survived this long only because of you, my lady.”
“No…… I only barely held on……”
“That alone is remarkable.”
The nanny poured her another cup of tea and sat across from her. She filled her own cup as well.
“If you hadn’t become lord, these people would have lost their homes. You say you barely held on? That’s only because it was you. Anyone else would have fled long ago.”
A territory bordering Monster Land. Surviving there for ten years was no small feat. Considering Elena’s age at the time, it was nothing short of extraordinary.
“The people who remain here stayed because of you—because of their lord. You know the others have already left.”
The territory had once been populous, but after her parents’ deaths and Elena’s ascension as lord, everyone grew anxious and chose to abandon their homeland. To them, Legrian Territory no longer had a future. Yet……
“Those who stayed did so because they believe in you.”
The nanny’s voice carried deep, unwavering affection.
“Look at me. All the other servants left, but Hans and I remained.”
Her warm smile and the tea’s gentle aroma filled the room, soothing Elena’s troubled heart.
“They all stayed because they believe in you, Lady Elena.”
“But I’m powerless. If only Brother became lord instead……”
“Hehe, I doubt the young master would agree. Besides, he told me himself—he said he absolutely couldn’t do it.”
“That can’t be true!”
Elena stared at the nanny in disbelief.
“You’ve seen what Brother can do. Ever since he arrived, the territory has flourished.”
She had witnessed it firsthand. He had effortlessly solved every problem that had plagued them. His crisis management, the composure born from countless experiences in another world—those were essential qualities for a lord. And on top of that, overwhelming martial prowess.
“You saw it—he subdued a legendary dragon like it was nothing. What Legrian Territory needs now is a strong lord like him.”
“A strong lord…… I suppose that’s true, in a way.”
“Right?”
Even though she had said it herself, hearing it acknowledged left a bitter taste in her mouth. It meant admitting her own weakness. She couldn’t help but feel downcast. The nanny took a sip of tea as she watched her.
“But the young master said he couldn’t do it.”
“Why!? If it’s Brother, he could resist external pressure, revive the family, and protect the territory……”
“The young master is certainly strong. He’s already proven that. But being a lord is a different matter, he said.”
She had asked him once before. The nanny had hoped Elena could set down the heavy burden and live as an ordinary girl. That was why she had suggested Albert take over as lord. His answer had been clear.
I’m not suited to be a lord.
But if it’s you, young master……
I considered it at first, but I have no intention of taking my sister’s place when she’s doing well. Besides……
Albert had smiled faintly.
A lord must never fall, but sometimes they must bow their head or bend. I can’t do that. My personality won’t allow me to bow to anyone or yield.
And then……
I’ve tried it before. Politics just doesn’t suit me.
His voice had carried a strange, untouchable darkness. His detached gaze had been unfathomably deep—something ordinary people could never reach. Those eyes were filled with regret. He had shared most of what happened in the other world, but she suspected he had left out the most important parts.
“Why would Brother……”
“It seems he went through many things in that world—regrets, anguish, suffering. I couldn’t bring myself to ask.”
“That’s……”
Beneath her brother’s bright exterior hid a darkness she still didn’t know. Families weren’t supposed to have secrets, but everyone had things they didn’t want to talk about.
“I understand.”
Elena finished the rest of her tea. Her worries weren’t completely gone, but her heart felt lighter.
“Thank you, Nanny. And I’m sorry—for acting like a child and complaining.”
She always ended up acting spoiled around the nanny. It was those eyes. Under the nanny’s piercing gaze, she felt like a little girl again.
“Oh, it’s quite all right.”
The nanny smiled brightly.
“We’re family, after all.”
“We are.”
Elena returned the warm smile. The tea felt especially comforting today.
And the next day……
“……What did you just say?”
“I told you. The dwarf elder wouldn’t listen.”
Albert pointed to the muscular man tied up beside him.
“So I kidnapped him.”
Instead of persuading him, he had simply abducted the dwarf elder because it was too bothersome. Simple and crude—solving problems with force when words failed. Only then did Elena realize it.
Brother must never become lord.
The thought solidified in her mind. Albert was the kind of man who would punch a king if he got annoyed.