Iorga, who suddenly appeared.
At the moment when Goz and Ruri's decisive battle was anticipated, a massive enemy emerged.
No, it was closer to a calamity.
The way each of those scales shone looked as if they each possessed a will and were chanting spells one by one.
Even if the Dragon Spawns outnumbered her, the reality was that they ultimately fell short of a Dragon.
"It's been a while, Great Phase of Magic-nim."
Goz spoke with utmost politeness.
"You've been sleeping in the tower for so long you're talking nonsense."
-Whether it's nonsense or not, you lot can just verify it yourselves.
"The one who hid away in the tower sleeping because she was afraid of getting weaker suddenly shows up demanding Silverwind-nim be handed overâif that's not nonsense, what is?"
-I've never been afraid of getting weaker. Even if I did weaken, I don't think I'd struggle against the likes of you.
Iorga answered calmly.
That was the truth.
Even this standoff right now wasn't a tense confrontation but unilateral mercy.
-By now, you lot should have built up a decent force.
The scales' colors shone even more brilliantly.
Magic would soon pour forth.
"Ruri."
Goz called her name while keeping his gaze there.
"Sorry, but our decisive battle will have to wait."
"I'll help."
Ruri raised her axe.
"You have no reason to fight Iorga."
"I am the Essenceâ."
"You're in the way! This is our family business! An outsider crawling in to meddle in household affairs!"
Goz shouted as if annoyed.
"Go back! Go back and live a life serving your master!"
Words that gouged her chest.
Ruri gripped her axe handle tightly but eventually stepped back.
"Now that the outsider's gone..."
Goz's spear tip emitted a chilling cold.
"All members! Begin the Dragon hunt!"
Phase of Steel and Wind, Silverwind.
Soldiers armored in solid armor formed ranks and charged at Iorga.
They sought to prove their reputation wasn't empty.
-Trivial.
She crushed even that ruthlessly.
The light bursting from the scales pierced through steel and skewered hearts.
Dragon Spawns are connected.
The death of a compatriot is felt.
At first they raged, but it gradually turned to fear.
With 70% of their strength wiped out, everyone fled in panic.
Iorga left them no mercy.
She killed them all, and finally forced even Goz, who held the Essence, to submit.
"Huu... huu..."
The spear shaft was shattered, the sharp tip chipped.
-Holding power unbefitting you, you can't even wield that power properly.
Iorga spoke as if pitying him.
"I know. That I lack the qualifications to hold this power."
-Yet you hold it anyway... You believed that if you gained power, you'd rise to a station worthy of it?"
"I may be the captain of all Spawns, but I wasn't so arrogant as that."
-You speak as if you have a mission.
Mission.
Is that truly a mission?
That was what Goz was thinking at that moment.
Goz's eyes clearly saw it.
A single silver comet was charging toward Iorga.
Overwhelming speed.
It recalled the reputation of the Mobile Captain.
Kwaang!!
The comet collided with Iorga.
No, it clashed with a blue magic circle that appeared before Iorga.
The comet that had poured forth with fierce momentum was blocked by a faint blue light.
Beneath that comet's light was Ruri.
-You're truly insolent.
Iorga gestured toward Ruri.
Then something like giant ropes emerged from the blue scales, bound her body, and slammed her to the ground.
-If you're Valdrova's maid, go to Valdrova and do your serving. Why are you meddling in this?
"I... was once one of Silverwind's people!"
She exerted force to tear those ropes.
The blue ropes she gripped tightly gradually widened.
"My familyâmy people died...! How can you just watch!?"
-Hmm, I see. Since you shared blood, there was affection after all.
A tone that was neither moved nor sarcasticâmerely understanding.
The moment she tried to break free from the blue ropes, they constricted even tighter.
Ududuk!
Bones crushed.
"Keueuk...!"
-But you don't know your place. And I'm not idle enough to spare those who don't know their place.
She gestured.
Light gathered from the blue scales, staring toward Ruri.
-Just die already.
Ruri's consciousness plummeted to some faraway place.
Ruri hurriedly opened her eyes.
Her hazy mind suddenly awakened, and she looked around.
"This place is..."
The cold snowy mountain wind vanished, and warm spring sunlight was felt.
A mountain of nothing but stone.
Unsuitable for living creatures.
That's why it was a place with little traffic.
'Right.'
As that information flooded in, Ruri realized.
'The place where I first met Valdrova-nim.'
She wandered between the East and Central regions, so her residence was irregular.
However, the place she sought was always fixedâalways a quiet place.
A place where even small animals wouldn't be startled.
'Back then I... right, I wore clothes like this.'
Instead of this maid uniform, she wore clothes befitting a Silverwind warrior, an axe slung over her shoulder.
In her hand was a bag containing clothes.
Even feeling it now, the senses from that time were remarkably keen.
'The instruction I received from Silverwind-nim was...'
To become Valdrova's attendant and serve her.
At the same time, to monitor Valdrova.
Unlike other Silverwind Spawns, her small and cute girl appearance made her the most suitable.
Of course, she didn't know at the time.
She just thought Silverwind was giving her a special mission because she was excellent.
Ruri quietly walked into the cave.
Soon, she sensed a presence from within.
A quiet flame, yet an energy that could blaze fiercely at any moment.
That spirit surpassed even Silverwind.
'An opponent who absolutely cannot be underestimated.'
Phase of Fire and Power,
And King of All Dragons.
It was undoubtedly Valdrova.
Ruri tensed and stepped forward, walking to where Valdrova was.
Finally, golden eyes lit up from within and found Ruri.
-Are you Ruri?
The cave was dry from the calm heat radiating out, and the eyes shone gold.
Not yellow, but gold.
She must not make a single mistake.
Ruri bowed her head and greeted her.
"By Silverwind-nim's command, I am Ruri Silverwind, who will assist Valdrova-nim from now on. Please feel free to call me Ruri."
-I heard all of Silverwind's children were male... You're truly small and frail.
Is she displeased?
Ruri placed a hand on her chest and spoke.
"There's no need to worry. I received Silverwind-nim's acknowledgment and will absolutely complete the mission given. If you trust and entrust it to me, I'll ensure you're not disappointed."
-That's not it. Uum...
Valdrova tapped her mouth with her claw.
Her golden eyes closed.
Soon, her form gradually shrank.
The dignified dragon became a single human and approached Ruri.
The shock at that time was indescribable.
Round eyes and a vacant smile held in her mouth.
The sharpness felt until just now was nowhere to be found.
If she hadn't seen the two pairs of horns rising on her head, she'd have thought it a different person.
"Th-that, tr-truly cu-cute...?"
She tried to speak dignifiedly, but it was so clumsy it rather looked like she'd be looked down on.
A female stood there who cruelly betrayed Ruri's expectation of a formidable opponent.
What is this?
Is this some kind of test?
Make me let my guard down, see through my intentions, then kill me mercilessly?
Other Dragons would absolutely do that.
She was the King, so she had reason to have such whims.
"Um... I wrote a welcome greeting, can I read it to you?"
"A welcome... greeting?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you very much for giving a welcome greeting."
Is this some kind of test?
Show a rude appearance and immediately disqualify meâsuch a trap?
She absolutely couldn't fall for it.
Ruri put strength into her eyes and watched her actions.
Valdrova pulled out paper she'd hidden behind her back.
Crinkled folded paper and handwriting so bad it was visible at a glance.
"Ah, hello! I'm Valdrova. I'm so happy to have a se-servant from today that I wrote this!"
It was torture.
Her tightly bitten lips tasted of iron.
One who showed tremendous spirit in Dragon form becomes a female who fidgets shyly the moment she becomes a woman.
'Meticulous.'
Ruri thought it was a kind of strategy.
But only after 30 years passed did she learn it wasn't a strategy.
Valdrova lacked the intelligence to make meticulous calculations like Silverwind.
"Ruri-ya, I'm hurt here."
"This much will heal quickly, won't it?"
"That's true, but I want to be treated."
"Understood."
Valdrova bothered Ruri every time.
The more she felt, the more she was a vague, foolish woman.
Not knowing she was being used foolishly by others, just laughing hee-hee.
Watching that made her angry.
More than the fact she was being used, seeing that dull appearance made it feel like she herself was rusting and breakingâit made her angry.
'The one with shallow thoughts was me.'
But when the Dragon-Demon War intensified, Ruri's thoughts flipped once.
She wasn't simply dull.
When she solidified her convictions, they were firm, and she showed a kingly bearing.
She came to admire that mature appearance.
But even that didn't last long.
During the final all-out war in the Dragon-Demon War,
Ruri waited for her master as an attendant.
Unlike the thought that nothing would happen, severe pain surged.
Ruri clutched her head like a child and shed tears drop by drop.
"Silverwind... nim..."
Silverwind died.
The cause of that death was Valdrova.
She bit Silverwind's neck and killed him, and from that point Valdrova regained her sanity.
"Valdrova..."
Because of that foolish woman, the person I cherished most died.
Anger surged.
She couldn't forgive Valdrova who took the life of the father who cared for her.
And she returned.
After doing such a thing, she shamelessly returned to the lair.
Ruri picked up her axe.
To kill Valdrova who killed Silverwind.
If she couldn't kill her, to follow that person.
Ruri called her name at the door.
"Master-nim, are you alright?"
Whatever answer returned, she intended to open the door and kill her.
-I'm okay. Ruri-ya.
Hearing those words, the anger she'd been holding scattered.
It was strange.
Why?
A woman who made a fuss over a minor scratch saying she was hurt, bothering her endlessly,
A woman who fretted over ants getting hurt.
That woman blew away half the conscripted humans and even killed Silverwind.
Yet she spoke as if nothing was wrong, saying she was okay.
-Since I'm okay... tell me from there? Is something the matter?
Ruri intuited.
She had to open this door.
Otherwise she'd regret it for life.
She put down her axe and opened the door.
"Ah, no! If you open the door..."
Her breath caught.
The first thing felt was the smell of blood.
Her empty lair had become a sea of blood, and at its center was Valdrova.
She was self-harming.
"I, I'm okay."
Inside, only her voice was okay.
She waved her hands, but noticing they were soaked in blood, she hurriedly hid them behind her back.
But that couldn't hide it.
Wings were torn off, blood flowed continuously without even stopping the bleeding.
While like that, she said this.
"Since I'm okay... you don't have to worry."
She always showed the same smile and said that.
At that sight, her younger sibling whose name she'd lost even while human came to mind.
When she lived as a human, the younger brother she couldn't protect.
That younger brother overlapped with Valdrova.
No, it might not have been that younger brother but her own past self.
Just dreaming a humble dream, but that dream shattered to pieces, collapsing...
Ruri slowly walked in.
She escaped from vengeance.
Things she didn't want to see became visible.
Ruri carefully approached and examined Valdrova's wounds.
"I'll heal you."
Warm energy burst out and sutured the parts she'd scratched herself.
Valdrova's awkwardly smiling expression gradually changed.
At first she flinched as if in pain.
But the endured pain surged, and finally she collapsed.
"I'm sorry... Ruri-ya... I, I did something really bad to you... I, there... to many people... Silverwind..."
"It's okay."
Ruri embraced Valdrova.
"Ruri is here. Master-nim."
Valdrova sobbed in that small embrace.
It wasn't clearly heard, but she was crying and apologizing continuously.
At that pitiful sight, Ruri held her even tighter.
"Ruri will be here forever."
As a human, she lost her sibling.
When she vowed never to lose someone again, she lost her father.
Two failures are enough.
Losing... I hate it now.
Valdrova's crying gradually faded.
Instead, the sound of burning firewood drew closer.
With the crackling of firewood, one cheek was terribly warm.
Meanwhile, the other side stole moisture from her cheek as cold chill flew away.
The contradictory sensations told her she was still in reality.
She carefully opened her eyes.
She had fainted in a small cave.
'I definitely...'
Caught in Iorga's hand, the last memory was being slammed to the ground.
She tried not to leave a shred of mercy, and she definitely faced death.
'Who is it?'
In her blurry vision, gray hair was visible.
"Ferda-nim?"
She called the name of the superhuman, the Prince on a White Horse she thought of, who had solved everything.
"You must've hit your head hard, spouting that name."
A gruff voice different from Ferda.
Only then did the form she thought was Ferda completely change.
Goz Silverwind.
He was sitting on the opposite side, looking at Ruri.