Bang! I slammed both hands on the wooden desk, eyes blazing.
Jed didn’t even flinch—he just smiled like he’d expected this. The tea in the pot was probably still boiling hot. I wanted to rip off the lid and throw it in his smug face.
“Unexpected. You value your aide that much?”
“If she’s gone, I’ll be the one shitting blood doing everything myself.”
“Hahaha, dropping formal speech now, are we?”
Screw it. If it’s come to this, then it’s all or nothing.
I was never good at pretending to be the original Ceryl anyway. Everything that bastard had done went against my principles from beginning to end.
Ceryl Aellios. Whatever you did before—fine. But from now on, I’m the one living under this name.
“Speak, Ceryl. Why did you do it? Your reason?”
“You really need to ask?”
“I am asking.”
“Hah. Then listen carefully.”
“I am listening.”
This sly old raccoon piece of shit.
...Wait—no. That’s insulting to raccoons.
“Because I can’t stand watching you people anymore. That’s why!”
Jed leaned back against his chair, unhurried, entertained.
Getting emotional in front of someone like him was a losing move. I knew that. But everything I’d bottled up burst like a dam.
“You call what you did to the dragon research? Cutting his tail, stabbing his heart, pulling his claws—THAT’S TORTURE, NOT STUDY!”
“It wasn’t without results. We learned much about a dragon’s regenerative capacity.”
“Don’t bullshit me. The management facility exists to care for and tame monsters. What you’re doing is just cruelty.”
Humans chase honor, wealth, power. Monsters don’t.
These pure beings only want affection. Warm meals. A safe place to sleep. A gentle hand. For even that small kindness, they give their hearts back in full.
My fists clenched on the desk so hard my nails dug into my palms. Sweat pooled hot in my hands.
I knew full well—saying any more could cost me my second life entirely.
But what meaning did this life have otherwise?
If I couldn’t save the dragon in that underground cell... If I just stood by and watched monsters be abused...
Then continuing to breathe here meant nothing to me.
“Jed. I’m warning you—don’t touch the monsters again.”
“Hm...”
“They have emotions and intelligence. You’ll never win them that way. All you’ll do is kill them. Do you understand?”
Tension locked every muscle from my scalp to my soles.
What was common sense to me was sedition to them.
A statement of conviction like this would only have one result. They would call me a rebel. Interrogate me. Execute me.
Even so, if my final words could give monsters even a scrap of protection... I’d give up this life without regret.
...Well. Not entirely without regret. Damn it, I still hadn’t gotten to touch the dragon’s tail.
“Hahahahaha. ‘Win their hearts,’ you say. As expected of you, Ceryl!”
While I was bracing for death, Jed burst out laughing. He clapped happily, even gave me a thumbs up.
“Truly unpredictable. If I had to choose the cruelest man in Alberian, I’d choose you.”
The hell??
Which part of what I just said was cruel?
Maybe I’d shocked him so hard his last functioning neurons snapped.
No matter how I looked at it, telling him not to torture monsters was about the kindest thing I could say. Yet somehow, that made me the kingdom’s most vicious man.
“Feeding the dragon the corpses of his kin to break his mind—that was a brilliant idea.”
“Wait. No. That was—”
“And now, trying to win his trust? A fascinating second phase. Well, he is a naïve creature. If you coax him gently, he may fall for it.”
What the hell is he talking about.
What kind of mangled, acid-rotted brain turns all this {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} into a strategy?
“Is this some kind of honey trap?”
“...What?”
“I don’t know what a dragon’s preferences are. But do your best.”
Jed even let his gaze slide from my head to my feet, as if evaluating “bait.”
Being looked at like that—by another guy—was a first. And I hated it.
I had disliked this face since the day I saw it in a mirror, but now the harassment? Teeth-grinding level.
...Calm down. Swallow it. Survive it.
I have a dragon depending on me for food. That comes first.
“Yeah. I thought if I fed him well, cleaned the cell... maybe he’d trust me someday.”
“Just as I thought. Ceryl Aellios never acts without a plan.”
“Sure. Thanks for the faith.”
Jed only smiled. And that smile felt wrong.
Like I’d avoided the trap—yet somehow still stood exactly where he wanted me.
“Ceryl, I’ll overlook the stolen key. You’re busy; just come during the day from now on.”
That—was genuinely helpful. I’d been losing sleep every night just to see Varen. If I could visit during daylight, I could finally rest.
“But don’t steal from the food stores again. I’ll assign two fishermen to you. They’re idiots, but useful enough.”
As if a useful idiot existed. Still, I nodded.
Then exhaled and faced him fully.
What was his angle? Why support me taking care of the dragon?
“The plan to break his spirit failed. So this time—make sure you succeed.”
“Right. I’ll wor—”
“Bring me Draeberg’s name.”
I had thought the conversation was ending.
But that sentence froze my blood.
“The dragon’s name?”
“Yes. Magic doesn’t work, and torture doesn’t work. So he must speak it himself.”
Varen Draeberg.
He doesn’t know.
Come to think of it—Kallen didn’t recognize the name either.
My heart, seconds ago pounding, now grew cold. I chose my next words carefully.
“When I bring you the name. Then what?”
Jed’s smile sharpened—crooked at one corner.
“I’ve been thinking. Do we really need the puppet king’s approval?”
“.......”
“We’ve waited long enough. We make the contract directly.”
So that was it. That was why they had tortured Varen to hell.
The tangled threads snapped into place.
A dragon’s true name. A contract.
One dragon in the world may form a heart-contract with one human. The royal dragon lineage grants unimaginable power to its contractor.
I thought they wanted to weaponize him.
But no.
They wanted dominion.
Knowing that made everything... clear.
And suddenly, I was calm. Almost serene.
“Sure. Thanks for trusting me.”
“Haha. If not Aellios, who would I trust?”
Eat shit.
I hid the thought behind a polite nod and turned.
My head was ice.
Jed trusted Ceryl completely. Enough to forgive what should have been death-level offenses.
Not because of loyalty. But because he was testing me. Speaking in riddles. Watching every reaction.
And his final address—Aellios—not Ceryl.
He was talking to the family, not the person.
He wanted the contract. He did not know Varen’s name.
Thankfully, Varen never said it under torture. And I had zero intention of handing it over.
The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
Contract my ass. I’ll make him a free dragon.
“Ceryl. One more thing.”
Hand on the doorknob—Jed stopped me.
What now. I kept my expression flat and turned.
His stare stabbed straight into me.
Sweat chilled my back. This conversation had drained me completely.
“You speak informally to me, that’s fine. But lately... you seem like a different person.”
Because I am.
Once, I would’ve panicked at being suspected of being a transmigrator. But after nearly dying a few times, it all felt... small.
“Are you finally showing your true self?”
His probing tone grated on every nerve I had left. I didn’t even think.
I twisted the doorknob and shoved the door open.
“Puberty, asshole.”
“...What?”
I didn’t wait for a response.
I walked out.
I’ve said it before:
Jed needs to learn how to talk to people. Because if you corner something long enough—even a rat will bite.
So what now. If he doesn’t like it— he can kill me.
