"Ha... Varen...."
Mages ringed around Varen were shooting something at the dragon. The tip was slimmer than an arrowhead; the shaft was thicker.
I narrowed my eyes to bring it into focus. I’d never seen that form, but it wasn’t unfamiliar to me.
"A syringe?"
Scaled up to fit a dragon, it was an oversized syringe.
They poured mana into it, but the needle bounced off the dragon’s hide.
Then the mages shifted aim and started shooting for Varen’s eyes.
“Ugh—don’t... damn it, I said let go....”
Every time Varen jerked his head, the hunters hauled hard on the ropes.
Thud—the dragon’s head finally slammed into the ground.
In the brief blink of those huge lids, Varen ended up giving the mages an opening.
There was nothing left to mull over.
In this moment, the only thing I could do was slip Varen’s leash.
"Varen! Kill them all!"
I screamed it from my gut, praying it would reach him.
From this height, maybe my voice finally carried—Varen’s reply played straight into my head.
Ceryl...?
"Yes, I’m here!"
Kh... where... where are you, Ceryl... Are you—are you all right.
"Is this the time to worry about me!"
I bit my lip at that mule-stubborn voice.
I’d scolded him a thousand times to listen better. The good dragon was faithfully honoring our promise:
Think once more before killing.
But that applies when Varen is safe.
My boy is thrashing in a trap—like hell he’ll see anything but that.
"Nothing else matters! You matter more! Do whatever it takes and get out of there!"
Ugh—my head....
"I said it’s okay to kill! Kill them all!!"
I shrieked like I was wringing out my own guts.
Varen’s voice stopped echoing in my skull.
Instead, far off, the golden body that had been writhing suddenly stilled. Then, like a dog about to vomit, that long neck started to heave.
I steadied my breath and watched Varen, heart hammering.
I’ll kill... every last one of them....
The words were mine, but hearing them in Varen’s voice raised gooseflesh.
A chill crawled up my spine. I felt like I’d missed something—and before I could finish the thought—
"KRAAAAAAH!!!"
At last, flame blasted from the dragon’s gaping jaws.
A dragon with magma in its belly—appropriate. Even from a distance, heat of a different order than ordinary fire rushed over us.
"Urgh...."
In an instant the hot wind swept all the way to where I was.
I raised both arms to shield my face, squinting, but I didn’t take my eyes off Varen.
The hottest tongues of fire were surging around him. The Dragon Hunters nearby were probably roasted whole before they could lift a hand.
Killing dangerous humans with a single breath—fine. That much is fine.
I’ll kill... every last one of them!
As if venting a lifetime’s pent-up rage, the unbridled dragon spun in a full circle and spewed fire to his heart’s content.
From higher up I could see the blaze race through the forest in an instant.
Yes, the dragonfire was fierce, but the cold, barren climate had left the conifers dry—perfect kindling.
I looked down at the burning forest, then back to Varen.
The golden dragon, shining brighter than the sun, had slipped the ropes and moved freely. And the blue eyes that had reminded me of the sea had gone red.
Just like Ella a few hours ago.
"Ah... no, Varen. Stop! All the humans are dead! Stop now!"
Kh... I’ll... I’ll kill them all....
"Dammit, listen to my voice! Ceryl Aylos is right here!"
We’d been talking just a moment ago, but Varen acted like he couldn’t hear me anymore.
As I’d feared from those reddened eyes, the symptoms matched Ella’s. He couldn’t recognize who he was facing and radiated nothing but blind killing intent.
Elfera had been terrifying enough, but a dragon you couldn’t talk to was another order entirely.
Flames that had started dozens of kilometers away were already at the doorstep.
And the already-chaotic forest kicked up another octave. Thud, thud, thud—the ground hummed, then shook like an oncoming quake.
The monsters who called the forest home had begun a mass migration.
Awooooooooo—!
Bwooo, phooo!
Mooooo—
Cries of every kind erupted at once. Big and small monsters alike were fleeing opposite the fireline.
It was a complete scene of pandemonium.
"Gr–rrrng...."
With sparks leaping fast, the Tymer mother glanced down, worried, at her child at the base of the tree.
"Sweet thing. Let’s go down."
"KrAAANG!"
The mother, frantic over her cub, leapt for the ground without hesitation.
I’d thought it would be the same going down on four feet as coming up.
She dropped twenty meters in a few seconds, straight down.
"Ng—hkk."
I couldn’t even scream.
Even at amusement parks I never rode the drop rides. I didn’t think I’d ride one here.
Whether it was great-feline instinct or monster mana, the landing was feather-light.
Looked like my soul was still up in the tree and only my body made it down first. So that’s what out-of-body feels like.
"Oh my, oh my! Ceryl, get a hold of yourself!"
"Uuuh... uh...."
Kallen caught me as my legs went rubbery.
I could only breathe once my soles felt earth. I shook my head hard and reeled my reason back in.
I couldn’t be certain yet, but the injections Ella and Varen took looked like the kind that ramped aggression.
Elfera had at least mustered enough wits to be driven back into the forest, but with Varen it was a different story.
"The fire’s already— right now, kh—"
Kallen started coughing again at the acrid smell.
As she said, the merciless fireline was almost on us. Even after killing every human in reach and incinerating half the forest in a blink, the heat didn’t let up.
There was no way to stop a mountain-sized dragon by any means. Left like this, he might burn the whole world—like Varen in the original.
If I couldn’t stop him, the only choice was to turn him back into the Varen I knew.
"We have to find Theo."
Odds were high Theo held the key. I’d thought more than once I should have killed him, but it was good I hadn’t.
Muttering low to myself, I looked back; the Tymer cub was reeling from the pungent smoke too.
"Arrrng... pff—pfft! Snff—arrrng...."
The Tymer pair—bless them—stayed planted by me even as every monster fled.
If I didn’t leave, they wouldn’t run either.
"Tymer, can you carry them?"
"Gr–rrrng...."
The mother gladly dipped her head. She wanted out of here yesterday.
First I hauled Kallen over. I shoved her up onto Tymer’s back, and though she didn’t know why, she obeyed without a fuss.
"Quickly, Margon! You too!"
Margon’s face had gone stone-hard. I grabbed a wrist the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) size of a door slab, but he didn’t budge.
Maybe he’d caught my intent; he shook his head once, stubborn.
"You first, Ceryl."
"Margon, take Kallen and run somewhere safe. That’s an order."
"......."
I looked up at Margon with an unwavering gaze. The bodyguard, struck dumb by his lord’s command, pressed his mouth into a line.
At the flicker of hurt in his eyes, I patted his shoulder.
"I promise. I won’t die. Do you trust me?"
"...Ceryl."
"Take this monster. You’ll be able to reach me. So don’t worry."
I stepped to Margon, took Rami out from where she hid in my inner pocket, and handed her over.
Rami clung to my sleeve, refusing to let go.
"Hyung, hyung!"
"Baby, you can find me wherever I am, right?"
I whisked the shadow lizard back from my inner pocket again. Then I shook my head with a stern face.
"Hyuuung...."
"Good. That’s my girl—top of the class."
I tapped Rami’s forehead twice and passed her back to Margon.
With a dark look he accepted the little monster, tucked her carefully into his pocket, then with one arm caught Tymer’s scruff and swung up easily.
"Ceryl, what on earth— let me come with you!"
"Don’t say something useless."
"I won’t be a burden. I promise!"
Kallen pressed a hand to her left breast and spoke like a vow.
"You’ve saved me over and over, Ceryl. I can’t leave you to be the only one in danger!"
Her eyes burned with zeal; I couldn’t help a smile.
I flicked my gaze at Margon, and he snagged the struggling girl in one arm without effort.
"I’ll come find you. Trust me and wait."
I refused Kallen gently but firmly. She shook her head and tried to pry free of Margon’s arm.
Even as we tangled, thick smoke was flooding the forest.
The Tymer cub was now streaming tears and snot, raking its forepaws over its face. The mother, frantic, licked the cub’s face clean again and again.
There was no time left to argue. I patted the mother’s haunch twice—go.
"Tymer, take them somewhere safe! Please!"
"Gru-rrng... KRAANG!"
She looked from me to her suffering cub and back, and at last she bolted—leaving me behind.
"KyAAANG! Kyang!"
The Tymer cub sprinted after its mother in a panic.
They were fast—so fast. At that pace they’d clear the fireline soon; I let myself relax on that one thing.
"Ceryl! Ceryyl!"
Kallen’s wail, nearly a scream, dwindled with distance.
Left alone, I looked up at the tower one last time.
This wasn’t a time to think. It was a time to move. I clenched my fist and ran for the tower.
My body felt like a thousand pounds, but I’d chosen this path; my feet moved without complaint.
Ah, there is exactly one human I’d like to blame.
"Dammit—damned author!"
If you’re going to make possession hard mode, at least hand out a busted skillset!
