My Slain Dragon Bride

Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Chapter 64 - Dilemma

A blizzard raged so fiercely that it was impossible to see what lay ahead.

Cold air seeped in from time to time.

But the atmosphere was even colder, as though it were stabbing into Ferda’s heart.

His eyes stared directly at the intruder.

"Greetings, Regent."

The man introduced himself with a sly smile as he stepped through the snow.

"My name is Abel, one of the Children of Silverwind. I don’t know if you remember me, but I was the one guarding the door during the Grand Ducal Council."

"...."

"What are you doing all the way out here? Did you come sightseeing while enjoying the snow of the north?"

"......"

"Hmm... though if this is sightseeing, it’s an awfully stupid way to do it. You’re not some foolish old man gathering wild herbs. Someone of your status should know this is Silverwind territory."

"......"

Abel slowly walked toward Ferda, mocking him.

With every step Abel took, Ferda retreated farther into the cave.

"Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me you’re so scared that you’ve frozen up?"

"I am merely fascinated."

"...Excuse me? Fascinated by what?"

"How could I not be fascinated when the beast standing before me is capable of speaking?"

There was no one in front of Ferda except Abel.

"Haha, is that so?"

Abel’s smile grew even wider.

The moment his wandering footsteps struck the ground, his figure vanished.

Whoosh—!

Leaving only the wind and its sound behind, he appeared right in front of Ferda.

Laughing loudly, he said,

"What a cruel joke. Hahaha!"

Abel flicked Ferda’s chest with his index finger as casually as flicking someone’s forehead.

Crack!

"Ghk!"

Bones shattered with a sickening sound.

Ferda coughed out in pain.

"Oh dear! Did that hurt? I only gave you a little tap."

"Cough... Cough!"

"No, but seriously, I just tapped you. How do your ribs break from that? Huh? You’re the Regent, yet your body is that fragile? At this rate, you won’t survive a single night in bed."

Ferda spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.

His face remained utterly calm, as if he had merely spat on the ground.

"You sure do talk a lot."

"Wow, that’s impressive. I heard you even dared mouth off to Lord Goz. So it wasn’t just because Lord Blancaros was backing you."

Abel grabbed Ferda by the collar and lifted him into the air.

Holding up his sharp nails, he warned,

"But picking fights with the descendants of Silverwind isn’t a good idea. Mercy is a foreign concept to our kind."

With an unconcerned expression, Ferda checked how much Mana he had left.

There was enough remaining to cast a few Fourth Circle spells.

’Can I defeat this Dragon Spawn with that?’

Impossible.

This was on an entirely different level from fighting the Dark Elf.

Even so, he refused to show the slightest sign of weakness.

Instead, Ferda let out a scoff.

"So... the descendants of Silverwind are now encouraging deals with demons?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Stop pretending. I already know you’re the one cleaning up after Sitri. The demon we were supposed to rescue was your real target, wasn’t it?"

The hand gripping his throat tightened slightly.

Just enough to make breathing uncomfortable.

It meant Abel had been shaken.

Ferda continued speaking.

"So what were you planning after hooking up with that bitch? Got tired of following centuries-old traditions and decided you wanted a more exciting sex life?"

"Hah! Do you think we’re beasts like you humans, breeding and raising children? Fighting is far more entertaining than doing something so boring."

His vertically slit pupils flashed sharply.

"The one sitting on the throne right now isn’t worthy of it. That bastard calls himself Silverwind’s successor and claims to carry Father’s soul."

A blade of rebellion aimed at Goz Silverwind.

"Interesting. You don’t seem worthy of it either."

"Ah, I know. If I challenged Goz, I’d be reduced to a pile of bloody meat within seconds. Captain Goz is just that powerful."

A sinister smile spread across his lips.

"But Luri Silverwind is different."

A familiar name surfaced.

"Do you know just how extraordinary that little girl is?"

"I know she’s strong."

"She’s not just strong. She was the commander of the Silverwing Mobile Brigade, and the only person who could challenge Captain Goz of the Royal Guard. Back when people discussed who would inherit Lord Silverwind’s legacy, only those two were ever mentioned."

"So that’s why Goz wants to kill her?"

"No. Captain Goz wants to keep her by his side. That’s also why the war hasn’t begun."

That’s why the war hasn’t begun?

"What do you mean by that?"

"If war breaks out between Valdrova and Silverwind, whose side do you think Luri Silverwind will take? If she insists on siding with Valdrova, then she’ll have to die. Captain Goz refuses to allow that."

That was unexpected.

The reason the two sides had avoided war all this time... was because Luri was there.

Still, Ferda could clearly see Abel’s intentions in bringing it up.

"So you’re different from Goz."

"Luri is a warrior who refuses to wield a sword. What do you think should be done with such a warrior?"

"Take her sword away."

"Exactly. Possessing a legendary sword and refusing to use it is a sin in itself. And all I’m doing is taking that sword Luri Silverwind refuses to wield... and using it myself."

Ferda understood.

That was the condition of Abel’s deal with Sitri.

Luri possessed the power capable of opposing Goz.

In exchange for making that power entirely his own, Abel had been helping Sitri all along.

’Stagnant water always rots.’

No matter how powerful a Dragon Spawn was, even they were powerless before time.

His greed was dragging everyone toward death.

’Luri...’

Ferda silently repeated her name.

An inexplicable irritation welled up deep inside his chest.

That irritation gradually took the form of killing intent.

Then it forced its way onto his lips as a smile.

"Truly astonishing."

"Haha, now that you’re about to die, you’ve finally found the energy to flatter me?"

"No. Compensating for your own weaknesses is important. If you lack something, borrowing it is only natural."

Ferda smiled right back at him.

"What amazes me is that an idiot like you actually has enough brains to understand something so basic."

Crack!

Abel snapped Ferda’s index finger.

"Ghh...!"

"You really don’t know when to shut your mouth. This won’t do. I think I’ll have a little more fun with you."

Leaving the broken finger alone, he grabbed Ferda’s middle finger next.

"That way, that bitch Luri will finally surrender."

"Luri won’t even blink."

That girl hated humans.

And she hated Ferda.

Nothing he did ever pleased her.

Nothing he did ever made her like him.

Threatening him would change nothing.

And before she arrived...

You would already be dead.

Just then—

Another sound pierced through the blizzard.

Within the swirling white snow, a small figure appeared.

"...What are you doing?"

It was Luri.

Her expression was completely different from what Ferda had imagined.

She was shaken.

***

The story Luri heard from the Spirits was simple.

Ferda had made a deal with a demon in order to infiltrate the enemy.

And he had fallen into a trap.

At least, that was how it appeared from what the Spirits had witnessed.

So Luri immediately flew to Count Consilus’s territory and determined exactly where Ferda had gone.

The entire process took only five minutes.

She entered the cave intending to rescue Ferda and escape as quickly as possible.

But she was already too late.

Standing there were a Silver Dragon Spawn...

And a battered, bloodied Ferda.

"...What are you doing?"

A terrifying killing intent erupted from Luri’s body.

Her killing intent was so overwhelming that, despite being a Dragon Spawn, she could even unleash Dragon Fear.

Although that pressure was directed entirely at Abel, he showed no sign of panic.

Instead, he smiled brightly at her arrival.

"Luri Silverwind. We meet again. Do you remember me?"

"You’re the one who was with Percival."

"Oh, so you do remember. Well, it hasn’t even been two weeks, so I suppose that’s only natural."

Abel smiled faintly.

Luri found that smile unsettling.

She wanted nothing more than to leave this place immediately.

The stronger that sense of disgust became, the colder her expression turned.

"Please release Lord Ferda."

"No."

"If you refuse—"

"What will you do? Start a war?"

Those words made Luri hesitate.

"You’ve entered Silverwind territory. And so has this human standing here."

"......"

"I have every legal right. Luri Silverwind, as a member of Silverwind, you know the law better than anyone. Those who trespass upon our territory are to be arrested. And if they resist too violently..."

She bit her lower lip before forcing the words out.

"...Summarily executed."

"Exactly! You know it well! Executed!"

Abel shouted excitedly.

There was no way she could accept that.

"If you kill her fiancée, Lady Valdrova will not remain silent. If that happens, all of Silverwind will have to face her."

"Then try it! If you can! A war will break out, won’t it?"

Abel laughed mockingly.

"And what would you gain from that? The descendants of Silverwind would die one after another, and your master would only be burdened with even more guilt."

"Ugh...!"

"Is that really what you want? If it is, then by all means, go and spread the word."

Luri was visibly shaken.

Every word he spoke struck directly at her greatest weakness.

"Luri. This bastard is acting under a demon’s orders."

"A demon’s...?"

Crack!

"Good grief, you just can’t stop saying pointless things. Do you not realize your life is in my hands? Why do you keep provoking me?"

Luri’s gaze was filled with even deeper disgust.

To Abel, however, even that disgust was almost endearing.

"Let’s say I really did join hands with a demon. Go ahead, report it if you want! Tell them that bastard was possessed by a demon. Tell them I captured two trespassers who were under a demon’s influence! They won’t believe a word of it."

He acted as though he had nothing to hide.

No—on the surface, he truly had every reason to be confident.

"Because there isn’t a single trace on my body proving I ever made a deal with a demon."

That was probably true.

Ferda himself had made a deal with Sitri, yet there was no mark showing he had entered into a contract.

All they had was suspicion.

And no one would believe suspicion alone.

The traitor, Luri, versus Abel of the Royal Guard.

The difference in credibility was obvious from the start.

"You can kill me here if you want. But what do you think will happen to you afterward?"

"I..."

"You betrayed your father, and now you’ll fail to protect the very thing you wanted to protect. Isn’t that utterly pathetic?"

Abel continued provoking her.

Not a single word came from Luri.

"Incompetent Luri. There is nothing you can do here."

Luri desperately searched for the best possible choice.

If she left him alone, a war would begin.

If she didn’t leave him alone, a war would still begin.

The fortress she had protected for so long would crumble.

Variables.

She had never been able to control them.

It had always been that way.

"I..."

With trembling lips, she asked cautiously.

This was the only way.

A small sacrifice that could protect everyone.

"...What must I do?"

Luri slowly knelt down.

Even Abel, who had been laughing mockingly, looked genuinely surprised.

"Haha... so it was true."

His body trembled.

"Luri Silverwind... actually knelt."

He had never imagined it.

The unbreakable wall of the North.

The nightmare of the Frost Giants.

Luri Silverwind, the very center of that legendary reputation, had crumbled after nothing more than a few words.

A sinister smile spread across Abel’s lips.

Luri Silverwind’s power will finally be mine.

That sense of triumph lasted only a moment.

"If that is your wish..."

Then Ferda’s voice rang out.

"So be it."

At that very instant, Abel’s body jerked violently.

"Ghk!"

Blood burst from Abel’s mouth.

The strength drained from his entire body, and he collapsed to his knees.

He even released the collar he had been gripping.

Abel could clearly feel it.

Something was crushing his heart with overwhelming force.

Was this Luri’s doing?

Impossible.

She could use Spirit Arts and simple magic, but she had no way of attacking someone’s internal organs without leaving an external wound.

That left only one possibility.

Bleeding from his mouth, Abel slowly raised his head.

Ferda—the man he had been toying with—was now standing tall before him.

Blue light shone from his eyes.

As expected...

It was Ferda’s doing.

But there was one thing he had never expected.

Darkness.

Nothing but pitch-black darkness, so deep that even the eyes of a Dragon Spawn could not see through it.

Luri had arrived.

He could roughly guess how she had found this place.

She must have left behind a Wind Spirit and received its report.

The moment it told her he was in danger, she must have rushed here without hesitation.

An incredibly swift response.

But it was also the worst possible outcome.

She should have been the most reassuring reinforcement imaginable.

Yet at this moment...

She was the worst move possible.

Because Abel’s true target had always been Luri.

Abel began speaking.

With every word he uttered, Ferda could feel him digging deeper into Luri’s heart.

Abel understood Luri perfectly.

He was irritatingly clever.

’So this was the deal?’

Ferda instinctively realized it.

’Advice given by a demon would never have worked.’

But the exact same words, spoken by one of her own kind...

Were impossible for her to ignore.

A dilemma.

She was being forced to make an impossible choice between Valdrova and the descendants of Silverwind.

’She can’t abandon either side.’

Ferda knew why.

And because he knew...

"...What must I do?"

He watched as Luri knelt.

The best choice that embraced both impossible options.

And...

The worst possible choice.

Now I understand.

’So this is how they trapped Luri.’

The schemes of a demon.

The greed of someone reaching far beyond his station.

Together, they had extended their claws toward the girl who had only wanted to preserve peace.

’Is that why she never remained by Valdrova’s side?’

Because she loved peace.

Because she loved Valdrova.

Had she chosen the worst possible path—

To sacrifice herself?

At that moment...

The Mana pathways inside Ferda’s body began to move.

It felt completely different from when he had desperately searched for Valdrova while thinking of her.

Something long buried within his heart slowly stirred awake.

It gently caressed his heart.

Then it rolled the Circles inside his Dantian with invisible fingers.

Valdrova’s face overlapped with Luri’s helpless expression.

She was suffering.

Then that presence whispered sweetly into his ear.

Are you just going to stand there and watch?

No.

He couldn’t simply watch.

He knew that wasn’t Valdrova.

But if Luri disappeared...

That would become Valdrova’s future.

That cannot happen.

The chains of restraint shattered.

The Mana formed within the Red Circle silently spread in every direction.

It devoured everything hidden within the darkness.

Everything...

Was now in Ferda’s grasp.

The cave.

Luri.

Abel.

Even Abel’s internal organs.

"Cough... Ghhk!"

Abel collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.

Blood poured endlessly from his mouth.

He couldn’t breathe.

His lungs had been destroyed.

"You... bas... bastard... Cough!"

He tried to move, even if it meant dragging Ferda down with him.

But he couldn’t move an inch.

The dense darkness...

And the violently rampaging Red Circle...

They were more than enough to suppress even a Dragon Spawn.

Only moments ago, Abel had held the overwhelming advantage.

Now, everything had been completely reversed.

"If you kill me..."

Abel said between mouthfuls of blood.

"...Every Silverwind will remember your face and your name."

The price of killing a Dragon Spawn was no small matter.

A lifetime of being hunted.

A life spent praying that you would still wake up the next morning.

A life where merely surviving could no longer be called living.

"I don’t care."

Ferda was already accustomed to such things.

"I’m sick and tired of threats from your kind."

Ferda slowly raised his hand.

His palm, stained black, looked as though it were holding something.

Something round that fit perfectly within his grasp.

As though...

He were holding a heart.

"If your people desire war that badly..."

"...Then I won’t run from it either."

Ferda clenched his fist.