Chapter 4: A Father’s Confession (lV)

Huff, puff.

I’m so tired… when is this mountain path ever going to end?

After getting those two little ones settled, I joined the Hero Party right on time to set out on the expedition to slay the Demon Dragon King.

The Demon Dragon King’s Castle was built on the highest mountain peak of the entire continent.

After all, members of the Dragon Race could fly.

The higher they lived, the better they could form a natural barrier to protect themselves.

I understood that logic, of course.

However, even though I had expected it, I still felt my jaw drop when I personally saw those mountain peaks stretching all the way to the horizon.

And so, our group began the long, arduous journey of mountain climbing.

Speaking of which, I finally managed to gain a little bit of a presence within the team.

If not for the Buff Magic I constantly cast, everyone would have likely collapsed from exhaustion by the time we reached the summit, unable to move a muscle.

I don’t know how long we climbed, but just as my feet were about to turn into two numb wooden sticks, the silhouette of the Dragon Race’s castle finally appeared faintly ahead.

Thump, thump, thump.

With every step forward, I could clearly hear the sound of my own heartbeat.

It was beating so fast it felt like it might burst through my chest.

I was incredibly nervous right now.

It wasn’t just because I was about to face an unknown and powerful enemy, but also because I was worried about those two helpless little ones at the foot of the mountain.

That was why I had to face this battle with the determination to sink or swim.

Of course, if the Hero Party really couldn’t defeat the Demon Dragon King…

I would squeeze out every bit of Buff Magic I knew, use every Life-saving Scroll hidden on my person, and exhaust every drop of potential in my body…

And then I’d bolt!

Hehe, if I can’t win the fight, surely I can win the race, right?

As the most powerful support Magic Caster in the Human Empire, I have plenty of confidence in my ability to escape.

Before I knew it, the magnificent castle stood tall before our eyes.

The members of the Hero Party and I exchanged glances and nodded to one another.

*Bang!*

Immediately after, the Hero, acting as the leader of the group, kicked open the heavy gates of the castle.

“Demon Dragon King… bring it on!”

*Clang! Ding! Crash.*

The crisp and ear-piercing sound of clashing blades zipped back and forth past my ears.

I stood to the side, using nimble small steps to dodge those Elite Monsters who were trying to circle around and take out the support, all while constantly layering Buff Magic on my companions in the Hero Party.

Unlike those previous dungeons that were easy to clear quickly, the strength of the monsters this time was ridiculously high.

Even the Hero, while in his “Unstoppable” mode, had to hack several times just to deal with the thick dragon scales on a common soldier.

Well, for the Hero, this little bit of trouble was probably only a matter of spending more effort.

I felt like this guy had gotten stronger again; it was almost as if he were using a cheat in a game.

I personally saw five Elite Monsters surround him and attack simultaneously.

Anyone else would have certainly been trapped, right?

But guess what?

He actually used Teleportation Magic! That’s right, Teleportation Magic!

How absurd! Although Teleportation Magic did exist, for us Magic Casters, using it once would drain almost all of our mana.

Furthermore, it had extremely strict distance limitations.

Yet this Hero was different.

In just a short few minutes, he had used it several times in a row!

Seeing this, I began to doubt if I could even last until we saw the Demon Dragon King.

I was afraid I’d be so frustrated by this guy that I’d cough up three liters of blood first.

Just how many trump cards is he hiding…?

Hmph.

When we went on missions together in the past, he never showed this hand!

Could it be that this guy really has a Golden Finger?

Am I dealing with a Cheater?

Sigh, I really was cutely stupid for being so nervous before the battle started.

Now that I think about it, the person who should be nervous is clearly the Demon Dragon King.

Because I was distracted by these idle thoughts, I completely failed to notice the assassin monster creeping up behind me.

I only reacted belatedly when the creature reached striking distance and swung its claws.

The sharp dragon claws came at me with a gale of wind.

I hurriedly lunged to the right, barely managing to dodge the fatal blow, but because my movement was too sudden, I lost my balance.

‘It’s over, I’m going to faceplant in front of everyone!’

Just as I was about to perform a clumsy fall in front of the Hero Party and the dragon soldiers…

Suddenly!

A figure rushed over as fast as the wind and caught me firmly in their arms.

‘Whoa, that speed… did the Hero save me?’

“Thank you — “

I had just lowered my head to offer my thanks when I caught sight of the Hero pointing his sword at me.

No, he was pointing it at the person behind me.

That extreme speed, the soft sensation pressing against my back, and the sudden, hostile glares from the members of the Hero Party…

No way, right?

I stiffly turned my head to look at the person holding me.

“No thanks needed~”

As the sweet voice rang in my ear, I realized the one holding me was indeed the Demon Dragon King herself!

Terrified, I immediately struggled to jump away, but with a slight application of force, she held me firmly in her arms.

“Shh~ don’t try to run. I still need to use you as a hostage~”

…What am I supposed to do now?

To think I had vowed to run if we couldn’t win.

Now that I’ve been caught red-handed, I don’t even have the chance to escape!

Hero!

Hurry up and save your support!

“Don’t come any closer. I’m afraid that if I’m not careful, I might just pop this tiny little heart of his~”

The Demon Dragon King giggled as she threatened the Hero.

Then, she leaned into my ear and spoke in a voice that only the two of us could hear.

“Hey, if you want to live, hurry up and cast some Buff Magic on me. Otherwise, I’ll tell them all about how you reek of the Demon Race.”

Hearing those words, my heart skipped a beat.

‘It’s over, it’s over. I’ve really dug my own grave this time. I’m completely reaping what I sowed!’

However… regarding this, I didn’t regret it one bit.

I obediently gave a small nod.

Seeing this, the Demon Dragon King relaxed her grip slightly, giving me a bit of room to move.

Left with no choice, I sneakily cast the lowest-level speed and health Buff Magic on her, silently praying that I could pull a fast one.

“Hehe, these little tricks of yours… fine, I suppose it’s barely enough~”

The Demon Dragon King let out a light laugh and casually tossed me aside.

I hurriedly scrambled to adjust my posture in mid-air and managed to land gracefully.

Then, I stood there blankly, watching the intense battle between the Demon Dragon King and the Hero.

‘Afterimages? Those are afterimages, right?’

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. It was true!

They were actually so fast that I could only see afterimages!

The other members of the Hero Party and I looked at each other, our expressions more shocked than the last.

We all wanted to rush in and help, but… how were we supposed to help in a battle of this caliber?

It was like two modern tanks blasting at each other while I was just a savage holding a spear.

This is a tough one.

Forget it!

Even if I can’t help, I should at least go through the motions.

I grit my teeth, raised my staff, and released a Buff Magic toward the direction of the fight.

In the end… because the range of their battle was too large, my magic actually covered both combatants.

In the next second, the two people whose movements could at least be somewhat seen suddenly spiked in speed.

Their figures completely turned into two blurry streaks of shadows.

I turned my head awkwardly toward the members of the Hero Party.

I saw them all staring at me in unison, their eyes clearly saying: ‘Look at what you’ve done! Now look, we don’t even have a chance to step in and help anymore!’

Sigh, there’s really nothing for it.

I simply found a chair in the corner of the palace and sat down comfortably, intending to be a peaceful bystander.

So now, everyone, please wait and see who exactly the winner of this peak showdown will be…