Chapter 55 : Operation Seduce Richard

Sophia couldn’t help but ask, “Aurina, when… when did you get that cloak?”

Aurina puffed out her little chest proudly.

“Not long after I met him.”

Sophia felt a pang in her teeth and took a deep breath.

“I see. As his fiancée, I suppose I should have a word with him.”

The more she spoke, the more her teeth clenched.

Aurina flipped her bangs with a smug air.

There was no doubt that snatching a trophy from the hands of the strongest little bug—Richard—had so overwhelmed his fiancée that she’d begun to question his masculine charm.

As expected of me, she thought.

Sophia inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling.

He’s just a child, she reminded herself.

Still so young and unaware.

Surely, Richard wouldn’t have given her that money pouch I gave him when we were kids… right?

Aurina suddenly said, “Female.”

“Sophia. That’s my name.”

“Gah, Sophia’s a nice name,” Aurina said, making an effort to remember it—out of respect for the other woman’s chest.

“Do you have any books here?”

“What kind of books are you looking for?”

Sophia asked.

“This place is filled with the gospel of the Lord. I believe listening to His word will be greatly beneficial for you.”

She looked at Aurina, imagining how glorious it would be if she could bring a true dragon—the terrifying daughter of the Red Dragon King—into the faith.

What could be more convincing than her conversion?

“Do you have any books about defeating paladins?”

“Defeating paladins?”

“Gah, I mean books where paladins get their butts kicked.”

An absurd idea popped into Sophia’s head, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “You’re not… trying to find a way to defeat Richard through books and avenge your father, are you?”

“Avenge my father? Of course not,” Aurina said.

“I just want to beat him. And I already have a perfect plan.”

“What plan?”

“I’ll dig a big hole in the ground, cover it with grass and branches, then call him over. He’ll never see it coming—boom!—falls right in.”

Sophia couldn’t help but clap her hand over her mouth and laugh.

Just childish play.

“Gah, are you amazed by this king’s brilliance?”

Sophia nodded repeatedly.

“Wonderful. Brilliant. I might have a book that could actually help you.”

“Sophia, hurry and give it to me!”

Aurina lifted her dainty arms.

“Once I grow up and get stronger, I’ll shower you with love!”

Chuckling, Sophia handed her a knight novel.

Aurina eagerly flipped through the pages, her golden eyes glowing faintly as she read line after line of tiny print.

Some time passed before Sophia asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Aurina didn’t respond.

“I’m turning the lights off.”

“This king can see in the dark.”

“Oh, right.” Sophia’s gaze fell on the collar around Aurina’s neck. “That collar… don’t tell me Richard put it on you?”

“How could he?”

Relief washed over Sophia, but the confusion remained.

Richard would never do something like that, but… whatever.

“Then what is it?”

“A golden collar,” Aurina huffed.

“Those little bugs lied to me. They said if I wore it, gold coins would rain from the sky. But no coins fell! And I couldn’t play with fire anymore, or transform into my mighty dragon form!”

“So it’s cursed. Let me take a look.”

“You?”

Aurina eyed the tall Sophia from head to toe, then shook her head.

“You look weak. You probably can’t even break it. Richard couldn’t.”

“Sometimes, Richard’s just all muscles and no brains.”

Sophia knelt down to examine the collar.

“This kind of thing requires the Lord’s grace to unlock. I’ll give it a try.”

“Okay, go ahead!”

Sophia lit some incense and held a diamond, offering a prayer to her Lord.

The diamond vanished in the smoky haze.

Click.

The golden collar around Aurina’s neck popped open.

“Gah!”

Overjoyed, Aurina shoved the collar—worth 1,072 gold coins—into her mouth.

“I won’t forget this, Sophia.”

She gave Sophia a kiss on the cheek—a reward for this little bug who had willingly submitted to her majestic presence.

Sophia laughed and ruffled her hair.

“You’re adorable.”

Aurina returned to reading, staying up long after Sophia turned off the lights.

When the moon rose and the rooster crowed, she finally finished.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

The great Red Dragon King had just discovered, from a book written by a puny human, the perfect way to defeat the strongest little bug.

Kill his entire family.

In the novel, the knight protagonist always lost his family early on.

It dealt a heavy emotional blow and motivated his journey.

By analogy, without a doubt, she could kidnap Richard’s family and threaten to kill them all.

That would surely bring him to his knees.

Aurina couldn’t wait.

She jumped onto Sophia’s bed and began shaking the sleeping woman.

“Don’t push… just let me sleep a bit longer…”

“Sophia! Sophia! Sophia!”

Aurina shouted.

“Where’s Richard’s family? Where are they?”

Sophia rolled over, still half-asleep, but Aurina kept shaking her.

With a groggy sigh, Sophia mumbled, “He’s an orphan…”

“Then where’s his family? His mom? His dad?”

After several tries, Sophia muttered sleepily, “St. Barry’s Orphanage… in the harbor… Mother Raya…”

No doubt about it—this female bug had already been completely conquered by her regal charisma, ready to sell Richard out without hesitation.

“Gahahaha…”

Aurina cackled wickedly and leapt off Sophia’s bed.

Sophia rolled over and continued her peaceful sleep.

Aurina opened her mouth and reached inside, pulling out a book.

She grabbed a pen and began scribbling out her battle plans.

After a yawn, she climbed onto the wardrobe, spat out a few gold coins, wrapped herself in her cloak, and went to sleep.

No one knew how much time passed, but eventually, Aurina’s eyes fluttered open.

She thought she heard someone calling Richard’s name.

She quickly got up, packed away her gold and cloak, and followed the voice on the breeze.

She evaded the servants’ eyes, crawling through the ceiling and across the rooftops until she reached a small chapel nestled within the estate.

Her instincts told her this place was brimming with supernatural power.

She stilled all four limbs and pressed her ear to the wall.

She could just barely make out the sound of a whip—and Richard’s voice, panting.

“Thank you… I feel much better after the healing.”

“Richard, we’re not done yet.”

It was Sophia’s voice.

“Huh?”

“This treatment is going to take a while.”

“What?”

Snap!

Aurina’s eyes lit up. It had to be Sophia, now thoroughly captivated by her kingly allure, creating the perfect opportunity for her to kidnap Richard’s whole family.

As expected of me, she thought.

Without hesitation, she ran to the kitchen, devoured everything in sight in front of the servants, then climbed over the wall, heading straight for St. Barry’s Orphanage in the harbor.