Chapter 14 : The Dragon’s Revenge

After the long, grueling lesson finally came to an end, Aurina clutched her head, teeth gritted in pain.

“That hurts,” she muttered, her striking golden eyes glaring at Richard.

Richard was in the process of shedding his armor.

He removed the heavy plate, then peeled off the chainmail beneath, its surface marred with holes and stained with blood.

Poor little creature, he thought, glancing at her.

So fragile.

Aurina’s heart skipped a beat under his gaze.

Could it be?

Had her overwhelming aura stunned him?

It wasn’t her fault, really—her majesty blazed like the sun, impossible to ignore.

She wavered for less than a second, torn between hiding her true self or letting it soar.

The throbbing in her skull made the decision for her.

Aurina squared her shoulders, widened her eyes, and puffed out her chest, ready to unleash her unmatched draconic presence.

This puny insect would learn who was truly in charge.

Richard, however, merely reached out and brushed a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Sorry,” he said softly.

“I hit you too hard.”

“But that kind of wicked behavior needs correcting.”

His fingertip glistened with her tear, sparkling as he held it before her.

To Aurina, it was a taunting banner, waving in her face, mocking her: Look at you, so weak, crying after one little blow.

Fury surged within her.

With a snarl, she lunged, snapping her jaws around his finger.

Her sharp, shark-like teeth sank into his flesh, clamping down hard.

“Ow,” Richard said calmly.

“Can you let go now?”

Aurina only bit harder.

Unfazed, Richard pried her jaws open with his other hand and freed his finger.

Blood welled up, crimson and vivid, like a flag of defiance.

He raised an eyebrow.

“Better now?”

The metallic scent of blood hit Aurina’s nose, stirring ancient memories of feasts long past.

Her long, pink tongue darted out, curling around his finger to lap up the blood in one swift motion.

Richard, who had faced her dragon’s teeth without flinching, yanked his hand back as if scorched by fire.

Aurina grinned wickedly.

“Oh, so you’re ticklish and afraid of a little lick?”

“Don’t go licking people’s fingers,” he said, his voice firm.

“Why not?”

“It’s rude.”

“You’re just scared!”

Aurina pointed at his nose, cackling.

“Quack quack!”

“Poor little insect, your weakness has been exposed by this queen!”

“You’re misunderstanding,” he said, shaking his head.

“Excuses, excuses!”

She stuck out her tongue, ready to tease him again.

“Behold my tongue attack—bleh bleh bleh!”

Quick as a flash, Richard grabbed her small dragon horn and held her head still.

Aurina burst into laughter, delighted by his flustered reaction.

When their playful tussle finally ended, Aurina stretched lazily and declared, “Roast a whole lamb.”

“This queen demands sheep-y yumminess!”

Richard flexed his healed finger, noting an odd scent—not the stench of saliva, but something earthy, like soil.

It reminded him of his fields, of a visit to the opulent halls of a white dragon sorceress, where the air was thick with the scent of dragon’s breath incense.

“Hold on,” he said.

“I need to speak with the villagers first.”

Aurina pouted.

“I’m starving!”

“This queen is still a little girl, you know!”

Her plea fell on deaf ears.

As Richard walked away, Aurina propped her chin on her hands, deep in thought.

Clearly, her “little girl” charm needed refinement.

Taming a pack beast like Richard required a subtler approach, a gradual conquest.

Her musings were cut short by the villagers swarming around Richard.

He raised his hands, his voice heavy with regret.

“I’m sorry, everyone.”

“Nearly five hundred goblins, plus dragonkin drakes?”

“I can barely fend them off myself.”

“I can’t take on the goblin horde alone.”

The villagers exchanged uneasy glances.

A small girl in a crimson hood pushed forward, her eyes red with desperation.

“No, please don’t say that!” she cried, grabbing Richard’s hand.

“My lady—she’s our princess!”

“Everyone calls her the little princess of Nuremberg, our jewel.”

“If you save her, hurry and save her, she’ll survive, and she’ll give you anything you want!”

Richard shook his head.

“It’s not that I won’t, but that I can’t.”

“I’m not giving up on you, though.”

“Send one of you with me to your lord.”

“He’ll lead his soldiers alongside me to crush the goblins.”

The red-hooded girl tugged at his arm, her voice breaking.

“By then, the princess will already—”

She dissolved into sobs.

“There’s no other way,” Richard said.

“Against so many enemies, I’m powerless.”

“I’m not a sorcerer or a wizard.”

“I can’t summon flames to burn them all away.”

Aurina’s lips curled into a wicked smile.

Weakling.

Beg me, then.

Kneel and lick my feet, and I’ll pretend to hesitate.

I’ll toy with you, crush your pride, and then laugh in your face—only a fool would burn goblins with you.

Fooled you, idiot!

She couldn’t help but giggle, her shark-like teeth gleaming.

“Isn’t there any other way?” a villager pleaded.

Richard shook his head.

“I’m truly sorry.”

Another villager muttered, “Our lord’s a coward.”

“He won’t dare provoke those goblins.”

“I’ll convince him,” Richard said firmly.

“It’s his duty, the source of his authority.”

“If he cares for this village, we need to act fast—now.”

Aurina, growing impatient that Richard hadn’t come groveling yet, called out, “This queen can breathe fire, you know!”

Richard ignored her, continuing his discussion with the villagers.

Huffing, Aurina stepped closer, tilted her head back, and spat a fireball three meters wide.

The villagers gasped as the blazing orb roared skyward, its heat curling their hair.

At treetop height, it swelled into a massive, glowing heart before vanishing from sight.

It was one of her signature moves, a trick that always delighted the female “insects,” who called it romantic or some such nonsense.

Richard turned to look at her.

Aurina crossed her arms, tapping her front claw on the ground, waiting for him to beg.

She’d make him humiliate himself, force him to lick all five of her toes clean for his foolishness.

“I almost forgot about you,” he said.

Aurina lifted her chin.

“Hmph?”

“You’re coming too.”

“You’ll stay at the lord’s castle.”

“Ha! I’m not going anywhere unless you beg me.”

“Be good,” he said.

“You’re still young.”

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“You’ll stay at the lord’s castle for now,” Richard repeated.

“It’s safe there.”

“Quack?!”

Aurina’s mind reeled.

Wasn’t he supposed to be groveling, tail raised, pleading for her invincible dragon breath to roast those monsters?

“Hold on,” she said, scrambling to process.

“Why does this queen have to stay in some… castle-thing?”

Castles, she recalled, were just piles of stone that weak little insects hid inside.

“Because you’re still a child,” Richard said.

“The battlefield’s no place for you, even if you’re a danger to the castle’s residents.”

“What?!”

Aurina jabbed a claw at her nose.

“Are you saying this queen is weak?”

Richard nodded.

“You’re young.”

She spat a puff of flame in outrage.

“This queen has the True Dragon’s Flame!”

“And you never even considered letting me go with you to roast those goblins?”

“Correct.”

His words carried an almost supernatural conviction, infuriating her further.

Her face flushed red.

“I’m going!”

“No.”

“I’m a child, so I have to go!”

“I want to burn those green little snacks!”

“Children can’t go.”

Spotting the silent red-hooded girl nearby, Aurina had a flash of inspiration.

“Little Red Hood, don’t worry!”

“Those green… uh, goblins might be about to eat your princess—gut her, hang her up, slice her thighs bit by bit—but fear not!”

She pointed at Richard.

“This guy’s the strongest little—er, human in the world!”

“And with me, the mightiest creature ever, by his side, breathing fire, we’ll char those goblins to a crisp.”

“It’s a… good deed, right?”

“He’ll definitely do it.”

“Right?”

Richard sighed.

“Your taunting is painfully obvious.”

The red-hooded girl burst into tears.

“Please, great adventurer, save my princess!”

“She’ll give you so many valuable things!”

Aurina slung an arm around the girl’s shoulder, holding up nine fingers.

“When we save her, I’ll only take ninety percent of the princess’s gold, deal?”

The girl nodded frantically.

“Alright!” Aurina turned to Richard.

“Hurry up and get to it—I mean the roasted lamb.”

“Then you’ll see how strong this queen is!”

Richard relented with a sigh.

“Fine.”

“We’ll rest tonight—”

Aurina cut him off.

“We leave right after eating!”

The villagers cheered.

“Yes!”

“Miss Aurina is so kind!”

“The noble, mighty Dragon King who slays seven with one blow is the strongest in the world!”

Children shouted, “Master! Great Dragon King Master!”

Basking in the villagers’ praise, Aurina planted her hands on her hips, head tilted back, tail curling skyward, reveling in the adoration she so clearly deserved.

Richard rubbed his forehead.

He hadn’t wanted Aurina, so young, to be exposed to the bloodshed of a large-scale battle.

But this was a good deed, wasn’t it?

For her education and the villagers’ safety, it was worthwhile.

After the lamb was roasted, Aurina devoured the last one, complaining about the villagers’ poor cooking and how Richard’s was far superior.

Once she’d eaten her fill, she clambered onto Richard’s head, ordering him to march toward the goblins.

They traveled through the night.

Lulled by the rhythmic sway of his steps, Aurina yawned, hugged his iron helmet, and nestled against it, drifting into dreams.

In her dream, she was still the grandest, most majestic red dragon, unrivaled in all the heavens and earth.

Richard didn’t light a campfire.

He gently set Aurina down, marveling at how light she was despite devouring so many lambs.

Wrapping her snugly in a blanket, he removed his helmet, revealing a face slick with sweat.

Aurina’s warmth was intense, radiating through his chest plate as he held her close.

Her soft belly pressed against the iron helm, her heat seeping into him, flushing his cheeks.

She slept soundly, and as Richard gazed at her peaceful face, a sense of trust and reliance bloomed in his heart.

He reached for the holy symbol adorned with iron thorns, winding it tightly around his forearm and hand.

The thorns bit deep into his flesh as he pulled harder, guilt gnawing at him.

The more he thought of Aurina’s trust, the deeper the thorns sank, until his face paled and the flush faded.

Opening his eyes, he studied the wound.

It was severe, worse than before.

Had his lifelong affliction, so long kept at bay, begun to worsen?

Richard pressed a gentle kiss to the holy symbol, his resolve unshaken.

He would conquer the demon he’d carried since birth.