Aurina, standing only 1.4 meters tall, had each of her hands wrapped tightly around the neck of a grown man, dragging both of them behind her.
In her grip was a confiscated dagger.
One man’s face was drained of color, twisted in pain, while the other was still smoking—literally.
Despite their size, the two men were nothing more than prey in Aurina’s hands.
Richard squinted, took another look, and another.
After a thorough inspection, he confirmed he’d never seen either of them in his life.
Unsure what Aurina was trying to do, he looked to her for an explanation.
Aurina smirked, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
“Sweating bullets now, aren’t you? Looks like I really did catch your family.”
“Gahaha!”
Aurina let out a wicked laugh, full of confidence.
“Panicking now, aren’t you, Richard? Drop your weapon and behave yourself. Your dad is right here in my hands!”
So self-assured was she that Richard couldn’t help but glance back at the two hostages she held.
He asked plainly, “Which one are you talking about?”
“This one,” Aurina replied, lifting the dagger in her right hand.
“Gahaha! I already stabbed him in the balls! No more baby siblings for you! Gahahaha! And if you don’t drop your weapon right now, then… gahaha… your second father is going to die!”
Once again, Richard’s brain reminded him that these two were complete strangers.
If they had anything in common with his missing parents, it might only be their age.
Richard took a step forward.
“Don’t come any closer!”
Aurina pressed her dagger tighter against the necks of the so-called “second father” and “older brother,” enough that the blade broke skin and blood began to drip from the edge.
“Or I’ll kill your brother right here!”
Richard drew his longsword.
Aurina kept her word, stabbing the “second father” in the shoulder.
Though the blow didn’t pierce the chainmail beneath his clothes, she raised her hand for another, harder strike.
Panicked, the pale man shrieked, “Goddamn it, stop! I’m not his father!”
The dagger tip finally found a weak point, slipping through the armor and into flesh.
Aurina frowned.
“What? Then what are you, his grandpa? That works too!”
“Bullshit!” the man screamed.
“I was just here to kidnap his foster mom! I surrender, okay? I fucking give up!”
Aurina roared in rage.
“You lying bastard!”
No wonder Richard had kept advancing—he was already well within striking range.
Aurina was hyper-aware of threats, and she recognized immediately that this wasn’t just within reach—it was prime attack distance.
Fast reaction, full power.
Aurina dropped the “second father,” who collapsed to the ground, moaning in pain.
Now she faced the charging Richard.
Without hesitation, she pointed both daggers at the so-called older brother.
“Stop right there! You overpowered little bug, your big brother’s life is in my hands! Freeze!”
Cruel and merciless, the dragon drove both daggers in just far enough—one centimeter into flesh, enough to draw blood.
“Please! Please stop!” the wounded assassin begged.
“I’ll tell you everything! It was a bigwig from the Yanting Empire who ordered us. I’ll testify—”
Suddenly, the “second father” on the ground surged with unexpected strength.
From who-knows-where, he pulled out a throwing knife and hurled it at the injured assassin.
Richard hadn’t anticipated this—just moments ago, this guy had been groaning on the ground, clutching his groin like he was dying.
Aurina had been focused entirely on Richard.
The flying knife struck true, embedding itself in the wounded assassin’s throat.
Arterial blood gushed violently, spraying up to the ceiling.
Sophia, just walking in, arrived in time to witness the gruesome scene.
Her face went pale in an instant.
The sight of a living man spraying blood was almost enough to make her faint.
She raised a hand and quickly chanted a prayer—green light burst from her palm, and the assassin’s neck wound sealed shut, the bleeding stopping completely.
Then Sophia turned on her heel and left.
But the throwing knife had been poisoned.
The injured assassin convulsed violently before going limp.
“You rotten bug!”
Aurina cursed furiously, tossing aside the now very-dead hostage.
Her hostage plan was ruined, and the blame all fell on that damn man.
Richard now stood right in front of her.
Light from the doorway cast his shadow over Aurina, swallowing her whole.
“Gahaha…”
Aurina forced a grin, baring eight teeth, and hid her daggers behind her back.
“Richard, your brother’s dead—but I didn’t kill him.”
She cast a guilty glance at the corpse on the ground.
A chill crept up her skull.
She tried to talk her way out of the impending doom—a good old-fashioned forehead flick from Richard.
“That was all in your imagination,” she said seriously.
“Your family actually died of natural causes. I was just… playing with them. Like end-of-life care games, you know? Uh… hospice!”
Richard gave a sharp, incredulous laugh, then thwacked her squarely on the top of her head.
“They’re not my family.”
“Gah!”
Aurina jumped in pain.
They say a wise dragon knows when to retreat.
And Aurina prided herself on her wisdom.
Instead of lunging at her enemy and tearing him apart, she decided to wait—until she was strong enough to capture him alive, and then slowly torment and enslave him.
She chanted, loudly and clearly, “I’m just a child!” But little girl incantations weren’t all-powerful.
Richard asked flatly, “So you came here to kidnap my family, didn’t you? Speak. Is my father still alive? Is he out there in the carriage?”
Richard couldn’t even get angry at her.
He didn’t want to hit her. His voice was patient.
“They’re kidnappers, not my family.”
“Richard!”
At that moment, Granny Raya—dignified and still radiant—came striding forward, stepping through blood as she approached.
Her eyes landed on Aurina, this adorable little girl clutching her forehead, tears welling up in her eyes.
It was enough to melt anyone’s heart.
“Richard!”
Her fury surged, sending a spike of dread from Richard’s soles up to his skull.
She slapped his shoulder armor with a sharp whack and shouted:
“What are you doing hitting the savior of the orphanage?! Just because she’s a dragon?”
Aurina, who had just been trying to use hostages to threaten Richard, immediately nodded her head in agreement.
“Yes, yes, exactly!”
“I don’t know where those seven thugs came from,” she said.
“They stormed the orphanage, tried to rob me. She saved me!”
Aurina dove into Granny Raya’s arms.
This evil dragon—once the great Red King—had discovered that such gestures earned the most affection from female bugs.
“Granny Raya,” she muttered her favorite spell. “I’m just a kid, and my head hurts.”
The little girl spell was as effective as ever.
Granny Raya cradled Aurina’s head in her arms, gently stroking her hair.
At the same time, she raised her head and glared furiously at Richard.
“Apologize to her. Now!”
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