Chapter 67

Chapter 2 Memory Fragments They spent a full day preparing for their journey to find the Red Dragon—a living witness of historical events—before deciding to return to the surface of the planet. “If you spot Elazonia, we’re going to make a break for the demon world. Capisce?” Shinichi asked. “Guess there’s no other choice.” Regina seemed reluctant, though she prepared a magic circle to use in that moment. Celes used Teleport to send the group and their baggage up to the surface—under the red sun. They didn’t see any sign of the Goddess, which spelled good news. But the Demon King’s castle—their beloved home—had been smashed to pieces. Like it’d been hit by an asteroid. “Oh my gosh! Mr. Woof and Ms. Meow…” Rino fell to her knees, knowing her treasured dolls were crushed in the rubble. “…This will be one hell of a cleanup job,” Celes joked, but her face was twisted in rage. “What about the fields?!” Arian whipped around, suddenly remembering the potato fields flourishing under her care. In its place were burned plots of land. “I can’t believe it…” She plucked an ashy potato leaf and gritted her teeth. Farmed with Sirloin and Kalbi, these fields didn’t just serve as a food source. They were proof of her friendship with the demons—after she had spent years by herself as a half dragon. Her right hand squeezed the hero symbol on her skin, drawing blood. “We can’t let the Goddess get away with this…!” “Like hell…” Shinichi felt a fresh wave of hatred toward Elazonia. Just as they were about to leave Dog Valley, they heard a familiar voice call out to them. “Rino… Rinoooo!” “Eeep?!” Crying out in joy and barreling toward them was the blond beauty—and major perv—Saint Sanctina. She practically pounced on Rino, wrapping her arms around her. “Ooh! Her sweet odor! Her soft, supple skin! This isn’t the hallucination that’s tricked me hundreds of times! This is the real thing!” “Sanctie! You’re tickling me.” “Hallucinations in the triple digits? In under two months? You’ve got it worse than the Demon King.” Shinichi reached out, trying to stop the crying saint from nuzzling Rino. His touch was enough for the man-hater to snap back to her senses. “It’s you, Shinichi. I see you haven’t bothered to become a woman yet.” “That’s how you greet me?!” “I just had this silly idea that my traumatic memories of you would become more exciting if you’d became a girl.” “I… You know what? Forget it!” Shinichi shuddered. It seemed Sanctina had reached new heights with her weird fantasies in Rino’s absence. “And that gorgeous woman with blue hair is…?” “Regina, Rino’s mother.” “Mother-in-Law! I’d like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage!” “Be a little more mindful of the situation!” snapped Shinichi. “Heh-heh-heh. Another interesting character, indeed.” Regina looked down at the Saint, begging on the ground without any concern for the demolished castle behind her. “Um, Sanctie… Shinichi and I are going—” “Not now, Lady Rino. Things will get complicated,” interrupted Celes, covering Rino’s mouth before she could drop that bomb. “Why are you here, Sanctina?” asked Arian, changing the subject. Sanctina stood up like nothing had happened. “I was searching for the girl and spreading her word when I had a feeling she’d be back soon. I just got here.” “What?! Did you, like…smell her in the air…?” A shiver went up Shinichi’s spine. It was far more ominous than the intuition of a girl in love. “By the way, what happened to the Demon King and his castle?” asked Sanctina. “Ah, well…” Shinichi summarized everything leading up to this point. Even Sanctina’s beautiful face emanated rage. “Wind Cutter!” Without warning, she sliced off her right hand, which had the symbol of the hero. “Sanctie! What are you doing?!” “Removing the foul mark placed by the heretic who would take you hostage.” “That doesn’t mean you should cut your hand off!” “You’re not in a position to be all preachy.” Blood poured from the stump. Sanctina smiled as the others panicked. “Let me heal it.” Rino picked up the severed hand, attaching it to her arm. “Pain, pain, fly away, Full Healing.” “Oof! I can just feel your kindness sinking into my wound!” “Don’t tell me that’s why you did that…” It was certainly in the realm of possibilities. Shinichi glanced at the hero symbol on her healed hand. “Regina, you can’t Dispel that, right?” “No. It’s like Geas, a curse that the target has accepted. It would require having far more power than the original caster to remove it.” Regina gnashed her teeth, hating that she was at the same level as Elazonia. “Gotcha…” His shoulders slumped. Behind him, Arian clenched her right fist. She couldn’t resist the Goddess with this symbol. In fact, she had been rendered powerless when the Demon King was captured. “I…” “Don’t cut your hand off again. It’s pointless,” warned Regina. She’d noticed Arian’s brooding expression. It was hard to believe that symbolic gesture would free her from the Goddess’s curse, seeing how even vaporized heroes could be resurrected. “Even if it slightly weakened her power over you, it’s no good for a swordswoman to lose her dominant hand.” “…You’re right.” “And let me beat the living shit out of her.” “……” Arian wasn’t entirely okay with that, but with no other suggestions coming to her mind, she remained silent. “Anyway, let’s go find the Red Dragon,” said Shinichi, trying to dispel the heavy mood. Everyone nodded in response. That was when Sanctina piped up with a question. “You said Arian’s dad is in the northernmost point of the continent. How are we going to get there?” Walking would take weeks and put them at risk of monster attacks on the way. If they tried to use Fly, they would be drained of magic, which meant frequent pit stops and five days at fastest. “Things could get ugly if too much time passes and people find out about this situation,” remarked Sanctina, pointing to the Demon King’s destroyed castle. Without the presence of their enemy, everyone would assume the demons had been destroyed by Goddess Elazonia herself. “You’re a lot more sensible when you’re not hung up on Rino.” Shinichi said, agreeing with Sanctina. Did he dare say he was even slightly impressed by her? “If the church finds out about this, you’ll be back to square one. You’ll have to rebuild the relationship between demons and humans—just when things were starting to seem possible.” Vermeita would stop cooperating with them if she found out the Demon King had been defeated, causing the author of her beloved series to scramble back to the demon world. “We need to find the Red Dragon as quickly as possible. That’s what this is for!” Shinichi proclaimed, cocking his head at their large luggage from the demon world. “What is it?” Sanctina stared. She’d been wondering what it was. At first glance, it looked like a small bamboo boat, but it was covered by a transparent glass lid and long planks extended from either side like wings. It was peculiar. “I get that it’s some sort of vehicle…” “It’s a flying boat—called a glider.” Shinichi stroked the invention, which was his own design. The dvergr had stayed up all night to get it ready. It didn’t have a propeller or jet engine. It wasn’t that aerodynamic, either, since it had been thrown together. However, it was far more efficient than people flying through the sky without anything. “If we can get it in the sky with Fly, it can glide in the air and get us to the northernmost point of the continent in just one day.” He’d only had this idea because he was familiar with airplanes, which allowed people to fly to the other side of the Earth in 24 hours. It was also a product of magicology, since they used Protection on the materials that lacked durability. “When I flew to the Holy City with Celes, I started wondering if there wasn’t an easier way.” “My hips hurt because you were riding me.” “Could you say it without the innuendos?” Shinichi cracked open the glass windshield, climbing into the glider. “I didn’t account for you, Sanctina, but I think we can squeeze six people. It just means there’s more in our ‘magic tank.’ Let’s go.” “Yay!” Rino cried. “I’ve never ever been on a boat in the sky!” “I call the seat behind Rino—” “Lady Sanctina, you’re sitting shotgun—where you can’t touch anyone,” said Celes. “You’re heartless!” There was some squabble over seating order, but everyone got in the glider eventually. “Let’s go.” Regina used her magic reserve to lift the glider, which weighed over half a ton with its riders. It soared above trees, over the mountains, above the clouds, until they were surrounded by nothing but blue stretching around them. White clouds carpeted below them. Rino cried in amazement. “Wow! It’s beautiful!” “We didn’t really have time to take it all in when escaping the Elven Tomb.” Shinichi glanced at the glider’s wings. “How’s it going, Regina?” “As we pick up speed, we go higher. It’s different, but I’m getting the hang of it.” She seemed to be getting a feel for the wings. Shinichi admired the apparent genius of the Blue Princess of War as he gazed into the sky ahead. The glider cut through the wind, heading to where the Red Dragon waited. They took two breaks for meals before the glider arrived above the northernmost point of the continent. It had only been half a day. Since it was close to the North Pole, it was cold enough to make them shiver and keep the mountains capped with snow even in fall. “Oooh. The mountains are very pretty, but it’s chilly…” “Cold Protection. How do you feel now?” “All better. Thank you, Celes!” “Dang it! I was a step late!” Sanctina chewed her nails in frustration, which Shinichi ignored, looking at the area below them. “The map said it should be here…” There was nothing obstructing their view, but he didn’t spy anything resembling a red dragon. “Maybe he’s moved?” Knowing they were grasping at straws, Shinichi was starting to succumb to despair, but something unnatural in the corner of his eyes caught his attention. “What’s that?” A narrow valley. It looked like someone had sliced the mountains with a gigantic sword. A massive stone wall blocked off entrance to the area. “Is it a dam? No. Castle walls?” “Either way, it was made by somebody.” Celes used Telescope to confirm. It couldn’t be a natural formation, since the wall was made of massive stacked stones. “I thought this was a restricted zone, where no humans could live to see tomorrow?” asked Shinichi. “I think it is…” Arian, staring at a fifteen-foot-tall caribou locked in a battle with a dinosaur-like bird of a similar size, didn’t seem too confident. She could see monsters dotting the ground—everything from a gigantic constricting worm to a treant. This had to be the rumored magic zone. “I feel like I’m looking at the demon world. I feel at home,” noted Regina. “Meaning nothing but demons could live here.” Shinichi was spent. “Was it built by demons on the surface?” “I’ve never heard of the like. And why build a wall?” asked Celes. “Hmmm…” Shinichi gave up on guessing. “Let’s go check it out. There’s a chance the Red Dragon is sleeping inside.” “Roger,” Regina agreed happily, bringing the glider down to land near the valley. Shinichi was relieved to see no monsters nearby as he disembarked to examine the stone wall. “It’s huge. I’m guessing 130 feet tall?” It was twice as high and twice as thick as the walls surrounding Boar Kingdom. It could have been effective in warding off monsters, but Shinichi couldn’t imagine the manpower necessary to build this thing. “Seems hard to construct from raw power. Maybe they used magic…” He was stepping closer to the wall when an iron spear plunged down, piercing the ground in front of him. “Who’s there?!” Arian barked, immediately drawing her magic sword and leaping in front of him. A silhouette appeared on top of the wall. “Go back! No outsiders may enter here!” shouted the figure under a mask made from a beast’s head. Other than their eyes, nothing was visible. The rest of their body was covered in furs to ward off the cold, giving them the appearance of a talking animal. The sight took Shinichi aback long enough to be surrounded by a similar group of people coming out of the shadows, pointing their iron spears. “Ooh! A warm greeting.” Regina cracked her knuckles. “Let’s see if we can settle this without our fists,” Shinichi suggested, holding his hands up to show they wouldn’t resist. “We’ll leave. But could you tell us what you know about the Red Dragon?” “The Red Dragon?” The masked people reacted in surprise. Seems like they know something. Shinichi smiled inside while their apparent leader slid down the valley walls and walked up to them. “What do you want from the Red Dragon?” “We were hoping he could answer some questions.” The man eyed them suspiciously…until he noticed the scarfed redhead. “No way! Little Arian?!” Arian almost jumped out of her skin. “Huh? How do you know my name?!” The masked man seemed to take that as confirmation. His guard dropped completely. “It’s you! You should’ve said so sooner.” “Uh-huh…,” she replied, confused by his familiarity. The masked group seemed to split into two reactions: those wondering who she was and those who knew. “So you know Arian. Could you explain the situation?” asked Shinichi, unable to just watch. The man seemed genuinely confused. “What? Aren’t you here because Brigit told you about everything?” “And Brigit is…?” “My mom.” Arian averted her gaze before turning to the masked man. “I’m sorry. She didn’t tell me anything.” “Ah. She must have thought it’d spell trouble for us and kept quiet.” “She got really sick three years ago and…” “…I see. The world lost another life…” He nodded sadly, clasping his hands together to pray for her happiness in the afterlife. “Why do you know about Arian and her mother?” “Because she was born in our village, obviously.” “What?!” Arian shouted. “Oh, that makes sense.” Shinichi was satisfied with the explanation. “I was wondering: If the daughter of a dragon was born in a human village, why wouldn’t the church kill off mother and child?” “There you go, speaking of the most horrific things,” jabbed Celes, but the masked man flashed Shinichi a look of surprise. “You know Arian’s a half dragon?” “Why else would I come searching for her dragon father?” He made it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, but the masked group let out little gasps. “Did he say something strange?” asked Rino. “Not sure,” replied Sanctina. Arian was starting to wrap her head around the situation, as the tiniest memories of her childhood began to resurface. “Everyone in this group knows I’m a half dragon, but we still get along. They’re…my friends,” she admitted with a grin, though her cheeks burned with embarrassment. The man’s eyes crinkled into a smile. “Then you’re all fine.” He removed his mask. “…Hmm?” Arian was floored. She’d assumed he was in his thirties based on the raw power behind his throw, but his face was creased with wrinkles. He was elderly: over sixty at least. But his age wasn’t the surprising part. His naked face was covered in animal-like fur. Small horns jutted from his forehead. The others unmasked themselves to reveal their beastly features. “Are you demons…?” Arian whispered. When none of her friends reacted with disgust, the leader smiled in relief and greeted them for real this time. “Welcome to Mouse Village.” They were led down a hidden bypass in the side of the valley, heading inside the stone walls. There, they saw homes carved from the mountain stone and villagers working together to cut up a mammoth-shaped monster. It was like the early Stone Age…except these people had iron tools and used magic to create fire. Rino gazed at the villagers before looking up at the elderly man, who’d introduced himself as the village chief. “Um. Are you demons, too?” Many of the villagers were covered in fur. Some had horns or tails. Others had beastly ears and wings. However, their faces and builds were definitely human. Not much seemed to indicate they were demons. “What’s a demon? Is that what you call beast morphs?” “Beast morph?” “Uh-huh. That’s what we call babies that resemble beasts in appearance and strength. Everyone in this village is a beast morph. As are the children, naturally.” The village chief smiled. “Um. Does that mean you’re humans?” “Obviously. We can’t mate with animals, even if we look the part.” “Chief! She’s too young to hear that!” “Ha-ha-ha. Forgive me.” The village chief chuckled when one of the other villagers reprimanded him. “So they’re humans who look like demons?” whispered Rino. She was the only one in the group who didn’t realize that she, in fact, was a demon who looked like a human. “Lord Shinichi, is…?” started Celes uncomfortably. “It’s too early to say. We have no proof.” But Shinichi was certain it was true. Demons are… He looked around at everyone’s faces. Regina was surprised, connecting the dots. Arian seemed unsettled, like she was on the same page, too. As for Sanctina… “I just realized… Rino in cat ears would be groundbreaking.” “I’m more of a dog-ear person.” Shinichi sighed in relief that she was the same. The village chief wondered about their reactions but led them to his own home. “Sorry for the mess. Take a seat.” It was a basic dwelling, carved from the mountain. The only real furnishing was the animal pelts on the floor, which they sat on. The chief brought them cups of earthy tea, and they rested for a moment. “I’m sure you want to catch up with Arian. But would you mind telling us about this village?” asked Shinichi. “Mmm, yes. Let’s start there.” “You said this was Mouse Village. Did survivors from Mouse City build this village? It’s a labor camp now.” “Sure did.” The chief nodded. Arian jumped up. “There were survivors from Mouse?!” “Meaning there were beast morphs there?!” Sanctina cried at the revelation, but Shinichi had on his usual smile. “Makes sense. It explains why Elazonia would destroy the city.” “…You’re right,” said Sanctina. The church’s holy book claimed that the city of Mouse was destroyed to save the world from evil. There were no details about what made it so “evil.” The working theory had been that it was crushed as a warning to neighboring countries that had rejected the Goddess’s words. That could still be true. But if it was home to beast morphs who resembled her hated enemy, that would explain her motives behind slaughtering tens of thousands of people. Even if it did mean losing worshippers. “You hit the nail on the head. Mouse was destroyed for its beast morphs,” agreed the chief, though he hadn’t been alive at the time to see it. He’d grown up hearing stories passed down from his father and grandfather, mourning the lost lives, and reaffirming his hate for the Goddess. “Mouse wasn’t like our village now. Beast morphs were a rarity.” Bearing a beastly child triggered enough fear in people to want to kill them. Shinichi was willing to bet they were disposed of in other cities, pretending they were stillborn. Mouse was the exception, where children were called beast morphs and raised with love. “After all, we’re very powerful.” The chief tore off a chunk of stone wall with his bare hands. Their strength matched their appearance. “According to our ancestors, beast morphs were considered blessings.” Mouse was the closest city to the restricted zone, meaning they were at higher risk for a monster attack coming from the Matteral Mountains. The beast morphs could fend them off with their inhuman strength and magic, preserving peace in Mouse—and making them “heroes” in the eyes of the people. Then the church’s heroes from the south started to pick them apart. “They started saying strange things: ‘All beast morphs are evil and deserve to be executed.’” The people resisted. They had enough pride not to go against their real saviors. From a strategic standpoint, eliminating the beast morphs would mean losing their power as a city. The people united and refused to comply. That was when Pope Eument drew on Elazonia’s power to cast the strongest light spell: Solar Ruin. It formed a massive lens in the sky, collecting the sun’s energy to scorch the land—clean energy weaponized for genocide. It wasn’t a battle. It was a massacre. “It wasn’t just the beast morphs. They incinerated indiscriminately.” The village chief looked anguished, imagining the bodies turning to ash. “Murdering the innocent?! The church is the evil beast!” cried Sanctina. “Save it,” snapped Shinichi. She’d conveniently forgotten that she’d planned to use Solar Ruin to destroy the demons. “And then the survivors built this village.” The chief forced himself to sound peppy, trying to dispel the dark vibe. Though this was a magic zone where monsters ran rampant, it wasn’t all that challenging for the beast morphs to live here. Imminent danger kept outsiders from coming this way, which meant they didn’t need to worry about the church finding them. The chief broke into a grin because they led a pleasant life in the valley, and Shinichi smiled back, impressed by the chief’s people. “You’re a brave bunch,” Shinichi noted. “Couldn’t live here if we weren’t,” replied the chief, chuckling. Shinichi broached the real topic of interest. “So where is the Red Dragon?” “……” Arian’s mouth clamped down as she waited for the answer. The chief looked serious and pointed to the north. “You saw the tallest mountain in the area, right? That’s where he’s rumored to lie.” “The tallest mountain…” They had seen it when they were in the glider, but nothing resembled a dragon. The chief picked up on his skepticism. “There’s no question about it. Brigit was the one who said so.” “Mom…” Arian nodded, knowing this information was reliable. “I’ve been wondering: Did Arian’s mom happen to be really strong?” Based on the stories, Brigit had made her way through the restricted zone and found the Red Dragon. The chief seemed frustrated that Shinichi even needed to ask. “Obviously. Brigit was the strongest of us all. In the two years between Arian’s birth and their departure, Brigit defeated more than three hundred monsters by herself.” “What?!” Arian cried upon hearing this epic account. Shinichi was more surprised by her reaction. “Didn’t you know?” “No. I mean, she taught me to use a sword, since she told me ‘not being in control of your power is a danger to yourself.’ But I never thought it was out of the ordinary…” While they traveled, Brigit would help farms and take up odd jobs to make a living, but she’d never done anything as dramatic as hunt monsters. “A shame that her talent went to waste,” mused Regina, wishing they could have tussled once. “I think it was to set an example for me.” “You’re human. You’re a bit stronger than other people, but you’re human.” Her mother used to console her when Arian had come home crying that she was different from the other children, cursed with her half-dragon body. But it also served as a reminder to control herself, because if she used her strength for her own gains, she would depart from “humanhood.” Arian realized her mother had been talking to herself, as her powers went beyond the average beast morph. “I didn’t know anything about Mom…” Arian hung her head. Why hadn’t she been able to see her for her? Shinichi placed his hand on her shoulder, his smirk creeping across his face. “Come on. We’ll get your dad to cough it up, and then you’ll know everything.” “…Yeah!” She beamed at him. He stood up. “Thank you for the valuable information.” “Leaving already?” asked the chief. He urged them to stay the night since the sun had already set. It was dangerous out there. Besides, they hadn’t talked enough about Brigit. But Shinichi refused his offer, thanking him for his generosity. “We have urgent business.” The chief could tell it was important. “…I see. I suppose I can’t stop you.” Arian jumped in after a moment of hesitation. “Um…Can I come back and listen to more stories…once we sort everything out with Dad?” There was no guarantee they’d be able to beat Goddess Elazonia, even if they did meet the Red Dragon. She promised to come back alive, because uncertainty hung over their heads. He smiled from ear to ear. “You’re always welcome here.” They left the chief’s home and passed back through the secret passageway to the front of the stone wall. They piled into the glider as the chief saw them off. “Oh, right,” he suddenly said. “All of this—” “Don’t worry. We’ll keep it a secret,” Shinichi assured him, guessing his request. “But I think the day will come when humans and beast morphs can live in harmony like before.” “What?” “I said we’re going to get revenge for your ancestors.” With that, he closed the glider’s windshield and directed Regina to cast Fly. “What did he mean by that…?” murmured the village chief, waving at the glider as it rose into the evening sky, stained red by the setting sun. Their glider touched down on a summit high enough to remind Shinichi of the Himalayas. “But where is he?” Shinichi thought out loud. This was the location, but no dragon. Regina looked gleeful, laughing off his concern. “Don’t think too hard. The Red Dragon is here,” she stated, pointing below their feet. “Oh! Underground!” “Yeah, I can feel magic from below us,” observed Arian. “My skin is crawling. It’s like when I’m next to the Demon King,” agreed Sanctina. “Which would explain why we couldn’t find him from the sky,” finished Shinichi. Even he could feel the pressure below them if he closed his eyes and focused. Regina prodded the ground with a cryptic expression. “Celes, what’s your guess?” “…About three capra (six miles).” “Hmm. That would be my guess, too.” She nodded, satisfied with her student’s answer. Regina took Shinichi’s hand. “Shall we pop under and meet the Red Dragon?” “Uh. Please don’t tell me we’re going to Teleport!” “Why not?” “One misstep and we’ll be in solid stone! A classic ‘You are in Rock’ moment.” He’d set up that death trap to get Ruzal and his party. Shinichi wasn’t about to get a taste of his own medicine. “We don’t have another choice. Besides, I’ll cast a spell to get us back before I suffocate to death,” Regina reassured him. “Well…you could technically do that in the game—” “Unless we find ourselves in lava. Boom. Instant death,” added Celes. “Stop trying to scare me!” Rino listened to them bicker, face clouding over. “Are we all going to die?” “Don’t worry, Rino. I will protect you—and only you. Come. Hold on to my chest. Huff. Huff,” Sanctina panted, securing the perfect opportunity. “Beyond a brief handshake, touching is strictly prohibited,” sternly interjected Shinichi. “We don’t have time to tunnel down. There’s no other way. Do it.” Regina puffed out her chest. “Leave it to me.” Everyone linked hands to keep from getting separated. Regina focused on the mass of magical energy slumbering below the ground. “Teleport.” Their vision warped. The mountains in sunset slipped into pitch-black darkness. “Are we in stone—yow!” After a moment of zero gravity, Shinichi crashed down on his butt. He realized this wasn’t a narrow space between rocks if they could free-fall. “Did it work?” “It would appear that way. Light.” Celes illuminated the dark. Everything in their vision was red. Before them was a form as massive as a mountain, coated in red scales as big as a human palm. They sparkled like rubies and looked tougher than any metal. The creature’s eyes were closed, making no movements, as if dead. However, it released saturated magic waves, powerful enough to warp their sight. The creature was alone. It was one of the most powerful beings in the world: the Red Dragon. “He’s here…” “Ha-ha-ha! This is my final obstacle!” Regina bared her teeth in a big grin. “Please, My Lady.” Celes rushed to restrain her teacher, who looked like she might launch an attack at any moment. Arian took a step forward. “Dad?” “……” “It’s me, Arian! Brigit’s daughter!” “……” Arian called out, unwinding her scarf to show the red scales at the base of her throat. But the Red Dragon didn’t move a muscle. “Dad…” “Please excuse me for being rude. Are you sure that’s your father?” Celes asked. She shook her head. “I know for a fact… My body feels hot, like it’s trying to tell me that we share blood.” Her blue eyes had become tinted gold, pupils elongating into vertical slits like a reptile. They imagined she had the Red Dragon’s eyes, though his remained concealed by his eyelids. “Dad! I have some questions for you! Open your eyes! Please!” “……” Arian clung to her father’s front leg, desperately calling out to him. But even then, his heavy eyelids remained shut. Regina started rolling up her sleeves like she was losing her patience. “Seems I’ll have to force him awake.” “Careful, My Lady.” “Why?! You must understand. You’re a demon! Aren’t you dying to fight him?” “I’m not that reckless.” Regina sighed. “Pathetic. This is exactly why you haven’t gotten the boy to fall for you. I can hear your tits screaming at you to get to business.” “…You’re right. I am a demon. Let me close your mouth with my fist.” A dangerous battle was starting to unfold. The Red Dragon maintained its silence. Shinichi walked up beside Arian and patted her slouched shoulder. “Arian. Put yourself in your father’s shoes. You can’t blame him for pretending to sleep through this situation.” “What?” “Think about it. Some girl has just come up to you, claiming to be your daughter! Born from the woman that you haven’t heard from in seventeen years.” “Oh…” Arian had been too excited to consider his feelings. “You’re right. Barging in puts him in a tough position.” “He didn’t help raise you. He didn’t pay child support. He basically left you to fend for yourself for seventeen years. If he were a human, he’d be a deadbeat dad. How could he face you?” It was harsh, but it was the truth. Rino started to tear up. “Poor Arian…” “Another reason why men are worthless!” declared Sanctina. “……” Even that insult wasn’t enough to rouse the Red Dragon. But Shinichi caught his eyelids move a fraction of an inch. Heh-heh-heh. Seems he can hear us. If this is enough to make him react, his psyche isn’t all that different from ours. Shinichi had prepared for the worst-case scenario: the Red Dragon in hibernation, which meant their ant-like voices would never reach him. But that didn’t appear to be the case. He chuckled to himself in relief. After all, he was the Demon King’s advisor, an evil priest, and an orator who’d won against the immortal heroes. He might be a flea in the eyes of a dragon, but he was confident he could even win against a god in a verbal fight. “Taking no responsibility after impregnating a woman? Means he’s less than a man.” “……” The Red Dragon twitched. “B-but I’m sure Dad had his reasons…” “Come on, Arian. He’s the Red Dragon: He could blow away a mountain with a little puff,” Shinichi teased. “Are you implying he didn’t have what it takes to satisfy a woman? Or his little feelings were so hurt when your mom ran away?” “……” He twitched again—and then again once more. Shinichi had chosen fighting words. Even Buddha would send him flying with a kick. The Red Dragon’s eyelid started to spasm. Arian didn’t seem to notice this at all, getting indignant at Shinichi’s insults. “Cut it out, Shinichi. I won’t forgive you for bad-mouthing my dad!” “You’re such a good girl.” Shinichi was impressed Arian didn’t resent her father—choosing to stand up for him even though they’d never met. However, it was starting to become clear that this wasn’t going to cut it. It was time for his special weapon. “Celes, I know you’re in the middle of a fight, but could you cover Rino’s eyes?” “…Understood.” When she saw his plan, she disengaged and placed her hand over Rino’s eyes—sulking the whole time. “Hmm?” “Sanctina. Cover her ears,” Shinichi warned. “Don’t have to ask me twice.” “What are you doing?!” asked Rino. Shinichi grabbed Arian’s shoulders and pulled her tight. “Sh-Shinichi?” “……” The following program is intended for mature audiences. Viewer discretion is advised. Shinichi didn’t say anything, bringing his face close to hers. “Aaaah! ” A sensual cry rang through the dragon’s den. “Wh-what are you doing…? Ah!” “Want me to stop?” “No…but everyone is watching us…even my dad!” “Don’t worry. Their eyes are closed.” “B-but…! Ah! ” Arian was starting to pant, accompanied by some moist splishing. “Shinichi, I’m…” Just when she was about to reach her limits— “Vermin.” The Red Dragon lifted open its heavy eyelids. His voice rang in their minds. Shinichi flew through the air like he’d been shot by an air cannon. “Gaaah—!” “Shinichi?!” Arian screeched. His huge eyes observed her. None of her clothing was out of place. There was some saliva glistening on her scales. Shinichi had just licked the sensitive scales on her neck. It wasn’t as obscene as her sensual voice had suggested. But the dragon’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Sexual intercourse. Bad.” “I know it seemed dirty, but we weren’t having sex or anything…,” Arian explained weakly, but it did nothing to calm his wrath. “Sensitivity. Touching. Sexual intercourse. Bad.” “Erm…” She was having a difficult time piecing together his fragmented sentences. He must not have been used to talking. Celes piped up. “Sex means touching sensitive areas on the body. It’s not just to procreate. It’s an act of trust. After all, you’re exposing your weakness to your partner. I think he’s trying to say that getting your scales touched is basically intercourse.”