The Sleeping Devil

"Hey, hey, are you glad to have reunited?"

Oh, come on... I look away for a moment and this happens. Their grinning faces peeking at each other were nothing short of mischievous. Immediately, the young man and Sara kneeled on the spot, bowing their heads to Sergio and us.

"My lord, I apologize deeply for the trouble caused. Though I am a criminal, might I have the honor of presenting my name?"

"Yes, you may."

"My name is Kyle. I held a middle-tier position and lived under Viscount Claira."

His hair color indicated a middle-tier noble, similar to the viscount. Kyle expressed gratitude to Sergio for allowing him to see Sara one last time and preventing her from marrying the count.

"I broke into Count Gernika\'s estate and abducted Sara. There\'s no denying I cut off his finger. I\'m prepared for any punishment."

"Well, let\'s set that matter aside for now. It\'s getting dark, let\'s continue this at Claira\'s estate."

We put Kyle and Sara on horseback together, and we set off towards the estate.

Upon arriving at the estate, the viscount and his lady were waiting. They teared up upon seeing Kyle and Sara. The viscount must have struggled considerably before giving his daughter to Gernika. It might not have been an incorrect decision as a noble, but it would undoubtedly have been painful. Just as I thought I\'d like to let them have a calm family conversation tonight, once again, Didier spoke out of turn.

"Ugh, seriously, he was disgusting, right? Staring at Sheriel as if he could toy with her. If we\'d just chopped off his head first, it wouldn\'t have taken this much time."

"Brother, it\'s still a formal occasion, not the time for candid remarks."

The viscount, Kyle, and even Sara were wide-eyed and frozen. Sergio sighed deeply, rotating his shoulders that had no role to play, sadly echoing Didier\'s sentiments.

"That\'s true, though. But, well, evidence is necessary. I\'ll leave the rest to the advisor and continue our journey... Oh, right, I almost forgot about these two."

With a casual tone, he clapped his hands lightly, and Sara and Kyle kneeled down. Behind them, the viscount and his lady also took a similar posture. Somehow, the atmosphere suddenly became solemn. Could it be that they intended to pass judgment here?

"Hmm, the victim? Well, he seemed to have killed his two former wives and had no sense of guilt, so, technically, Kyle prevented a new victim. Well, losing a single finger isn\'t a big deal."

To Sergio, who was about to decapitate him, it seemed trivial. Sara and Kyle were left speechless, as were the two behind them. They seemed shocked by his nonchalant remarks. Sensing Sergio\'s apparent weariness with the matter, I prodded him.

"Father, could you please handle this a bit more seriously? Are you already tired today? You\'ve barely done anything."

"Should I leave it to Didier then? So, could we stay overnight? We\'re planning to search for a dragon tomorrow, so we\'d need a room. Would that be possible?"

The lady of the house was left dizzy by the careless situation. Sergio sat heavily on a bench, handing things over to Didier.

"Well, yeah, Gernika\'s actions are as black as it gets, based on the investigation. Even if it\'s a political marriage, fostering contamination entails severe penalties. Trying to forcibly marry Sara, holding Klayla\'s people hostage---those are bigger issues than the murders of the two wives. Considering that background, we won\'t prosecute Kyle for his crime. As for Sara, her evasion from a political marriage isn\'t a matter for the lord to judge; it\'s something to discuss within the family."

Ohh, rarely do I hear sensible things from my brother.

In this country, actions that foster contamination carry heavier sentences than murder. Amplified contamination spreads around, becoming more than a personal issue. This doesn\'t mean that murder is a light offense, but Kyle was pardoned for saving Sara from Gernika\'s demonic grasp.

The Beriard family shows no mercy or sympathy, so this seems like a judgment aligned with the law. If this lifts Sara\'s sorrow, it might be considered a favorable outcome.

"Sara, do you still have any regrets? If not, I\'d like you to consider becoming my maid. Returning directly to Klayla might not be an option, right? There\'s another path where you return to the slave market, and Kyle buys you."

Sara, with teary red eyes, held Kyle\'s hand tightly, her shoulders trembling. Having just obtained her freedom, she might want to stay with Kyle.

"If it pleases you, I would be honored to serve Lady Sheriel for the rest of my life."

Good, although I suggested another path, it seems she\'ll work for our household. Sara had been registered in the slave market, necessitating a purchase. The purchase amount covers the aspiring slave\'s food and expenses, along with the market\'s share. Additionally, one-tenth is provided as a celebratory gift to the aspiring slave. With such robust support available, I might consider turning to the slave market for help if something were to happen to me.

I relayed the purchase intention to Sara and proceeded to finalize the terms.

"I heard that there are often lifetime contracts, but Sara, do you want to marry Kyle?"

"M-Marriage..."

It was Kyle who reacted to the word "marriage." Considering he risked his life to save Sara from Gernika, I thought they were lovers... Could it be that they haven\'t confessed or proposed to each other yet?

I might have said something clumsy. In the brief awkward silence that followed, Sergio, who seemed to have been listening, leaned in from the bench. Recalling Sergio\'s interest in Kyle, I tried to direct the conversation there.

"How about working as a soldier in the castle, Kyle? It seems like my father would approve."

"Yes, indeed, you showed quite some resolve, with that ring finger. Cleanly went through the joint, didn\'t it?"

Kyle blushed deeply at Sergio\'s admiring words. It\'s not often one receives compliments for how they cut off a finger. If Kyle worked at the castle, it would likely make it easier for Sara to continue working even after marriage.

"Working together at the castle will be nice for you two."

"I will never forget this kindness."

"Well then, we\'ll count on your guidance for the dragon hunt tomorrow."

With a prospective maid secured and Sara and Kyle offering to guide us, maybe we\'ll finally get to see the dragons on this trip. It\'s starting to feel more like an actual journey, and I can\'t help but smile.

Despite the suddenness, the Viscount arranged guest rooms for us, and the children rescued from the dark auction were also granted a place to rest. There was talk of having dinner together, but it didn\'t feel right to accept such precious food.

"Viscount, we\'ve brought plenty of provisions, so please feel free to use them. We can even arrange for a cook."

"Miss Sheriel, I appreciate your concern. However, we eat similar to common folk, so the cook might find it confusing."

"Oh, are you fond of vegetables? That\'s perfect then."

The Viscount was surprised and delighted upon learning that they ate vegetables even in the castle. He gladly accepted the proposal for the meal.

"We\'ve always considered ourselves noble yet not wholly so. I never dreamed that even the Lord would partake," he expressed in astonishment.

"To be honest, isn\'t it too heavy to eat only meat? I prefer a balanced diet with bread, meat, and vegetables."

The table was lively with unique vegetable dishes from Klayla and the accustomed castle cuisine. Members from the three houses of Claira, including Kyle\'s parents, gathered around. Kyle and Sara sat next to each other. While they were about to enter into a contract as a slave, here, they were still the lord\'s daughter and nobles of Klayla. When the conversation turned to tomorrow\'s dragon hunt, everyone\'s expression soured. It seemed that, as nobles of this town, dragons were considered an adversary to detest.

The next morning, as the sun rose, we gathered in front of the mansion. Although it was early, I had informed Julius through Noah the previous night, so they were already called.

"You guys really come up with one ridiculous thing after another."

"It\'s not ridiculous! Dragons are filled with romance."

Julius tilted his head in confusion. Sara and Kyle looked tense, their bodies rigid. I had briefed them beforehand, but it might take a bit of time for them to get accustomed.

As I stifled a yawn and gave instructions to the servants for the next steps, a swooshing sound caught our attention. Looking up, we saw four wyverns descending, their wings cutting through the air.

"Dragons!"

"Those are wyverns. Notice how their front legs are also wings?"

"Wyverns...! That\'s the first time I\'ve heard of that. There\'s such a difference?"

Although they\'re a dragon species, they are smaller and omnivorous, favoring fruits and fish. Similar to griffins, they\'re quite useful as familiars.

"Gigiii!"

"How cute. Nice to meet you today."

When I extended my fist toward one, it sniffed at it and then rubbed its cheek against my hand. Its cat-like behavior lifted my spirits.

"Hey, Sheriel, are you satisfied with just the wyverns?"

"Dragons are larger than these creatures, right? I\'d really like to see them since we\'re here."

Though I involuntarily snorted at the thought, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a dragon. I\'ll apologize properly if I\'ve woken them up.

Sergio, Didier, Sara, Kyle, and I boarded the wyverns with Julius. They provided comfortable saddles for us.

"Is this one a spare as it\'s left unused?"

"That\'s part of it, but also in case something happens on the way. Well, I trust Sara and Kyle to handle the diversion, so it should be fine."

"Wait, is it really that dangerous!?"

"Rather, why would you think it\'s not dangerous!? It\'s a dragon! From one to ten, it\'s nothing but perilous!"

Didier\'s words made me feel uneasy. But I won\'t give up. Dying without seeing a dragon in a world of magic would be like leaving a certain dreamland without seeing its mascot, the mouse.