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There was no point in prolonging the conversation.
Hans, along with Helia, immediately departed on their wyverns.
Their objective was to deal with the dragon occupying the Orcish territory. He briefly considered whether bringing Yuren would have been wiser, but it was too late now.
He hadn’t anticipated actually encountering a dragon causing havoc. Dwelling on hypothetical scenarios was pointless.
Sensing the dragon’s presence, the wyverns began to tremble with fear. Fortunately, they didn’t turn back.
Upon reaching their destination, Hans entrusted Helia with the wyverns.
“Teacher, but then…”
“It will be difficult to leave without the wyverns.”
“…Understood.”Helia, unusually compliant, didn’t argue.
This was partly due to Hans’s direct command, but also because she had noticed a subtle shift in his behavior.
He seemed to be avoiding her.
‘Was there something wrong? If so, I can fix it.’
Helia thought, but a pang of sadness resonated within her chest. She obeyed without complaint. She didn’t want to be disliked any further.
Hans, surprised by Helia’s submissiveness, turned his attention to the task at hand.
What was once an Orcish village was now shrouded in an unsettling silence. It felt like exploring a desolate ruin.
The oppressive atmosphere weighed on Hans’s spirits.
He began walking, hoping to shake off the unpleasant feeling.
“There it is.”
The dragon was sprawled out in the innermost part of the village, fast asleep.
Hans swallowed.
What should he do? Should he launch a surprise attack while it slept?
But what if there was a legitimate reason for its actions? What if news of this reached the other dragons, and they turned against the Royal Knights?
The mere thought sent shivers down Hans’s spine.
Being Commander meant considering all possibilities, anticipating all consequences.
“Wake up, dragon.”
[…Who dares disturb my slumber?]
“I’m right in front of you. See for yourself.”
[A voice devoid of fear.]
It was a black-scaled dragon.
Its eyes, now open, were a chilling icy blue.
The dragon looked down at Hans.
[Fearless. Or perhaps, numbed by overwhelming terror?]
The dragon mocked him openly.
To it, Hans appeared to be nothing more than a weak, powerless human.
Those who knew of Hans of the Royal Knights wouldn’t think so.
Unfortunately, this dragon was unaware of Hans’s identity. And that meant his usual bluffs wouldn’t work.
He was in trouble.
Hans racked his brain.
He didn’t want to fight a dragon here.
Winning or losing wasn’t the issue, he didn’t want to lose a valuable asset.
“I want to know why. Why did you kill the Rusted Overlord?”
[The Rusted Overlord? Ah, that Orc.]
“Yes.”
[He ignored my warning. I intended to make this place my home. I told him to leave, and he attacked me.]
“…”
‘What the hell? Is this dragon insane?’
That was Hans’s honest assessment. It was understandable.
If someone barged into your home and declared it theirs, demanding you leave, you would likely resort to violence.
Even though they were called the benevolent race, not all dragons loved all life.
Some favored certain races, others disliked all other species.
Yet, they were known as benevolent because the majority of dragons loved other races and sought to maintain balance. This dragon was an anomaly.
“This is Orcish territory. Return it to them.”
[Amusing. What do you intend to do, powerless as you are?]
“….”
[Hah! Go ahead, try…]
In that instant, Hans touched his index and middle fingers together.
As the dragon looked on in confusion, all color drained from the world.
Everything froze in place.
“I tried my best not to kill you.”
He had considered the dragon an ally, a fellow warrior against the demons.
He didn’t want to lose its considerable strength. But the dragon had left him no choice.
Hans sighed and drew his sword.
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The Black Dragon, Zaerkan, was proud of his power.
Among the dragons, there were two factions, the radicals and the moderates.
The radicals believed dragons should rule and manage the continent, while the moderates advocated for harmony and coexistence.
Unfortunately for Zaerkan, the moderates held sway. The hardliners numbered less than ten.
Zaerkan despised this.
Why should they, the dragons, suffer for the sake of these insignificant creatures? It would be far simpler to wipe them out and rule.
Zaerkan had acted on these beliefs before. Centuries ago, he had unleashed his power and subjugated a nation.
At least, until the other dragons intervened.
Even Zaerkan was no match for dozens of dragons. He wasn’t particularly strong among his kind.
‘Now even these insects dare to defy me.’
Zaerkan was in a foul mood.
He was a dragon, one of the strongest beings on the continent. Yet they failed to recognize him.
[This is our territory. We will not surrender it to you.]
[A mere Orc. You speak boldly.]
[Orcs always fight to the death.]
The Orcs had been surprisingly troublesome, but Zaerkan had killed them without much difficulty.
He had considered slaughtering them all, but he couldn’t risk it. The other dragons would surely intervene.
He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
He would establish himself here, slowly expanding his influence, ensuring the dragons received the respect they deserved.
So, Zaerkan, in a rare display of mercy, had driven the Orcs out.
They had foolishly attempted to fight back, but one, slightly wiser than the rest, had stepped forward.
[We will not die meaningless deaths here.]
‘And now this insignificant creature…’
Zaerkan despised all races equally, but he reserved a special loathing for humans.
Dwarves at least possessed skill, Beastmen and Orcs had strength. Humans had nothing.
They were nothing without their numbers.
The Commander of the Royal Knights had been making a name for himself recently, but he was still just a human.
Zaerkan could easily crush him.
He yawned, watching the human with amusement. He would see what this insignificant creature would do.
[Hah! Go ahead, try…]
But he couldn’t finish his sentence. His voice cut off abruptly.
Zaerkan felt a surge of confusion.
What was happening? Why couldn’t he speak?
His vision swam, the world spinning around him.
‘Did that human do something?’
Whatever it was, he wouldn’t be defeated so easily.
Zaerkan rose to his feet, his massive form towering over the human. He swung his claws, tearing the man apart.
He looked at the blood and viscera coating his claws, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face.
At least, in his mind.
[W-what…?!]
His body wouldn’t obey him.
Zaerkan shifted his gaze, thinking his vision had finally cleared. But then he saw it.
His own black-scaled body, his pride and joy.
‘Why is my body over there?’
He quickly understood.
The body was headless.
In that instant, Zaerkan realized what had happened. He had been decapitated in the blink of an eye.
[I-impossible! Defeated by a mere human?!]
“Arrogance and carelessness. You paid the price.”
[You! Who are you?!]
“Commander of the Royal Knights, Hans.”
At the sound of his cold voice, Zaerkan’s face was a mask of shock.
Hans, the dangerous human they had spoken of…
Rage consumed him.
[Do you think I’ll die here?!]
But despite his defiant words, Zaerkan’s voice faded away.
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[Translator Notes]
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