Chapter 24
“Actually, I’m a gentleman, so killing a child made me feel a little uncomfortable.”
“…That’s a lie.”
“Well, things like that were usually done by my subordinates anyway.”
He looked at Damia and smiled gently. The way he pretended to be friendly made her skin crawl.
“But your crime is too serious to ignore.”
“……”
“So if you tell me everything honestly, I’ll at least spare your life.”
Damia did not believe the man at all.
“So, who ordered you to give the young duke the drug that kills dragons?”
A drug that kills dragons?
Hearing something she had never expected, a strange light appeared in Damia’s purple eyes.
Fortunately, the man did not notice the change in the girl.
“I-I don’t know. I really don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
That was because Damia immediately began to sniffle.
“Haha, suddenly you’re being polite?”
“I really don’t know anything…”
“Really? If we interrogate you, we’ll find out the truth.”
“A-are you going to kill me? Isn’t there a way to solve this by talking?”
Damia asked while trembling.
She wanted to look pitiful so the man would lower his guard.
“Ha, talking?”
“Yes… talking…”
But unlike Damia’s expectation, the man’s handsome face twisted angrily.
“Because of you, that damn young duke’s heart started beating again, and you’re calmly talking about that?”
“Hic… why are you getting angry…”
“You really don’t understand your situation, do you?”
His voice sounded almost like a growl.
Is he hot-tempered? Why is he suddenly like this?!
His shout shook even the carriage windows. He really didn’t seem human.
No. I need to stay calm.
Every time the carriage shook, her head throbbed painfully. She felt like she might faint.
Damia bit the inside of her mouth to stay conscious. Tears filled her eyes from the sharp pain.
“Please… just let me go.”
“Begging is useless.”
“There are still so many things I haven’t done. At home I was always mistreated. You saw the butler trying to sell me to that old man.”
Damia spoke in a trembling voice.
Clear tears gathered in her purple eyes and quickly rolled down her cheeks.
She was truly very scared, so she didn’t even need to act much.
The girl looked so weak and pitiful that the man’s guard slowly lowered.
“…Hey, stop asking. You’re annoying.”
At last, the man’s straight eyebrows twitched.
That expression looked exactly like Cassian when he was embarrassed.
“Hic… I’m only thirteen years old.”
“I don’t care about human problems… but you are very young. You’re practically just a baby.”
“If you’re not going to kill me right now, please stop shouting. Every time you yell, my head rings. It hurts so much.”
Even in this situation, the girl boldly complained.
The man laughed in disbelief.
He glanced at the dark forest and then stepped back.
All the strength left Damia’s body, and she slid down to the ground.
“Don’t irritate me like before. Sit quietly until we arrive, and keep your mouth shut.”
“Y-you’re not going to kill me right away… right?”
Damia stopped as she tried to stand up.
From inside her coat, the glass bottle made a faint clinking sound.
“Yes. I still need to interrogate you about where you got that irritating drug.”
Luckily, the man didn’t seem to hear the sound.
“Then… where are you taking me?”
“My entire clan is waiting for me at the nest. They’re very curious about how I will deal with you.”
She didn’t know where that was, but she felt certain she must never be taken there.
“The nest?”
“We’re leaving again, so hurry up and sit down.”
“Do you call the dragons’ hiding place a nest?”
“Just shut up and get up.”
“P-please help me up.”
“What?”
The man narrowed his eyes.
“Please. My legs have no strength at all.”
“Don’t you understand the situation? You’re really not in your right mind.”
Damia ignored him and sniffled loudly.
When the girl looked like she was about to burst into loud crying, the man frowned in irritation.
He closed his eyes as if trying to hold back his anger.
Damia didn’t miss the chance. She quickly slipped one hand into her pocket and searched for the glass bottle.
“Here.”
After hesitating for a long time, the man reluctantly held out his hand.
It looked as if he was giving a final bit of kindness to someone he would soon kill.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten involved. I thought it would be some entertainment after a long time, but you’re just an annoying little brat.”
“Th-thank you anyway…!”
“Hurry and stand up.”
“Yes. …Ah!”
Damia tried to stand but staggered as if her strength failed.
“What’s wrong with you?”
The man bent down toward her in confusion. This was the moment.
Splash!
Damia threw the purple liquid at him.
“Ugh!”
The liquid splashed onto the man’s face and neck. He collapsed instantly.
Even though it was only a small amount, a burning smell spread and his skin immediately began to melt.
“Y-you human girl!”
The man stepped back, screaming in pain.
“You said earlier that this was a drug that kills dragons, right? Thank you for telling me what this medicine really is.”
Her legs were trembling badly, but Damia stepped forward.
“There’s still a lot left, so let’s see what happens.”
“Y-you… ugh!”
The man held his face and gasped for breath.
“I won’t… let you go. I will definitely… kill you!”
His eyes glowed fiercely as he crawled toward Damia.
Damia waved the glass bottle threateningly. Some liquid spilled and soaked the man’s chest.
“Ugh…!”
He collapsed forward. His limbs twitched as he scratched at the ground.
Is the heart their weak point?
His reaction was much stronger than when the liquid hit his face or neck earlier.
Damia glanced at the bottle. Only about half of the medicine was left.
This was the only emergency bottle she carried. She had pretended to be confident, but the truth was that she was desperate.
Now I must aim carefully.
She gathered her courage and approached him.
He was now lying back, gasping for air.
He seemed half-conscious and didn’t even notice her coming closer.
I can do this. No… I must do this.
Damia jumped forward.
She climbed onto his chest and tried to pour the rest of the bottle onto his heart.
“G-get off!”
The man swung his arm with the last of his strength.
She had to stop him before she could pour all the medicine.
Instinctively, Damia pressed her hand against his neck.
A cold sensation ran through her fingers. It was hard to believe it was the temperature of a living person.
“A-aaah!”
Suddenly the man screamed.
What? The medicine hadn’t touched him yet…
“Let… go…!”
Could it be?
Damia looked at her bare hand touching the man’s neck.
“Ahh!”
Startled, she quickly pulled her hand away.
Then the man’s bare face came into view.
She did not hesitate long.
“Ugh!”
When Damia touched him again, the man coughed up blood.
The medicine that slowed the young duke’s curse—this man called it a drug that killed dragons.
Cassian said my touch has the same effect as the medicine.
Just like the drug was deadly to dragons, it seemed that contact with Damia was poison to them as well.
If that was true…
Damia grabbed the man’s face tightly and raised the bottle.
If both the contact and the medicine worked together, the effect might become even stronger.
“M-move!”
But this time the man was slightly faster.
“Ah!”
He shoved Damia away violently. The bottle slipped from her hand, and the purple medicine scattered through the air.
“No!”
She had to save the remaining medicine. Damia stretched her hand toward the bottle while lying on the ground.
“Ah!”
The man had already stood up and stepped hard on her hand.
“What exactly are you?”
His slit-shaped eyes flashed with killing intent.
The man who had been casually playing along with Damia was gone.
Now he truly looked like he wanted to kill her.
