[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 458

In stark contrast to the thunderous roars echoing outside, in the deepest abyss of the abandoned mine—the very end of the underground sealed personally by the Dragon Lord—the contamination born from the remains of an Ancient God still had not faded.

Though it had died, what remained of it still asserted its presence.

It was a remnant of the indestructible power of the Ancient God.

It possessed neither will nor even instinct, yet like a natural phenomenon it lingered, polluting the surrounding air and staining the land black.

Thud….

Into that pitch-black place where not a single ray of light could enter, a pure white source of light slowly descended.

It looked as feeble as an adventurer stepping into the abyss for the first time, carrying only a single torch—but the expression on that being’s face was nothing like that of a frightened explorer.

“So you still remained.”

The one whose face bore no trace of emotion was none other than Gabriel.

Completely different from when he had appeared at Leon’s wedding in the past or when he had come to execute Elraim, he now moved forward across the sticky ground, enveloped in an endless coldness.

Strangely, even before his feet touched them, the contaminations retreated as if fleeing.

“You were surely given a chance. But it was you who abandoned it, intoxicated by power.”

Ancient Gods.

Beings that had long since fallen, and at present, could be considered nearly nonexistent in activity.

Shrrng….

[By the light of the beginning…]

Though not made of metal, a blade of light was drawn from the air with a soft ringing sound, following Gabriel’s hand as it revealed its radiance.

The faint glow that had resembled a firefly soon spread into a brilliant light that illuminated the surroundings.

Spreading his wings wide, he reversed his grip on the sword, plunged it into the ground, and began reciting a prayer.

When the prayer ended, Gabriel, without hesitation, forcefully pushed the sword deeper into the ground.

At that moment, massive cracks began forming from the point where the blade of light had been embedded, and soon something shattered apart as if broken by an earthquake.

Crackle…

As the sword of light disappeared with a faint sound, Gabriel turned away without regret.

Outside, thunderous booms continued to echo—Leon was still in battle.

“Your story ends here. Indestructible one. Do not torment the lonely any longer—disappear.”

With a powerful flap of his wings, he retrieved the sword and extended his hand into the air.

Then, starting from where his hand touched, ripples spread as though droplets had struck the surface of water, and a crack revealed itself.

“For three to gather and each pursue something different… how ridiculous. What would humans say if they knew that the beings they worship are this unstable…?”

Step… step….

“Resent me, Luna. Resent this powerless me… who can only do this much….”

* * *

The dwarves quickly transported Merkavalt to the royal palace.

Her physical treatment was complete.

Her eyes had returned to blue and gold, and the madness that had once emanated from her had completely vanished.

The curse had been transferred to Leon through the dagger.

Though it wasn’t an ordinary curse and required the aid of a tool, the curse that entered Leon’s body was not only unable to drive him mad, it was completely crushed and purified by the power of the Book of Genesis.

Even the mental corruption of an Outer God could not affect him—there was no way a mere remnant of an Ancient God could do anything.

Merkavalt insisted she was fine, but the dwarves would not listen.

The royal smiths who had often spent time with her were all currently collapsed, but the king was not.

Holding her hand tightly as she lay on what appeared to be her personal bed, the Dwarf King wept.

“Thank goodness. Thank goodness, Lady Merkavalt.”

“You’ve grown so thin….”

With a bitter expression, Merkavalt gently stroked the head of the current Dwarf King.

At a glance, they looked like a grandfather and his young granddaughter, but in truth, Merkavalt was far older than the king.

Watching him sob and repeat how fortunate it was, guilt welled up within her.

So she forced a cheerful smile and pushed him lightly on the back.

“Ahem! Did I not say this body has fully recovered? Look here. Do you see even a single scar?”

“But….”

“Ahem! I said it’s fine! Now go on!”

“Th-then I shall at least have your favorite snacks prepared as usual.”

“Understood, now go! Once I’ve sorted things out, I’ll call for you again.”

Only after pushing him away and driving everyone out did she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Then she slowly covered her golden eye with one hand.

Since the Sea Dragon’s Armor had been destroyed, the strange energy that had never once ceased was now completely gone.

Having suffered for so long that she could no longer even remember what a life without pain felt like, she closed her eyes and smiled silently.

“It is quiet… peaceful. How long has it been since I felt such a clear energy….”

Were dragons not a long-lived species—indeed, overwhelmingly so?

To them, even ten years might be but a fleeting moment.

Yet during that long span of time, Dragon Forge had suffered endlessly.

That was why Leon’s existence felt closer to that of a benefactor than merely a friend.

Though the presence of Archangel Gabriel lingered in her thoughts, she wanted to speak of that directly in front of Leon.

After all, Leon had said he would take a quick look around and then left somewhere.

The fear of death she had felt for the first time in so long.

That enormous lightning that shot all the way up to the atmosphere, as if to remind her that even dragons—who possessed overwhelming resistance to magic—were nothing more than living creatures.

She did not know how Leon had used such magic.

Nor did she particularly want to ask how someone of his age possessed such power.

What mattered was the result.

Leon had saved her.

The image of Leon approaching her fallen form and telling her it was alright carried a kind of comfort she had never felt in her life.

Her heart pounded.

Startled by her dragon heart beating more strongly than usual, she pressed her chest tightly with one hand.

The more she did so, the louder her heart pounded, leaving her flustered.

“What is this…? This has never happened before.”

What was strange was that it didn’t feel bad.

Then, a knock was heard, followed by Leon’s voice.

“Merkavalt, may I come in?”

“Ah! J-just a moment!”

Startled, she quickly fixed her disheveled hair and adjusted her clothes.

Then she paused.

‘Why am I acting like this?’

To be flustered in such an uncharacteristic way.

As if making excuses, she cleared her throat a couple of times, then took a deep breath and let it out.

Suppressing her agitation, she spoke to grant permission, and the door slowly opened as two people entered.

One was an archangel.

The other, a human.

Leon and Luna.

“Is your body alright?”

“There is no issue with the body. I treated it, so naturally.”

“There’s also mental shock. Of course I trust your skills.”

At Leon’s words, Luna gave a faint smile.

And Merkavalt stared blankly at Leon.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah… ah? N-no, nothing! This body is perfectly fine! There’s no need to worry!”

She smiled brightly, strongly asserting herself.

Yet the more she did, the less her gaze left Leon.

It felt as though her mind was turning blank.

It was the first time in her life she had experienced something like this, and her heart was filled with confusion.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

She felt no difference with others, but whenever she looked at Leon, her heart rate rose.

Though she could not get used to this strange sensation, for some reason she felt she must not speak of it aloud.

“Th-thank you. I should have said that first… but I’m late.”

Leon maintained a nonchalant attitude.

“Then, since you seem fine, we’ll be going now. Let’s meet again next time.”

As he turned away without hesitation, Merkavalt shot out her hand like lightning and grabbed Leon’s.

“Ah!”

Startled, she quickly let go and lowered her gaze like a shy girl.

“Did you have something to say?”

“Th-that is….”

She couldn’t exactly say she had grabbed him reflexively.

Even she herself didn’t understand why she was acting this way.

‘Calm down. As the Dragon Lord, I must maintain my dignity.’

Though most of her kin had disappeared and the truly ancient dragons were gone, leaving her position somewhat hollow, she was still the head of dragonkind, bearing the seal of the Lord.

She could not afford to lose the dignity of a king.

But since she had no real reason and had simply grabbed him reflexively, she pondered for a long time over what excuse to make.

And as she did, all sorts of words came out.

“W-wait a moment. I cannot be certain my body is fully recovered yet, so wait a bit.”

Even she thought it was an absurd statement.

She had just said she was fine, and now she was saying this.

“You said you were fine just now.”

“Th-that is….”

“Perhaps the madness hasn’t fully left yet?”

“No. It has all left. If it’s unclear, you can even bring a thief pigeon to confirm.”

Unlike Leon, Luna narrowed her eyes and stared intently at Merkavalt.

“…….”

That gaze carried an inexplicable chill.

“C-could it be… what is the relationship between you two?”

Changing the subject abruptly, she spoke in a hurry.

“Relationship? We’re husband and wife.”

“I see. Husband and wife. Husband and wife….”

After a brief silence, her expression darkened noticeably.

But as if thinking something over, she soon brightened again.

“You seem unwell? I know someone who is quite skilled in mental treatment. Shall I bring them?”

Just as Leon was about to turn away—

Merkavalt startled and stopped him again.

“D-don’t go! It’s not that serious—perhaps if I rest a little, I’ll be fine!”

Contrary to her clumsy excuse, Luna’s eyes narrowed even further.

A throbbing sensation could be felt.

Separate from her wildly beating heart, the thought of him leaving brought a strange sense of pain and distress, causing her eyes to widen.

Could it be… that Merkavalt Ludimille Cabranarin, Dragon Lord and guardian dragon of Dragon Forge, was feeling affection for a human?

Recalling a romance novel she had recently obtained from outside, Merkavalt was inwardly horrified to realize her condition matched what was described in that book almost perfectly.

‘That can’t be. I’ve never been like this before….’

Flustered, she reached a conclusion—she had to resolve this situation somehow.

And then—

A perfect excuse came to her mind.

A very natural topic, and one that could keep him from leaving immediately.

“You must also be an archangel, correct? As far as I know, only archangels possess three or more pairs of wings.”

Though only two pairs were fully formed, and the other two were made of light in a strange form.

From Merkavalt’s perspective, she had seen the divine messenger Gabriel from afar once or twice.

But she had never seen the beautiful being before her.

Naturally so.

Luna had been sealed for a long time.

“In that case, do you know Gabriel?”

At the sudden mention of Gabriel’s name, Luna, who had been looking at Merkavalt with a curious gaze, now showed a subtle displeasure.

“I don’t want to get involved with archangels. None of them are of any help.”

Wasn’t she an archangel herself?

Then why did she dislike them?

Though such a question arose, Merkavalt forced herself to maintain composure to calm her racing heart.

“In truth, when I was enduring in the abandoned mine, Archangel Gabriel came to find me.”

“Gabriel?”

Only then did both their attentions fully shift elsewhere.

“Yes. He told me that if not now, there would be no way to save me, so he deliberately made me go berserk earlier than necessary.”

At those words, Leon and Luna frowned.

“What kind of situation is this?”

“Gabriel….”

“So I wanted to ask in case you knew anything.”

“Where did he go?”

“To the very bottom of the abandoned mine where the Ancient God was annihilated. The end of the abyss. He went there.”

At that, Luna shrugged.

“I don’t know what those things do in the first place.”

“A-aren’t you also an archangel?”

“I’ve cut ties with them.”

“Four-winged archangel… Michael was male. Then… you must be the Archangel of Healing. Raphael. To think there would be something I do not know.”

However, if she had severed ties with the archangels, obtaining proper information would be nearly impossible.

At that moment—

Crack!!!!

At the sound of something breaking, Leon flinched and pulled something out from his chest.

“Leon? That is….”

“It’s an artifact I made to assist the defensive magic installed in Cascadia.”

The calmness that had been on Leon’s face instantly turned into a chilling coldness.

Seeing that expression, Merkavalt felt an inexplicable pain in her chest.

“What do you mean? Has something happened to your territory…?”

“It seems a rat has entered my house. Normally I’d detect it before it gets to this point….”

In other words, someone capable of breaking through Leon’s magic had intruded.

Without hesitation, Leon drew his finger through the air, spreading mana and forming a magic circle.

It took less than a second for an extremely intricate magic circle to form—so precise that even Merkavalt was astonished.

8th-circle magic.

Warp.

Realizing what it was, Merkavalt was inwardly shocked, yet at the same time nodded as if understanding, recalling the extreme lightning magic he had displayed in battle.

After all, someone capable of producing such absurd lightning would not struggle with magic of that level.

“I’m sorry, but let’s continue this conversation later.”

“Ah, ah? I-I’ll help too!”

Leon stepped into the rift that split open in an instant, and Luna followed right after him.

After staring blankly for a moment, Merkavalt suddenly leapt from the bed and threw herself into the closing warp.

Interfering with another’s warp magic without permission was extremely dangerous, but Merkavalt did not hesitate in the slightest.

Because an inexplicable feeling—one that did not want to let him go alone—had taken hold of her.

Still, perhaps the name of Dragon Lord was not for nothing.

Enduring a dreadful dizziness, she fixed onto Leon’s coordinates and was able to arrive at his destination.

What she saw next was the Cascadia estate, bearing signs of destruction everywhere.

And—

She also saw Archangel Gabriel, enveloped in a pure white radiance, holding a child carefully in his arms.

Around him lay a blue-haired girl and a gray-haired girl, both seemingly unconscious.

“You’re faster than expected.”

Muttering bitterly, Gabriel was instantly surrounded by an enormous number of sword auras that appeared and vanished, slicing through his entire body.

Only then did Merkavalt realize those sword auras had extended from Leon’s hand.

So when he fought her, he had been holding back.

The density of the sword aura was so chilling that even she, a Dragon Lord, felt a shiver.

Yet Gabriel did not move from his spot.

With a single flap of his wings, he blocked all the attacks.

Why was Archangel Gabriel in Leon’s territory?

At that moment, a horrifying hypothesis formed in Merkavalt’s mind.

From the beginning, making her go berserk had been to bind Leon’s movements and attention to Dragon Forge.

“Merkavalt. It seems things have been resolved well. I tried to minimize casualties by secretly infiltrating protective magic.”

At his words, anger surged within her.

“What is the meaning of this? Was it not enough to turn me into that state—why Leon’s estate as well…?”

Gabriel gave a bitter smile at her question.

“Do you remember what I said? That it was the only way to save you.”

His expression was so calm it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

No—compared to when she met him in the abandoned mine, he seemed even more devoid of emotion.

As if wearing a thick mask.

“What?”

“If I did this, Leon would have no time to help you. So I made you go berserk a few days earlier. Binding his movements was simply an added benefit.”

Then he turned his gaze toward Luna and Leon, who were radiating killing intent.

“Leon, and Luna. Elpiria may be harmed, so I ask that you refrain from excessive attacks.”

For words coming from a kidnapper, it was shameless beyond belief.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]