When Jake and Klad arrived at the entrance of the secret passage, the past Klad who had arrived first was waiting in front of it. Klad casually proposed to him.
“Only Jake and I will go down below. You go rescue Neria.”
At those words, the past Klad’s face crumpled like paper.
“If you’re going to spout bullshit, get lost to your own world.”
“If we get lost, this world will disappear without a trace along with you, is that okay?”
“Then leave that bastard behind and get lost.”
When the past Klad pointed at Jake, Klad blocked his way while emanating a menacing aura.
Even though he spoke like that, the two Klads wouldn’t fight. They weren’t thoughtless dragons who would ruin things by attacking each other at this critical moment.
“Don’t be mistaken that you’re in a superior position just because you created this world. You should know that I also have the power to drive you back to where you originally were.”
“Feel free to try. I’ll say it again, without me, this world cannot exist.”
“If you were planning to threaten me with such pathetic words, you shouldn’t have brought your baggage in.”
“What?”
“Even without you, as long as that West bastard exists, this world won’t disappear. What if I drive you out and lock up that bastard so he can’t escape? If I make him into an undead so he can’t even die, my world will be eternal.”
“You, you bastard…!”
Thoughtless… he wouldn’t be, right? He wouldn’t. Probably.
“S-stop it, Klads.”
When they emitted murderous intent like this, the one who suffered was the weak Jake caught between them. Undead or whatever, he felt like he would die right now.
When Jake swayed in agony, Klad quickly withdrew his energy and supported him.
“Are you okay?”
“Ugh… my head hurts.”
The past Klad watching that scene clicked his tongue briefly.
“A dragon attending to a human’s needs. It’s embarrassing to even introduce you as my future anywhere.”
Even while saying that, the past Klad withdrew his murderous intent and stepped back.
When the murderous intent subsided, it became easier to breathe, and life returned to Jake’s face that had turned pale. Only then did the past Klad throw out a question in a blunt voice.
“…Where is Neria?”
It was a question no different from a signal that he would move alone to find Neria, so they should destroy the magic circle themselves.
A shocking proposal impossible to imagine coming from the dragon who had been emitting murderous intent as if to tear his opponent apart until just moments ago. It was clear he had made the decision knowing that if he fought and caused a disturbance here, only Jake would be endangered.
Even though Klad knew that reaction favorable to Jake was influenced by himself, he became irritated for no reason. Klad twisted his body slightly so the past Klad wouldn’t be visible in Jake’s field of vision and answered.
“The Duke’s room, a space hidden by a magic circle under the carpet.”
“A magic circle… is that the one set up so only those of West bloodline can enter?”
“Yeah.”
“…Ha.”
The past Klad let out a hollow laugh. The expression with one corner of his mouth pulled up looked as if he were mocking his opponent.
It wasn’t a reaction shown because he didn’t believe Klad’s words. Since it was said by the bastard who had rescued Neria once before, it wouldn’t be false information. He was just so dumbfounded by the West bastard’s atrocity that he felt nauseous.
To capture a hostage and lock them away, then brazenly summon him to that room. How ridiculous must the dragon have looked, unable to notice even though the target was hidden beneath his feet and only getting irritated?
The past Klad muttered in a voice mixed with anger and futility.
“The Duke used his head a bit.”
Jake agreed with those words. Even if not for the purpose of deceiving the prey, it was quite a clever idea to utilize that space to hide a hostage. A place that couldn’t be opened except by himself—could there be a place with more perfect security than that?
‘But there was no one there.’
When Jake received recognition as Ellen West and entered that room following the Duke, Neria wasn’t there. Then Neria must have been further below, in the space where the most important records were stored. That would have been the reason the Duke didn’t take Jake that far down.
However, the security of that space being perfect and actually confining a hostage there were separate matters. Not just ordinary records, but to let an outsider into that place while being prepared to reveal critical secrets about the House of Duke West. It was behavior unlike a West.
There was only one thing that could be deduced from that.
‘He never intended to let him live from the start.’
From beginning to end, the Duke only intended to deceive Klad. It wasn’t that he broke his promise to release Neria because he felt regretful after obtaining the Black Dragon, but that he never intended to keep the promise in the first place.
While looking down on, deceiving, and toying with his opponent like that, he must have been immersed in arrogance, falling into the delusion that he was in a superior position to dragons.
That dragons… that Klad received such treatment. His insides churned as if he had swallowed something disgusting.
‘Klad…’
Jake watched the two Klads’ conversation with a face containing various emotions.
“That space won’t appear just because you claw at the floor recklessly. If you destroy or damage the magic circle, Neria will disappear along with the space.”
“How did you do it? You wouldn’t have knelt before the Duke and groveled to get the child back… Did you accept the Duke’s proposal to make an oath?”
“……”
“Looks like it’s true. For being a dragon, you have no pride?”
“Shut up. If we hadn’t intervened, your future would have been the same.”
“It’s troublesome if there’s no way to smuggle Neria out without destroying the magic circle. There’s too little time to break the magic.”
“Fortunately, it’s not that there’s no method. When the giant magic circle protecting the castle is destroyed, the magic circle in the Duke’s room temporarily stops operating. You can go in then and smuggle Neria out.”
“So that’s why you tried to send me over there. Even if the magic circle stops operating, it’ll only be for about 2 or 3 seconds, and to rescue Neria in that time, I’d have to be standing by nearby.”
“If you understand, hurry up and get lost.”
The past Klad looked like he had many questions.
How did the Klad before his eyes break through the iron door and destroy the magic circle when he overcame this predicament 750 years ago, when he couldn’t receive Jake’s help? And how did he find out about the secret passage’s existence?
But instead of asking questions, he walked toward the ducal castle.
Klad, who had been watching that retreating figure with a complicated gaze, soon turned to look at Jake and said.
“Let’s move too.”
Jake walked along the secret passage while organizing his thoughts.
Was it because he learned about Klad’s past that he hadn’t known, or because he witnessed with his own eyes the humiliation Klad suffered at the hands of the West family? He became more curious about things related to Klad for no reason.
“The secret passage leading to the ducal castle… was it made by your parents?”
“Yeah. I guess they made it together while installing the magic circle. It was cleverly hidden so even dragons couldn’t discover it, so I barely found it too.”
“Did they also make such a passage to take revenge on the House of Duke West someday?”
“I don’t think so. Up until then, the relationship between dragons and humans wasn’t bad. The magic circle at the ducal castle wasn’t made by force either. It was a gift for a friend.”
“Then why did they make a passage they didn’t inform the castle’s master about?”
“They told him about it, but it seems it wasn’t passed down to his descendants.”
“That one of the successive dukes wanted to monopolize the secret passage’s existence and hid it—that’s a plausible speculation.”
Jake, who had been nodding as if in agreement, hesitated for a moment then brought up the next question.
“What you said about not disliking me… is that still valid?”
“Why. Are you worried that as I look back on what made me hate the House of Duke West, I might end up hating you too?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t dislike you.”
Then that was a relief. Jake let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
Even while talking about the past, Klad’s voice didn’t seem uncomfortable or sad. It might be an illusion, but it even seemed like he was in a good mood.
If he saw his expression, he could know a bit more certainly what his mood was like. Klad, who always used to go ahead, had been walking alongside him since some point, so he couldn’t see him without turning his head.
Jake, who didn’t want to be caught having other thoughts before a great undertaking, walked forward silently instead of turning his head.
As they talked, they arrived at their destination in no time. Nordin, who had been coiled up, felt their presence and raised his body.
[Kl…ad!]
Flap flap—
He flapped his wings and welcomed Klad who had come with Jake.
[How did you… get here…… Hm?]
Nordin, who had been rejoicing, stopped moving as if he sensed something strange.
The Klad he knew didn’t stand in front of him blocking his way, worried that the human might be hit by chains. If he glared at West bloodline, he glared, he didn’t show such affectionate eyes like that.
“Nordin. It’s been a while.”
Above all, there was no reason to welcome him this much.
As if meeting a friend he thought he’d never see again after hundreds of years…
‘Mmm……’
Without needing to ponder long, Nordin could immediately grasp the situation.
[What happens to my daughter?]
At Nordin’s question, Klad also noticed he understood the situation. Klad fell silent for a moment as if choosing an answer, then replied.
“Ainel.”
[……?]
“That’s your granddaughter’s name.”
The Green Dragon smiled brightly.
As if hearing that answer was enough.
