CH 8.1

The Duchy Kingdom, the Grand Duke of Dragon’s Castle.

That place that was built by the dragons of the legends had been locked and secluded for the past hundred years.

“Five years old?”

“Then she’s the same age as our Little Young Lord.”

“No, can that even be compared? Our Little Young Lord is a dragon.”

“Since he was already able to communicate when he was two years old…”

“Surely he wasn’t cute.”

“Moreover, she’s a human, you know. To think that a pure-blooded human is in the Grand Duke’s Castle?!”

The Grand Duke’s Castle was always surrounded by numerous rumors.

Gold fell from the sky instead of rain. Or—

There is one room that is just full of human heads collected by the dragons.

Most of them were false, but…

There was surely some truth in them.

[The dragon’s servants are not human. The blood flowing in them are from races that have already left the human world.]

“Uhm. Is there any reason to do the greetings?”

The one who said this was one of the only werewolves left in the world, Gale.

“After all… They must’ve roughly chosen Baby to keep their promise with humans.”

Lef said. He was a young mixed-race Elf. He had long legs, a half-faced face, and slightly pointed ears which were different from those of humans.

“But, according to those who stood guard at the banquet, they said that the Baby came in looking like a beggar.”

“No matter what they said, is it really possible for a princess from a kingdom to look… like that?”

They tilted their heads.

Nevertheless, Baby who appeared in front of them…

“Please say your greetings. This is Erga’s fiance. Every servant and guard of the Grand Duke’s Castle, please call her Baby and treat her with courtesy. She is the one and only precious baby girl in our Grand Duke Family.”

Elton introduced Sephiel like this.

“Hello, Baby. We are the soldiers guarding this forest.”

“Hewwo.” [Hello.]

Sephiel bowed with her hand placed on her stomach.

It was a polite greeting that she learned from Berry yesterday.

Seeing Baby like that, they thought,

‘She’s cute!’

‘Why is she this small?!’

Her eyes like red jade were sparkling, and her hair that had ribbons finely placed on both sides of her head was a silverish white.

And although she was smaller than they thought, her cheeks were red and chubby.

The figure which was hiding behind Berry, looking around cutely, as if she was shy by people’s eyes…

…was truly enough to make them want to bite her.

“Hey! Smile. Smile.”

“We won’t hurt you, Baby.”

Perhaps their efforts worked, Sephiel smiled at the soldiers.

As they made an ach, achh sound, the soldiers clutched their chests.

Sephiel looked around the residence of the soldiers inside the forest.

“What do you men do?”

“We’re tasked with the role of keeping people from entering the forest who would harm the Grand Duke Family.”

Sephiel’s face brightened.

‘By any chance, has that Lotto bastard not gone yet?’

Lotto, whom Sephiel used as a ride to come all the way here.

If he went back to the Allegro Royal Family alone, he would probably be severely punished.

So wouldn’t he be hovering around the Grand Duke’s Castle trying to catch her?

The Grand Duke of Remdragon’s Castle was surrounded by the natural gift of nature.

There were castle walls, but the inside and outside were all forests.

‘What if he goes over the walls and hides in the forest…’

Sephiel looked at the soldiers’ facilities with hawk eyes.

‘Uhm. The soldiers look very strong.’

Sephiel felt reassured.

So, even if Lotto broke in and tried to kill her, he would freeze when he saw these soldiers.

The corners of her mouth automatically went up.

“Thath ish cool! Thank you fow pwotecting ith!” [That is cool! Thank you for protecting it!]

“Hoho, hoho….”

The soldiers were not immune to such compliments, so their cheekbones went up like they were exploding.

“But why aww you all uswing helmwets? It mwust be hot.” [But why are you all using helmets? It must be hot.]

“Uhm…. That is…”

It was to hide the elf’s pointed ears… 

“Why is your whole bwody stiff? Then your handsh will sweat.” [Why is your whole body stiff? Then your hands will sweat.]

That was to hide the werewolves’ swollen hands…

“Wook at thath! Thath stone stachu is so cwool!” [Look at that! That stone statue is so cool!]

That’s a golem which was used in war…

“Ah! Thath thing. The wock moved! Whath I saw is wite, wite?” [Ah! That thing. The rock moved! What I saw is right, right?]

That’s a gargoyle taking a break… 

However, all of them were things that couldn’t be said aloud, so the soldiers looked at the distant mountain.

It wasn’t that they had decided to hide the existence of the different races from Sephiel.

It was a matter of a long time ago. A noble lady was lucky to have a chance to visit the Grand Duchy.

However, the person was surprised to see the werewolf soldiers, the elfs, and the vampire bloodlines and died.

Therefore, everyone decided to hide their identity to protect the young baby Sephiel.

Among them, Lef, the Captain of the Knights and Commander of the Elf Guard, said.

“Uhm… Baby.”

“Ywes?” [Yes?]

“Should I give you High-High?”

“What ish thath?” [What is that?]

Sephiel tilted her head.

‘Somewhat, I think I got a good offer.’

That thought crossed Sephiel’s head. Her eyes naturally twinkled.

“That’s… uhcha!”

“Kyahahahaha!”

Sephiel was so excited that stars seemed to pop out in front of her eyes.

Playing by putting his hands between her armpits and lifting her up, then going up and down was so much fun that it was enough for her to collapse.

“Should I give you a ride on my back?”

The rough soldiers shyly offered one by one.

Eventually, Sephiel rode the soldiers’ backs and had fun as she looked around.

“There ish alsho a huge bwird over there!” [There is also a huge bird over there!]

Sephiel said.

Kkiik. Kkiik! 

The extremely large bird in the shape of a bat– wyvern, flying in the sky, was two meters wide when its wings were spread out.

In reality, the monster that was brutal enough to make people faint was…

‘The Grand Duke Family’s ride and pet.’

The servants hurriedly turned Sephiel’s gaze.

“Instead of High-High, should we play Pull-Pull?”

“What ish thath too?!” [What is that too?!]

Pull-Pull was a tremendous game in which Sephiel was put on the side and swooped back and forth.

‘Ah, it was a whole new world.’

Sephiel was so excited that she kept making a kkyaahahahaha sound while laughing.

‘It’s my first time laughing like this.’

Perhaps thanks to that, the soldiers, instead of looking proud, now looked completely melted.

“Look ath thaht! It’s shwiny!” [Look at that! It’s shiny!]

“Hoho! That’s because our soldiers usually polish their swords well.”

“Thath Mister is hwandsome!” [That Mister is handsome!]

“No, that’s because of our elven blood—”

“Shut up, you witless bastard.”

One of the soldiers, who tried to speak thoughtlessly, was stabbed on his side to shut his mouth.

“Thank you. Haha.”

Moreover, Sephiel was friendly to the servants of the Grand Duke’s Castle for her future.

“The dwishes of the Gwand Duchy aww the bwest in the world. Thwank you.” [The dishes of the Grand Duchy are the best in the world. Thank you.]

“I’m hwappy because I’m weawing pwetty clothes. Thank you.” [I’m happy because I’m wearing pretty clothes. Thank you.]

In addition, Sephiel bowed to the employees who were waiting for her in front of the Grand Duke’s Castle.

As everyone made a kyaa, waaa, or happy smile, they looked like they were dying to stroke Sephiel’s head.

‘It’s better than my previous abuse situation.’

Sephiel was proud.

‘But it turns out they still never allowed me to go in the main building.’

She wasn’t disappointed because she had expected it. Moreover, if she did something wrong, she may run into that kid.

‘Because he’s a bit scary…. It’s kind of like that.’

After wandering around the Grand Duchy, Berry patted Sephiel’s tired head, then they came back to the separate house.

“But, Bewwy.” [But, Berry.]

“Yes, Baby.”

“You know, if all of the Lordsh awen’t present, he….Where did hwe go?” [You know, if all of the Lords aren’t present, he…. Where did he go?]

“Are you talking about the Little Young Lord Erga?”

“Ywup.” [Yup.]

“He’s sleeping now. Very deeply.”

“Evwen in the afternwoon?” [Even in the afternoon?]

“Yes. Before becoming an adult, half-dragons are unsteady in various things. That includes sleeping for a very long time. They have to lock themselves in a room made of special mana stone for a while.”

“Then, if they are all grown up?” 

“If they’re all grown up….”

Berry spoke kindly.

“You’ll find the true side of him.”

“Are half-dragons different from just dragons?”

“Yes. They’re different. When they’re young, half-dragons are in their human form, but when they’re all grown up, they become a dragon and they can switch back and forth between their human and dragon form.”

“…Isn’t that twoo bwig? That mweans when they are all gwown up, they’ll bwecome this big.” […Isn’t that too big? That means when they are all grown up, they’ll become this big.]

“Huhu, but they’re usually in their human form. It’s either the Grand Duke or the Elder. That’s why the First Grand Duke does that, too. It’s called ‘polymorph’.”

Sephiel nodded. There was nothing bad about listening to information about dragons who were the influential figures of this house.

“Cwan’t you tell me mwore? Whath ish the diffewence with humansh?” [Can’t you tell me more? What is the difference with humans?]

“Yes. Of course.”

Berry continued to explain.

“Dragon blood is an existence which is stronger and closer to holy than humans. For example, the Little Young Lord now, his grandmother is a half-elf, and his biological mother is a human.”

“Heuung…. Bwut, if it is wike that, then he is not a half-dwagon.” [Heuung…. But, if it is like that, then he is not a half-dragon.]

‘Since it’s only about 1/4 of the bloodline. Then, isn’t he a quarter-dragon?’

Sephiel thought.

“That’s surely what’s interesting about it.”

Berry explained kindly.

“Because dragon blood is always undiluted. The bloodline of dragons accepts only half of the blood of other races that is passed on. That’s what being upper class means. Those whose blood is stronger than humans and elves.”

Sephiel nodded silently.

“It’s intwesting and fun.” [It’s interesting and fun.]

“Really? Huhu. Do you want to know about the Little Young Lord?”

“…Well, a wittle.” […Well, a little.]

She wasn’t curious about Erga, himself, but rather curious because the dragon race’s story was very interesting. Sephiel replied with a little reluctance.

Berry further informed that only sons were born in the Grand Duke Family.

“When dragons give birth to half-dragons, they only give birth to children of the same gender as them. For example, when a female dragon and a male human are combined, only a female half-dragon is born.”

“I see.”

As expected, the dragon race is interesting.

Then suddenly Sephiel remembered something.

‘Ah, right, they did say that the Allegro Royal Family had the blood of demons, right?’

And that blood is not inherited by everyone.

They said that sometimes a ‘mutant’ like Sephiel is born.

“You know. Thwen, how abwout demonsh?” [You know. Then, how about demons?]

“…De…mons?”

Berry’s face subtly hardened.

“Our Baby shouldn’t be interested in things like demons.”

“…Okaaaaay. But they aren’t upper class, right?”

“Yes. That’s right. Demons are not upper-class. If they’re not upper-class, all lineages disappear after three generations, and only humans are born after that.”

Sephiel nodded small.

There was indeed a saying like that.

[Allegro and Remdragon have been in a strained relationship for 300 years.

However, all dragons and demons were enemies for life.]

As such, it was said that demons and dragons had a bad relationship.

‘Although they said that my blood was so diluted that now I’m just a human with a unique appearance. Still, I shouldn’t get caught because I resemble the appearance of the demon race.’ 

Sephiel thought like that.

‘Even the people of the Grand Duke’s Castle said they didn’t know much about the demons because it’s been a long time since they’ve last seen them. It was also since demons had various appearances.’

Silverish white hair and red eyes.

It was said to be a characteristic of the lineage of the ‘Demon Sorcerer’ who lived in the forest in the middle of the land of the Allegro Royal Family.

Sephiel was not very worried because even if they were called the servants of the Grand Duke’s Family, it was still impossible for them to memorize all of the demons’ appearance.

And whether or not that idea was right, they didn’t seem to find Sephiel’s appearance strange.

“Yes, I know it well. Abouth the dwagon wace.” [Yes, I know it well. About the dragon race.]

Only then did Berry’s expression soften.

“Hoho, really. Our Baby is smart.”

Then, she touched Sepiel’s hair one more time.

“You did a very good job today.”

“….”

“Although perhaps our Baby won’t ever experience a situation where you’ll meet the higher ranking people of the Grand Duchy in person, you’ll often encounter the servants. They are not mere employees, they are companions and vassals. If you treat them kindly, when Baby is all grown up…”

Berry said.

“Please also be sure to remember that they will become Baby’s people.”

‘So it wasn’t that they’re just lending me their name?’

Sephiel nodded obediently. She replied, “Yesh.” [Yes.]