Chapter 223

Chapter 223

Evade the Hero and Flee! 230 A princess’s memory (30)

#41 Other circumstances: A Villain’s Circumstance

My steps were light, and I felt extremely good.

“How could I torment Rea?”

It had been a long time since I felt this joyful, as her highness had given me permission to punish Rea once. I had to have at least this entertainment in my bleak life here, and I knew her highness would be looking forward to this.

This was why I had been surprised to see no guards or maids in the corridor or her room. I had heard she had scolded her people hard after I had deceived them, so there should have been people here. Did people make the same mistakes?

I knocked, but there was no response.

“Is this a trap?”

It may be possible, but I chose to go in. While I may be beheaded for going into a noble’s room, her highness would not kill me, at least.

“I will enter.”

The room was unnaturally dark, even if it was night. I heard a sudden moan.

“Your highness?”

I was surprised for a moment but recognized her highness’s voice.

“A…st?”

Her highness clenched her teeth.

“Why are you so…angry?”

I replied in my usual style, as I could not show I had been surprised.

“Ast?”

“Your highness?”

She spoke to me like she had received an awakening.

“Let’s go.”

Where?

**

When the world was created, it is said that the two Gods who had done so had left for another world after leaving the world to other gods. However, Evil had appeared from somewhere as a deity, and the Goddess of Benevolence and Devotion sacrificed herself to stop it.

Everyone would know this, but the truth was that Evil could not be fully stopped. Each of the seven fragments had indwelled in the Evil God, in humans, and one had gone in dragons.

Dragons knew evil but had not succumbed to it for a long time. However, they had become complacent, which was literally fatal, as they began to die for unknown reasons.

A human had become a Demon King to destroy everything, and another race became self-destructive.

However, dragons died one by one, even though they were known for their longevity. As each dragon was strong, there were only a few of them. This made the deaths catastrophic.

Dragons tried to find a way to stop this and learned that one dragon died every hundred years due to the fragment of evil.

Humans would have let this go, but dragons, who live tens of thousands of years, give birth once or twice during their life.

Their race could become extinct if things continued like this. Even though they communicated with Gods and studied other fragments, they could not find a way.

One sage had saved them.

“If this curse is sent by blood, shouldn’t you increase the number in any way possible?”

The dragon who had asked a human in desperation got that answer. That meant making half-bloods, which was unthinkable. However, they were near extinction. Dragons transformed themselves into humans and intervened in various races to spread their seed. That was why dragons had come out, and after several attempts, dragons managed to create their first half-blood child.

Dragons were expectant, and the fragment activated on the half-bloods. That made dragons create even more perfect sacrifices.

The result was this Karuan Empire, which had been built by dragons. They had promised the Empire limitless support if the humans died for them and had done their part.

“That contract is still valid today.”

“That means…”

Father had told me that when I was very young.

“Yes, you’re this generation’s sacrifice.”

“Is that so?”

I had not felt anything special at that time, but only noticed the fact that I was the one chosen.

“The evil fragment chooses the one closest to the dragon blood.”

He told me that dragons found a way to make us their sacrificial lambs and that the one closest to the dragon would become the next sacrifice. There was a reward.

“The dragons help us indirectly when our Empire is in a crisis. The chosen sacrifice is protected by the dragons and can make a single with to the dragons.”

While Father did not mention it, I had also received the benefits of dragon blood. I was only five, but I could understand everything Father said with a calm mind. This was made only possible with the dragon blood inside me.

“Are you not scared.”

“I’m rather…”

It was rather astounding. When I said my world had turned gray, Father, whose face I saw rarely, came up to me. He then suddenly told me this legend and that I would die.

“…surprised.”

That would be the right word.

“Is that so…”

Father looked down at me with a complicated gaze and changed my room and those who cared for me.

The room was where the sacrifices had resided and were filled with magic and spells to mitigate the damage when the evil fragment was awakened.

Then, they found me a person who knew everything and would protect me with her life.

“I am Rea Lil Areis.”

“The Marquis Areis?”

“Yes, your highness.”

Even if her memories were suppressed by Gears Roll, I did not expect her to be my guard.

“You’re strong.”

My dragon blood told me Rea was strong with a single stroke of her sword. As expected, Rea became a swordmaster a few years later. And then, after four years of seeing the world in gray colors, I met Ast. While my head hurt, I remembered a few good things.

“What is this…”

Was this a flashback as the world grew dark from the evil fragment awakening inside me?

“I cannot believe this…”

I felt my life being eaten away and shadows looking down at me. I could see that they were those who had the fragment before me.

“Have you come to take me away?”

I could see that dragons had also come, which was something unexpected. I could feel my body grow lax, and I realized that I did not have many regrets.

“Your highness?”

I saw something spring out from the dark.

“Ast?”

Was this a dream? If it was, it would be a nightmare.