Taming the Evil Saintess

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The hot spring where the Black Dragon had landed was nothing short of a wreck.

It was as if all the hot spring water had evaporated into the sky, leaving the ground exposed, and in the center stood Erwin and Cecilia, each wielding weapons as they faced the enormous Black Dragon.

The overwhelming size was even more surreal up close than from a distance. Its claws were as tall as a person, and its wings, when spread wide, could cover the entire castle of the Ice Palace. If the Dragon had any intention to intervene in mortal affairs, it could easily obliterate an entire country within weeks.

Fortunately, the Dragon was currently showing hostility but had yet to attack, seemingly prioritizing the safety of Blackie above all else.

“How are we supposed to beat something like that?”

Ophelia exclaimed the moment she laid eyes on the Black Dragon.

Indeed, it was intimidating.

The Dragon Fear it radiated was enough to tighten the muscles of even someone like me, who had been through countless battles.

“Of course we can’t.”

“What do we do then?”

“I’m thinking of trying to persuade it.”

“Persuade? That thing?”

“Do you see it as a monster?”

Ophelia nodded vigorously.

Admittedly, it did look like a fearsome beast.

However, Dragons are known to communicate. Just look at Blackie; it understands my words well enough.

With that thought in mind, I slowly stepped forward, holding the Holy Sword aloft in the center of the hot spring.

“You’re not seriously thinking about selling Blackie, are you?”

“We never even had it to begin with.”

“It’s my baby! I carried it in my heart!”

While Ophelia pouted, I ignored her.

Reaching the vicinity of the Black Dragon’s enormous foot, I infused my sword with mana, raising it like a torch.

It was to grab the Dragon’s attention.

Boom!

At the same moment, the ground shook.

Initially, the Black Dragon paid no heed to my presence, but when it saw Blackie looking at me with a glimmer in its eye, it changed its response.

“….”

A brief moment of silence passed before the Black Dragon lifted its head.

Then, an earth-shattering roar erupted from its long neck, causing Ophelia to stagger.

As the roar ended, the gargantuan body of the Dragon scattered into countless shards of light in the air.

“Huh?”

Ophelia made a sound like a startled bird, but I remained calm.

After all, such patterns had occurred during Dragon battles in games too.

It seemed the Black Dragon had no intention of fighting us.

In such cases…

“It has been a while since I took on this form.”

As the light dissipated, where the Dragon once stood now stood a woman with black hair and similarly dark skin, exuding a regal aura.

Polymorph. A technique favored by adult Dragons—it was also reminiscent of the second phase of Dragon bosses in games.

I knelt slightly to show respect.

“Oh great Black Dragon, how shall I address you?”

“A mere human has no right to name me.”

Though the response was cold, the Black Dragon squinted at the mark inscribed on my hand.

“However, if you are indeed the Hero representing humanity, the story will be somewhat different. Call me Nuar. This is a name pronounceable by human vocal cords.”

“…Yes, Nuar.”

The Black Dragon, Nuar, perched on a suitable rock, flicked her hair. Her vertically-slit pupils were focused on Blackie, who appeared overwhelmed by the Dragon Fear and lowered its stance, making soft whimpering sounds.

“Let me hear your excuses. Try to convince me to spare you, for the sake of survival.”

Nuar crossed her legs with an air of superiority.

“Just so you know, the reason I’m currently not killing you is solely because of that mark on your hand.”

“Yes.”

I took a deep breath and selected my words carefully.

“It was all an accident. We took care of Blackie because….”

“Blackie?”

Nuar’s eyebrows shot up in irritation.

“…call her my daughter.”

“Yes. I have a rather long story about how we ended up with her.”

I revealed everything from our ordeal at sea to the calamity on the solitary island and how the egg was destroyed due to an attack from a commander of the Demon King’s Army. Of course, I made sure to hide the fact that Erwin tried to break the egg with an arrow.

Upon reaching the tale of Elgore trying to smash the egg with his gigantic fist, Nuar frowned as if displeased.

After hearing the entire story leading up to our fight against the Plague Lord, she turned her gaze back to Blackie.

“It seems my daughter, in your eyes, resembles her father, who has long since passed.”

“That does seem to be the case.”

Nuar clicked her tongue, her elbow resting in displeasure.

“An odd situation indeed. To think she would end up in the hands of a Hero, despite having laid her eggs in a remote place to avoid human malice. All the times I rummaged through your Demon King’s Castle, killing countless demons, it feels shameful now.”

“….”

“It is a disgrace. Had I been her parent, I might have killed you on the spot.”

At that, Ophelia gasped, and Blackie startled, hiding its head beneath the hot spring water. Though, logically, that was futile.

However, it seemed the Black Dragon Nuar wasn’t entirely unyielding. With a resigned sigh, she uncrossed her legs and stood up.

“However, if this is fate, then so be it. If there are no issues observing this from the outside of the world, then it seems the journey of my daughter accompanying a Hero is also divinely ordained.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I permit it. Until your journey ends, I shall overlook this matter.”

As soon as her words ended, it wasn’t just Ophelia who looked relieved. Even Blackie, who had been crushed under the weight of Dragon Fear, stood up and spread its wings in a joyous dance.

Where have I seen that dance before?

Was it Toothless?

“However, just because I permitted this, doesn’t mean I’ve accepted it.”

“Yes.”

“A mere verbal pledge means nothing. Make an oath.”

“An oath?”

I tilted my head, and Nuar approached me, extracting a fang from her elbow and cutting my wrist with it.

Ophelia’s eyes widened, and she seemed poised to rush in, but she fell to her knees, crushed by Nuar’s Dragon Fear.

Naturally, I felt more skepticism than pain.

Perhaps my uncertainty showed on my face because Nuar spoke with a detached expression.

“This is the Blood Pact ceremony. Do you know it?”

“…What is that?”

“It is a contract with Dragons. In this case, it is a contract between you and my daughter. Up until now, there has been no coercion, but from the point of sharing blood, fate will bind you.”

So, in essence, it could be considered a formal master-servant relationship.

Given that it involved blood, it might be something akin to Gears.

“However, once more, I must emphasize that just because I forgive and acknowledge you, don’t let it slip from your mind. If you lay a hand on my precious daughter…”

“….”

“Then….”

Nuar’s eyes formed a menacing arc.

“Why do you look that way?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

I quickly lowered my head.

If it ever came out that I disciplined Blackie harshly, it wouldn’t be surprising if I was torn apart right here.

“Well, anyway.”

Fortunately, it seemed Nuar wasn’t inclined to pry further.

She lifted her hand, plucking the scales from Blackie and extracting blood from within, mixing it with my own.

To an outsider, it might have seemed like dark magic, but this was an advanced magical system unique to Dragons, incomparable to humans. Just look at Emily, her mouth agape as she watched the entire process unfold.

“By the way, Blackie? Perhaps that name should be changed?”

“…I agree.”

Ophelia glared at me with narrowed eyes, but I paid no mind and deeply bowed my head.

Thank goodness that Nuar, a being of high status, found the name to be lacking. Otherwise, I would have been beaten to a pulp by Ophelia.

The Blood Pact ceremony soon concluded. Blackie’s blood flowed through my veins as if it had belonged to me all along.

“Now the oath is complete. Henceforth, my daughter will formally accompany you on your journey.”

“Thank you.”

Nuar stared at my face, then spoke with reluctance.

“…However, if you truly desire it, after defeating the Demon King of this era, find my offspring and make her your….”

“Wait!”

The protest erupted from an unexpected source.

It was Ophelia, who had been cowering under Nuar’s aura until now.

“What is it?”

“That’s, uh, strange!”

“…?”

“…You.”

Ophelia shook her head in disbelief.

“You just said ‘spouse’….”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“That’s just… weird!”

“Is it weird?”

“Of course, it is! How can a person marry a Dragon?!”

“Uhmm….”

Nuar frowned, looking between Blackie and me.

For the first time, she held a slight smirk.

“Saintess of the continent, you are overlooking one significant fact.”

“…What? What is it?”

“….”

“…?”

Nuar shrugged her shoulders and revealed a shocking piece of information that I least wanted to know.

“How did Dragonkin come to be on this continent?”

“….”

At that moment, it was as if a giant weight had dropped onto Ophelia’s head, producing a refreshing bell-like sound.

Of course, it was an auditory hallucination.