Chapter 66
Had I been too direct? A flicker of discomfort crossed Lund’s face. Just as I was about to tell him he didn’t have to answer, I heard a voice from behind us.
“Yes. We’re Castor’s half-siblings. And it’s true that I was adopted later. We were illegitimate children.”
“But our dragon blood was stronger than anyone’s. Especially Sister Irang, she’s the most like our father among the siblings. The others can’t even transform into dragons! Me neither.”
Lund exclaimed, as if feeling wronged. Irang, stopping her brother, calmly explained their birth secret. Despite having the strongest dragon blood, the twins weren’t recognized as successors to the Dragonuska family. They weren’t even included in the family portrait.
Lund resented this, but Irang accepted it.
Then we heard a familiar name.
“The Elder Council killed our family, and Crown Prince Umbram started to extend his influence over Dragon’s Waist. Or rather, he was the one behind our family’s murder.”
“What?”
I hadn’t expected him to be mentioned here. Lund had asked me about the Crown Prince a few days ago. He seemed to be involved in something complicated.
“My goal was to marry you, who has ties to the Crown Prince, and then bring about our mutual downfall.”
“Hey! You said let’s go to hell together, and you meant it literally! Not figuratively!”
“I apologize. But I had no other choice to put my sister in the position of successor. I thought if she achieved great things, she could easily overcome the Elder Council’s opposition.”
So this whole thing was a plan to make Irang the leader. And I had been used.
“I’m quite offended. To think you used me.”
“Is that all you’re offended about?”
The young master glared at me. I shook my head. This was a more serious matter.
“You were planning to use me as Lady Irang’s stepping stone?”
“I apologize, Lady Estella.”
“Weren’t there any other… uses for me?”
“What?”
“I mean, I’m pretty. Didn’t you even consider marrying me for real? Was that proposal a lie? Not that I would have accepted. But! To just use me, when I’m this pretty and capable and could bring a hefty dowry if the young master agreed!”
“L-Lady Estella.”
I wanted to hear Lund’s honest answer, but the young master covered my mouth with his hand and pulled me closer. I knew this hug wasn’t sincere either! Why were all the men around me so bad? If they were all bad, then our handsome young master was the best option, after all.
“I’ve heard your sob story. So, how are you going to compensate me for using my doll and causing me so much trouble?”
His voice was sharp. This wasn’t the time to provoke him. I prayed that the twins would give him a good answer. He looked furious. To them, our young master was a troublesome opponent, difficult to challenge both magically and politically.
Further conflict would be a hassle…
Facing the young master’s wrath, Lund looked defeated and turned to Irang. The decision was hers.
“Imprisoning Strategist Lund for treason wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the Count, would it?”
“Of course not. Frankly, I don’t care if you imprison him or kill him.”
The young master walked towards Irang. Lund tensed up, and I was also worried. Was he going to hit her? He might give her a flick on the forehead, like he did to me. He wouldn’t care whether she was a general or not. That’s why it was even more important to stop him. It would be too embarrassing if a diplomatic incident arose from a flick on the forehead!
“Young Master!”
I called out to him, just in case. But he walked past Irang’s bed and headed for the window.
“I hate to admit it, but your strategist seems to have achieved his goal.”
He flung open the window, and a roar of cheers poured into the room. The dragon people were gathered outside, chanting Irang’s name. Knights, and even ordinary people. Were they angry? Not at all.
Their voices were filled with love, reverence, and gratitude. Even my magically created heart fluttered.
“What’s going on?”
The young master smirked, tilting his head.
“Your rampage as a dragon must have been quite impressive. You devoured and trampled all those terrifying zombies. Thanks to the strategist summoning so many zombies, it must have seemed like more than usual appeared. And you eliminated them all.”
“So…”
“A hero was born.”
He added, like a thug,
“Don’t forget that we were the ones who put you in that position.”
“I don’t deserve such a position.”
Irang immediately downplayed her role. I saw Lund’s lips moving. If he spoke now, it would only make things worse. It was my duty, as the one who had been used, to help. For the young master’s sake, of course.
“If Lady Irang doesn’t become the leader, then I was just used! Ah, I feel faint.”
I pretended to collapse, pressing my hand against my forehead. The young master rushed to my side and supported me.
“My doll is about to faint from shock. Just like a human. To think you would hurt my delicate doll. Fine, I’ll overlook this incident, but you, Irang, will repay us. Do you have any means of repayment? Money, information, anything.”
He was determined to extort something from them. How ruthless. It was a good thing I was on his side. He wasn’t someone you wanted as an enemy.
I felt a flutter of excitement at his ruthlessness. Being close to him made me remember our kiss from the other day, and my gaze drifted downwards. If I raised my head slightly, I could see his lips.
What did he think about that kiss? It would have been nice if we could have shared it with warmer bodies. I, as a doll, must have been cold and stiff. Did he know that my heart was much warmer?
Our eyes met. He looked at my lips, then startled, put me down. Did he perhaps… feel the same way?
Even Irang’s lips caught my attention.
“I believe becoming a leader requires careful consideration, but…”
It seemed like I wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the room was staring at her lips. So intently that I felt like I would remember this moment, and those lips, even ten years later. (I could remember the young master’s lips for over a hundred years!)
After a moment of silence, Irang said resolutely,
“It’s better to use unconventional methods than to side with the Elder Council.”
“Sister!”
“But you will be held accountable.”
She stood up. Lund quickly moved to support her.
“I can’t offer you a great reward, but I can give you information.”
“I’ll decline if it’s something trivial.”
“It’s about Crown Prince Umbram.”
I looked at the young master, worried. The Crown Prince was a strange person, but he was still the young master’s superior. What if their gossip was overheard?
“I don’t know what you’re planning to say, but…”
He pulled a short rod from his pocket. I thought it was a pen, but it was his miniature staff. He casually drew a magic circle with it.
“What’s that…?”
“A soundproofing spell.”
“Young Master, are you sure it’s okay to gossip about the Crown Prince? It will be a disaster if he finds out.”
“That’s why I cast the spell.”
He smiled smugly. That sly look on his face… I knew he disliked the Crown Prince, but I didn’t know he was so eager to dig up dirt on him.
But a maid had to follow her master’s lead! I sat up straight and pretended to zip my lips shut. He nodded and ruffled my hair roughly. I felt like a dog.
“Umbram is a dangerous individual.”
Before Lund could speak, Irang said,
“He colluded with the Elder Council to assassinate Castor Dragonuska.”
“Proof?”
“None. Just circumstantial evidence and the testimony of a spy we planted. But the spy was killed soon after, so it’s meaningless now.”
“Typical Umbram.”
The young master shook his head. Lund, who had been nodding silently, said, his face flushed,
“It was obvious that my sister and I would be next. According to the spy, Crown Prince Umbram is researching a certain type of magic.”
“What kind of magic? Ah, I think I have a hunch.”
The young master frowned deeply. The three of them exchanged knowing glances, but I was left out of the loop. I clung to the young master, begging him to tell me, but he just told me to be quiet. How mean.
“Tell me too! The Crown Prince’s secret!”
“It might not be a secret. He openly requested an investigation, didn’t he? About the zombies. He’s planning to use them. I don’t know what for.”
“Aren’t zombies naturally occurring in cemeteries? If he can control their creation, that would be a significant source of power.”
It was a chilling thought. Ignorance was bliss. I shouldn’t have heard that. I would have been better off not knowing the Crown Prince’s secret.
So Crown Prince Umbram was planning to control the zombies. What was so good about those gruesome, powerless creatures that only groaned?