Chapter 57
*How About a Marriage of Convenience, Followed by Divorce?*
I was about to show off my vacuum cleaner to add credibility to my statement when the young master stood up, pulled me into a hug, and turned me around.
“Oh my! Sudden physical contact is more surprising than exciting. Please give me some warning next time. Not that I’m telling you to stop hugging me. You can keep holding me. It’s warm.”
“Estella. The adults are going to talk, so be quiet.”
“Can I at least show them my vacuum cleaner before I be quiet?”
“No.”
“Then should I leave?”
The young master looked out the window. I followed his gaze and saw the clouds parting as the wyvern flew past. The wyvern’s thick hide rippled like paper in the strong wind.
Looking at the scene, I muttered without thinking,
“Can birds be fished like fish?”
“Staying here won’t work either. Just sit quietly in the corner.”
“Fine.”
“Go on.”
Dismissed by the young master, I dutifully followed his instructions and sat in the corner. He seemed to be discussing something with Lady Irang. The conversation must have been satisfactory, as they even shook hands.
Lady Irang then approached me and said,
“We’ll go to Laréna Fortress first. It’s the most affected area. It’s a beautiful and prosperous place, if it weren’t for the zombie attacks.”
Laréna Fortress was located in a desolate wasteland, constantly buffeted by sandstorms. The walls were so high that even a dragon couldn’t scale them. The entrance, however, was so small that even allies had to stoop to enter.
We landed at the wyvern station inside the fortress and followed Lady Irang to the observation deck to see the severity of the zombie situation for ourselves.
As we climbed, I kept thinking about what I had heard on the wyvern. That Laréna was a beautiful and prosperous place, if it weren’t for the zombie attacks.
It didn’t look beautiful or prosperous at all. Sand was blowing everywhere, and there were constant explosions in the distance. Wasn’t a place with lush forests and rivers considered beautiful, and a place with thriving farms and pastures considered prosperous?
This place was neither. We soon reached the observation deck. Dragons didn’t need telescopes, but they were helpful for me and the young master.
Well, the inside of the fortress might be bleak, but the outside could be beautiful. As I raised the telescope to my eye, I couldn’t help but say,
“Young Master, should we go home?”
He let out an awkward chuckle.
Was this the time to chuckle awkwardly? The situation in Laréna was worse than I had imagined. Those grotesque creatures must be the zombies, right? Huge teeth, wings, and long, arched necks.
The zombies here were giant wyverns. And not just one, but several.
I quietly lowered the telescope and picked up my bag. If we fought those things, both the young master and I would be turned to dust.
“Young Master? How about some sightseeing?”
He took the bag from me and handed it to a nearby dragon attendant.
“I always keep my promises.”
“There are times when you have to break them. Did you see those dragons? They’ve become zombies, dripping blood and gore, making a mess of everything. It’s chaos. And they’re huge.”
“They’re wyverns, not dragons.”
“That’s not the point! The point is that they’re huge and terrifying! And they can fly!”
As we bickered, Lady Irang approached, laughing heartily.
“Are you planning to back out now? Well, it’s understandable. They’re not ordinary opponents. Take your time to think about it.”
Thankfully, she seemed to understand. Just as I was about to thank her, her subordinates rushed towards us.
“General! The lieutenant is severely injured!”
“The east wall has collapsed!”
“Fifteen combat wyverns have been killed!”
They were all shouting about the dire situation. Lady Irang calmly gave out instructions, then turned to us with a smile.
“I apologize for the unpleasant scene. You should go inside and rest.”
The damage reports continued. The sheer amount of damage reported today seemed enough to destroy the entire fortress.
“You two can rest today.”
Irang said, surrounded by her wailing subordinates. They seemed accustomed to this kind of situation, casually walking past despite being covered in blood. It wasn’t exactly a restful atmosphere.
“I’ll help you.”
I would probably lose another limb today. I had just been repaired…
Today’s resolution: Don’t lose more than two limbs!
I stretched my arms and legs, preparing myself. The young master also readied his staff, channeling his magic. Lady Irang thanked me for my offer and shook our hands with an impassive expression.
Just as we were about to leave, someone called out to her.
“General Irang!”
She looked at the newcomer and blinked. It was a man who looked almost identical to her. He was of average height and build and didn’t seem like he had been fighting. His clothes were spotless, without a single bloodstain, tear, or smudge of dirt. He was clearly a scholar.
Lady Irang called us over and introduced us. Her usually stoic expression softened slightly in front of the man who looked just like her.
“This is Lund, our strategist.”
“Greetings. I’m Lund, strategist for General Irang Nova Dragonuska. You can just call me Lund. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”
He was a handsome man, with a gentle demeanor. Standing next to Lady Irang, their resemblance was even more striking. I whispered to her,
“You two look very much alike. Are you related?”
“Ah.”
She hesitated, then nodded.
“You could say we’re related. But we’re closer than that. Strategist Lund is my twin brother.”
Lady Irang’s family history was incredibly complicated. Her twin brother had a different surname, Castor, who looked similar, wasn’t actually related, and when Castor returned, she would live under a different name.
I nodded, even though I didn’t fully understand. I thought it was best to just nod and move on in situations like this.
Lund, the strategist, looked me over appraisingly, then smiled.
“A beautiful lady.”
“Oh my, thank you. But I’m a maid, not a noble lady.”
“Status isn’t important in Dragon’s Waist.”
He stepped closer to me.
“If Commander Irang brought you here, then you must be… my bride.”
He took both my hands in his.
“To have such a beautiful woman as my partner… I’ll devote myself to you.”
Just then, the young master stepped forward and pulled Lund’s hands away from mine.
“Misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding…?”
“She’s mine. My doll.”
“A doll. I did sense that her life force was unstable. But I’m a dragon person. I’ve never considered taking a human bride.”
“I’ve never considered giving her to anyone.”
Thankfully, Lady Irang intervened and cleared up the misunderstanding. She introduced me as the zombie investigator, which made me feel incredibly proud. I should be nice to her.
Lund, after hearing her explanation, smiled gently and shook his head slightly.
“Do you agree, my lady?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“I’m asking if you consider yourself someone’s possession.”
“Well, strictly speaking, I am an object. The young master made me and has kept me ever since.”
“Dragon’s Waist can free you from that bondage. If you marry me, you’ll be treated as a high-ranking member of human society.”
“High-ranking… can I become a princess?”
I asked seriously. If I was going to be someone important, being a princess didn’t sound so bad.
“Some might call you that. This place is much larger and more powerful than you think.”
“Oh.”
I glanced at the young master, and his expression was grim. I should probably stop this conversation, but I still had a question.
Right, the wish I had made to the raven. I wanted to become a princess, marry the young master, and have five children. Becoming a princess was the first step, wasn’t it?
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I asked Lund cautiously,
“Can we get divorced later, after getting married? And then remarry? I’m actually… it’s not a secret, but I’m in love with the young master over there.”
“Ah, that’s unfortunate. Divorce is certainly possible, but I’ll make you so happy that you won’t want to leave.”
“But divorce is possible, right?”
“Technically, yes.”
A positive answer! Now all I needed was the young master’s permission.
“Young Master, would you be okay with me remarrying… if I become a princess? I’ll marry him and then get divorced and come back…”
Without even listening to the rest of my sentence, he grabbed my ear and dragged me outside.
“Don’t get any funny ideas. You’re stuck with a devilish master like me.”
“I’m so happy I could scream!”
The actual battle was more intense than it had appeared from the observation deck. Explosions were going off everywhere. The young master, sensitive to noise, couldn’t stop frowning. I wanted to resolve the situation quickly and let him rest, but…
I stood there, dumbfounded, holding my vacuum cleaner.
“I don’t think the vacuum cleaner can reach the wyverns…”
I looked at him pleadingly. He seemed indifferent.
“Then you can wait here.”