Chapter 168

【 Evil God’s Evil Dragon 】

“So you’re Suiroti…?”

“Why? You don’t believe it?”

“Yes. You looked very different from what I imagined.”

“What, were you expecting a gigantic dragon?”

“When one hears ‘Evil Dragon’, isn’t that the usual image?”

At my answer, Suiroti burst into loud laughter.

On the outside, it was nothing more than the innocent laughter of a young girl.

But knowing her real identity—no, it didn’t look like a pure laugh at all.

“Yeah. You’re not wrong. Honestly, I can stay in my dragon form if I want. But I just prefer this human form. If I stayed in my dragon form inside this temple, it’d be way too cramped.”

“I see…”

I replied while continuing to observe Suiroti.

A completely ordinary girl in completely ordinary clothes.

Nothing particularly remarkable about her appearance… no, there was one thing.

“The gem on your forehead is very pretty. Is it just decoration?”

“Ah, this? This gem is something I… mm, never mind. Right, it’s just decoration. I liked it, so I stuck it on my forehead.”

A lie.

She had clearly changed her words just now.

There was definitely something about that gem.

And I had more questions regarding Suiroti.

“Anyway, you look much more normal than I expected.”

“What about my appearance?”

“When I saw that you lent power to humans instead of acting directly… I wondered if Suiroti had grown too weak to show herself.”

“…Hah, weak? Me?”

Just now—very briefly—she hesitated.

It seemed the Evil Dragon wasn’t good at lying.

“I can move whenever I want. But there’s a human who does everything for me anyway, so why bother? I just didn’t feel the need to move myself.”

“So all you did was grant them a bit of power so they could use Dragon Tongue Magic, and then rest in this temple?”

“That’s right.”

“Hm.”

I looked back at Roy behind me.

“Lord Roy, what do you think?”

“Dragons are something you need to know the basics of when studying Ancient Studies, so I know quite a lot about them.”

Roy answered immediately.

“When dragons polymorph, they often transform into humans. And when they do, they usually take on the appearance of a young adult.”

“In what cases do they transform into children?”

“That means their condition is bad. When weakened dragons transform into humans, they appear as children.”

“I see.”

I glanced at Suiroti again.

She was still smiling as if relaxed.

But in that smile, I saw the slightest tremble.

“And I think I know why she’s weakened.”

This time, Kara spoke.

“I analyzed that Dragon Tongue Magic from earlier. The analysis isn’t fully complete yet, but that magic is something humans shouldn’t be able to use at all. No matter how I think about it, I don’t believe Lord Rage used it himself.”

“Yes. Lord Rage said he ‘received’ the magic, not that he learned it.”

I let out a small laugh and looked at Suiroti again.

“And from what I’ve heard, Lord Rage used that magic on quite a lot of people. He seems to be manipulating numerous people’s minds right now, and all that mana… Lady Suiroti, you’re the one supplying it, aren’t you?”

“……”

“Well, it makes sense. This way was better for you, right? Even in a human form, a dragon is still a dragon. You must have worried about being exposed.”

“…That part is wrong.”

Suiroti shook her head with a sigh.

“Of course, Rage—that human—recklessly using my mana is part of the reason. But more than that… I suffered a huge wound hundreds of years ago. I still haven’t recovered from it, so I remain in this child form. That’s why acting directly is difficult for me.”

“I see. But either way, it seems you really did weaken. And as for the gem on your forehead…”

I looked back at Roy again.

Roy met my eyes and nodded before speaking.

“When I was researching Suiroti recently, I found an investigation log left by an Ancient Studies scholar who disappeared long ago. It said: When the gem on the Evil Dragon’s forehead shone, all who opposed her fell under a curse.”

“With that in mind—Lady Suiroti, did you use the power within that gem to cast those horrific curses? On some members of the Isrinbloom Family, and… on the other races hundreds of years ago as well?”

At my words, Suiroti stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

“Kuhuhuhu, I cast plenty of curses on the humans of Isrinbloom. Hundreds of years ago, and recently too. And just like you said, I cursed all the races back then as well. Maybe because it’s a power granted by Him, it’s incredibly strong.”

“Then the curse placed on the Hawkbat Family… was that also your doing?”

This time, Jason stepped forward and asked.

At this, Suiroti burst into laughter again.

“If it’s about the Hawkbat matter… Yeah, I remember. They tried to dig up the truth on their own, so while still recovering His power, He ordered me to go and cast a curse on them. So with a body that hadn’t fully recovered yet, I dragged myself to that Head of the Family who was making a fuss about investigating the truth, and I gave him a curse. Well, like everyone else, the moment he was cursed, he just shut up and behaved again.”

Considering the story so far, it was certain that Suiroti was the one who cast the curse, but the power itself didn’t seem to be hers.

Rather, the true source of the curse seemed to be Bedir.

And if my guess was right…

“Then if that gem is destroyed, all the curses cast until now will disappear?”

“That’s right. They’ll all disappear. The curses put on humans, the curses put on the other races—every one of them. Why? Thinking of breaking it?”

Suiroti had worn a relaxed smile from the moment I first saw her, and that hadn’t changed even now.

“Do you know why I’m answering your questions so easily? Because no matter what you do, you can’t so much as lay a fingertip on my body.”

“Why do you think that?”

“As long as you’re humans, you can never defeat me. No matter how weak I am right now, no matter how much my recovery is delayed… I can still easily tamper with a human’s mind.”

At Suiroti’s words, I flinched.

Suiroti manipulating and disturbing our minds with Dragon Tongue Magic.

I had kept that in mind the entire time.

But judging from Rage’s case, to control someone with Dragon Tongue Magic, physical contact was required…

“I can see what you’re thinking. True, that human Rage had to touch someone’s body to control them with Dragon Tongue Magic. But I… am not Rage, foolish human. I am the ancient Evil Dragon who created Dragon Tongue Magic itself.”

“…Everyone, get out of the temple. Now.”

Feeling the situation shifting in a dangerous direction, I immediately shouted to the group.

But no one responded.

“It’s already too late.”

A strange-looking magic circle was glowing above Suiroti’s hand.

And when I turned back, all of my companions were frozen in place.

“I was one of the weakest among dragons. Do you know how I survived, and how I became a subordinate of Lord Bedir?”

“…Because you had exceptional talent in magic.”

With my hand on Mistcatcher, I kept thinking of a way out of this situation.

But no matter how hard I thought, nothing came to mind.

‘That Dragon Tongue Magic that manipulates human minds… I have no way to counter it.’

Rage could only cast the spell if he physically touched the target.

But as for Suiroti, the original owner of the magic—she seemed to have no such limitation.

It appeared I had severely underestimated Dragon Tongue Magic… and Suiroti.

“If I capture you and offer you up, I wonder how Lord Bedir would react. According to Him, I’m supposed to lose to you… Lose? Ridiculous. How could a human like you ever defeat me?”

With those words, Suiroti cast her magic again.

The magic circle above her hand shone brightly, and I let out a sigh.

So this was where it would end…

“…Hm?”

Contrary to my expectations, nothing happened.

I touched myself here and there, checking my condition.

At the very least, my mind was intact.

I wasn’t trapped in my own consciousness, nor had anything strange occurred.

“…What is this?”

I tilted my head and looked at Suiroti.

Suiroti looked genuinely perplexed.

“Huh? Why isn’t it working? It worked on everyone else. Hold on… just one more time…”

Suiroti cast the magic again.

She looked straight at me, furrowed her brows as if focusing intensely, and directed the magic at me.

But again—nothing happened.

My mind remained perfectly clear.

“What? Why? What does that human have… Ah, don’t tell me…”

Suiroti’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

“What is this? What power is protecting you? This… wait, the power of another race? The power of an Elf? But this level of blessing… How could you possibly…”

“…I don’t know exactly what it is.”

I smiled and drew Mistcatcher.

“But it seems that magic doesn’t work on me.”

“…Don’t get cocky. I’m not going to lose to someone like you.”

“Really? Even though you’re in quite a weakened state right now…”

“I told you already! Even weakened, I’m still a dragon! I can beat you even in direct combat! Besides… I won’t be the one fighting you directly anyway.”

Suiroti smiled and waved her hand.

Then my companions, who were caught in her spell, began to move.

Each one drew their weapon and surrounded me.

“You’ll be too busy fighting your own companions to fight me, won’t you?”

“…You’re truly vicious.”

“Why do you think they call me the Evil Dragon? Now then… go!”

At Suiroti’s command, Luke rushed at me with his sword.

And as I blocked Luke’s blade, Jason immediately swung his saber.

Dodging Jason’s attack, I felt it instinctively.

‘This… is going to be more difficult than I thought.’

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