Grand Duke's Beloved Granddaughter

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at the pendant around my neck.

 

“Did you talk to me?”

 

It was funny to think about talking to the pendant, but I was the only one in the room anyway and I really wanted to check if the other person had the right pendant, so I didn’t hesitate to talk to the pendant.

 

[Yes. I spoke to you, human child.]

 

A voice echoed in my head, and the snake in the pendant blinked. It seemed that all my guesses were correct.

 

“How did this happen? Is the snake in the pendant you?”

 

When I asked, the snake’s eyes sparkled.

 

[Yes. This body is Vivre, the guardian dragon of Goddess Duana. If you are a land where the goddess’s protection reaches, you have probably heard of my name, do you know?]

 

“Vivre?”

 

I had heard it somewhere. It is said that the guardian who serves as the hands and feet of Goddess Duana is in the form of a snake. Of course, it was no ordinary snake. A long white snake body, red eyes resembling rubies, and large white membrane wings. That was the characteristic of Duana’s guardian dragon, Vivre, mentioned in the myth. But I was suspicious. What kind of goddess’s guardian dragon is trapped inside the pendant, and why are the white membrane wings that are characteristic of the guardian dragon Vivre not present in the snake picture inside the pendant?

 

“Well, but why are you, the goddess’s guardian dragon, trapped in the pendant?”

 

[There were unavoidable circumstances. There was a very big war with the evil dragon. Trust me, human child. I am truly the guardian dragon Vivre.]

 

As I was making a sad expression, the pendant revealed that it was Vivre, the guardian dragon. However, there was no strength in the voice at all. He answered himself and seemed to think I wouldn’t believe him. The self-proclaimed Vivre closed her eyes for a long time and then opened them. What Pleon was talking about must have been the guardian dragon Vivre. The temple of Goddess Duana, the future saint Pleon who was waiting for me, and even the pendant necklace that Pleon gave me, which is believed to contain Goddess Duana’s guardian dragon Vivre sealed in it. Although he spoke as if he were not very trustworthy, when I thought about my previous experiences and Pleon’s death, I realized that he might really be Vivre, the guardian dragon.

 

“Yes, Vivre. For now, since you claim that, I’ll believe you.”

 

Since there was no way to verify it right now, I had no choice but to believe it. And it didn’t really matter that the snake in the pendant wasn’t real Vivre. Even if it were simply a magical artifact containing a spiritual being trapped, it would have some use. Usually, it involves a lot of knowledge or increases magical efficacy, but what kind of ability does this pendant have? At first, I rejected the pendant because it was too uncomfortable, but now that I wear it around my neck, I wonder why I did that. If I had known it was a magic artifact or something, I would have tried it a long time ago.

 

“So, why did Saint Pleon give you to me? If you follow what the saint said, you can answer the questions I have.”

 

When I asked a question, Vivre took a moment to catch her breath.

 

[That’s right. I have the answers to all your questions.]

 

Vivre cried and blinked his eyes twice.

 

[First of all, you might wonder why you returned to the past after death. Is not it?]

 

I wasn’t very curious, but since I could hear the reason anyway, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to listen, so I nodded.

 

“I want to hear it. Can you talk to me?”

 

[The reason you were able to return is because traces of the evil dragon Krypso remained on you.]

 

“…what?”

 

Not understanding Vivre’s words, he tilted his head. Evil dragon Krypso? I swear that although I have been to subjugate monsters, I have never encountered a dragon. From the beginning, I thought dragons were creatures of legend. A fictional being that does not exist in reality and can only be found in legends. And there was only one reason why I believed dragons did not exist. This was because while I was traveling around as a mercenary, I had never met a dragon or met anyone who said they had encountered a dragon. But you’re telling me that I returned to the past because I still have traces of the dragon. Moreover, that dragon is not an ordinary dragon, but an evil dragon? Well, does this mean that it is a dragon that kidnaps a princess like in a fairy tale? Even though I thought to myself, I was so dumbfounded that I burst out laughing. The more I talked to Vivre, the less I wanted to talk to her.

 

[Human child, you were killed by humans under the control of the evil dragon Krypso.]

 

As I was puzzled, Vivre added. And as I listened to those words, I felt an interest that I had never felt before. They said that the person who killed me was a human under the control of the evil dragon Krypso. And I was killed by Daniel Crichton, who betrayed Archduke Crichton. That meant that Daniel might have some kind of connection with the evil dragon Krypso or something. But that was still only an abstract thing. I tend not to trust anything except what I have seen for myself. Although Daniel attempted to take over the Crichton Grand Duchy, the scale itself was very different. Did he sacrifice his soul to the evil dragon just to take over one of the princely houses? I guess I couldn’t picture the situation in my head.

 

“Can you tell me more? What is an evil dragon, and what is a person controlled by an evil dragon?”

 

[Before that, I have a favor to ask of you. If you hear all the stories I tell you, won’t you do me one favor?]

 

“What is your favor?”

 

This is what Vivre wants to ask me. I’m sure you’re not asking me to slay an evil dragon. Although I made a name for myself as a mercenary at a young age, my swordsmanship skills were not good enough to slay a dragon. If you think about it that way, it would be right to find someone who is stronger and more skilled at wielding a sword than me, rather than someone who is young. And the person who would meet those conditions was not me, but the current Brian or the future Elliot. Or is it just Geoffrey, who even earned the title of Mercenary King? Well, if it were me before I regressed, I could at least provide support. Although he was not on par with the mercenary kings Jeffrey, Brian, or Elliot, he still had quite a high level of skill. The reason I received a request from Archduke Crichton in the first place was because my name was well-known among the mercenaries active in the empire.

 

“I’m sorry, but if it means killing the evil dragon, I don’t want to do it.”

 

[Thank goodness. My request is not to kill the evil dragon!]

 

I also felt reassured by the bright voice. However, his face couldn’t help but harden again at Vivre’s next words.

 

[You can’t kill a dragon, poor human child. Dragons never die. However, he only seals that power and puts it to sleep.]

 

“What do you mean?”

 

[On my behalf, please prevent the evil dragon Krypso from being unsealed!]

 

Vivre asked me in a clear voice. It was absurd content.

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have the strength or the time to do that.”

 

When I refused outright, Vivre grumbled and whined.

 

[But, this may also be what you want.]

 

“If you were the one who sent me back to the past, you would know very well that I used to be a mercenary. yes?”

 

[You are talking about a time when you received goods and performed work for them.]

 

“Yes, that’s right. And while I was working as a mercenary, I set one iron rule. I want to do as much work as I get paid for. But to prevent the evil dragon from being unsealed, there is no way that would be possible.”

 

[…]

 

When I argued in bewilderment, Vivre remained silent. I thought it was because I didn’t have anything more to say, so I was about to take off the pendant, but Vivre spoke to me again.

 

[Human child, what you want is revenge. Isn’t that right?]

 

The hand that was about to take off the pendant necklace stopped at Vivre’s words.

 

[Then I guess I can’t help but tell this story. The reason I chose you The reason I brought you back to the past.]

 

“What is it?”

 

When I asked him with the intention of coming in, Vivre blinked.

 

[The person trying to unseal the evil dragon Krypso is a man named Daniel Crichton.]

 

Since the person who killed me was said to have been under the control of the evil dragon Krypso, I guessed that Daniel might be involved. However, Vivre is not only a person involved, but is also the person who wants to unseal the evil dragon himself… 

 

[Those under the control of the evil dragon refer to such people. Those who try to unseal the evil dragon. I’m not telling you to slay a dragon. Just prevent the evil dragon Krypso from being released. If that doesn’t work, please seal it again.]

 

Vivre spoke to me in an earnest voice. The tone seemed like an ejaculation, so I quietly listened to Vivre’s words. And only after hearing everything, did I have a rough picture of the situation in my mind.

 

“In short, Vivre, what you want is for Daniel to be stopped, right? For that, you sent me back to the past after I died at the hands of Daniel.”

 

I asked Vivre to confirm.

 

[That’s right! If you stop him, you can also stop the sealing of the evil dragon Krypso!]

 

Vivre’s voice was full of hope.

 

I put down my hand to untie the pendant necklace and stared at the mirror.

 

“Then what can you give me?”

 

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