What Does That Evil Dragon Live For?

“Thank you, being stuck in there today reminded me of how much I owe you.”

 

[Ukhm! I couldn’t even lend you my magic, so for what?] 

 

“It seems like Lord Rabes is giving me courage just by being by my side.”

 

At Elaine’s innocent confession, Rabes scratched his head, which was not itchy for no reason, flapped his wings a couple of times, and waved his tail restlessly from side to side.

 

Elaine’s smile loosened at the sight of Rabes, who showed that he was embarrassed. Rabes, who was even more embarrassed by that, changed the topic for no reason.

 

[Well, by the way, how did you get out of that place?] 

 

“Fortunately, a passer-by saved me. Even if it wasn’t for him, L’Arch came late, so no big deal would have happened.”

 

[The one who was passing by? He must have been a grave keeper, right?] 

 

“No. He seemed like a son of an aristocratic family who came to see the New Year’s service. Perhaps while he was at the temple, he came to visit someone’s grave and heard my voice.”

 

Elaine thought again of the man who had stood with his back to the winter sun and looked like a god.

 

Even though she is not even half a noble, Elaine also has eyes to recognize nobles and commoners.

 

The man was clearly from a high noble family.

 

It was just by looking at the arrogant eyes that only high-ranking nobles had, or the clothes that looked more luxurious than L’Arch’s.

 

‘But why have I never heard his name in my previous life?’ 

 

Being a nobleman didn’t mean that she knew all the names of the sons in every family, but if he was that handsome, he would surely be talked about among the saints. In social circles, it would be even more talked about.

 

‘Meet someone I’ve never met in my previous life.…Could it be that the future will change drastically because of me?’ 

 

Elaine shook her head lightly as she wondered if it was okay.

 

She had nothing to regret even if the future, which had thrown herself to become the dragon’s prey, changed. 

 

No, she was determined to change that future and live it properly this time.

 

Thinking that way, the encounter with an unknown person seemed to be a harbinger of some hope.

 

[If he is the son of a noble family..…how old is he?] 

 

“He looked more like L’Arch’s age than me.”

 

[You want to mate with, no, is he handsome?] 

 

“yes. Quite a bit.”

 

[More than your cousin, L’Arch?] 

 

It was a question that seemed to be expecting something, but Elaine answered with an extremely objective attitude.

 

“Mmm…I think so. If L’Arch was just handsome, he was something more special. I don’t know if this is an expression we would use for a man, but I think he is beautiful…”

 

[Hmm…] 

 

Rabes snorted as if he’d caught something, and crept up beside Elaine.

 

[I guess you liked him enough to want him as your mate in this life?] 

 

“What? Oh no! I’ve already told you. Just because he is handsome doesn’t mean you’ll like that person unconditionally.”

 

[Well, I guess humans have a lot of things they look for in their potential mate. What conditions are you asking for?] 

 

Elaine, who almost said it, quickly changed her mind.

 

‘Yeah! Is there a law that says you  don’t have an ideal type because you have nothing?’

 

If Elaine really thought, ‘What are the conditions for her partner?’

 

‘I should also accept the marriage with the middle-aged people that my uncle tried to sell me in my previous life without hesitation.’

 

So she doesn’t have to cling even more to L’Arch, who prevented the marriage.

 

For the first time, Elaine looked at the qualifications of her potential mate. 

 

“Hmm….”

 

good looking? overflowing wealth? A charming way with words or aristocratic manners?

 

It was something she had never thought of, so there was no clear image that came to her mind.

 

However, one thing was certain.

 

“Mmm…I want someone who really loves me. Someone who is kind and doesn’t hurt me.”

 

[love? What it is?] 

 

“Actually, I don’t know, because I’ve never met anyone like that.”

 

[Hmm…But shouldn’t there be other conditions besides that? The number one criterion for animals to find a mate is that they can defend the nest. First they have to be strong, then they have to bring in food, then they have to be able to—] 

 

Suddenly Elaine laughed at the sight of Rabes discussing the conditions of the man she was going to meet. Even by the animal standards.

 

Of course, even Elaine didn’t know what love was.

 

Elaine had never experienced what it was like to be loved by someone other than her mother, and by the opposite sex.

 

‘However, I wondered if love was the vague feeling I wanted from L’Arch in my previous life.’

 

‘Warm, ticklish, and infinitely reliable…’

 

Somehow, in the midst of these thoughts, the man named Serge popped into her mind.

 

“Serge Lindell.”

 

Elaine could still hear his voice, annoyed, saying his name.

 

‘I have a feeling we’ll meet again someday...’ 

 

It was unlikely that Elaine and such a high-ranking nobleman would ever meet, but strangely enough, She had a strong feeling that they would.

 

Elaine, standing next to Rabes, who continues to consider the conditions of Elaine’s partner, thought about Serge. So that when they met again, she wouldn’t miss it.

 

* * * 

 

Looking down at Elaine, who was sleeping deeper than usual after a long day, Rabes did a quick backflip and turned into his human form.

 

‘Haa, I didn’t know that I’d be able to show you my human appearance.’ 

 

Sweeping through his dark moonlight hair, Rabes, no, Serge smiled bitterly.

 

Originally, he intended to greatly increase the status of ‘Count Lindel’ in the aristocratic society, and to make Elaine, who had heard of the reputation, have expectations for the Lindel family, and then meet them.

 

Under his control, Rabes had been raising Count Lindel well, there was no choice but to hide a lot in a situation where the ‘Count Lindel’ party could not be properly revealed, and because of that, the position of the Count Lindel family within the empire was ambiguous.

 

So, without Elaine’s knowledge, he acted as a human ‘Serge Lindel’ and was about to make Count Lindel’s family the most powerful family in the empire.

 

However, the moment he heard the ‘Rekuro’ spell that had never been cast before, Rabes had no choice but to throw away his original plan and run straight to the temple.

 

The fact that Elaine, who treated most things as insignificant and didn’t use magic, called him so urgently and earnestly meant that she was in danger.

 

‘Why are you inside the temple…?!’ 

 

If it were Rabes, he could have used magic even in the temple, but it was impossible to penetrate the temple’s divine boundary with the strength of Elaine.

 

‘I could only send Elaine and her damn family to the temple because I knew Elaine would be safe there.’

 

It’s the temple where Newt pretends to be faithful, whether it’s them or others.

 

‘They don’t have a conscience anymore!’ 

 

Rabes bitterly regretted his mistake and ran to the temple.

 

Even when he ran, he was careful to use magic in it, so he had no choice but to change into his human form and help her directly.

 

However, the realization that Elaine was only locked up in the morgue put his mind at ease. She wasn’t hurt anywhere, she was only locked up for a while.

 

Rabes was a little embarrassed by himself for rushing. Until he heard Elaine knocking on the door and begging for help.

 

“Huh, I’m so sorry, please open the door, Martin!”

 

Elaine, who hadn’t blinked an eye at anything Newt did since returning, was begging in a voice full of tears.

 

At that moment, Serge’s eyes seemed to roll over.

 

He hurriedly removed the wooden bar across the doorknob of the morgue and opened the door, and Elaine, who was sitting on the floor, hurriedly crawled out without even wiping her tears.

 

“Thank you! thank you!”

 

Seeing Elaine, who was pale and constantly nodding her head, was too pitiful and made Rabes angry.

 

‘That’s why I’ve told you many times, kill all those bastards! You fool!’ 

 

So, without realizing it, a blunt tone came out.

 

‘There were times when I felt like ‘I didn’t mean to do this’, but I didn’t know how to express this complicated feeling of being worried and angry at the same time.’

 

Even so, he was anxious about what to do if Elaine cried more, but Elaine hurriedly wiped away her tears and asked for his name because she would repay the favor.

 

“you?”

 

He pretended to snort at Elaine’s comment, but Elaine felt hurt. 

 

‘It was frustrating why this girl was a Lancer but she is not that shrewd.’

 

Rabes doesn’t know if his voice got colder because the first thing Elaine said was “I’ll pay back the favor”.

 

“If we are meant to meet again, we will meet even if we do not share our names. If we are not meant to meet, I don’t have to tell you my name.”

 

Contrary to his worries, Elaine, wiping her tears and standing on her feet on the floor and staring at Serge, was no longer a frightened child.

 

* * *