What Does That Evil Dragon Live For?

“Lorina!”

 

“Welcome, uncle!”

 

The day before the saints’ initiation ceremony, a guest visited Count Dardil’s family. It was Lorina’s uncle, Baron Essira, and his wife.

 

They went on a trip abroad and something happened on their way back home, so they were unable to attend Lorina’s engagement ceremony, so they visited with both hands full of congratulatory gifts to make her happy.

 

“Oh my god, our Lorina, who I thought was just a little girl, is already engaged!”

 

“That’s right, now that she’s engaged, she’s got all the attitude of a young lady, hahaha!”

 

Until then, Lorina had only been happy to see them.

 

The gifts they brought were rare foreign items, and they had continued to praise and congratulate Lorina ever since they entered the entrance of the Count Dardil family.

 

However, when Baron Essira left, saying he had something to talk about with his brother, and Countess Dardil went to get something for a moment, Baroness Essira’s expression changed subtly.

 

“By the way, Lorina.”

 

“Yes, Aunt.”

 

“After hearing the rumor, I felt like you had to crack down on your fiancé.”

 

“What? crackdown…What do you mean?”

 

When Lorina asked curiously, Baroness Essira flashed a perplexed smile before whispering.

 

“The fact that Count Newt is a great family is also the story of the former Count Newt. Someone said that there is bad energy in that family now.”

 

“Bad energy, what exactly is bad?”

 

“Women’s issues, women’s issues. Tsk, tsk.”

 

Lorina was speechless when she heard the words ‘women’s issues’. 

 

Baroness Essira also spoke in a more secretive voice than she did, as if she had sensed something about Lorina.

 

“You know that Rubaine Newt fell for his half-sister and ruined his family’s honor, right?”

 

“Well, it wasn’t as scandalous a relationship as it was supposed to be! Count Newt was just cracking down on his misbehaving sister.”

 

“Did you wrap it up like that?”

 

Lorina’s face was extremely stiff, but Baroness Essira smiled quietly as if she were having fun.

 

“Well, anyway, it was a long time ago, so it’s not a bad idea to bury it like that. But I’m not talking about Rubaine Newt.”

 

Baroness Esira’s eyes sparkled with interest and malice.

 

“I heard that Count Newt’s dead sister left behind a daughter who is the same age as you?”

 

“What’s wrong with that?”

 

“Not long ago, more than one person saw your fiancé walking around with that girl in the shopping district. You probably know that.”

 

Lorina bit her lip.

 

Even if Baroness Essira did not remind her, Lorina often thought about that incident.

 

‘Although I thought it was no big deal and that L’Arch was just doing his duty as a successor, I couldn’t shake the suspicion that he seemed more friendly to Elaine than to me.’

 

Even as she looked at Lorina’s hardened expression, Baroness Essira spoke as if driving a wedge.

 

“There is something I grew up watching: there’s no way my son shouldn’t look like his father. In addition, the empire allows marriage between cousins.”

 

“L’Arch  is already engaged to me.”

 

“It’s not right to make bold statements until you leave the wedding hall safely, Lorina. I’m saying this because I’m worried about you.”

 

Baroness Essira, who looked happy for a person who was worried, drank her tea gracefully after saying that.

 

Just then, Countess Dardil returned and the two became busy talking about adult conversation again.

 

But Lorina’s mind was filled with visions of L’Arch and Elaine.

 

‘There’s no way L’Arch would have that dirty girl around.’

 

‘I have liked L’Arch since I first met him when I was seven years old. When I heard about the marriage between myself and L’Arch, my heart swelled and felt like it was going to explode, and when we shared rings at the engagement ceremony not long ago, I felt like crying.’

 

The happiness she dreamed of was being achieved step by step, but Elaine was always the problem.

 

Strictly speaking, he was not even a nobleman, but he kept flirting around L’Arch and trying to get L’Arch’s 

sympathy.

 

‘I hated her so much that I couldn’t stand it.’

 

‘However, when this was pointed out to me by someone else’s mouth, it seemed like the vague fear I had until now was gradually revealing 

its reality.’

 

“In addition, the empire allows marriage between cousins.”

 

It was terrible to even imagine the marriage of L’5 and Elaine.

 

‘That girl, Elaine, is the problem! If that kid disappears…!’

 

‘If I could, I wanted to beg my parents to get rid of her right now, but Elaine was legally a member and property of the Newt family.’

 

‘It means that I can’t touch it carelessly. But if I come up with a method, that’s it…’

 

‘He said Elaine would also join the temple, right? If any accident happens there… if Elaine dies…’

 

A cruel thought sprouted in Lorina’s small head.

 

And as time passed, Baron Essira and his wife said goodbye.

 

“I had so much fun today.  Congratulations once again on your engagement, Lorina.”

 

“Thank you, uncle.”

 

Baron Essira and his wife waved with kind smiles and boarded the carriage, left.

 

As the carriage passed the main gate of the Count Dardil family, Baron Essira asked his wife.

 

“Lorina’s expression doesn’t look very good. What did you say?”

 

“I didn’t say much. I was just saying something that everyone else knew.”

 

“Are you talking about the dirty near-relatives of the Newt family?”

 

“I told her to be careful. With an aunt’s worried heart.”

 

“Ahahaha!”

 

Baron Essira burst into laughter.

 

“Wouldn’t it have been too shocking for a child?”

 

“What a shock? It seems like she has an idea as well.”

 

“Tsk tsk tsk. I hope Count Newt’s son also falls in love with that illegitimate daughter. That would be really fun.”

 

“That’s right. Countess Dardil is very proud to be the mother-in-law of Count Newt’s son.”

 

Baroness Essira bit her lips with a jealous expression.

 

It wasn’t a day or two that she lived to please the Count Dardil family, but it always made her sick to see how only the wealthy family continued to prosper.

 

So she was a little grumpy, wishing Count Dardil’s daughter misery.

 

“It would be nice if she could at least break off the engagement.”

 

“Do you think my greedy brother would break off the engagement over something so trivial? He will tell Lorina to just endure it and live with it.”

 

They quenched their regrets and changed the conversation to another topic.

 

What would haunt Lorina for the rest of her life had consumed less than five minutes of their conversation.

 

* * *

 

On the day of the saints’ initiation ceremony, the weather was sunny and clear, just like that day in Elaine’s previous life.

 

But the only thing that was the same that day was the weather.

 

‘At that time, only my uncle and L’Arch accompanied me.…’

 

Unlike her previous life, where she was accompanied only by the head of the family who must attend, and L’Arch who would celebrate Lorina entered the temple, Elaine was now sharing the carriage with L’Arch, Martin, and Damon.

 

In the other carriage, Count Newt and Ellie were riding together and departing first.

 

Originally, the teasing from Martin and his gang should have started the day Rubaine announced Elaine’s entry into the temple, but this time, not only was everyone calm, but Damon couldn’t even make eye contact with Elaine.

 

‘In addition, my bag is fully filled with everything.…This really feels like another family’s initiation ceremony.’

 

There were many families who were anxious about sending their children to become saints, so for most nobles, the initiation ceremony was a big family event. 

 

Since a child entering the temple was like a representative of the family, the entire family usually attended to 

support the child joining the temple.

 

Since it was an opportunity to show off their faith to the imperial family, temples, and other nobles, they of course did everything they could to appear faithful.

 

At such an initiation ceremony, Elaine from her previous life stayed alone, and she had to endure the ridicule directed at the Newts alone.

 

But today was different.

 

[I don’t know who came up with this country’s system of initiation into saints, but it must have been a very smart guy.]

 

The fact that Rabes was sitting on Elaine’s shoulder and talking to her from earlier was also different from her previous life.

 

[It’s a way for the temple to effectively control the nobles, and maybe the imperial family is using it]

 

Rabes was serious, but it didn’t really matter to Elaine.

 

The power struggle between the emperor, high priests, and nobles was a story from another world that did not resonate at all with Elaine, who was busy with her day-to-day life.

 

Rabes chuckled as if he could clearly see what she was thinking.

 

[Do you think this has nothing to do with you?]

 

Elaine nodded slightly, pretending to brush her hair.

 

[By whom were you sacrificed in your past life? It is by the emperor of this country, the priest of that 

temple, and your uncle, a nobleman.]

 

That’s what she heard and saw.

 

[If you are going to continue living in this country, it is good to know well about the imperial family, temples, and aristocratic society. Because it is almost impossible to live comfortably without belonging anywhere.]

 

‘It was a very difficult task…’

 

To continue living in the human world, she had to understand the power relations among humans well and gain an advantageous position there.

 

However, the ‘freedom’ and ‘peaceful life’ that Elaine wanted didn’t come with being an emperor or a high-ranking noble.

 

‘I can’t believe how hard it was to have a family with the people I love, without getting sick, without getting into troublesome relationships, and working a decent job.’

 

‘So what kind of wish should I make to Rabes in the future?’

 

‘I’ve thought about it before, but if I just say, ‘Please set me free,’ this dragon with a poor understanding of the human world might cause a terrible accident.’

 

For example, leaving her alone on a deserted island or making her invisible.

 

* * *