“Why would the Master bring ordinary jewels?”

“This goes way beyond ‘not ordinary.’ Please tell me most of these gems don’t have similar histories?”

“Surprisingly enough, do you see that one rolling near your feet?”

I looked at the transparent diamond-like jewel about the size of a baby’s fist gleaming at my feet.

“What’s this?”

“That’s a gem fashioned from a feather taken from Divine Gela’s wing.”

“That sounds familiar—”

“The temples have been desperately searching for it for centuries.”

“……”

“Oh, and that red one over there was made by solidifying a Demon Lord’s blood, and that blue one… wait, that one’s actually ordinary.”

“Ordinary…?”

“It’s an alexandrite, probably scraped from the crown used at the first Fairy King’s coronation.”

“Don’t the fairy folk complain about that?”

“Who would dare complain to a Dragon Lord?”

“……”

“And that tear-shaped one was probably ten thousand years ago—”

“Stop.”

I pressed my throbbing temple.

“Making a crown with these could give everyone in the empire heart attacks.”

“Your steward said you need something precious to avoid unnecessary gossip.”

“This goes way beyond ‘precious’!”

I found myself breathless at Lerrhagen’s gem collection that transcended human comprehension.

Even the 120-carat alexandrite embedded in my crown—the most splendid among all emperors—would be considered merely ordinary compared to this mountain of gems.

With something like this, the empire’s nobles would grovel at my feet. Who would dare treat a princess with such a crown disrespectfully?

Even other races might come just to see it.

Wait, that’s actually not a bad idea. I could subdue the nobles and promote friendly relations with other races at the same time.

I stared at the mountain of jewels, entertaining these unrealistic thoughts.

“That dragon seemed to have no material desires, but he’s actually more materialistic than anyone.”

“It’s not about material desire. People just naturally offer him things.”

“I can relate to that. People offered me bribes without me ever threatening them.”

Hasis stared at me with cold eyes.

“You know what? You’re surprisingly similar to the Master.”

“That’s ridiculous. How could I possibly resemble that abnormal dragon?”

“In my eyes, you’re not exactly normal either—”

“I don’t see any resemblance. I certainly don’t live like that.”

Before Hasis could finish speaking, I spotted Lerrhagen leisurely entering the room.

The fact that he—who rarely bothered to respond due to laziness—specifically denied our resemblance wounded my pride deeply.

“Why are you denying it?”

“Do you like being told you resemble me?”

“No, but I should be the one denying it. Lord Lerrhagen should feel honored to be compared to me.”

Hearing my words, Hasis standing beside me made an incredulous face.

“Fine, insist on it if you want.”

As I made a triumphant expression, Lerrhagen scanned the jewels and spoke.

“Have you chosen the gems?”

“Now that I think about it, these jewels are all extremely rare. We can’t possibly use such things for a princess’s crown that will eventually disappear.”

“Rare? I don’t particularly see it that way.”

“……”

“I just brought what was lying around on the floor.”

“You’re saying a gem embedded in a sword bestowed by a deity was just ‘lying around’?”

“Is that a problem?”

“……”

Wouldn’t Divine Gela be angry?

Of course, she had entered eternal rest, but still, wouldn’t she be angry? If it were me, I’d jump out of my coffin.

I pondered with a thoughtful hum.

Part of me wanted to dissuade him, but then I realized that if these gems were made into a crown, they would belong to the imperial family even after “Esht” disappeared.

Finally, I pretended to give in.

“Fine.”

“Your face is covered with greed.”

“Ahem.”

I felt like I’d been seen through. I deliberately turned my head away.

“I don’t think there’s any need to stop you.”

“Good thinking. It’s better to just accept what’s given rather than having a troublesome argument.”

Saying this, Lerrhagen stretched out his hand. Wondering what he was doing, I turned my head and heard a rattling sound from among the mountain of jewels.

“What are you doing?”

Lerrhagen didn’t answer my question.

As I focused on his hand, there was suddenly a sharp sound, and Lerrhagen grabbed something.

“That’s…”

“You said recently that you wanted to know why you became like this.”

“I did.”

“This might give us an answer.”

I tilted my head. Could such a small jewel really provide an answer?

Lerrhagen nodded, gesturing for me to extend my hand.

I frowned slightly and reached out. Lerrhagen lowered himself slightly and placed something in my hand.

When I opened my palm, I saw a ring with a somewhat unusual shape. I looked curiously at the only properly crafted accessory among the mountain of jewels.

“What is this?”

“Alegna Re Prisidti—”

“Please speak in a language humans can understand.”

“It’s a type of magic stone that can measure the power of its owner. It can tell what kind of power is affecting you. For example… wear it on your hand.”

I obediently followed Lerrhagen’s instruction.

After some time, the previously transparent shining gem suddenly began to ripple with golden light.

“This is…”

“It’s detecting mana. The magic power that ordinary humans use typically shows a golden light.”

“Is it different for dragons or spirits?”

“Dragons also show golden light. Human magic and dragon power are of the same category.”

“I see.”

“Spirits emit a green light—the color of nature. Priests usually emit white light.”

“But how will this help determine why I turned into a child?”

Wouldn’t it just keep showing golden light while I wear it?

However, Lerrhagen didn’t explain further and completely lowered himself.

At that moment, his long coat dragged on the floor.

Due to our enormous height difference, this was the first time I’d seen him this close. I suddenly realized that a dragon’s eyes differ from those of humans.

His eyes, which I had thought were simply blue, had a subtle golden ripple within them.

As I was thinking this, Lerrhagen suddenly placed his hand on my head.

As the weight settled on me, I was about to frown and ask what he was doing when Lerrhagen began murmuring softly.

I didn’t know what it was, but I found myself listening intently. And at that moment, an incredibly powerful force pressed down on me.

Simultaneously, my stomach churned and my head felt dizzy.

“What are you doing—”

Instinctively, I tried to cast magic to block his power. But Lerrhagen’s force grew even stronger.

“Ugh.”

“M-Master.”

My face contorted completely. I vaguely heard Hasis’s bewildered voice.

I was about to use every ounce of strength to shout and ask what he was doing, when suddenly Lerrhagen removed his hand and, like a lie, all restraints disappeared.

From the aftermath, I coughed violently, nearly emptying my stomach. Hasis, who had somehow come to my side, lowered himself and patted my back.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“No—cough—I’m not okay.”

“Master, how could—”

“What on earth were you doing!”

I finally shouted at Lerrhagen when the pain had almost subsided.

At that moment, Lerrhagen’s indifferent voice was heard.

“Look at your hand.”

I looked at my hand.

I widened my eyes when I discovered that the ring, which had been golden until just a moment ago, had turned completely black.

Even Hasis beside me looked surprised.

“Why… why is it like this?”

“That’s the essence of the power that turned you into a child. It’s normally undetectable, but when I forcefully tried to make you an adult by pouring all kinds of power into you, it revealed itself.”

“Black? What does that mean?”

I narrowed my eyebrows, feeling somehow ominous just looking at it.

Lerrhagen was silent for a moment, then murmured in a low voice.

“Black magic.”

“……”

“The power used by demon folk.”

I was startled by this unexpected revelation.

“Black magic?”

“Yes. A curse, sorcery, or resurrection magic. Or possibly all three applied simultaneously.”

Lerrhagen continued speaking with the utmost nonchalance. However, hearing this left me completely dumbfounded.

“That’s impossible.”

“Why is it impossible?”

“Black magic? Isn’t that something that only appears in mythology books?”

I laughed incredulously.

“Black magic is exclusive to demon folk. And the demon folk completely disappeared from this dimension thousands of years ago. How long has it been since black magic or demon folk were last seen?”

“I know. I was the one who drove them away.”

How old is this dragon?

No, how powerful is he?

According to mythology books, the demon folk were incredibly cruel, showing no mercy in trampling humans and other races.

They even challenged divine authority by using resurrection magic to revive the dead and use them as subordinates. They also created various curses and spells to bring calamities.

Moreover, black magic always relied on the life force of others, causing humans to die whenever demon folk flourished.

But at some point, the demon folk began to disappear and eventually vanished completely. Simultaneously, the black magic they worshipped disappeared without a trace.

And this dragon claims he was responsible for that.

No, more than that, the very idea that black magic had been cast on me was absurd.

“Are you saying demon folk who disappeared thousands of years ago suddenly appeared and turned me into a child?”

“It could have been performed by a human.”