Even though the Crown Prince himself was one thing, those subordinates who were clearly commoners dared to speak informally and disrespectfully to him, a nobleman. And he had to endure it. His blood pressure rose, making his fists tremble.

One of the Snake Knights patted his wrinkled cheek and said:

“Use your head, Count. Isn’t that the one thing you’re somewhat good at?”

***

Knock knock.

“Chirpy, is that you again?”

Leah shook her head wearily but opened the terrace door.

“I really shouldn’t be encouraging this habit…”

“Chirp.”

“You’re saying you’re smart and adorable so you’ll behave properly on your own?”

She laughed incredulously and gently pinched Chirpy’s snout.

“Your words flow so eloquently. Who did you learn this from?”

“Purr.”

From Leah, of course. Chirpy thought proudly. Even to himself, he was a cute, adorable, and smart hatchling who took after Leah.

“Chirp chirp.”

Chirpy wagged his tail excitedly and ran to Leah’s bed, jumping onto it with a hop. Leah sat beside him with a smile and stroked his head.

Her touch was gentle, and her sighs had grown lighter.

‘Hehe.’

Chirpy felt proud of himself.

His deliberate commotion last time, forcing Leah and Helix to go outside, had paid off. Since their outing, they’d become less awkward around each other, and Leah’s face had brightened considerably.

While enjoying Leah’s petting with satisfaction, she murmured while stroking his head:

“Chirpy. I wonder if I can give up being the Dragon’s Holy Maiden?”

Chirpy was so startled he nearly scratched the sheets with his claws.

“Squawk?!”

“No, it’s not because I dislike you. You’re really adorable. But Helix…”

What shocking words! Chirpy poked Leah with his trembling front paw. It was a signal for her to continue talking.

“Helix actually really hates dragons.”

“Coo…?”

Chirpy was puzzled. Hating dragons but not killing them? That silver human didn’t seem so weak.

Leah continued:

Helix had been greatly betrayed and used by a bad dragon long ago, so he wanted revenge on dragons. However, when he saw Chirpy and the other eggs, he turned away, thinking it wasn’t right to take revenge on innocent eggs.

Chirpy’s confusion cleared. The silver human was a foolish human after all.

But he also felt somewhat grateful.

“…So when I say I’m the Dragon’s Holy Maiden, I think he feels distant. He seems somewhat uncomfortable with it.”

“Chirp. Chirrp.”

“The dragons are on my side? That’s nice to hear.”

“Squawk.”

“Really? It’s absolutely unchangeable truth? Haha, alright.”

Watching Leah laugh it off, Chirpy sighed internally. This Holy Maiden didn’t seem to understand how she was connected to him and the dragons.

For dragons, who are strong and self-centered from birth, the world was essentially divided into three types of creatures: those weaker than themselves, stronger dragons, and peculiar beings. Weak ones were boring, stronger dragons required caution, and peculiar ones were merely curious.

But the Holy Maiden was different.

She was weak and peculiar, yet strong. And she wasn’t afraid of dragons, but understood their emotions.

“Purr.”

Truly fond of her, Chirpy rubbed his head against Leah’s hand and worried.

It would be terrible if such a Holy Maiden refused her role or came to truly dislike dragons. He needed to do something about the silver human before that happened.

Chirpy pondered.

Dragons adore the Holy Maiden. The Holy Maiden likes the silver human. The silver human adores the Holy Maiden but dislikes dragons.

There was only one conclusion:

‘I must make the silver human stop disliking dragons!’

Chirpy saw plenty of potential. After all, he hadn’t smashed the eggs!

“Chirp.”

Chirpy made a small sound, having made his decision.

***

Meanwhile, the humiliation of the Trow family continued. While the Count was being harassed by the Snake Knights left behind by the Crown Prince, his eldest son, Yan Trow, was being denied entry at his regular secret club.

“I’m sorry, but you’re banned from our establishment.”

Lord Trow looked at the guard in disbelief. He nodded to his escort, who placed his hand on his sword hilt.

Before he could draw his weapon, large club security guards blocked him and his escort.

“What’s this?”

Lord Trow flared up.

“You dare block a nobleman? Do you know who I am… Call the Madam out!”

“Please leave.”

“You ungrateful wretches! Do you know how much business I’ve brought you! How many incidents I’ve covered up! If I open my mouth, this pathetic club would just…”

“Lord Trow.”

An older guard stepped forward with a smiling face.

“Well said. Do you know how much damage you’ve caused us?”

“Come on, just because I burned down a small shed…”

“The Madam is very troubled. Because of that fire and the trial, our club is no longer a secret club.”

Though his face was smiling, his voice was lowered and he was grinding his teeth.

“Customers won’t come anymore. Even among women, rumors have spread so no one wants to work here. So we don’t have the capacity to serve Lord Trow… You understand, right?”

His tone was polite, but his eyes were full of contempt.

It was the look one gives to a pathetic noble son whose only power is to manipulate and kill helpless women.

“Y-you… How dare you speak to a nobleman like this!”

Lord Trow blustered, feeling pressured. His pride was hurt to leave like this, but he didn’t have the courage to force his way in.

That’s when it happened.

“Who do we have here? Isn’t this Lord Trow?”

It was Baron Durford.

Looking even fatter and healthier than before, he looked Lord Trow up and down while arm-in-arm with a woman.

“You’re still in the capital? I thought you’d died in a duel, but here you are, alive!”

“Oh my, Baron!”

The Madam, who had been ignoring Lord Trow, came rushing out holding up her dress.

“My goodness, why didn’t you come in right away! It’s been too long!”

“Haha, my baby said she wanted to see Madam, so here we are.”

“Hohoho. My, you two look wonderful together. Anna, you’re getting prettier every day!”

Baron Durford chatted cheerfully with the Madam. Lord Trow stared at them with a dumbfounded expression.

‘Was he always like this?’

Come to think of it, the woman beside him was far from the exceptional beauties the Baron usually pursued.

‘Average looks and she seems a bit older?’

Baron Durford looked at her with half-closed eyes and said, “My baby, are your legs getting tired from standing so long?”

The woman hugged Baron Durford’s arm with an expression of utter delight at his sickeningly sweet voice.

“I’m never tired when I’m by your side, Baron.”

“Now that we’re here, I must look for something.”

“What is it?”

“My baby’s wings. You must have lost your wings here before coming to me.”

“Oh Baron, stop it. Don’t look for such things. We’re already destined for each other!”

“How does my baby always say such pretty things? Yes, we are destined.”

Lord Trow felt nauseated.

A cringe-worthy display of affection right before his eyes. And the man spouting these sickening words was Baron Durford, whom he had disliked and dismissed.

As Lord Trow frowned, the club’s security guards blocked him.

“Please leave without disturbing the precious time of our esteemed guest.”

“W-what…!”

Lord Trow trembled.

‘So that half-wit Baron is an esteemed guest, while I’m being thrown out?’

Then he heard Baron Durford’s voice:

“Leave now and I won’t seek revenge.”

“…”

“I’ll be lenient because I have one thing to thank you for. Thanks to you kidnapping me and locking me in the shed behind this place, my baby found me and took great care of me. Thanks to that, I was able to survive through the power of love and be here now.”

A smile of superiority appeared on Baron Durford’s round face.

“You wouldn’t understand this kind of true love.”

The woman, who must have been an unremarkable pr*stitute from the back shed, hung on his arm and looked at Lord Trow with pitying eyes.

“I feel sorry for you, not knowing the beauty of love.”

Lord Trow was so dumbfounded that his mouth fell open.

‘These fools are mocking me?’

If they had grabbed him by the collar for imprisoning and trying to kill the Baron, he could have understood.

But to be mocked?

‘He’s neither Ruyan Piert nor Crown Prince Archaik Oken!’

Baron Durford, whom he had privately considered inadequate. A common woman who normally wouldn’t even be able to meet his eyes. How could they look at him with such expressions? Was this even possible?

His blood pressure rising, he abandoned all thoughts of entertainment and quickly headed back to the Count’s residence.

BANG!

He stormed into Count Trow’s office and shouted:

“Father, we cannot take this anymore!”

***

On a balcony of the Piert Ducal residence.

Helix leaned his arms on the railing, watching the lights go out in Leah’s room. He could only relax after confirming that she had safely gone to bed.

“…”

He smiled bitterly. He truly hadn’t known it would be this way.

That he would come to like her enough to stay by her side even though she was the Dragon’s Holy Maiden. That he would end up returning because he felt he might go mad if he couldn’t see her. He hadn’t anticipated any of this.

‘Azura…’

So this was your plan all along? You designated her as the Dragon’s Holy Maiden, awakened me, and made us connect so that I wouldn’t harm the dragons?

‘Azura, if you appeared, you should be the one to pay for your sins.’

He had believed that if Azura wasn’t around, the dragons he tried to protect should pay the price. But it was also unjust for innocent eggs to become targets of revenge.

‘But Azura betrayed me and the mages to protect the eggs, and when the eggs hatch, won’t they become dangerous dragons too?’

As Helix was contemplating:

“Chirp.”