Raise Me, So That I Can Eat You Up - Chapter 13

“What time do you think it is, Sister? Are you crazy?”

As expected, Leon was standing at the entrance with a stern face as soon as I left the library.

Perhaps because I said I’d just return the book and come back quickly. The Hayworth carriage was still in the same place where it had been left.

“Why did you come to pick me up?”

“Seems you’ve forgotten already. I’m your escort, you know.”

“We have a carriage, why bother?”

Feeling embarrassed, I unconsciously snapped at Leon.

“I don’t like it either. The sun’s gone down. You were completely out of contact. Father was making a fuss. What else could I do?”

“Sorry.”

When I smiled sheepishly and stuck out my tongue, Leon clicked his tongue as if he couldn’t help it.

“Seriously. You don’t seem to know how dangerous the world is.”

“Even so, is this much fuss really necessary?”

“Just know that I came because I stopped them from calling the guards, and then stopped Father from coming himself.”

It seemed I had worried Viscount Hayworth quite a bit.

Leon must have been tired too, physically playing with Oscar who had monstrous stamina.

I felt a bit sorry.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Next time, let’s go together.”

“Did you get an allowance from Father?”

“Yeah.”

I thought so. No wonder. It was suspicious that he ended his nagging after just one verse.

“How much?”

“Well. Enough to match that fussiness for a while. Come on, get in.”

Leon snatched the book bundle and opened the carriage door for me.

Having an escort is nice indeed. Despite grumbling outwardly, he was incredibly kind.

“Thank you.”

“There’s more to be thankful for.”

Leon, who got into the carriage with me, handed me a box.

“What’s this?”

“What I promised.”

“Promise?”

“Open it.”

When I opened the box, there was a pair of women’s shoes inside. They looked quite comfortable.

“I’ll buy you comfortable shoes when we get out.”

It seems he hadn’t forgotten the promise he made in the cave.

“Oh. Leon Hayworth. I’m a bit touched.”

My boy. Just like a male lead from somewhere else. So sweet, isn’t he?

“Don’t just look at them, try them on.”

“It’s okay. Later.”

“Hurry. If they don’t fit, we need to exchange them.”

Leon lifted my leg, took off my shoes, and put on the new ones.

They looked clunkier than dress shoes but felt so comfortable I could hardly tell I was wearing them.

“Thank you.”

“They fit perfectly.”

“They do. You’ve got good sense, my escort.”

Feeling all warm and fuzzy, I ruffled Leon’s hair.

Leon, who was smiling gently, suddenly had a strange glint in his green eyes.

“By the way. What’s your relationship?”

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb. I mean Benedict O’Neil.”

Oh no. He must have seen it. The way he was interrogating me with wide eyes was not normal.

Giving me a gift first and then a surprise question. The atmosphere made it impossible to exercise the right to remain silent. It was very intelligent.

“I’m asking what your relationship is.”

“What relationship? I just got locked in the library and he helped me out.”

“He moved just because of that?”

“What else could I do? I was locked in, so I had to ask the librarian for help.”

“Librarian?”

Leon asked back as if dumbfounded.

“Why?”

“Benedict O’Neil. You really don’t know?”

“I might not. What’s the big deal?”

“He’s the youngest research professor at the Imperial Academy. He’s a great mage. To begin with, the ‘O’Neil’ family is an old and distinguished magical family.”

Well, it’s not that I didn’t know that, but I pretended not to know for now.

In the early part of the game, Benedict appears as a librarian, and you have to clear the “library quest”.

It’s only revealed that Benedict is a great mage in the latter part of the game.

That was the case regardless of which heroine’s route you chose.

‘Even if I pretend to know in advance. They’ll misunderstand that I was interested.’

I opened my eyes wide, pretending to be surprised.

“I thought he was a librarian because he was at the librarian’s desk.”

“So, you asked that guy for help, and he responded?”

“As you can see.”

“You’re saying that guy actually associated with you?”

He was making a fuss as if it was something extraordinary. He’d probably faint if I told him that Benedict was more attentive than expected, mischievous,

intelligently torments people, and has some strange professional consciousness.

I decided to be considerate of Leon.

“We just exchanged a few words, that’s all.”

“I’m telling you, that’s rare. Do you know how notoriously difficult he is among the mages in the knights’ order?”

“I’m not interested, so stop it.”

“It’s true. He’s a complete psycho, I’m telling you.”

Leon beat his chest in frustration.

“What’s the big deal?”

“Because he’s the only great mage in the empire. Many admired him. Many tried to become his direct disciples.”

“I’m sure.”

“But he doesn’t speak. He’s too silent. Whether someone goes to him and begs, he treats them like they’re invisible. He doesn’t associate with anyone.”

“He might do that if he’s bothered.”

“One of them barged into his office and said he wouldn’t leave until he was accepted as a direct disciple. Do you know what happened to that bastard?”

“What happened?”

“He messed up his mana core so he could never use magic again. Since then, no one except his close associates has talked to him. And you’re saying you talked to him?”

My hair seemed to stand on end, but I swallowed hard.

“I didn’t approach him, he approached me first.”

“That’s what the guy who can’t use magic anymore said too. He was so happy that Benedict spoke to him first.”

“……”

“Think about it. Did you do something wrong to the great mage?”

“I, I just borrowed a book. What else could I do in a library?”

I did borrow erotic novels from the Sacred Imperial Library.

Could it be because of that?

It felt ominous. I was just trying to accumulate some dislike, but did I raise some wrong flag?

“Why are you stuttering?”

“I, I’m not stuttering.”

“What did you borrow to be acting like this?”

Oh no. I had taken the books when I got into the carriage earlier.

Leon examined the books with a suspicious look.

<Locked Up with a Handsome Slave> <Until Morning Comes> <The Circumstances of a Virile Male Lead 2>

It was the most pathetic expression in the world. Having my weakness exposed, I avoided his gaze.

“Dragon Encyclopedia?”

Leon’s eyes widened.

Right. The problem wasn’t the erotic novels.

“Are you crazy, Sister?”

“We need to know to raise Lord Oscar well.”

“But to borrow a book that’s practically forbidden from a great mage?”

“He offered to lend it first.”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be a saint? That you wanted to live peacefully? Why do you keep doing such reckless things?”

It wasn’t wrong.

But I felt a bit wronged too. Wasn’t living normally out of the question from the moment I picked up a dragon?

I had a mission.

A mission to raise Oscar as a ‘good dragon’ with good anger management. Others might laugh, but this was a matter of life and death for me.

“Leon, if we can’t control Lord Oscar, that’s an even bigger problem.”

“That’s true, but Benedict O’Neil is too dangerous.”

What can I do when I’m already entangled with that madman? It was too late to regret it now.

“I’ll go with you from now on. Okay?”

“Did you think I’d let you go alone? You’re just too careless.”

Leon grumbled, clicking his tongue. I let his words go in one ear and out the other, focusing on the ‘Dragon Encyclopedia’.

I had to gather as much information as possible before returning it.

***

‘What on earth happened here?’

As soon as we arrived at my room, Leon and I looked around with astonished faces.

Overturned tables, burst pillows, and torn curtains. The room was a complete mess as if it had been bombed.

“You’re back.”

In the middle of the room, Viscount Hayworth was sitting with a dazed expression.

“Father, are, are you alright?”

“……Your father is fine. You’re a bit late.”

“I’m sorry. I lost track of time while reading.”

“I was worried. You should come back earlier.”

Excuse me, Father.

I don’t think this is the time to worry about your daughter.

I examined Viscount Hayworth’s condition once again.

Disheveled hair and torn clothes. He was in a terrible state.

“More importantly, what’s all this……”

“Well, there was a bit of an issue with the dragon.”

“Oscar?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, I made sure none of the servants could come in.”

“You dealt with it alone?”

“Of course. I said I’d play rough with him, so they shouldn’t be suspicious.”

Viscount Hayworth smiled faintly with a tired face.

“That monstrous strength, all by yourself, Father?”

Leon, who had been looking around with his sword drawn in a defensive stance, exclaimed in disbelief.

“Who do you think raised you, Leon?”

“Even so, a dragon isn’t the same as a Sword Master, is it?”

While the father and son bickered, I busily looked around.

I hadn’t seen Oscar since earlier.

“…Um, Father. Where’s Oscar?”

“He crawled under the bed, dear.”

I bent down to look under the bed.

“Sister, you’re fearless…!”

“Shh. Be quiet, Leon.”

Leon tried to stop me, but it didn’t matter.

Right now, I was the only one in this room who could handle Oscar.

“Oscar.”

I called his name very carefully. I could see Oscar’s eyes glowing in the dark corner under the bed.

‘He’s become a hatchling.’

He must have been quite angry. Oscar was curled up in a ball, looking deflated.

If I listened closely, I could faintly hear a growling sound.

“I’m back.”

“Grrrr.”

He was angry but also trembling. Like a frightened baby beast.

Seeing his teary eyes flickering like a candle in the wind made me feel sorry for him.

‘He hasn’t calmed down yet, it seems.’

He looked so pitiful, it was hard to believe he was the dragon who had just caused such havoc.

“Were you scared when you woke up alone?”

When I asked worriedly, Oscar closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them again.

“Oscar. I’m sorry.”

He remained unmoved even after my apology.

He’s hidden so far in the corner, that forcing him won’t solve anything.

“I’m here. I’ll wait, so please come out when you feel a bit more comfortable, okay?”

It seemed it would take some time to reassure the baby dragon.