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56.

The last thing I saw was Cassian Artez's furrowed face rushing toward me.
He had charged forward as ‌‌‌‌if to sever the dragon's very neck, having forgotten even Wesley's plea.
But I could not discern what happened after that.
Save for his figure, my vision had ‌‌‌flooded with dazzling light, and when I closed and ‌‌reopened my ‌‌‌eyes, everything around me had turned an unsettling pitch black.
'...This is really not good.'
I gazed ‌‌at my surroundings and felt a chill run through me.
This was exactly the atmosphere where protagonists get chosen by some absolute being or transcendent entity and receive their grand mission.
Hello, are you listening up there?
I've said it thousands of times—I'm returning the protagonist role.
I was planning to slay the dragon and pocket a reward like a proper insignificant extra, driven by personal greed rather ‌‌than any sense ‌‌of duty, so why are you doing this to me?
While I was venting my frustrations internally, following the most clichéd pattern imaginable, the space before me brightened, and something that looked like a miniature version of the Flare Dragon appeared.
-You remain unperturbed. Truly, you are the one who holds the key....
"Please state your business clearly and concisely. You must ‌‌‌have already ‌considered how to send me back before kidnapping me, yes? If you intended to kill me, you wouldn't have summoned me like this."
Because I have a ‌boss—a beautiful demon of a man who worries about me relentlessly.
Last time I was merely injured, and he fretted over me so much. If ‌‌‌‌this continues, I'll have to ‌see that expression on his face again.
Desperate to escape this uncomfortable space, I poured out my words in a rush, and the Flare Dragon's body tilted slightly.
-An amusing one, aren't you.
Then it smiled and nodded.
-Very well. I too have something to gain ‌‌from you, so I shall speak briefly.
Even that much is a waste of time. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you simply got to the point?
As I grumbled and crossed my arms, the dragon laughed again.
Wait, the fact that such a being can converse so coherently was never mentioned once in the original work.
Why are you causing pointless events that only destroy the established settings and offer me no benefit?
There's a difference between a simple beast and a divine-tier creature with intellect—it changes how guilty one should feel about plundering its spoils.
Isn't this too much for a virtuous extra with a heart of ‌‌‌‌gold?
-Kekeke, what amusing ‌‌‌‌thoughts you harbor.
"You're invading my privacy."
-What would you have me do about being read? That's what you were thinking anyway.
"Your business."
-Summoning you has already fulfilled it.
"Then send me back?"
At my response, the dragon laughed loudly once more.
But isn't this dragon being far too easy to manipulate? Why is it being so favorable toward someone who came to slay it?
Shouldn't it be saying something about my insolence or audacity?
-You are curious only about strange ‌‌‌‌things—one who purchases unfreedom with freedom.
"A moment ago, you said you held the key."
-So you're buying unfreedom.
"When delivering messages, I would appreciate it if you used precise and intuitive vocabulary."
-To me, this is intuitive.
Sigh. Here I am, trying to have a conversation with a different species.
As I exhaled, Flare Dragon lifted its front paw and carefully placed it atop my head.
-You seem unwilling to know why ‌‌things have become this way.
It ‌‌‌‌was ‌‌a fair point. Knowing more wasn't always better.
The more I learned, the heavier my sense of responsibility became, and in this world where kindness ‌‌‌‌‌and gentleness were as scarce as dust, I couldn't ‌‌‌‌even predict what it might do to me.
For a moment, the dragon rumbled ‌‌softly in its throat before opening its mouth as if in agreement.
-Yes, you will manage well even without knowing. However, since you freed me from my shackles, I shall ‌‌‌grant you a gift.
"Pardon?"
I already wanted to return it.
-It will be useful.
Wait, please.
But despite my protests, the dragon refused the return and simply sent me back instead.
And finally, what ‌I had been dreading—
-My soul has escaped its bonds, so you may do as you wish with the husk.
Absolving me of guilt over the dragon scales and spoils was this impolite dragon's sole gesture ‌‌of courtesy.

*

The moment we descended, the Lair of the dragon came into view beneath us.
I was startled by the thought that we might fall, but fortunately, no such thing occurred.
Yes, even a dragon possessed this much ‌conscience.
"Rose!"
"Roselita!"
The two people I had last seen spotted me first, their faces etched with worry.
Descending through the air like the protagonist of some anime opening, I landed gently in Cassian Artez's arms.
Immediately, red alert bells rang in his mind. I needed ‌‌‌‌to reassure him quickly.
Seeing his face clouded with distress, I hurried to explain my condition.
"Nothing happened. I ‌‌wasn't threatened, and I'm not injured!"
If I hadn't said this, Cassian Artez would have abandoned gathering spoils and sealed the Lair on the spot—his eyes conveyed that much.
Even after I confessed my status honestly, he examined me ‌‌‌thoroughly, anxiety still etched across his features.
Only after that entire inspection did he, as if grudgingly, finally lower me from his embrace.
"Your ‌‌Majesty, are you unharmed?"
After cautiously confirming with my eyes that the Flare Dragon had fallen, I asked Cassian Artez, and he gazed at me with anxious eyes before barely nodding.
"...Yes."
"I'm really fine."
I even spread my arms as if to prove it, but Cassian Artez, interpreting it however he wished, simply pulled me into an embrace.
"...That wasn't an invitation for a hug." ‌‌
"Yes."
He really only knew how to answer.
Even as I ‌‌‌‌thought this, instead of pushing ‌‌‌Cassian Artez away, I merely sent an apologetic signal to Wesley Morel, whose eye twitched slightly.
The other knights had already grown accustomed to his behavior toward me and were focused on their own tasks.
Wesley Morel sighed and excused himself, saying we'd talk later.
"Your Majesty."
"Yes."
"I didn't intend to startle you, and I apologize for doing so, even though the dragon was at fault."
This time I had truly been safely near Wesley Morel, ‌‌‌‌‌so I felt genuinely wronged.
It seemed that some strange switch had been flipped in Cassian Artez from my recklessness ‌last time, making me even more ‌cautious.
Cassian Artez's breathing halted for a moment, then his body trembled as he pulled me into a tight embrace once more.
"Yes, I know Rose isn't at fault."
Really?
While I harbored this doubt, Cassian Artez finally released me, as if truly reassured now.
"I'm fine too, Rose."
His gaze toward me held strength.
As his eyes gradually returned to their usual violet hue, I ‌‌could finally ‌feel relief.
It seemed I hadn't left a deep wound in Cassian Artez's heart.

*

Our moment ‌‌‌‌came to an end amid the murmuring ‌‌voices surrounding us.
"Your Majesty, Advisor Roselita Salice. We are unable to collect the ‌‌‌adamantite ore and dragon spoils."
"Unable?"
The dragon had even granted me permission to use its shell freely, saying it was now a free being—why was this happening?
When it sent me back, that reptile's face looked so unburdened. It was infuriating.
"Is it in ‌‌‌a state where even aura cannot penetrate it?"
Cassian Artez walked toward the dragon alongside the knight, confirming the situation.
"Yes, it ‌‌‌feels completely inaccessible. As if it has ‌‌‌no physical form." ‌‌‌
No physical form?
As I approached the dragon, I could only ‌‌blink in astonishment.
The moment I stepped within a two-meter radius, a magical scroll suddenly shot upward and came to rest gently ‌‌‌‌‌before me.

After quickly reading ‌‌the ‌‌‌‌‌contents, I stared at Cassian Artez with ‌‌‌‌a dumbfounded expression.
Cassian Artez then leaned toward me, read the contents, and muttered with a displeased frown.
"My word, my fiancée will have far too many things vying for her attention."
Thanks to his remark, I could rapidly calculate in my mind.
The benefits I would gain from consuming this Lair, weighed against the threats and inconveniences I would have to endure.
Of course, the answer came easily.
I apologize for calling you an impolite dragon.
And I'm very grateful that you didn't accept my return and instead left me with this burden.
I asked Cassian Artez to confirm my decision.
"If I consume this, there will be quite a few people with upset ‌‌‌‌stomachs, won't there?"
The Snowland King, the Temple, the First Empress, the Emperor—all of them!!
"Indeed."
"And Your Majesty will protect me?"
"As long ‌‌‌as you take care of yourself, Roselita."
"I take very good care of myself."
Cassian Artez gave me an exasperated look but nodded in resignation.
As I raised my hand, ‌a pen shot up from within the magical scroll and stopped before me.
"I'm looking forward to this."
"To what?"
"To His Imperial Majesty working in our stead."
At my whispered words, Cassian Artez burst into proud laughter.
Anticipating all the chaos that would unfold the moment I ‌‌‌‌consumed this, I gripped the pen with a racing heart.
A smile naturally bloomed across my face as I willingly signed my name at the bottom of the scroll.
Roselita Salice—my name, which I could now write in a flowing script as easily as breathing.

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official ‌site: valirscans.org
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