章 15: Be King or Am I Dead?
After Piwood and Gerrow left the throne room feeling happy and nauseous, Evan asked Lucia to close the door.
'There must be a reason, right?' Evan walked over and stopped right above the ritual circle engraved on the floor. He wanted to know what Lucia did to summon him and turn him into a dragon.
"So, straight to the point, huh?" Lucia lowered her head with a pained expression.
'Um...' He nodded with a serious expression.
"Forgive me!" Lucia immediately prostrated right in front of Evan, and it made him jump in surprise.
Evan felt compassion for Lucia, a different cry than before. It was a cry of regret. There must be a big problem that the Dragon Princess had hidden.
"I can't... guard the territory... that the True Dragon King entrusts to me." Sobbing, she explained the reason why she had to perform the summoning ritual.
'...No, it's not your fault. The responsibility entrusted to you is too great for a dragon girl for 1000 years.'
"I didn't expect that a race that was loyal to the King and under his orders took the initiative to carry out rebellions and wars against the other races after the King's death. All races are vying to take the wea... Eh, I mean taking over your position as Ruler of a third of the land. ."
Evan analyzed the problems Lucia told him, not sure what really triggered the beginning of the war between races and the struggle for the throne.
The True Dragon King should have appointed someone to replace him as Ruler. Whoever it was was definitely acceptable and would not cause a struggle for the throne in the future.
Evan had heard the story of the Legend of the Golden-Eyed Demon and his subordinates. They had ruled and colonized a third of the land for more than a thousand years.
The legend that had made Evan feel pain and suffering since his birth. It was because of the hatred of humans as victims of the cruelty of the golden-eyed demon. Human hatred was poured out on every human being born with those cursed eyes.
'Aren't the subordinates of the True Dragon King very loyal to their King? What made them do that?'
"Eh... Ah... I don't really remember... hehe..." Lucia raised her head and then pretended to be innocent and faked a laugh.
But that behavior made Evan even more convinced that this Dragon Princess was the cause of the outbreak of war between races.
Still, Evan couldn't accuse Lucia of that without proof. When considering the second quest, which has a penalty of losing his mind, Evan must be careful in finding the root cause that can make it easier for him to complete the quest.
'Then how do you explain why I'm the one you summoned and have to solve the problem that happened?'
"Hmm... The ritual is supposed to be to summon the Soul of the Dead True Dragon King. So, it's obvious that you are the Soul of the Dragon King."
'But, what if I'm not the True Dragon King as you wish?'
"I will die!"
'D-die!! What do you mean, Lucia? Please don't joke with that word.' Hearing one word from Lucia made Evan's entire body tremble and go limp. A whole month he spent in prison to feel the pain more terrible than death itself.
"This was my carelessness... Before the death of the True Dragon King, he appointed me as his replacement. But I lied and told his subordinates that the True Dragon King died without appointing anyone to replace him."
'That is fatal in a government...'
"I know... I know... But, after 1 year has passed, a bloody war between races broke out as they competed to fill the vacant position left by the King... Though that's not what I was lying for... I want them to enjoy life without war... But what?... I'm too naive!" She pounded her head with her hands several times, trying to hurt herself because of the stupid step she took.
Evan didn't expect Lucia to be that stressed. He grabbed one of her hands which kept hurting her head and tried to calm her down.
'Don't hurt yourself anymore, Lucia. Now you know that your plan went wrong, but not your goal. That's right! You have hope for the happy life of other beings. But remember! Power is supreme. All beings desire it.'
"I'm glad you think so too. At least I've taken precautions so that all the power that the True Dragon King left behind doesn't fall into the wrong hands." Lucia wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and ended her crying.
'W-what action was that?' Evan was a little worried about the actions Lucia had taken to solve the problem she had created.
"I killed all the rebellious Lord Races and separated all Cursed Equipment to all corners of the world."
'Y-you killed them? Alone?' Evan's compassion for Lucia instantly turned to horror. How could the True Dragon King appoint a girl who was still an unstable girl to take over a third of the land. He couldn't stop uttering curses against the True Dragon King's decision.
"Yup, that's what the True Dragon King taught me when he took care of me back then. Anyone who disobeys, they must die!"
'What have you taught this little girl, True Dragon King?! You have created a sadistic girl! If you hear it, you must atone for your negligence!'
"That's too much to say I'm a sadistic girl, Evan!"
Evan forgot that Lucia had the skill to hear someone's heart.
'Wait a minute! Then why can you die if I'm not the King? Do you have some kind of disease that makes you short-lived?'
"Ah! I forgot to explain. Until this second, the race whose Lord I killed is still eyeing to kill me. And this is the right time for them to kill the Dragon Princess who has run out of Mana."
'B-but, you still look fine, Lucia!'
"Performing the Demon King Summoning Ritual normally requires 10 people equal to Piwood. But the ritual I performed to summon you, I did it myself at the expense of Mana, some of my skills, and all of my Health Points!"
'No... Don't tell me you sacrificed yourself to make up for your past carelessness?'
"Yeah, at least I'm proud to have been able to summon you who bears a resemblance to the True Dragon King even though the tiny version. With my current state, maybe being entangled by the Snake will kill me instantly."
Lucia's words reminded Evan about Snake being his breakfast.
'Erm, regarding the Snake. What do you mean snake are roaming around here?'
"Yes, those are the Snakes of the Lamia Race. They can send signals to the Lamia Lord when they die, so you shouldn't kill them."
'Eh- What?'
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