The Night She Was Taken

“Daisyyy~~~ let’s take a bath together?”

On the night Daisy and Katie arrived in Gran City, inside a modest roadside inn, in the women’s bathing room, Katie had barred the entrance door with a wooden latch.

She did this to prevent other guests from barging in and seeing Daisy’s small dragon horns.

Then she led Daisy to a large wooden bath barrel, beneath which glowing embers still burned.

With a bright smile, she invited her to bathe together.

“Katie, dragons don’t need baths.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Are you just saying that because you don’t like bathing?”

“No.”

“Viola and I can just shed our skin to clean ourselves.”

“Look, like this—”

“Ahh! Wait, wait!”

“I get it!”

“No need to demonstrate!”

Daisy had already reached up and started tugging at her soft cheek as if to peel it.

Katie, sensing something horrifying was about to happen, frantically waved her hands to stop her.

After that, Katie loosened her belt and removed the small tools hanging from it.

She deftly took off her outdoor clothes, leather pants, boots, and undergarments.

Her healthy-toned young body was revealed—though her chest was nowhere near Viola’s.

She removed her magic-stone hair clip, tied up her long blonde hair, and then—

With a wild, carefree motion, she leaped straight into the steaming bath.

“Yahoo! Cannonball!”

Daisy took off her hat and oversized boots.

Still wearing the loose white shirt, she crouched beside a wooden basin, idly stirring the warm water with her small hand.

When she was with Viola, she would sometimes pour water over herself too…

“Daisy, aren’t you really coming in?”

“It feels great!”

Katie stretched comfortably in the hot water, smiling as she coaxed her.

Her sky-blue eyes softened slightly as she looked at Daisy.

“You’re really cute, you know.”

“No wonder that black-haired dragon cares about you so much.”

“Looking at you reminds me of my younger siblings…”

“I wonder how things are back home…”

Even though her debt had just been cleared, Katie was still in a difficult situation.

Her savings were gone.

Her father’s condition was worsening.

Her siblings were still struggling.

“……”

Daisy noticed the faint worry between Katie’s brows.

So she tried to change the mood.

“Katie, Katie!”

“Let’s play with water!”

“Huh? Sure!”

“Come at me!”

“I mean—come at me, little dragon!”

“Splash splash!”

“Ah! You little—take this! My water magic!”

“Even though I can’t use magic!”

“Splash splash splash!”

“Waaah! Go easy!”

“Humans aren’t as tough as dragons!”

Under the dim oil lamp, inside the steamy bathhouse, their laughter echoed.

Water splashed everywhere.

In the warm glow, it almost looked like rainbows forming in the mist.

After drying off, they went down to the inn’s dining area.

They ordered a full table of food.

Rye bread.

Vegetable salad.

Stewed meat with potatoes.

Corn soup.

The steaming dishes reflected in Daisy’s shining golden-red eyes.

And very quickly—

They were all devoured.

Compared to travel rations, this was far more delicious.

After dinner, Daisy followed Katie back to their room.

She jumped excitedly on the soft bed.

Then suddenly—

She remembered Viola’s feathered wings that used to serve as her bed.

And felt a small pang of longing.

Later, Katie told her stories.

Adventurer tales.

Things about Gran City.

They talked until late at night.

Then extinguished the oil lamp.

And went to sleep in their separate beds.

Though Daisy missed Viola, she was still excited for tomorrow.

She wanted to explore the human city.

And maybe someday… come back with Viola.

The night deepened.

Silence filled the city.

Most lights had gone out.

Inside the dim room, lit only by moonlight—

Daisy slept soundly.

Curled up on the soft bed.

Dreaming of tomorrow.

On the other bed, Katie also slept deeply.

Exhausted.

Completely letting down her guard.

Her breathing rose and fell.

Soft snores filled the room.

Then—

In the quiet darkness—

A shadow appeared.

No one knew when it had come.

It stood in the corner.

Like darkness itself had taken shape.

Step by step, silently—

It moved toward Daisy’s bed.

It looked down at her sleeping face.

At the small dragon horns peeking through her messy white hair.

After a moment—

It reached out.

Not a hand.

A claw.

Night passed quietly.

Dawn began to rise.

Gran City welcomed another morning.

This world was far from peaceful.

Monsters roamed.

Races fought each other.

Humans fought among themselves.

War, oppression, suffering—everywhere.

And yet—

Places like Gran City still maintained an illusion of stability.

People lived their lives.

Busy.

Ordinary.

Unaware.

Forgetting how fragile that peace truly was.

“Yaaawn…”

In the inn room, Katie woke up.

Her blonde hair messy.

She stretched lazily.

“Morning… Daisy, did you sleep—”

She froze.

Daisy’s bed—

Was empty.

The window nearby stood open.

Cold morning air drifted in.

It had been locked the night before.

Now—

It was wide open.

As if something had entered.

And taken Daisy away.

“D-Daisy?!?!?!”

At the same time—

Far away, at the forest where Daisy and Viola once lived—

A large armed force gathered.

Hundreds of soldiers.

Spears.

Axes.

Swords.

Bows.

Armor.

Even siege weapons.

“Listen up!”

A tall man in full armor, wearing an eyepatch, raised his sword.

“According to intelligence, a dragon may be here!”

“Some useless adventurers were sent before as bait!”

“But now—we are here!”

“The Twin-Headed Serpent Mercenary Corps!”

“We’ve fought dragons before!”

“We are not afraid!”

“Maybe we’ll be the next dragon slayers in Mirandel’s history!”

“OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!”

Hundreds of elite mercenaries roared in response.

Their eyes filled with battle-hardened ferocity.

“Advance!”

“ALL UNITS—FORWARD!!!”

Daisy once wondered—

If Viola had sent her away because danger was coming.

And now—

A second wave had arrived.

Heavily armed.

Hostile.

Searching for the dragon.

But—

Her guess…

Wasn’t entirely correct.