The Price of Mercy

“Ahhh—!”

While running toward the exit, Katie suddenly stumbled.

She fell forward and, in panic, grabbed onto Jim’s waistband.

Half-kneeling on the ground, she dragged at him, her legs trembling too badly to stand.

“Don’t leave me!”

“Pull me up!”

“I can’t die here!”

“Get off me, you useless woman!”

Jim shouted wildly, his face twisted with desperation.

Without hesitation, he kicked Katie away.

“We never planned to let you make it back alive anyway!”

“Stay here and get eaten by the dragon!”

Near the cave entrance, Katie was kicked hard in the ribs.

She cried out and rolled across the ground, clutching her side.

Meanwhile, Jim—his true nature exposed—ran out of the cave in a panicked frenzy.

He didn’t even look back, leaving behind only his deranged, fleeing silhouette.

“Humans…”

“Even after centuries, you never change.”

Viola spoke coldly.

With a casual wave, she extinguished the massive fireball above.

Only a small flame remained at her fingertip.

She flicked it lightly.

The tiny spark shot forward, chasing after Jim’s fleeing figure.

The next moment—

A towering explosion of fire erupted outside the cave.

Jim only managed to let out a short, mouse-like scream before being instantly reduced to ashes.

The flames roared wildly beyond the entrance.

“AAAAAAAHHHH!”

“No!”

“Nooooooo!!!”

Katie collapsed near the cave entrance, screaming in absolute despair as she stared at the blazing inferno blocking her escape.

“Oops.”

“Looks like I killed them until only one’s left.”

Viola spoke casually.

Her arm suddenly expanded several times in size.

It transformed into a massive dragon claw over two meters long.

The claw was covered in silver-gray scales.

Its tips dragged against the ground.

Even more horrifying—

Three grotesque, fang-filled mouths split open along her arm and the back of her hand.

It looked less like a dragon’s limb and more like a monstrous aberration.

Scratch…

Scratch…

Scrraaaape…

Viola slowly walked toward Katie.

Her massive claw dragged across the stone floor, producing a grating, ear-piercing sound.

The mouths on the claw opened and closed hungrily.

As if ready to tear apart and devour flesh the moment it struck.

“I won’t kill you immediately.”

“I need information about whoever sent you.”

“But I suggest you start talking.”

“I don’t enjoy torturing the weak.”

“I… I can’t die here…”

“Dad… Eri… Joseph… Kalenda…”

“Someone… please…”

“Save meeeee!!!”

Hearing the scraping sound drawing closer, Katie cried out desperately.

Tears blurred her vision as she dragged herself forward, inch by inch, toward the blocked cave exit.

…She’s crying?

Daisy, who had been stunned all this time, finally snapped back to her senses.

She had watched Viola get struck.

Then watched her effortlessly kill two people.

Everything had happened too fast for her to process.

But now—hearing Katie’s cries—

She remembered how she herself had cried yesterday when Viola’s teasing went too far.

That helpless feeling.

That overwhelming sadness.

Looking at Katie now, Daisy couldn’t help but feel a trace of sympathy.

“Stop crawling around like a worm.”

“Do you not understand your situation unless I tear your limbs off?”

Viola’s voice was cold with irritation as she raised her monstrous claw toward Katie’s leg.

“Don’t kill her anymore!”

Daisy shouted instinctively.

She rushed forward from the side and spread her arms, standing in front of Viola to block her.

“Viola, wait!”

“Wait!”

“Spare her!”

“Daisy…”

Viola looked at her.

Her expression showed little surprise—only a hint of helplessness.

She slowly lowered her claw.

“Do you know what kind of people they are?”

“They tried to hurt you.”

“They wanted to take you away so you would never see me again.”

“But…”

Daisy hesitated.

She understood Viola’s anger.

But still—

Killing someone who had already lost the ability to resist or escape felt… wrong.

“But killing everyone like this… doesn’t feel right…”

“Why defend them?”

Viola’s tone turned colder, tinged with faint sorrow.

“Humans are weak.”

“So weak they can only think selfishly.”

“Yet they hide behind hypocrisy, living in groups.”

“They arrogantly call themselves the chosen of the world.”

“And under the name of justice, they harm their own kind and others.”

“If they discover us, they will come endlessly.”

“Our peaceful life will be destroyed.”

She looked at Daisy, her silver-gray eyes carrying lingering resentment.

“Even so…”

“You still want to protect them?”

“Just because they are human?”

“Because you used to be one?”

“No.”

Daisy shook her head.

She didn’t fully understand everything Viola said.

But she knew one thing.

“That’s not why.”

“…She’s crying.”

“She looks pitiful…”

Behind Daisy, Katie trembled in shock.

She slowly raised her head, staring at the small figure protecting her.

The little girl with messy white hair.

Small red horns.

A gray fur blanket wrapped around her body.

Tiny arms spread wide—shielding her.

Daisy hadn’t really thought deeply about it.

She just didn’t want to watch someone die in front of her and do nothing.

A simple, childish instinct.

Kindness without logic.

Naive.

Soft-hearted.

A little stubborn.

“…Heh.”

Viola let out a quiet laugh—half helpless, half wistful.

Her monstrous claw shrank back into a smooth, slender arm.

She looked at Daisy gently.

“You really are too naive.”

“No… you’ve always been like this.”

“That’s why you ended up like that back then…”

“You haven’t changed at all.”

“……”

Daisy didn’t fully understand her words.

But seeing that Viola no longer intended to kill, she slowly lowered her arms in relief.

In truth, when Daisy first woke up earlier that night, Viola had already sensed the approaching adventurers.

She had hidden herself, watching from the shadows.

Only stepping in when Daisy was in danger.

Originally, Viola had intended to use this incident to show Daisy the cruelty of the outside world.

To curb her naive desire to go adventuring.

But clearly—

It hadn’t worked at all.

Daisy’s kindness remained completely unchanged.

So Viola came up with another idea.

“Hey. You.”

She suddenly spoke sharply to Katie.

The girl flinched.

“Listen carefully.”

“My Daisy wants to see the outside world.”

“I’ll let you live—on one condition.”

“You take her out there.”

“……”

“W-what?!”

Katie was stunned.

She could barely process what she heard.

“Y-you’re letting me go?”

“And… you want me to take your dragon child with me?”

“That’s right.”

Viola smiled faintly—her eyes glinting with a subtle, cunning light.

She gently ruffled Daisy’s messy white hair.

“Dragons do like treasure.”

“But I’ve long grown tired of it.”

“If you came for treasure…”

“My only treasure is my Daisy.”

“Take her.”

“It’s just a temporary arrangement.”

“V-Viola?!”

Daisy looked up at her in shock.

A trace of unease crept into her heart.

“What?”

Viola’s tone carried a hint of mischief—almost like she was sulking.

But her gaze remained as gentle as ever.

“Didn’t you want to see the outside world?”

“Go.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Waiting for the day you see how ugly it really is…”

“And come running back in tears.”

“That day might not be far.”

In reality, these adventurers—including Katie—were nothing more than reckless fools.

Ignorant of dragons’ true power.

Used as expendable pawns by those lurking behind the scenes.

Their deaths here would confirm one thing.

That a dragon truly lived in this place.

And that meant—

The real enemies would soon arrive.

Powerful enemies.

Dangerous enough to threaten dragons.

This once-isolated forest was no longer safe.

Letting Daisy leave with Katie…

Was not a whim.

It was a decision made with many considerations in mind.

What awaited Daisy ahead—

Could be a vibrant journey.

Or hidden conspiracies.

Or a vast, unpredictable fate.

And so—

Tonight marked the beginning of it all.