Chapter 39: That Which Is Never Inherited (5)

“Is everything prepared?”

“There are no issues at all.”

The palace was abuzz with activity.

Among the many tasks being carried out, much of the commotion centered around the Hero and Laura’s marriage preparations, keeping everyone busy day and night.

There was an overwhelming amount to do.

A marriage ceremony involving the exchange of blood required rare materials and highly skilled magic practitioners to handle them.

Even among the Dragonkin, finding a magician of such caliber wasn’t easy.

This was why so many people sought Fran’s help.

Aside from the queen and Laura, Fran, who possessed the purest blood, was deemed the most suitable person for preparing the ceremony.

Although, she had spent much of her time avoiding these responsibilities until now.

“Hehe, I’m really curious about the Hero’s face when he drinks this.”

But that was yesterday. After her conversation with the Saint, Fran willingly began helping with the preparations.

It was a fact that her involvement had greatly expedited the process.

Meanwhile, an elderly man watching Fran from behind, General Kane, couldn’t hide his unease and continued speaking to her.

“Do you really think we can return to our dragon form?”

“If you don’t trust me, go join the humans. Oh, but you wouldn’t like that either, would you? Either way, you’re still Dragonkin.”

Fran lightly tapped Kane’s chest with her finger as she spoke.

She wasn’t wrong.

Among the Dragonkin, there were few who genuinely liked humans.

Their cooperation with the Hero and Saint—humans—was solely because the gods were on their side.

If it weren’t for the chance of earning forgiveness for their sins, there would be no reason to work with such an inferior species.

“Ah, truly foolish.”

Fran’s voice carried a hint of derision. Kane remained silent.

Their conversation, cloaked in a magical barrier, would sound to others like mere discussions about the ceremony.

Only someone with talents like Selene or Laura might sense otherwise. Fran continued speaking.

“Blessings and curses operate on the same principle. You all saw it, didn’t you? How I returned to my dragon form without losing my mind. Hehe. Or are you feeling guilty about betraying the Hero now? After everything we’ve sacrificed for humans!”

Though Fran’s voice was light, her words were undoubtedly a rebuke.

The Dragonkin had made countless sacrifices to maintain order in this world, not just during the war with the Demon King 300 years ago but also to this day.

Even now, it was likely that many Dragonkin magicians were quietly sacrificing themselves away from human eyes.

It was no wonder the Dragonkin despised humans.

While figures like Selene, Louis, and Laura still sought the gods’ forgiveness, most Dragonkin saw no need to regain their original forms.

They were already superior to humans.

It was only natural that they didn’t understand why they should live for the sake of such an inferior race.

Moreover, all the ancient dragons, those who had lived since the dawn of time, were gone.

Most of the current Dragonkin had no knowledge of their original form.

“We follow you.”

“Good. Then I promise this: no Dragonkin will sacrifice themselves anymore. As the race at the pinnacle, it’s time for us to rule.”

As the Dragonkin princess, Fran had traveled to many countries to spread and acquire knowledge.

She had done so to one day serve as a pillar of strength for the Hero and Saint.

During her travels, she had visited a place called Eureka, where she encountered a man claiming to be a Hero and a corrupted Saint named Diana.

Through her interactions with them, Fran learned many things, from the fact that the current Hero and Saint were the second of their kind to the fates of the five heroes from 300 years ago. Each revelation was shocking, but what struck her most was a small truth Diana had revealed.

Humans were such foolish creatures.

Though she lacked grand ideals, Fran had no intention of shirking her duties as a princess.

Yet, it was during this time that she first began to harbor contempt for humanity.

“Diana must be in the White Haze Forest by now. Hehe, how amusing.”

Whatever Fran found so entertaining, she didn’t stop smiling.

Concentrating magic at her fingertips, she felt an overwhelming power.

She thought to herself that it had been wise to learn black magic from Diana.

The morning arrived, heralded by the distant sounds of the palace staff.

How long had it been since she’d had a peaceful sleep?

Traveling with the Hero meant sleepless nights filled with noisy sounds, and being without him meant spiraling into unconsciousness.

It was a rare, refreshing morning of her own volition.

Beside her, Natalia had already changed into her uniform.

After the incident at the fortress, seeing Natalia properly equipped with a sword was strikingly beautiful.

Yes, now that’s a proper knight. Today, too, her blue hair—wait, blue hair?

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

Blue hair and blue eyes. It was definitely not Natalia.

Natalia had radiant blonde hair and was unusually tall for a woman.

Recognizing the mischievous voice and familiar face, I froze on the spot.

“Hehe, the knights and attendants left early, you know?”

It was the first princess of the Dragonkin, Fran, the only person to have witnessed all my embarrassing moments.

Her sudden appearance dredged up those humiliating memories.

“Wow, what a messy room for a Saint.”

“…That’s rude.”

It wasn’t my fault the room provided by the Dragonkin was cluttered with unnecessary things.

By my standards, it wasn’t even messy.

“I said we’d be friends, remember? Today, I brought a gift for my dear Saint.”

“…A gift?”

“Yep, a gift! Poor Saint, are you dying to see the Hero?”

Was this brat still under the impression that I had feelings for the Hero? Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t care, but it definitely wasn’t the kind of interest she imagined.

“No… More importantly, could you leave? I need to change.”

“As if you have the luxury for that. Besides, wouldn’t the Hero like seeing you in that outfit even more?”

Sure, that Hero might indeed enjoy the sight of this sweat-soaked, translucent nightgown.

But that was precisely why I needed to change.

No matter how much I’d become like one of those erotic game heroines, walking around in this outfit would make me nothing short of a prostitute—nothing more, nothing less.

“Sigh… Just leave. I can’t let the Hero see me like this.”

“Hmm, funny how you have principles about this but not when spying on the pavilion.”

“Just get out!”

“It’s fine. We’re both women. Besides, no one else is here to see.”

“But you’re looking!”

Why did it feel like all my masks were stripped away when I talked to this brat? And those sticky eyes of hers scanning me from head to toe—did she have some strange fetish or something?

“So this is where the divine blessing is? Pretty erotic spot, don’t you think?”

“Ugh…”

Girls blessed by the gods all bore unique markings depending on their bestowed talent.

And its location? Right above the womb.

As Fran teasingly touched that particular spot, she giggled while I emitted an uncontrollable, strange sound.

Just how far was this girl planning to humiliate me?

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?!”

She was dangerous in a completely different way than the Hero.

That much was clear as I hastily changed clothes, dropping even the formal speech I used to use.

“Don’t be so mad. Besides, there’s really no time. How long do you think the Hero will be left alone?”

Suddenly, Fran pulled out her staff. The atmosphere shifted, and a familiar, unsettling sensation crept in.

It was the same as what I felt in the capital and the fortress.

“I’m a Cupid of love, after all. It’s my duty to support the Saint’s romance. Now, let’s be a little more honest.”

“Ugh… Mmph!”

My body suddenly felt heavy. My arms and legs were bound tightly by magic, leaving me immobile.

Fran grabbed my chin and, with a snap of her fingers, summoned a small bowl from some pocket dimension.

“Wait, what is that?!”

“Hm? It’s nothing special. We’re friends, right? Let’s just call it a little truth serum. Though, it might have a tiny aphrodisiac effect. Hehe.”

An unidentified liquid flowed into my mouth. I tried my best not to swallow, but Fran pinched my nose and cut off my breathing, leaving me no choice.

“Saint, from what I can see, the Hero likes you too. So, don’t hesitate—go confront him directly!”

Crazy girl. Cupid of love, my foot.

You’re clearly on the Hero’s side.

Why else would you concoct such a scheme? Giving me an aphrodisiac and sending me to the Hero—it’s no different from abduction and assault!

“Ah…”

My head was spinning. No, more than that, I felt oddly… good. My body grew warmer, and my vision blurred.

It wasn’t just an aphrodisiac—it felt like being drunk. The faint moans escaping my lips didn’t even feel like they belonged to me.

“And with that, the corruption is complete. What happens next is up to this perverted Saint, but maybe I should erase her memories just in case.”

When a man and a woman are alone in a room, something is bound to happen. Especially with a jealous Saint like this one.

The aphrodisiac wasn’t particularly strong—it only induced a drunken feeling—but combined with the truth serum, it was certain to lead to them confessing their feelings before long.

After that… well, the Saint’s uncontrollable affection and the Hero’s mesmerizing gaze would handle the rest.

With that thought, Fran picked up the fallen Saint’s body.

Her destination was the Hero’s pavilion. Tonight was the night before the wedding, and the Hero and Laura were staying in separate rooms.

There was no risk of being caught.

“My sister’s request is done. Now, let’s prepare for the wedding. Hehe.”

The Hero’s mesmerizing gaze grows stronger with magical stones, but it also intensifies with his own desires.

If he embraces the Saint he secretly adores, the Hero will slowly begin to fall into darkness.

Fran didn’t fully understand why she was helping corrupt that foolish Hero, but she decided not to question it.

If it hadn’t been for Diana, she’d still be living like a doll, devoid of emotion.