Maybe.
Really, maybe—
Living like this for the rest of my life might not be all that bad. It's just so soft. Just so warm and cozy.
So...
"Tbong."
The baby dragon, Tbong, opened his half-closed eyes. Wriggling in the warmth, he thought,
It would be really nice if I could stay like this forever.
He was utterly satisfied.
Especially, the coziness—he liked it immensely.
"Tbooong…"
Dad's arms were too stiff. Uncle Baal, Uncle Asurat, and Uncle Hartok were the same. Don't even get started on Mister Raster.
Maybe Aunt Sirgi?
Her arms were soft too, but, how should he put it, they were kind of cool. So unless it was hot, not really his favorite.
"Tbooong…"
That's why—this embrace he discovered today, it was the best.
Tbong swore to himself that he would never, ever let it go, not for his whole life.
The baby dragon let out a tiny yawn, determined with all his might, opened his eyes wide, stretched his short front legs reaaally far, and spread his jelly-soft toes as he lifted his head.
And then their eyes met.
"...T?"
A strange face was looking down at him.
Long, black hair.
A pale face nestled between the strands.
Straight brows and clear eyes.
And underneath them, subtle dark circles, like someone who had stayed up all night.
That's where it stopped.
Because below that was a chunk of metal—a mask that entirely covered her face.
"...Bong?"
Pretty-eyed lady, who are you?
Perplexed, Tbong asked.
The woman holding him, Artanis, snapped out of it.
She regretted it.
What on earth had she been doing all night? How had she ended up holding this tiny life in her arms until morning? And worse—how had she ended up feeling a sense of unknown happiness from it?
"..."
She didn't know.
Am I crazy?
Or did I just lose it for a bit?
Before the little one in her arms got scared from the encounter, she tried to set him down first.
But then—
"Tbong!"
Tbong suddenly bumped his small, round head back into her chest with a bonk.
And he shouted.
He didn't know who she was, but he was so happy. His name was Tbong. So let's be friends.
—W-wait.
Caught off guard by the unexpected reaction, Artanis was stunned.
She thought this meeting would be just a one-night coincidence, a fleeting memory that would soon disappear.
But what?
You like me that much?
You want to keep living like this?
—I wasn't planning on anything like that…
"Tbobong! Tboong!"
Her hastily scribbled air-written message didn't reach Tbong.
For a simple reason—he was still a preschooler(?), a tantrum expert, and things like writing didn't even register to him.
In the end, Artanis's timid refusal was itself refused.
Until Tbong waddled off to the field to snack on rocks later that morning, she had no choice but to hold him in her arms until her arms went numb.
"......"
Why does watching that tiny little back make my heart feel warm? Is it really okay for me to feel like this?
Maybe.
Really, maybe—
Living like this for the rest of my life might not be so bad. It just feels so tender. Just keeps making me smile.
So...
"Tbong said this earlier. That he got a mom now."
—...What?
It was only when Kim Jangcheol came by that afternoon and dropped this thunderbolt of a statement, that Artanis vaguely realized something had gone… wrong(?).
"He meant it literally. You held him all night, didn't you?"
—Tbong…?
"Yeah. The tiny white baby dragon."
—Ah.
"Did you maybe cuddle him and bounce him around?"
—Well… I did, but…
"Whew, you're marked now. He's got you pegged."
—Pegged?
"Yep."
—What do you mean by that?
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Kim Jangcheol grinned.
"That little guy, he plays and eats fine on his own during the day, but at night, he gets clingy."
—Clingy?
"Yep. A total crybaby."
—What is…
"But here in Chavin de Huantar, there was no one who could handle his clinginess well. Me, the Four Heavenly Kings, the rest of the demon race—none of us were any better."
—Wait. So you're saying I just happened to fill in what he was lacking?
"Exactly."
Kim Jangcheol nodded.
"He told me you filled that gap perfectly. Now he won't even look for another lap. So, hmm, congrats?"
—Congratulate me for what…?
"You've been chosen."
—…
Her finger, which had been scribbling messages into the air, lost direction and froze.
In that moment, she hesitated.
Should she feel absurd?
Or should she be angry?
But then—why wasn't she angry?
Why, instead—did it feel kind of nice?
'...…'
Am I seriously losing it?
Is something wrong with me?
Or did something already break?
She was happy, but also bewildered.
Thinking it'd be nice to live like this forever, then being shocked at herself for thinking such nonsense.
She was a mess of emotions.
The warmth of a baby dragon that came to her every night. The kindness of the junior Demon King who brought potatoes and chatted with her daily.
'...…'
Have I ever received kindness like this from someone I wasn't bound to?
No.
Absolutely not.
She had spent her whole life killing, destroying, ruling. She had received nothing but fear, reverence, hatred, and awe from others.
That was the entirety of her existence.
And now, this tenderness. This little being who called her embrace warm and soft, who wanted to see her as a mother.
'...…'
She felt like crying for a moment.
Which surprised her even more.
Maybe that's why.
—No. Go away.
That night, when Tbong came to her again, Artanis drew a hard line. When he tried to come close, she raised all the chains in her dress.
To make herself look as threatening as possible.
To seem absolutely terrifying.
So that the tiny, cheeky creature wouldn't dare treat her lightly again.
...Or so she wanted.
"Tbong! Tbobong! Kyahah!"
It didn't work.
If anything, it backfired.
Seeing dozens of chains shoot out from her dress like cobra heads, Tbong's eyes widened with delight. And his gaze filled with playful excitement.
That's when it all began.
Dozens of lethal chains ended up becoming playground toys for the baby dragon.
They even became yet another reason for him to like her.
'...…..'
No, this… this isn't what I meant to do.
I am a terrifying being of dominion.
Then why, why in the world…
"Tbobong! Tbong!"
'...….'
"Tbong! Bongbongbongtbong!"
'...'
Um, could we maybe sleep now?
She tried to convey her wishes to Tbong with a pitiful wave of her hand. Of course, it was no use.
And so, she had to play with him all night, becoming a chain-slide, a chain-swing, a chain-jungle gym, a chain-see-saw, a chain-catapult, and even a chain-centrifuge.
"…Tbooong… snore… snff…"
Only as dawn broke did Tbong finally fall asleep in her arms.
Artanis looked down at him, her dark circles visibly deepening. Thanks to that, she came to feel it just a little—
Maybe the hardest job in the world… is being a parent.
At the same time, she felt a new sense of danger.
'...…..'
Lately, she hadn't been getting enough sleep.
She felt like this little one was sucking the energy right out of her.
And that was putting a serious dent in her plan to recover her strength.
'That can't happen.'
She had been diligently consuming the potato soup Kim Jangcheol brought her. It was helping her recover strength she'd lost over the past 300 years.
But ever since this creature began tormenting her nightly—?
Even the strength she had regained was being drained away!
'...'
This can't go on.
Something had to be done.
She made up her mind and summoned her subordinates.
—Largo, Veloce, Andante. I have a mission that requires your utmost devotion.
"What is it, my lady?"
Asked Largo, the eldest of the three, speaking for them all.
She looked toward her aged, loyal vassal and gave the order.
—From now on, stop that creature.
Her gaze pointed to one spot.
There, Tbong was happily frolicking by himself, picking up pebbles and munching them joyfully.
—That creature's existence… interferes with my recovery.
"Then, shall we kill it?"
—...….
"My lady?"
—You mustn't do that.
"…Excuse me?"
—You must not kill it. Nor may you strike or threaten it. You are only to keep it from approaching me, so I may get proper sleep.
"Ah, understood. But then… if killing or hitting it is out… how exactly are we supposed to…?"
—I will trust in your ability to figure that out.
"...…"
The elderly vassal, Largo, had a very bad, very dark premonition. That very night, his premonition would become reality—and descend upon the triplets.
"You little lizard, you shall not pass!"
"…Tbong?"
As usual, Tbong was on his way to go snuggle and shower affection on Artanis. But the triplets blocked his path.
Veloce, the blue-eyed middle sibling, stepped up most aggressively.
"Didn't you hear, you dumb and insolent lizard? Get lost immediately!"
"T…booo…ng…?"
"Looking up at me with teary eyes won't help you. If you don't back away, I'll skin you alive—"
Ssskt.
Largo swiftly stepped in to stop the second, who was about to cross the line. He forced an awkwardly gentle smile and spoke to Tbong.
"Listen carefully, okay? You're not allowed to go past here anymore."
"Tbobong? Tbooong?"
"Well, see, there's a lot of complicated stuff going on. So if you could just be a good boy and understand, that would help a lot, okay?"
The youngest, the baby-faced Andante, also stepped in for support.
But Tbong wasn't having any of it.
"…Tbong? Tbobong?"
So you uncles are stopping me from seeing my mom? Then you uncles are gonna play with me instead today, right?
Tbong asked with his big round eyes.
Of course, the three vassals couldn't understand what he was saying. So they just kept serious expressions and nodded.
"That's right. No matter how much you cry or beg—"
"Tbong!"
"…Hngk?"
Just as Veloce nodded, Tbong stopped listening to the rest. Delighted at the appearance of new playmates—new uncles—he ran at them in pure joy!
"Gyaaah! What is with this strength…?!"
"Tbong! Tb-bong!"
"Grab him! Block him!"
"Tbooong! Bobongbong! Tbong!"
"Gasp—huff! He's… too fast!"
"Still, catch him! Don't let him escape!"
And thus began a night of joyful bouncing, tumbling, dashing, and tag-playing with Tbong!
Only then did the three vassals realize—
Ah.
There really was only one way to stop this child without using blood or violence.
Which meant their fate… was to play with him until he wore himself out and fell asleep every night.
From that moment on—
As they struggled to handle Tbong over the next few days, the three loyal vassals developed a deep respect and empathy for parents everywhere.
But their dedication was not in vain.
Thanks to their efforts in keeping Tbong occupied—
Their lady, Artanis, was finally able to recover her strength as intended. To store her mana. To regain the power she needed to execute her plan.
'...…'
And so, I found myself lost in thought again.
Should I really rip out the heart of someone who has done me no harm?
"Did you sleep well today?"
'...…'
"I heard from Tbong. He's super happy. Says he has new uncles now."
'...…'
You, who bear me no malice.
You, who show me kindness.
You, who are accomplishing the impossible in this forsaken land.
Just thinking about that makes me not want to kill you.
But I have… no other choice.
"So anyway, I brought a bit more potato today. Playing with a kid really takes it out of you. So please, eat up and stay strong."
'...…'
If there had been another way, I would have found it. But there wasn't. And so the only option left to me… is to take your heart.
"Oh, and this. I brought a chair with adjustable height. Your arm kept getting stuck, so you've been standing the whole time, right? That must've been hard on your legs. If you adjust the height, you'll be able to sit comfortably."
'...…..'
I'm sorry.
If I don't do this…
If I can't do this…
Then I'll spend the rest of my life sealed within the artifact, voiceless. Never again able to sing the melody of power.
That… would be a betrayal of the loyal followers who have served me all my life.
And so… I have no choice but to do this.
"Truly…"
—I'm sorry.
"Huh?"
With trembling resolve, Artanis traced a single sentence in the air.
Kim Jangcheol, just about to offer her the chair, froze.
And in that moment—
Fwsh!
The final word she drew exploded into light, releasing all the power she had stored in one brilliant flash.
KWA-CHANG—!
Right in front of Kim Jangcheol's chest, the barrier shattered into fragments.
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]