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Chapter 9
“If we move the egg…”
“If you move it, the same thing will happen wherever you go.”
“Is there no way to seal it?”
“Not unless we send it to another world. And even then, the dragon’s life cannot be guaranteed.”
“If we send it to a safe other world… ah!”
Bice quickly opened her bag. She picked up the egg that had fallen to the ground.
“Please stay inside here until you hatch, Lord Arell.”
The moment Bice placed the egg into the bag and closed it—
the rampaging monsters all froze at once.
At the same time, Cassius’s magical eye witnessed a miracle.
The massive flow of mana emitted by the dragon egg vanished instantly.
—Nest. Go.
The monsters all rushed out of the cave.
“I did it!”
Bice shouted in joy, but Cassius did not share her relief.
“…Not yet.”
He dismissed several layers of the barrier.
Inside, a chicken-shaped monster was still violently slamming itself against it.
“If we kill that one, it’s truly over.”
“W-wait! I think I can handle one monster!”
“Are you insane?”
Ignoring Cassius’s shout, Bice walked toward the barrier.
“Kkweeeek!”
The monster spotted her through the translucent wall and hesitated for a moment—then became even more frenzied, opening its beak wide.
“It’s reacting to sudden affection. Monsters are sensitive to even small stimuli.”
“……”
“So please come back. With your ability, you cannot calm it—”
Cassius suddenly looked intrigued.
—Hey.
Beatrice Adelhedis.
—Is something wrong?
She was speaking the language of monsters.
—Don’t panic. If there’s a problem, I’ll help you.
To Cassius, Bice’s words sounded like meaningless chirps.
After a long conversation, Bice opened her bag and placed a lantern outside the barrier.
The monster gently picked up the lantern in its beak and trotted away.
“It said it couldn’t see well because the cave was dark. So I gave it a lamp.”
“You calmly inform me that you not only understand monster language, but can also speak it.”
“I was going to tell you—”
Before she could finish, Bice suddenly felt her strength drain away.
“Lady Adelhedis!”
Cassius’s voice echoed far away as her vision went dark.
In the moment she lost consciousness, she saw a vision:
Within golden light, a pale green glow—like spring petals—bloomed, resembling the color of her own eyes.
When she woke up, she was in a high-ceilinged arched space.
Four pillars reminiscent of an ancient temple and stained glass pouring sunlight created a mystical atmosphere.
“Are you awake?”
Cassius, now dressed more lightly, was flipping through a book.
“How long was I unconscious?”
“About half a day.”
“At least I wasn’t buried this time.”
“You cannot bury a dragon contractor.”
Clack.
He closed the book he had been reading. The worn cover read:
“The Mark of Dragons – Ancient Oath”
Bice looked around. The walls were lined with countless ancient books and old portraits.
“Where is this?”
“My office.”
“I thought there’d be experimental tools… but it looks like a huge library.”
“The things you are imagining are probably in the laboratory.”
“Can I see it someday?”
“If you become an experiment.”
“I’ll pass.”
Bice laughed weakly, then suddenly turned pale.
“Was finding the dragon egg also for that reason…?”
“To use it for experiments.”
Bice shot upright in bed.
“You’re not experimenting on Lord Arell too, are you?”
“Lord Arell… ah, that dragon.”
Cassius’s blue eyes curved elegantly. Beautiful like a painting—but beneath them lay a depth of cruel darkness.
“It was here.”
At that moment, a worn leather bag appeared in his hand.
The same bag that had held the dragon egg.
W-wait…!
“Y-you didn’t, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Only the owner of a ‘All-in-One Bag’ can retrieve items from it…!”
“I am a Grand Mage.”
Bice’s hand dropped to the bed.
He didn’t say it outright, but she understood.
“You… how could you?! Lord Arell is still a baby dragon!”
“So?”
“To dissect a newborn dragon for experiments—!”
“I have never dissected anything.”
“Huh?”
“Besides, only the owner can retrieve items from that bag, correct?”
“…Right.”
Wait.
Bice tilted her head.
Cassius smirked faintly.
Then she realized.
“You were messing with me again?!”
“Pardon?”
“You set the whole mood just to tease me, didn’t you?!”
“Did I?”
“You told me to retrieve the dragon egg, and I ended up hatching it and making a contract!”
Bice gritted her teeth but held back her revenge hug, remembering her earlier disaster.
“Anyway… you knew about the bag.”
“Of course. If it’s a dimensional bag that can safely store a dragon, it can only be an All-in-One Bag.”
“…So you also know how I survived in the cave.”
“I truly had no idea.”
Cassius chuckled.
“I will overlook this, since you did not break the condition.”
“Really? Then I passed the test?”
“If you properly hand over the dragon, yes.”
“…Can I ask what experiments you plan to do?”
“I will extract its heart.”
“…!”
Bice froze in horror.
“Consuming a dragon heart increases lifespan and magical power.”
“You can’t kill him! Lord Arell already formed a soulmate vow with me!”
“Soulmate, huh.”
Cassius’s expression turned cold.
“Do you even know what it means to be soulmates with a dragon?”
“…No.”
“I thought so.”
He clicked his tongue in disappointment.
“That oath will be handled properly, then I’ll extract the heart.”
“That’s not happening!”
But Cassius continued calmly, as if discussing weather.
“If you can use magic, you can register as a mage at the Tower.”
“Yes.”
“And if your dragon oath allows you to use dragon power, then you can become a mage using that power.”
At that, Cassius tilted his lips.
“Then try it.”
“Huh?”
“Use dragon magic.”
“Uh…”
How do you even use magic? Just wave your hands like him?
Bice flailed her arms dramatically at empty air.
Nothing happened.
“Finished?”
“…If I summon Lord Arell, I think I can use it.”
She reached for the bag but hesitated.
“May I?”
“As long as you clearly wish to summon only the dragon, excluding the egg and liquid, it should be fine.”
“I only want Lord Arell.”
She shook the bag.
Plop.
A gold object the size of two fists rolled onto the desk.
“…What is this?”
“C-can’t you even recognize me?”
Pyo! Pyo!
With a chirping cry, the curled-up body stretched out.
“I am the great Gold Dragon Arell!”
A small golden creature stood on two legs—fluffy fur, big eyes, more like a mix of cat and squirrel than a dragon. Tiny wings decorated its back.
“…Is that really Lord Arell?”
“Yes.”
“That rude old-man tone, arrogant personality, and unnecessarily cool voice?”
