THTE 54

Chapter 54

In the end, Nibellia only regained her freedom after being scolded with a lecture: violence should never be used recklessly, the stronger you are, the more you should know how to be considerate and yield.

“……”

Leaving the office, Nibellia tilted her head.

“What’s wrong? Feeling down after getting scolded?”

Armi Phera, who had been waiting outside, asked with a wide grin.

Nibellia bent her knees to meet her aunt’s eyes and shook her head firmly.

“That’s more like it. That’s the kind of woman our family should raise.”

“Hey, Auntie.”

“Yes?”

“Then… when is it okay to hit someone?”

“Hmmm.” Armi Phera folded her arms, pretending to ponder.

If it were her nature, she wanted to say, “Always! Hit them all! Why do you think my nickname is Phera?” …but instead—

“Well, it’s best not to hit people if you can help it.”

In the end, she gave the more educational, rational answer.

Nibellia then shared her own thoughts.

“You know, actually, hitting is bad. It hurts. And because of what I did, someone else could end up suffering.”

“That’s right. You know that well.”

“Actually…”

Nibellia confessed how, because of her reckless behavior, innocent kindergarten teachers had been forced to apologize to the Tower Master.

Listening quietly, Armi Phera asked,

“Do you really like Areph that much?”

“Yeah.”

Nibellia nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Nibby loves Areph.”

“Oh my.”

Her little niece was remarkably mature.

Armi Phera couldn’t help but laugh at the thought: she herself hadn’t experienced proper love, yet here was her four-year-old niece, whose legs were shorter than her arms, already talking about it.

But Nibellia was dead serious.

So, as her aunt, instead of dismissing her feelings, Armi Phera matched her seriousness and listened.

“But Areph doesn’t remember….”

“Why doesn’t he remember?”

“Because Nibby is a cat. And Areph is a wolf. Nibby remembers, but Areph doesn’t. So he doesn’t remember loving Nibby. It makes me sad….”

Nibellia’s eyebrows and mouth drooped so low they almost touched the floor.

“That is a sad thing.”

Armi Phera replied sympathetically, though inwardly—

“…What on earth is she talking about?”

Was this some kind of child’s make-believe game?

And so, Nibellia’s great secret remained hidden.

But since her niece said so, Armi Phera decided it was her duty as an aunt to respect and protect her innocence. She chose to believe her.

“Hmm, so… did you confess to Areph that you love him?”

“I do it all the time!”

Every time she saw him, she looked into his eyes.

She bumped her head against him, nudged his body, hugged him tight, left her scent.

“I work hard to mark him so he knows Areph belongs to Nibby!”

“There’s nothing cooler than a proactive girl.”

“But what’s the point? Areph always looks away. He cheats on me.”

“…I never thought I’d be this relieved to know none of her vocabulary came from me.”

Her brother was going to have a hard time raising this one.

While Armi Phera was snickering inside, her eyes caught someone’s figure.

“Nibby.”

She smiled slyly and pointed.

“Look over there.”

Standing in front of Nibellia’s room was Areph.

At that moment, Areph noticed her too.

“Young Miss!”

He ran over, holding a small basket.

A sweet aroma wafted from under the white cloth covering it.

“Chocolate cookies!”

Nibellia’s little nose twitched as she broke into a big smile.

“I waited so I could eat them with you, Young Miss.”

“Why wait? You should’ve just eaten them alone first.”

Armi Phera asked innocently.

“You must’ve been hungry too, Areph.”

“W-Well….”

Areph hesitated, his cheeks flushing red.

He snuck a glance at Nibellia, and the moment their eyes met, his ears and neck flushed crimson too.

Well, well, look at these two.

Watching from the sidelines, Armi Phera almost burst out laughing with delight.

Not wanting to ruin the mood, she bit her lips to hold it back.

“It tastes better… when I eat with the Young Miss….”

“Me too! I like it better with Areph!”

“That’s why I waited….”

“Heehee! Areph!”

Nibellia dove straight into his arms.

Armi Phera deftly caught the basket Nibellia had flung aside while Areph stumbled backward.

“Areph! Areph!”

She shouted his name with all her heart.

It was full of emotions.

I like you, I like you so much.

I’m sad because you don’t remember me. I’m really upset.

But it’s okay.

Because I remember you, it’s okay.

So, I’ll keep liking you, no matter what.

“I like you! I love you!”

“……”

“Say it back!”

Of course, Nibellia’s fiery temper showed no sign of disappearing anytime soon, but Armi Phera thought this wasn’t such a bad thing.

At least, not for these little lovers.

“I-I like you too….”

Because at that moment, Areph wore the happiest expression an eight-year-old boy in the world could possibly have.

His red eyes glistened with moisture.

Unconditional love soaked into him like a gentle rain, overflowing until it spilled out as tears.

Nibellia ate the chocolate cookies with Areph.

Then, staring at the big chocolate chips inside, she suddenly remembered something she had forgotten.

“Auntie, when can I eat the lizard?”

“You mean the dragon?”

Armi Phera found herself liking Nibellia more and more.

Only a true Deiamor could have the guts to call the mighty Evil Dragon a mere lizard.

As it happened, she had something to tell her niece about that.

“You know Auntie sent that to you as a birthday present, right?”

“Yeah. That broken, useless thing.”

“It wasn’t useless. It was a dragon.”

“What can you even do with a dragon?”

“It can protect you.”

“Nibby’s already strong! And Areph is protecting me!”

Right? Nibellia tilted her head toward Areph.

Areph swallowed down his cookie and nodded with a solemn expression.

“Yes. I’ll protect you!”

“See!”

Nibellia puffed out her chubby chin proudly.

Armi Phera wiped a crumb from the corner of her mouth.

“I’m jealous you’ve got such a reliable knight.”

“And Nibby’s a reliable captain too.”

“Of course, of course. But even so, the dragon says he wants to protect you too.”

“Mm, but Nibby doesn’t really….”

Nibellia scrunched her face, showing her lack of enthusiasm.

But since the Evil Dragon had specifically said he wanted to meet her, she shrugged her shoulders and agreed.

“Sigh, this popularity of mine.”

Everyone likes me too much.

Nibellia shook her head, pretending she couldn’t help it.

At that moment, Areph’s face showed a flicker of unease.

The Young Miss has too many followers. Sure, she likes me best, but… what if more people—or dragons—keep coming, wanting to see her like this?

Suppressing his turmoil, Areph grabbed Nibellia’s hand.

By now, holding hands whenever they went anywhere was second nature.

They arrived at Muniel’s room.

“No, no, don’t you have anything more blood-red? My black-pearl scales deserve something deeper than crimson.”

“Should I give you one of my maiden dresses? Those were dyed in real human blood.”

“…Are you sure you’re actually a saint?”

Inside were Muniel and the Evil Dragon, Ater, picking out clothes.

The dragon was dressed in a bright yellow dress, with a ribbon decorated with white flowers on his head.

“……”

“……”

Nibellia and Areph said nothing.

Even to children’s eyes, this just didn’t feel right.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Sensing their presence, Ater swirled his skirt and fluttered over.

Like a feather, he landed gracefully, circling slowly around them.

Each movement made his skirt flutter.

“Such curious, mysterious little things together.”

The dragon’s damp snout brushed lightly against their clasped hands.

On his head bloomed a white gardenia flower.

“To remember, and to forget….”

“Ater.”

Muniel’s voice cut in gently.

“…Hmph.”

The dragon snorted, his tail swaying.

“Well, it seems my help isn’t needed yet.”

Muttering something cryptic, Ater then leapt into Armi Phera’s arms.

Like a dog, he settled in comfortably, opening his mouth wide enough to show his sharp fangs as he yawned.

Armi Phera scratched his chin, and he let out a ridiculous groan, “Uhhhhh.”

“But just in case.”

Then he suddenly yanked out one of his own scales with his mouth.

“Argh!”

With a painful cry, he pulled it free, blood and a bit of flesh clinging to it.

Most children would have screamed or recoiled in horror.

“U-ugh….”

Just like Areph did now.

But Nibellia, who in her cat days had bitten into lizards with her fangs, wasn’t frightened.

Instead, she grew curious.

Ater licked the throbbing wound with his tongue and let out a whistle.

“This scale carries the blessing of a dragon. Keep it with you, and it will protect you.”

“Ugh, that sounds like a hassle….”

“I just ripped this out while bleeding, and all you can say is that? Can’t you at least say ‘thank you,’ even if you don’t mean it?”

“But your dress is pretty! Nibby wants to wear it too!”

“…Cheeky little brat, but you’ve got a good eye.”

So, in a better mood, the dragon began explaining the powers hidden within his scale.