First Light (4)
"The Origin Dragon?"
"There was a saying that there is a father who creates all dragons. He always told me, who was once loved by the master, like this."
-Reaching the origin of the dragon. That is the purpose of creating you.
The origin of the dragon could be described as a source of disaster.
Once called a disaster, the dragons were the main culprits who persistently tormented humans until they disappeared.
As humans became stronger, they were called rulers of the ancient era that ruled the earth.
To summon the origin of the dragon means that the rulers of the old era, even more terrifying beings, are coming.
Dragon's blood is similar to that of demons.
However, it is even more absolute in hierarchy.
If a higher entity gives an order, the lower entity cannot refuse it.
It is unknown what will happen to Phoebe, a half-dragon, but since she received the blood of the dragon, she will not be able to resist.
Reed asked Phoebe just in case.
"Did you ever have an experiment resisting the voice of the dragon when you were experimented on?"
"No, I never had such an experience. We only practiced our unique skills that suited each of us."
Roderick Astheria's goal was to reach the origin of the dragon.
He was busy developing the main abilities of the children who inherited the blood of each dragon.
So Reed began to feel anxious.
'How will Phoebe react to the so-called origin of the dragon...'
Whether she can resist it because she is a half-dragon, or whether she cannot help but succumb because she is a half-dragon.
So now, Phoebe's existence has become too big a variable.
'What if she's ordered to kill Rosaria...'
Who can stop Phoebe?
She was the most troublesome figure during the genocide incident.
Her skills are not dead yet.
Destroying half of this tower would be no big deal.
Although Rosaria was worried, she couldn't just speak to Phoebe.
It was Phoebe who took care of her with the utmost devotion more than anyone else.
She went for walks together, brought clothes and food, and listened to Rosaria's stories with more interest than anyone else.
If Dolores was her sister, Phoebe was Rosaria's mother.
"Tower Master..."
Phoebe opened her mouth with a sad voice.
"I'm fine."
"What do you mean?"
"Right now, all I do is cause trouble. I think there's no need for you to be in danger by worrying about me."
Phoebe, who noticed that Reed couldn't speak, mentioned it first.
"I have to protect Miss Rosaria. So... please isolate me as before."
Like when they first met Phoebe.
Both of them recalled the scene where she was tied up with both hands and locked up alone in a confinement room from different perspectives.
"Do I look like someone who is afraid that the sky might fall?"
Phoebe raised her head.
And she explained with a puzzled expression.
"I didn't see you that way, Tower Master. I, I am..."
"I know you didn't mean it that way. But it sounds like I'm so incompetent that I can't even stop you."
"That's not it. How could I do such... disrespectful things..."
Phoebe fiddled with her fingers and closed her eyes tightly.
Feeling sorry for scaring the already disheartened child unnecessarily, Reed held Phoebe's left hand.
"Then do you trust me?"
He asked softly.
Phoebe, who looked up at Reed, blushed and bowed her head.
And she nodded her head slightly in response.
"When Dolores had a problem, Rosaria was very worried. I don't want her to worry about someone again. I will definitely find a solution."
"Yes..."
That was the end of the conversation.
Neither Phoebe nor Reed could mention the slip of the tongue in the current atmosphere.
They didn't intend to draw a line, but they couldn't help but postpone it again, thinking that it would be irreversible if they were hurt by talking about it now.
'I liked Phoebe as much as she liked me...'
That was the emotion of Reed before the possession.
It was a similar emotion to Dolores, but Phoebe, whom he met after maturing a bit more, seemed like a woman.
Unlike Phoebe, who showed her feelings outwardly, Reed just thoroughly hid the fact.
With those mixed emotions, Reed made a vow.
Even if he couldn't make her happy, at least he would make sure she wouldn't bear one-sided sorrow.
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Phoebe dug her nails into Reed's neck, but she was quickly subdued.
Thanks to the device around her neck, it wasn't difficult.
As soon as it activated with the effect of knocking out vicious monsters in the empire, Phoebe fainted on the spot.
About an hour after she fainted, Phoebe got up and looked around.
There was a tray with now cold food on the floor, and the blood that flowed from his neck where she had dug her nails into had dried and stuck to the floor.
She recalled what she had done.
Phoebe crouched in the corner.
She didn't shake off the blood on her right hand and it stuck to her dirty clothes.
'That man... must be receiving treatment.'
She aimed for his neck, but it shouldn't be a serious injury.
Phoebe knew.
At the same time, as she felt her nails digging in, her sanity returned to its place and stopped there.
Phoebe knew what she had done.
'It's that man's fault.'
There was no guilt or regret.
It's the fault of the guy who approached the mad dog, even though it clearly said it's dangerous.
Phoebe tried not to think about that man anymore.
He almost lost his life by bestowing his favor on her, so he must have learned his lesson.
So she thought he wouldn't come before her again.
However, it didn't take long for that to change.
The door opened again, and Phoebe's eyes turned into crescents.
The man who had been stabbed in the neck an hour ago was calmly entering the room.
He muttered as he looked down at the tray.
"You didn't even touch it."
"..."
"Our Silence Tower may have that reputation, but the chefs should be skilled... Does it not suit the taste of half-dragons?"
Reed spoke his mind casually.
Phoebe looked up at him with surprised eyes.
"Are you sane?"
"That's a rude remark for a first sentence. Not a good start for a conversation, is it?"
"How can I not say this when you're shamelessly showing your face to the person who tried to kill you?"
She thought she might have been mistaken, but it was clear in Phoebe's eyes.
There were two scars in the shape of Phoebe's fingers on his neck.
Reed touched the scar with his index finger.
"It's a minor injury, no need to worry. It's similar to being bitten by a mosquito. I even heard that there was no need to worry during the treatment."
"Liar."
Of course, it was a lie.
When Reed's wound was treated, a considerable amount of blood had poured out, and he felt a chilling sensation in his head.
He didn't die, but at least he should have realized that he shouldn't approach Phoebe recklessly, using this incident as a lesson.
And the healers also advised not to approach Phoebe.
Reed ignored all of that and stood in front of Phoebe again.
He must be either out of his mind or bold.
"Do you feel guilty or something?"
"No."
She originally didn't have much emotion, but she started to get angry at Reed's nonchalance.
Phoebe stiffened her body and told him.
"Get out of here. I won't miss this time."
Reed listened to her threat and got up, approaching her.
"I'll leave."
Saying that, he put the tray he brought back in front of her.
"But only after you finish eating."
"Why?"
"Because I have to clean up. If you don't have the ability to eat and clean up everything, including the tray, someone has to do it, right?"
Phoebe looked down at the food Reed brought.
The pieces of steak on the tray, the salad made from crushed potatoes, and the side dishes.
It was a luxurious meal that was only allowed when dining with the master.
"Why are you hesitating with the fork and spoon? Do you not know how to use them? Didn't you learn that at Astheria House?"
As he mentioned Astheria House, Phoebe's eyes filled with poison.
"Don't dare insult the master, you trash."
"The one who's shameful is you, the blonde-haired half-dragon."
"What's the reason you keep talking like that? Do you want to fight me? Do you want me to pierce your neck again? I'm telling you, I can't talk to anyone, but I can kill. That was my job. So if you talk like that one more time, I won't make a mistake this time."
Phoebe was serious.
Reed leaned against the door and sat down at her eye level.
"You get rough when talking about the master. He must have been like a father to you, huh?"
"......"
"Yes, of course. So that's why you stick to this attitude even after hearing about the misdeeds of Astheria House. I understand."
"He... made me useful. He made it so I didn't have to live as a weak human anymore."
Phoebe, who was an orphan, had to risk her life to find food.
Choosing what was edible among spoiled foods, begging on the streets, or resorting to looting grocery stores as a last resort.
It was Roderick who allowed her to say goodbye to that lifestyle.
"He was a great person to you. But Roderick Astheria, that man, broke the most important rule. He experimented with humans, and he created creatures like you. Making artificially mixed-blood creatures is forbidden as long as demons don't go extinct."
"It was only necessary. He said it was natural for wizards to seek power."
"Over a hundred children died. With a low success rate, you could have died too."
"If I had died there, it would have meant I was just a weakling."
"......it's not a weakling, but a loser."
When Reed pointed that out, Phoebe glared at him maliciously again.
Nonetheless, Reed moved on as if he didn't care.
"How old are you now? According to the documents, you were 18, right? You were a maiden, just about to learn about marriage."
"Do you think orphans will have the noble life like yours?"
"Of course not. I'm sorry about that. I just thought of my ex-fiancée. She was about your age."
Phoebe could vaguely tell that he had bad memories with his fiancée.
But she wasn't interested, so she didn't ask.
"I don't know what your master was thinking, but maybe he would have held an adult ceremony or made a social debut for you this year, considering you as his daughter."
As Reed's words continued, Phoebe's face contorted.
Anger, and from within it, sorrow seeped out.
Reed could read Phoebe's face.
"Do you want to take revenge? On the man who stole your happiness."
"Revenge......"
She muttered the word, then spit out a fierce statement.
"I'll kill them all."
Anger seeped through her voice.
"I remember the faces of all those imperial bastards and kingdom bastards who insulted the master. I'll kill them as painfully as I've suffered, no, a hundred times, a thousand times more painfully!!"
A thick dragon's murderous intent burst out, drying and twisting everything around it.
Her golden eyes stared at Reed.
"And the first one is you."
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