Chapter 143:Intermission – The Great Dragon Tenebrix Nox

“I have many complaints!”

The Evergarden family returned to their mansion after resolving the Great Forest incident.

Meanwhile, Tene, who had carried them on her back to the mansion, puffed out her cheeks, full of dissatisfaction.

“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Rosaria, who hadn’t heard a word from her until they returned to the mansion, tilted her head, questioning Tene’s sudden outburst.

“I think my contribution to this incident was significant, don’t you?”

“That’s right. Honestly, without Tene, I wouldn’t have had a clue how to solve it.”

Felix, who had witnessed the entire situation, nodded in agreement with Tene’s words.

Saving lives during the World Tree terror, and not only that, but completely restoring the burnt World Tree.

All of these actions were a disaster befitting a natural disaster, one that could not be dealt with even if one knew about it in advance.

No matter how outstanding a human is, they cannot overcome a natural disaster.

But Tene nonchalantly turned the tables on that natural disaster.

“But look! Even though I solved all those problems, you don’t respect me!”

Despite doing such amazing things, the Evergarden family treated Tene as usual.

It was as if they only treated her like an airplane.

“Tene, you did a really great job this time. I don’t know what terrible things would have happened without you…Thank you.”

“Ehehe… Of course― No, that’s not it!”

Tene, who had been pouting, burst into a wide smile at Freya’s touch as she gently stroked her head, but then she suddenly snapped to her senses and shouted.

“You guys lack respect! Look at the Elves! They hang on my every word and treat me like a great being!”

Tene felt it.

The moment she revealed herself in front of the restored World Tree and shouted in a thunderous voice, everyone bowed their heads to the ground, showing respect and awe.

But the Evergarden family didn’t have that.

To the Evergarden family, Tene was now completely in the position of a mischievous and cute youngest daughter.

So, even though she was a dragon, she felt very comfortable.

Of course, she was grateful for being treated like family, but she was a dragon.

She wanted to experience the feeling of serving a great being.

That feeling had been simmering inside her, unsatisfied, and the Elf incident had released the limiter.

“So, you want to be pampered?”

“No! That’s not what I mean! I want you to show more respect! And awe!”

“Hmm…”

“What do you want us to do?”

The Evergarden family looked at Tene with troubled expressions as she flailed her arms, unable to express what she wanted specifically.

“Then, shall we try it?”

“Huh?”

Freya, still smiling gently, clapped her hands lightly and shouted.

*    *    *

“…Haaah… Hmm…”

Tene, yawning widely in a pleasant mood, blinked her eyes, still half-asleep, on the bed where the soft morning sunlight was shining.

Knock, knock-

Tene, who had sat up for a moment and was sitting blankly, heard a light knock on the door.

“Ahem…! Ahem! Enter.”

Then, after lightly clearing her throat, Tene authorized entry in a solemn tone that she wouldn’t normally use.

Bang-

“Did you cough? Great Black Flame Dragon, Master of Eternal Shadows, Tenebrix Nox.”

Then, the door opened, and Felix, who had strode into the room, knelt on one knee and bowed to Tene.

His appearance, dressed in a modern and neat butler’s uniform instead of his usual clothes, with a pure white cloth on one arm, was no different from a butler.

“Hmm… Bring the washbasin.”

Tene, looking at Felix kneeling in front of her with a satisfied expression, nodded her head and said.

“Understood. Come in!”

“E-Excuse me… Tene, no… Tenebrix Nox, M-Ma’am…?”

Then, a woman appeared from behind the open door, carrying a washbasin filled with shimmering water, and entered the room.

Rosaria, wearing a fluttering lace and a maid outfit with a pretty bow tied on her head, trudged in.

‘Why am I doing this…!’

She was forcibly pulling up the corners of her mouth, but Rosaria was seething with shame at wearing a maid outfit and being treated like a servant by Tene.

“I-Is the water temperature okay…?”

“It’s a little cold. Sigh… To not even be able to do something like this properly. I’m disappointed.”

“I-I don’t know what to do… Please kill me…!”

“But I, Tenebrix Nox, have a heart as wide as a mountain, so I will forgive you this once. Continue.”

“Y-Yes… Here, blow your nose, blow…”

“Hmph-“

Then, Tene, who was fussing over the slight water temperature with all sorts of airs, blew her nose into Rosaria’s hand and finished washing her face.

“Tsk, tsk, a maid who can’t even wash her face properly. There’s nothing useful about you.”

“You son of a b— Ugh! Ugh!”

“Ah, ahaha! This, this friend is new today and is clumsy! I will educate her well!”

“Hmm. I understand.”

Felix, who had been sweating profusely, stopped Rosaria, who had been unable to hold back and was about to explode, with good timing.

“Well, this body must now go to have a meal.”

“Understood. Great Black Flame Dragon, Master of Eternal Shadows, Tenebrix Nox.”

“Hmm!”

Having finished washing her face, Tene entrusted herself to Felix’s magic, which dressed her without her having to move, and headed straight to the dining room.

“I will escort you. Great Black Flame Dragon and Ruler of Eternal Darkness, Tenebrix Nox.”

“Yes.”

Then, Gordon, who had suddenly appeared behind her, bowed respectfully.

“Oh my, the Great Black Flame Dragon, the savior of the Elves, Tenebrix Nox, doesn’t need to move her feet herself.”

Snap-

Gordon, who had stopped Tene from heading to the dining room after receiving the greeting, lightly snapped his fingers.

“Yes, I came when called. Double the speed to the dining room~”

Then, a dazzling rickshaw suddenly appeared, and Dariann, who was holding the handle in front of the rickshaw and grinning casually, appeared.

“He seems to like overcharging and eating Seolleongtang.”

“Hehe, your compliment is very shitty… I mean, excellent.”

“Good, hmm… The cushioning is still lacking. It must be more plush.”

“Yes, I will immediately manufacture a special rickshaw.”

“Then let’s go, Kim Cheom-ji.”

“…Y-Yes…! We’re leaving!”

Tene, who was putting on as many airs as possible and mentioning meaningless cushioning to the rickshaw that appeared in front of her, got on and the wheels began to roll inside the mansion.

As Dariann, the lord of this territory and the head of the count’s family, treated Tene like an aristocrat, the eyes of the employees working in the hallway were naturally drawn to them.

“Wow! Lady Tene!”

“You’re so cool!”

“Amazing!”

“How long do we have to do this?”

“I heard it’s going to be like this all day?”

“It’s amazing.”

“But she’s cute, right?”

Following that, the employees cheered every time Tene passed by.

It was an extremely strange sight, but because they had seen countless strange sights while working at this mansion, they just accepted it.

In particular, Tene, who usually ran around actively and was adored by the maids, just looked cute even when she shrugged her shoulders and acted proud, so their satisfaction was high.

The dining room they arrived at was like that.

“We have been waiting. The Great Black Flame Dragon, the savior of the Elves, Tenebrix Nox, who spreads eternal darkness.”

“I am Freya Evergarden, the chef in charge of today’s breakfast.”

When she arrived at the dining room and sat in the most dazzling chair in the center, Freya, who was welcoming her, gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and sent her greetings.

“For this appetizer, we have salmon and sour cream on finger food, canapés with sliced olives, and beef consommé soup.”

“For the main course, we have lamb steak made from roasted lamb legs, boeuf bourguignon made from oxtail, and for the fish dish, we have cream gnocchi with mashed cod filling, and finally, eggplant gratin and ratatouille filled with cheese and meat.”

“For dessert, we have cheese omelets and fruit tarts made with seasonal fruits grown in our territory.”

“Wow…!”

Following that, Freya, who professionally introduced the dishes that were lined up one after another, and Tene, who threw away the dignity she had been so concerned about and opened her mouth in genuine admiration.

“Delicious! Hmm…! The best! I didn’t know it would be so delicious!”

After that, Tene, who quickly devoured the dishes that came out in order and filled her cheeks, smiled as if she was truly happy.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Yes! Ah, no… Ahem! It’s not bad. Ahem…”

“Then I am very happy.”

“By the way, wine is essential for such a wonderful meal—”

“No.”

“If it’s just a little—”

“No.”

“You! Do you know who I am—”

“No.”

“….Hmph.”

In the meantime, Freya was cutting off Tene’s words, who was subtly asking for wine, with a smiling face but firmly.

After that, Tene strutted around the mansion with a lot of airs.

She leaned lazily on the rickshaw and watched the soldiers training in the territory, and took a nap in the field to her heart’s content (but she never missed a meal and always made sure to eat), spending a leisurely day.

The Evergarden family was busy following Tene’s every move.

“Haa…”

As time passed, it was night, and Tene, who was leaning on the soft bed, let out a satisfied breath.

“Today was so much fun. Hehe…”

A special time that only happens today.

Tene enjoyed the gazes of those who looked up to her and fell asleep happily like that.

And there were those who were watching that figure through the slightly open door…

“She’s asleep.”

“Phew, I can finally take off these awful clothes!”

It was the Evergarden family who had been serving Tene all day.

“Tene, that little rascal… How dare she make me wear a maid outfit?”

“It was kind of fun, though?”

“You’re wearing a butler’s uniform! I wouldn’t be so annoyed if I wore a butler’s uniform too!”

“Hey, at least it’s better than being Kim Cheom-ji.”

They were exhausted from matching her mood and pampering her.

“Still, Tene is very kind.”

“Yes?”

“She’s been doing things all this time, but she’s satisfied with just this much?”

Even in the meantime, Freya was still smiling.

“If it were me, I would have asked for half of this territory’s assets as compensation for this.”

“If it wasn’t just a tantrum, and Tene sincerely wanted that…What could we have done?”

“That’s… That’s true.”

“That’s right.”

“She’s so innocent.”

Tene is a dragon.

Even if she was more greedy than this simple play, the Evergarden family had no choice but to listen to her.

In addition, it would have been really difficult without Tene this time.

Even in that situation, all she wanted was to be treated like a queen for a day.

In some ways, she was very humble, and in some ways, she was very innocent and young.

“We should treat her even better, not just today. Of course, we always adore her, but not enough.”

Thinking that way, the Evergarden family felt that it was a relief that Tene was Tene.

“…Good night, Tene. See you tomorrow.”

At Freya’s words, Rosaria, who felt that even the hard things she had done today were cute, muttered as she looked at Tene, who was sleeping

soundly with the blanket kicked off and her belly turned upside down, through the crack in the door.

Eternal darkness and the strongest creature in the world, Tenebrix Nox.

“Umnya… I want to eat more… Snore…”

Wishing her a happy day, Rosaria carefully closed the door so that she could sleep more comfortably.