Vivian (3)

Several years passed.

Vivian was now a full-fledged adult.

Her baby fat was completely gone, and she now exuded the aura of a mature adult woman.

“Helix, how do I look today?”

“Yeah, you’re pretty.”

“What? Is that all you have to say?”

“Do you want me to elaborate?”

“Hmph, never mind.”

Like Vivian, I had also become an adult Dragon.

I could wield Magic as freely as breathing, and I had grown strong enough to annihilate an entire city in one go if I wished.

Assassination attempts targeting Vivian no longer occurred.

No, it would be more accurate to say they couldn’t.

My level of boundary Magic had risen so high that there was no opportunity for an assassination in the first place.

“Helix, I’m thinking of slowly taking over the Empire’s power.”

“Have you made up your mind?”

“Yes, it’s actually a bit late, but… I waited until after your coming-of-age ceremony.”

Honestly, if it were up to me, I wanted to stop her.

Because the risk of failure was too great.

Even if that happened, I would protect her to the very end, but…

Still, I wanted her to walk the safest path possible.

“Are all your preparations complete?”

“Of course. What do you think I’ve been suffering for all this time?”

That was true.

Vivian hadn’t been idle either.

She had made a name for herself as a fire-elemental Magician, building an incredibly powerful force.

Funds, soldiers, and even political influence…

Vivian’s faction had grown to the point where even the Emperor couldn’t ignore it.

“Helix, a lot of blood will flow in this endeavor.”

“Yeah, I know…”

“Honestly, I’m a little scared.”

“Are you afraid the rebellion will fail?”

“Hmm, if possible, could you use a nicer word like ‘revolution’?”

Revolution or rebellion, aren’t they essentially the same thing?

The only difference is whether it succeeds or fails.

“My preparations are perfect. If I were going to do it half-heartedly, I wouldn’t even try.”

Vivian shook her head and gazed at me with complex eyes.

“In the process of starting a revolution, I’ll have no choice but to be very cruel. If I don’t nip it in the bud, they’ll come for my neck later.”

“…”

“I’m just afraid. Afraid that I’ll see myself as a demon. And that you’ll come to hate me.”

“That won’t happen, Vivian.”

I told Vivian firmly.

“I would never see you that way. So rest assured.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Yes, I love you, Helix.”

Vivian silently kissed me.

Even when I was a hatchling, kissing was common, but…

This kiss was more passionate and deeper.

Not a light display of affection, but a seal to engrave that I was hers.

Vivian didn’t break the kiss until I was breathless.

“Haa…”

“Let’s breathe a little, Vivian.”

“Heh, you’re still a baby, Helix.”

Vivian left the room, whispering softly.

“Exactly one week from tonight, I’ll start the revolution. We’ll become the masters of this Empire.”

*****

Woaaah!!

The soldiers’ shouts echoed throughout the Imperial Palace.

In the midst of the unexpected chaos, the Imperial Palace’s servants turned pale and were in an uproar.

“Damn it! What are the Eastern Imperial Palace guards doing?”

“They’re nowhere to be seen! It seems they joined the rebellion long ago!”

The first person Vivian instigated was the officer in charge of guarding the Eastern Imperial Palace.

「Don’t you want to see a Dragon rule this country?」

「But… despite that, I have a family.」

「If you think of your family, then all the more reason to join this revolution. Your family will dedicate themselves to the Dragon. And the souls of your family will be honored even in heaven.」

The guard captain, surprisingly, held a devout Dragon faith.

However, to achieve success in the Empire, Dragon faith could easily be perceived as being a pawn of the Holy Dominion, so he had merely hidden it.

Vivian used her intelligence network to contact him and sweet-talked him into joining the rebellion.

“A defensive Magic barrier has been cast! It won’t open!”

“Everyone, move aside. I’m going to use Magic.”

Kwaaaang!!!

A massive storm of flames surged forward, striking the Magic barrier.

Along with the scorching storm of heat, the surroundings fiercely erupted in flames.

“Th-the defensive Magic is broken!”

“Now! Enter!”

Vivian, who had already grown into the Empire’s greatest fire-elemental Magician, had nothing to fear.

Vivian unleashed her ultimate fire Magic in an instant, shattering the defensive Magic.

In a flash, the last line of defense leading to the throne crumbled…

Finally, Vivian stood before the Emperor.

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty.”

“So, you’re the one who finally pulls me down, you bitch.”

The Emperor, sitting solemnly on his throne, looked down at Vivian with indifferent eyes.

Even though his final moment was imminent, he was still the Emperor of the Empire.

“I’ll grant you a final wish before you die. Do you have anything to say?”

“A Dragon doesn’t suit you, you bitch.”

“Hmph, you said that even when I was little. You coveted my Dragon. But what can I do?

Vivian smirked and mocked the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, you’re not worthy of being chosen by a Dragon.”

“That’s not what I mean, you foolish bitch.”

“…”

“You’re too evil to possess a Dragon, you bitch. The Dragon might have chosen you for now, swayed by your earnestness, but everything eventually returns to its original state.”

“Shut up.”

Vivian gnashed her teeth and imbued her sword with flames.

Then she thrust the tip of her sword against the Emperor’s neck.

“Helix loves only me. Even if I turn this world into a sea of blood.”

Pwoosh!!

An answer wasn’t necessary.

Vivian immediately plunged her sword into the Emperor’s neck, instantly ending his life.

“Farewell. I’ll even provide some travel money for your journey to the underworld.”

Vivian indifferently wiped the blood that had splattered on her face.

In the process, a letter lying next to the Emperor’s table caught her eye.

The already broken wax seal was clearly the Holy Dominion’s crest.

Out of a faint suspicion, she checked the contents of the letter, and anger flared in her eyes.

“Ha, a Saint? What kind of Saint is she, when she wasn’t even chosen by a Dragon?”

Vivian tore the letter to shreds, letting out a hollow laugh.

The contents written inside were as follows.

“How dare they try to take my Helix…”

It was a secret arrangement for a meeting between the Holy Dominion’s Saint and the Dragon.

No wonder the Holy Dominion had been so quiet; they were pulling such dirty tricks behind the scenes.

“If I start a war, I’ll have to destroy the Holy Dominion first.”

Cruel flames flickered in Vivian’s red eyes.

Once she felt a sense of crisis…

She decided not to think about it any longer.

Any being that tried to steal her Dragon, her everything, would be eliminated, regardless of the reason.

*****

The Emperor changed overnight.

Even before the stench of blood from the revolution had faded, Vivian swiftly prepared for her ascension to the throne.

“Why dawdle? Let’s get it over with quickly.”

The Grand Plaza of the Empire Capital.

Under a cloudless blue sky, the Empress’s coronation was held in splendor.

“An Empress in the Empire, what a strange turn of events in my lifetime…”

“Watch your words. Secret police might already be spread out everywhere.”

At the appearance of the new ruler, the Imperial citizens were both afraid and unable to hide their curiosity.

An illegitimate Imperial Princess whose origins were unclear.

But a woman chosen by a Dragon.

The new Empress, Vivian, appeared with magnificent titles.

Before the eyes of countless Imperial citizens, she calmly declared.

“People of the Empire. I will make this nation a powerful one.”

Vivian didn’t bother with long, rambling speeches.

Because showing through actions was more certain than words.

The first thing Vivian did after seizing power was a ruthless purge of her political enemies.

“P-please spare me…! Your Majesty!”

“I will never even glance at power again, please, just spare my life…!”

After Vivian seized power, over 10,000 people died.

The Imperial Nobility, and the influential nobles who supported them…

Or countless others involved with them vanished into the dew of the execution grounds.

At first, I thought it was unavoidable.

Because blood always flows during a transition of power.

But no matter how much time passed, there seemed to be no end to the blood on the execution grounds, so I eventually sought out Vivian.

“Vivian, isn’t this too much, even so…?”

“Yes, it’s severe. It’s too much. I think so too, Helix.”

“…”

“But those people could point the barrel of revenge at me someday, couldn’t they? Do you want me to live in constant anxiety, never knowing when I might be assassinated in my sleep, Helix?”

“Of course not. But…”

“Then don’t try to stop me. Do you think I enjoy doing this?”

Vivian was becoming increasingly violent.

But I couldn’t stop her.

As she said, she had come too far to show mercy now.

“And Helix.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s get married.”

“Married…? But the political situation isn’t stable yet.”

“On the contrary. To stabilize the current situation, I need to marry you, the Dragon, and firmly solidify my position.”

Marriage, all of a sudden, was too abrupt.

Of course, Vivian and I were lovers now, but…

The most we did was kiss.

“Do you dislike it?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it.”

“Are you horrified to marry a woman like me, with so much blood on her hands?”

“That’s not it, Vivian. Listen to me.”

Her eyes flashed, as if demanding an explanation.

At Vivian’s seemingly angry voice, I firmly squeezed her hand.

Perhaps because of the warmth that passed between us, Vivian gradually calmed down.

“Of course I don’t dislike it. You’re the only person I’ve chosen.”

“Helix…”

“I’m sorry if I made you anxious. I was just a bit taken aback by the suddenness.”

“I understand. I pushed you too hard.”

Towards the confused Vivian, I forced a smile.

“Yes, let’s get married.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, now that I think about it, there was no need to hesitate. I just made you anxious for no reason.”

At those words, Vivian silently pushed me.

She pressed her body tightly against mine, as if to devour me, and passionately kissed my lips.

“W-wait…”

“Just stay still.”

Honestly, I had never even thought about marriage.

I had never seriously considered what it meant.

I just didn’t want to make Vivian anxious.

Perhaps that was my biggest mistake.

“Helix, how do I look?”

“Incredibly beautiful.”

“Is that all?”

Beneath the pure white veil, her beautiful eyes shone.

Frighteningly red.

But precisely because of that, they were even more beautiful, ruby-red eyes.

She, who held me completely in those beautiful eyes.

She, who yearned only for me.

“The most beautiful in the world? I love you.”

“Yes, me too, Helix.”

And so, Vivian and I became husband and wife.

From the heavens, the blessings of the gods.

From the underworld, the curses of the dead.

All of it settled upon us, husband and wife…

The story continues in the next chapter.