The Protagonists of the Novel Escaped

The appearance of the Red Dragon as the guardian dragon of the Empire began after the last Emperor of the Ebelras Empire, the tyrant Dagon II, faced his miserable end.

Was it just a coincidence?

Or the workings of causality?

The Disaster God of Tyranny that swallowed the world was defeated by the heroes of the Ebelras Empire. And it was then that the Empire’s Red Dragon truly made its presence known alongside the fall of the Ebelras Empire.

The Red Dragon of the Empire and the White Dragon of the Holy Kingdom are known as the mythic guardian dragons serving the Earth Mother, but the full truth behind this remains uncovered. As if it were thoroughly manipulated by someone.

“Edan… Edanant…!”

She saw herself fallen to a Meiros.

And even witnessed a hideous monster that could only appear in a nightmare.

It was because of the headache.

Certainly, a terrifying headache must have created this illusion.

Ludmilla shook her head in denial and slowly began to walk forward. Despite being in a precarious state where fainting wouldn’t be surprising, she desperately longed to see Edanant.

“Now we can leave the Demon King’s Army and the remnants of the cultists to the new hero of the Holy Kingdom! The Demon King of Death will surely fall soon!”

“Haha! We must thank the Hohenberc Family of the Valtarian Empire. Thanks to the Hohenberc Family, chosen by the Earth Mother, the continent will enjoy peace!”

“Let’s drink and celebrate more than usual today! Surely, the benevolent Earth Mother would permit it.”

Shut up.

You know nothing.

What could you possibly understand?

As the kings chuckled and raised their cups, a surge of resentment swelled within her. Their selfish voices, passing everything to the chosen hero Edanant, made her want to curse.

Her head was ringing.

The voices of the complacent crowd made it even more painful.

“Until now, Edanant has desperately saved countless crowds on the brink of disaster… Why hasn’t the Earth Mother saved Edanant? While he saved people instead of just sitting on his throne and watching the world with a creator deity’s indifference!”

Is it because he is a cultist revering the Disaster of Innocence?

Is that why he spews nothing but curses without a shred of mercy for Edanant?

How petty.

It was a truly childish and trivial reason.

If that were the only reason, then the supreme creator deity would be less than a mere commoner.

I hate you.

I resent you.

I have come to endlessly loathe the creator deity, which only shifts the injustices and absurdities onto Edanant. The image of the Second Imperial Princess, who revered the Valtarian Imperial Family and worshipped the creator deity of the Empire, no longer existed.

-Curse the inept creator deity. Dominate the foolish crowd. That is tyranny.

Tyranny.

The monster masked as a divine guardian dragon whispered.

If she were in a complete state, she would never have listened to such malicious whispers. But now, Ludmilla’s mind was contaminated with hatred towards the creator deity.

It was a prime opportunity to corrupt her into a disciple of Tyranny.

The monster, having broken free from the Earth Mother’s curse and returned to being a Disaster God, would not let this slip by.

“Ludmilla!”

Just as Tyranny raised its head and intended to declare its resurrection, a startling voice rang out, and someone rushed in urgently.

“…Edanant?”

Her mind was fully polluted.

She was now just one step away from falling into corruption.

But suddenly, the call caught Ludmilla, who was driven to the edge of a cliff.

“What on earth is happening?!”

“……”

The place where Edanant and Ludmilla faced each other was a terrace far from the banquet hall where sweet waltzes flowed.

A softly melodious waltz.

A terrace decorated with diverse flowers and bright lights.

It couldn’t have been a greater coincidence.

For both of them, ‘waltz’ and ‘terrace’ were like puzzle pieces that created precious memories.

Fond memories resurfaced.

Ludmilla slowly lifted her head, recalling the moment she romantically waltzed with Edanant, holding both hands together.

“Edan, Nant…! Edanant…!”

“I am here.”

The princess, engulfed in misery, trembled all over as she repeated his name. Edanant, clasping both hands, gazed at Ludmilla with concern in his eyes.

What on earth had happened?

It was the first time he had seen Ludmilla, who always carried herself bravely, looking so frightened, and it filled him with bewilderment.

He wrapped his hands around hers.

Ludmilla, too, held onto Edanant’s hands tightly.

“I heard the divine oracle given by the Earth Mother…! A cruel curse that imposes sacrifices on you!”

“A curse… yes, it must be so.”

“Why does the Earth Mother impose such absurdities only on you? Why! You have saved so many people until now…!”

“……”

Upon seeing Ludmilla’s agitated voice expressing repressed emotions instead of his own, Edanant smiled bitterly and nodded.

Her words were all too valid.

The Saintess Party, his long-time comrades, would become his mortal enemies.

And he would undoubtedly engage in a life-and-death struggle with Maximilian.

It was natural to be saddened.

It made perfect sense to burst into tears steeped in misery.

Edanant, shedding tears, slowly opened his mouth as he looked at Ludmilla.

“Well, it’s probably because I’m a disciple of the Disaster of Innocence.”

“Of course it is! That damned creator deity…!”

He sighed heavily.

At that, Ludmilla gritted her teeth and shouted.

A raging hatred surged within her.

But Edanant shook his head, refusing the spread of hatred.

“But just because I’m being imposed upon with absurdity doesn’t mean I regret the efforts I’ve made. Thanks to my desperate struggle, I’ve been able to save numerous people. Even if I continue to be cursed by the creator deity, I won’t regret the choices of the past.”

“…Ugh!”

He was not wrong.

Thus, I will never regret it.

Ludmilla swallowed a sorrowful breath at Edanant’s heartfelt words, tinged with a bittersweet smile. Just the sight of him calmly accepting his sacrifice filled her with pity.

“How can you be so… devoted?”

“You are my idol, Ludmilla.”

Despite the abrupt question, Edanant answered without hesitation.

As if he had always thought that way.

Ludmilla trembled her lips at the unexpected answer.

“Ugh…! B-but I’m not that great of a person! I’m very jealous and easily irritated…! Moreover, and moreover…! I have a serious hysteria as a single woman!”

“I like those sides of you too.”

Whether it was because of tears flowing from her pale cheeks or the heated atmosphere fueled by their emotions, Edanant confessed close to a confession.

At this, Ludmilla’s face turned red as she became flustered.

“I won’t be played by the creator deity’s cunning traps either. I will prepare thoroughly and take my revenge on the creator deity, as I have always done against my enemies.”

“……”

There was no hesitation.

He was resolute and unwavering.

Edanant simply trusted himself and moved forward.

His declaration of revenge against the creator deity sounded like the words of a madman. However, Edanant spoke with a voice full of confidence, knowing this.

How enviable.

That confidence blazing like a fierce fire.

Ludmilla looked at Edanant with a passionately captivated gaze.

Her darkened hatred crumbled before sincere feelings.

To prove this, the depth of her red eyes shimmered with a clarity like never before.

“Whatever choice I make… will you trust me?”

“Yes, I trust you. I’ve never doubted you for even a moment.”

Hearing such a confident response, Edanant flashed a bright smile and stepped back.

This left Ludmilla feeling anxious.

‘This, this cannot just end here…!’

No.

She didn’t want to finish it like this.

Haven’t they always ended up just confirming each other’s feelings, brushing everything aside?

After stumbling over her words like a clumsy fool, the Saintess appeared and interrupted. Not wanting to repeat the series of mistakes any longer, Ludmilla decided to make a bold move.

However,

She was not the only one who thought this way.

“Ludmilla.”

“Yes?”

Edanant reached out his hand and gently stroked Ludmilla’s luscious golden hair.

Following that, he leaned in and covered her plump lips.

Ludmilla trembled slightly in shock at the sudden turn of events. Her beautiful eyes expressed unprecedented intensity of confusion.

Yet, she did not resist.

She focused on the dry touch slowly indulging her lips.

“Ugh…! Mmm, ugh…!”

Edanant’s firm hands caressed her slender back.

As a result, a sonic-like moan spilled from Ludmilla’s lips, flowing sweetly like a waltz.

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