NOVEL NEXT chapter 86 - Death March (2)
Some facts about dragons.
All dragons are bound by blood ties from the moment they’re born.
Also, dragons are far more savage creatures than they appear to be.
The most iconic example of this is the “Selection Ritual” performed by adult dragons on children.
Every young dragon must survive several minutes under attacks from an adult dragon who goes in with the full intent to kill. If the child fails to survive that ritual, they’re deemed unworthy of being a member of the so-called “strongest race.”
And—
It’s said that Shiona Libelle killed her own father, the examiner who oversaw her Selection Ritual, at an age that wouldn’t even equate to ten in human terms.
She wasn’t punished by dragon society, since it was determined the act wasn’t impulsive but intentional—but that incident is what made the name “Shiona Libelle” widely known even among dragon communities.
A once-in-a-generation genius—and a “deviant.”
To sum it up neatly:
“Professor’s a monster.”
Carlyle had heard that Shiona was a Templar from the Orthodox Church’s strongest battle unit, the Round Table. But he hadn’t expected her record to be that legendary.
At that moment, a derisive snort echoed through Carlyle’s head—clearly from the Hero.
[It’s just that I overshadow them. Templars, by design, are monsters who could each challenge the Holy Sword. If every member of the Round Table joined forces, they could probably match me back in my prime.]
‘…Seriously?’
It was extremely rare to hear her compare anyone to herself as an equal.
Still, something about that didn’t sit right.
If their combat force was that formidable, then wouldn’t they have served as a check against the Hero’s behavior? Why hadn’t anyone stepped in to stop the countless atrocities she committed later?
[That’s because I got stronger faster than all of them combined.]
‘…’
Oh. Right.
Well, sure. If someone who can rip the concept of “space” apart with a casual swing says so, she’s probably right.
Anyway.
“Well, that happened. So Leona probably… dislikes me. Not that I particularly like her either. I figured it was best to mention it beforehand.”
What Shiona had asked of Carlyle stemmed from that very fact.
“I have no particular interest in my younger sister. Even if we’re blood relatives, I don’t feel like we’re family. She’s just… a biologically attached organism, that’s all.”
“...So, what exactly are you asking?”
“I’d like you to look after her in my place.”
“…”
“Even if something happens to her, I won’t do anything.”
The tone Shiona used as she said this was—
Truly cold. As if she genuinely felt nothing toward her own sister.
***
And that chill… surely, the person concerned felt it more clearly than Carlyle ever could.
Sure enough, throughout their journey to Black Lion Territory, Leona had been doing little else but cautiously watching Shiona.
Carlyle, too, couldn’t help doing the same.
“…”
“…”
By his own self-evaluation, Carlyle was someone well-optimized for easing awkward atmospheres.
Mostly thanks to all the experience he’d gained smoothing over the disasters the Hero tended to cause.
But even so—
The current vibe felt like walking across a frozen lake.
Before he could even speak, he noticed the expression on Shiona’s face—arms crossed, seated calmly in the carriage.
Dangerous.
Normally, she wore a cheerful squint that gave away nothing, but right now she looked like a bomb that would explode if you touched her wrong.
The only one unaffected by the atmosphere was Blackie, curled up on Carlyle’s lap, burying its face aggressively into his chest hair.
Without even this one companion, the journey to the Duke’s frontier would’ve felt like pure hell…
If what Shiona was showing Leona was pure, consistent disregard, what Leona directed at Shiona was a chaotic tangle of emotions.
Fear. Anxiety. Admiration. And—
Longing.
…Feelings that bled through, painfully so.
“…”
Hmm.
Shiona said she hated her sister, but…
It didn’t feel like that.
Rather, there was something much more…
‘Hero.’
[Mm.]
‘Don’t they seem like there’s something else going on?’
If it was just that Shiona had “accidentally” killed their father, and Leona was afraid of her for that—then…
This would be too much.
There had to be more.
Panhyma. Felix. Drexler, who they hadn’t met yet in this timeline. These two sisters too…
There wasn’t a single person surrounding the Hero’s party with a normal family background.
Just as Carlyle thought that, the carriage rattled and began to slow down.
Looking out the window, he saw a sprawling base camp across the plains.
“Oh.”
The Dean had mentioned that major Imperial institutions were required to dispatch troops in case of emergency.
And this was no small number. It looked like they were preparing for war.
[…That’s strange.]
That voice from the Holy Sword again.
‘Huh?’
[Look at the sky.]
Following that prompt, Carlyle glanced upward—and saw a pitch-black shroud stretching across the heavens, like someone had spilled ink over the clouds.
‘What the hell is that?’
[You know that magical beasts are far more sensitive to mana than humans. With that many beasts clustered together, their collective magic alone can create a fog so dense it forms a visible shroud in the sky.]
…That’s terrifying.
So just their numbers alone create that thing?
[Well, it’s something that happens every time during a Death March. The phenomenon itself isn’t special.]
‘Then what’s the strange part?’
[…I’ve never once seen the sky turn that black during a Death March.]
Normally, the various magical signatures from different beasts mix into # Nоvеlight # something like a radiant aurora, swirling in rainbow hues—explained the Holy Sword.
But this—this was pitch-black. Light itself couldn’t pierce it.
‘Hmm.’
Given Carlyle’s past experiences, that only pointed to one thing.
‘Something’s about to go absolutely to shit again, isn’t it.’
[…Agreed.]
Any time reality diverged from known data, it usually meant something horrific was waiting just ahead.
“Welcome to the Joint Command. Which unit are you with?”
“From Yoram. We’ll each be taking separate quarters.”
While Carlyle was thinking that, Shiona had somehow already completed check-in and disappeared.
She’d clearly stated her intent to use a private room, and naturally, that meant everyone else would be sharing one.
And then—
“…”
“…”
Shiona’s absence aside, it wasn’t like Carlyle and Leona were close.
“Um… Can I pet it? Just once?”
Unable to bear the silence anymore, Leona pointed to Blackie, currently hanging off Carlyle’s arm like a sloth.
She must’ve asked that because, despite being described as a disaster-class magical beast, it looked far too harmless.
And before Carlyle could even answer, she casually reached out her hand.
Naturally, Blackie bared its teeth in a clear hiss.
“Eeeek?!”
Startled out of her wits, Leona jerked backward, tears already brimming in her eyes.
She fell out of her chair with a loud crash from the sheer panic.
…Coward.
Seriously, what a coward.
Isn’t she supposed to be part of the “strongest race”?
“…It’s fine, it’s fine. He doesn’t bite.”
“He just tried to bite me! He literally—!”
“He didn’t, though.”
“…”
Carlyle shrugged at her glare like, what are you on about?
Blackie doesn’t bite. As long as you mind your manners.
As that thought passed, he glanced down at Leona’s lower body.
“…I didn’t pee myself.”
“…”
“Wh-what kind of person do you think I am?!”
…Let’s not press that issue any further.
Instead of replying, Carlyle silently took out a handkerchief and handed it to her.
With a loud honk, Leona blew her nose into the cloth and kept sniffling.
She’d deny it, of course, but—
‘…This really does feel like babysitting a kid.’
In some ways, she felt more childlike than Blackie, who at least had the sense to react in dangerous situations.
Leona, on the other hand, felt like someone Carlyle would have to protect from top to bottom.
‘…Hmm.’
Which only made things more confusing.
Shiona had said Leona hated her.
But to Carlyle’s eyes—
“Miss Leona.”
“Mm?”
“Why does Miss Shiona dislike you?”
The calmness in his voice made Leona fall silent, eyes fixed on him.
“…My sister hates me?”
“…”
“Why… why would she say something like that…?”
“…”
The moment he saw tears pool in Leona’s eyes again, Carlyle forgot what he was going to say.
No, seriously.
Even crying should have its limits.
“…Let’s calm down and talk for a bit.”
One thing was certain:
He needed to hear her side of the story too—not just Shiona’s.
***
[System Message]
▶ Information about target “Leona Libelle” has been added to the “Family Matters” quest.
▶ Quest reward will now include Leona Libelle as a potential [Instructor] target.
▶ Adding both Shiona Libelle and Leona Libelle as instructor targets will generate a special synergy effect!