I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

“—Mother, what made you fall for a bastard like that?”
Once, Shiona had asked her mother that question.

Later on, when she was at her father’s deathbed—what number mistress was he on by then?
She couldn’t even remember. He was the kind of man who decided everything on a whim, depending on his mood that day.
As you could tell just from that one sentence, he was never a model of good character.

In fact, from Shiona’s perspective, her father was the worst kind of dragon.
Which is exactly what made it all so baffling.
Why would anyone fall for a male like that, go so far as to become a mistress, and still cling to his side?

What could possibly be worth that?
Even for dragons, who are said to be instinctively drawn to the strong, it didn’t make any sense.
And the answer her mother gave her was even more absurd.
“Isn’t he... cool?”
“...That male who tries to bend everyone to his will?”
“Of course he wasn’t a good man. But—”

What did she say again?
“It’s that chilling feeling.”
“...Excuse me?”
“That moment when someone’s gaze pierces right through you. It might be a bad personality, sure, but there ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) are times when that wildness just... looks so captivating.”
“...”
“And you know, what a man gets angry about—that’s what makes it cool.”
What her mother had said with a smirk—

What was it exactly?
“You’ll understand one day. It’s in your blood, after all.”
“Wow, that is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard.”
What nonsense. What did a bad personality have to do with wild charm?

That was how she felt when she first heard it.
Even after becoming a full-grown dragon, her opinion didn’t really change.
No matter how capable someone was, her type was already decided.

She liked kind people.
People who were gentle, considerate, and didn’t try to dominate others.
Even the Gray Cardinal she currently served under—though he was her superior—didn’t exactly earn her personal affection for similar reasons.

Which was likely also why she felt a bit of warmth toward Carlyle Belfast when she first met him.
If not for all the complicated connections, she might’ve even tried making a move herself.
He was that kind of guy. Kind. Harmless.

A soft, innocent student.
“...Student Carlyle, I understand you’re upset, but please, just let me—”
“Professor.”

That was why—
This whole situation was incredibly disorienting.
Not just the student’s current demeanor.
But her own reaction to it.

“I said, I’m talking.”
His voice came low.
A sharp coldness lingered in the corners of his eyes.

Carlyle’s voice landed softly, step by step.
...And without meaning to—
She flinched.

It felt like something icy swept through her whole body.
But the thing coursing through her veins wasn’t cold at all.
As a warrior who had reached the peak of her craft, and a dragon born with great power, Shiona was extremely adept at monitoring her condition.

And right now—
Her heartbeat was pounding like crazy.
Her body temperature was rising. Her breath quickened.

...Wh—What the...?
What was this?
Why was she reacting like this?

Her face felt slightly flushed. Her legs were getting... twitchy.
As someone who had mastered control over her own body, this was deeply unsettling.
It wasn’t logic.
Her body was moving in line with instinct.

“...”
She quietly glanced at Leona beside her.

Her face was full of confusion.
...As if even she hadn’t expected herself to react this way.
“It’s not like anyone wants to do this. Unless the Black Lion Marquess was joking when he said it, the importance of our relationship is probably real.”

“...”
“I’m not saying your feelings don’t matter. But do we really need to keep fighting even in a situation like this?”
“...”

This was...
A very strange scene.
Two dragons—beings who would normally treat humans like bugs—were quietly being lectured by a single human student clearly beneath them.

Even Carlyle was a little dumbfounded by the sight.
Why the hell are they both so obedient?
Leona was always a little soft, so that was understandable. But Shiona, too?

He never expected her to just stand there and listen.
[...This isn’t bad at all.]
With a voice that sounded like it should be accompanied by a mischievous "uhu~", the Hero muttered from within the sword.

...
[Sure, soft and squishy has its appeal, but sometimes wild charm makes for a delicious treat...*]
What the hell are you even talking about...?

***
...And so,
For the time being, the fight between the two dragons was over.

And starting the next day, it was decided that they would head into battle together.
[...Together? In battle?]
“We still have to hold off the incoming waves of magical beasts.”

That’s how Death Marches worked, or so they said.
Starting tomorrow, a wave of magical beasts would crash down, and they had to stop it.
According to the envoy sent by the Black Lion Marquess—

“There’s about... three days of grace time.”
Typically, a Death March lasted four days, and the final day brought the most overwhelming wave.
They say that’s when thousands of defenders usually get wiped out.

So, Carlyle had essentially been given an assignment.
In three days, he had to make significant progress with the sisters.
...Yeah.

That was the problem.
“How the hell am I supposed to do that in three days?”
[Just do what you did before. They were totally into it.]

“I’m asking how I’m supposed to do that.”
Sure, he tried it once because Gray told him to.
But Carlyle wasn’t the type of guy who could just act like that on command.

Even if those sisters liked that sharp, commanding attitude, it wasn’t like he could do it all the time.
“I’m not exactly... that kind of person, am I? I’m not charismatic.”
[...Hmm. That’s not quite it.]

But apparently, the Hero had a different opinion.
[Think about the time you tamed me.]
“...”

Hearing her say it herself made his head spin, but... he had gained a lot from listening to her advice last time.
Might as well hear her out.
[Sure, most of the time you catered to me, but when you got mad—you got mad like fire.]

“That’s because it was a situation where something bad would happen if I didn’t.”
[Exactly. And I thought that was pretty cool.]
“...”

...Oh.
Huh.
Carlyle stared blankly down at the Holy Sword.

Had she ever complimented him like this before?
[It wasn’t uncontrolled anger—you showed judgment, and a strong sense of responsibility.]
It wasn’t rage thrown out of emotion.

It was refined fury, communicated clearly as something necessary.
That was how Gray viewed the anger of Carlyle Belfast.
And likely, how the two dragon sisters felt about it as well.

“...Thank you.”
[...*]
“...”

An awkward silence passed between Carlyle and the Holy Sword.
...What could he say—it was embarrassing.
To be having this kind of talk with the Hero of all people... it was unimaginable in the past.

After a long silence, Carlyle coughed and finally asked:
“So what does that have to do with now?”
[It just means, when the time comes—you’ll naturally show them that same kind of anger, like you did with me.]

And judging by the way things looked—
That time would come often.
Those dragon sisters turned into total brats when it came to anything about each other.

[And just showing that side of yourself again and again will be enough.]
“...You’re saying if I keep getting angry, they’ll fall for me?”
...Somehow,

That didn’t sound very believable.
Who the hell likes being yelled at?
[...Women are weird like that. Some of them fall hard for it.]

“What?”
[Everyone’s got their own preferences. There are some real weirdos out there.]
...What the hell is she saying.

“Hero, can I ask you one thing?”
[What is it.]
“Why is someone who doesn’t even understand human emotions so damn knowledgeable about how people fall in love?”

[How about you shut that trap before I twist your head off.]
“...”
[I’m already pissed off 24/7, and now you’re trying to perform an exorcism to summon rage? You son of a—uh, I mean. Hm.]

“...”
...Scary.
Carlyle trembled as he looked down at the sword.

Even without a body, the Hero’s killing intent came through crystal clear. A product of countless rounds of accumulated PTSD...
Still, when he met the sisters again afterward—surprisingly, the Hero hadn’t been entirely wrong.
“...Shall we go?”

“...Yeah.”
“...Yes, understood-’mda.”
“...”

What could he say?
He was treating them the same as always, but... their behavior was strangely off.
Maybe it was because he lost his temper yesterday. They were acting weirdly timid, glancing at him nervously.

...And if that was all, he could live with it.
But among those glances—
There was something else.

...Hero, why do these people...
[Why do they what.]
Why do they look like they’re expecting something?

[...]
...No, seriously.
Their gazes were heavy.

Like they were hoping to see something specific from him.
“...”
Hmm.

Could it really be?
“Why are you all fidgeting like that? We’re about to go into battle.”
He added a slight edge of irritation to his voice—an act.

“We have an important role to play. Shouldn’t you do it properly?”
He was benchmarking off the person who scratched nerves before every battle: Gray.
Unbelievable. The day had come where he was imitating the Hero’s tone.

“I can’t stand useless people.”
As he growled—
“!”

“!”
Shiona and Leona both flinched at once.
They both turned their gazes away, brushing their hands across their faces.

And that look—
How to describe it...
...They looked pleased.

They were being growled at, yet they looked happy.
“...”
Three days from now.

Just what the hell was going to happen?
Carlyle shuddered as he walked toward the battlefield.