LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 70
Chapter 70: If You Desire Peace
“I believe all Dragon Clan members are merely feigning obedience.”
At my words, Platy nodded seriously.
It seems this is a common understanding even among the Demon Race.
While they exploit the Dragon Clan like beasts of burden, they don’t naively believe they are willingly submitting.
“If I were in their position—I would bide my time, obey quietly for now, and wait for a chance during a future transition in the Demon Lord’s leadership to take action.”
“That’s true. The possibility is very high.”
Adjusting her crossed legs, Platy agreed.
“Now, about Leila. The Dark Dragons have long treated her poorly. She has been used as a hostage against the defected White Dragons and as a warning to the former White Dragon faction within the Dragon Clan.”
From what I’ve heard, the White Dragons and Dark Dragons are the top two in the Dragon Clan and have always been at odds, even before coming under the Demon Lord’s reign.
However, after falling under the Demon Lord’s command, the Dark Dragons began negotiating with the Demon Race, leading to the White Dragon faction’s decline. The withdrawal and rebellion of the White Dragons ultimately allowed the Black Dragon faction to dominate within the Demon Lord’s territory.
But the former White Dragon faction hasn’t disappeared completely.
They’ve switched sides to the Black Dragon faction but are still treated somewhat poorly, though not as severely as Leila.
“This discussion is purely about the future—during a crisis, I think Leila could be raised as the spearhead of the former White Dragon faction.”
I cautiously broached the main topic.
A pretext for treating Leila well under my command.
“I see.”
With just those words, Platy seemed to understand my intentions.
“You’ll offer salvation and forgiveness to the former White Dragon faction. And divide them from the Black Dragon faction, causing dissent.”
“I believe this approach could effectively diminish the momentum of the Dragon Clan’s rebellion. They certainly grasp the risks of opposing the Demon Lord Kingdom.”
Even the most rebellious Dragons might have some who consider obedience to the Demon Lord Kingdom as a path to tranquility.
If I can incorporate those individuals into the White Dragon faction led by Leila, who is close to Zilbagias, it would reduce the number of rebellious Dragons by a significant margin.
And to maximize the benefits of staying on the Demon Race’s good side, I would treat Leila well under my command—
That’s the reasoning.
Of course, I’m not serious about it.
Even if I pushed this plan forward, if I ultimately pulled out the ladder, the Dragons who intended to align with me would likely turn furious and become enemies.
The Demon Lord Kingdom would descend into chaos…
“I understand your aim, and I think it’s not a bad idea to treat Leila well and keep her close.”
Platy nodded in a manner that seemed reasonable.
“But that doesn’t justify you riding Leila. No matter how well you treat her, you’re still her enemy, right?”
“That’s correct. No matter how well I treat her—”
I struggled to keep my expression from hardening.
“The fact that her family was slain can never be compensated for. What is lost will never return. Hatred continues to smolder deep within the heart…”
However, looking directly into Platy’s eyes, I continued.
“By setting a lofty goal that transcends that anger and hatred, it is possible to regulate those feelings with reason.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will educate Leila. Show her how to think rationally, not emotionally. After that, I will talk with her, discussing the future of the Demon Race and the Dragon Clan. So that she can rationally conclude that it’s better to join hands with me and carve out a future for herself and her kin than to kill me.”
—
To build a true cooperative relationship.
Scarily enough, I’m not lying right now.
Leila and I will speak one day.
About the future of the Demon Race and the Dragon Clan.
“And… well, as a last resort, if she agrees, I can use my magic to forbid lies. If we discuss openly, I believe we can confirm whether there’s any intent to kill. Of course, if there’s even a hint of suspicion, I’ll give up.”
I struck a playful surrender pose.
“I don’t want to be recorded in history as having fallen to my death, betrayed by a Dragon I trusted.”
“Well… if that’s how you put it, then I’ll leave it to you. It doesn’t seem like a matter for today or tomorrow anyway.”
Platy relaxed her shoulders and sank deeper into the sofa.
She seems to think that the Dragon Clan will one day rebel in some way.
And presumably, the Demon Race intends to crush that rebellion head-on.
But I’ve proposed a way to somewhat mitigate the damage.
So, maybe they’re willing to let it slide.
I’ve made it clear that I won’t blindly trust Leila, so that likely had an effect too.
“Where did you learn to think like that? Was it from Sophia’s education?”
“There’s no other reason.”
“Right… That question was a bit off.”
Resting her chin on her hand, Platy smiled wryly.
Her gentle expression narrowed her eyes as she gazed at me.
“You are a proud son.”
She said with a voice full of pride.
—
For a moment, Platy’s face overlapped with my mother’s face from my past life.
I desperately tried to dispel that thought.
Even now… it’s already vague and hard to recall.
I can’t let my memories be overwritten.
The fact that my family was slain can never be compensated for.
What is lost will never return.
Hatred burns deep within the heart, Platy.
†††
“Wow~~~…”
In the bath, Leila let out a relaxed voice.
In the Demon Lord’s Castle, the shared bath of the servants.
A dimly lit space carved from marble. Steam rising thickly. Natural hot springs bubbling up as if gushing from a fountain. Under the gently swaying lamps, women of various races relaxed in their own ways.
However, it seems there are many Beastmen at this time.
“Whoa! Whoa~~~!”
“Ah, stop moving your eyes so much! Don’t squirm during the shampoo!”
Outside the tub, Garunya was covered in bubbles, washing Liliana’s hair.
Watching from a distance, Leila was enjoying the sensation of the water, sitting cross-legged in a corner of the expansive tub.
—
Leila loves baths.
Dragons, in general, don’t need bathing. Their scaly bodies don’t sweat, and they can expel dirt merely by releasing their magic.
However, Leila, who was forced to always remain in human form, couldn’t do that.
Subjected to scorn and ridicule like a lower creature, she had often been compelled to take baths.
At first, it was just a hassle. But soaking in warm water as a human felt cozy and gradually became something she started to enjoy.
Above all—being alone was relaxing.
The other dragons wouldn’t go to such lengths as to take a bath in human form.
Surrounded constantly by the Dark Dragon faction, poked at, made to work, and treated poorly, bathing was one of the few moments she had to spend peacefully.
So—she enjoys baths.
Splashing water with her hands cupped, she played around with it, but lost in thought, her mind wandered to the future.
Currently, Garunya was guiding her through the living quarters as the “senior” of Zilbagias’s group. And since the shared bath happened to be vacant, they had decided to take a dip.
“We need to keep our bodies as clean as possible.”
Efficiently undressing Liliana, Garunya had said.
“We never know when our master will want to pet us.”
“Pet us?”
Leila gasped in surprise.
“Oh, you might not know, but for me and Liliana, it happens all the time.”
“Oh, really…”
“Our master, despite being young or seemingly childish, seems to have an immense amount of stress. He said he couldn’t deal without being soothed by my fur.”
“Is that so…?”
Even though he looks five… Leila murmured, honestly doubting Zilbagias’s age.
Five years old, yet with that physique and demeanor? No matter how precocious Demon Race members are—there has to be a limit.
Moreover—did she really win against her father in a one-on-one fight?
Sure, she’s powerful, but that seemed hard to believe. Perhaps that’s why she still felt as if she was dreaming, a lingering sensation that everything felt distant and unreal.
In this moment, even if she woke up in the crude bed of the Dragon’s cave with nothing but straw, Leila wouldn’t be surprised.
That’s how much–this situation felt unreal.
It feels unbelievable that she could still be in one piece.
When she heard that she was being handed over to the son of the Demon Lord who had slain her father—who even keeps a High Elf as a pet—
She thought, “It’s over.”
However, the Zilbagias group accepted Leila far more warmly than she expected.
Garunya was kind and incredibly caring, and even though the other servants seemed somewhat wary or had frightening eyes, they were generally polite and weren’t malicious toward Leila.
Considering she’s the daughter of a traitor who harmed Zilbagias, it was an unbelievable kindness.
Above all, Zilbagias himself was—quite a gentle Demon.
When she heard the backstory of his High Elf pet, it turned out there were reasons for it.
“……”
She stroked her neck. The dark, dwarf-made collar was no longer there.
After deactivating “Wing withered,” Zilbagias had said, “You don’t need to wear that anymore.”
“If this child does anything wrong, I’ll take full responsibility.”
With a nonchalant attitude, he shrugged—
The collar, which had tied her to a human form for so long, had been discarded so easily.
He mentioned she could revert to her dragon form anytime, just say the word, and he even suggested flight training and practicing breath attacks whenever she got the chance.
It was all—so freeing.
And it felt precarious and fragile, so much so that it seemed too much for Leila’s small human hands to handle—she didn’t know how to manage it.
Leila was at a loss.
She had no idea what would become of her or how she would navigate this situation.
Perhaps—just maybe—she could be a little happier than when she lived in the Dragon’s cave.
Yet the mere thought of nurturing such hope in her heart was terrifying.
Will a bright future truly await the daughter of the traitorous White Dragon?
She had been betrayed so many times, so many hopes shattered.
Dreams and hopes were meticulously crushed, her kin murdered, and she had even been shown her father’s severed head while hoping he might come to rescue her someday.
—
That’s right, Zilbagias is the one who killed her father.
—
He might be colluding with Orphen, and Garunya and Liliana could also be in on it, plotting to deceive her.
—
They might be planning to drop her into despair when she lets her guard down, finding amusement in it.
The cruel and cold part of Leila warned her as much.
But she thought otherwise.
The Dark Dragons likely wouldn’t engage in such convoluted schemes, would they?
If they wanted to make her suffer, there were simpler methods. A gentle poke with their tails or a slight blast of breath would suffice. In human form, that would be immensely painful.
So maybe it’s okay.
This isn’t a sinister plan; it’s merely a twist of fate.
Perhaps she is genuinely being liberated from an unreasonable environment.
She wanted to believe that—but it was frightening.
If she gets betrayed again, she probably won’t be able to endure it.
If this warm environment turns out to be a sham, crafted purely to make her suffer…
She would truly break this time. She would become useless.
So, believing is frightening.
She doesn’t want to be betrayed again…!
“……”
In the warm bath, Leila trembled, embracing her own body as if to stave off the cold.
If, just if—
Zilbagias and the others genuinely wanted to accept her,
And yet, she was merely doubting and unable to believe…
How miserable and ugly of an existence she would be—thinking that made her cry.
“Ah, there you are! I was wondering where you went!”
Splashing sounds approached as Garunya, holding Liliana, sat down next to Leila.
“Why are you all the way in the corner? It’s empty now, so you should enjoy yourself more freely.”
The younger Beastman girl laughed happily.
“Whoa, whoa!”
Next to her, a cheerful-looking High Elf swam happily.
“Um… well… I’m just not comfortable in the middle…”
Leila replied, stumbling over her words as she splashed her face with water.
“Really? Oh… wait… Are you perhaps not fond of baths…?”
Considering she’s a Dragon… Garunya seemed genuinely worried that such a thought hadn’t occurred to her.
“Ah! No! It’s not like that!”
Leila forced a smile.
“I… I love baths…”
—
Leila loves baths.
Even if tears spill out, nobody will question it…
“Is that so? I’m glad! Baths are great, aren’t they~…?”
Unaware of Leila’s inner thoughts, Garunya floated blissfully, lounging in the natural hot spring.
“Whoa…”
Liliana also floated nearby, her ears twitching.
“……”
From the two of their unguarded forms, there wasn’t a trace of malice felt at all.
Just a bit—having relaxed her shoulders, Leila shifted from her crossed leg position and stretched them out.
Before she knew it, the bath felt comfortably warm again.