TFLCM - Chapter 138

I resisted fiercely.

"Who are you! Let go of this!"

I struggled with all my might, but the strength of the assailant who attacked me was too great.

The assailant, having easily subdued me, tied both my hands with something solid. I found myself completely bound, unable to move.

"This woman seems right, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. I heard only one silver-haired woman is living in this house."

"Who else would it be besides this woman? Hey! Help move her!"

The intruders' story burrowed into my ears. There were many footsteps.

'Are you trying to take me away? Why on earth?'

At the same time, my body was suddenly lifted up. As I struggled and resisted fiercely, the assailant who had lifted me clicked his tongue.

"Look at her personality. I don't think it would do any good to take her along."

"If you struggle like this... I wonder if the dragon is actually getting annoyed."

It felt like the dragon's breath was taken away.

"Wait a minute, a dragon? Did you say you were a dragon?"

I urgently grabbed the person whose identity I didn't even know and asked.

Then, a snicker was heard. It was clearly mockery.

"Right. From now on, you will be offered to the dragon."

"Surely not the leader of the South? What's that dragon's name? Huh?"

"I don't know about that either." 

The assailant lifted me up. The inconsiderate movement made my stomach churn.

"You're going to have a tough time there from now on. If you think of it as spending the rest of your life in a warm place, it won't be so bad." 

"Wait. Just a moment! I still have to ask...!"

" It's too noisy."

Along with an irritated voice, a tremendous shock struck the back of my neck.

"Get some sleep now, Lily." 

With the voice fading into the distance, I eventually fainted.

***

A familiar boredom consumed his body. The dragons exchanged wary glances.

They urged them to ask quickly, but no one could speak first.

Black hair and red eyes.

It was because the red dragon they were to serve as their master looked very bored.

At times like this, he would always... do things similar to his nature.

However, today was a little different from usual.

There was a faint irritation in that boredom.

It looked as if it would breathe fire and turn them to ashes at any moment.

There was only one reason why he was annoyed. All the dragons here knew the reason, but they could not bring themselves to voice it.

"Umm..." 

Then, a dragon mustered the courage to speak.

"I mean the wolf you mentioned..."

As he mentioned the wolf, red eyes turned toward him. Having lost even his last shred of courage, the dragon clamped his mouth shut.

"Why are you bringing up the wolves? Are you finally trying to say it's okay to kill them?"

Unlike an ordinary voice, it was a brutal question.

The dragons shook their heads with troubled expressions.

"I can't understand. I don't get why killing isn't allowed."

The red dragon who said that had a look on its face that it truly could not understand.

"Weren't those arrogant wolves the ones who invaded first?" 

"That is true, but..."

The dragon said, sweating profusely.

"Still, since other innocent wolves are suffering..."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"..." 

"Do I really have to bother worrying about something like that?"

The red dragon tilted its head loosely.

Of course, it was a huge mistake for the wolves to fearlessly invade the South and target their hearts.

But to think you would kill all the other wolves just because of a few wolves.

He couldn't help but tremble at the ruthlessness of the red dragon.

'A merciful and compassionate dragon my ass!'

Several dragons swallowed their tears and gnashed their teeth.

The red dragon, however, had a chillingly expressionless face.

'I'm bored.'

It was a thought he had held ever since he first experienced 'reason'.

'Everything was boring.'

The first place he set foot was here, in the South.

He didn't settle here because he liked it. It was simply because moving elsewhere was a hassle.

He was just sitting still, but everyone revered him.

He ignored them because he couldn't be bothered to reply, but before he knew it, he had naturally become the master of the South.

Everyone called him the leader and hoped he would lead the South well.

However, the Red Dragon thought differently.

The South, with its warm temperatures and fertile land, ran smoothly on its own without him having to exert any effort.

There was nothing he had to do on his own. Nevertheless, the Beastmen and Dragons were all well taken care of by the Leader.

They were eager to praise him, saying it was all thanks to him.

Before anyone realized it, the Red Dragon had become a kind and upright leader who worked hard for the South.

Of course, he could have refused the leadership position.

'Bothered.'

But even that was annoying.

He even thought about just going back up to the sky.

However, it was kind of cute to see the weaker ones whining about trying to live well.

Seeing the prisoners working hard seemed to relieve some of his boredom.

It was a day when it seemed as though the peace in the South was somehow continuing.

The wolves of the north fearlessly invaded the south.

And that too, along with the words that they wanted the dragon's heart.

It sounded absurd, but surprisingly, several dragons were injured. It was due to a unique magic that could not be found in the Beast World.

Of course, his heart was not taken, but the fact that he fell victim to the wolves' attack tarnished the dragon's reputation.

The red dragon immediately grabbed the wolves.

He thought he had stumbled upon the perfect opportunity since he was bored. He believed that with such unique magic, it would relieve his boredom.

But the wolves died helplessly in his hands. He hadn't even had a chance to play with them a few times.

Unlike the other dragons who were shocked, the Red Dragon spoke with an indifferent expression.

"It seems all wolves are weak." 

The dragons thought.

That they would never be able to understand their masters until they died.

Regardless, the Red Dragon sent the wolves' 'traces' to the north.

It was said that wolves love their mates dearly. He wondered how they would react.

"It's about time he came..." 

He, trailing off, turned his head and looked at the dragons.

"When on earth is he coming?"

A faint annoyance was evident in his indifferent tone.

"I showed leniency by offering a consort instead of eliminating the North."

He frowned.

"I showed you such leniency, but it's way too late." 

It was clearly the wolves' fault for fearlessly invading the South.

However, offering one's companion could by no means be considered 'leniency'.

It wasn't the first time he had viewed the lives of others as lower than passing dust.

But he didn't know it would be this much. He couldn't keep up with his thoughts.

It was a time when the dragons were shaking their heads in disbelief.

"Maybe it would have been better to just kill them all."

The red dragon muttered and stroked its chin.

“Oh. No!”

The startled dragons shouted as if pleading.

It was not to protect the wolves.

Their master knew no emotion. If, while eliminating the North, he were to feel even a little bit of 'fun'...

He might have burned down even the entire Beast World. This was a matter directly related to their survival.

"I think, I think it will probably come soon!"

"Y-yes, that is correct! Why don't you wait just a little longer? Wolves are timid, so I think it would be good to show them a little mercy."

“It’s annoying.”

I tried to speak as nicely as possible, but the Red Dragon didn't seem to have any intention of listening.

The dragons were sweating profusely. They had to appease its anger by any means necessary.

"Well. Never mind. They'll come someday."

Fortunately, the red dragon turned its head with an indifferent expression.

The dragons let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the peace of the Beast World had been extended a little longer.

Regardless, the red dragon was looking outside with an indifferent expression.

The South, filled with warm breezes and greenery, was always the same.

"Is there anything fun to do?"

The red dragon rested its chin on its hand while muttering to itself.

***

I opened my eyes again. I blinked a few times and looked around. However, it was pitch black, and I couldn't see anything.

I slowly traced my memory. Before long, the whole situation came back to me.

"...!" 

I quickly tried to sit up. However, it was impossible to lift my body because my arms were tightly bound.

I struggled to get out somehow, but the more I did so, the more uncomfortable my posture felt.

'Shit.'

I had no choice but to let my body slump. There was nothing I could do right now.

'How can I get out?'

Just as I was hesitating, the floor shook violently. As I staggered, I ended up hitting my jaw hard.

Tears welled up in my eyes from the tremendous shock.

"I won't let you get away with it if you leave." Just as I was grinding my teeth, the floor shook violently again.

"Are you sure you brought the right person?" 

And I heard voices. I crawled on all fours like a caterpillar and pressed my ear against the wall.

"That's right. Since they caught her directly from that house, it must be her." 

"Shouldn't we check with Theo? She's the woman he considered his partner, after all."

Theo. My eyes widened at the familiar name.

At that moment, with a click, a thin light seeped inside.

Thinking it was an opportunity, I quickly got up.

"Why bother doing something like that?"

But with those words, the light vanished. I could have escaped...! I crushed my lip.

"If we delay any longer and the dragons invade, it's the end."

"Still, I think I should check it."

"Even if it were another woman, what difference would it make? All I have to do is insist it's true."

"That's true, too."

The conversation was brief. The floor tilted and shook again. It seemed to be moving somewhere.

Thanks to that, I ended up rolling around again. Barely managing to get up, I ruminated on the conversation I had heard.

'So, you're saying these guys think I'm Theo's partner?'

So that's why they kidnapped me.

'And you mistook me for Lily?'

I gaped in amazement. How could things get so messed up?

I struggled with all my might. If the current me were to become a 'mother,' everything could go awry.

It was when I poured all my strength into my arms to somehow untie the rope.

Clunk! With a loud noise, the movement stopped again.

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