TSMMT Ch 174

The Dragon's Aid

[Taras] "Leviathan, grant us your aid."

[Leviathan] "You have a lot to say for someone who caused our predicament, Tarascus."

The dragons were exhausted. None of them had broken the covenant. Despite Tarascus' indirect persuasion, they glared at him with resentment and refused to budge.

Dianna bowed low.

[Dianna] "I beg of you. Please help us."

[Leviathan] "Why go to such lengths? Do you fancy yourself a hero saving the world? Word has it you were banished. Couldn't you save yourself?"

She held her ground despite the dragon's sarcasm.

[Dianna] "If he dies, I die with him."

[Leviathan] "..."

[Dianna] "I have no desire to survive alone."

She bit her lip. Leviathan grumbled as he looked down at her.

[Leviathan] "Ah, so that's why everyone passed her along instead of killing her."

The dragon scrutinized Dianna with massive, glowing eyes.

[Leviathan] "Foolish human, journey to the land of origin, deep within the darkness where Zmew, the wise Black Dragon, slumbers. Zmew knows all and will surely offer you aid."

[Dianna] "Aid... Really? Is that permitted?"

[Leviathan] "Why do you think the other dragons guided you from one to the next? It wasn't to shirk responsibility, but so every dragon could observe you and decide for themselves."

[Leviathan] "Every dragon has seen you, evaluated you, and reached a consensus. Thus, we implicitly agreed to help."

[Leviathan] "Surviving alone is a terrible fate. Go on now."

The dragon rummaged through his lair and tossed something toward her: a diamond the size of a fist. Strangely, every dragon Dianna visited had given her a token of some kind.

---

[Zmew] "Beautiful human, you never needed the help of dragons in the first place."

Deep within a subterranean cavern inhabited by dwarves, the Black Dragon spoke with a gentle expression.

[Zmew] "Dragons have already imparted their wisdom to humanity."

The Black Dragon smiled gently, retrieved a book from her nest, and presented it to her. It was a holy scripture, the kind commonly found in the Holy See.

[Dianna] "Must we overcome this through divine power? Or perhaps the strength of the Holy See?"

[Zmew] "The undead swarming there are monsters birthed when a foolish dragon of the past revived a deceased human. Once such an anomaly was created, the world remembered its existence and spawned similar abominations."

She closed her eyes in deep thought before speaking.

[Zmew] "Long ago, a dragon fell in love with a human and brought the human back from death. Yet though revived, the human never smiled again. The flesh continued to rot, and the body remained in a cold, undead state."

Dianna envisioned the sight. It matched the exact description of the undead she had seen.

[Zmew] "Foolishly, the revived human couldn't die by normal means. Magic proved useless, and sword thrusts failed to end its life. Having been brought back from death, dying again was impossible.

That horrific shell was no longer human. The dragon sought to grant the creature rest once more, yet found it impossible. And yet, in the end, it perished surprisingly easily."

Deep emotion tinged the dragon's voice.

[Zmew] "The creature happened to pass by a funeral where humans mourned and honored the deceased. Yes, that is right, Tarascus."

The dragon fixed her warm, golden eyes on Dianna.

[Zmew] "I was that foolish dragon."

The wise Black Dragon sighed gently.

[Dianna] "Then... must we offer prayers to God?"

Dianna spoke gravely. She had heard that faith held power against the undead, yet holy power was fundamentally similar to magic. Holy knights and spirit summoners specialized in fighting monsters, not the undead. Because undead appearances were rare throughout history, previous methods merely involved incapacitating them and leaving them in the sunlight to dry out.

[Zmew] "Sometimes, there is something far more powerful than swords and magic."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "Song."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "For the dead, one must sing a song intended for the deceased. A requiem derived from hymns praising God, bidding the departed to sleep in His embrace. It imparts the awareness of time and death."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "Sing a requiem for those pitiful resurrected souls. Then they will remember death and return to the earth. This is my aid, and the advice of dragonkind."

[Dianna] "Thank you."

Dianna bowed low with genuine gratitude. The dragon blinked elegantly.

[Zmew] "Tell me, do you harbor no worries? The lifespan of a dragon slayer differs vastly from yours."

[Dianna] "Does Guiscard's lifespan truly match that of a dragon?"

[Zmew] "Indeed. Slaying a dragon and bathing in its blood transfers the dragon's vitality directly into the human. Thus, that human becomes immortal."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "It was a method devised by a foolish dragon who wished for a mortal to live alongside it. By pouring all its life force into blood, it aimed to protect and extend the life of the human it loved. Yet since one of them ultimately perished, it was hardly a happy ending."

Zmew smiled bitterly.

Guiscard's lifespan is prolonged... What a cruel reality.

Dianna looked at the dragon, who seemed consumed by solitude. All dragons suffered from mismatched lifespans, unable to share the same journey with those they loved.

Was it not a curse?

Dianna bit her lip.

[Dianna] "The founding king of Lodbrog was a dragon slayer, was he not? Yet he is dead now."

[Zmew] "..."

[Dianna] "Which means a way to die must exist."

Arunkel might have faked his death and vanished from the world, of course. Yet it was strange that those who possessed immortality left no further trace in history.

[Zmew] "Choosing death is no easy feat for the living."

Choosing death was both difficult and simple. Dianna knew this better than anyone.

[Dianna] "If life grows weary one day, he will choose death. Leaving me behind first will bring him sorrow, but that is his burden to bear. I am fine, and Guiscard will be fine as well."

Dianna chose her words carefully. The dragon blinked her massive eyes slowly, her mouth curving into a smile.

Tarascus spoke coldly.

[Taras] "Zmew, don't test this creature so recklessly."

[Zmew] "Forgive me. It has been so long since I conversed with a human that I was carried away. Besides, Arunkel... I never expected to hear his name again."

The dragon chuckled, the low rumble startling Dianna.

[Zmew] "Yes, Arunkel was the first human to become immortal. After a foolish dragon risked its life to grant him immortality, he audaciously chose death."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "A human can't endure watching fellow mortals wither and die around them. Dragons and humans are no different in that regard. When an immortal chooses death, the attribute ends, and they may return to the soil."

[Dianna] "..."

[Zmew] "Yes, your lover will be able to die when his time comes. So worry not, and love him freely."

Dianna nodded.

[Dianna] "Thank you, noble dragon. I will never forget this."

The dragon watched her with warm eyes. As Dianna stepped out of the cavern, Zmew called out to Tarascus.

[Zmew] "Tarascus, it seems it is now your turn to face punishment."

Tarascus remained silent.

[Zmew] "How does it feel to harbor affection for a creature? Does she appear as an innocent child to you? Or does she terrify you?"

Tarascus' silver-blue eyes wavered.

[Zmew] "To see emotion ripple across your face... Fafnir would have delighted in this."

Tarascus said nothing.

[Zmew] "Ruler of time, creator of both dragon and human... Now you, too, shall fear the endless expanse of eternity."

Tarascus stayed silent.

[Zmew] "You will hurt longer and deeper than any of us."

The dragon blinked slowly.

[Zmew] "Why did you mold humans in the image of our second form? Why did you create them to resemble us so closely?"

Resentment laced Zmew's voice.

[Taras] "I have cast a curse upon you all."

Tarascus' expression darkened. Though he appeared as a boy with long limbs, his demeanor grew increasingly gloomy.

---

The Pope of the Holy See had already been replaced, just as Dianna intended. Perhaps because of the seeds she had sown, the Holy See readily accepted her request for cooperation.

[Akra] "Though our beliefs may differ, the path we must walk is one of tolerance and inclusion."

Priest Akra took Dianna's hand.

[Akra] "We rose to our positions within the Holy See precisely to prevent folly. Should Lodbrog fall, the aftermath will inevitably reach us."

[Dianna] "..."

[Akra] "Dianna Brienne, we have already accepted King Lodbrog's request for assistance. We will dispatch the choir as support."

Dianna nodded. Just as she expressed her gratitude, Akra spoke again.

[Akra] "Dianna Brienne... Both last time and now, you have changed quite a bit."

[Dianna] "Pardon?"

[Akra] "You have become bolder and even more beautiful."

[Dianna] "..."

[Akra] "And yet, a strange, sinister aura still clings to you. It is quite peculiar."

[Dianna] "What?"

[Akra] "Ah, forgive my words. You are not such a person... At any rate, I shall instruct the choir to practice the requiem thoroughly."

It was clearly a compliment, yet it felt odd. Dianna pondered his words as she examined the energy within her.

---

With the choir assembled, they required a device capable of amplifying sound across the vast open plains.

[Adelheit] "You want the Mage Tower to craft this?"

He adjusted his glasses and greeted Dianna.

She nodded. When she recounted her encounter with the dragons, his expression darkened.

[Adelheit] "Dianna, do you... consider me a friend?"

[Dianna] "..."

[Adelheit] "If you were going to meet dragons, you should have taken me along!"

He shouted in frustration.

When Dianna rummaged through her robes and offered the gifts from the dragons, he pouted and turned them down.

[Adelheit] "You must bring me with you next time."

Regardless, Adelheit directed the Mage Tower to research sound amplification alongside offensive magic. Exactly one month remained.

[Adelheit] "That aside... you are remarkable."

[Dianna] "In what way?"

[Adelheit] "I had no idea you possessed such resolve. You have changed immensely."

Have I?

Everyone she met praised her. What was it? What had changed? Her grandfather, Akra, and now Adelheit all insisted she was different.

[Dianna] "Is it a change for the better?"

[Adelheit] "Of course. You are so radiant it is almost blinding. Beautiful."

What made the difference? Dianna reflected deeply before coming to a single conclusion.

[Dianna] "Perhaps it is because I am living as I wish, following my heart. Giving it my absolute all."

[Adelheit] "..."

[Dianna] "Even now, I am protecting that foolish man because my heart demands it. I am loving him with everything I have."

Yes, that was it. Dianna acted according to her true desires. Without constraints or hesitation, she gave her best. Unlike her past life, where she hastily chose suicide, this time she refused to fall for Guiscard's lie and steadfastly loved him.

There was no way a woman living such a life could be anything less than beautiful.

---

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