Chapter 62

The next day, it was decided that people I found even more troublesome would be my sparring partners.

“Why… Why am I being forced to face the current Dragon Emperor and Gwyber at the same time!?”

Yes, today’s sparring partners were the Royal Couple. Moreover, it was a two-on-one situation, putting me at a massive disadvantage.

“It was our daughter’s request. I wish to cooperate in any way I can, so here I am,” the Emperor said.

“I have the most experience in sparring with Mother. Therefore, I believe I can offer various pieces of advice,” Gwyber added.

I appreciated the sentiment, but after the struggle with Orm yesterday, facing both of them simultaneously was just too much.

“But Ryu! Didn’t you say you wanted to fight the strongest dragons possible to gain strength?”

“I did, Ouka. But I think this is overkill.”

To be honest, I was already exhausted from yesterday, so doing this today was rough.

“By the way, Ouka, who’s stronger: Orm or the Dragon Emperor?”

“Lord Orm is stronger. However, Father and Mother’s combination is incredibly powerful.”

I guess it’s a case where their power doubles when they’re together.

“Ah… so today I’m just going to get pulverized by the ‘Couples Combo,’ huh?”

I was already feeling dejected.

“Ryu, you are to become my son-in-law, so pull yourself together,” Gwyber scolded.

“Indeed. Ryu, you are to be our daughter’s fiancé. I cannot give Ouka to a man who flinches before a strong foe.”

“Whose side are you two even on?! Wait, are you actually assassins sent by Tiamat!?”

If you just listened to the dialogue, they sounded like they were on Tiamat’s team.

“I am on no one’s side. If I had to say, I am on Ouka’s side.”

“A parent’s job is to support the choices their child has made.”

They were doting parents—total fools for their daughter.

“This is embarrassing, so stop it already!”

Look, your daughter hates it. You doting couple.

“Shall we begin?”

“Indeed.”

“Yes.”

We all took our stances, and the two-on-one sparring began.

Night fell after the training ended.

『Ryu, what’s wrong?』

『Papa, did something bad happen?』

I was hugging Ril and Karin in their beast forms. The “Doting Couple Combo” had been ruthlessly exhausting.

Ril and Karin had teamed up against me before, but today I was shown what a true combination looked like. If I landed a hit on the Dragon Emperor, Gwyber would immediately cover him, and vice versa. My stamina was whittled down to nothing, and the result was my total defeat.

Having returned to my room, I was seeking comfort by hugging Ril and Karin.

“The sparring with the Dragon Emperor and his wife was brutal.”

『Did you lose?』

“Yes, pathetically.”

『I thought Papa would win, though?』

Karin, that’s expecting way too much. Even I can’t beat two monstrous dragons at once.

『Ryu, you don’t fight with your full power when it’s against family, do you?』

“What do you mean, Ril?”

I thought I was fighting seriously?

『Because when you fight family, you hold back so you won’t hurt them.』

『Ah, I get that! Papa doesn’t hit us or Ouka-chan with his full strength during practice, does he?』

“We’re talking about sparring, right?”

I thought I was punching normally, but…

『It’s probably unconscious. “They’re precious, so I don’t want to hurt them. They’re important, so I don’t want to break them.” You’re thinking that somewhere in your heart, aren’t you?』

That… was likely true. There was no way I could punch my precious wives, my family, Grandfather, or the Pack Leader with the intent to kill. I suppose that translated into holding back.

『It’s not a bad thing, but in a “family squabble” like this one, you’ll lose immediately.』

Ril concluded.

“I wish you hadn’t said that when I’m in the mood to be pampered.”

Now I couldn’t even enjoy the snuggling properly.

『Then let’s just sleep together like this. It’ll help Papa feel at ease, right?』

『That sounds good. You don’t mind, do you, Ryu?』

“Not at all.”

Sleeping with my wives. Where was the problem in that? There wasn’t one.

“Well then, goodnight.”

『Goodnight.』

『Goodnight~!』

Ril and Karin spoke as they drifted off. I thought about it for a bit.

When was the last time I remembered hitting someone I cared about with everything I had…? Was it the fight with Dahaka? Back then, we only became friends after the fight; I didn’t have those feelings when we first met. I grew to like him while we were trying to kill each other, and we became “dachi” once it was over.

…I ended up in a death match with the guy I wanted to be friends with.

…Maybe I should try crashing into people with a “thud” once in a while.