The Friend Who Betrayed Me

“Guuooooaaaarghhhhh!”

“Grrrrruuuuuoaaarghhh!”

About ten minutes had passed since the curtain rose on the battle between the Black Dragon and the White Dragon.

The dragons drove their fangs and claws into each other’s bodies, armored in tough scales, and waged their fight.

Their bodies were already stained with red blood, yet the fighting spirit of the two dragons did not wane as they clashed violently.

“A-amazing…”

Patricia, watching from the viewing seats Jonah had arranged, murmured softly.

Though she was only eighteen, Patricia had commanded many soldiers as a general and had already seen her first battle.

She had fought in battles numbering over a thousand, but compared to the duel of two dragons, human-to-human warfare seemed so insignificant.

Patricia stared at the Black and White Dragons, bit her lip, ashamed of how she’d once taken pride in being hailed as the “Silver Sword Princess.”

But an ordinary person would watch a dragon fight and see it as something from another world, never comparing themselves to it.

In other words, Patricia feeling frustration from comparing herself to legendary dragons was not ordinary either.

She was likely someone who could stand alongside the heroes of five hundred years ago.

Meanwhile, as for Henrik and Kuu, who were also watching the fight:

“Vuuuuuuu…!”

Kuu stood before the trembling, slumped Henrik, fixed a sharp gaze on the two dragons, and emitted a growl to intimidate them.

According to Fafnir, Kuu was a descendant of the Wolf King.

If so, the royal blood in his veins might be what stirred him to act so boldly.

Even if the opponent was a dragon.

In any case, all that remained was to watch the two dragons’ battle through to the end.

Jonah turned his gaze toward the stage and watched their movements.

He kept in mind that if Fafnir were to lose, he himself would have to fight.

“Guuuuooooaaaaarghhhhh!”

Lindwyrm pressed Fafnir’s head to the stage with its foreleg, leaning its full weight down.

Lindwyrm sank its fangs into the exposed neck of Fafnir.

“Gahf… gahf…!”

Fafnir writhed to escape, but Lindwyrm would not allow it.

If things continued like this, it would be Lindwyrm’s victory. That was how it appeared to Jonah and the others.

“Ahahaha! How is it? You understand now that you can’t beat me, right?”

“…You won’t know until the fight is over!”

“You can keep pretending, but Fafnir’s going to have their neck torn off by me! …So why don’t you just give up? Dealing with you is a hassle anyway.”

“……………………”

Lindwyrm spoke inside Fafnir’s head, urging surrender, but Fafnir fell silent.

That voice could be heard by Jonah and the others too, perhaps meaning they should try to persuade Fafnir.

But Jonah and the others had no intention of persuading Fafnir.

Whatever the outcome, the three humans and the one beast would simply accept it.

Then.

“Ah, for god’s sake! None of you understand anything!”

“…!?”

Suddenly Lindwyrm withdrew the fang it had driven into Fafnir’s neck and put some distance between them.

“…What’s this. If you’d kept at it, you could have slain me.”

“Like I said a dozen times! I don’t want to bother fighting you!”

“Then all the more reason to defeat me, is it not? Otherwise I will challenge you again and again.”

As Lindwyrm’s irritation grew, Fafnir smiled defiantly.

Fafnir was already battered and bruised, and understood that it could not defeat Lindwyrm in its current state.

“……………………”

“……………………”

The two dragons glared at each other, and a silence fell.

That said.

“……………………Hah, fine. I get it.”

That moment was immediately lost as Lindwyrm sighed and shook its head.

“As an old favor, I’ll kill you. Just like that friend who betrayed me… Lauri.”

Saying that, Lindwyrm wore an ugly grin unbefitting of a dragon.

At that moment.

“Huh…?”

Henrik stood up and let out a stunned sound.

His gaze fell upon Lindwyrm.

“Wait… Lauri… what does that mean…?”

“Henrik?”

“What’s wrong…?”

“Voou?”

With a dazed expression, Henrik staggered toward the edge of the viewing stand.

Jonah and the others called out to him, but Henrik seemed not to hear.

“Hey… say something. Tell me. …What do you mean you killed my fatherrrrrr!”

Henrik stared down at Lindwyrm and screamed.