"Why is this happening? It's so scary. Sister, please come save me..."
Barbara trembled as she looked at the dragon before her.
The moment she learned she had been chosen by the dragon, she nearly fainted from fear. On her way there, she had already imagined no less than ten tragic endings for herself.
(I'd love to run away if I could.)
But in that case, the entire city would suffer — even though the Lawrence family didn't care about the people.
However, she was a girl from the Gunnhild family, and she couldn't just stand by and ignore the people's crisis.
"Come on, Barbara, you can do this!"
Although her heart was filled with anxiety, when she saw the dragon up close, she became so terrified that her legs trembled, and she nearly wet herself on the spot.
"Stay there. As long as you don't move, I won't do anything to your hair."
"Eh?"
After saying that, Dvalin lay down and started to sleep. Barbara was stunned for a moment — she had thought she'd be devoured by the dragon.
In truth, the treatment was unexpectedly good.
But being so close to the dragon, the magical aura exuded by Dvalin frightened her deeply.
It was an unavoidable biological instinct — the suppression caused by the natural gap between humans and dragons. According to legend, only those who can ignore a dragon's power are considered true heroes worthy of challenging it.
For example...
At that moment, a blonde-haired girl was chained up and thrown to the side.
"Are you okay?"
"Um? Who are you?"
"I'm Barbara, a deaconess of the Church of Favonius."
"Oh, right. My name is Lumine. Can you help me while this dragon is asleep?"
Lumine looked Barbara up and down.
There was little hope that the girl's delicate little hands could break the chains, but since her entire body ached, she desperately needed help.
"Um... I'll help you now."
"Please, please. Especially my butt... it's burning for some reason."
"Right... Huh? Why is there a ten-centimeter-long needle stuck in your butt?"
Barbara looked in confusion at the spot Lumine had pointed out. There was a silver needle lodged in the left side of Lumine's rear — it was thick, large, and gleamed with a cold light. She immediately pulled the needle out.
Puff!
"Gyah!"
Lumine jolted violently and almost burst into tears from the pain.
"Okay, I'll stop the bleeding now."
"Please... once I find out who suddenly attacked me..."
Lumine muttered reluctantly.
She was a traveler in search of her older brother, who had disappeared somewhere in the world.
While passing through Mondstadt, she got caught up in an unexpected incident — the dragon disaster. With a heart full of justice, Lumine couldn't simply sit idly by.
She had raised her sword to fight the evil dragon. She was about to win, but then was struck in the butt by a needle that came flying out of nowhere — and was instantly defeated.
However, she noticed something odd.
First: the dragon wasn't taking the fight seriously. He didn't even use his most powerful magic, as if he were worried about hurting civilians.
Second: she had no idea who fired the needle. It was far too suspicious to be a coincidence. She felt someone was secretly watching and interfering in the incident.
Third: the dragon didn't kill her.
(There's some kind of conspiracy. This incident probably isn't as simple as it looks, she thought.)
"Why haven't you stopped the bleeding yet?" she asked.
The corners of her eyes twitched as she looked back at her still-bleeding rear. She stared at Barbara beside her, speechless.
"Sorry!" Barbara apologized quickly.
She had no bandages to help stop the bleeding. Even when trying to use healing magic, she failed several times due to the influence of Dvalin's magical aura.
As a result, the wound wouldn't close — and water had spilled on her, leaving her body soaked.
"Maybe it would've been better not to pull the needle out completely. If you keep it in, it might stop the bleeding."
"Really? Got it! I'll help put it back in now!"
"Wait, wait—Gyah!!"
Lumine rolled her eyes and nearly fainted.
Her eyelids twitched as she stared at Barbara, who looked innocent. She thought the girl must be a complete idiot.
In the end, if Dvalin hadn't woken up in time and cast a healing spell on Lumine, the blonde girl might have been tortured to death by Barbara.
At dusk.
Dvalin woke up and continued tormenting the Lawrence family.
"I'm hungry. Bring me one hundred people to eat."
"Eat humans?!"
"What, is there a problem with dragons eating humans?"
"N-No, of course not!"
"I already said I'm not interested in ordinary people without magical powers. I want to eat people with magic."
After saying those words, the members of the Lawrence family nearly died of fright. The dragon had clearly stated he only wanted to eat nobles!
As they debated whether to sacrifice some relatives to fill the dragon's belly and ensure their survival until the next meal, they suddenly remembered: the magic users in Mondstadt weren't only from their family. There was another group of nobles locked away in their dungeon.
They quickly sent someone to bring all the members of the Gunnhild family — not one more, not one less — exactly one hundred people. Enough for a satisfying meal for the evil dragon.
Then came the terrifying question:
(What about the next meal?)
Would they have to choose someone from their own family next?
That thought left them shocked and horrified.
They looked with resentment toward the distant horizon, where the small countries they called allies lay.
The dragon had made such a ruckus that it was impossible their allies hadn't noticed — yet, after three days, no help had arrived.
After all, no one in their right mind would voluntarily provoke a dragon. If they helped Mondstadt, their own kingdoms might face destruction.
Everyone in Mondstadt was terrified of spending the rest of their lives under the dragon's oppressive rule.
"Haaaahhhhhhh——!!!"
A young man's voice roared from the horizon, and he tore open the massive tornado that had been blocking the city of Mondstadt.
Everyone stared in astonishment.
They saw a handsome boy floating in the air, pointing the magical sword in his hand directly at the dragon.
It was their prince!
"I am Leon Fol Palettia, the second prince of this kingdom! Now stand down — you can't keep acting like this! I will save the people of Mondstadt!"
Everyone admired the powerful and commanding young man.
The flames of hope reignited in their hearts.
"Your Highness! His Highness has returned!"
"We're saved!"
"If it's Prince Leon, he can definitely defeat the dragon!"
"Woooo!! Long live Prince Leon!!"
Following Leon into the city were also the [Knights of Favonius], led by Jean. They immediately moved to protect the civilians and keep them away from the coming battle.
This would be the [end of this chapter]:
The evil dragon versus the dragon-slaying prince.
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."