I'll Stop Regressing and Raise a Baby Dragon - Chapter 33

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 33
Snap—
Luke spoke harshly, snatching the pen away in one fluid motion.
He drove the pen straight through his own finger.
In the blink of an eye, his finger turned a deep purple.
‘So it’s designed to inject poison when the mechanism is triggered.’
He tucked the pen into his coat and began chanting a Detoxification spell.
After casting several Detoxification spells, the pain receded.
“H-how could you do that directly…….”
Kael trembled violently, shocked by Luke’s reckless action.
“Where’s the new laboratory?”
Luke ignored his words and posed his own question.
…….
Kael glared at him with glistening eyes.
Then, instead of answering, he bit down hard on his own tongue.
“Urgh, agh!”
He’d bitten so hard that blood sprayed from his mouth as the pain tore out of him.
Luke immediately cast Recovery Magic on him.
“I wouldn’t recommend thinking about dying too easily.”
“……Ha, haah, M-master. Despite appearances, you’re rather foolish, aren’t you?”
Kael understood that his life was now entirely in Luke’s hands.
He laughed bitterly.
“Surely someone causing this much trouble would know something like that?”
“Guess I’ll have to find out for myself.”
Luke lifted him into the air.
Together they returned to the Mansion.
“You’re wasting time. From the moment I said I’d bring ‘that’—”
Crack—
One of Kael’s legs twisted grotesquely mid-sentence.
“Aaaahhh!”
Kael let out a piercing scream.
His cry was cut short only by Luke’s magic.
“It’s Eria, not ‘that.'”
Luke’s voice came slow and precise, laden with murderous intent.
Kael’s mouth clamped shut; he had no words left for defiance.
Only thick tears rolled down his cheeks as he nodded desperately.
“Listening to you babble in that pathetic voice makes my ears ache.”
Best to lock him in the Underground Dungeon for a day, then face him again later.
Luke descended gently to the ground.
Kael remained suspended in the air, writhing in agony.
“Kai.”
When Luke landed, he saw Kai standing there with blood smeared across his cheek.
Incapacitated intruders lay scattered around him.
There seemed to be far more of them than Kael’s contingent.
…….
Kai nodded wordlessly and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.
Yet the bloodstain only smeared further across his skin.
He brushed off his clothes and bowed lightly to Luke.
Despite having harmed humans for the first time, there was no tremor in him whatsoever.
Kai bore the form of a beautiful, innocent child.
But his true nature was not human—he felt nothing in particular about it.
“There is no unusual presence around the Mansion.”
When Kai raised his head, his eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light.
Luke fixed his gaze on those eyes—vertical, slit-like, bestial in their geometry.
A strange weight pressed down upon his mind.
Not the presence of a living, breathing creature, but something like standing before a god—a pressure that defied comprehension.
“Well done.”
Luke spoke without inflection.
Though the dragon was undeniably the supreme force Luke could never surpass,
at least in this moment, Luke was certain he could restrain him.
Even if a vast gap opened up between them later, it wouldn’t matter.
The Brand.
Because of it, Kai could not harm Luke or those dear to him.
“Behind you, there are corpses not just here—but scattered through the forest as well.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll show you where to dispose of them. Leave the rest to me.”
“What are you planning to do with ‘that’?”
Kai glanced toward Kael, who was drifting about in an undignified heap.
Kael’s body flinched when he realized he’d been addressed.
He flapped his mouth soundlessly and threw punches at empty air.
He seemed desperate to scream that he was not someone to be dismissed as mere ‘that’.
Luke kicked Kael’s remaining leg without mercy.
“……!”
Luke spoke with utter indifference as Kael thrashed about.
“I’ll throw him in the Underground Dungeon for now. I’ll interrogate him myself later.”
“Understood.”
As Kai bowed his head, Luke left without hesitation.
Left alone in the vast grounds, Kai gazed toward the Mansion and thought.
‘Eria.’
He wanted to see her.
He recalled the last conversation he’d had with Eria.
‘No matter what happens, you must only listen to the Duke. Always.’
When he’d asked why, Eria tilted her round face thoughtfully.
‘It’s because of the Brand… that. I’ll explain it to you later.’
Her voice, so pleasant to hear.
He wanted to go to her at once and see her again.
Without anyone to interfere, just the two of them.
‘It seems she’s talking with that person right now.’
That fake family, registered in name only.
Edward, who’d given off a strange scent and peculiar atmosphere from their first meeting.
“……I don’t like it.”
But he had to endure it.
If he wanted to keep receiving Eria’s affection.
He suppressed the something rising up inside him, fierce and hot.
And moved to do what he’d been tasked with.
He wanted it finished as quickly as possible.
***
Four days after the so-called ‘Kael Incident’ had concluded.
Luke called Kai to his study.
He said he had something to discuss—so I wondered what it could be.
“A visit to the Magic Tower?”
To suddenly head to the Magic Tower?
“There are two main reasons.”
Luke spoke while still reviewing documents, us seated side by side on the sofa.
“First, I intend to seek a way to break Edward’s curse at the Magic Tower.”
Ah, if that’s the reason, it makes sense.
Their facilities would certainly be superior to the Duke’s estate.
“Won’t Edward be going with us?”
“No.”
“Wouldn’t bringing the person directly affected help more with Dark Magic research?”
“Observation alone is sufficient at this stage.”
In other words: his abilities are sharp enough that he doesn’t need it.
“Of course… if necessary, I do plan to summon him. But.”
Luke paused briefly before continuing.
“I don’t want to give false hope when there’s nothing I can do.”
……Luke thought the same way I did.
I understood.
No matter how far the Magic Tower reaches at the pinnacle of magical knowledge, this lies in uncharted territory.
Research conducted with no foundation whatsoever couldn’t possibly run smoothly.
Besides.
The longer we wait, the more Edward will suffer.
“Of course. I hope we can break the curse soon.”
“Right. And the second reason is.”
Luke broke off, lowering his eyes from the documents.
He turned his gaze toward Kai.
“The Magic Tower intends to conduct dragon research in secret.”
“……I’m sorry?”
That doesn’t seem right.
What kind of research would they want to do?
‘I can’t let him go through anything like that again.’
I couldn’t subject Kai to such an experience ever again.
I rose from my seat, ready to voice a quick objection.
But then.
Kai gently stopped me, placing his hand over mine.
“…….”
While I stood flustered, unable to say a word, staring only at Kai.
“What sort of research, sir?”
He rose from his seat, their hands clasped together, and asked.
“The plan is to focus mainly on measuring physical ability levels.”
“Is there a particular purpose?”
“It will be documented in the official report we submit to the Imperial Palace regarding you and Eria.”
“Is there anything else besides that?”
Hearing Kai’s question, Luke lowered the documents he’d been reading.
He looked between the two of us, his gaze lingering mostly on me.
“Ah, I see I’ve made a misleading statement.”
He apologized to me with an awkward expression.
“Eria, I’m sorry. I failed to explain it properly.”
“……No, it’s fine.”
The words spilled out as if I were entranced.
Kai gently stroked the back of my hand.
A touch that seemed to comfort me—telling me it was all right, not to worry.
Feeling the cool, pleasant warmth of Kai’s hand at just the right temperature.
A ticklish sensation stirred within me.
It seemed to come from the back of my hand.
That slow, unhurried stroke—neither too fast nor too slow—was making my skin tingle.
‘……I should have asked first.’
Only then did I realize that Kai had stepped in for me.
Had I really been that obvious in losing my composure?
I shouldn’t have let that happen. I’d made a foolish mistake.
“Eria.”
“……Yes.”
“I swear I will not commit any act that could bring harm to Kaiden.”
Luke spoke with unwavering certainty.
He immediately began to explain in detail.
Which abilities would be measured and how.
And he added that I would accompany Kai for all the measurements.
“Understood, Duke. Thank you for your consideration.”
After such thorough explanation, I couldn’t refuse.
“Then I’ll take it that you both consent.”
The moment the conversation ended, Luke opened a drawer.
“Now let’s set a date for the visit.”
With those words, he withdrew a golden parchment from the drawer.
He handed it to me and spoke.
“It would be best to schedule it before the date written there.”
As I took the parchment, I asked him.
“What is this?”
“An Imperial invitation addressed to you, Eria.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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