The Dragon Slayer Who Regressed After 1,000 Years - Chapter 3

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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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The Dragon Slayer Returns After 1,000 Years — Episode 3
Have you ever seen a dragon bow its head before a human?
Of course, before the Regression, Cain had witnessed it many times.
He’d driven them into agony with such overwhelming force that he could tear dragons to pieces.
‘But I never expected they’d bend so easily at the mere word “Seer”.’
He already knew the rough outline of what a Seer was.
The prophecy that a Seer would save dragons from Ruin was a tale that had circulated even in the original era.
‘So when the Seer lost the Seer’s Eye, the Lord destroyed the Asel Kingdom out of spite.’
In his previous life, when Arcadion awoke from sleep, he learned that the Beratus Knights Order had subjugated the dragon and the Relic had vanished.
After tracking it down, he discovered the Relic was in the Asel Kingdom, and in the end—
‘He had the Red Dragon burn the entire kingdom to ash.’
All that destruction over a single lost Relic. Such madness was unforgivable.
It could not be pardoned.
Because his mother had died because of that creature.
‘This time, I will protect her. No matter what.’
To do that, he had posed as a Seer.
Even dragons would not dare treat a Seer carelessly.
“Beratus. Soon, a subjugation squad will arrive.”
[A subjugation squad… you say?]
“The Dimitri Knights Order — skilled Sword Masters who will come to hunt you down and kill you.”
[Sword Masters…!]
From the reaction, it was clear the dragon knew.
It understood how formidable Sword Masters were.
“They will kill you.”
This was fact.
He didn’t need the Seer’s Eye to know it.
It had already happened before the Regression.
“However, do not despair. I can save you.”
[Is that… truly so?]
Cain extended his hand to the dragon.
“Make a Subordination Contract with me. Then I shall look after you.”
At those words, Beratus blinked its enormous eyes.
Regardless of being a Seer, the appearance was still human.
How could any self-respecting dragon enter into a contract that placed it beneath a human?
A dragon that stood at the apex of the food chain, no less.
[That is… a bit sudden for me to agree to right now….]
“Then what would you prefer?”
[How about this, instead? I could confirm whether human knights truly come. After that, we might make the Subordination Contract….]
“You doubt me.”
[Ah, n-no! I’m not doubting you, Seer… I simply need to be certain….]
“I understand. The price you must pay is what matters.”
[A price…?]
Cain cast his gaze slowly across the treasures that lay beyond the dragon.
“What you hold dear — that is the price. Give me your treasure, and then I shall believe you.”
Beratus’s eyes widened, but the dragon soon had no choice but to nod.
‘Good. The hook has been cast.’
Cain looked down at the dragon with its bowed head.
Fearful, naive, foolish — a 1,200-year-old child playing in the palm of a man’s hand.
In human terms, barely twelve years old.
‘But do not forget.’
This creature was a monster that devoured villagers every two years.
Cain’s eyes went cold.
‘Once the Subordination Contract is made and the creature has served its purpose—’
Then.
‘Your heart shall be mine.’

* * *
“Honestly, I’m telling you the truth! Cain would never lie about something like that!”
“It’s just that what you’re saying sounds hard to believe.”
“Then when the Village Chief arrives, you can ask him directly— Oh, look, here he comes now. Village Chief!”
Jake rushed toward the Village Chief as he returned to the village.
“Chief! Tell me the truth. Where did you take Cain? Did you really offer him as a sacrifice to the dragon?”
“What’s gotten into this fool? A sacrifice?”
“You heard what Cain said earlier, didn’t you?”
“You can’t possibly believe that nonsense. Pathetic.”
“Then where is Cain?”
“Where else? By now he’s probably left for the kingdom in search of work! He was delighted when he departed—said he’d found himself a new position!”
“Cain? That can’t be right….”
Serena stepped forward, leaving Jake’s disbelief behind.
“Chief, is what you just said true?”
“Of course it’s true. Would I lie?”
“Everyone in the village knows Cain is a filial son. Are you telling me he left without even saying goodbye to me? Did you take my friend’s job opportunity out of spite?”
The Village Chief’s face hardened.
Serena’s eyes turned cold.
So did those of the villagers standing beside her.
“Tell us what really happened. Where is Cain right now?”
“Where is he? Like I said, he’s already gone to the kingdom—”
“Wait, isn’t that Cain?”
The Village Chief’s head whipped around at those words.
Cain was indeed walking toward them.
The boy who should have become the dragon’s meal by now stood there, alive and unharmed.
“Cain!”
Serena rushed forward and pulled him into an embrace.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine.”
“What happened? Why did you chase after Jake?”
“To stop the Chief.”
Cain’s voice was cold as he gazed at the Village Chief.
“The Chief has been offering villagers as sacrifices to the dragon every two years.”
“So it’s really true, then—”
“Nonsense!”
The Village Chief bellowed and launched into a passionate defense before the gathered villagers.
“The boy is lying! These days he just meditates in his corner, doing nothing, until his head fills with delusions and fantasies!”
“Chief! Are you saying my son is insane?”
“Absolutely mad! Spouting insane drivel about people who got jobs being turned into sacrifices—if that’s not madness, what is?”
“Then what about those people who found work? Why haven’t they been seen since? Wouldn’t they have come back to visit the village by now? That doesn’t make sense!”
Jake pressed his counterargument, but the Village Chief was equally unyielding.
“They must be satisfied with life in the kingdom! Why would anyone miss this backwater village when they’re living in luxury like that?”
Murmuring rippled through the crowd of villagers.
“Something feels off…”
“And the way he’s getting so worked up about such absurd talk…”
The Village Chief fell silent.
In his rush to respond, he’d only dug himself deeper into a hole.
It was then that Cain spoke calmly.
“Knights will arrive soon.”
“Knights?”
“What are you saying, Cain?”
“Knights who’ve come to slay the dragon, most likely.”
The villagers doubted their own ears.
“Why would knights have any business with a small village like ours?”
“Chief, are you certain of what you’ve said? This boy’s been spouting such ridiculous nonsense that I can’t listen anymore.”
As the tide turned swiftly, a smug smile bloomed at the corner of the Village Chief’s mouth.
“Didn’t I tell you? The boy’s delusions are severe, didn’t I? In my whole life I’ve never seen a knight enter this village, so how could—”
It was then.
The Village Chief’s eyes widened.
The clang and rattle of armor pierced the ears of every villager.
“K-knights.”
“They really did come.”
Though the villagers had never seen knights in their lives, they recognized them instantly.
The magnificent glint of armor they’d only heard of in fairy tales now stood before their eyes.
About twenty knights in full armor dismounted from their horses.
The knight whose armor gleamed brightest among them stepped forward and knelt.
Before Serena herself.
“We have come to escort Her Highness the Princess.”
“We have come to escort Her Highness the Princess!”
At the captain’s opening words, the other knights knelt in unison.
“What—a princess…?”
“Could it be Serena…?”
The mouths of the onlooking villagers fell open in shock.
Among the astounded villagers, only Serena and Cain remained composed.
“Please, rise, Dimitri.”
“Your Highness. The time has come. King Asel has passed away.”
Serena’s eyes trembled violently.
“My… my father?”
“Yes. The First Prince has ascended to the throne in his stead. The factions that threatened Your Highness have all been dealt with. There is no need to remain hidden in a place such as this any longer. Return with me to the Royal Capital.”
Serena, struck speechless by the shock, received more astonishing news through Dimitri’s voice.
“And bringing the knights here also served another purpose—we came to suppress a green dragon whose lair lay in this region. Yet when we arrived, the lair was already empty. No dragon, no treasure, not even a trace remained.”
At those words, Cain smiled inwardly.
‘Moved it all exactly as instructed.’
“Wait, just a moment. So you’re saying… there was a dragon in this area?”
“Yes. We discovered skeletal remains within the lair, which led us to suspect the creature may have devoured one of the villagers, but…”
Dimitri swept his gaze across the assembled villagers and continued.
“Is it not true that someone from this village ventured out recently and never returned?”
At his words, every eye in the village turned toward the Village Chief.
“He said he’d find us work…”
“Cain was right… it wasn’t work at all—he was sending us as offerings to the dragon…”
“No, no—what are you saying, all of you? Come to your senses—”
“Wait.”
Dimitri cut off the Village Chief’s words, his eyes sharpening.
“Offerings to the dragon? What do you mean? What has happened in this village?”
The answer came from Jake.
“You see, sir knight. Every two years in our village…”
As Dimitri listened to the unfolding account, his brow furrowed at the Village Chief.
“Sacrificing your own villagers? How could you?”
“No, no—it’s a misunderstanding, sir knight! I have never done such a thing—”
“Then name the person who offered to introduce your villagers to positions in the royal service.”
…
The Village Chief’s words died in his throat, and he fell prostrate on the ground.
“I have sinned! I have made a terrible mistake! But what choice did I have?”
The Village Chief began to confess everything that had transpired.
“Fifteen years ago, a dragon came to our village. Without warning, it threatened us—if we did not offer one human every two years, it would devour every soul in the village. I was terrified, and my duty to protect the village weighed upon me, so I agreed. But even so… I never should have used the villagers as sacrifice. Forgive me, I beg you!”
His form, prostrate on the ground and begging for his life, was almost pitiful to behold.
Everyone fell silent at his words about an unavoidable choice made for the village’s sake—but then.
“A lie.”
Cain scoffed, upending the narrative with his words.
“The dragon didn’t come to the village—you encroached upon its territory. Then when you faced death, you begged for your life by offering the villagers as sacrifices.”
…
The Village Chief’s frozen silence was answer enough.
His excuse was nothing but a fabrication.
Serena’s eyes, which had flickered with a moment of pity, turned to ice.
“Village Chief. Is what Cain says the truth?”
“I… that is…”
Shink—
A blade pressed against the Village Chief’s throat.
“Confess the truth before Her Highness the Princess.”
“Yes… yes, it is true! I have committed an unforgivable sin! I am deeply sorry!”
Serena was not alone in being shaken by the Village Chief’s confession.
“The Village Chief… sold us out? To save himself…?”
“We were deceived. A traitor…”
The shock of betrayal by someone they had trusted swept through the entire village.
Serena sighed and turned away.
“I simply can’t bear to look at it. Handle it yourself, please.”
“Se-Serena! No, Your Highness! I beg you, please…!”
Despite the Village Chief’s final plea, Serena merely turned from him with cold indifference.

* * *
Scritch.
Cain watched the Village Chief’s execution with an unwavering gaze.
No one in the village raised objection to the judgment.
Then a woman fell to her knees, her body shaking with sobs.
“Martin… my Martin….”
It was Martin’s mother.
Five years ago, she had eagerly packed his lunch when he left for the Royal Capital, her hands trembling with hope for her son’s future.
Cain’s gaze lingered on her for a moment.
He wanted to say something—anything—but telling her what had become of Martin would be like killing her twice over.
Cain turned away in silence.
‘If it weren’t for Beratus, I never would have known the truth of it all.’
It was thanks to Beratus, who had been watching in the form of a forest spirit, that the Village Chief’s lie had been exposed.
―That shameless old man, spouting his lies so brazenly. And yet it was he who crawled into my domain first!
That voice, audible only to Cain, had made it possible to uncover the Village Chief’s crime.
“Beratus. Will you believe me now?”
[Yes. So the Sword Masters really did come to kill me after all!]
The excitement in that voice made it clear he had come over completely.
“Then let us seal the Subordination Contract as promised. I shall grant you salvation.”
[Understood! I shall trust only in you, Seer!]
While his mother went to gather her things, Cain bound himself to Beratus with the contract.
[I, Beratus of the dragon race, do swear that until my last breath I shall serve Cain with absolute loyalty as his servant.]
“I, Cain Asel, do accept Beratus as my servant and swear to shield him from ruin and destruction.”
With those words, the Subordination Contract was sealed.
“Beratus. I would ask you one thing.”
[Speak, I beg you.]
“How many have you devoured in this village over the years?”
[Seven.]
“Do you remember any of them?”
[Dragons do not forget.]
Beratus tilted his leaf-crowned head.
[Three years ago, there was a woman named Karen. She was thrilled, heading to the Royal Capital to earn money for her younger brother’s medicine.]
“…….”
[Five years ago, there was a young man called Martin. He was leaving for his wedding, carrying a ring in his breast pocket—a gift for his bride. That ring still rests in my treasure hoard.]
“…….”
[Ah, and seven years ago there was….]
“Enough.”
Cain cut off Beratus’s words.
His hands trembled slightly.
The names conjured faces in his mind.
Karen was the neighbor girl who had once shared a piece of bread with him as a child; Martin was the older boy who had taught him archery at the village entrance.
[Seer? Why do you react so? If you wish to hear more….]
“That is all.”
Cain gave that answer, but inside he made a vow.
‘This creature is nothing but a dragon who savors human flesh as a delicacy.’
One day, without fail.

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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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