My Tamed Beast Returned with a Dragon Chapter 80 - Speak. Then I’ll Spare Your Life

[Du……. It’s been a long time.]

Even as Marmore greeted him, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings. His perked-up ears caught every sound around him.

Seeing how extremely anxious Marmore was, Du tried to comfort him.

[It’s okay. I came alone. Have you been here the whole time?]

[No. After what happened to Lord Tadea…… I kept running away. From those scum who are worse than beasts.]

[Scum worse than beasts? You mean the Dragon Slayers?]

[That’s right. Lord Tadea never harmed humans. He was just living quietly in the snowy fields. Those bastards ruined everything.]

Marmore’s fur puffed up as thick tears rolled down his cheeks.

His longing for Tadea, his guilt over not being there in his final moments, and his rage toward humans all poured out together.

[Don’t cry, Marmore……. ]

Not knowing what to do, Du gently stroked Marmore’s back.

Du had never experienced losing a master, so he couldn’t even begin to imagine how deep Marmore’s despair must be.

[Um, Marmore. Are you going to stay here? How about coming with me to the Divine Realm?]

Du made the suggestion carefully.

[The World Tree will welcome you.]

[How could I live after leaving the snowy fields?]

Marmore shook his head and gazed at the snow-white hills with tear-filled eyes.

[This place is my home. I spent my whole life here with Lord Tadea.]

Seeing Marmore’s firm determination never to leave this place, Du nodded.

[All right. I won’t force you. But if you ever change your mind, call me anytime.]

After gently stroking Marmore’s head, Du hesitated before bringing up a rather uncomfortable subject.

[What exactly did they do to Lord Tadea?]

[He and I were living as we always had. Then, all of a sudden, the Dragon Slayers attacked.]

Contrary to Marmore’s fears, he began to tell the story calmly. He wanted someone, anyone, to know that Tadea’s death had been unjust.

[The one leading them wasn’t human or a god. It was something in between. A half-god. The humans called him “Lord Hayat.”]

[Hayat.]

Du committed the name to memory. It was important information he needed to tell Belquior.

[When the Dragon Slayers arrived, Lord Tadea first tried to get me to safety. But I refused to leave.]

Marmore had sensed the danger his master was in with his whole being. He had never doubted his master’s strength, but instinctively, he could smell death approaching.

[I wanted to die by Lord Tadea’s side, even if it meant dying with him. But Lord Tadea wouldn’t allow it……. ]

Tadea had waited for an opening and sent Marmore far away. Separated from him, Marmore eventually learned of Tadea’s death while he was somewhere his master was no longer present.

[I miss Lord Tadea. I didn’t even get to see him pass away……. ]

[Marmore……. ]

Marmore’s eyes grew moist once again. Du looked at him with a sorrowful expression.

After holding back his tears, Marmore shook his head and spoke.

[Du, I called you here because there’s something you need to know. The Dragon Slayers are looking for the Dragon of Beginnings.]

[What? Lord Belquior?]

Du jumped in surprise. Are they targeting our master?

Seeing Du’s sharp reaction, Marmore continued calmly.

[I heard them asking where the Divine Realm was. I don’t know if they’re after the World Tree itself or the Dragon of Beginnings, but……. ]

Yggdrasil, the World Tree, had long been a target of human desire. All kinds of people had sought it out, from heroes to villains.

And Belquior, the Dragon of Beginnings who protected the World Tree, stood in their way. Their paths were bound to cross sooner or later.

Du spoke with a serious expression.

[Lord Belquior isn’t in this world right now. He’s in an outer world with the successor.]

[An outer world? Why?]

[He found a human woman he likes.]

[……Huh? Really?]

Marmore’s mouth fell open in surprise at this unexpected news, and for a moment, he forgot his sorrow.

Marmore had heard the rumors about Belquior, too. A dragon who had spent his entire life searching for a mate.

Yet despite that, his cold and fastidious personality made him strongly dislike having anyone stay by his side.

[Is that…… a good thing? Right?]

[Of course! At least Lord Belquior won’t be lonely while that human woman is alive.]

[Could she be his mate?]

[I don’t know. But there’s a chance, right?]

[To form a bond with a human from an outer world…… As expected, the Dragon of Beginnings is extraordinary.]

Marmore, who had been grieving Tadea’s death all this time, gave a faint smile.

Seeing Marmore smile, Du flapped his wings happily.

[Marmore, remember that I’ll always be by your side.]

Before leaving, Du pressed his forehead gently against Marmore’s.

[The World Tree is worried about you, too. You’re not alone.]

[……Yeah.]

Feeling the gentle warmth against him, Marmore slowly closed his eyes. How long had it been since he last felt another’s warmth?

He hadn’t felt such warmth since Tadea’s death. To Marmore, such feelings had become a luxury.

But thanks to a friend who truly cared about him, he was able to regain a little of his strength.

[Call me anytime you need my help!]

[Thank you. See you again.]

Du spread his wings and took flight. He had to hurry to tell the World Tree what he had heard today.

Marmore watched Du’s retreating figure. Only after the gargoyle had completely disappeared into the distance did Marmore turn around.

But then—

“I’m a step too late.”

[……! Dragon Slayer!]

With the sound of footsteps crunching on snow, someone appeared behind him. They were Dragon Slayers who had concealed their presence and approached from just a short distance away.

The tall man at the front bared his teeth in a grin. His purple hair was rough and unkempt, and his red eyes were filled with bloodlust.

There was no sign of the Sky God Moanu in him, but Marmore could clearly sense a fragment of a god in the necklace the man wore.

Marmore could never forget that face, not even in his dreams.

The half-god who had shamelessly attacked Tadea’s lair—Hayat.

[You’re the one who killed Lord Tadea!]

“Was that gargoyle who just left a servant of the Dragon of Beginnings? Looks like I’ve found a lead sooner than expected.”

A cruel smile spread across Hayat’s face. When his gaze shifted in the direction Du had flown, Marmore’s body began to swell.

The cute little snow rabbit transformed into a huge, furry monster.

Marmore’s true form was the Yegati, a monster that had once ruled the northern snowy mountains.

[GRRRRR!]

Hayat let out a short, mocking laugh at Marmore’s threat.

“You know you’re no match for me. Did your master’s death teach you nothing?”

[I’ll tear every last limb from your body, you bastard!]

“Lord Hayat, are you sure we don’t need to help?”

“This is my first time seeing a Yegati. It certainly feels like it’s on a whole different level from ordinary monsters.”

Even with the Yegati standing before them, the Dragon Slayers chatted casually. Hayat confidently drew his sword.

“Stay back. I’ll torture him thoroughly until he spills everything he knows.”

[GRRRRR!]

Marmore charged at Hayat, his eyes blazing with rage. There was only one thought in his mind.

‘Lord Tadea, Lord Tadea, Lord Tadea!’

The one who had given him a reason to live when all he had ever known was killing.

The dragon whose kindness had even embraced Marmore’s flaws. That was Tadea.

Tadea had cared for and loved Marmore as if he were his own child. Marmore, in turn, had followed him as he would a parent.

Even in their isolated paradise among the snowy mountains, neither had been lonely because they had each other. To Marmore, Tadea was more than just a master.

[Krgh…… Krgh……. ]

Red blood stained the white snow.

Marmore fought with all his might, but his opponent was a killer who had even cut down an ancient dragon. Marmore’s defeat had been decided from the start.

Hayat pressed the edge of his sword against the fallen Marmore’s neck and threatened him.

“You know where the Dragon of Beginnings is, don’t you? Talk. Then I’ll spare your life.”

[Don’t…… make me laugh!]

Marmore resisted. Even as the blade pierced his skin and blood poured down his neck, he didn’t care.

Hayat raised an eyebrow.

“Or I could call that gargoyle we just saw. That might be better. Do monsters even have any loyalty to each other?”

Hayat smiled slyly and whispered in a sinister voice.

“Think carefully. If you die, the dragon of the snowy fields will be sad.”

Marmore gritted his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. He wanted to spit right in that despicable face.

He never intended to let Marmore live anyway. It was nothing less than the devil whispering in his ear.

‘He really is after the Dragon of Beginnings!’

Marmore could never tell him. Nor would he even consider calling Du.

‘Du, that greeting earlier may have been our last goodbye.’

Thank you, my friend. I’m glad I got to see your face one last time.

Marmore gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet. Fixing Hayat with a fierce glare, he let loose a stream of scathing words.

[You who are neither human nor god, for harming innocent lives, you shall meet the most miserable end imaginable. The punishment imposed by causality will never be light, and you will be forced to continue a life beneath even that of an insect, unable to die.]

“Watch your mouth!”

His words sounded like a divine prophecy. They were not mere empty threats.

Hayat’s sword, driven by a sudden surge of anger, pierced Marmore’s shoulder. Hayat’s origins were a sore spot he could not bear to have mentioned.

Even as blood gushed from his wound, Marmore refused to stop speaking.

[How low and wretched you are! Even if heaven and earth were turned upside down, do you think the blood flowing through your body would ever change?]