HTNSA 79

Chapter 79

Adolf didn’t even consider Peony a competitor.

He simply thought she couldn’t become Emperor because she was a woman.

‘Legally, princesses are given succession rights, but no woman has ever actually become Emperor.’

Peony frowned slightly as she looked at Adolf.

She, too, didn’t think it would be easy to become Emperor as long as Darian was around.

But Adolf’s smug attitude was seriously unpleasant.

“We’ll see about that,” she said curtly.

“After all, I’m the one most deeply connected to the dragon’s power. Don’t you think?”

Her provocation made Adolf fume with indignation.

“Grr… Even so, you—!”

Just as he was about to hurl something rude at her, Darian, who had been standing beside them, calmly grabbed his shoulder and looked down with cold eyes.

“Adolf.”

He only called his name, but the icy tone made Adolf flinch and close his mouth.

Perhaps embarrassed at being frightened, Adolf roughly shook off Darian’s hand and stormed off toward the area guarded by soldiers.

Soon, the doors to the dragon’s chamber burst open.

“Hmph! You all just stand back and watch!”

“Y-Your Highness!”

The guards and maids were startled by his outburst, but no one dared to lay hands on a royal.

Darian and Peony followed him slowly into the room.

By then, Adolf had already pulled out the meat he had personally brought.

“Here! Eat up!”

But contrary to his confident expectations, the dragon did not accept the food.

The black dragon glanced sideways at the meat in Adolf’s hand, then lowered its head with a shudder.

“Piyo…”

The little black dragon trembled pitifully, curling into a ball. It was a heart-wrenching sight.

But Adolf was clearly annoyed that the dragon wouldn’t even touch the food he had brought.

He shouted angrily, “Hey! Why aren’t you eating?! Do you know how expensive this meat is?!”

Once again, Darian stepped in to stop him.

“That’s enough, Adolf.”

Being scolded by Darian—something rare—Adolf grumbled without even turning to look at him.

“Whatever. It’ll eat eventually. How long could it last without eating?”

He gave up on forcing the food and slumped into a chair with his arms crossed, pretending to watch indifferently—though his eyes kept flicking toward Darian.

He was checking whether the dragon would accept food from Darian.

Darian gently approached the dragon, stroking its black scales with care. A maid handed him some food, which he offered gently.

But the dragon immediately turned its head away, refusing even his offering.

Adolf coughed awkwardly, visibly relieved.

Then his face stiffened again when he saw Peony stepping up.

‘If it doesn’t accept food from me or my brother… could it be her?’

Peony, unlike Darian, kept her distance and carefully placed the food on the floor.

Still, the dragon didn’t move. It lay there, listless and unmoving.

Only then did Adolf let out a sigh of relief.

But unwilling to show he had been nervous, he returned to his cocky posture.

“This dragon must not be hungry. It’ll eat eventually—just give it time. Hmph.”

With that, Adolf left.

Peony stared at the black dragon with a worried expression.

‘I promised Eila I’d keep her updated on the dragon’s condition…’

But she had no idea how to explain this situation.

She couldn’t help but wonder if the dragon might have been happier staying with Eila instead.

Would it even remember her?

With a heavy heart, Peony gently tapped the dragon’s front paw with her finger.

But the dragon didn’t even flinch. It simply squeezed its eyes shut, as if too weak to react.

✦ ✦ ✦

Days passed, and the dragon still refused to eat.

Eventually, Adolf stopped visiting entirely.

He said he was sick of watching the dragon waste away and reject food.

Now, only Darian and Peony regularly came to check on it.

Darian, gazing down at the weak dragon, muttered sympathetically, “I don’t care if I’m not chosen as its master. I just wish it would recover.”

“…You don’t mind not being its master?”

“It’s better that someone saves it—anyone—than to let it die like this.”

Peony stared at his face quietly.

‘Can a person fake an expression like that?’

The more she watched him, the more confused she became.

Was it truly possible for someone cruel enough to plot murder to appear so flawlessly kind?

‘Most people slip up somewhere, even in small ways.’

Was Darian just that good of an actor?

If she were to die like this, no one would suspect him.

Everyone believed Darian was a model prince.

In the palace, everyone thought he cherished Peony deeply.

Even Empress Eliza was beyond reproach.

She was cold by nature, but she had always treated Peony and Adolf with fairness.

If Peony were to die, all suspicion would fall on Adolf or Christina.

Peony sighed softly.

‘When did this all begin?’

It couldn’t have all been a lie from the start.

He couldn’t have wanted her dead since they were little.

‘No, don’t overthink it.’

What mattered now was the dragon, who lay weak and suffering.

And at least for this moment, Peony agreed with Darian.

‘If the dragon’s sick, Eila will be devastated.’

She, too, just wanted the dragon to choose someone—anyone—soon.

At this rate, the black dragon wouldn’t last.

As a newly hatched divine beast, it needed proper nourishment.

It was impressive it had lasted this long without food, but now it was clearly wasting away.

Peony looked at the dragon and said gently,

“You know, Eila would be really sad if she saw you like this. Do you know how much she begged me to take good care of you?”

Then it happened.

The dragon’s ears suddenly perked up.

It lifted its head and looked at Peony.

“Piyo!”

Peony tilted her head in surprise. The reaction was different from before.

“What’s this? Are you finally thinking of eating?”

She offered the food again.

But the dragon turned its head stubbornly, refusing it.

Peony sighed in frustration and said once more,

“Do you really want to make Eila cry that badly?”

At those words, the dragon suddenly lifted its head again.

Its wings—until now limp—fluttered weakly as it slowly rose.

“Piyooo!”

Peony finally understood.

The dragon was reacting to a specific word.

“Eila?”

“Piyooo!”

Startled by the intense reaction, Peony’s mouth dropped open.

Even Darian was surprised.

“It looks like… the dragon’s reacting to Eila’s name.”

“Not just reacting—it looks thrilled!”