Natalie hugged Rho as she felt herself pierced by the meaningful stares of the soldiers. A suspicious glint flickered in their eyes. The previous statement was akin to a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring ripples over its surface.

The crown prince won’t spare you just because you turn me in.

She wanted to say that, but her mouth was inexplicably heavy. Her breathing was shallow and she couldn’t muster out a word.

“Yes, we were deceived by Princess Natalie. If we were to petition Crown Prince Vissel with that…”

Even though the soldier were muttering in soft voices, their words somehow rang loudly.

The soldier who wanted to fish shouted.

“Don’t say stupid things! We managed to escape this far thanks to Her Highness Natalie!”

“It’s not just because of Her Highness Natalie, but also that dragon!”

The attention focused upon her at once.

“I’ve always had an inkling—that dragon isn’t normal.”

“That’s right, isn’t that a golden-eyed, black, dragon?”

“Fool! Don’t say something so reckles, you’ll lose your blessing!”

“Well, then let’s use it as a shield. The King of Dragons—even Crown Prince Vissel won’t dare lay a hand on it!”

Natalie turned to Rho. She was unable to breath due to the overwhelming malice.

Rho watched the turmoil with keen eyes.

It was as if he were judging them.

His eyes were akin to that of an emperor, one discerning his people.

She was horrified.

The black dragon would surely turn his back on them. They would lose it—

—the dragon’s blessing, the Rave royal family would lose it.

“Don’t be foolish!”

Someone extended his arms, as if trying to shield the hostility from Rho’s eyes.

“If he is indeed a golden-eyed, black, dragon, then that’s even more of a reason to protect him! How can you use him as a shield!”

“We will protect the dragon, along with Princess Natalie, for we are the imperial army!”

“What are you saying!? Princess Natalie doesn’t even have the blood of the Rave royal family!”

“Just take that dragon away, already! If use that dragon, we’ll be able to threaten the other dragons and escape!”

Someone took out a dagger. Natalie screamed.

“No, stop! If you want to turn me in, then do so! I won’t ask you to protect me!”

“No, Your Highness Natalie, please run away!”

“Even now, you still think yourself a princess!”

“Focus on the dragon!”

She could no longer tell her enemies from her allies. It was a brawl.

Someone’s chopped arm flew to her feet. Natalie screamed and collapsed on the spot. Rho was about to fall from her arms, but she quickly embraced and held him.

“It’s alright, it’s alright…—”

‘—This isn’t okay no matter how you look at it.’

She felt that Rho’s eyes were saying that.

Regardless, Natalie mustered her best smile. While locking her gaze with his, she told him of the many beautiful things in that world.

“You will be safe. Don’t, worry—!!”

Her hair was yanked from behind. Rho watched the entire thing.

Nothing shall go unpunished. He was trying to see if they were worth protecting.

“Gotcha! I will cut of your leg so you can’t escape!”

“Capture that black dragon, too!”

“Rho, run away!”

She bit the arm of the soldier who seized her. The surprised soldier threw her to the ground.

The small dragon kicked the ground and leaped.

“Ukkyu.”

With a cute cry, he swung his tail and the soldiers who were attacking Natalie were blown away. He spat out flames in rapid succession and burned a straight line across the ground, creating a wall of fire. He was trying to separate the soldiers who were defending Natalie from the soldiers who were attacking.

In front of the stunned Natalie, Rho puffed his chest. He turned his back to the soldiers on the other side of the fire wall.

“Ukkyukkyu. Ukkyukkyukkyukkyu—”

She didn’t know what he was saying, but he was probably mocking them. The black dragon kept hitting his ass, and the soldiers recovered from their confusion.

“T, that damn dragon…!”

“This flame is nothing! Run through it!”

“Ukkyu!?”

Rho was astonished by his enemies as they covered their faces and passed through the wall of fire. Natalie regained herself, but before anything else could happen, someone had stretched a pair of arms to catch Rho.

Rho turned around a little, and appeared surprised.

Then, realizing something—

“Ukkyu—!”

Rho gladly jumped at the small shadow that had stopped the soldier’s arms.

“That’s right, Rho! Show them no mercy!”

Fanned by the fiery wind, the blonde girl narrowed her purple eyes into a glare. Before anyone realized it, the girl had kicked the soldier back to the other side of the fire wall.

“Locate the enemies and destroy them all. You understand it well!”

“Ukkyu.”

“Jill-chan~ what kind of education has you been giving him~?”

“Don’t interject Captain when she’s like this. You still want to live, right?”

An archer was pulling a bowstring from behind a tree as a man carrying a great sword descended.

There were only three people.

Natalie recognized them almost instantly.

They were none other than the Dragon Princess and her Dragon Knights.

“Your Highness Natalie, I’m glad that you’re safe. Please wait a moment.”

There was a dull, ringing, sound.

“I will clean up this mess.”

The girl, as if dancing, plunged into the wall of fire.

---

***T/N: Aaaaah here is our Loli Empress, saving the day once again. Go, Papa Jill!!!!

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