novelraw Chapter 75 : Silk Thread
Chapter 75 : Silk Thread
"Your Highness?"
Patunasankus repeated the title in confusion.
The whisper Hedica had left for the girl before departing had clearly reached the evil dragon's ears—she'd heard it distinctly.
The dragon's gaze shifted between Hedica and the girl. In this world, those who could be addressed as 'Your Highness' were few and far between, each occupying lofty positions.
Yet the child's tender age, playful and mischievous nature, dust-streaked appearance, and tattered clothing made it impossible to discern any trace of nobility.
But Hedica wasn't the type to idly play house with children either.
Coupled with the fact their group hailed from Astraea City, the capital of Babelon, Patunasankus already had a suspicion forming in her mind.
Yet the child's appearance was clearly not what it should have been.
"Goodbye!"
Amidst her thoughts, Patunasankus suddenly heard those words.
The little one before her turned after speaking and began skipping away, clumsy as a foal yet with the grace of a young beast.
From her, the evil dragon sensed a strange rhythm.
It was the faint, clear pulse of sealed magic—lively and restless like the child herself, yet carrying a subtle hint of sulfur.
That scent was all too familiar to the dragon. It was the stench of hell's mark. Those who bore it would one day find devils knocking at their door.
Patunasankus couldn't fathom why a child would carry such a scent.
She watched as Hedica hurried after the skipping girl. The child turned mid-run to flash her a smile and even waved, every movement puppy-like in its enthusiasm.
Patunasankus glanced away, her eyes falling on the cookies and snacks the child had piled on the oak table before leaving. She feigned disinterest.
Fine.
Patunasankus had to admit she did enjoy these little treats somewhat.
"Day after day, nothing but absurdities," the dragon muttered to herself.
Truth be told, the evil dragon cared nothing for these insects—Loranhir, Elaphia, the Duchess, Evelyn...
Every person she'd met along the way meant nothing to Patunasankus.
Yet somehow, somewhere along the line, the dragon began feeling as though transparent threads were slowly winding around her.
One after another, strand upon strand.
Like glistening spider silk, they branched and tangled, spreading wildly—sometimes subtle as dust, yet impossible to shake off.
It left the evil dragon distinctly uncomfortable.
"What does any of this have to do with me?"
Patunasankus grumbled, watching the child's bouncing form disappear into the distance.
She considered whether to have some monster subordinates keep watch tonight when Elaphia and Loranhir retired.
It wasn't as if her minions should laze about the nest all day collecting pay for doing nothing.
This could count as preliminary reconnaissance.
After all... she was a 'Highness.'
○The dark night brought tranquility to Patunasankus's lair. Under the candlelight, Isha handled the necessary paperwork. As the head maid of the evil dragon, it was her duty to maintain the operations of the household in the absence of her master.
Suddenly, she paused as the magic sigil in her palm burned fiercely—a direct transmission of her master's magic. Such direct communication from the lord had been silent for a long time.
—Come to me.
Without hesitation, Isha obeyed Patunasankus's command, casting a spell to open a portal using the coordinates provided by her master.
"My lord."
The moment she stepped through the portal, Isha knelt on one knee.
Though what appeared before her was not the ancient, majestic form of a dragon, Isha recognized her immediately.
Raven-black hair cascaded like flowing water over the girl's shoulders.
Her mysterious golden eyes held the familiar cold sharpness, while her delicate features remained expressionless, exuding an air of dignified composure.
Her pale, almost icy skin added an unapproachable aura, carrying an indescribable charm.
This was the human form Patunasankus occasionally took—a sight all the monstrous servants delighted in seeing.
Not to admire beauty—most of the monstrous servants wouldn’t dare—but because this form was always accompanied by a girl, a dandelion girl. And with her presence, their lord became different from the terrifying figure of the past.
Isha finally let out a sigh of relief.
...Thank goodness, the lord is clothed.
Patunasankus motioned for her head maid to rise.
The evil dragon had no patience for convoluted formalities. Time was limited, and she wanted this matter settled quickly.
"My lord, is there something you wish me to do?" Isha asked respectfully.
With a snap of her fingers, Patunasankus precisely assembled various magical elements into the form of a little girl.
"Have a few reliable members of the lair keep an eye on her," she stated bluntly.
Isha nodded silently, accepting the order without question.
As the evil dragon's head maid, Isha never speculated about her master's intentions—she simply carried them out. Everything was strictly business.
"I may need to remain outside for a while longer. How has the lair been?"
"Not long ago, Lord Liulan came looking for you regarding the symposium. However, upon realizing you weren’t in the lair, she left quickly," Isha reported truthfully.
At the mention of that wretched dragon Liulan, Patunasankus's brow furrowed momentarily, but she nodded to acknowledge the information.
"Anything else?" she pressed.
"Everything else is normal, except..." Isha hesitated slightly. "Everyone has been rather unhappy lately."
"Unhappy? Why?" Patunasankus stopped in her tracks, puzzled.
"It’s because of Princess Latifa," Isha admitted. "Ever since the funeral, it’s been this way."
"…" Patunasankus lowered her head slightly.
A fleeting shadow obscured the subtle shifts in her eyes, leaving no one any wiser about what she might be thinking.Patunasankus closed her eyes, and in an instant, all her thoughts converged—every single one of them about a girl with dandelion-like hair.
An indescribable feeling suddenly spread through Patunasankus' chest, lingering stubbornly.
She couldn’t tell if it was joy or sorrow—only that it was unbearable, agonizing. Words failed her, yet she couldn’t break free, as if tightly ensnared by thorny vines.
She didn’t understand. Even she herself wasn’t sure where these emotions came from. But then, as if finding another outlet, fury suddenly boiled within her heart.
"Really..."
Before Isha could finish speaking, Patunasankus immediately cut her off.
"Enough! Shut up!"
The evil dragon's petite shoulders trembled violently, her eyes filled with inexplicable rage—sharp as an executioner’s blade sprayed with a mist of liquor before the sentence.
Startled, Isha took a few steps back. She had never seen Patunasankus so furious before, fear and shock flashing in her eyes.
Only the wind knew—when Patunasankus strode away, the hand hidden in her sleeve never stopped shaking.