Evil Dragon, Without a Princess, I Had to Transform Myself!

Chapter 78 : Identical

"You're leaving the group?"

Patunasankus tilted her head slightly, like a tulip in the garden gently swaying under the touch of morning dew and spring breeze—a completely incomprehensible gesture.

"Mhm." Elaphia's response was firm.

Though she felt guilty toward the princess in her heart, she knew this was something she had to do. Once entangled by warmth, melancholy would creep in like moss growing on damp walls.

This internal conflict manifested in her shifting gaze, persistently avoiding eye contact with Patunasankus.

The evil dragon studied Elaphia up and down. Truthfully, she couldn't care less about Elaphia's decisions.

To the evil dragon, whatever this person chose to do was irrelevant. She could simply respond with a nonchalant "mhm" and let Elaphia walk away.

Yet...

As Patunasankus observed the princess's reflection in Elaphia's crimson eyes, a peculiar sensation stirred within her.

Not intense, not obvious—just faint, like an accumulating scent, quietly growing. Indescribable.

Not that she particularly cared about Elaphia, of course.

Most of the time, the evil dragon hardly spared Elaphia a thought, maintaining her usual aloof demeanor. Even when she'd seen Elaphia grievously wounded in the lich's Mage Tower, Patunasankus had remained unmoved.

This detachment had always been her way.

She disliked idle chatter, loathed dull, meaningless conversations—whether from others or herself. Unless absolutely necessary, she preferred silence.

Latifa often called her a blockhead, but she didn't mind. A blockhead she might be, but wasn't that just fine?

But for some reason, Patunasankus's first instinct was reluctance to let Elaphia leave.

She herself didn't understand why.

Perhaps it was like encountering an amusing little puppy? Yes, but also... not quite?

She couldn't figure it out.

Patunasankus didn't know why she felt this way.

This question was as baffling as why she'd been dragging along deadweights like Elaphia and Loranhir while maintaining Latifa's appearance all this time.

From the beginning, upon learning Grand Duke Dreka's whereabouts, Patunasankus could have simply transformed into her true draconic form and reduced all of Taurant to ashes. Simple and brutal.

Yet she hadn't. Instead, she'd foolishly trudged onward in Latifa's guise.

Sometimes Patunasankus wondered what exactly she was after.

She vaguely sensed an answer, but it remained as elusive as moonlight on water.

The harder she tried to understand, the more confused she became. Besides, this was inherently a muddled affair—a complete mess. Back and forth, what ultimately remained was her characteristic indifference.

Patunasankus shook her head violently, as if trying to dislodge the tangled thoughts from her mind.

"Why leave so suddenly?" she asked.

"I believe Princess Latifa would be safer in the royal capital," Elaphia replied. "I truly don't think it's necessary for the princess to accompany us through all these dangerous places. It's far too perilous for her.""Isn't there a hero here? She'll protect me."

Patunasankus looked around for Loranhir, but the girl was nowhere to be seen—probably off finding water to clean her grimy fire poker.

"What if even the hero fails to protect you?"

Elaphia's eyes showed concern as she inevitably considered the worst-case scenario, her mind filled with images of the princess's fragile state last night.

The princess was already a thorn in Vlad's side and a coveted prize in the eyes of the dragons. Now she was about to venture into yet another dangerous city. Even the aftermath of battle could injure someone as defenseless as her, let alone worse possibilities...

Elaphia didn't dare think further.

"Anyway, I'll handle the Grand Duke alone. Your Highness Latifa only needs to go to the royal capital. I can take care of the rest," Elaphia said solemnly.  "Just trust me."

She knelt on one knee and took Patunasankus's hand.

The princess's hand was slender and fair, flawless like fine jade, with delicate fingers and a palm that radiated warmth—like sinking into a gentle embrace.

"You're exactly as everyone says," Elaphia smiled softly.

Gazing at this pure and lovely princess, listening to her unpretentious words, Elaphia felt as though her own soul had been cleansed. It was as if she had glimpsed that dandelion girl again.

"So, Your Highness Latifa, please continue to be this wonderful."

Elaphia stood up, ready to leave. The road ahead led straight to Taurant. After a few steps, she turned back to look.

Patunasankus watched her quietly. The breeze lifted the hem of her dress, and her dandelion-hued hair swayed along with it.

"Am I... just like her?" she murmured to herself, as if realizing something.

Being praised for resembling Latifa, for being exactly like the princess of legend—it struck her like divine revelation, piercing straight through her chest.

An unusual joy.

It was as if some long-suppressed yearning had finally begun to take shape, surfacing faintly before fading again.

A trickle of warmth revived in her heart, desperately digging through faded memories for traces of something lost.

○

When Loranhir returned, the freshly polished holy sword was once again at her waist. She sidled up to Patunasankus, looking puzzled.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing worth noting," Patunasankus replied.

"I see. Where's Elaphia?" Loranhir glanced around.

"She left the party."

"Ohhh, so she left the party," Loranhir said, relieved. "No big deal, no big deal. I thought she might've left the party or something."

"…Huh?" Finally realizing the gravity, she whipped her head around. "She left the party!?"

Loranhir stared straight at Patunasankus, who was gazing absently in the direction Elaphia had gone, her expression as indifferent as ever.

It had always been like this since they'd met—this girl never seemed tense, never worried, never truly cared about anything. No... perhaps there was something she cared about after all.

Loranhir remembered the faint glimmer of a tear at the corner of the princess's eye.Why the tears?

She didn't know.

But even if she asked, there would certainly be no answer.

After all, even if Elaphia wanted to leave the group, Princess wouldn’t show any different reaction.

"Just let her go?" Loranhir said. She had thought the Princess would at least hold Elaphia's hand and try to persuade her to stay.

"Mhm, let her go if she wants," Patunasankus said indifferently.

Just as I expected—that careless tone, Loranhir muttered inwardly.

"But that fool will definitely get herself killed. Not a shred of peace of mind."

Patunasankus spoke.

"Alright, we should get going," Patunasankus said.

"Go? Where to?" Loranhir was puzzled.

"Where else?" Patunasankus replied.  "To Taurant."