Chapter 122 - D-Duchess, I can't anymore..

The feisty Lord Camu halted and looked up at me.

Water gushed out of his teary eyes.

“D-Duchess….”

“What happened?”

“I-I’m sorry. I can’t, not anymore… I can’t…….”

“Don’t spout bullsh*t! Welcome, Duchess, I’m so glad you came. Come this way…….”

“Hey, that’s enough, that’s enough! The Duchess has arrived!”

“Oi, you gigantic bear, can’t you hear me? You can stop now!”

“The Duchess is here!”

What was this welcoming atmosphere?

I didn’t know what to do.

I was dragged by Sir Ivan and soon saw the Paladins camped around the familiar cave entrance and some welcome figures hovering over their heads.

“Piyooo!”

Before I could open my mouth, Griffin first let out a long cry.

As soon as that happened, something popped out of the dark cave!

“Po, po!”

“Popo! Hey!”

“My lady, be careful……!”

“Po, po, po, po, po!”

Flap, flap.

Popo, who popped out with its arms flapping passionately, hugged me with its plump arms and waddled on the floor a little.

Ah, it felt so nice to see it again!

“Po, po, po, po!”

“Koo, koo, koo koo!”

Right above Popo, Griffin snapped his beak happily.

I was so touched that they welcomed me like this.

“…I don’t think they’re attacking her.”

“Stay quiet, you idiot.”

I wouldn’t have to mention how the faithful Paladins stayed aside watching the joy of our reunion.

It was at this moment when I was finally released from the intense hugs of the two and sat down, panting.

[Kraaaa]

A groan made the whole cave vibrate.

“Purung, purung.”

“Po, po!”

Popo stood up and clutched my hand along with Griffin as if it had just remembered.

Its other arm pointed toward the inside of the cave.

“Po, po, po, po.”

“My lady.”

I blinked and turned my head.

Behind the shaken Paladins, was one of the members I knew.

“Is he in there?”

“Yes, he and the Knight Commander went in. I tried to stop them, but they were so stubborn. The problem is that they haven’t come out for nearly half a day, and these two creatures blocked me, so I kept trying, and…”

Half a day. We were supposed to do a joint operation. What are you doing, husband?

I’m worried about you no matter how powerful you are!

It was even more of a mess because he went in with the Knight Commander.

“I’m worried…….”

“I’m sure nothing will happen. The dragon is just constantly groaning. Maybe it’s lost something or is having trouble. Just because we think it’s dangerous, it isn’t actually risky, right?”

“Even if the Knight Commander is equivalent to two adult dragons… My lady, if you go in, we’ll follow you in.”

It was at that time that Sir Camu, who approached with Andymion’s support, stumbled in.

“My Lady, that b*stard… I don’t think that thing can be called a Griffin, it’s simply too vicious!”

The feisty Sir Camu seemed to be in a rather bad condition.

In the end, Sir Galar had to step up at the cost of breaking his nose to stop Sir Camu, who insisted on doing something about Griffin.

Sir Esgel, who dragged weak Camu out, waved at us.

[Kraooooo]

“Po, po, po!”

As was the case last time, while Griffin took the lead and flew, Popo held me up and glided after me.

Two men and a boy followed us.

It was a weird scene, but Popo and Griffin didn’t seem to care about the humans behind them.

“…Ahhhh!”

As the winding downhill road came out, a scream rang from the back.

I couldn’t make sure everyone was coming right because I was sliding down.

As I was moving around the curved slope that stretched out in various branches like a maze, my eyes turned naturally.

Oh, I almost forgot this feeling.

“Ah!”

“Pho!”

Finally, Griffin grabbed Popo’s ear, holding it up in the air.

From down there, there were loud sounds of people falling beside the jewels piled up.

“I-Is everyone okay?”

No answer was heard for a while.

While Griffin gently put us down, I rubbed my motion-sick head and tried to come to my senses.

Let me see… Wait, was this place originally this bright?

“……Haha, Sir Izek and you appear dramatically every time, but after all, you both have extraordinary talents. We’re fine, Duchess.”

That didn’t make much sense but very well.

My body slid down the jewel hill.

Popo, you traitor…

“Oh, hello honey.”

Izek, who skillfully caught and hugged me, looked very spectacular.

Just in time, the owner of this jewel hill let out a dramatic moan.

“Kaooo-o, kao-o-o-o-o…….”

Only then did I see the surroundings properly.

A huge pile of indigo scales was thrown all over the stone floor, with a lantern illuminating the surroundings.

The Knight Commander, another Longinus Paladin, who was standing near the dragon’s limp wing, smiled at me.

Sir Barons, was it?

“It’s growing pains.”

“Growing pain?”

“I didn’t think the timing was right, so I didn’t mention it, but now there’s no doubt. It’s the only pain that’s so calm that we can sit right next to each other…”

Izek gently put me down.

I stumbled through the pile of scales and looked for the snout from which the moans were being let out.

Which side was this again?

“Frosty, are you okay?”

When I spoke carefully, I felt its long closed eyelid flinching for a moment, and soon a huge golden eyeball was revealed.

It stopped breathing for a moment.

“Kao…Kao…Kao…Kao.….”

It wanted to say something, but I couldn’t understand it.

When I reached out my hand and stroked the back of its hard nose, a huge nostril popped and exhaled.

I was glad it was not injured or sick, but the dragon looked quite pitiful doing this.

Was this really that ferocious dragon club?

“But the timing is not right…….”

“It is. This is the only time it’ll experience growing pains, when it’s about to move on to adolescence. This means it may have been much younger than we thought initially.”

Unexpectedly, my husband, who explained kindly, sat with his knees next to me and touched the half-open mouth of the dragon.

The dragon cub didn’t budge.

Even in the midst of pain, its half-closed eyes looked like they were glaring at him.

Oh, it really was a cub?

“This big and still a cub?”

“… Well, what do you think, Sir?”

“Duchess, the frost dragon that was last seen in Elendale before this one was 19 years ago. We’ve always thought it might be its sibling, but now that we think about it, it seems to have been his mother. Then the reason she was caught and killed in vain was to hide this cub….”

“It’s not like the Knight Commander killed her. Anyway, we don’t know what this cub was doing all the time, but I think he’s been stuck in here since then, collecting jewellery and sleeping, and growing up all alone…”

I know. This dragon cub was a lonely kid who struggled to survive…

But if it was still a kid, how much bigger would it get?

“What was the estimated size of its mother?”

“From what I remember her being half as big as this guy now. Is it not surprising that this dragon has advanced growth?”

“Why do you ask me that, when you, the Knight Commander, know better.”

“But it is you who is the best Paladin in the north.”

“Ruby, what do you think?”

“Yes, Duchess. What do you think?”

“Why are you asking me?”

When I asked back dumbfounded, both humans immediately rushed to answer confidently.

“It likes you.”

“Didn’t it call for you because it’s sick?”

What answers are these? Like Teacher, like disciple.

“When will this growing pain end?”

“No one can guarantee that. It varies from individual to individual, and most often fail to grow and die.”

There was a dreary thud.

The dragon cub, who was apparently very dissatisfied with the human argument, shook its tail, rumbling all over the place, and jewels bounced everywhere.

The Knight Commander, who was staring at the shiny gold coins flying in the air, soon came to his senses when he saw my expression.

“Oh, of course that doesn’t mean this one is going to die. It’s just that this is how it used to be…”

“Why do you make someone else’s wife upset with useless words?”

“I didn’t mean to do that, so please put away the hypocrisy! You would think he became an experienced and warm-hearted adult who can take care of his young wife, but now that I see it, this kid doesn’t do anything!”

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“Do you not have eyes? Save your time and be frank, aren’t you relieved to see the Duchess here?”