#04. Who Made You Cry?

 Taran Dragonia.

 At his appearance, my face froze for a moment. The last venomous words he spat before I died echoed in my mind.

 ‘Shut up. If you’re going to keep whining like that, just die. Just die!’

 A face twisted with rage. A cursed voice, cracked with hatred.

 “Yaaawn……”

 As if all that was merely a memory in my head, the Taran before my eyes was yawning with a much younger face.

 “Taran. What brings you here?”

 Penelope hurriedly approached Taran while throwing me backward.

 “Ugh.”

 For a nightmare, the pain feels quite real.

 The maids surrounded me as I fell. As if trying to cover up this situation and destroy evidence.

 “Get that thing out of here quickly. Before Young Master Taran sees such an ugly sight!”

 One of Penelope’s faithful servants spoke without even turning her head.

 That thing.

 I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at being referred to as something less than human.

 Despite being the Grand Duke of Dragonia’s daughter, I was treated this poorly. Because I was a half-breed, because my bloodline was low…….

 ‘And because I couldn’t prove my worth.’

 Hands emerged from all directions, gripping my arms tightly. The rough handling made my skin feel like it would tear.

 “Ungh……!”

 “Keep quiet.”

 “Do you think Young Master Taran would care about the pretend pain of some half-breed lady?”

 I know. I don’t expect that bastard Taran to help me.

 ‘It would be fortunate enough if he doesn’t trample me.’

 Just as I was thinking that, there was a sound of something being kicked followed by screams from all around.

 “Kyaah!”

 “Taran, what are you doing……!”

 “Ah, get out of the way.”

 Taran, the perpetrator of the kick, muttered.

 “You don’t listen when I use words. Maybe you’ll come to your senses if you get hit?”

 “Y-Young Master Taran! What is this…… Eek!”

 “Kyaaa–!”

 “Ughk!”

 With screams of pain, the formation of maids collapsed instantly.

 Unfortunately, I, who had been held down, went with them.

 “Urgh!”

 I’m going to be crushed to death.

 Though the warning of instinct made me shudder, I didn’t struggle.

 ‘Death is the typical way to wake up from a nightmare.’

 What does it matter if I die in something that isn’t even reality? I’m used to enduring pain.

 Just as I was slowly trying to close my eyes, a strong force grabbed my nape and pulled me out with a swoosh.

 “What’s this now.”

 Puhah, catching my breath from the sudden liberation, I opened my eyes. Filling my vision were two ice-blue irises that were almost painfully bright.

 “……”

 “……”

 Starting with being falsely accused and cursed out of nowhere, getting dirty water thrown on me, almost getting slapped, having my arms and legs pinched, and nearly being crushed to death.

 This is my worst nightmare.

 But among all that, the absolute worst was this moment of facing Taran.

 ‘I didn’t want to see this trash’s face even in a dream.’

 I’d rather be hit by someone like Penelope.

 Even knowing it was just a nightmare, rage boiled up from deep in my chest. The tears that had welled up in my eyes from the shock of almost being crushed finally rolled down my cheeks.

 “……Tell me who did this.”

 Taran’s face, distorted through my tear-filled vision, no longer looked languid and bored.

 “Why is she lying here like this?”

 As if he’s genuinely angry.

 ‘No, that’s impossible.’

 At such an absurd thought, I unconsciously blinked. The tears that had been building up rolled down my cheeks again.

 Perhaps it was my imagination, but Taran seemed to flinch as he looked at me.

 “……Aunt, no, Penelope, explain.”

 An instantly cold voice cut through the air.

 “Ta-Taran……”

 Penelope’s voice, hidden behind Taran, no longer sounded triumphant, but rather trembled severely.

 Even without seeing, I could tell. How terrifying the light in Taran’s ice-blue eyes must be.

 ‘That bastard is always like this.’

 Languidly smirking when it suits him, then rolling his eyes as if nothing happened when his mood turns sour.

 What made it most creepy was that his lips were still smiling throughout. You could never guess when, at which point he would go mad.

 The Mad Dog of Dragonia.

 That was Taran’s unofficial epithet. Facing the fierce light in his eyes that earned him the name of rabid dog, Penelope’s complexion turned pale.

 “Th-that is…… Aack!”

 Kwak, Taran’s hand gripped Penelope’s shoulder. The veins standing out on his large hand seemed ready to tear Penelope’s shoulder right off.

 “Hah, huaah–!”

 I had just been violently treated by Penelope and almost framed. Naturally, I felt no sympathy.

 But I couldn’t help being overwhelmed by that violent force.

 Instinctively, fear washed over me.

 The House of Dragonia in the Northwest.

 They were said to be born with superhuman bodies and special powers, abilities befitting their legend as descendants of the Ice Dragon.

 “Penelope Barshava.”

 But what they inherited from the Ice Dragon wasn’t just such blessings, but also a cold and inhuman temperament.

 “Didn’t I tell you not to make me repeat myself?”

 Taran, who might as well have been the prime example of that saying, growled while pulling Penelope close to his face.

 His profile, not directed at me, was truly terrifyingly fierce.

 “I-I’ll tell you……! Pl-please, your hand……”

 “Oh.”

 At Penelope’s pleading, Taran’s eyes widened as if surprised.

 “My, Aunt Penelope. Did that hurt?”

 His voice had also become gentle and fresh as if he had never threatened her.

 “I didn’t know.”

 Taran lightly removed his hand. Then he casually patted Penelope’s shoulder as if nothing had happened.

 “There, better now?”

 “……Urk, kuk!”

 Penelope’s face, struggling to hold back her groans, was clearly not alright to anyone who looked.

 “Then tell me now.”

 But it seemed invisible to Taran’s eyes.

 “Who made her look like this.”

 “Ta-Taran. I……”

 Penelope barely managed to speak but couldn’t continue, either from pain or fear. Her lips just trembled, overwhelmed by the mad Taran’s force.

 “I? What’s next? Did your tongue get cut off?”

 Taran grinned then suddenly grabbed Penelope’s chin and stuck his fingers into her mouth.

 “?!”

 At this shocking action, everyone held their breath and Penelope’s eyes bulged in shock.

 “Ah, aah–!”

 “Hmm, tongue seems fine though?”

 Despite his aunt screaming, Taran tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard anything.

 “Is something wrong? Should I check more thoroughly?”

 Taran smiled sweetly while applying force to his fingers as if he’s about to rip out her tongue. As everyone held their breath in terror at the cruel sight.

 “……Let go!”

 I couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted.

 Of course, it wasn’t for Penelope’s sake.

 ‘I can’t breathe!’

 It was for my sake.

 Because Taran still hadn’t let go of me!

 Though I may be small, I must weigh several dozen kilos, but surprisingly Taran’s hand holding me was as light and casual as if holding a kitten.

 With my nape caught and floating in the air, my neck was constantly being pressed by my collar, making it painful.

 ‘Damn gravity.’

 In the end, I had no choice but to struggle and try to grab onto Taran’s arm just to survive, but even that was difficult since he kept moving.

 And with him interrogating someone with murderous intent, there wasn’t even a chance to speak up.

 I endured for a while but this was the limit.

 “I said let go, you madman!”

 “Hm? Me?”

 Only then did Taran seem to come to his senses and blinked.

 “Did you just call me a madman?”

 Pointing at himself with his finger as if he had already forgotten about Penelope.

 “Yes! Kek, how long are you going to hold me……”

 “Ah.”

 Taran released his grip with a blank expression.

 It happened so suddenly that I fell straight to the floor and my powerless body rolled until it hit the wall.

 Bang!

 “Ow……”

 “Does it hurt?”

 Taran’s face suddenly appeared above me. Tilting his head, looking genuinely puzzled.

 “Hmm, your eyes are all red…… did you get hit?”

 Taran’s eyes widened as he carefully observed me.

 Only then did I realize my arms and legs were a mess of red marks.

 ‘Is it from almost being crushed to death, or from being grabbed and pinched roughly?’

 Or maybe both.

 Either way, I turned my head away, not wanting to look at or speak with Taran.

 “Interesting.”

 Taran, who had been quietly watching me, spoke.

 “Who dared to lay hands on the Grand Ducal daughter of Dragonia?”

 “……?”

 My eyes widened. Did Taran just call me ‘the Grand Ducal daughter of Dragonia’?

 ‘Since when did he ever treat me that way?’

 I couldn’t believe it. This guy who wouldn’t even treat me as a sibling and rarely called me his youngest sister…….

 ‘Is something wrong with my ears?’

 Even for a nightmare, this lacks too much consistency?

 I wasn’t the only one surprised. Heek, sharp gasps also escaped from among the maids.

 However,

 “Taran! Th-the Divine Beast’s egg, that precious treasure has disappeared!”

 As expected, Penelope was no ordinary person.

 At her quick-witted action, Penelope’s subordinates also quickly joined in.

 “……That’s right! Madam searched the entire castle and investigated everything thoroughly. It was all for House Dragonia and Young Master Taran!”

 “Young Master Taran, you know well of Madam’s dedication, don’t you? Madam couldn’t even sleep at night, running around……”

 “Several servants have testified. Regrettably, the Young Lady–”

 She cleverly slipped my false accusation into the forest of cluttered information, just the kind of TMI that would annoy Taran.

 As expected, Taran frowned as if irritated.

 “I didn’t steal it.”

 It was a plea I had made hundreds of times. Those desperate words from my past life still reached no one’s ears even in this dream.

 But it didn’t matter.

 “As you can see, this child keeps denying out of shame……”

 “You’re the one who stole it, aren’t you, Penelope.”

 This time, I knew who the real culprit was.