As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

“If Miss Luize leaves me, will you follow her?”

“

?” [Why? Didn’t your subordinates just say that it’s great to go with me?]

“The members, including me, care a lot about you. You’re pretty cute.”

“

!

!” [What are you saying! I’m not cute. I’m cool!]

Ren snorted.

“

” [The symbol of the imperial family is the black dragon, right? If I show that I’m on your side, it will definitely help when you seize the throne. Although the previous black dragon caused some trouble, Run and I are different beings.]

“It’s obvious that you’ll be a great help to what we’re trying to do. But didn’t you say with your own mouth that Miss Luize can’t live without you?”

“

?” [That’s true. But why would Luize suddenly leave you?]

“…Because it will happen.”

“

?” [It will happen?]

Ren’s eyes sharpened. The baby dragon standing on Edward’s forearm placed one front paw on his shoulder. When Edward looked at Ren with a puzzled face, Ren glared and slapped Edward’s cheek with his other paw.

“…What?”

“

!

!” [Hmph, you did something wrong to Luize, didn’t you! If you hurt Luize, I’ll hit you like this!]

Edward, with a small maple-shaped mark on his cheek, stared blankly at Ren before bursting into laughter.

“

. You’re as dependable as ever. I’d be quite relieved if you were with Miss Luize.”

“

.” [That’s for Luize to decide.]

“Didn’t Miss Luize say she can’t live without you?”

“

.” [Even if Luize wishes to be alone, I will respect her choice.]

“…Even if it’s a matter of life and death?”

“

” [Every living being has the right to choose the life they want.]

“Come to think of it, if what you’re saying is true, there must have been a reason why Miss Luize was fine even after escaping from Perils. Could you tell me? If I know that, Miss Luize could be free on her own.”

“

” [I don’t think I can tell you that…]

The baby dragon, who had sat back down on his arm, held its head with both front paws and pondered. When Edward silently waited for an answer, Ren lifted its head and looked at him.

“

?” [What if you use that information to do bad things to Luize?]

“I’ll make a magical oath not to.”                 

A magical oath was a dangerous spell where all the mana in the caster’s body moved to keep the promise. Depending on the conditions, it could even cost the caster’s life, so even wizards used it only in extreme cases, and even then, they usually set easy conditions.

“

!” [Alright!]

Edward wrote an oath in the air with magic.

「

I, ‘Edward Elliot von Bellord Kaillon Lindeman Carl Roblin Estante Orwell,’ hereafter referred to as Edward, swear within half an hour not to use any information related to ‘Luize di Servenia,’ hereafter referred to as Luize, to harm her in any way. If this oath is broken, the oath-taker, Edward, will immediately lose his life…

」

Reading the oath, Ren jumped up in surprise. “

!” [Stop!]

Ren reached out its paw and erased the contents of the oath from the air with its foot. “

.

.

” [Who told you to write such a scary thing? Enough! I know your heart, so I’ll just tell you. Don’t treat your life so lightly.]

Ren frowned and raised one paw towards Edward. “

.” [Touch my paw.]

Edward’s palm, large enough to fit ten of Ren’s paw pads, touched the small paw.

“

.” [If you don’t keep the promise, human Edward will be the world’s biggest fool. That’s it.] After finishing its simple words, Ren withdrew its front paw.

Edward chuckled and then lowered his hand. “Will this do?”

“

!

.” [I’ll let it slide because I appreciate your effort! I understand your sincerity.]

With a sigh, Ren continued with a somber expression. “

…” [So the reason why Luize could be fine even after escaping from Perils was because…]

Ren tapped Edward’s chest with its front paw. “

.” [It was because you, human Edward, were in the capital.]

“…Me?”

“

.

.” [Now listen carefully to what I’m about to say. This is a story I heard directly from inside the egg…]

Ren started chattering in his arms.

* * *

Those who kill a dragon are cursed to die. The time it takes to die varies depending on the extent of the involvement in the death, but they will die much earlier than their natural lifespan.

“

”

The black dragon Run, covered in wounds, collapsed in front of Lensia. Run was barely breathing, but with multiple severe injuries, death was imminent. Run’s large, black eyes turned to Lensia, who was gasping for breath in front of her.

[…Lensia.]

Lensia lifted her head and met the dragon’s gaze.

“This voice… I thought it was strange. You…” Lensia’s face crumpled in distress. “… So that’s how it was.”

[Don’t put too much meaning into the past. Thanks to you, I found peace. But it bothers me a bit that you will be cursed because of my death.]

“I’ve achieved my goal, so it’s fine.”

[You might need a bit more time.]

“I was prepared for the curse or whatever it might be. I feel sorry for that clueless fair guy behind me, though.” Lensia’s expression darkened.

Seeing her, Run spoke. [You will have a child.]

“…What?” Lensia looked at Run with a surprised face. Unconsciously, she placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

[You had a good time with your lover right in the middle of Perils on your way to kill me. Humans are…] Run’s eyes narrowed.

“

! The mood just led that way… Wait, that’s not the problem. I’m sure we used protection?”

Lensia turned her gaze to Allen, who was behind her. When their eyes met, Allen approached Lensia. He looked at her with a rather moved expression.

“Lensia, you really became a dragon slayer. I knew you could do it!”

“That’s not important right now. Allen, did you not use contraception that night?”

“Of course. You emphasized it so much. I made sure to do it properly.”

“The dragon says I’m pregnant.”

“What? …Really?”

Allen, who was looking at her in bewilderment, visibly brightened. It seemed as if flowers were blooming around him in a vision, and Lensia blinked slowly.

“Anyway, you’re so handsome…”

“

?”

“Never mind. More importantly, how did this happen?”

Despite her impending death, Run watched the humans discussing contraception with interest.

Allen carefully placed his hand over hers, which was holding the sword. “I checked the condition of all the medicines before we left. The contraceptive wasn’t faulty. It seems we beat the 0.01% chance and failed to prevent it. This child seems to have found its way to us through that rare chance. This is a miracle.”

His purple eyes sparkled behind his glasses.

“I will do my best. Now that we’ve defeated the dragon, let’s return immediately and have the grandest wedding in the empire. Or, if you don’t want that, we can skip the wedding. Lensia, I know you don’t like noisy things.”

Allen knelt on one knee as if proposing. “I will give you everything you want. Of course, if you don’t want the child, I’ll make a potion to terminate the pregnancy, but I’m ready to spend my life with you whenever you want.”

“…So, you’re saying I got pregnant against such low odds?” Lensia murmured with a complicated expression, and the dragon added an explanation.

[To be precise, you’re not pregnant yet but in the process of becoming pregnant.]

Sighing, Lensia disheveled her hair with her hand. “This is a big deal.”

“Why? Do you not want it?” Allen asked, looking somewhat dejected.

“It’s not that. The person who kills a dragon is cursed to die.”

“…What?”

“If I die, the child will obviously die too.”

“Lensia. Wait, you’re going to die?” A shadow of despair fell over Allen’s face.

Run, watching them, and spoke nonchalantly. [If I die like this, Lensia will die before giving birth to her child.]

“N…No. That can’t happen.” Allen said in a trembling voice. He seemed more shocked than the one facing death herself.

Seeing him, Lensia shook her head. “Oh dear, what to do. I thought this might happen.”

“I’ve never treated a dragon, but the principle is the same. Lensia, I’ll save Run again.”

Allen stepped on the black blood soaking the ground and approached Run.

“I’ll somehow save this dragon…”

[Human, only a dragon can heal a dragon. There’s nothing you can do.]

“There must be a way. I can’t lose Lensia like this. We’ve just barely come together…”

[The wounds are too deep for even my regenerative ability to handle. It’s impossible.]

Allen, who had been examining the dragon’s huge body here and there, soon lowered his head. It was clear the injuries were too severe to be treated. The black dragon Run was about to die.

“… Dragon Run, are you still alive?”

[For now. But I will die within half an hour.]

A glint flashed in Allen’s purple eyes. He opened his mouth.