Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 7
The Missing Black Flame Dragon
Thinking about the Black Flame Dragon’s heinous crimes, I quickly gave up on trying to persuade Kyle.
But his anger didn’t subside so easily.
“Every one of my companions has suffered because of that dragon. Gerard’s hometown was destroyed. Elonen lost his sacred relic, and his holy temple was reduced to rubble. Kakaros could do nothing but watch as the World Tree burned.”
Hearing this, fragments of the novel’s original story resurfaced in my memory.
These people would never forgive the Black Flame Dragon. Their thirst for revenge ran too deep.
If they ever found out who I really was… Just imagining it made my vision spin.
“…I see.”
“Anyway, that damn dragon will be dead by today, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
But that was exactly what I was worried about. Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I simply nodded.
“We’ll be reaching the dragon’s lair today. Stay in the back where it’s safest, alright? It’s better to stick with us than to wander the forest alone.”
While saying things that didn’t make sense to me, Kyle casually slung an arm around my shoulders as he spoke.
That’s when it hit me. The empty lair. These people wouldn’t just leave after finding it abandoned, and they’d search for the Black Flame Dragon. And the first person they’d suspect?
Me.
“Actually, I think I should leave the forest on my— mmpfh!”
Before I could finish, Kyle clamped his hand over my mouth.
I nearly bit my tongue, but he didn’t seem to care at all.
“Mmmph…?!”
“Shh. I sense the presence of a monster.”
Kyle’s expression turned serious as he listened carefully. Sensing his tension, I sharpened my own senses. I felt something too, but I couldn’t tell if it was actually a monster.
“Stay here. It’s dangerous.”
Kyle finally released my mouth, then drew his sword.
“Grrrrrrrr…!”
A deep growl rumbled through the air.
A massive, wolf-like creature emerged from the bushes, glaring at us murderously.
“Just a low-ranked monster? I can take care of one easily, so Lysian, stay ba—”
Kyle hadn’t even finished speaking when the wolf threw its head back and howled.
“Awooooooo!”
Then, more monsters burst through the foliage.
“Guess it’s not just one.”
Before Kyle could react, one wolf lunged.
On instinct, he swung his sword—slashing it down instantly.
But as soon as its body hit the ground, the rest pounced all at once.
“Lysian, get back!”
I had no intention of fighting monsters. I wanted to retreat—anywhere was fine. The problem was… I was completely surrounded, and there was nowhere I could hide.
Taking advantage of my lack of action, one of the wolves lunged at me, fangs bared.
As I watched its sharp teeth gleamed as they neared my skin, for a moment, I hesitated. Should I release just a little miasma to scare it off? Or should I just let it bite me and play weak?
If I were more confident in controlling my miasma, I would have chosen the first option. But I wasn’t.
‘One bite shouldn’t kill me, right?’
Kyle had called these low-ranked monsters. Even if I looked human, I was still a dragon, and I wouldn’t die just because a single weak monster bit me.
Better to take a little damage than risk exposing my identity.
Reaching this conclusion after brief deliberation, I raised my arm to shield my face.
“Watch out!”
Kyle’s shout rang out behind me. And then, the next moment, a scorching, searing pain spread through my arm as the wolf bit down.
“Kgh…!”
Damn it.
It hurts. It hurts so damn much.
If I had known it would be this painful, I would have just used miasma! But, it was too late for regrets now.
The monster biting my arm suddenly locked eyes with me. Its pupils shrank in terror. Without hesitation, it spat out my arm and scrambled backward with a pitiful whimper.
“Get down!”
Kyle rushed forward, swinging his sword in a wide arc.
The blade cut cleanly through the air, tracing an elegant curve, and in an instant, it sliced through the monster’s neck as effortlessly as cutting soft tofu.
Schlak!
A spray of crimson blood splattered across the ground, and the monster’s severed head rolled across the dirt. The other monsters, witnessing the brutal scene, panicked and fled into the bushes.
“Kyle, what the hell was that?!”
“What do you mean, ‘what was that’? What in the world were you doing? I told you to stay back!”
Kyle flicked the blood off his blade and turned to me, clearly exasperated.
But I wasn’t thinking about that—I was still replaying the moment the wolf had backed away. Ears flattened, body lowered. A clear sign of surrender.
