Chapter 11 Let’s Welcome the Evil Dragon’s Acquaintance!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Even in the Underground Temple, cut off from the outside world, intruders sometimes found their way in through many tricks.
The existence of the Evil Dragon, who could destroy the world, had value in itself, and there was no end to people who wanted to use it, even though no one could truly control it.
From evil cults that wished only for the world’s ruin, to groups that sought to bind that power to their own cause, to individuals who worshipped sheer strength—both humans and youkai swarmed to it like moths to a flame.
The duty of the Shiryuin head was not only to maintain the seal on the Evil Dragon, but also to clean up these nuisances.
No matter how many measures we took to block secret paths, intruders always discovered a new way inside. It was like a game of cat and mouse without end.
”Yaten, watch over Sakuya.”
”Leave it to me.”
Our top priority was to protect Sakuya.
From the aura, I could tell the intruders were not strong, but I could not let my child get dragged into violence.
Yaten was pregnant, and Sakuya was still a little girl.
As her father, it was my duty to drive away the enemy.
”Father! Give me an order as your shikigami!”
”No. This is real battle, and it may be a fight to the death. Besides, this is not a world you need to know yet. As a parent, I must protect my child.”
”But if your life is in danger—”
”Then all the more reason not to let my child fight.”
”…! Th-that, but, still—!!”
My firm words left Sakuya unable to answer.
She understood that her father cared for her, and she could not deny those feelings.
Even so, because she wanted more than anyone to help me, she bit her lip and gripped the hem of her robe, tears filling her eyes.
I stroked my daughter’s head, speaking gently to calm her.
”Don’t worry. Sometimes intruders break into this Underground Temple. Every time, I have driven those bad people away.”
”But what if something happens this time?”
To answer her fear, I let my gaze shift toward Yaten.
With a wicked smile befitting the Evil Dragon, Yaten wordlessly told our daughter that her worry was needless.
As the Evil Dragon who could destroy the world, she radiated an evil power that showed she could erase any danger.
To allies, that monstrous aura gave more comfort than anything.
”See? If something happens, Yaten will help me. But as her husband, I cannot let my pregnant wife fight.”
”Sakuya, if you are our child, then let your father keep his pride.”
”…I understand. But if there is any danger, then Mother, please, at that time!”
”Honestly, such drama over stepping on a bug. Very well, I shall handle it if needed.”
With both Yaten and me persuading her, Sakuya accepted it, though still unhappy.
If her mother, the Evil Dragon who could end the world, promised to defeat the enemy herself, there was no room left for argument.
Because she carried the blood of the Evil Dragon, Sakuya knew better than anyone how great that power was.
Yaten placed her hand on Sakuya’s shoulder, as if telling her not to charge in alone.
Seeing my daughter force back tears for my sake only pushed me harder.
No matter who the intruder was, I had to crush them quickly, for Sakuya.
”But it seems they are skilled at hiding, even if not strong…”
”Hmm. Even I can only feel their presence faintly.”
There was no point in hiding power here, cut off from the outside world.
In this Underground Temple filled with the Evil Dragon’s miasma, suppressing spiritual power was suicide.
It was like walking naked across frozen land—spiritual power was the coat that kept one alive.
Any intruder had to keep their strength ready, yet this one used concealment.
Until now, all others had come without hiding their presence. This was a first.
Normally, intruders aimed for the Sealing Seat where the Evil Dragon rested, so I would wait near the torii gates.
But this time, thinking of Sakuya, I could not risk the enemy breaking through to her.
If they reached the Sealing Seat, Yaten and Sakuya would be there.
Even if they were repelled, I could not let my young daughter see a real fight.
That was something neither Yaten nor I would forgive.
So I decided to face the intruder myself.
I set my hand on the treasured spirit blade at my waist, mapped the temple’s layout in my head, and calculated the course they had to take.
”Then, I’ll go drive them off.”
”Good. Go on, then.”
I spoke lightly, not to worry them, and Yaten responded at once.
As if I were just stepping out for a walk, I left Yaten and Sakuya behind.
The moment I passed out of their sight, I sprinted like an arrow loosed from a bow.
The location… near the entrance. Maybe they were lost in this maze-like place.
The Underground Temple was designed as a labyrinth, and each Shiryuin head had to walk it themselves and map it in their mind.
Only I, as current head, knew the whole structure.
That gave me the advantage.
I focused on the faint aura of the intruder wandering like a lost child.
Passing under rows of crimson torii, I dashed through the cave path where they would surely pass.
No matter how well they hid their aura, my eyes as the Shiryuin head could see through any trick.
Without that skill, I could never guard the seal of the Evil Dragon.
—I found them.
A white-haired woman, face hidden by a cloth, ran down the corridor.
The cloth was marked with divine script against miasma, showing she was of divine rank.
Her hair, tied and flowing down her back, her expensive white kimono glowing with spirit power—
I drew my blade and, as I passed, struck the hilt-first into her stomach.
”Gah… ugh!”
The impact told me the blow had landed.
She collapsed at once, and I bound her body with a paralysis spell.
It was a perfect strike—too fast to resist, followed by instant binding.
I looked down at her body, pressed flat against the floor.
She was not strong. She had just relied too much on her stealth.
In battle, the first strike always decided the winner.
The Shiryuin Clan’s combat style, built over a thousand years, was focused on one-kill strikes.
Because this time the intruder was alone, and because of Sakuya’s education, I had only used the back of the blade.
Normally, I would have cut off a limb to neutralize them.
In the Underground Temple, where the Evil Dragon was sealed, we were taught to avoid bloodshed unless the intruder was extremely strong or too many to handle.
”Who are you?”
Anyone who entered the Evil Dragon’s prison could not be normal, but I asked anyway.
I wanted to interrogate her, but Sakuya, who carried the Evil Dragon’s blood, had clairvoyance.
She might be watching this, so I needed to act politely.
There were spells to twist her mind, but I could never show that to my child.
Annoying as it was, I had to avoid violence.
The best way would be to break her limbs and then bend her will with a spell.
But I could not show such violence to my daughter.
So I waited patiently for her answer.
I was not only the head of the Shiryuin Clan—I was a father.
Like how Yaten had softened after becoming a mother, I too had started acting in ways I would not be ashamed of before my child.
”Can’t you show your true self? Then at least tell me why you came to this Underground Temple.”
”…To free Lady Yaten.”
”…Huh?”
She said Yaten’s name, not “Evil Dragon”…?
Only a few in the Shiryuin Clan knew Yaten’s true name.
It was hidden because if the name of the Evil Dragon became known, someone might use it in word-spells to steal her power.
To stop anyone from creating bonds through her name, her true identity had been kept secret.
The legends only spoke a false name.
If this woman knew the true name, she might be Yaten’s acquaintance.
If so, I could not decide alone.
I had to ask Yaten herself through thought-link.
—Yaten, are you watching this?
—I see it. Your hand has stopped. What is wrong?
I glanced at the woman whose face was hidden by cloth, her eyes blazing with hostility.
—There’s a chance she knows you. She used your true name.
—Hmm, is that so. Then lift her veil. If I see her face, I will know.
The Evil Dragon’s clairvoyance could see through almost anything inside the Underground Temple.
Because she was bound, the woman’s recognition-hiding spell had faded, so Yaten and Sakuya could now perceive her.
Maybe lifting the cloth was only to respect Sakuya, who was watching.
Even though this might be an acquaintance, Yaten’s voice in my mind carried almost no interest.
”Excuse me.”
”No—stop it!”
I knew it was rude, but for the sake of confirming the intruder’s identity, I pulled off her veil.
Red eyes with vertical pupils. At first, I thought she was the same kind as Yaten.
But when the veil that kept out miasma was lifted, her open mouth revealed a tongue split at the tip.
Not a dragon—Yaten would be furious if I said it—but she was like a serpent goddess, a close kin.
And at that moment, Yaten’s voice confirmed it.
—This one is Mizuki, the Water Princess.
—You know her?
—Though she is a snake, she could not swim. She nearly drowned in a river, so on a whim I saved her. I gave her spirit power and made her my fool. But… a thousand years later, even a little snake can become a god.
Yaten’s words carried a nostalgic tone.
Her old acquaintance had turned into a god, and that seemed to stir something in her.
—It has been long. I would like to speak of the old days.
—Yaten, you understand. The world still believes the Evil Dragon is sealed. If Mizuki learns the truth, it will be bad.
—I know. We cannot allow even the smallest danger to our children.
The fact that the Evil Dragon’s seal had been broken could never be revealed.
Even if Mizuki was loyal, if the truth slipped out, the branch families would act at once.
If they struck when we had two children with us, Sakuya could even be taken hostage.
Even if no one could defeat Yaten by force, trickery could still bind her.
Yaten and I both knew too well how cunning humans could be.
We could never risk our children’s safety.
It was unfortunate for Mizuki, but we would have to ask her to leave quietly.
Normally, I would hand such intruders to the Shiryuin Clan.
But this was different. She had once tried to help my mate Yaten.
That alone made my response softer.
”I’ll let you go this time. Do not ever come here again.”
”Why? For the Head of the Shiryuin Clan to betray his duty… why?”
When I released the binding spell, Mizuki looked at me with fearful eyes.
For over a thousand years, my clan had guarded the seal and repelled those who sought to free the Evil Dragon.
So why would I free her now?
She stood frozen, too afraid to turn her back.
Her voice shook with tension and fear.
Unless there was a reason, she could not accept being spared.
I could understand that. It was like a scene from a film.
So I mixed truth and lies and spoke.
”My child… will be born soon. To me, that life is more important than duty. I could kill you here. But then I would stain the new life soon to be blessed into this world. It would be wrong. Yes, it goes against my role, but as a parent, I want to celebrate the birth in purity.”
”…For your child?”
”Yes. Not for you. That is why you must leave the Underground Temple at once.”
She was still wary, but the fear of death faded from her eyes.
Still, Mizuki did not flee.
I was about to step away and watch her from a distance when—
”I am grateful for your kindness… but I cannot leave this place.”
”You mean, you would risk your life to free the Evil Dragon? That would be a useless death.”
But Mizuki shook her head.
She refused to leave, not out of resolve to fight, but—
”No, that’s not it! I… I thought only about coming in… I never thought about how to get out…”
”Wait. You mean—”
”Yes… I cannot leave this Underground Temple on my own.”
”Eh… but that’s…”
—Fuhaha! This one still has the same fool’s talent as in the old days!
From the thought-link came Yaten’s burst of laughter.
Even through her veil, Mizuki’s face showed deep apology.
She even prostrated herself in a desperate plea for mercy.
Since she was Yaten’s acquaintance, I could not treat her harshly.
”For now, I’ll keep you in custody here.”
”Ah, yes… please, take care of me.”
And so, in the Underground Temple, the serpent goddess Mizuki, the Water Princess, became an uninvited guest.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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