[x] Trust

"Come, dragon!" cried the prince of the north. "I challenge you this day!"

The ground rumbled and shook. A deep voice boomed from the cavern before him.

"Speak, knight," it said. "Why do you seek -"

"It is here! The cannons! Fire the cannons, you sorry lot! Fire at will!"

At those words, the cave and its surroundings were filled with fire and explosions. His men, who had hidden some distance away, bombarded the dragon's cavern continuously. The prince smiled with the cruelty fitting a conqueror.

"Such a beautiful sight," he said. "I can already smell victory! Gahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed throughout the hills, and not a single person among his men dared speak against it. The prince had used such tactics to emerge victorious against the kingdoms of the eastlands. Why would he hold back against a dragon? This was to be his final conquest on the continent.

A great shadow emerged from the cavern. The dragon roared in anger at the prince of the north.

"You brought guns and cannons?" it said. "You dirty human filth! How dare you defile the prophecy of this land with your treachery!"

The prince smiled back from the bottom of his black heart. As the smoke cleared, he saw that the dragon was greatly injured from the attack. Burns and open wounds were all over its gargantuan form.

"How is it, dragon!" he cried. "Feel the wrath of humanity! This is our power! You creatures of old have no place in my new world!"

"Your world? Does your arrogance have no end?"

"Arrogance? What do you speak of? This is my divine right to take that which I desire!"

The dragon stomped its foot on the ground in anger, shaking the land violently. Some of the men stepped back, but their prince stood boldly before the dragon.

"I am a king," he declared. "And you are just another chapter in the history of my new world!"

"Then this shall be the last chapter," replied the dragon. "Your men shall rest quickly. Their deaths shall be merciful. But you shall suffer long after death, remembered in history as the greatest of fools!"

With those last words, the dragon stepped forward to give the impudent prince his first and last war in the jeweled land.

"Let's end here for today," I said. "It will be morning soon."

"But isn't this interesting? Don't you want to see what happens next, ehehe~"

"You should get some rest," I said. "Besides, you haven't told me anything about your investigation. Did you find anything useful?"

"Not really," she said.

"Then where did you get that scratch on your arm?"

"Eh?"

Did she think I would not notice? Even through her clumsy make-shift bandage, I could see tell that she had an injury. I remembered that vampires could regenerate their wounds. What happened to her last night? Why would she need to worry about bleeding? I couldn't hold back my concern any longer.

"..."

Flandre didn't reply right away. Her cheerful smile slowly started to vanish. She didn't look me in the eye as she spoke, and there was sadness in her voice.

"Not yet," she said. "I can't answer that yet. I still need to confirm my theory."

"Flandre?"

The little sister turned to me again, smiling gently.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "You should focus on learning what you can during the day. I shall move during the night. This is for the best, alright?"

"Well, that is..."

She turned to me with eyes full of determination.

"I will find the culprit," she said. "So don't worry about it. You will be safe."

"But.."

Flandre put the book back into my hands.

"If you really want to help, then can you read this next part to me?"

She lowered her head so I couldn't see her face. Her voice was but a whisper when she spoke again.

"Please."

[ ] Time for her to rest.
[ ] Continue reading aloud.
[ ] Keep asking her about the injury.