Mjosgard's Secret

Seething with anger, Shalria hurried all the way back to her family's castle. After waving away the bothersome servants and slaves, she charged straight into Charlos's room.

Inside, Charlos was being carefully tended to by more than a dozen maids and his current eighth wife, who were pressing ice against the injuries on his face.

Even while being iced, Charlos kept complaining.

"Gawain was way out of line! He might be as weak as a child, but he kept aiming his fists at my face. He was vicious!"

"Hmph!"

Hearing Charlos's words, Shalria rushed to the bedside. She shoved aside Charlos's trembling commoner wife and drove a vicious punch into Charlos's bewildered face.

Thud!

That one punch left Charlos completely stunned. He looked at Shalria with utter confusion, his lips trembling as he asked softly,

"Sis, sis, sis... Sister?!!"

"Still calling me sister? You don't deserve to call me that, you idiot!"

Shalria's fury surged as she threw another punch.

As she hit him, Shalria shouted abuse at him.

"You actually got beaten by Gawain? Why did you get into a conflict with him? Tell me!

Who do you think he is? That's Gawain! If he loses his good impression of his poor little sister because of you,

then am I supposed to marry some other ugly, worthless relative?!!!"

Bang!

"And do you know how many women in the Holy Land already have their eyes on Gawain?

If Gawain starts hating me because of you, then those Karmael twins might get ahead of me!"

Bang!

"What did you do to Brother Gawain? Tell me! Tell me!

You dared to do something so disgraceful, but you don't dare say it? Tell me now so I can take you to apologize to Gawain!!!"

For a time, Shalria's voice made every slave and servant who heard it tremble. Even Charlos himself nearly lost control and answered her.

Looking at his terrifying sister, Charlos muttered,

"I... I didn't do anything. One of my slaves ran away and knocked Gawain over."

"Why didn't you keep your slave under control? I'll deal with you later. Keep talking. What else did you do wrong?"

"I don't know. He rushed over and hit me, so I kicked him once. Just once..."

Upon hearing that Charlos had actually kicked Gawain, Shalria felt dizzy. The fury on her face nearly burst into real flames.

Meanwhile, Charlos kept explaining.

"Then I aimed my gun at him. After that, I passed out. When I woke up, I took his slave and servant. That's all..."

Crack!!!

The crisp sound cut Charlos off. He widened his fat eyes and looked at the almost completely darkened Shalria in terror.

At that moment, Shalria's face was as black as charcoal, and it seemed as though flames were blazing behind her.

What did it mean to be more furious than a raging volcano?

Thus, beneath Charlos's utterly terrified gaze, Shalria clenched her fists until they cracked and coldly emphasized each word to him.

"You actually did all that. Very good. Very good indeed, Charlos!"

Boom!!!

That afternoon, the neighbors near the Rosward Family all felt that the Rosward Family estate seemed rather noisy.

A familiar scream rose and fell, echoing for a long, long time...

Leaving aside Charlos's tragedy, after Shalria, that fierce Celestial Dragon girl, fled away in shame, Gawain entered Mjosgard's castle.

The layout here was different from Gawain's home. The moment one entered, there was a great hall.

At that moment, Saint Mjosgard was sitting on a sofa with a dejected expression. Broken plates and cups littered the ground around him.

While servants carefully cleaned up the fragments, Mjosgard merely sat there sighing heavily. Only when Gawain entered did he raise his head in a daze.

"Ah, you really came. No wonder Shalria turned and stormed off in anger halfway through scolding me."

As he greeted him, Mjosgard stood up and stepped over the shards to Gawain's side.

As he walked, Mjosgard continued muttering to himself.

"Shalria's temper has always been so violent, but this is already pretty good.

At least the things she destroys are inanimate objects. She hasn't gone so far as to take it out on my servants.

The only person who can make her expression change while she's furious is someone like you, a handsome and refined fellow Celestial Dragon who fits the tastes of young girls like her."

"You flatter me, Senior Mjosgard." Gawain smiled gently.

For some reason, seeing Gawain's smile eased much of Mjosgard's gloom. Perhaps it was because he was no longer alone.

Mjosgard let out a relieved breath, then warmly grabbed Gawain's arm.

"I'm not flattering you. In all my life, I've never seen a fellow Celestial Dragon as handsome as you. Of course, girls don't count. Every Celestial Dragon girl is beautiful.

But this isn't the time to talk about that. I saw everything you did for that poor Merfolk earlier.

Didn't you say you wanted to go with me to the Ryugu Kingdom, find Great Knight Neptune, and return that poor Merfolk's body?

Do you still feel that way?"

"Of course." Gawain answered without hesitation.

Receiving his answer, Mjosgard became extremely excited and said enthusiastically,

"That's wonderful. Come with me!"

With that, the enthusiastic yet somewhat reckless Saint Mjosgard directly pulled Gawain to a hidden door near the rear residence of his estate.

Standing before the door, Gawain faintly heard crying. Then, when the hidden door was pushed open, Gawain looked into the room in surprise.

There were actually dozens of beautiful Merfolk of all colors hidden inside. They gathered in bubbles around the Merfolk lying on the floor, sobbing softly.

As Mjosgard opened the door, he nervously fixed his eyes on Gawain.

When he saw that Gawain showed no predatory look at all, Mjosgard gave a relieved, bitter smile and said,

"You truly are as I thought. You are one of my kind, someone who has regained a kind and compassionate heart. Then I needn't fear sharing my secret with you.

All the Heavenly Tribute I have received over the years has been spent on these poor Merfolk.

Ever since the Queen Otohime I respected and loved most died, I haven't dared leave Mary Geoise for five whole years.

It was because I failed to properly arrange her protection that Queen Otohime died for no reason. I failed her!

But even though I didn't dare go outside, I was still doing everything I could to make amends. Over these five years, every Merfolk slave purchased by our people has been bought or traded into my family through every possible means.

I have to hide them well. If other Celestial Dragons discover them, I absolutely won't be able to protect them!"

After saying that, Mjosgard pulled Gawain into the room. Facing the Merfolk, whose sorrowful eyes held curiosity and terror, Mjosgard raised Gawain's arm.

"Ladies!"

Mjosgard said with a bitter smile,

"Although I failed to fulfill my duty today and allowed one of your sisters to die in this heartless city,

fortunately, this accident allowed me to find someone who shares my ideals. Please allow me to introduce the friend I have just met. This is Gawain!"

After he spoke, there were no cheers. The entire room fell silent, and even the crying stopped.

In an instant, dozens of Merfolk suddenly huddled together and stared at Gawain in absolute terror.

"Lord Mjosgard!"

At the center of the huddled Merfolk, a Merfolk with a red tail tremblingly asked,

"How could you trust someone so easily? You've only known this person for one day!

You are our only hope of leaving Mary Geoise. You promised to protect us. Have you thought about it? If you are deceived, then we... we... Ahh~~!"

Before the red-tailed Merfolk could finish, she felt an itch at her waist. Startled, she hurriedly looked down.

Then she saw her friend extending a little hand to tickle her slender waist.

"Lalli, what are you doing?" the red-tailed Merfolk whispered.

"Ahem, Tris, I think you're overreacting!" Lalli explained quietly.

"How am I overreacting?"

"Look carefully. The Celestial Dragon lord that Lord Mjosgard brought back doesn't look like a bad person!"

"I know he looks pretty handsome, but you can't judge a person by appearance. Mister Jinbe taught us that..."

"Ahem!"

Listening to the Merfolk whisper among themselves, Gawain, whom Mjosgard had already released, could not help coughing twice as a reminder.

"Um, haven't you noticed? This room is very quiet, so I can hear your whispers clearly..."

"Hear, hear, hear... clearly?!!"

The red-tailed Merfolk instantly opened her mouth wide. Her entire body nearly turned to stone.

After a brief moment of shock, the other Merfolk huddled around her immediately descended into chaos.

"Ahhh, we're done for! He heard us talking badly about a Celestial Dragon!"

"It's all Tris's fault! Sob, sob, but Tris is a good person too. How can I bear to blame her?"

"Saint Mjosgard, save us! We don't want to die! We want to go home so badly!"

Listening to her people's panicked cries, the red-tailed Tris looked miserably at Gawain.

As she uneasily swished her tail, Tris forced herself to remain calm and asked Gawain,

"Saint Gawain, if I praise you again now, do you think it's too late...?"