Chapter 198 - North Korean rabbit

Chapter 198

Upon seeing Gaspard's sudden transformation, a thought occurred to me.

It was none other than the single drop of Arpad's blood that we had handed over to the author.

The experimental subject mixed with his blood had become a part of Gaspard's body.

It was not strange that Gaspard's transformed appearance bore a resemblance to the experimental subjects made from Arpad's corpse that I remembered.

In a sense, one could say the current Gaspard was a being who had inherited Arpad's blood.

Arpad, faced with a monster mimicking him, made no attempt to conceal his open disgust.

The arm holding me tightened.

"Does it upset you that much?"

It was understandable.

Watching the world's greatest perverted mage become a monster resembling himself.

It was bound to be complicated.

But Arpad's answer was unexpected.

"I feel somewhat uneasy and afraid."

"What?"

I was a little surprised. I had anticipated disgust and unease.

But it was the first time I had heard the expression 'afraid' from Arpad's lips regarding something not directly related to me.

Arpad hadn't forgotten to shatter my fears.

"It's annoying and hateful that of all things, that bastard took on a form resembling me. And to do so right before your eyes. He's blatantly wagging his tail at you."

"Huh?"

That was him wagging his tail at me?

Arpad looked at me and smiled, his eyes curved like crescent moons. It was an unusually pretty and delicate facial line and smile.

Even with his poor complexion and being grimy in the midst of battle, I couldn't understand how he could be so beautiful.

As if reading my thoughts, Arpad tilted his head and asked.

"You like my face, don't you? Am I wrong?"

Ah, now I understood.

He was in a bad mood because it seemed like Gaspard, having taken on a form resembling him, was trying to seduce me.

It was so very like Arpad to be overflowing with the conviction that his own appearance would work exceedingly well on me.

I answered with a bright smile.

"But that one is far too ugly. Trying to imitate now is too late; it can't beat the real thing. The original is simply irreplaceable."

At that, Arpad made a satisfied face.

The black serpent crumpled beside us interjected.

"Even in this situation, you two can make such jokes......"

"Huh? It's not a joke?"

"Hilia doesn't joke about my appearance."

At our couple's utterly frank answers, the black serpent seemed at a loss for words.

"......"

* * *

Meanwhile, Gaspard's transformation, which had been contorting his entire body, finally concluded.

Of course, Arpad continued to unleash sword energy, but it was all blocked by the magical power emanating from Gaspard's body.

He slowly took his first step. *Kigik*, an unpleasant noise scraped the floor.

His foot had lost its human form, and elongated, dagger-like claws had sprouted.

It wasn't just his foot.

All his limbs except his left arm were in a similar state, and a half-formed wing had grown from his back.

All over his body, traces of mottled golden scales had erupted.

Gaspard's eyes, which had turned red, moved as if marveling at his own body before turning towards Hilia.

"!"

Surprisingly, his eyes were shining with an unprecedented softness.

To that, intense passion, ecstasy, and greed were soon added.

Hilia could not suppress the surge of revulsion and rejection.

Because the gaze that followed was familiar.

The greedy gaze with which he had looked at Arpad, or at the child in her womb.

And before the regression, Gaspard had looked at Hilia with such a gaze. After learning she was the Bride of the Dragon.

"You are the Bride of the Dragon. What other expression could describe a being like you......"

Just like then, no, with a gaze several times more insane and obsessive than then, he was looking at the present Hilia.

Arpad stepped forward as if to protect his wife from Gaspard.

Then Gaspard spoke discontentedly.

"Let me see the bride a little more."

The single word that came from Gaspard's mouth twisted Arpad's mood firmly.

But Hilia was even more surprised.

'Bride? Did he just call me bride now?'

Hilia felt a chill, as if ice were licking her spine.

Could it be that Gaspard had regained memories from before the regression?

She soon realized that was not the case.

"I never truly believed the Bride of the Dragon existed, and I certainly never imagined she would be this close. Now that I have become a body through which dragon blood directly flows, I can be certain. You were the Bride of the Dragon. So that's why the Crown Prince cherished you so."

Gaspard was the first person to inform Hilia of the existence of the 'Bride of the Dragon.'

Even before meeting her, he was the one who, while researching dragons, particularly observing the relationship between Artanus and Iestrid, had formulated the hypothesis that a being like the 'Bride of the Dragon' might exist.

Now that he had directly accepted dragon blood into his body, what he realized... was not strange.

Though it was a dreadful thing.

"To be able to prove with my own body that the hypothesis I've always pondered is true... it's the best."

Gaspard's shoulders trembled. As if he couldn't contain the overflowing ecstasy.

The hand with which Hilia gripped Arpad's arm tightened. It was due to clear rejection and fear.

Arpad, noticing Hilia's fear, deliberately stepped forward roughly. Or, to express it more bluntly, Hilia had given him a push to express his own displeasure and jealousy.

The aura that bloomed like flame flew towards Gaspard's jaw. Gaspard spread his single half-wing and blocked the sword energy.

*Kagagak—!*

A noise like metal scraping against metal.

"I suppose I'll have to cut out that mouth first. How dare you speak of another man's wife as a bride."

From beneath the torn membrane of skin, Gaspard laughed grotesquely and retorted.

"That's because she is 'my' bride as well."

"...!"

This made no sense.

Artanus had clearly said the relationship between a bride and a dragon was one-to-one.

If Hilia was Arpad's bride, she could not be another dragon's bride.

So how......?

At that moment, Hilia and Arpad simultaneously recalled one fact.

'Could it be......!'

The single drop of Arpad's blood they had given up to use Gaspard.

Surely, Arpad's blood was included in the body of Gaspard, who had now transformed into a monster.

If, due to that influence, Gaspard could recognize and feel Hilia as a bride?

'...This is the worst.'

Then Gaspard cried out in an ecstatic voice.

"All my life I've been obsessed with creating a complete dragon with these hands, but I never anticipated such pleasure."

He was rejoicing like a child, but for those confronting him, it was impossible to understand what exactly was so pleasurable.

"Ah! So this is the perspective, and this is the spirit with which a dragon views the world! Yes! Indeed, when researching a certain being, there is no better method than becoming that being oneself!"

The heated voice was truly that of a madman who had transcended humanity.

The single half-wing split the air.

*Boom!*

The shockwave emanating from it engulfed the two.

Fortunately, Arpad blocked it, but he was in too reckless a state. Blood spurted from between his teeth.

"Kgh!"

Gaspard's body flew at a speed incomparable to the battle moments before.

*Kakak!*

Arpad barely parried Gaspard's attack with a blade wreathed in aura.

His movements had noticeably refined.

'Is he growing accustomed to his changed body and power?'

The force was completely different from before. Walls were crushed like cheese by his claw-like nails.

"The power is overflowing! Ahahaha! It's unbelievable!"

"...It's clearly a power too good for the likes of you."

"But it's unstable. Feeling it directly, I understand clearly now. I also understand why imperial family members with thicker blood went mad more quickly."

Gaspard, who seemed to be adapting by swinging his hands and feet this way and that, swung his right arm, which had undergone the greatest change.

*Vwoom—!*

A force completely different from before exploded forth. The white, blade-like nails tore through Arpad's shoulder and nape.

Red blood splattered onto Gaspard's face. The monster stuck out its long tongue and licked the dragon blood as if it were ambrosia.

Arpad was not just taking it. As his flesh tore, he swung his sword, attempting to behead Gaspard.

But.

*Kang!*

With a clear sound, the sword broke.

"!"

Now that his aura was depleted, the blade was merely iron.

Even if imperfect, it could not pierce a dragon's scales.

"Kehahahak!"

Amidst Gaspard's cheerful laughter, the incomplete tail from behind flew in and struck Arpad.

The tail, with exposed bone, was composed of dragon bone.

Spitting blood once more, Arpad was flung back mercilessly.

Hilia's scream rang out.

"Arpad!"

Gaspard, who had flung Arpad aside and inserted himself as if to separate the two, grabbed Hilia's wrist with his left hand, which still retained much of its human form.

"Let go!"

Blocking her path as she tried to run to Arpad with his wing, Gaspard brought his face close to Hilia's.

Surprisingly and paradoxically, Gaspard now wore a gentle expression one would never have expected to see on this mad mage.

An expression he had never shown even to Evangeline, whom he had regarded specially before the regression.

In another sense, Hilia was familiar with this expression.

Because it resembled the affection and smile that another man, the man she loved, always showed her. Not Gaspard.

"Yes, I understand. What this emotion is that I've felt every time I looked at you since obtaining the dragon blood."

It was chilling. She absolutely did not want to hear it.

Hilia struggled desperately to break free, but it was utterly useless.

As if wearing Arpad's mask, Gaspard smiled and spoke.

"I love you, my bride."

It was the most dreadful confession in the world.