Chapter 80

Could it be that the Duke of Dragons' rampage had already begun at this time?

Even as I thought this, I moved my body.

I headed towards the door.

The sound of footsteps was still coming.

- Tus, I have one question. Please answer me. Is Duke of Dragons in a 'rampage' state?

- No!

Tus shouted.

- The Duke is fine. He's not sick! There's nothing wrong! Just...!

Creak. The sound of the door opening interrupted Tus's words, and I instinctively pressed myself against the wall.

Peeking out, the first thing I saw was a giant shadow by the door.

Such a large shadow... just how big is the Duke of Dragons?!

I swallowed hard.

Soon, the figure that appeared approached the broken plate.

‘Just a little more, a little more...’

If I moved a bit more, I could see his figure in the moonlight.

Finally, when the Duke of Dragons appeared in the moonlight, I opened my mouth in surprise.

‘A child?’

The giant shadow was completely unexpected.

The child was so small, making the shadow's size seem meaningless.

I could only see the child's back, but the child seemed to be staring blankly at the overturned food on the floor.

‘No matter how scary, the service is a mess.’

Was the child angry that the food was overturned?

Was he about to cause a commotion?

But the next moment, the Duke of Dragons' actions were completely unexpected.

‘Wait, just a moment!’

By the time I realized it, I had already run out and grabbed the small hand.

“Wait!”

I stared at the child with a bewildered expression.

“Were you trying to pick up and eat that food?”

“...”

Sure enough, the hand I held was clutching a squished tomato that had fallen on the floor.

And the tomato, visible in the moonlight, was...

Rotten?

It was terribly rotten.

I couldn't help but notice. I had once eaten rotten food by force.

...When I was sold to the Black Leopard family.

No matter how strong the Duke of Dragons' stomach might be, to give a child such food...

‘What’s going on here?’

The Duke of Dragons being monitored or living in this old building.

There were more than a few strange points, but still, it was the Duke of Dragons.

The symbol of this empire, and the one all the beastmen look up to.

I never thought such a person would be treated like this.

At the very least, he should be treated like a human...

“This is rotten, let it go.”

After saying it, I realized I should have used formal language, but it was too late.

Looking up, I saw a pale face.

‘Not the age I knew, but the face is no different.’

It was the bright blue hair I loved.

Below that, the pale, smooth skin that seemed to show veins, and the golden eyes left a deep impression on my mind.

‘...But why is he in this state?’

Not the wild, bloodshot eyes of a rampage, but a dazed and vacant gaze.

No, it also looked indifferent and empty.

...Is he malnourished?

The first thing that came to mind was the gaunt cheeks and thin neck.

The bony wrist I held.

‘It’s as if they’re deliberately giving him rotten food to starve him or slowly kill him...’

I stopped my thoughts and shuddered.

“H, just bear with it a little. This will get better when he dies and is reborn.”