Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Adopted by the King of Knights [89]

Orléans.

Three days later.

As Bluey expected, Jeanne Alter remained unconscious for three whole days, her body slowly replenishing the deeply drained reserves of her essence.

However, the emotional wounds she'd suffered couldn't possibly heal in such a short time.

“Get out—!”

“Traitor, I said get out!”

Those were Jeanne Alter’s first words to Bluey when she woke up.

The white dragon hesitated, opening and closing his mouth as if trying to comfort her—or maybe offer to take her out for a bit, to help her clear her mind.

But the moment he saw the fury blazing in her eyes, he knew she still hadn't recovered from the “banquet of betrayal” she'd experienced.

Who could recover from something like that so quickly anyway?

Forget it.

I’ll let her calm down first.

Bluey quietly placed a basket of barley bread on the table beside her bed, then spread his wings and flew out through the open window into the sky beyond.

“Damn it—!”

Jeanne Alter, still not satisfied watching the dragon's receding silhouette, snatched up the basket along with the bread inside and hurled it angrily toward the door.

Even now, she burned with rage.

“Revenge—I’ll have my revenge—!”

“I'll burn them all to death!”

The witch, born of anger itself, struggled to rise from her bed, intending to head straight outside and finish the battle that had yet to end.

But—

Thunk—

Maybe because she'd just woken, or perhaps because her body was still so terribly weak, Jeanne Alter barely made it a few shaky steps from her bed before collapsing to the floor.

“Damn you, even you betray me now?!”

She cursed bitterly at her own legs, trying desperately to push herself up.

Yet the frailty of her body exceeded her expectations—she no longer had the strength to stand at all.

“Why?”

“Why…?”

After a long struggle, the girl whom the entire world had betrayed finally gave up fighting.

She lay there, curled on the cold wooden floor, fists clenched, numbly pounding the unfeeling boards.

“Is this your divine punishment, God?”

She whispered softly to herself.

And without realizing it, tears quietly streamed down her face.

Putting the grieving witch aside for a moment.

...

Bluey left Orléans behind, tracking the scent of the two monster girls as he flew swiftly eastward.

They’d already left the valley, now settling in an abandoned village.

As expected, when Bluey found them, they were in the middle of yet another pointless argument.

Though meaningless to outsiders, these arguments seemed to be how the two monster girls expressed affection—or something like it—to one another.

“What? Jeanne got bullied?”

“Oh, betrayal, huh? I understand that feeling… She must want to trap those traitors under a huge bell and roast them alive over an open flame, right?!”

Bluey found the two dragon-girls and quickly explained Jeanne Alter’s situation, sincerely asking for their help.

From their previous meeting, though the three hadn’t become true friends, Bluey had clearly sensed they got along surprisingly well—or at least didn’t openly dislike one another.

He hoped these two quirky little ones could somehow help lift Jeanne Alter’s spirits.

“Cheering her up? Of course! Once she hears my singing, she'll definitely get her motivation back!”

Elizabeth Báthory, aspiring idol, eagerly accepted the mission.

After all, cheering up a depressed fan and making her feel inspired again—that’s exactly what an idol was supposed to do!

“I'll go wherever, it doesn't really matter to me.”

Kiyohime appeared utterly indifferent.

She had always been that way, cold and detached about everything unrelated to her beloved—perhaps that calm, quiet companionship was exactly what Jeanne Alter needed right now.

Maybe someone quieter would be better suited to comfort her.

I wonder how she’s doing now?

Bluey glanced up at the gradually darkening sky, flapping his wings to signal the two lolis to climb aboard—they needed to get back quickly.

---

Orléans.

Back in the city, Jeanne Alter had fainted again from emotional exhaustion.

But this time she didn't remain unconscious for long.

After all, the wooden floor was cold, and her crumpled position was painfully uncomfortable.

“I…”

Sensing that a bit of strength had returned to her limbs, Jeanne Alter shakily pushed herself upright.

She finally had control over her legs again.

“How... ironic.”

“To think I'd end up like this…”

“How incredibly foolish I’ve been!”

With her anger finally subsiding, the harsh reality returned, forcing the girl to face her situation clearly.

For the first time, she reflected deeply on her previous actions—something she never would've done before.

Maybe this was the painful price of "growing up."

What people fail to teach, life makes clear in a single lesson.

Though this lesson came at a terribly heavy price.

“Dragon…”

Jeanne Alter stared down at the scattered bread on the floor, thoughts drifting once more to that little white dragon.

She suddenly realized who had saved her from certain death, who had brought her to safety, and laid her gently on this bed.

Even the bread.

Just simple barley bread, yet she could feel a lingering warmth on it.

He did all this for me.

And yet I drove him away.

How foolish have I been...?

Jeanne Alter raised her head, staring desperately toward the open window, silently calling out for that little white dragon.

She wished with all her heart that in the next instant she’d see that adorable, clueless big head, those innocent eyes that seemed only ever to brighten at the sight of food.

But no.

She waited for a long time, yet the little dragon never appeared.

Beyond the window was nothing but the gradually darkening sky.

She really had driven him away.

The only friend who hadn't betrayed her—she’d driven him away herself.

“I…”

Jeanne Alter grabbed the scattered pieces of bread and bit fiercely into them, as though the warmth of the bread could somehow recreate the little dragon’s presence.

Or perhaps—

She only wished to use the bread to choke back the sobs now rising in her throat, desperate not to cry aloud.

---

T/N: NO JALTERRRR

This is a fan translation of 综漫：青眼幼龙，被骑士王捡到了 by 歌冰丽月. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!