Chapter 61: Earth Dragon Nidhogg

Elizabeth... that...

A dragon... right?

I've never seen a dragon that big...

Been a while, Morgan le Fay.

Seeing you so shabby... time really has passed.

Morgan le Fay... don't tell me...

...

So... you're still alive.

For a lizard, your life is ridiculously long.

You... know that thing?

The Earth Dragon, Nidhogg.

Once a guardian of the land...

He overstepped, rampaged, and got sealed.

Dragon in name only, an idiot with less wits than a lizard.

Ha! That sharp tongue hasn't dulled.

Long ago I'd have taken it as confidence and let it pass...

But now... you're far too arrogant.

...!!!

Morgan le Fay, you're no different from any common fae now.

No spirit of a Fairy Queen, no magic... nothing at all.

By contrast...

This place is all but my temple.

An Earth Dragon commanding the undead...

Forget that Esteria or whatever, doesn't that make him a Death Dragon?

If you've got time to joke, run!

Right now we...

cannot beat him!

Morgana, start explaining.

Why is he attacking us?

Because I'm the one who sealed that lizard here.

Meet your nemesis after ages and you lose control.

...! Is that true?

That's amazing, Morgana!

Hehe! Nothing's impossible for the Fairy Queen.

Then why say we should run?

Just seal him again.

T-That's... difficult.

If I unleash my power here, everyone's in danger...

Don't tell me... you don't remember how?

...

You're serious?!!!

Hey! I couldn't help it!

Do you know how much I crawled to protect you useless pigs?

It's only natural I'd forget!

Both of you, please calm down!

She's right, Ethan... there must be another way.

My head already hurts...

How are we supposed to take down a brute like that...

Stop thinking like that.

As we are now, we can't possibly win.

There's no guarantee of that.

If Eva helps, there's a chance...

...The Blessing of the Red Dragon Elizabeth carries.

He's an ancient dragon dating back to when that legendary Red Dragon still lived.

Even if we won...

we wouldn't all make it back alive.

Morgana...

I don't want to see you die a dog's death in a place like this.

You still have too much left to do.

...Yeah. You're right.

We've still got a lot unfinished.

Let's find a way out.

We're all... getting out alive!

Wise choice.

If Ethan dies, who's going to carry my luggage?

We have to find traces of the ancient fae... and earn money for steak...

So you absolutely can't die!

...

...

...

...! There's a Death Lord here too?

Maybe that Death Lord... is actually the key to escaping?

We ended up here right after we defeated a Death Lord.

There must be a connection, right?

Come to think of it... the Earth Dragon could summon undead too.

Makes sense. Two coincidences aren't a coincidence.

Let's take it out, fast!

Be careful, Ethan.

Its mana is far denser than the one before.

Hang in there, everyone!

If we just land one clean hit now...

Did you think you could flee?

Once this place was a prison forged by an arrogant fae...

but the master of this land has changed...

Kneel, foolish mortals.

You will never leave here alive!!!

What do you think you're doing...

I wonder what breeze is blowing the noble Fairy Queen around.

Given who I'm dealing with, nice words don't come out.

What exactly is your aim?

...

And why would I?

...Fine.

What do you want to know?

I'll give information that a Fairy Queen would want.

I refuse to owe you anything.

Bedivere!!!

...!!!

Hehe... don't... worry!

I am... of Britannia...

and the Princess's... knight!

Like Ethan said... I can't fall in a place like this...!

Oww!

How long has it been since you came back... and you're already overdoing it?

Move. I'll handle it this time.

Morgana... don't tell me...

That's right. It just came back to me.

Exactly where that dumb lizard's weak point is!

Guh...!

Ethan, Elizabeth, now!

Aim for the right ankle!!!

Morgan le Fay...!

Even now... you stand in my way!!!

You betrayed Britannia first.

This time, I'll make sure you stop breathing!

No... your rampage ends here!

Ngh...!

The plan... will be postponed.

Until your spark goes out, Morgan le Fay.

We're back...?

I'm too dumbfounded to speak.

He really cut off his tail and fled like a lizard...!

Wasn't it a foot, not a tail?

That is not the point right now!

Easy, Morgana.

Like we set out, we all made it back alive.

I get the frustration, but the Earth Dragon isn't our goal.

But...!

Morgana!

Urk?!

You were amazing today!

Truth is, I... was a little scared.

I worried our journey might end here...

But it's all thanks to you stepping up, Morgana!

Hrk... this giant ball of fat... I can't breathe...!

Bedi's right.

Thank you, Morgana.

...Even I have to admit you were cool today.

Looking forward to more, Fairy Queen.

...

Hmph. You finally grasp the greatness of the Fairy Queen.

Better late than never, urk?! Don't squeeze me more! I can't breathe!

Nothing...

Not a single sign of the Death Dragon, can't even find monster tracks.

Looks like we came to the wrong place.

I don't sense any unusual mana around here.

Then that record... was it just a legend after all?

I wouldn't say that.

Why?

A hunch.

That dumb lizard is alive and kicking, isn't he?

Of course the Death Dragon's alive too.

But... isn't it too late to keep searching now?

The longer this drags on... the deeper the misunderstanding gets.

......

All right, let's head back for now.

Ethan...

Elizabeth. It's not that I don't trust you.

Like Bedivere said, we're short on time.

We've got no choice... we'll have to use another method.

...You've thought up another weird plan, haven't you.

Just hear me out.

It's a way to wrap this up perfectly.

Elizabeth, is there any other way in?

Like a secret passage only the royal family knows.

There used to be... but they're all sealed now.

It's the route Bedi and I used to escape the castle.

This is tough... we have to get into the city somehow.

Heh. Looks like you need help?

Enya? You're already recovered?

Thanks to the one who saved me.

So today... I'm here to repay that favor.

You want to cross the border, right?

Leave it to me.

The Alliance forces aren't welcome here!

......

Elizabeth. Don't worry.

If we stick to the plan, public opinion will swing to our side.

...Yes, Ethan. I'll go.

Is that... Princess Elizabeth...?

How did she even get in here?

It's been a while, everyone.

It feels like a dream to stand here again...

But this isn't the time to revel in reunion.

All the rumors about me are lies!

Britannia's guardian chose me, Elizabeth Pendragon.

This Death Dragon's Claw is the proof!

If it's the Death Dragon... you don't mean the one from legend...

Wasn't she rejected by the Holy Sword...?

Do not be deceived by Vortigern's schemes.

For his own power... he drove his people to the slaughter. He's a traitor, nothing more!

Can we... really believe this?

Of course it's real! How do you slay the Death Dragon without the Holy Sword?

We were all... being fooled!

Hey, humans! Watch closely!

Lord Fenrir... never attacks humans first!

He was only being controlled by that woman, Rowena!

So it was all... a staged play?

Damn it! Because of that bastard... my son... ngh!!!