Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Adopted by the King of Knights [13]

Artoria wanted to mend the rift between Bluey and humanity.

But before she could do that, there was one thing she needed to understand.

"Why do you hate humans so much?"

"Is it because they took the fish you were raising?"

She shot a glance at the girl standing off to the side, then tugged on one of Bluey's wings and "quietly" asked the question.

She controlled her volume masterfully—just loud enough that the girl behind them could hear every word.

It was her way of getting both sides to confront the issue, to pave the way for resolving the conflict.

And it worked. For someone so young, Artoria was remarkably thoughtful—far from the stereotype of a clueless idealist.

Bluey glanced at her.

He saw right through her little plan, but he had no reason to reject this attempt at reconciliation.

"Hmph—"

"Fine. I wasn’t going to say anything... but since it’s you, I guess I have no choice."

The little dragon huffed and grumbled, but both Artoria at his side and Wenna standing behind them could understand his ancient, mysterious tongue—they’d already formed a bond with the dragon.

"I never said I hated humans."

"I'm just indifferent to them, that’s all."

Bluey snorted, voicing his true thoughts.

Though he had once been human, now he was a dragon in every sense—still young, yes, but with a worldview distinctly draconic.

The way he saw humans now was probably how humans looked at stray dogs in a village. Not hatred—no, not at all. Maybe even a passing kindness from time to time, tossing them a scrap of sausage or some leftovers.

That was why he’d saved those dying people.

Because, if a person saw a bunch of half-dead strays collapsed at their doorstep, wouldn’t they try to help them?

As for the idea that he was angry about the stolen fish… that was nonsense. Those fish had actually been meant as a late-night snack for Artoria. If anyone had the right to be angry, it was her.

"Huh? So you’re not angry? And you don’t hate humans?"

"Then why are you treating her like this?"

"I heard from her that she prayed to you inside that temple for seven days—and you never once showed yourself."

Artoria blinked, her lovely face full of confusion.

—But she never expected this answer from Bluey:

"I don’t hate humans."

"I just hate her."

Bluey said it matter-of-factly.

The sheer contempt in his voice made the eavesdropping girl shudder involuntarily.

And the look on Artoria’s face shifted from confusion to total bewilderment.

“...Huh???”

…

Bluey hated this girl.

The very girl he had personally saved—who even now prayed to him every day, her heart filled with gratitude.

Is that hard to understand?

No. Not really. Not once you change your perspective.

Don’t think of it in human terms. Think of it the way a dragon would.

"You’ve spent too much time among humans."

"You’ve forgotten the stance we’re supposed to hold."

Bluey spread his wings and rose into the sky, circling above them.

He told Artoria that only gods required the prayers of believers. Only humans entrusted their hopes to such distant, hollow illusions.

"We are not gods."

"We are dragons."

"And she is dragon-blooded."

To a dragon, the word prayer was almost synonymous with cowardice.

Would an enemy spare your life just because you prayed?

Would prey carve itself into neat little portions just because you prayed?

No. Of course not. The world doesn’t work that way.

Even a dragon who once descended from the sky didn’t bring peace because someone asked—it was because the enemy surrendered outright, offering themselves up without a fight.

Even a rabbit, when forced into a corner, will lash out and claw at a hawk with its hind legs.

All strength and power must be earned through blood and fire. Even a throne must be forged from bones and battle. Bluey had learned this in his very first fight.

Artoria, though… still hadn’t understood that.

It’s that magician’s fault.

He raised her too well.

First, he used forbidden magic to create a monster. Then he shoved that monster into a human skin and bound her with something called chivalry.

"Look. What a perfect king, isn’t she?"

—A magician who made an unforgivable mistake and didn’t even realize it. A clairvoyant whose sight was worse than blindness.

…

Bluey circled above them.

Artoria looked up at the young dragon soaring freely in the sky, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Wenna stood some distance away, head bowed, saying nothing. She was deep in her own thoughts.

The wide mountain valley fell into an eerie silence.

But the stillness didn’t last long—

"This... this is it!"

From the narrow path leading up the mountain came the sound of hurried footsteps—voices full of hope and excitement.

Wenna’s head snapped up. Her eyes went wide with disbelief and panic as she turned to the narrow rocky pass that barely allowed one person through.

Her gaze was full of silent pleading.

Don’t come. Don’t come. Please, don’t come…

She screamed it in her heart, praying her people would somehow hear her.

But of course, they couldn’t. She didn’t know voice-transmission magic. There was no way her thoughts could reach them.

"And that," Bluey said, descending from the sky to perch on Artoria’s shoulder, "is exactly why I hate her."

"She knows exactly what the consequences will be. And still, she does nothing."

"Just stands there praying—dumping all her hopes on some so-called god."

With a claw, he drew the long sword strapped across Artoria’s back and tossed it to the ground.

Clang—

It wasn’t just the sound of steel hitting stone.

It was the sound of a girl’s heart breaking.

"You have two choices now."

"First: pick up that sword, kill every human you see, and prove your loyalty to me—I’ll accept you as one of my own."

"Second: pick up the sword and attack me—prove your courage, and I’ll grant you an honorable death."

"But what you can’t do... is just stand there doing nothing."

---

T/N: oof...

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!