The Academy’s Ankle Reaper

A very uncomfortable coexistence between dragons and humans has begun.

On the human side, we have academy students, elves, and half-elves mixed in, but for the most part, we’ll call them humans.

And on the dragon side, there’s the gold dragon Gemma Aurum, who attacked the Titanic in the dead of night.

We can’t even lay a finger on the leader of the thieves who brazenly ambushed us just because she happens to be the only daughter of the Dragon Lord.

It’s a really unpleasant situation, but what can we do?

Even though the gold dragon has wronged us, we can only leave the punishment to the Dragon Lord.

Anyway, the Dragon Lord’s only daughter, Gemma Aurum, was incredibly rude.

“I’m bored; someone bring some life to this place.”

“If you’re bored, why not dance?”

Out of nowhere, she suggested that people show off their talents, and then—

“Ugh, this is awful. Is this what you’re serving me? Bring out the premium honey!”

“Be grateful for what you get. You leave anything, and I won’t let it slide.”

“Ugh… ugh…”

She threw a tantrum about how the chef had worked hard to prepare the food, calling it tasteless. I couldn’t help but want to see the faces of her parents.

Oh, you know who I’m talking about, right? That hopeless idiot who looks so stern on the outside but obviously has failed at raising her properly!

“Don’t indulge her. Considering what she’s done, it wouldn’t be too much to hang her from the bow by her ankles.”

“Whoa?? You… you’re going to strip me of my clothes??”

“Your subordinate is tied up at the bow; don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”

Indeed, the wyvern, the actual perpetrator, was tied up at the bow.

But Gemma wasn’t restrained at all.

“Why would I? It’s a great honor for subordinates to take responsibility for their superiors. I shouldn’t have to worry about it.”

Even if I asked her to be restrained, Gemma walked around the Titanic like she owned the place.

I wasn’t happy about it.

The attitude most noble children have today is incredibly annoying.

She spent a short time wandering around, chatting with various people.

Many felt it was excessive to bind her since she had placed a ban on the Circle from functioning correctly for three whole days.

If it were up to me, I’d chain her neck and lock her in a room, but despite everything, being the daughter of a lord makes her more valuable than a princess, so I had to comply with Perda’s request to spare her.

“Anyway, we’ll hand her over to the capital in two days, so don’t get too attached.”

The Dragon Lord’s only daughter will be transferred to the imperial palace in the capital.

While she’s someone we can hardly manage, the royal family can handle her.

They have contact methods with the Dragon Lord and have met several times through meetings.

We’ll leave her in the emperor’s hands and ensure she’s properly conveyed to the lord.

However, when I mentioned this plan, Gemma reacted vehemently.

“No way.”

“What did you say?”

“I don’t want to go back!!”

Once it was suggested to send her back, she threw a fit.

My head was spinning.

“I absolutely refuse to go back to that awful place!!! I’d rather jump and die than return!”

“… You didn’t run away, did you?”

“That’s right!!”

To think she escaped from the Dragon Lord’s lair—it made my head ache.

The thought of her running away is even more absurd.

If she had escaped, she should have kept her head down, yet here she was, using her subordinates to rob us humans?

What was she thinking, risking something truly terrible happening?

“Stop throwing a tantrum like a child! You’re over a hundred years old!”

“Did you just call me an old hag??”

“Yes, you’re an old hag acting so foolishly! Do you think it’s any wonder your father is worried about you and keeps you locked up at home?!”

“Ugh… ugh…”

She teared up and jumped into Lucia’s arms.

Lucia looked a bit awkward but was charmed by the adorable Gemma showing her affection.

“Waaah! Lucia, that gremlin over there is saying bad things about me…!”

“Haha… haha, Atlas, don’t be too harsh; you’ll hurt her feelings.”

Lucia chuckled as she patted Gemma in her embrace. Gemma pulled out a jar of honey from somewhere and, still nestled in Lucia’s arms, began sucking on it while giving me a glare.

“Her words and actions might be a bit harsh, but she’s cute.”

“I don’t get it.”

Perhaps it was the fact that she was an oblivious little brat that endeared her to the women.

If she’d just keep her mouth shut, her looks are undeniably exceptional.

Though she’s transformed through polymorphing, she’s someone so attractive even among dragons.

Her golden twin tails swayed as she turned her head, her golden eyes sparkling like the full moon, a voluptuous chest almost bursting from her outfit while her waist was slender.

Her face held the innocence of a child, but her body was that of an adult, creating an incredible gap between the two.

But so what? Just thinking about her outer beauty but inner emptiness being like a necklace made of pig bones ticked me off.

“Yeah, all that violence! It’s no wonder you’re so small; you’re tiny because your insides are so small!”

-Smack!

“Ugh.”

Hearing the forbidden word, Lucia stopped petting the sulking Gemma in her arms.

Guess she didn’t want to get dragged into trouble.

“This damn brat!”

-Bam!

“Uwaaah! You… you hit me again!! I’m telling my father about this!!”

-Bam!

“Take another hit!”

“Uwaah!!”

“So now your running away is a crime, and you’re calling for the lord!”

I delivered a light smack to her soft cheeks.

“Uwaaaaah!!”

Gemma screamed and kept acting like she was in agony, but anyone who knew me understood how much I was holding back.

If she weren’t the lord’s daughter…

.

.

.

.

“That… I held back well.”

“I’ve never seen you restrain yourself like this, Atlas.”

Amy wiped my forehead with a towel.

Even if not visible, if you showed me a mirror now, you’d see my face burning crimson like a ripe tomato.

“I won’t let that brat get away with it.”

“I’m worried it’ll turn into a real disaster; I think you should pass this on to someone else…”

Seeing me fuming, River looked concerned.

After just a few hours with Gemma Aurum, I was drained of mental strength and energy.

Every time she whined and tried to act demanding, I wanted to discipline her, but I was desperately holding back.

I’ll just take it up with the Dragon Lord.

To tell him to raise that brat properly.

“Others can’t let themselves be swayed by her.”

That much is my role.

Others are far too lenient with Gemma.

With her background and the slightest show of tears, everyone becomes soft and spoils her.

Mistakes should come with consequences, but she keeps getting away with it.

“Okay.”

“… Am I right in thinking this?”

Without warning, River spread his arms wide.

As if inviting me in.

“You must have been stressed… you held back for so long, so let me give you a hug.”

“Don’t treat me like a child.”

“So you don’t want me to?”

I wanted to get hugged, but just as I was pondering whether to accept, Amy sneaked up behind me.

“Hey!”

“Whoa?!”

Amy pushed me into River’s embrace, pulling me in for a hug.

I found myself sandwiched between the two of them.

“With just the three of us here, let’s not think about those bothersome worries, okay?”

“Yeah. It’s such a nice room.”

For now, that was true, but with a ticking time bomb outside, my mind wasn’t at ease.

—————————

With a few bumps on her head, Gemma Aurum was enjoying a lavish feast in the cafeteria.

“Hmm, you’ve got good posture. Different from that little one.”

“Hahaha, if you have any discomfort, please let me know. We, Perda, will serve you with utmost sincerity.”

“Yeah, yeah, very commendable.”

The one doing the hosting was Nivas Perda, the owner of the Titanic.

While Atlas was away, Perda had secretly approached Gemma to curry favor.

No matter how much they had threatened their lives, she was the Dragon Lord’s most cherished only daughter.

Even if she was running away now, treating her well might pay off; since she seemed to enjoy sweet things, exquisite desserts and honey were served, along with sweet ice wine.

It seemed that all his preparations were worth it, as Gemma was happily devouring the offerings Perda put forth.

“There’s no need to worry. She’s a lord’s daughter; feel free to make any requests.”

“…”

Suddenly, Gemma’s expression turned icy.

She set her drink down and stood up from her seat.

“I’ve lost my enjoyment. I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Y-yes!!”

Nivas was startled by Gemma’s abrupt change in demeanor from enjoying herself to suddenly leaving.

Had he let slip something inappropriate?

But in Gemma’s hand, there was a single jar of honey as she walked out the door.

———————————

Gemma Aurum, who escaped from the lair of the Dragon Lord, had mixed feelings toward her father.

While she certainly respected him, she also resented being kept safe and not allowed a single step outside the lair.

It was a bizarre conflict between respect and resentment.

She disliked speaking ill of her father but also hated being seen as a stepping stone for relationships with the Dragon Lord.

Her tangled thoughts refused to sort themselves out.

After being entertained by Perda, Gemma wandered the Titanic with a container filled with chocolates in one hand.

Though she couldn’t claim it as her own, she figured that by buttering up the owner Perda, it would soon be hers.

“Now, I just have to avoid that violent human.”

Gemma still feared Atlas.

Having caught him off guard once, she worried about what would happen if they faced off again, but he was one of the few who openly showed her anger, making her wary.

Most people fell for her charms, and that much was accurate.

While she feared what would happen if she got captured, aside from one individual, everyone treated her well.

She thought that it would be fine to have them all as subordinates.

Though the humans she had previously taken as subordinates had flattered her well enough, they were thieves, which bothered her, but these individuals posed no such concern.

As she ventured deeper, she spotted an intriguing room.

“Engine Room?”

She didn’t know what kind of room it was, but an impressive magical energy was pooling inside.

Her curiosity was piqued.

—————————

-Bang!!!

“What was that?!”

As the sun was setting, the Titanic rocked violently.

No signs of trouble from outside; what on earth was going on?

“Hey, Perda, what’s happening?!”

“I’m looking for the cause right now!”

“Whoa~ it’s shaking, it’s shaking~”

“Nina..!! Stay still!”

As I stepped into the hallway, those startled by the ship’s shaking rushed out.

“Is it coming from the engine? What’s going on?!”

The two synthetic minerals, Icarotite and Orionium, that powered the airship are in the same engine room.

But from that engine room, thick black smoke was pouring out in great volumes.

“What the hell is this?!”

“Did the engine blow up? We’re losing buoyancy!”

When I entered, the last person I expected to see stood there.

“It’s… it’s not my fault!! This stupid machine just decided to blow up on its own!!”

Aurum was covered in soot, frantically fiddling with the machinery in the engine room.

It was him, damn it!

“… Augh… Damn it, the Icarotite’s completely burned out!!! We’re going to crash!!”

If only the engine had blown up, that would have been one thing, but it seems the Icarotite responsible for keeping the ship airborne was also damaged.

The Titanic, which had flown gracefully through the skies, began to shake violently.

Are we really going to crash?

I’m fine.

I’m confident I won’t die even if I fall from this height.

But what about everyone else?

What about Nina? What about the ship’s chef? Will they survive?