There’s No Way I Can Raise a Dragon Daughter

Disaster.

Cold sweat was already beading on my forehead.

I hurriedly rose from my seat and headed toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

When I saw the crowd gathered, it felt like my breath was being choked off.

I desperately squeezed my way through the throng of people.

“Mommy!”

“Aa…?”

Sure enough.

Tia, with a large lump on her forehead, was pouting until she saw my face and lit up with joy.

For a moment, I was so startled I couldn’t even speak, but I quickly calmed down.

Tia’s head was still wearing the fur hat I had put on her that morning, which was quite thick, so her little horn wasn’t visible.

“What are you doing here…?”

Instinctively, I rushed forward, shielding Tia while also hugging her.

Whether she understood my worry or not, Tia merely whined and buried her face in my chest.

It’s lucky.

Really lucky.

I couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“Is that girl Julia’s child?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“She seems older than expected. She’ll grow up to be a big strong girl!”

“She’s a girl.”

“Ah, come on. Nowadays, even women can be captains, right?”

“Captain? Not that kind of woman, idiot…”

“Could I hold her once?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hiiing.”

It was uncomfortable under the gaze of the surrounding crowd.

But it wasn’t out of fear or hatred.

Their eyes weren’t scrutinizing my body as they sometimes did.

Instead, they were fixated on Tia, who was adorably confused and looking around restlessly while nestled in my arms.

It was just burdensome.

Everyone was simply looking at her with the affection one might have for a cute little niece.

“What’s the child’s name, Julia?”

“Tia. Actually, it’s Ti-”

“Ah, Tia! What a lovely name, isn’t it?”

“Julia! I can look after the child while you work!”

“Sure, sure! I’ll help too!”

“That’s fine. She probably got bored. I’ll bring her back up soon.”

“You can leave her with us, you know…”

I pushed through the crowd and climbed back to the second-floor motel.

It felt like my heart was sinking.

Even though everyone found her cute, I wondered if they’d still think so once they saw Tia’s horn.

After all, she was technically the baby of a species that humanity despised intensely — a species that had once wreaked havoc and claimed millions of lives.

True, she wasn’t actually of that race, but others would likely assume otherwise.

Ordinary people wouldn’t even imagine that a child could exist from a union between a dragon and a human.

“Mommy told you not to come out without permission. How did you even open the door?”

“Mmm…”

“Don’t turn away. Look me in the eyes. What would happen if your horn was exposed? You’d die. I’m not joking. You’d be beaten to death right there.”

Images from the street came flooding back.

Somewhere, a captured or enslaved devil creature was locked in a cage, being transported in a carriage. The coachman had stepped away, perhaps to use the restroom.

In his absence, a mob gathered, throwing stones and spitting at the cage. They soon became inflamed, tearing open the door and dragging the creature out.

By the time the coachman came rushing back, it was too late.

He only shook his head, too afraid to utter a word to the enraged crowd as he quietly drove away.

Hatred for devils in this world was that severe.

Even in this southern region that hadn’t directly faced attacks from the Demon King’s forces, the animosity was palpable. I couldn’t imagine how it must be in the north.

Just thinking about the blood-stained, horrific sight still made me feel like vomiting.

“Take a look at that lump on your forehead. You fell while crawling down the stairs, right? Check your knees or any other parts for injuries.”

“Mm…”

“There doesn’t seem to be any injuries apart from the lump. You’re surprisingly sturdy. Tch.”

Is her toughness inherited from her father?

And yet, judging by how the lump hasn’t gone down yet, it looks like my own recovery abilities weren’t passed on. Good thing too. I didn’t want some regenerative power like this.

If I’d succumbed to shock at the first moment of possession in this body due to excessive blood loss, none of this would be happening.

“Haa…”

Clutching Tia, I walked slowly around the room.

The truth was, I could still quit now.

I could leave Tia in this motel room and escape to the church on my own.

Properly dressed and invoking the name of the Holy Maiden, I’d at least be guaranteed basic care and the freedom to study.

Learning some recovery magic might even secure me a better life.

This would all be possible—were it not for Tia, this dirty half-breed who’s tarnishing the purity of the Holy Maiden’s calling.

“I thought I was reasonably rational. Guess I was wrong. I once thought I could sacrifice anything for my own happiness… But apparently, not.”

“Mew?”

Yet, I couldn’t do that.

I wouldn’t abandon this cursed child.

I can already see what would happen to her if I left.

Even though I kicked out my over-enthusiastic tutor without hesitation over the last three years, I just can’t do the same to this child.

Why has it come to this?

How pathetic I’ve become.

“Hmm?”

When I suddenly checked Tia’s forehead again, the lump had greatly reduced.

It’s hilarious, really. Bloodlines cannot be denied.

She seems to have inherited at least half of my recovery ability.

“Can you stay still for a moment?”

“Mwa! Mommy!”

When I tried to put her down on the bed, she clung tightly to my shirt and started whining.

Such strength for a three-week-old baby.

“Mommy comes upstairs often these days, doesn’t she? Be patient, okay?”

“Mmm…”

I gently stroked her head, softly caressing her small pointed horn.

Amazingly, this would calm Tia down no matter how upset she was.

Her eyes still carried a tinge of resentment as she sniffled.

If anyone deserves resentment, it’s me, kid.

Taking the opportunity, I quickly kissed her forehead and pulled away.

Miraculously, she didn’t crawl back toward me.

Just as I reached for the door to leave, my feet seemed to refuse to move, as if tangled in something.

I’d forgotten something.

“Love?”

I turned back, forcing a shaky smile.

Yes, this is love.

It may tether me for the rest of my life, but this is love.

It’s just that my limited abilities can’t quite measure up.

A meaningless, burdensome bond that causes suffering for both parent and child.

That is the ugly face of empty affection.

Inevitably, we will end up blaming each other, regretting each other, and apologizing to each other.

Such is the relationship that should never have begun in the first place.

The sight of impoverished vagrants bringing up children is both pitiable and infuriating. And now, here I am doing the same.

“This is all my stubbornness.”

“…”

“Julia? Your guest is leaving, right?”

“Ah, alright! I’ll go now!”

Through the walls came eerie sounds and vibrations echoing down the hallway.

At the corner, large fox ears twitched at the sound of someone descending the stairs in quick, heavy steps.

The woman known as ‘Big Sister’, with a flick of her heels, turned her ears backward.

“Annoying woman…”

Julia was always favored.

So much so that the innkeeper — renowned for never making exceptions — allowed her to turn the storeroom into her home, and she was always the first to be chosen for work.

Still, her eyes carried a subtle disdain, as if silently dismissing us as mere prostitutes, which was incredibly irritating.

And yet, Julia wasn’t fundamentally any different from the rest of us.

She just put on airs, acting high and mighty without a shred of superiority, making her unbearable to endure.

We wanted to bring her down.

She seemed to dream of living as an upper-class woman, independent and dignified, without leaning on any man.

We decided to open her eyes.

To teach her that the happiest life for a woman included marrying a man who only beat her occasionally.

But even when her secret was exposed, Julia didn’t crumble.

Her popularity didn’t wane either.

So, this time, we left her motel room door ajar.

We assumed everyone would say they weren’t bothered by the child until they actually saw the baby and recoiled in disgust.

But once again, it didn’t work.

The chubby-cheeked baby was liked just like Julia.

This time, it was simply good luck.

“Who would’ve thought she would be wearing a hat today…”

Tia wasn’t an ordinary infant.

When we first saw her, we almost screamed in shock.

The only reason her horns weren’t exposed earlier was sheer luck.

Seeing that even such desperate measures have failed, there is no other option but to resort to severe tactics.

All we need to do is burst into her room, rip off the child’s hat, and scream like we were struck with horror to ensure the whole inn hears. That would instantly bury Julia.

Still…

“Annoying…”

The woman clicked her tongue and turned away.

All her schemes suddenly seemed trivial.

Perhaps she saw too much of her own past reflected in Julia, leaving her unpleasant and irritable.

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