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Don’t Pull the Sleeping Dragon’s Scales (7)
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
After the kidnapping, I suffered for a full three days. My whole body screamed with muscle pain. The doctor told me that my ankle ligament was stretched and my arm muscles were injured.
I wasn’t surprised because it was expected. Because I used excessive skills with the body of a 10-year-old child.
The kidnappers seem to have been lucky to preserve their lives. Well, I’m not sure if I should say they’re lucky because they were taken to the capital.
Whether getting killed for touching the bloodline of the imperial family, or getting silenced by the mastermind, their future will not be bright.
In fact, the scariest thing about this incident is not to get hurt.
What I’m really afraid of is

The nagging.
Two days after my body recovered, I was called to my father’s study.
“Do you know why I called you?”
“Are you going to praise me for doing a good job in rescuing His Highness safely?”
I smiled awkwardly and opened my father’s heart.
It’s a failure. Father’s expression hardened even more.
“Um, well, come to think of it, it’s not very safe. Because he was hurt.”
I muttered as I recalled Caesar, who was still lying motionless in his bed.
After a short sigh, Father spoke again in a slightly softened voice.
“Helena. Your mother and I already know that you are no ordinary child. That’s why I’m worried about it.”
“Do you think I’m so outstanding that I might beat my brother and take over the duchy?”
“You don’t have the will to do that, do you?”
“That’s true.”
Indeed, my father. You know me so well.
“We’re worried that you’ll get caught up in something you can’t handle because you’re too good. Like this time.”
Uhm

I’m not sure I follow.
I thought it was something worth doing, and I jumped in because I thought this would be the best thing to do. The results are all good, so why should I be scolded for this?
“I don’t do things that I can’t handle.”
“Yeah, you’re a smart kid. But no parent wants their 10-year-old daughter to rush into a kidnapper.”
Is that so?
My father in my previous life said that he enjoyed the anecdote of me sealing the dragon.
“Helena. Why do you want to teach Leonard?”
“I think it will be fun.”
“Don’t you want to hold a sword yourself?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s not fun because I’m going to win anyway.”
“It’s something you, who’s not motivated in everything, wanted, so I will listen to you. However, if you allow this to happen, you will be recognized as a ‘special child’. I don’t know if that’s right or not.”
“Because I might get caught up in something I can’t handle?”
“Yes. Viscount Noct is already impatient to take you to the capital. He wants to hire an excellent teacher and cultivate you properly.”
Hamilton said that? Another human being like my teacher in my previous life appeared.
Well, I don’t think any excellent teacher would do better than me.
“Even so, do you want to teach Leonard?”
The life of a ‘special child’ that my father refers to is clearly contrary to my ideal of wanting to live quietly and lazily.
But I can’t find anything else interesting.
Whatever I do, it’s just boring.
I’ll do what I want to do. I won’t do what I don’t want to do.
That’s how I’m going to live this life.
“I still want to teach.”
I answered in a determined voice.
***
I thought I should visit Caesar, but somehow I hesitated.
Maybe it’s because of the guilt that he got hurt because of me. If I hadn’t hesitated and conflicted then, Caesar wouldn’t have been hurt.
Eventually, on the seventh night, I planned to take advantage of dawn to visit Caesar.
I would just go there and check Caesar’s condition when he is sleeping. This way I don’t have to deal with embarrassing situations.
Good. Perfect.
That’s what I thought.
“
 Helena. Did you turn into a thief?”
This punk. Why aren’t you sleeping yet?
Sneaking into Caesar’s room, I almost fainted when I saw Caesar sitting on the bed reading a book.
Trying to avoid the awkward situation of saying sorry to each other only to end up in a more embarrassing situation!
“W-Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“I can’t sleep. So, what are you doing in someone else’s room at this late hour?”
Caesar, who had spoken up to that point, was startled with a sudden ‘huh’ and covered himself with his hands.
“You were going to attack me while I was sleeping!”
“Shut up.”
You have a knack for making all my regrets disappear, you punk.
Sneaking around is a failure. I sighed and walked over to the bed and sat down.
“Everyone came, but you were the only one who didn’t come. You’re so petty.”
“As long as I knew you survived.”
“What’s with that tone? It’s uselessly solemn.”
Caesar smirked.
Seeing him smile makes me feel reassured. I thought he might be terrified.
Because he’s still 14. Because he’s still young.
It was such a harsh day for us.
“How’s your injury?”
“It’s still burning. It’ll heal soon.”
“Will the scar remain?”
“Well.”
“What if you can’t get married because of the scar?”
“Haha, I don’t think anyone can see it because it’s on my back.”
“That’s a big problem. Naturally, a man must have a genuine personality and white jade-like skin.”
“Are you pretending to be an old man?”
“Caesar’s personality is terrible as well. Your marriage prospects are bad.”
“Who’s pointing out whose personality now?”
Caesar wrinkled his nose and grumbled. Then he avoided my gaze and muttered.
“Well, if you have nowhere to go, you can take responsibility for me.”
I could see Caesar’s slightly red cheeks even in the dark.
“I don’t want to. Marrying into the imperial family, there must be a lot of bothersome things to do.”
“What is it that doesn’t bother you!”
Caesar shouted because his face turned red. I shouldn’t have made fun of him. Even so, it’s a problem if the sick child’s wound bursts due to high blood pressure.
“Since you’re in good condition, I’ll be leaving now. It’s late, so go to sleep.”
“Hey, are you going already?”
“What do you mean already? It’s 3 in the morning.”
“Uhm, well
 that’s true.”
Caesar muttered and avoided my gaze.
After getting out of bed, I thought about it for a while and sat back in bed.
Actually, there is one thing that has been on my mind ever since.
Caesar’s face became emaciated enough to worry about.
I took it for granted because he was a patient, but I suddenly thought there might be other reasons.
No matter how much sleep you get during the day, reading a book at 3 in the morning is a bit suspicious.
“Can’t you sleep?”
I asked carefully.
Caesar just bowed his head without answering. However, a dark expression became the answer to my question.
“What’s the matter?”
I gently grabbed Caesar’s hand. Caesar closed his lips and hesitated for a long time, then opened his mouth in a voice full of dread, despite the lively voice from a while ago.
“I’m scared.”
Of course it’s scary.
‘Cause he’s only 14.
Right, he was that kind of kid. Instead of crying or feeling melancholy, he was a bluffing, blunt, and enduring kid.
I remember the day I first met him. He is a 14-year-old boy who is rather arrogant in order not to be intimidated by people who will not welcome him.
“I’m afraid to go back to the Imperial Castle. They’re all trying to kill me.”
“But there will be those who want to protect Caesar. Someone like my father or the Viscount.”
“How long do you think they will be able to protect me?”
Caesar said as if he were arguing.
“I don’t want to die. I just want to give up the throne and go down to the countryside. I just want to live quietly.”
“Even if you give up the throne, Caesar will not be safe. Rather than leaving a remnant, it is neat to kill them altogether.”
Caesar’s face turned white at my unambiguous words.
This is what I’ve already experienced in my previous life. Of course, I was the one who murdered the half brothers.
“It will be more dangerous. If you give up the throne, there will be no one to protect Caesar.”
“I’m
 aware of that as well.”
Caesar clasped his face with both hands.
“I know. But what do you want me to do?”
“What do you mean? Of course you have to be emperor.”
“Is it that easy?!”
“Why isn’t it easy? Caesar is the first prince. 1st place successor. There’s no other condition that’s as easy as this.”
“Don’t say it so easily because it’s not your business!”
Caesar yelled at me.
Well. As I ascended to the throne after living as a wanderer, I don’t think there could be any easier conditions than this.
But it cannot be explained that way. I leaned a little closer to Caesar and said.
“Caesar, listen. Humans are strange animals, so when the opponent weakens, they try to bother them even more. But a biting mouse doesn’t even catch a cat.”
“What does that mean?”
“At times like this, you don’t have to run away, but you have to go stronger. You have to show them that if they touch you, their life will be ruined.”
Caesar looked astonished at my straightforward expression.
“Where does a young lady from a precious family learn such harsh words?”
“Is that important now?”
“I can’t do that. I’m not confident. I am not as strong as you.”
“No, Caesar is strong. You risked your life to save me.”
“It was just the body moving. The truth is, I wanted to run away because I was scared.”
“No one who has achieved any great achievement has done it without fear. It’s scary, but you can do it.”
Everyone is like that.
Me too. Because I did that.
“Unless you are a fool, listen to me. Don’t run away from this.”
“Helena, I
 Do you think I will be able to become emperor safely?”
“Let’s make it happen. There’s nothing that can just be done, Caesar.”
I looked at Caesar and said forcefully.
“It’s okay. I’ll stay with you. I will make you emperor.”
It was only then that Caesar’s expression relaxed.
He was probably desperate for someone he can fully trust.
I understand. Me too, because I did.
A ‘special person’ is always lonely. Yes, I know what my father is concerned about.
Even so.
Even if it’s beyond my control, I want to be on his side.
“Are you relieved now? Do you think you can sleep?”
“I don’t know.”
After Caesar lay in bed, he stared at me with his eyes wide open.
“Sometimes I feel like you’re way older than me.”
“Now you know, baby boy.”
“But I am older than you.”
“You can’t sleep alone because you’re scared”.
“Until today.”
Saying so, Caesar grabbed my arm. Like pulling me into the bed.
“So, just sleep here for today.”
Men and women are different, so what are you talking about now?
Well, as long as my mother doesn’t find out, it doesn’t matter. He and I are still young.
Eventually I crawled up onto the bed and laid down next to Caesar.
“Thanks.”
Caesar murmured so, and then closed his eyes. His expression seemed relaxed, so I closed my eyes in peace.
Come to think of it, I haven’t told him thank you for saving me yet.
I thought so late, but it was hard to open my eyes again. Well, there’s nothing we can do. It is too much to ask a 10-year-old child to stay up until dawn.
So the two of us held each other’s hands and passed through that long and terrifying night together.
***
That summer was as short as long.
The wound on Caesar’s back eventually left a scar.
Hamilton was eager to take me to the capital until the last day, but my father firmly refused.
On the day of separation, as when Caesar first came, the hall was followed by a grand procession of greetings.
When Caesar came and stood before me, I suddenly thought that his dark hair had grown quite a bit over the summer.
“Take care, Your Highness.”
I greeted him by bending my knees slightly and then straightening them, just like the first time. Unlike then, Caesar smiled softly at me.
“Is Helena’s only student, Leonard?”
When asked out of the blue, I glanced at Leonard standing next to me and looked at Caesar again.
“That’s right.”
“Well. I can’t beat your own brother, so I’ll yield first.”
“Yes? What do you mean?”
“Teach me swordsmanship too.”
Ding!
Ah, I wish this sound effect was attached to the people around me, not me.
In particular, Hamilton should be given an extra-large size.
“How? I’m not going to the capital, am I?”
“It’s okay. Every summer I’ll come here. Will it be fine, Duke?”
Caesar looked at my father and laughed.
Even in this sudden situation, my father did not panic and replied, “You are welcome at any time, Your Highness.” It’s really in contrast to Hamilton, whose face has lost color.
“You promised, right? You will stay by my side until I take the top spot.”
Well. Uh, you see, I made that promise because I was worried.
In embarrassment, Caesar smiled mischievously and reached out to me.
“What do you think? Will you accept me as a student?”

 There’s really no reason to refuse.
It was an offer I coveted because I wanted to teach such a genius.
I smiled and looked at Caesar.
“I’m kind of tough, Your Highness.”
“I’m a bit stubborn, Master.”
“Alright. Let’s do our best.”
I took Caesar’s outstretched hand and shook his hand. Just like when I first met him.
“I’ll come back when summer comes.”
Caesar said with a refreshing smile.
But I feel that his smile has changed a lot from that of a 14-year-old. At least his eyes were no longer the eyes of a refugee.
Oh, I see.
He decided to become emperor.
“Then, see you again.”
The summer of that year was short and long.
It was a very noisy summer, few in a boring life.