The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 52

When Armiphera found out that the gift she sent was actually a real Archdragon egg, she was left speechless.

“Wow…”

Then, after a moment, she exclaimed with awe.

“I knew it! I really am a woman who can do anything!”

Her casual confidence finally pushed Caleo over the edge. He stood up, clearly at his limit.

“You wild rose, you—!”

Just like Muniel had done earlier, he smacked his sister’s sturdy back with a loud slap.

“Why is your back packed with this much muscle?!”

“Ow! That hurts, Caleo!”

“It’s supposed to hurt! You menace!”

“But didn’t you once say I was like a single rose blooming with dew in a hidden garden?”

“Yeah, and now you’re like a wild vine growing wherever it wants, wrapping around everything! You’re a walking weed with rose petals!”

Still… a rose is a rose.

Celletina, taking a step back, watched the scene like it was a comedy show, clearly amused.

But she couldn’t just let them go on bickering forever.

“Anyway,” she began calmly.

The moment she opened her mouth, the two Deiamor siblings—who had been fighting like children—fell silent and turned toward her.

“We still need to figure out how to handle the Archdragon.”

How exactly are we supposed to capture it?

“Why is the Archdragon still hanging around here in the first place?”

Armiphera finally let go of Caleo’s collar and rolled her wrist as if to stretch it.

“This place has Mom and Dad. It’s filled with sacred power, maybe even more than the temple. So why is an Archdragon staying here?”

According to historical records, Archdragons—now considered mythical—were beings that emitted evil energy, as the “arch-” and “evil” in their title suggested.

They were said to be powerless in the presence of sacred energy, especially when it came from beings like the Saintess.

The Deiamor estate is officially classified as a Sanctuary.

The Saintess and the Holy Knight raised their family here, and their children inherited divine power.

Even Armiphera, and to a lesser extent Caleo, held some sacred energy.

It might be even more sacred than the temple.

So for an Archdragon to be lingering in this space didn’t make sense at all.

It didn’t match any of the recorded traits of Archdragons.

Were the records wrong?

As Armiphera was pondering that, Caleo spoke.

“Mother said she found traces of it in the storage room recently. A commemorative coin with her name engraved on it was lying on the floor.”

Armiphera frowned.

After a moment of thought, she suddenly walked over and threw open the window to the office.

“What are you doing?” Caleo asked.

“Hmm, just a little experiment.”

Armiphera stuck her hand out the window.

“Who knows? Maybe it’ll come if I call.”

“It’s not a dog…”

Caleo let out a helpless laugh.

If it actually shows up when she calls it, I’ll hand over the marquisate to her…

“Ather! Are you out there? If you are, do you want to come out?”

Rustle.

The branches of a tree that had grown tall enough to reach the office window began to shake.

Through the thick leaves, something dark and solid peeked through.

It was round, pitch-black—glossy like a polished gem—and blinking quickly.

Wings on its back flapped lightly, like a stretch after a nap.

Its body was only slightly bigger than a full-grown cat.

It had short but sturdy legs, and a tail as thick as a toddler’s arm.

“You called.”

It was Ather, the Archdragon.

Caleo silently congratulated himself for not actually saying he’d give up the marquis title.

“…Hmm?”

Aref, who had been napping, slowly sat up.

What was that noise…?

Still halfway in dreamland, he yawned and smacked his lips.

The distant sounds of shouting had woken him, but his brain was still off somewhere else.

But then, he fully snapped back to reality—and turned to his side.

Thankfully, Nivellia was still fast asleep.

Whatever she was dreaming about, her lips were curved into a peaceful, happy smile.

Aref quietly watched her for a while. Then he carefully pulled the blanket back up over her—she had kicked it off in her sleep—and fixed her crooked pillow.

He gently climbed off the bed.

When he opened the door and stepped into the hall, the noise he’d heard earlier was even louder.

His eyes naturally drifted upward.

Moving as quietly as he could, Aref tiptoed up the stairs.

The noise was coming from Caleo’s office. The same room where he’d received a brooch and reward money for helping save Azel.

The office door was slightly ajar.

Should I peek inside…?

Aref felt a little scared.

He had learned that spying on others was wrong.

…Then I’ll just say I came by!

No sneaking. He’d face it directly, like he should.

Determined, Aref raised his hand and knocked on the office door.

The loud voices inside fell silent instantly.

Startled by the sudden quiet, Aref hesitated—but then gathered his courage and spoke up.

“It’s me, Aref.”

The door opened, and Caleo appeared.

“I thought you were taking a nap. Did we wake you?”

Thankfully, Caleo smiled kindly and met Aref’s eyes.

He gently ran his fingers through Aref’s messy hair, now resembling a bird’s nest after sleep.

Embarrassed by the affectionate gesture, Aref quickly shook his head.

“I—I just woke up. But then I heard noises…”

“Sorry about that. It wasn’t anything serious, but we were loud—”

POW!

“Nothing serious? How dare you call me that!”

POW! POW!

Like a cat slapping the ground with its puffed-up tail, the Archdragon Ather slammed her tail down furiously.

“…!”

Aref froze in place at the sight of the strange creature.

Caleo, noticing the boy’s fear, gently rubbed his back and let out a sigh.

“We just caught the Archdragon. Her name’s Ather.”

“Th-the Archdragon?”

Wait… that Archdragon?

Aref’s red eyes trembled.

He remembered the expression on the face of the Tower Master.

Though the man always looked stern and unapproachable, he was actually the kind of person who would quietly hand out candy and chocolate to kids.

But when he spoke about the Archdragon… his tone had turned icy with anger.

“…”

Aref pouted, then spoke stiffly.

“Archdragons are bad!”

At that, Ather let out a high-pitched squeal.

“I am not bad!”

Her squeak sounded like a kitten’s, but the voice itself was a deep, gruff male tone.

Still, Aref shook his head firmly.

“The Tower Master got mad! So that means you’re bad…!”

The Archdragon, clearly about to argue, suddenly tilted her head in confusion.

Aref—though he didn’t show it—thought the gesture was kind of cute.

But then he remembered: She’s the Tower Master’s enemy.

And so, he steeled himself again.

“Tower Master? You mean… Magia?”

“What? You know her?”

Armiphera reached under Ather’s front legs—where her armpits would be—and lifted her up like a puppy.

Now dangling, Ather wagged her tail slightly and let out a soft squeak.

“I don’t know her personally. But she’s in the memories of the previous Archdragon.”

Everyone turned their attention to her at once.

Meanwhile, Armiphera narrowed her eyes, watching the dragon closely.

She had been using sacred energy through her hands.

“She doesn’t even flinch when touched by sacred power…”

This wasn’t like any Archdragon described in history.

“I see… I remember now…”

Ather rummaged through the inherited memories.

“The previous Archdragon placed a curse of immortality on someone—and that person is now the Tower Master.”

Just like that, Magia’s secret was unintentionally revealed.

Caleo and Celletina were too stunned to react at first—and then quietly wondered if they were even supposed to know that.

Armiphera asked seriously, “So… can you lift the curse?”

Ather snorted.

“There’s nothing I can’t do.”

“Perfect. We’ll take you to the kindergarten tomorrow and you can lift it then. Grandpa will love that.”

“I don’t know if it’s right to treat something this serious so casually, but… okay.”

Ather nestled herself more comfortably in Armiphera’s arms.

Her deep black eyes stared straight at Aref.

Aref flinched but didn’t look away.

“…This place is… amusing.”

With that cryptic comment, the Archdragon let out a massive yawn.

Her mouth opened so wide, it looked like her face might split.

Then she closed her eyes—and fell asleep.

Armiphera looked down at the now-slumbering dragon in her arms, then turned to Caleo.

“Hey, do you have a collar?”

“Do you mean… for a person, or for an animal?”

“Bring both. Just in case.”

Hearing this, Aref, full of innocent curiosity, asked:

“Why do you have a person collar?”

Ather woke up with an animal collar around her neck.

“……”

And she was in the chicken coop.

“I can’t believe this place. It’s so absurd, it’s actually insulting.”

Fuming, the Archdragon slammed her fluffy tail down onto the straw-covered floor.

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