Chapter 191

A red apple.

And warm tea.

The body of the dragon, unaffected by cold or heat, didn’t need either. An ordinary person would drink tea to warm up after being in such a cold place, but the girl only took a sip before putting the cup down.

Bitter. It was just bitter water. Tea is meant to be enjoyed for its aroma, but the scent didn’t appeal to her either. Even the high-quality tea leaves brought from the royal palace failed to impress her.

Is this really supposed to taste good? Feeling no particular charm, she turned her gaze to the apple.

‘An apple…’

Similarly, the dragon’s body showed no interest in the apple. But the human heart was different. The girl reached out and grabbed the apple. She didn’t eat it right away, just stared at it for a while.

‘Really, an apple.’

Unconsciously, she sniffled. Her mother, who cared more about drugs and parties than her own daughter, would occasionally show some concern.

When the child said she was hungry, her mother would toss an apple from the tree. An unpeeled apple. But to a hungry child, it was delicious.

Now, though not hungry, she took a bite of the apple. It was delicious. As delicious as the apple the hungry child had devoured.

As she ate the apple, the girl sobbed. She had never asked for much, not then, not now. Did anyone ever wish for the heart of a dragon and the body of a half-dragon?

Just, like everyone else.

A life like everyone else’s.

Growing up under warm parents, making friends—she wanted that kind of life.

But cruel fate allowed her nothing. Instead, it gave her immense power she never asked for.

Strength to rival monsters beyond her class. A breath that could tear through anything. Who would ever wish for such things?

After chewing the tear-soaked apple down to its seeds, she finally felt a little better.

Whoosh!

Carefully placing the plate down, she opened the window and scattered the remaining tea. She knew it was polite to finish the tea served, but she wasn’t in the mood to swallow bitter water.

Instead, she emptied the cup outside. Carefully placing the empty cup and plate down, she slipped out the window and spread her wings. She glanced down at the cabin from the air.

The girl still needed time. Time to face her past and overcome it.

Doing it alone would take longer, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it with others. Her past not only darkened her present but also robbed her of the ability to shape her future.

Now, the idea of doing anything with others felt awkward. The girl hated being alone, but she also liked it.

Perhaps she had already gone mad, but she was too twisted now. It was too late to return to what everyone called normal.

Flap!

She left the house and flew away. Now, she would keep her distance again.

Even with the power of a dragon, she was still just a child.

*****

A half-naked man, bound hand and foot, lay bloodied on the ground. He squirmed like a caterpillar, desperately trying to survive. But his eyes were already filled with despair.

“Sister… please, don’t do this. Spare me…”

He pleaded desperately, though even he didn’t believe it would work. To him, the white-haired woman was like a demon. And she was. The woman was insane.

“If I die too, the Tiger Race will end. You kept me alive for that, didn’t you? Your fiancé, me, as insurance in case the Tiger Race disappeared.”

“That’s right.”

“Don’t you want a child, sister? Our child. Right? You always said you wanted to have a child at least once.”

“Yes. I did.”

The woman muttered expressionlessly, as if devoid of emotion.

“But sadly, Eric. The problem is, you and I are the only tigers left in this world.”

The man trembled. Not from fear. In this moment, anger overwhelmed fear. How could she speak so calmly after all she had done? As if it were nothing?

Who had slaughtered all his kin? Who had spared him on a whim, keeping him alive in case she wanted offspring?

It wasn’t humans. It wasn’t other beastmen. It wasn’t even the environment. The one who drove the tigers to extinction was none other than this woman.

And now, on some new whim, she was trying to kill him too, even though she hadn’t borne a child.

The last male of the Tiger Race, Eric, wanted to live. If he died, not only would he die as an individual, but the Tiger Race would die with him.

Unless Epirna could self-fertilize like a mushroom, but the chances of that were as likely as the sky falling. If he died, the tigers would be extinct.

“What… are you talking about? That’s what I’m saying!”

“No. It’s different. Eric. Do I still look like a tiger to you?”

The woman whispered. Then she bit off his ear.

The ear was torn off, and blood gushed out. The man didn’t even feel the pain. He was too stunned by what he had just heard.

“A tiger…? If you’re not a tiger, then what are you? Are you denying your race now?”

“What good are eyes if you can’t see? Even with them open, you’re blind. Pathetic. I’m already a monster. You’re the only tiger left.”

Her slender fingers lightly pointed at Eric’s eyes. Then she stabbed them.

The man screamed. Now, he could no longer see.

“A man like you doesn’t deserve to see me.”

“I’m… I’m your fiancé. Chosen by the clan!”

In his pain, the man cried bloody tears, screaming. A whisper reached his ears.

“Why would I need a mate or offspring? I just need to live forever. Eric. Eric. My foolish fiancé. Even if you survive, the tigers are doomed.”

“You filthy wench! Shame of the clan! Don’t you have any pride in your race?”

“Tigers… are inferior… to monsters.”

The woman whispered. Then she smiled.

“So, we must evolve into something greater. That’s what evolution is.”

“The Demon King… did he corrupt you?”

Realizing there was no hope of survival, the black tiger growled. Ever since Epirna borrowed the monster from Grimudo, she had changed.

Of course, she was always strange. Being her fiancé, he had known her since childhood. She was eccentric even among tigers.

But now, she had gone beyond strange—she was outright mad. It was obvious.

“No.”

The woman stroked the black tiger’s head as she replied.

“Rather, I sought wisdom from him.”

“You’ve completely lost it.”

“It’s foresight.”

“Epirna! You’ve ruined the Beastmen. Beyond tigers, you’ve destroyed all beastmen with your own hands. Anyone who caught your eye became a subject of your cruel experiments. I should have killed you back then.”

The man wept. When the woman was weaker, when they were both children, when they could have killed each other—he should have killed her then.

“I needed data.”

“You captured our kin, experimented on them, and discarded them miserably?!”

“I needed data. Evidence to convince him. Proof that tigers could evolve into monsters.”

“What kind of monster is Grimudo? Why would a wench like you follow him so devotedly?”

The white tiger smiled. Brightly.

“Someone I genuinely wish to conquer one day.”

“What, what are you talking about?”

“Incomparable to a trivial man like you. In strength and wisdom, he is on a different level. He is my ideal. The most perfect being.”

Even though their love had long since faded and shattered, the tiger was stunned by his former fiancée’s words. He couldn’t even comprehend what he was feeling now.

One thing was certain: this feeling didn’t suit a tiger.

“If you’re not strong, you die. That’s what it means to be a tiger. So, you must die.”

“Epirna, Epirna…!”

“Eric. There was a time when I felt some interest in you.”

Grabbing his neck, she twisted it with brutal force as she spoke.

“But not anymore. Now, my interest lies solely with him.”

“That bastard’s… child… you’d… bear…”

“If that day ever comes, I’d be delighted.”

A bright smile she had never shown him before.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the blind tiger didn’t see it as he died. If he had, he might not have been able to close his eyes even in death.

“Actually, that’s one of the reasons I wanted the body of a monster.”