The Male Lead I Raised Is Obsessed With Me

​​There were not many guards in the Sand Palace where the divine beast, Riolen, was staying.

It was to be considerate of the divine beast, who had a much more sensitive sense than humans.

Still, the entrance to the palace was guarded by knights, but it didn’t matter because I only had to let Blackie in anyway.

“Blackie, you can do it right?”

[Just trust me, Master.]

“I’ll throw you up now. One, two, three!”

I threw Blackie high into the sky and he flapped his wings and flew over the fence.

Then, he began to fly towards the Sand Palace.

No one noticed the tiny dragon.

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The divine beast, Riolen, was a divine beast who signed a contract with the first emperor who was a warrior.

Even after the death of his contractor, the first emperor, he made a contract with the next emperor and protected the empire for about a thousand years. 

People would say that God was protecting the empire whenever they saw Riolen, but the reality was different.

‘It was a good thing I made a contract with the emperor after all. The human world is much better than the divine world.’

Especially contracts with the emperors, they were the best.

Even if he rolled around all day or followed the emperor around for a while, they would offer jewels and food for him. 

‘Well, if it weren’t for that, I would have agreed to the contract anyway.’

Riolen laid on his back and enjoyed the warm summer sunshine.

All of a sudden, he felt a strange yet familiar presence.

Riolen jumped up and looked around anxiously.

[Was I mistaken……?]

Riolen rubbed his face with his front paw to shake off his uneasiness.

[It should be, right? There’s no way a divine beast who hasn’t been seen for a thousand years would suddenly appear now, right?]

Riolen’s tail wagged nervously.

[I’m going to go eat the snacks prepared by the emperor……]

The moment Riolen rose up and started to move, the warm sandy field disappeared and a cold snowfield unfolded before him.

Riolen clenched his teeth at the sudden coldness and slowly turned his head.

[Long time no see.]

A huge dragon was gazing down at him.

Its snow white scales shone subtly like jewels.

It’s been a thousand years since he last saw him, but there was no way he would be able to forget that face.

‘I knew this would happen!’

Riolen cried inwardly.

He should have run right away when the coldness struck his back!

There were only a few divine beasts that could suddenly drag him out of the sand field and into the divine world.

Among them, there was only one divine beast that made this cold place its territory.

An ancient divine beast born from the first drop of water.

The first one to ascend as a divine beast, the one who controlled the season.

Among the divine beasts, there was no doubt that he was known as the ‘winter divine beast’.

[H-Haha. I, It’s been a while, Lord Winter.]

Although his body shivered from the cold, Riolen made an effort to greet him.

[Indeed. I heard the name you received from your master was ‘Riolen’?]

[Yes.]

[I, too, have a master.]

The reptilian face was difficult to read, but somehow, it seemed boastful.

[Oh……Congratulations. It’s almost been a thousand years.]

[Since the emperor invited them, you will meet them soon. Master is such an amazing person that you should not even dare to look at.]

[I see……]

[But my master doesn’t want to reveal that they signed a contract with me yet. Which is why I need your cooperation.]

It was only then that Riolen understood why Blackie had looked for him.

[That’s what I’m obligated to do…If I see someone who signed a contract with a divine beast, I should tell the master right away……]

[Are you saying you refuse?]

For a thousand years of not meeting Blackie, Riolen had lived like a god in the old empire. 

His pride had gone up to his head.

What was the reason why he didn’t want to go back to the divine world in the first place?!

Wasn’t it because of that dragon!

[No, but I saw it all! You only have the ability now since it’s the divine world, right? As I see it, even with your powers sealed, I think I would win in the human world……!]

Stomp!

At that moment, a huge leg landed right next to Riolen.

Blue eyes flashed menacingly.

[It seems like you intend to not return to the divine world forever?]

Riolen trembled as he glanced at the leg that fell beside him.

His front paw, that was the size of his body, dug in deep that only his ankle could be seen.

If he had brushed his foot even further, he would have been eliminated.

[……No. I made a slip of the tongue…]

Riolen timidly lowered his tail.

And in his heart, he apologised to the emperor, his current master.

‘Master, I tried my best. Master wouldn’t want me dying here either.’

Blackie looked down at Riolen and asked.

[By the way, you mentioned my last contractor was a thousand years ago, right? Do you remember my previous contractor? If you know anything about them, tell me.]

Blackie recalled the vision he had seen while talking to Felia about Luc.

‘It’s so lovely. So how can I kill it?’

He was sure the woman who said that must have been his contractor from a thousand years ago that Riolen had recalled. 

Could it be that the fact that he was sealed in the Valfurga Duchy was related to his previous contractor?

Blackie asked Riolen about the contractor, telling him about the vision he had seen.

It wasn’t such a difficult question, but Riolen shut his mouth tightly and lowered his golden eyes.

[No matter how powerful you are, I cannot tell you. Because it is your punishment for the price of the forbidden.]

[Forbidden?]

[Lord Winter is…Ah, you won’t hit me for saying this, right?]

[I won’t hit you.]

[Really? Or is that just a lie…]

[I won’t.]

[After the first contractor, Lord Winter…]

Riolen, who hesitated for a long while even after receiving Blackie’s firm answer, spoke.

[You made a second contract with the Demon King. In return, you lost all of your memories.]

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Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

Time passed by and it finally became the day of the grand five meeting.

“You’ve arrived, Duke and Duchess of Valfurga. Welcome to the Grand Five Meeting.”

The emperor, sitting in the highest seat, brushed the fur of the white lion laid next to him and looked down at us.

‘That’s the divine beast, Riolen.’

He was twice as big as the lions I’ve seen at the zoo and was intimidating.

But somehow, when our eyes met, it seemed like he trembled and averted his eyes. Was that just an illusion?

‘I’m sure Blackie told me that they were close, so he solved the issue well through a conversation.’

“Originally, only the Duke of Valfurga may participate in the Grand Five Meeting. However, since the Duke is young and I was curious about the face of the Duchess he recently married to, this will be an exception. I would never imagine that the blood of a commoner would be mixed with the generation of the four great dukes.”

The emperor pointed out my identity from the beginning. 

It would be disadvantageous to go against the emperor here.

I kept the emperor’s words in mind and bowed my head according to etiquette.

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.”

Then, I quickly shifted my gaze towards the three people sitting with the emperor.

“Oh, long time no see! Aha, I thought I’d see you someday, but I didn’t expect to see you this soon!”

Duke Summerhield of the South welcomed me with a light wave.

“Duke Summerhield, do not act frivolous in the presence of His Majesty. Mind your manners.”

Duke Iswed of the East, with blue hair and golden eyes, stood with an upright posture.

“I just want to finish this quickly and leave……I drank until 5 o’clock yesterday, so I feel like I’m going to die…Euck.”

Duke Menisd of the West with purple hair, suffering from a hangover.

“Sister.”

And lastly, Luc, who was holding my hand tightly as though to protect me.

It was a grand gathering of the emperor and the four great dukes, who could be called as the core of the imperial power.

“Preposterous! Did you not hear that His Majesty said he would hold the Grand Five Meeting! And yet!”

Duke Menisd refuted Duke Iswed’s reprimand.

“Once you drink, things may not always go as planned…Euck.”

Duke Menisd halted his words and suddenly rushed outside, covering his mouth with his hand.

And a loud noise of retching the content of his guts was heard.

Hearing that, Duke Summerheild smacked the desk and laughed loudly.

“Pft hahaha! Duke Menisd is quite funny as well.”

“You are having a meeting with His Majesty, and you dare to laugh right now!”

“I can’t help it, it’s funny! You want me to hold back my laughter?”

“Isn’t that obvious!”

In an instant, the quiet venue became noisy.

Wow, what a mess.

It was too casual of a noble’s attitude towards the emperor.

I sneaked a glance at the emperor’s face.

As expected, the emperor was displaying his discomfort with his whole body.

The emperor’s power in the empire was mighty, but not supreme or exclusive. 

The warrior who defeated the demon king became the emperor, and his companions became the dukes.

Therefore, unlike other nobles, the dukes held a special and strong power since the founding of the empire until now.

‘To waste such a title like that. What a joke.’

I couldn’t help but curse Luc’s ancestors.

“Quiet!”

Thud!

The emperor slammed the table with the palm of his hand.

The chaotic atmosphere quickly became quiet.

Even so, an emperor was an emperor.

“The reason I called for everyone today is because there is something I wanted to discuss urgently.”

When the emperor snapped his fingers, the door inside the meeting hall opened and a familiar figure appeared.

It was the Marquis of Reholas.

‘Why is that person here……!’

There was nothing good from being associated with the Marquis of Reholas.

I still have not forgotten his atrocities against the Valfurga, attempting to steal the castle by frauding the duchy.

‘I was sure that the emperor and him didn’t get along very well. Why did he appear with the emperor all of a sudden?’

I hurriedly tried to think of a possibility, but I still had no idea.

“Aren’t only the emperor and the four great dukes able to participate in the Grand Five Meeting? Why is the Marquis here?”

Duke Summerhield asked without hiding his displeasure.

“Because that is what I want to discuss today.”

The emperor raised his head and looked down at me and Luc.

“I plan to demote the Valfurga as the duke, and raise the Marquis of Reholas to the dukedom.”