There’s No Way I Can Raise a Dragon Daughter

“Ha. Haha. Then, may I ask why you refuse to be baptized?”

“······.”

The moment I saw the priest’s decayed smile, I realized.

I had forgotten.

This is not a democratic country where religious freedom is guaranteed.

Deliberately refusing baptism could be seen as a rebellion against the church.

That said, I couldn’t allow Tia to be baptized here.

During the baptism, her head would naturally be touched, and whether this priest was the kind who would eagerly kill if she were a demon was something I had no way of knowing, but there was no need to risk Tia’s life on uncertain possibilities.

“I’m currently trying to get baptized by someone I know who is a clergyman.”

“Oh······.”

If I said here that I never planned to get baptized, it could lead to serious trouble.

I had to navigate the priest’s mood without upsetting him.

That was the best strategy.

“What is that person’s name?”

“I don’t really know their name. They were an apprentice priest and said they would become a priest someday. They promised to baptize me when they returned and then left for the Holy Nation.”

“Ah, I see. It seems I made an unperceptive suggestion. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.”

I continued to make excuses while recalling that sinister priest.

Aside from the part about being an apprentice priest, everything was a lie, but there was no way to verify it, so it should be fine.

The priest appeared to notice that their expression was distorted and donned a gentle smile once more, extending their hand toward me.

I supported Tia’s buttocks with one hand while reaching out with my right.

The priest’s hand came closer and grabbed mine tightly.

“What a cute baby. I can feel a strong energy. You must be taking good care with love, even in difficult circumstances.”

“Thank you. I hope you can find the Holy Maiden, ah?!”

“Mmm!”

I flinched in surprise at the unexpected pain and withdrew my hand.

Red blood was dripping down my index finger.

Startled, I checked the hand the priest had extended, revealing a blade glinting ominously from inside their sleeve.

I had been cut by the priest.

The contradiction between that fact and the gentle smile the priest wore threw me into confusion.

“W-why······.”

“Oh dear. It seems I made a mistake. Could you show me your wound?”

“Excuse me?”

“Please show me your wound, Julia. I will heal it.”

If I show my hand now, the injury will heal in real time.

The act of cutting my hand was not a mistake but a clear intention.

An intention to see the wound on my hand.

Even if I didn’t know the Holy Maiden’s face or name, it was likely they were aware of my remarkable healing ability.

Chills ran down my spine, rendering me speechless.

“Mmuu!”

“Ah, um······.”

Tia, now covered in blood, had pulled my hand close.

Then, she brought my finger to her mouth and was about to suck it, which startled me into pulling it away.

“Julia. Show me your hand.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I can heal it myself.”

“Please. I will heal it immediately with magic, leaving no scars.”

“I’m really fine, ah?!”

Just as I was about to flee, the priest firmly grasped my wrist.

I couldn’t resist that strong grip.

My hand was raised, revealing my hand under the light.

‘I’m done for.’

I had inevitably revealed my recovery ability.

I lowered my head and tightly shut my eyes.

Soon enough, the priest would call me the Holy Maiden and treat me with utmost care.

What should Tia do then?

Pretending to be a child for a moment and naturally passing her over to Irina might avoid a crisis.

Yes. That’s what I’ll do.

Just as Irina sent the children to noble families, I could entrust Tia to Irina and then go to the church.

That would be a path to happiness for both of us.

“Huh?”

However, after a long while, the priest’s voice did not reach me, which felt odd.

When I opened my eyes, the priest was staring blankly at my hand.

I tilted my head slightly to examine my hand.

‘The bleeding isn’t stopping?’

The wound on the tip of my finger remained.

Blood continued to flow from the long cut.

My healing ability had not activated.

I had to hold back a scream that was about to escape in surprise.

I pressed it down, pretending to be slightly angry while lowering my voice.

“Aren’t you going to heal it?”

“I’m sorry. I will heal you immediately. Oh, noble God, please grant me the power to heal this lamb······.”

The priest, who had been momentarily dumbfounded, grabbed my finger and began to chant a spell.

Then, the wound on my index finger slowly closed and healed.

A red mark remained on my freed wrist.

“I apologize for that. Ah, should I be preparing for business soon? Then, I will be off now.”

“Goodbye, priest!”

“Goodbye······.”

The priest still wore a gentle smile, but as they turned away, that smile seemed to warp slightly.

The innkeeper hurried to open the door for them, and as the priest left and the door closed, a sigh of relief escaped me.

I thought I might lose it from the tension.

I took a napkin from the table to wipe the blood from my hand and Tia’s mouth.

“Julia. Are you okay? Let me see your hand.”

“It’s all healed. But, innkeeper, do you know that priest? What kind of psycho is that?”

“Hey. They said it was a mistake.”

“······.”

Did the innkeeper not see it?

The blade that suddenly sprang out from inside my wrist and cut my finger.

I was still trembling from chills.

It was frightening that that priest hid a weapon like that, but what terrified me the most was the fact that they had no hesitation in cutting the hand of a woman they had just met.

By the way, what on earth was going on with my finger not healing earlier······.

“Right. Master. Shouldn’t we have a serious talk?”

“What? Why, Irina? What talk?”

“About Julia’s age. Do you even know how old of a child you hired?”

“Huh? Why?! How old is she? Isn’t she an adult?”

“Ahahaha. Master······.”

“What’s the problem! Don’t make me anxious! There’s no way she can’t be an adult with that body! Huh? Say something, Irina!”

I quietly climbed up to the second floor, leaving behind Irina and the innkeeper, who were deep in conversation.

Then I sat Tia on the bed.

Tia, with faint blood marks still lingering at the corner of her mouth, was smiling brightly as if everything was fine.

Just now, after sucking on my injured finger, the wound hadn’t healed at all.

My healing ability, which had previously been uncontrollable by my will, abruptly stopped functioning without warning.

‘What if it wasn’t just stopped but cancelled out so it looked like it stopped?’

There might exist a highly toxic force that could cancel out that powerful recovery ability.

Thinking such a thing, I carefully inserted my finger into Tia’s mouth.

“Muuuh?”

As I pressed my finger against the inside of her cheek, Tia’s cheek puffed out.

I rubbed it, then pulled my finger out, noticing clear saliva sticking to it.

Then, using another finger, I poked it with a razor blade to create a tiny wound, and before blood could seep out, the wound closed instantly.

If I were to inflict the same injury on the same fingertip and apply Tia’s saliva······.

“Ha.”

The wound wouldn’t heal.

I could see beads of blood forming.

Sucking my finger to absorb Tia’s saliva, only then did the wound heal away.

This confirmed it.

Tia’s bodily fluids contain, whatever it is, a power to cancel out my healing ability.

Suddenly, I found Tia incredibly adorable and pulled her into a hug.

As she squirmed, seeming unwilling to be held, I clung to her tightly.

“Mmuuuu!”

“I think I understand now. Why you came to me. Why it had to be me to give birth to a monster like you······.”

I rubbed my cheek against the adorable creature’s face.

If the priest’s words were true, I would never die.

Even if beheaded or burned, my body would regenerate infinitely.

I would possess a body that could even regenerate aging cells, never aging forever.

The weapon that could kill me was right here.

Only Tia could kill me.

Finally, I understood why I had raised Tia, who was merely an inconvenience, without casting her aside.

The mystery was finally unraveled.

I must have unconsciously sensed it.

That Tia was the salvation granted to me.

She is my rescue, able to liberate me from this world at any moment.

My lifeline.

And my love.

“I love you. Truly, I love you so much······.”

I held Tia tightly for a long time, sobbing.

I kept apologizing for being cruel to her during that time.

It was too harsh to the child who had come to free me from my curse.

“When you grow up a bit more, I will die. No, Tia will kill me. Understood?”

Every child wishes for their parents to die.

Once Tia reaches an age where she can handle things on her own, I plan to die.

I plan to have Tia kill me.

I’m glad I don’t have to live a hard life anymore, and Tia will inherit the money I have gathered.

It’s a win-win situation for both of us.

“Grow up quickly. I want you to run around and be able to talk soon.”

Finally, my life, which had only been about not dying, now found an ultimate goal.

Only after realizing I could never die did I finally find the courage to die.

Now, I live to die.

Raising this lovely weapon that will kill me.

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