Several days have passed since that whole thing with my tail happened, and Esther and I have been having frequent meetings every night to get closer and try to fight less, which has more or less been working.

Unfortunately, the war has intensified. Grace and Marie sent reports that the ships have arrived, and soon I’ll have to enter the battlefield. I’ll probably have to go with the boats so that the demon queen’s aura I possess can ward off some sea monsters, and of course, to boost the soldiers’ morale.

However, I managed to create a good mount in that time, which is good news! The shadows are very useful; everything I ask, they do, and they can also gather information quickly and efficiently.

And with the money I have now, materials are no longer a problem. I’ve even started rebuilding my puppet army that I sacrificed in the battle for the throne!! And they’re stronger than before!

Anyway, the important thing is that my new puppet, which will serve as my mount, is very powerful.

[Combat Mount Puppet Model] A puppet in the form of a beast or monster, it’s primarily a mount, but it has relative combat power to protect its master.

My mount’s name is Calyo, and it’s a mount I put a lot of effort into making for myself.

My mount is a large dragon, 10 meters tall. It has black scales and a robust head, the powerful muscles of its body are noticeable, and its wings are large and sturdy.

It has a coloration black as night, and dark red eyes. The scales on its belly have a grayish tone, while its horns are turned forward, intended to charge and collide with large things to pierce them like a bull.

Its physique itself was made for more direct combat, with endurance and strength to deliver brute attacks, although it has immense firepower capable of spitting purple flames that burn the ambient Hikishin, slightly disrupting the use of magic in the area. It’s a large, resilient, and strong quadrupedal dragon.

It’s a perfect mount because it combines strength to defend me, speed to fly extremely fast, and intimidation, having a wild and dangerous appearance. Currently, this dragon is in the castle courtyard while some servants bathe it, despite the obvious fear they have of the dragon.

Which shows the dragon is fulfilling its purpose of intimidation well! I don’t want to be inside the boats most of the time, because if the boat is attacked, I don’t want to get hurt, so I prefer to accompany the boats by flying. Although I have wings and could fly without the dragon, why would I tire myself out when I have a dragon to fly for me?

"Evelyn, you did a really good job," Esther praises me as she looks out the window with me, watching my dragon quietly waiting for them to finish.

"Yeah... but it would die from one of your hits, so it’s not that great." It’s a mount; you can’t expect too much from it. It’s strong, but with an obvious limit; its strength is more for protecting me from a direct attack and sacrificing its life for me.

"How fast does it fly?" Esther asks, hugging my waist, while I sigh and close the window with my tail.

"I don’t know, pretty fast, but I haven’t tested it yet." I finished it two days ago; obviously, I can’t know yet.

"What do you want me to do, my queen?" She asks in a way that annoys me, because she knows very well how things are.

"Esther, you’ll need to stay here... you know that. I don’t have anyone I trust. The nobles don’t trust me, and my puppets alone can’t handle the full management."

"You’re the only one who could stay and take care of sending troops, resources, and the administration of the kingdom to prevent the nobles from gaining too much power..."

"Don’t you need me in the war, Evelyn?" She caresses my belly, slowly moving her hands up until I push her away.

"No." Although Esther would be a great help in the war, the truth is she’s not a decisive factor. Leaving her to take care of everything in the kingdom is better than taking her to the battlefield.

To the battlefield, who will go are Marie and Laplace. Although it doesn’t matter; Esther will probably monitor me somehow and keep trying to make me follow her ideas.

"How many months?" She still tries to touch me, but my tail pushes her away a little while I look at her after her question.

"I’m not sure... the ships arrived, but we have to prepare all the food for the voyage. Luckily, the angels seem to be pulling back from our continent for now, probably to better adjust to the war."

"So I’d say 3 months?" My mother is still in the castle, but she’ll have to leave soon. I’m learning a lot about dragons from her. Considering the timing of everything and my learning, 3 months seems like a reasonable time. Besides, in 3 months the harvest will come in, so we’ll have enough food not to affect the population.

"3 months, huh? Seems like a good amount of time, but considering the sea voyage to the angel continent, and the number of boats, we’ll probably only get there in 5 months, with 2 months of travel."

"Yes... also there’s the [Bridge]; we’ll have to send soldiers through it, so it will require a lot of magic." Soldiers will be sent both via the [Bridge] and by sea; it’s the most economical method.

"I’m going now then, Evelyn. I’ll give you some time and go do the work that was supposed to be yours, my lazy queen." Esther finally moves away, going to the door, but when she opens it, my mother is in front.

"...You... don’t you have your own house you should be going to?" Esther speaks sharply to my mother, who ignores her, passing by.

"Evelyn! I came to see you for a bit! After all, I have to see how my little girl is doing during her draconic puberty!!! Are you free now?" My mother speaks all excitedly, approaching me.

"..." I hear Esther click her tongue before leaving. I look at my mother, who has been very clingy with me these last few days, always keeping Esther away from me when she’s nearby.

"I’m free now, Mom, and thanks for the help. I hadn’t even thanked you yet, but thanks to you, I feel much better about my tail." My mother ignores what I’m saying and hugs me, releasing a small electric discharge that gives me a mild tingling.

"Hmm..."

"Mom, again?" She’s been doing this every day at random times of the day.

"I’m just checking something before I leave, daughter. Are you and your wife getting along?"

"Yes, we fight sometimes, but what couple doesn’t fight, right?" Although a normal couple would never have the fights we have.

"...Oh, dear, oh, dear. Young people are so troublesome..." She bites her lips when she says this, patting my head. Despite her playful motherly tone, her eyes seem disappointed with something.

’What is she always testing with that electricity?’

"Mom, is there something wrong with me?"

"Oh no, you’re healthy! Healthy, even too healthy! Strong as an ox... my problem is with your wife."

...

...

...

"Mom, is there something wrong with me?" Evelyn asks me with a confused look. I think I’m showing my worries too much, and each day my concerns solidify even more, even if I wish I were wrong about this.

"Oh no, you’re healthy! Healthy, even too healthy! Strong as an ox... my problem is with your wife." I tell her, smiling, with a fake smile because I don’t want to alarm her too much.

’...Esther has already noticed, hasn’t she?’ I’ve been doing ’exams’ on Evelyn every day I’ve seen her since I arrived to help with her tail. With small electric discharges, I can see everything that’s happening in her body.

And both Esther and I have already noticed something that Evelyn hasn’t. But the point isn’t Evelyn not noticing; it’s Esther noticing and not saying anything. I think that woman is planning something bad.

"Evelyn, as you know, I’m a busy person! Soon I’ll have to leave! So I’m going to have a brief conversation with your wife if you have nothing to tell me today! So, do you want to talk?"

"I don’t have anything to ask, Mom. You’ve already explained everything to me, and I’m busy thinking about the best sea route to move boats without encountering so many monsters." Evelyn speaks like a true queen; it’s adorable seeing this all-grown-up daughter.

"Great... see you tomorrow then... bye, Evelyn!!!" I quickly leave the room, slamming the door, and run to try and catch Esther. Luckily she’s nearby, and I manage to reach her, grabbing her hand.

"Hey, we have something to talk about, don’t you think?" I say, grabbing her hand tighter and squeezing as I pull her. She doesn’t say anything, letting herself be led as I look for a room. Quickly, I enter one, sending the maid away and sealing the room with magic.

"Oh? I don’t believe we have anything to talk about," Esther says with that arrogance that gets on my nerves.

"Did you know that not everything you believe is true? Well, you believe we have nothing to talk about, but you don’t know how wrong you are! Because we have a lot to talk about!"

"...You’re so annoying. Can’t you read between the lines? You should have gone home by now."

"Hahaha!! Between the lines?! What between the lines exist when you hide the fact that..."