S-Rank Adventurer Betrayed by His Fiancée in the Hero’s Party Sets Off on a Journey to Heal His Broken Heart ~The Strongest Betrayed Adventurer Ends Up Forming a Harem Party~ - Chapter 57: Each One’s Path

Chapter 57: Each One’s Path

[Side: Granddaughter, Water Dragon]

A few hundred kilometers south of the human city Estena lay a chain of massive icebergs.

They formed an island of ice, created long ago by one of the mightiest of the Dragonkind—Crimshario.

Now, countless water dragons lived there, turning it into a vast Dragon’s Nest.

“Haaah…”

On one corner of that icy mountain, a single dragon let out a sigh.

Her long, translucent aqua-blue hair gleamed like crystal, and her beauty was flawless—like a sculpture carved from ice.

It was Carina Shario, in her human form.

“Grandma… why would you side with humans…?”

Carina had been born here, a young dragon.

Her grandmother, Crimshario—an Elder Dragon who had lived for ages, known across the land as a “Dragon God” thanks to the countless legends she left behind—was one of the strongest beings in existence.

“I remember when you played with me using ice… and when I got to witness your incredible strength… Those days feel so nostalgic now. Like a dream.”

As her granddaughter, Carina often recalled those childhood memories spent with the so-called Dragon God.

“It was overwhelming… The way the ice sparkled with the endless mana flowing out of you. Back then, Grandma was the very center of the world.”

Simple words, almost childlike.

But no other words could capture it.

After all, they were the feelings of a child struck with pure awe.

And even now, those memories continued to burn within Carina’s heart.

“Grand… majestic… beautiful… I want to become like that, and soon—!”

Carina longed to stand closer to the figure of her grandmother.

She wanted to inherit her grandmother’s mana as quickly as possible.

And yet… she didn’t want her to die.

Two feelings, completely at odds, tangled tightly in her chest as she fidgeted restlessly.

“Yo, lady. What’re you doing all the way out here?”

“…Tch.”

A man’s voice dropped from above.

Moments later, a figure landed beside Carina—his human form crashing down and shattering the ice beneath him.

Flaming red hair. A cocky grin.

“Ugh. A shallow fire dragon… You’re the last person I wanted to see.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that. Is that really how you greet the guy who’s supposed to be your future mate—?”

“…Hah?”

“Whoa, whoa, scary~”

His words and gestures were annoyingly casual, almost mocking.

He was handsome, tall, well-built, his muscles firm—and yet, even atop the icy peaks, he wore only light clothing. Clearly, he wasn’t human.

He, too, was a dragon.

“The more you ignore my advances, the more I want you, y’know.”

“I told you—you’re in my way. Want me to freeze you solid?”

This flame-wielding dragon had been pestering Carina for some time now.

He did have strength, but compared to Carina—who had been steadily gathering mana—he was weaker.

Worse still, rumors said he forced himself on females of other races. That alone made him utterly worthless in her eyes as a potential mate.

“Haaah… You’re seriously getting on my nerves. Want me to freeze you and shatter you to pieces?”

“Hah! Spare me, will ya? I know I can’t win against you. …But honestly, do we really need to stockpile mana like that?”

“I want to be like my Grandma.”

“You’re hung up on some wrinkled old hag? We dragons get stronger naturally. Forget that—come with me, I’ll show you a much better time—”

His hand slid smoothly toward Carina’s shoulder, like he’d done it a hundred times before—

“Cold—!? What the hell!?”

“Looks like you really do want to be frozen.”

Before he could even touch her, his entire right arm was sealed in a thick block of ice.

This fire dragon was infamous among adventurers for his searing breath that could scorch armies…

But against Carina, with her overwhelming mana, he was nothing.

He frantically tried to melt the ice encasing his arm.

“Man, that’s harsh. Human girls are way easier to charm, y’know—”

“…Hah?”

“Wha—hey, dammit, that’s freezing cold! The air’s leaking out of you!”

The instant he mentioned humans, Carina’s body released an intense burst of freezing air—so cold it warped the atmosphere itself.

“…I hate humans. Pathetic and weak, yet always clinging, always crawling up to others. Say that again, and I’ll sink you straight to the bottom of the sea.”

“O-Okay, okay… I just don’t think it’s worth getting worked up over, that’s all.”

Her irritation had made her lose control.

The mana spilling from her was so powerful it froze the world around her without even trying.

But Carina—the proud Dragonkind—failed to notice that this was proof she still couldn’t fully control her power.

“This is why strong females are such a pain… Whatever. Oh yeah, isn’t it about time your granny kicks the bucket?”

“And if she is?”

“Well, stuff tends to happen at times like that. I’ll tag along, yeah? Bet some tasty prey’s gonna show up too.”

When a dragon dies, they release an enormous amount of mana.

That surge draws in dangerous beasts that thrive in mana-rich environments.

That was obviously what he was after—

“…Do what you want.”

Tossing the words over her shoulder, Carina disappeared into one of the caves carved into the iceberg.

(Whatever that scumbag was plotting, it didn’t matter. A shameless womanizer who preyed on anything that moved—but at least he’d make decent bait.)

“As for that human… he seemed decently strong. If he gets cocky and tries to steal Grandma’s mana, I’ll just snuff him out.”

With that cold thought, Carina crawled into her icy bed.

[Side: The Progenitor Who Plays Both Ways]

I brought Elmie, Frey, and Maria out to the plains a fair distance from Estena.

“Hm. This spot should do.”

“Yeah, no people around either.”

“Perfect place to cut loose!”

“Just don’t destroy everything, sis.”

The three of them stood ready in full gear, faces filled with determination.

We’d come here for one reason: to train them.

After all, when you’ve got three women in love with the same man, none of them are going to object to a little sparring session.

“As I said before, what I’ll be teaching you is this: how to properly use your mana, your skills, and your job.”

I turned to face them, laying out the training plan once more.

“Skills… and job usage?”

“Exactly. If there’s anything I can polish in about a week, it’s that.”

Your mana pool and your control over it didn’t improve overnight.

So the fastest way to strengthen them was to refine how they used the tools they already had.

“But even so… compared to Abel or Rey, we’re not exactly reliable. We’re A-rank, sure, and we do know our jobs. But my job’s Enchanter, and all I’ve really got is the ‘Enchant’ skill, y’know?”

“Do you forget who I am? I’m The Progenitor—a vampire who’s lived for over a thousand years. I’ve seen countless warriors with your jobs, and I’ve seen them master them.”

“…You don’t even get embarrassed about saying your age.”

“Only because Abel’s not here to laugh at me!”

The Oathsworn Radiant Swords were among the strongest in the human race.

Adventurers were ranked from E up to A, with E being the starting line.

Most people plateaued around C, and B marked true veterans.

A-rank was reserved for the rare few who broke past that wall.

And S-rank?

That was in a category of its own—monsters among men.

These three already belonged to that rare upper tier.

But even so—

They still had room to grow.

“Compared to the real powerhouses I’ve known, you’re sitting at… maybe forty percent.”

“F-Forty… percent!?”

The three of them swallowed hard.

They were strong as they were now—there was no denying that.

But among the warriors I’d witnessed in my long life, there were those who had gone far beyond.

“I’ll drill those techniques into you, pass down my experience, and hammer your skills into shape. Be ready—I’m nowhere near as gentle as Abel.”

“G… Got it. We don’t want to stay behind Abel forever…!”

“Yeah. We even acted like his teachers for a while. If we’re just left in the dust, how could we ever face our little brother figure again?”

“Please, teach us!”

“Fufu. That’s the spirit.”

But then—my smile faded.

Before training them, there was something I absolutely had to confirm.

“…Before we start, there’s a question I need to ask you three.”

I narrowed my eyes and fixed them with a sharp glare—laced with killing intent.

“Depending on your answer, half-dead might be the best outcome you can hope for. I’m already this close to losing my temper.”