The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 9

CH9 Tsuneo

Frustration gnawed at me as I pushed through another push-up. My arms were burning, but it did nothing for my mood. I got up and started pummeling the striking dummy I kept hidden in my closet. Every strike seemed to only fan the flames of my irritation. I could see her in my mind's eye, laughing with some human named probably a

, who was

peasant with little more than a shack to his name. She'd passed the Trial and been named queen, blessed with the touch of the Phoenix and the heavens, and yet she'd run off for some human. It hadn't even been an hour since her escape. The castle was still buzzing with panic. I'd heard the orders being barked through the communication mirrors, but no word had come back about where

Mizuki had gone or if they would even be able to retrieve her.

Maybe she'd left the continent. There was no way of knowing how far she could get in the amount of time that had passed in the human realm. Doctor Shang came back, casting another privacy spell around the room, carrying the summoning records for Mizuki.

He offered them to me, and I read through them, searching for some answer about who Ren was

and where she'd gone. The stark black script seemed to blur as I read. Mizuki Ryuyama was descended from the old tailors, which could mean she was indeed a halfling, but there was no

mention of this Ren and no clue as to why she'd risk everything to return to him.

"It's unlike my father to be so lax in the Trial choosing..

"I don't believe he was. The records detail her immediate family and her personality, but they felt incomplete to me."

"Incomplete?" I echoed, brows rising. "What do you mean?"

"I spoke to a guard on the other side, and it appears there was...some irregularity in the collection process this year. My thought is that either Mizuki is not Mizuki or the information collection process was disrupted in some way. I'm having people look into it." I snarled. If Mizuki wasn't Mizuki, then the paperwork was useless. My anger continued to boil.

the matter about how long we can continue to hide the truth," he said. "If she

have more

"I'd rather be outed."

"Tsuneo-"

1/4

00000 0000 000000000

CHO

you. I can see why His Majesty couldn't

formalities," she said,

swatter his hand away. Her gaze cut to me, but Doctor Shang just laughed. He lifted his hand and stepped

satisfied with the distance, and I turned to her. Before I could speak, she started to speak, ignoring me completely, her voice

began, "are you familiar with treating severe physical trauma? An injury that's resulted

Shang blinked, surprise momentarily replacing the amusement in his

with such cases in my long time as

not sure how much you will charge me when you read

and set it on my writing desk between us. The satchel fell partially open and revealed a heap of gold coins. How had she gotten so much of our currency in

gaze flickered between the shimmering coins and her resolute face. Then, he glanced at me. A frown

he said cautiously, "I

them. "I think you should leave.

back to the door, pressing

whole palace that you've been faking it and high tail it back to the human realm if

"Your Majesty-"

will be the last of your problems

CH9