Ryuugoroshi no Brunhild - Dark fantasy with great storytelling.

Ryuugoroshi no Brunhild (竜殺しのブリュンヒルド) is a dark fantasy light novel series written by Yuiko Agarizaki and illustrated by Aoaso. It currently has four volumes released between 2022 and 2024. Each volume features a completely different cast and story while being set in the same world, albeit in different eras. They can all be seen as standalone stories and can be enjoyed without much prior knowledge from the other volumes aside from the general setting.

The first volume follows a young girl named Brunhild who was kidnapped long ago and abandoned on an island populated by a dragon. The two bonded and lived together in peace with nature until a human army commanded by Sigbert appeared to plunder the island for resources and kill the dragon.

The dragon dies, and Brunhild is revealed to be the daughter of Sigbert and reintroduced to the human world. She plays along, but her flame of revenge has never really been quelled as she tries to find a way to make Sigbert pay for killing her only family.

It is a story of revenge seen from the point of view of Brunhild as she tries to manipulate the people around her to defeat the seemingly invincible Sigbert. It is also a tragedy because Brunhild doesn't really see a future for herself beyond obtaining revenge, as she lost her will to live after losing the dragon.

The second volume is set 700 years before the events of the first volume and focuses on a country where dragons are revered as sacred because they protect the people from "Evil Dragons." In this country, only one person can talk with them. It is the "Dragon Priestess," a role passed down from mother to child that has finally reached Brunhild (the protagonist of this story).

Apparently, the dragon requires a sacrifice of seven people to keep protecting the country, and things aren't as clear-cut as everyone would like to believe. Brunhild investigates and tries to find the truth behind this seemingly utopian country where a few are sacrificed for the peace of everyone else.

The third volume takes place 100 years after the events of the second volume in the same country. It centers on the succession process involving two sisters, Grimhild and Brunhild. The country seemingly prospered after the end of the previous volume, but there are hidden shadows behind this prosperity.

The fourth volume returns to the origins of the series with another story about revenge. In a country where there is no one who can use "God's Power" (the ability that made Sigbert strong in the first volume), research is being conducted to try and recreate it.

Human experimentation, to be precise. All royal children are sent away at the age of eight to be experimented on in an attempt to recreate the power. Brunhild is a girl waiting for the return of her beloved brother after he was sent to the facility, only to find a completely different person (personality-wise) coming back.

This should give you a rough idea of what you are getting into. All the stories are masterfully written and really manage to immerse you in the fantastical world they are set in. It is a cruel world, though, so be aware that happy endings are not something you will find easily here, depending on your definition of one.

If you are interested in a compelling dark fantasy series, I suggest you give this one a chance, as it is a really solid read. I am interested in giving the author's other series a shot in the near future to see how they are.