“Like us…!”
“Yes. I was also born with dragon blood, so don’t worry.”
The couple let down their guard, perhaps relieved by the power of the wall that was revealed.
I spoke.
“I only brought Sonya along because I saw her wandering alone dangerously.”
Once I sent Sonya into their embrace, they finally seemed to relax and asked.
“Thank you. It has been over ten years since I’ve seen a member of my clan, so I was overly cautious. May we have a moment to talk?”
“Of course.”
*****
Sonya’s father is of the dragon clan.
Her mother seems to be an ordinary human.
This means Sonya, like me, is of mixed blood.
No wonder I felt a greater sense of familiarity with her than with Lea.
I looked at the couple sitting across from me and at Sonya.
At first glance, they appeared to be an ordinary family.
“While it doesn’t seem necessary to hide, is there a special reason for it?”
Sonya is a child who struggles with mana control.
Any skilled mage would immediately recognize that she has an unusual talent.
If they are hiding because of this reason, it makes sense, but member of the Dragon Clan doesn’t mean they are under constant surveillance.
If mana control is the issue, resolving that alone would allow them to live like ordinary citizens.
“…Well, you see.”
The middle-aged man, Colton, hesitated to speak.
Was there something that made it difficult for him to talk?
“I will keep today’s events a secret. I swear.”
“Oh, it’s not that. It’s just a bit awkward to talk about.”
Awkward to talk about?
His unexpected answer raised a question mark in my mind.
“As you might feel, I am of the Dragon Clan, but my wife is an ordinary person. The reason we live deep in the mountains is because of that.”
Once Colton began to speak, I found it easy to understand their story.
Colton was a mercenary who took on jobs in his youth. At that time, he was unaware of the secret hidden in his blood.
He believed his physical abilities were simply superior, thinking of himself as human in identity.
After he started dating his current wife, he learned about his lineage from other members of the Dragon Clan, and afterward, he was continuously pursued by mages from the Magic Tower.
Though he successfully evaded them with the strength and experience he had built up during his mercenary days, his face was known, so he could not go outside freely, and eventually settled in this mountain after having a child.
“That’s why we can’t settle in other towns or territories and remain in the mountains.”
“…I see. I understand.”
My personal curiosity had been satisfied.
Now, I was going to ask a question for the trial.
“I am looking for my parents. The ones who gave me my name.”
“…It will be a difficult journey.”
“I know. But I must find them.”
“I’ll tell you in advance that I cannot help. I’m already struggling to take care of my family.”
“I don’t seek help. I just want to hear the stories of the other members of the Dragon Clan that you’ve encountered.”
“If that’s the case, I can tell you as much as you want.”
******
“I found out that I inherited the blood of a dragon around 13 years ago. That’s almost exactly a year before Sonya was born.”
“At that time, I was dying from injuries sustained during a job, and I happened to encounter a woman of the Dragon Clan. She took care of me for a month with utmost dedication.”
“Through that, I learned a bit about her circumstances. She was also someone who had a partner and had even had a child.”
For a moment, the thought of ‘Could it be?’ crept into my mind.
A woman and her lost child. It was a keyword sufficient to associate with me.
However.
“She was an old woman whose lifespan was not long.”
That sent a chill through me.
If she was an old woman on the brink of death, she would be at least 60 years old. Now, 13 years later, she must be over 70.
“She treated me and then passed away. Before she died, she left one message: If you see a member of the Dragon Clan, no matter who it is, please convey these words.”
“The center of the world. There lies the answer, so travel there.”
Colton thought that this message was akin to a riddle.
Or perhaps it was the location of a treasure trove hidden by the Dragon Clan for generations.
In any case, he believed it indicated a special item’s location.
“I didn’t bother to seek it out. I had my wife and child, so I couldn’t afford to.”
Because of this, Colton had kept those words to himself for over ten years.
“But now that I see my kin and can speak of it like this, I feel a little of the debt I owed her has been lessened. Thank you.”
Colton bowed his head.
*****
Thanks to the kindness of Colton and his wife, I was able to stay here for several days.
Late at night. U
nable to sleep easily, I stepped outside and was met by a chilly breeze.
It seemed no one was immune to it.
“Can’t sleep?”
“…It seems so.”
The man who had sensed my presence came out and offered me a warm cup of tea.
Receiving the steaming tea, I turned to look ahead.
The sky was filled with dark clouds, as if it were about to snow.
These days, it seems even autumn brings snow. As I pondered this trivial thought,
“You seem to have many worries.”
I forced a smile at Colton’s words.
I was feeling a bit doubtful about what I was doing here.
I wondered why I felt that way when I shouldn’t have. As I shared my feelings,
“You mentioned you’re looking for your name.”
“Right.”
“What is the reason for searching for your name?”
“So that I can find my way back.”
That was a lie.
I could return to the imperial palace at any moment.
There was no set deadline for my trial.
Thus, there was no need to rush, yet my reason kept urging me to hurry.
Why is that?
I didn’t know why.
“If you have a place to return to, it’s better to go back quickly. I hope you find your name.”
“Thank you.”
And with that, the conversation ended.
I took a sip of tea and leaned my arms on the railing.
Perhaps because we are of the same Dragon Clan, I felt comfortable even next to this man whom I had just met today.
It felt like having a family beside me whom I had rarely seen.
Maybe that’s why my heart began to calm.
The thoughts and worries I had been putting off until now aligned themselves in my mind.
“…I suppose I’m a little afraid.”
I suddenly blurted that out.
It was a sincerity I had not even recognized myself.
“Actually, I can return at any moment. As long as I keep one rule, I should be able to live without any issues.”
“Your place to return to is not a location but a person. That rule can’t be easy to keep.”
“No. Depending on my mindset, it can be easy to uphold.”
It’s just that I need to refrain from speaking to Epherna about the trial.
If I weave the tales of the Divine Kings into my lies, even she would have no reason to believe me. However.
“I kept that rule so well that I ended up hurting that person.”
“Is it a lover?”
“No.”
Not yet.
“She was indeed a woman who liked me.”
“What are your feelings?”
“I don’t know. I can’t tell if this is really my emotion.”
And that’s why I can’t go back.
“It’s ambiguous. That’s the worst.”
“…”
“What is that rule?”
“If I return to her, I must tell a lie.”
“That too is the worst.”
I was at a loss for words.
Colton was just speaking the truth.
“In the relationship between people, especially between lovers, the worst is indeed a lie.”
“…”
I know.
Lies and deception.
I committed the worst sin I should never have done to a woman who liked me.
“I don’t know if I can be forgiven.”
“Is that why you’re hesitating?”
“Partly that.”
I still hadn’t made up my mind.
I mumbled.
“Then make it certain now.”
“Ah… but it’s a bit hard to do that here…”
“You must have been putting it off like this for a while. Today is not the only day. You’ve probably been postponing it, thinking there’s always tomorrow.”
“…”
I couldn’t argue back.
Ironically, what he said was true.
“A woman’s patience is not invincible. No, it’s not just women; it’s anyone. If they do not receive back as much love as they’ve poured out, no matter how patient a person is, they will eventually grow cold.”
Surprisingly, it was entirely true.
While it made me feel uneasy, I couldn’t refute it.
“And if you’re unsure of your feelings, there’s one way to find out. Imagine that woman becoming a lover to another man.”
That statement was the root of my distress.
Something surged up from within me.
I had only listened to the words and imagined it, yet it felt as if my heart were being scraped with iron nails.
“How do you think that would feel?”
“…I wouldn’t be able to leave that man alone.”
“Are you starting to become self-aware?”
“…”
“Ah. Do you still not understand? Then let’s say, for example…”
“Stop, stop, stop!!”
I waved my hands, urging him to stop.
“I understand. I’ve made my decision.”
“Hahaha. This method really is the best.”
“That was somewhat forced, wasn’t it?”
“I’ve never been forceful. It was only your heart that was like that.”
“…Anyway, I’ve decided.”
Yes, that’s right.
Seeing how much I disliked the mere thought of it.
It seems I do like her.
Me.
Not anyone else.
I have come to like Epherna quite a bit.
