“Please come into the room.”
As she climbed the stairs, her heart sank.
She struggled to calm her pounding heart.
The person in front of her was a colleague she would have to continue to work with.
She wanted to earn her trust no matter what.
It was clear that the journey ahead would be even more difficult without even basic trust.
So she made a vow to herself.
‘No matter what happens, no matter what I hear, I’ll just show humility and kindness.’
As soon as she entered the room, she closed the door.
It would be difficult for others to come in now.
Erina entered the room and sat down at the table in the corner.
She still looked at her with an unpleasant expression.
“Put down your baggage and sit.”
She complied with the cold directive, refraining from uttering a word.
Carefully, she took a seat opposite her at the table.
Their eyes met with trepidation.
As the atmosphere settled, a soft sigh escaped her lips.
“Why did Seo-Hyun choose to welcome such an individual as a companion…”
As expected, she didn’t harbor any fondness towards her.
While with Seo-Hyun, she constantly wore a smile, but her demeanor changed when around others.
During their journey to the capital and as they walked its streets, she could sense the wary glances directed their way.
Despite the many who were cautious of them, she could discern the reasons why they simply passed by.
Erina seemed to repel people with her very presence.
“What exactly have you done?”
“Pardon?”
The sudden accusation caught her off guard.
Had she made some mistake?
Yet, the tone wasn’t accusatory.
“I’m asking why Seo-Hyun has chosen to favor you as a companion.”
“That’s…”
Even she couldn’t discern why.
Why had Seo-Hyun extended his trust to her?
He had even gone as far as to reveal that he had the Goddess’ Blessing.
It was akin to placing complete trust in her upon their initial encounter.
Throughout their journey to the capital, she had continuously pondered this.
Yet, no satisfactory answer had emerged.
Instead, it only served to increase her frustration.
Unable to provide a response, she noticed the gradual chill in her companion’s gaze.
Accompanying the tension, her throat tightened.
Over the span of several decades, she had weathered countless looks of disdain and reproach.
But never had she been subjected to such an icy stare as this.
Failing to respond, another question was posed.
“What are your thoughts on Seo-Hyun?”
“Pardon…?”
The unexpected inquiry left her stunned.
She couldn’t formulate an immediate response.
‘How does she perceive him?’
Kindness, warmth — countless words flitted through her mind.
But still, no answer presented itself.
The more she attempted to conjure an image of her, the heavier her tongue felt.
Words fell short in adequately encapsulating his essence.
The other party continued to wait for a reply.
With legs crossed, she regarded her with an uneasy gaze.
Reluctantly, she parted her lips.
She resolved to articulate the sentiments she harbored for him.
“Seo-Hyun…”
He had rescued her from near-death, offering her a potion when she was injured.
Yet, out of caution, she had rejected his kindness.
And it was her own actions that had led them into crisis.
He had nearly perished facing a high-ranking demon.
Had he been defeated, she would have been met with a future too ghastly to contemplate.
Yet, Seo-Hyun had risked his life to protect her.
He had even vanquished a high-ranking demon and tended to her injuries.
Moreover, he had not blamed or reprimanded her; he had forgiven her entirely and accepted her as a companion.
“He is my lifelong benefactor.”
In the brief time they had spent together, she had incurred a debt so weighty it seemed insurmountable.
She had received a kindness from him that she could never hope to repay in this lifetime.
A benefactor she would never encounter again.
A companion she wished to stand by for eternity.
No, she dared to say she wished to draw closer to him as more than just a companion.
“And…”
Meeting him marked the first time she experienced a warmth filling her chest in what had always been a lonely and empty heart.
It was an emotion she had never felt since birth.
How should she express this feeling in words?
“He is the only person who has ever believed in me.”
Trust. He had given her trust.
Likewise, she wanted to become someone Seo-Hyun could trust.
He wanted to be a constant helper, always giving aid.
Dragons were always proud.
But there were also those who could break such pride.
They were called Dragon Knights and lived their lives receiving recognition and protection from dragons.
‘Perhaps I could…’
Simply in terms of power, he wasn’t strong.
But unconsciously, she acknowledged him as a higher being, a stronger individual.
“You know too, don’t you? Seo-Hyun is kind to everyone.”
“Yes, I know.”
She knew better than anyone.
From the position of having experienced his kindness firsthand, she couldn’t be unaware.
“But to those who are ungrateful, he can be very merciless.”
The moment she heard those words, a cold dagger seemed to pierce her heart.
A chilling aura spread through her body, freezing her heart.
According to her, Seo-Hyun had struck down a man causing trouble in a tavern with a single blow.
What would happen if Seo-Hyun scorned and became hostile to her?
Just the thought suffocated her.
“I advise you to give up now.”
“Yes?”
“How many troubles will you cause in the future?”
She couldn’t say anything. What she said was true.
Her past sins were too deep for even herself to bear.
“I advise you to leave now. Instead, I will convey this message: ‘I appreciate your kindness, but I will leave alone.'”
“…”
“Then he’ll probably understand.”
Everything she said was right.
If she stayed, she would only bring Seo-Hyun more trouble.
But.
“I can’t do that.”
“Yes…?”
It was a slip of the tongue, even to herself.
But she didn’t feel like she had misspoken.
The words she had just spoken were sincere.
She felt a stronger conviction than ever before.
She didn’t want to leave this place.
She wanted to stay by his side.
Even if it meant leading him into trouble or adversity.
She wanted to overcome it with him.
“I have already promised him. I said I would become his companion, and I have come this far.”
Her heart still raced with fear.
But she tried to convey what she wanted to say until the end.
“I know what you are worried about, Erina. I know how much you think of Seo-Hyun.”
He said he would shoulder the responsibility she should bear alone.
And there was a lesson she had learned from her previous experiences.
Rejecting kindness was also impolite.
“But Seo-Hyun has trusted me. I don’t want to betray that trust. So,”
Had there ever been a time when she had bowed her head so much?
It was evidence of how proud she had been.
“Can’t you give me one more chance?”
At times, she had even contemplated humbling herself.
She had thought that there was no one who could accept someone like her as a companion.
But when he reached out his hand to her, she realized it was all her arrogance.
Perhaps it could be her last hope.
“…I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Her heart sank at Erina’s words.
Truly, those who didn’t realize their own ignorance were the most foolish.
Right now, she didn’t even know what she had done wrong.
“Seo-Hyun is a very warm person. That’s how deep his kindness goes.”
“Yes, I know…”
“But that doesn’t mean…”
Bang!
A stern sound echoed in the room.
She had slammed her fist on the table.
The oppressive atmosphere made her feel as if her body were being crushed.
With a cold tone, she whispered into her ear.
“You shouldn’t overstep your bounds.”
“…”
“Did you think you became a companion just with Seo-Hyun’s permission?”
Contempt, anger, disdain. All negative emotions were directed towards her.
Her lips trembled, and her shoulders hunched. She couldn’t even bring herself to lift her head.
“I’m advising you nicely. Leave now.”
Memories of their first encounter flashed through her mind, the clash with overwhelming strength.
She felt the sensation of being utterly powerless and trembling with fear once more.
There was a time when I was endlessly helpless and trembling with fear.
The feeling of being unable to move her body returned.
“Please leave before I have to force you out myself.”
“…”
“I’m asking you, please.”
Suddenly, the woman’s face returned to a smile.
But it wasn’t the warm and pure smile she showed Seo-Hyun.
It was an endless, cold, and mocking grin.
***
The room was filled with a chilly air.
In the cold atmosphere, the flickering candlelight illuminated the interior of the room.
There was a nameless dragon sitting alone in front of the table.
Her expression wasn’t particularly bright.
She was lost in thought while holding her head.
“Do you have any worries?”
She was startled by my voice.
It seemed she didn’t even notice that I came in.
“It’s nothing…! Just lost in thought for a moment…”
“Because of Erina?”
“No, it’s not!”
Unlike Erina, the nameless dragon couldn’t lie.
As soon as she was caught, her face turned pale and her eyes widened.
“I bet it wasn’t good. I can tell by your expression.”
There was a reason why he deliberately left the room.
It was to give the two people time to talk to each other.
It seemed like the conversation didn’t go well.
Just by looking at the expression of the nameless dragon, I could tell.
“Here. It’s a new robe.”
It was an item found in the magic item shop.
There was a robe with the ability to distract attention according to my memory.
Thanks to it, I spent some money, but I could earn it back.
“Make sure to wear it well so you won’t get caught.”
Although it was just a deception, at least the minimum safety measure was in place.
“Thank you…”
The nameless dragon bowed her head after receiving the robe.
By the way, where did Erina go, leaving her alone?
“Erina has something to attend to for a moment.”
“Really? When did she say she’d come back?”
She shook her head. It was unexpected as it never happened before.
At least, I thought she would tell me and then leave.
Looking around, I noticed she didn’t have her usual longsword with her.
Did she have to use a different sword?
I decided to ask her where she had gone when she returned.
“By the way, what did Erina say?”
“Well,”
If she said something, we could at least think about it together.
But she closed her mouth.
“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”
“What did she say?”
“…”
She hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and looked at me.
“Um, excuse me…!”
“Yes?”
“I have one thing to ask…!”
She nodded as if to say speak up.
It seemed like she hesitated even after getting my permission to speak.
After a moment of hesitation, she finally opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind.
“Um, do you know what kind of relationship Seo-Hyun-nim and Erina-nim have?”
It was a rather difficult question to answer.
The relationship between her and me was so complicated that I couldn’t define it in one sentence.
Still, if I had to summarize it in one sentence, it would be like this.
“She’s a companion I want to be with until the end.”
“I see…”
“But I can’t completely trust her.”
“Yes…?”
At first, I wanted to believe in Erina too.
I wanted to be with Erina until we defeated the Demon King.
But now, I’ve reached a point where I can’t trust Erina either.
Of course, she liked me and followed me well.
But seeing her attitude towards the nameless dragon, suspicion began to arise beyond discomfort.
In fact, there were signs from before.
She tried to be overprotective under the pretext of protecting me.
She even showed disdain towards the nameless dragon.
‘She’s a liar… A monster that shouldn’t be trusted…!’
I mulled over the words the Goddess had said again.
Let’s assume everything the Goddess said was true.
Erina is deceiving me.
She’s just pretending not to know anything.
Maybe even the words she said about loving me were all lies.
Looking back, it was all too strange.
I was suspicious from the beginning when she said she fell for me at first sight.
If all the Goddess’s words were true, Erina was now more dangerous than anyone else.
‘Is Erina really the character I created…?’
Gradually, the words of the Goddess were becoming more convincing.
Erina was increasingly becoming inconsistent with the image I knew of her.
“I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
To clear my mind of these complex thoughts, I opened the door for a moment and stepped out of the room.
I decided to take a walk, hoping that a breath of fresh air would make me feel better.
“I’m going for a short walk.”
“W-would it be okay if I joined you…?”
I nodded at the nameless dragon’s words.
If we stayed close as usual, any awkwardness would soon disappear.
With my permission granted, the nameless dragon put on the robe I gave her.
I was worried it might be too small, but luckily, the robe fit perfectly.
To ensure she wouldn’t be recognized by anyone else, I pulled the hood of the robe deep over her head.
“Let’s go then.”
“Yes. I’ll follow you.”
I opened the door of the inn and walked out onto the street.
The capital, which had already become midnight, was eerily quiet.
As rumors of the appearance of the Demon King’s army spread, people either hid inside their homes or gathered at the city walls.
I felt like even the patrol guards were decreasing today.
As we walked the streets with the nameless dragon, we heard a noisy commotion from an alley.
“What’s that…?”
“I think there’s a fight happening in the alley.”
Should we just pass by quickly before sparks fly for no reason?
As we pretended not to notice and were about to pass by quietly, there was a flash of light from the alley.
“Huh…?”
For a moment, I doubted my own eyes.
The flash I just saw was so familiar. With a hint of suspicion, I stopped in my tracks.
“That’s…!”
The nameless dragon seemed to have caught on too, her eyes widening in surprise.
I quickly entered the alley to confirm the situation.
“Erina…!”
There stood Erina, holding a blood-stained longsword.
