#171

It felt strange. He vividly remembered the intense emotions he had felt towards the Dragon, but now, those emotions felt blocked by a wall. The indifference within him was so peculiar that Cullen tore his gaze away from the Dragon. Surprisingly, he could do it.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been able to take his eyes off the Dragon. And then he would have asked what had happened.

But instead of speaking of the end or the joy of reunion, Cullen quietly pondered. The goddess’s final words were hazy. However, it was certain that he had come back to life.

Turning his gaze, Cullen spotted Lasano. His long black hair and red eyes, just as he had seen them last, were looking at him. His expression seemed surprised.

“Why are you two… here?”

Cullen decided to resolve the most immediate question. Even though he had received word that the Dragon wanted him back, he hadn’t expected him to be at the place of his revival. Moreover, he hadn’t expected Lasano to be by his side. The end he remembered was utter ruin, so it was strange for these two to be together.

Cullen felt the Dragon’s gaze on his cheek. The stare felt so intense it was almost stinging, but he didn’t react. He began to survey his surroundings. It was a space that felt strangely familiar yet unfamiliar. The trees and flowers surrounding him were unfamiliar, but it strangely reminded him of home.

“Lord Cullen, do you… remember everything?”

Lasano asked, looking at him as he surveyed his surroundings with a blank expression. Cullen’s gaze stopped at the purple flowers surrounding him.

The name of the flower immediately came to mind. It was a Kiercharus Flower. The Dragon had called it Cullen’s flower, teasing him. Seeing that, he had been mistaken then. He had thought the Dragon might have truly taken a liking to him.

But he had been cruelly made to realize it was all a futile delusion.

His heart didn’t ache. It was simply a calm contemplation of an obvious fact. It was serene and tranquil. Cullen was increasingly realizing that the goddess had granted his request. It was strange to feel at peace even when recalling painful memories. He had never felt so peaceful in his entire life.

“Yes, I remember. Up to the point of my death.”

As he spoke of his own death so casually, Lasano’s expression changed. He looked bewildered. His red eyes furrowed slightly, as if searching for words. Cullen couldn’t understand why. Was he surprised that a dead person had come back to life?

It made sense. He had never heard of anyone being able to bring the dead back to life. If he had known how, Cullen would have done anything to save his family long ago.

He suddenly felt the urge to examine his chest. He needed to check what he looked like. How long he had been dead was something he could find out later, but even after a few days, a corpse would decay, so he imagined his appearance would be gruesome.

If he looked like that, wouldn’t he need something to cover himself? He had been summoned for a purpose, and he didn’t want unnecessary attention while carrying out that task.

However, Cullen couldn’t lower his gaze. His face was pulled by a large hand that had been holding his cheek. Pulled by the force, his turned face met the Dragon’s.

He had a look of great shock. That agitation could be felt from his contorted golden eyes and furrowed brow. It wasn’t something he felt in his chest, but rather, he could interpret it by following the expressions of emotion he remembered.

“You remember?”

He asked, as if he couldn’t believe it. Cullen slowly nodded at his words, which seemed to deny something.

He remembered everything. The last words Kiyen had spoken to him, the things he had done, the people who had died.

“You remember who I am, too?”

The Dragon asked again, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes.”

Cullen quietly affirmed. At his answer, the Dragon’s eyes widened. His long eyelashes fluttered.

His pale complexion came into view. Come to think of it, the Dragon’s lips were redder than he remembered. As if stained with blood.

There were other changes too. His jaw looked more slender, as if he had lost a lot of weight, and his eyes were deeply shadowed. His expressions were also more varied than before. The Dragon had clearly changed. As he took in these details one by one, an emotion beyond the wall began to stir.

The curiosity of “What happened?” was soon blocked from within.

“But why… aren’t you calling my name?”

The Dragon, who had been silent while Cullen examined his face, asked softly. It was an unexpected question. After hearing his words, Cullen realized he hadn’t called out his name.

Kiyen-nim.

He tried to say it, but his voice was stuck. It was as if he had forgotten how to read that word, and it wouldn’t come out. Was this one of the goddess’s measures?

“I was flustered.”

Cullen avoided the question instead of panicking. The Dragon’s fingers tightened. His delicate eyes seemed to turn reddish, a mere illusion. He looked desperate. Seeing his lips move, Cullen continued.

“How did you bring me back to life?”

At those words, Lasano looked at the Dragon. As Lasano was about to say something, the Dragon stopped him and stepped forward.

“That’s not important right now. What’s important is…”

The Dragon’s voice deepened. As Cullen watched him, unable to continue, he finished the sentence himself.

“I see. Since I’m already alive, what’s important is what I need to do, isn’t it?”

Cullen didn’t delve further into the phenomenon that had already occurred but sought his purpose.

“What should I do? Do I still have a wish left to grant?”

At his calmly asked voice, the Dragon’s movements stopped. He looked at Cullen blankly with eyes that seemed as pained as if he had been stabbed. Without even blinking his eyelashes, the Dragon gazed at Cullen for a long time.

Even while meeting his eyes, Cullen didn’t say anything else. He simply waited like a soldier awaiting orders.

After a long silence, the Dragon finally moved. The hand that had been tightly gripping Cullen’s cheek loosened its grip. As the hand slowly withdrew, Cullen steadied himself. He placed his hand on the ground. The ice-cold touch made him flinch. Goosebumps rose and then disappeared.

“I didn’t save you for that.”

The Dragon stepped back and stood up. His shadow fell over Cullen. The Dragon’s face was obscured by the shadow, making his expression hard to see.

“For now, it would be best to take you to the cabin.”

His voice, devoid of inflection, cracked. His Adam’s apple moved significantly. Taking a breath, the Dragon looked at Lasano and said.

“I will permit you to enter. Come with us.”

Having said that, the Dragon reached out his hand towards Cullen. The extended white hand spoke. It said, “Take it.”

There was no reason to refuse, yet Cullen couldn’t move easily. It was the same as before. He tried to say his name, but his body seemed to refuse, not reacting.

As Cullen merely stared at the hand, the Dragon’s pink fingertips trembled. The hand, which had lingered as if reluctant, slowly withdrew and then clenched into a fist. Lasano watched them with a serious expression.

“Go.”

The Dragon staggered back. He caught a glimpse of bloodstains on his robe. Seeing that, his body trembled slightly. He squinted, trying to see what it was. But the robe that reappeared was spotless. It was simply white and clean.

The Dragon turned and started walking first. Cullen slowly stood up and examined the spot where he had been lying. This was neither the Dragon’s residence in the Imperial Palace nor a barren wasteland. Ice shards were scattered around.

“You seem to have changed.”

As Cullen lowered his gaze to examine himself again, Lasano approached. He spoke in a cautious tone. Though he showed no signs of aging, his face was pale and gaunt. His usually relaxed tone was nowhere to be found now.

“Is that so.”

Cullen replied without emotion. His clothes were bloodstained. They were the clothes he wore when he died. The leather armor that covered his upper body was still cracked. A long white scar stretched across his chest, visible through the cracks. It was the mark of death.

After a brief examination of his entire body, Cullen looked ahead. The Dragon’s back, walking at a distance, caught his eye. As if he were worried.

But that was impossible. The goddess had said she took away his emotions, so he shouldn’t feel anything like that. In fact, throughout his conversation with the Dragon, he hadn’t shown the reactions he would have normally displayed.

“Yes, something has changed.”

“Is that so?” Cullen retorted indifferently. Apart from the peace in his heart, he hadn’t really changed much.

“At least, I don’t feel like it. It would be better to talk about other things than this. How much time has passed since I died?”

“…Just over three years.”

As he heard Lasano’s answer, Cullen began to walk. He saw the Dragon stop and wait for him. If it were the Dragon of the past, he would have already left…

Is it guilt?

“A lot must have changed. Tell me about it. That way, I can find what I need to do.”

Lasano walked, following Cullen. He shortened his stride to match Cullen’s and shook his head.

“Kiyen-nim did not save you for any particular task.”

“That’s impossible.”

Cullen denied it firmly.

“Everything has a price. Our relationship has always been like that. Since you brought me back to life… you must want something.”