#186

Seeing that, his body moved before his reason could stop him. It momentarily overlapped with the image of the Dragon spitting blood. By the time he realized it wasn’t that situation, Cullen had already rushed towards the Dragon.

Cat, who was beside him, looked confused about what was happening. Cullen, passing Cat, who was holding the Dragon’s hand with wide eyes, stopped.

As soon as the Dragon saw him approaching, he fixed his gaze on me. It was only when he stood still and blinked his long eyelashes that I came to my senses.

Even though I thought there was no need to go this far, Cullen asked.

“What… just happened?”

At Cullen’s question, the Dragon’s expression brightened. A faint joy appeared on his pale, expressionless face. Only then did I realize what I had done, but I couldn’t back down. The change in the Dragon’s demeanor had indeed bothered me.

“It’s nothing.”

Just by Cullen’s proximity, the Dragon’s face regained some color compared to before. However, his face was clearly more tired than it had been a week ago. His sharp cheeks kept catching my eye.

“Is something wrong? Weren’t you just swaying like that? I’ve thought it was strange for a while now. Ever since you actually fell asleep next to me……”

As Cullen listened to the Dragon’s words, its expression subtly shifted. A shadow fell beneath its straight eyebrows. It looked deep in thought. Watching the eyelashes blink silently, Cullen quietly asked,

“Are you not feeling tired.”

Though he wanted to ask about the price paid in exchange for his life, Cullen decided to assess the Dragon’s condition first.

“……Tired.”

The Dragon, who mulled over Cullen’s words, looked as if that were impossible. It shook its head.

“That wouldn’t be it. I’m maintaining a form that isn’t my true body, so I couldn’t possibly feel that. It has nothing to do with being a Dragon.”

Black, who had approached the Dragon’s side unnoticed, spoke up.

“But Guardian, you didn’t rest even once before we hatched. Have you ever been this exhausted?”

The words “didn’t rest” added to the complexity. No matter how long the time was, it would be different from the standards of ordinary humans.

“Are you alright, Kiyen-nim?”

At Black’s words, Cat tugged him and asked. The sight of the children surrounding the Dragon drew the attention of passing villagers. It was already noticeable to have several strangers in a small village, but it was natural given that such beautiful beings, unseen anywhere else, had gathered.

Then, Lasano, who had been looking around, led by White, returned and joined them.

“What’s going on?”

White, who had returned with a worried expression, also looked up at the Dragon with silver eyes. Knowing that drawing more attention here wouldn’t be good, Cullen decided to find a simple inn to take the Dragon to.

Black’s words about not resting and not eating kept weighing on his mind. Even if Dragons were not bound by the need for sustenance, there might be exceptions.

“It would be best to have a bite before we descend the mountain.”

The Dragon shook its head at Cullen’s suggestion.

“There’s no need. Didn’t you want to leave this place?”

The Dragon, perhaps thinking he wanted to escape this place as soon as possible, refused. The Dragon, who had said it would do anything he wished, truly just followed his words.

Whenever Cullen faced moments like these, he felt an indescribable sensation. A feeling that was like pain, like numbness, pierced through his chest.

Moving his stiff lips, Cullen made another excuse.

“I am doing this because I want to. We won’t be able to eat proper food for a while, and it would be good to let the children experience something different. They sell sweet snacks and such in the village.”

At the mention of sweets, Cat and White looked up at Cullen.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I like sweets!”

It was natural for them to be curious, having only eaten honey from flowers and fruit. As the two children spoke, Black pointed to the left with his finger.

“Can we go over there?”

As he looked in the direction of the voice, which asked cautiously, he saw a small wooden building from which the smell of freshly made food wafted. It was undoubtedly an inn.

“Yes.”

Cullen nodded and asked Lasano,

“If you go ahead and have your meal, I’ll join you after I get the horses.”

“Yes, we shall.”

Lasano replied in a tone of deference and gestured to the Young Dragons. Cat, brimming with curiosity, immediately ran towards Lasano. Black and White followed, but the Dragon remained still.

“……I will go with you.”

The Dragon was cautious yet firm. When it came to him needing to be in front of Cullen, the Dragon was uncompromising, so Cullen hesitated before nodding.

Then, the two went to the shop run by Hope’s father. The man, who dealt in various goods including a general store in the village, was a shrewd merchant. It seemed that snacks and goods from other regions all passed through his hands here.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Hope greeted them when they arrived at the shop. Selem, who usually stuck by her side, was nowhere to be seen. Cullen nodded lightly and got straight to the point.

“I’ve come to get the horses I requested.”

“Ah, I’ve prepared three in the stable over there. They’re still young, but they’ll be enough to descend the mountain. It’s been really hard to find horses these days, so I managed to get them.”

Perhaps resembling her shrewd father, Hope emphasized how difficult it had been.

“Is it because of the Demonic Beasts?”

“Yes. Recently, there have been more Demonic Beasts at the edge of the mountain range. I don’t know where they’re spreading from, but those terrifying creatures are blocking all the routes, so merchant caravans need countless mercenaries. It’s become even harder for distant territories to interact.”

As he listened to Hope’s words, Cullen paid the price. Compared to the past, the value of horses had certainly increased; what used to cost 10 siluna now cost 20 siluna.

“Are you leaving now?”

Hope asked, glancing at Cullen, who had a leather bag slung over his shoulder.

“Yes.”

“Selem will be sad. He was looking forward to your visits, Cullen-nim.”

When Selem’s name was mentioned, Cullen saw the Dragon’s lips, which had been silent beside him, tighten. Hope, unaware, continued,

“Will you come back again?”

“I don’t know.”

Given the high probability of getting caught in danger and no particular reason to return here, Cullen replied so. Hope made a sound of regret and suddenly turned. Rummaging through a shelf, she pulled out something wrapped in dried paper. Then, she offered it to the Dragon.

“Then, this is a farewell gift.”

Cullen blinked, looking at the hand extended to the Dragon.

“Selem raves about how handsome you are, Cullen-nim, but I prefer someone beautiful like this one. I don’t even know your name… but my eyes were treated to a feast, thanks to you. This is dried peach coated in a thin layer of sugar. It’s moderately sweet and light, so it should be good.”

Though she spoke as if it were nothing, Hope showed a hint of shyness. The Dragon stared intently at what Hope had offered. For some reason, Cullen expected the Dragon to refuse, but a different situation unfolded.

The Dragon reached out and took it. Its white, long fingers almost brushed against Hope’s hand.

“……I didn’t expect you to accept it, thank you.”

To Hope’s thanks, the Dragon merely nodded. Even with its silent gratitude, Hope smiled happily. As if that alone made her happy.

Seeing that, Cullen felt a strange dizziness. His fingertips twitched for no reason.

“I hope to see you again someday. Then, may the goddess’s protection be with you!”

As if belated shyness washed over her, Hope quickly stepped back and waved. Cullen, who had been about to say something more, simply closed his mouth and nodded. After the brief farewell, Cullen turned towards the stable. He felt strange.

“Cullen.”

At that moment, the Dragon called him. Hesitating, he stopped his steps that had been moving forward, and the Dragon approached his side. It was unfolding the paper Hope had given it and showing him the pink preserved fruit inside.

“Didn’t you want to eat something sweet?”

The neat pink fingertips were more beautiful than the fruit. Taken aback by the unexpected words, Cullen asked back,

“……Did you receive this because of me?”

That wasn’t what he intended to ask, but the question came out naturally. The Dragon nodded. The lips that had tightened upon hearing Selem’s story had softened. Seeing that, the dizziness in his stomach subsided slightly. It was a brief change that he couldn’t understand himself.

Looking at the fruit offered, Cullen quietly refused.

“I don’t eat sweet things well. I only said that for the children’s sake.”

Then, disappointment appeared on the Dragon’s face. The face that had seemed fine for a moment turned pale, and Cullen’s mind flashed back to the Dragon swaying earlier.

“More than me…….”

Cullen decided it was better to get the Dragon to eat something. Moreover, this was given by Hope for him.

Approaching the Dragon, Cullen hesitated before finally picking up a piece of the peach. The dried, soft texture and the thin layer of sugar coating it looked appetizing.

“I think it would be better for you to eat it.”

Cullen offered the fruit he had picked up to the Dragon. The Dragon’s eyes slowly widened. It froze as if unable to believe what it was seeing, and only after a few seconds did it slowly part its lips slightly. Instead of taking it, it was as if it wanted to be fed.

A strange tremor flowed slightly down his throat. Cullen pursed his lips, then decided it would be better for him to feed it than for the Dragon not to eat it.

As he slowly extended his hand, the Dragon lowered its head. Its long golden hair flowed elegantly forward, revealing its aquiline nose. Soon, its pink lips parted and bit into the fruit. His fingers trembled slightly.

The Dragon, which had meekly accepted and eaten the fruit, raised its head and met his eyes. Whether it was an illusion or not, after eating just a tiny bit, its complexion seemed to have improved compared to before.

“It would be best for you to eat something. Just like not sleeping, your appearance earlier was not something seen before. Even if Dragons are not such beings…….”

Interrupting Cullen’s continuing words, the Dragon asked softly,

“……Are you worried about me?”

His moving lips closed. He didn’t understand himself. Lasano’s words, that there was no need to pay attention to the Dragon, echoed, and he himself had agreed, so why…

“……If the change that occurred in you is because of me…….”

Cullen finally recalled something.

“It is because I also have a responsibility.”

Yes, the price.

The Dragon had said it wanted nothing more than him to be by its side. However, that was too trivial to be considered a price.

“What did you sacrifice for my life?”

Cullen finally brought up the question again. The Dragon’s expression, which had been bright for a moment, slowly faded.

“What did you offer to bring back a dead life? I know it’s not an ordinary matter. The appearance you show now, it’s just like…….”

He swallowed the words that it looked different from the Dragon he knew. Silence hung in the air. After remaining silent for a long time, the Dragon spoke.

“As I said before, it’s nothing. It might have changed as you’ve assessed, but……. it’s just aftereffects from using power.”

Ultimately, the Dragon uttered the word “aftereffects.” Hearing that, Cullen felt displeased. The situation itself, where the Dragon used such power to save someone like him, was incomprehensible.

“You did a needless thing.”

Cullen pointed out the fact in a flat voice.

“My life is not valuable enough to warrant enduring such aftereffects.”

If anything, it would have been less difficult for the Dragon if he had completely died. Moreover, human life is fleeting compared to a Dragon’s time. That meant…

“I will eventually die again—”

“Stop.”

As soon as he mentioned death, golden light flared in the Dragon’s eyes. The Dragon, which had maintained its distance, moved closer and stared with a gaze that seemed to ensnare him.

“Your life is the most meaningful thing to me.”

The words “most meaningful,” spat out in a beastly growl, pierced his ears. It was an echo that seemed to sink directly into his chest.

“Everything you’ve said to me…… I thought there was a reason for it. I always spoke to you in the same way.”

The Dragon’s eyes contorted as if in pain. It repeatedly moved its lips, then shook its head and said firmly,

“But Cullen, that particular statement is wrong.”

The Dragon’s gaze, which had become wild, gradually calmed.

“So don’t say such things.”

Whispering each word as if cutting them, the Dragon stepped back after finishing its words. It continued to look down at Cullen for a moment before stepping back. Its face, which had contained the intense emotions from just moments ago, was pale again.

“It would be best to leave. After you do what you want, you must descend the mountain quickly. It will rain before long.”

As soon as the Dragon finished speaking, the sky gradually darkened. The air began to dampen, just like that day when wind and rain had raged.

With a heavy sensation pressing down on his shoulders, Cullen could no longer offer any retort. The Dragon’s words about his meaning kept piercing his heart.