#211

The moment he heard Black’s words, Cullen froze. Beyond the fact that Dragons do not lie, his intuition told him Black was right.

Kiyen’s turning away after staring at him moments ago meant just that. The reason he had turned away immediately instead of descending was because of this.

“Cullen, are you okay?”

Ulli cautiously asked, seeing Cullen standing there blankly without a word. He shook his head. He was not okay.

“How far is it to the passage from here?”

He turned sharply and asked Kihelene. Startled by his fierce demeanor, Kihelene quickly replied.

“It’s about an hour’s ride. What’s wrong, Lord Cullen?”

“There’s a problem. They say the three Dragons’ power isn’t enough to completely close the passage…”

Cullen scanned his surroundings rapidly. The horses that had fled were nowhere in sight. He could see mercenaries and knights approaching from afar, but waiting for them would be too late. At Kiyen’s speed, he might have already reached the passage by now.

Thinking of him who had disappeared without even a proper farewell, a fire burned in his gut.

“Lord Kiyen has gone to help with it himself.”

There was no immediate solution. With no time to explain, Cullen began to walk quickly. Ulli and Lasano followed him.

“Why is that a problem? Isn’t closing the passage a good thing? Wasn’t this journey itself for that purpose?”

That was true. They had set out for that very reason. So that when his loved ones were reborn into the world, they could live safely without the threat of Demonic Beasts. So that he could create a slightly better world.

But he hadn’t known it would come at the cost of Kiyen’s sacrifice.

“The problem is that it’s being done at the cost of Lord Kiyen’s life.”

Lasano and Ulli fell silent at Cullen’s words. Seeing their wide, astonished eyes, Cullen turned again. There was no time to waste.

“You may call me selfish, but I do not want peace bought with Lord Kiyen’s sacrifice. Not just anyone, but Lord Kiyen. After being bound under Larkan for his entire life, now that he is free, I cannot bear for him to die for humans…!”

Ulli gently interrupted Cullen’s urgent cry.

“We don’t want that either.”

Ulli held back Cullen, who was about to run off. She, along with Kihelene, Junon, and Lasano, looked at Cullen.

“For your sake too, we don’t want that. I prefer it if we are all happy together, enduring a little risk, rather than everyone being happy at the cost of one person’s sacrifice. Junon, are there still monsters like that existing?”

Junon shook his head at Ulli’s question.

“No, no matter how dangerous, it’s nothing compared to what we’ve encountered before.”

“There are ways to protect this place even if the passage isn’t closed, so Cullen, I’ll help you. We won’t make it in time if we run.”

Ulli picked up Pantel.

“I’ll use my leaping power to cover as much distance as possible.”

As Cullen hesitated at her unexpected statement, Kihelene stepped forward. She held a scroll in her hand.

“That won’t be fast enough. Use this, Lord Cullen.”

Lasano paused upon seeing it.

“Isn’t that a scroll? Didn’t you use the one Yurisis gave you?”

“Yes. Originally, Silfi, no, Yura… gave it to me to escape the palace. But I felt I didn’t have the right to use it. So I kept it, and it has finally found its place today.”

Kihelene approached and placed the scroll in Cullen’s hand. He felt her hand, dry and hardened compared to the past. Their identical purple eyes met.

“A scroll requires you to vividly recall the space you wish to go to. But I had no place I wished to go, so I couldn’t use it. Lord Cullen, think of Kiyen. If you think of him, fate will guide you somehow.”

Cullen accepted the scroll. As he gripped it tightly and looked down, Ulli said.

“Don’t worry about the aftermath. You and Lord Kiyen have lived for others your entire lives. Now, do what you want, Cullen.”

“Junon and I will figure out the passage somehow. I’ve already decided to dedicate myself to the people of this world, for the sins I have committed. So go, Lord Cullen.”

Kihelene nudged his back. Though his heart was heavy, feeling that his decision might be terribly selfish, Cullen slowly began to tear the scroll. Ulli’s words resonated in his heart.

He had never done anything solely for himself in his entire life.

Until this day, Cullen had always acted for someone else. His departed parents, his companions, the people of the world, the Imperial Palace, the goddess…

He thought it was fine. He had no complaints and believed it was simply what he had to do. But the end of such a life being Kiyen’s death… that was unacceptable.

He quietly pictured Kiyen’s face. His noble eyes looking down at him under the moonlight, his bare white feet, the smile that bloomed white at the name he had given him. He recalled Kiyen’s dozens of facets, crying, raging, and pleading. And finally, he remembered what Kiyen had said before they parted.

‘I will create a world where your loved ones can live well, just as you wish.’

Foolishly, Cullen hadn’t realized that was Kiyen’s farewell. He hadn’t realized that his last words, accompanied by a gentle kiss on his forehead, were a plea for forgiveness. The Dragon who said he would grant anything Cullen wished had decided to sacrifice his life for the human he loved.

That was the courtship of a being named Kiyen.

The gift chosen by a being so clumsy from never having received love was that.

The moment he realized this, his heart ached as if it would burst. A desperate longing surged. That wasn’t what Cullen wanted. He should have told Kiyen, who had asked what he liked and what he wanted, long ago.

‘Let’s go home together.’

‘Let’s go to the mountain cabin you beautifully prepared for me.’

What had he hesitated for? Knowing everything, knowing he loved Kiyen, he had been afraid of Kiyen’s future death and couldn’t say those words. If he had said just one thing to Kiyen, who had asked if he would accept him, perhaps Kiyen wouldn’t have made such a decision.

Fearing a future that hadn’t happened, he was about to lose the most precious being in his life, who existed in the present.

The present was what mattered. Fearing a future he didn’t know, he had almost lost the most precious being in his life.

He didn’t want that.

The moment a strong desire took root in his heart, Cullen felt everything surrounding his body shatter. The feeling of his body breaking and splitting like dust washed over him, followed by a sudden surge. As dizziness struck his head, Cullen felt something had changed.

He felt a different air than before. Steadying his swaying body, Cullen opened his eyes. He saw Kiyen standing not far away on the white, spread-out ground. Seeing his back, with his golden wings, scorched and scarred unlike his Manifestation, Cullen started running.

“Lord Kiyen!”

He shouted his name, loudly.

Kiyen’s standing figure flinched, as if startled. But he didn’t turn around. The three Dragons, seeing Cullen’s appearance, looked at him with tearful expressions. Magic was already being implemented, and white patterns were appearing at their feet.

“Stop, Lord Kiyen!”

Despite his desperate plea, Kiyen only twitched his wings and didn’t turn his head. The patterns grew darker, emitting a white light as if to swallow Kiyen.

His heart felt like it would explode. With all the strength he possessed, doing his utmost, Cullen ran towards him.

“Kiyen—!”

At the last cry, tinged with tears, Kiyen finally turned around. His face, turned at the sound of his voice trembling, was filled with concern.

Foolishly, it was he himself who was on the verge of death.

“You misunderstood what I want.”

The moment Kiyen turned, the light flickered. Seizing the opportunity, Cullen ran towards him, stumbling, and shouted. Kiyen’s golden eyes flickered with confusion. Cullen, with all his sincerity, in a trembling voice, shouted at him.

“What I want is to go home with you.”

With his last words, barely uttered, Cullen reached him. They had taken a long detour. It had taken a very long time for them to be beside each other yet unable to touch. Therefore, he couldn’t lose him any longer.

“I want to be with you, in the home you brought back to life for me.”

Because.

“My most precious being, Kiyen.”

Only Kiyen.

“Now, I want to do what you and we want to do.”

Because he makes Cullen happy.

“So please, don’t do that. Just as you brought life back to that ruined place, this land will eventually find a way to live, somehow. It will even without our help. We’ve done all we could…”

The light at Kiyen’s feet slowly subsided. As if waiting, the Young Dragons who had retreated from the magic circle rushed to their side and clutched their robes. Cat was already crying profusely, her face covered in tears. White and Black’s eyes were also red.

“I want to go home now.”

Home.

At the final word, ‘home,’ blue light welled up in Kiyen’s eyes. The blue light that instantly dyed his golden irises soon turned into tears and gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“…Do you truly wish for that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you not hate me anymore?”

“I have never hated you. I was merely angry at your actions for a moment.”

At those words, tears flowed down Kiyen’s cheeks. His long eyelashes, wet from his reddened eyes, drooped.

“Even though I was so angry, I have never not loved you. Because I loved you, I almost made a foolish choice, fearing the loss so much.”

Kiyen, who had been shedding silent tears, slowly took a step towards Cullen. As he moved cautiously, fearfully, and yet as if in disbelief, Cullen also took a step. They were now close enough to touch.

“I was wrong.”

“I know.”

“I will never make you cry again. I won’t be mean to you either…”

“I know that too, Kiyen.”

At the call of his name, Kiyen, who had regained his name, smiled slowly. His tear-filled eyes curved into a beautiful arc. To him, Cullen extended his hand. Instead of Kiyen reaching out for him in the past, this time it was him.

“I want to hear something else, rather than that.”

Kiyen gazed at the outstretched hand for a long moment, taking a deep breath. Then, he reached out his hand. His long, white fingers carefully, yet firmly, clasped Cullen’s hand. Their fingers intertwined, and they clasped hands.

“I love you.”

Kiyen pulled the hand he held as if he would never let go. He brought his hand to his beautiful pink lips and lowered his head.

“I love you, Cullen.”

A small whisper touched his hand, and then his lips met his. Kiyen confessed his love in a reverent voice and met his gaze. Staring directly into his eyes, Cullen slowly smiled. The smile that had been so difficult to produce finally flowed naturally the moment their hearts opened to each other.

“I love you, Kiyen.”

The pain that had accompanied countless confessions of love was gone. Instead, there was only an astonishing, heart-filling happiness.

He was truly happy.