Chapter 2 – . I Picked Up The Male Lead
Before he died, Seo Jihan read a novel.
‘The Flower that Blooms in the Light.’
It wasn’t the type of fantasy novel popular these days, but it was a Western fantasy novel that became quite a hit among readers longing for the classics. Seo Jihan had also been healing himself by reading that novel while he was bored.
The protagonist, Theodore, was a character who grew up experiencing all sorts of hardships from a young age. He was cast out of his birthplace, met a villain, was abused by him, and after barely escaping, he met companions and began to find his place through adventures.
Eventually, slaying the villain and making a grand proposal to the female lead was the final scene of Part 2. While blankly recalling that scene, Seo Jihan finally dropped the phone he hadn’t let go of even as he was hit by a car.
Clack.
Until the moment his vision turned pitch black, the only thing Seo Jihan thought about was the novel.
‘I have to go home and read Part 3…….’
He didn’t have much attachment to his ordinary life anyway, but he was dying to know the rest of the novel. Seo Jihan closed his eyes in lamentation.
* * *
“……Who is this?”
When Seo Jihan opened his eyes again, he was no longer ‘Seo Jihan.’ He frowned at the sight of the strange figure in the mirror. Simultaneously, all sorts of memories began to flood into his head.
“Ugh……!”
It felt as if something foreign was being forcibly mixed and fused with him. However, the jumbled thoughts in his head soon began to organize themselves.
“Ugh, I…….”
Having barely regained his senses, Seo [unauthorized [Read on Read BL Novels]copy]unauthorized copyunauthorized copy -->Jihan slowly opened his mouth. He spoke in fragments with a shocked expression.
“To think I possessed a villain…….”
It was a truly lamentable realization. Out of the numerous roles in the novel, of all things, he had to be the villain who gets executed by the protagonist. Seo Jihan was so shocked that he couldn’t speak for a while.
The evil dragon Drake.
He was the main villain who tormented the protagonist in Part 1. As the last remaining dragon on the continent, he was a character with an arrogant and eccentric personality. Possessing sadistic tendencies, he brought the protagonist to him and inflicted all sorts of persecution under the guise of experiments.
Later, the protagonist, having escaped from Drake, returned as an Emperor and executed him. That scene was one of the contents of the latter half of Part 2 that Seo Jihan had read just before dying.
‘I can’t die like Drake.’
Gritting his teeth, Seo Jihan made a vow. Fortunately, he was given quite a lot of time. This was because the point at which he possessed the body was long before the original story began.
And so, 200 years passed. Possessing the body of a dragon, Seo Jihan spent a very long time. It would have been a difficult time to endure with his original human mind, but perhaps because he adapted to the dragon’[unauthorized copy];s body, he gradually became numb to the sense of time.
Drake was truly the worst character. Even when Seo Jihan first possessed him, Drake had been sleeping soundly after wiping out a nearby human village simply because they had annoyed him slightly. Recalling that memory, Seo Jihan felt a sense of loathing toward the owner of the body.
Fortunately, possessing Drake’s memories didn’t make Seo Jihan become like him. He was able to adapt to the dragon’s body while maintaining his own personality. That was a huge relief for him.
Thus, it took a few years to adapt to the surroundings, and several decades to clean up the environment where fights and troubles were constant. A considerable amount of time had to pass before he could spend his days in peace. By the time he came to his senses, 200 years had already flown by.
In the meantime, he changed his name and lived like a new person. Anyway, the name ‘Drake’ was merely a designation in the ancient language referring to dragons. He discarded that name and lived under the name ‘Sian.’ This was because people of this world found the name ‘Jihan’ difficult to pronounce.
‘By the way, I feel like I’ve been forgetting something lately…….’
Sian, who had left the house for the first time in a while to get some fresh air, tilted his head. He sank into deep thought as he walked down the mountain. Even with a dragon’s extraordinary memory, it wouldn’t quite come to him.
‘Did Kali ask for new seedlings to plant in the ground? Or did Kunta say he was short on iron ore to process?’
But nothing specifically came to mind. Both of them, while noisy, [Read on Read BL Novels]Read on Read BL Novels -->were the types to speak clearly if they had a request. Sian continued to think and then shook his head.
“Ah, I don’t know.”
Left with no choice, he continued his walk. Although the place where he lived was called the ‘land of death’ and was a place people spoke of in hushed tones, Sian, being a dragon, didn’t find it particularly unpleasant. In fact, after adapting, he even felt refreshed.
Anyway, everything that touched him, a black dragon, was bound to rot and break. That was why he hadn’t intentionally moved his residence. He had originally planned to settle elsewhere, but he stopped after realizing that doing so would only contaminate that place as well.
“……?”
But why had he insisted on living somewhere else? Sian, who had descended halfway down the mountain, tilted his head. A certain memory kept almost surfacing. Sian stopped and frowned.
“Huh?”
But then, he felt a foreign energy from somewhere. An indescribable sense of incongruity drew Sian in. Like a possessed man, he began to walk again.
“……Gasp!”
Sian was horrified to discover a child collapsed next to a thick tree.
The child, drenched in bright red blood, looked very small and weak. Age, roughly 7……? Or maybe 8……? It was hard to gauge the age because the bangs were hanging down, obscuring the face, but looking at the small and frail body, he seemed to be a very young child. However, the fact that blood continued to flow until the shabby clothes he wore turned dark red looked ominous.
“Um, are you okay…….”
“Ugh…….”
As Sian quickly approached to examine the child’s body, his eyes widened as if he had received a great shock. This was because as the half-open yellow eyes turned toward him, a certain memory rushed back like a tide.
「This looks interesting.」
A familiar voice echoed in Sian’s ears. It was a voice he had heard tediously for 200 years. Naturally. Because it was his own voice.
His heart thumped. It was clearly his own familiar voice, yet he kept feeling a sense of incongruity. It was a low voice that was somewhat twisted and gloomy, with a hint of a ridiculous [[visit our site]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">visit [visit our site]our site]smile. It was distinctly different from the way Sian usually spoke.
“……!”
Sian realized it belatedly. The man in front of Sian looked exactly like him, but he was not him. He was the original novel’s villain dragon, Drake. This was a scene from the original that Sian had forgotten.
「Could it be a human from the inchamber? How did they cross over here?」
Drake tilted his head and looked down at the child again as if gauging him. The child, who was barely clinging to life, was looking up at Drake, breathing heavily and painfully.
「I was bored, so this is perfect.」
Having made a quick decision, Drake indifferently lowered his hand. The small child’s body was hoisted up, and a groan of pain escaped the child.
「Ugh……!」
Sian looked at the child in surprise. To treat a child so injured so recklessly. Glaring at Drake’s back, from [visit our site]Read on Read BL Novelswm: visit our site -->which a sinister aura emanated, Sian reached out his hand.
“Don’t do that……!”
However, there was nothing to touch in his outstretched hand. His hand, waving through the air, stopped right in front of the child’s nose. Sian flinched and stepped back.
“Gasp…….”
What Sian was seeing now was not reality. It was a memory of the original story that had been dormant in the dragon’s mind. A part of the novel Sian had read before dying had remained in his head like a book.
But perhaps because he had adapted so well to living for 200 years after possessing the body, he seemed to have forgotten the very fact that he had possessed it. To think he only recalled this memory now, with the male lead who would kill him right before his eyes.
“This is crazy…….”
Sian finally remembered the reason why he had tried to leave the mountain. He had tried to escape before being killed by the male lead immediately after possessing the body, but he had only recalled that failed escape attempt upon meeting the male lead.
‘What should I do? Should I just leave him like this?’
Theodore Ren Kailos. The protagonist of the original and the person who would kill him. But that was because Drake had done all sorts of terrible things to Theodore. If he just left now and pretended not to know him, wouldn’t it be fine if they never got entangled?
It was when Sian had such a cunning thought.
“Please…… save me…….”
“……!”
“Please…… sob…….”
A frail voice caught Sian’s ankle. Sian could no longer move and looked down blankly.
Theodore was looking at Sian, who was about to leave, with desperation. Tears filled with pain were dripping from his eyes.
Bright blond hair, though soaked in blood, and golden eyes of the same color. Although it was the appearance of the protagonist he only knew through text, it felt strangely familiar. This was because Sian had read the novel during a very difficult time in his life and often projected himself onto the protagonist when he suffered hardships.
Honestly, even if he left him like this, Theodore would not die. He was the protagonist of this novel. Drake, who took him away, didn’t exactly provide treatment; rather, he only inflicted more wounds, but still, he didn’t die. Because Theodore was a special child.
‘But he still feels pain.’
If Sian left him like this, Theodore would suffer alone for a long time. Since the area was ill-omened, he might get into trouble with wild animals or magic beasts and suffer even greater injuries. Thinking of that, Sian’s heart felt a chill.
With an injured child collapsed before him, he simply couldn’t leave him. It would be different if he hadn’t seen him from the start. With an urgent heart, Sian reached out his hand again.
“Fine. I…… I’ll help you.”
“Uuugh…….”
Whispering softly, Sian carefully picked up Theodore. The body that fit in one embrace was so small and light. Sian unconsciously grit his teeth.
Sian, being a black dragon, was not proficient in recovery magic. In the first place, the nearly [unauthorized stolen content[stolen content]copy]perfect dragon body rarely got wounded, and most wounds healed on their own if left alone.
Theodore, who had received a divine blessing, would also fundamentally have a sturdy body. However, he was still young, and those who tried to harm him were likely not ordinary.
Seeing Theodore’s expression becoming increasingly painful, Sian hurriedly used magic to return to the mansion. The scenery before his eyes changed in an instant.
“Kali! Kali, where are you?”
Sian shouted frantically while holding Theodore. Sian’s voice echoed loudly inside the quiet mansion.
“Lord Sian? What on earth is going on…….”
Kali, who was entering the drawing room, spoke in a puzzled tone upon seeing Sian. Then, she frowned upon seeing Theodore in Sian’s arms.
“What is that filthy thing now?”
“Filthy thing…….”
“Where did you pick up something strange again…… Hm? But isn’t this a human? Why is the hair color like this…….”
“Kali, please. Use the herbs you grew to treat this child. Because of the incompatibility, the magic we use won’t work.”
“Hah…….”
Kali looked at Sian, who was speaking abruptly, with a bewildered expression. It was rare for the usually calm Sian to raise his voice. Kali glanced at the unconscious Theodore with a displeased look.
He was a human who emanated an ominous energy. Moreover, he had golden hair, which was rare to see on the outchamber continent. It was said that such a light hair color had gone extinct among humans long ago.
It was quite common for the compassionate Sian to pick something up whenever he went outside. He would pick up animal offspring that had lost their mothers out of pity, or ask Kali to treat an injured animal. This was the first time he had brought a human, however.
“Sigh…… I understand for now.”
Kali sighed and nodded. Of all people, it had to be a human with such an ominous aura. She didn’t like aria-label="visit our site">visit our siteit, but she herself had once owed her life to Sian’s kindness. Thus, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse his request.
“Thanks, Kali.”
Sian followed behind Kali, feeling relieved. The blood flowing from Theodore’s body had soaked through the clothes Sian wore while holding him. Theodore, who had barely managed to open his eyes moments ago, now seemed to have completely lost consciousness, his eyes closed as he lay limp in Sian’s arms.
‘It’s okay. You’ll be okay soon.’
Theodore would not die in a place like this. He would definitely be fine.
Muttering to himself, Sian hugged Theodore’s small body tightly.
* * *
“He should be fine now. He’s passed the critical stage.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He’ll likely run a high fever again tonight… but if he can push through that, he’ll wake up soon.”
Well, it wouldn’t really matter if he couldn’t push through and just died, Kali muttered inwardly, words she couldn’t say openly in front of Sian. Unaware of her inner thoughts, Sian simply beamed.
“I see. You worked hard.”
“Not at all… but would it be alright if I rested for a bit?”
“Of course. I’ll be here, so get some deep sleep.”
“Yes…”
Kali, who had spent two straight nights wrestling with medicinal herbs, looked haggard. She had doubted whether herbs grown in the mountains would work on a human—especially one from the In-chamber rather than the Out-chamber—but fortunately, after adjusting the mixture slightly, the herbs took effect.
Furthermore, despite being a young child, his innate healing ability was surprisingly good, so unauthorized copytreating him hadn’t been too [unauthorized copy]difficult. If anything, it felt unsettling to leave such a monstrous brat alone with Sian.
‘Well… if it’s Lord Sian, it should be fine.’
No matter if he was a human from the In-chamber, he wouldn’t be able to harm Sian, who was a dragon. Only a transcendent who had reached the realm of a god might be capable of that. But as far as Kali knew, the last human to reach the level of a transcendent had appeared about a thousand years ago.
A transcendent. This kid who was whimpering from such a wound? Kali snorted and left the room.
“Whew…”
Sian let out a long sigh he had been holding back after Kali left. Kali was exhausted after spending two nights awake and racking her brain over new herbal mixtures, but Sian was still perfectly fine. It was thanks to the extraordinary stamina of a dragon.
Hearing that the final crisis would come tonight, Sian grew more worried about Theodore’s condition. Gazing down at Theodore’s face as he slept peacefully, Sian reached out.
He dipped a towel into the lukewarm water in the basin beside them. After shaking off the excess water, he placed it back on Theodore’s forehead. The moment the towel touched him, Theodore, who had been moaning, fell into a deep sleep. His complexion certainly looked better than it had last night.
“Theodore…”
“Umm…”
Unable to resist the impulse, Sian stroked Theodore’s pale cheek. Having stayed by his side throughout his nursing, Sian felt an urge to touch those chubby cheeks characteristic of young children every time he saw them.
Whether it was because of the fever or if all children simply had such high body temperatures, Sian found it fascinating.
“…What should I do with you.”
In the end, Sian couldn’t turn his back on Theodore. But even if he went back to that moment, Sian felt he would make the same choice. How could he ignore such a fragile child?
The problem was what came after. What should he do once Theodore fully recovered? This place was not a good environment for a young child to stay in.
“Ugh…”
“…Theodore?”
Lost in thought, Sian looked over in surprise as Theodore frowned. Soon, he saw Theodore’s eyes flutter open slightly.
“…Mother?”
“What?”
Watery eyes turned toward Sian. His own reflection was faintly visible in those blurred gold eyes. Sian was startled by the sudden words, but he soon realized that Theodore wasn’t seeing him.
“Mother, I… I was wrong…”
“…!”
A frail voice leaked from Theodore’s lips. The small, breaking voice was hard to understand, but Sian could comprehend his words to some extent thanks to a dragon’s superior hearing.
Mother? Could he be talking about Empress Anastasia? Sian’s brow furrowed.
The novel hadn’t dealt with Theodore’s childhood in great detail. However, based on the descriptions that appeared whenever Theodore reminisced about the past, it didn’t seem like the two had a close relationship.
Empress Anastasia, Theodore’s mother, was not a good mother to him. When Theodore was about five years old, after Emperor Helix died in a sudden accident, his younger brother Kasar seized control of the council and ascended to the throne as if he had been waiting for it.
Furthermore, to avoid becoming a deposed empress, Anastasia remarried Kasar. Because of that, Theodore, the son of the previous emperor, was left completely stranded.
Once an heir was born between Kasar and Anastasia, Kasar became even more blatant in his attempts to eliminate Theodore. That was why Theodore had been forced to flee the empire and end up here.
Naturally, Anastasia ignored Theodore. She would have had no reason to protect him. She seemed to be the kind of person who prioritized her own safety over her child.
“Sigh…”
The novel Sian had read back when he was Seo Jihan was stored in his mind like a book. A dragon’s memory was truly marvelous; even after 200 years, the memories he had as a human remained almost intact.
However, because a dragon’s mind contained such a vast amount of knowledge and memory, he usually wasn’t consciously visit our siteaware of it. Only now, because Theodore was crying and calling for his mother, did he manage to recall the settings regarding Empress Anastasia.
“I… I did everything wrong.”
“…”
“So, please… don’t throw me away…”
Tears trickled down Theodore’s cheeks and fell. Sian looked down at the sight with complex emotions.
He’s someone you don’t need to cling to like that. Someone not even worth it. She’s probably living her life without a care, not even knowing how much you’re suffering.
The child, unaware of the cruel truth, was clinging to the one person who had never looked back at him. In a manner that was desperately sorrowful.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Hic…”
“You did nothing wrong, Theodore.”
“…”
Until now, Theodore had been nothing more than one of the characters in a novel to Sian. Even if he was the protagonist, Sian had only felt he was slightly special.
But seeing Theodore in such pain and distress made his heart ache. Sian realized anew that Theodore was not just a character in a novel. Just as Sian existed in this world, Theodore was a living, breathing person.
“Is that… really true?”
“Of course. No one hates you.”
“That’s… a relief…”
Relieved by Sian’s words, Theodore closed his eyes again and fell back into a peaceful sleep. When Sian stolen contentreached out to touch [stolen content]="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[stolen content]his cheek, the fever had dropped slightly.
Sian let out a sigh of relief. He continued to stay by the sleeping child’s side.
For now, he simply hoped that Theodore would not be in pain.
* * *
“Umm…”
Theodore, who had been ill for three full days, opened his eyes when morning came. Letting out a faint groan, Theodore blinked.
‘Where am I?’
It was an unfamiliar ceiling. It was distinctly different from the ornate ceilings of the Imperial Palace that he was sick of seeing. Looking closely at the brown ceiling with simple patterns, it looked like the grain of wood was visible. Theodore frowned slightly.
“Uh…?”
Moreover, a stranger was sitting beside him. With a startled expression, Theodore turned his head to look.
‘Wh-who is it?’
A man with long black hair cascading over one shoulder had his eyes closed. Theodore rarely saw adult men this large. His uncle hated even looking at him, and the servants by his side changed almost daily, most of whom were young boys.
The only adult man Theodore had ever opened his heart to was the Knight Commander who had sacrificed himself to save him until the very end. Thinking of him made Theodore’s chest ache.
But the man before him felt different. Above all, his hair was black. In the place where Theodore lived, there was no one with hair that dark.
Come to think of it, his nanny had once told him that beyond the continent lived the children of demons abandoned by God, and that their hair and eye colors were dark, like the symbols of demons. Recalling those words, Theodore shuddered.
‘A demon? …This person?’
Theodore was suddenly terrified. If this person really was a demon Read on Read BL Novelsas the nanny said, he would try to eat him the moment he opened his eyes. As the frightened Theodore pulled [visit our site]his body back, the towel that had been precariously perched on his forehead slid off.
“…Eh?”
Looking at the towel, which was now dry as the moisture had vanished, Theodore’s eyes widened. He couldn’t immediately understand why this had been on his forehead. Now that he thought about it, he had been in agonizing pain before losing consciousness, but he didn’t hurt anymore.
Could it be…
It was just as Theodore glanced at the man again with trembling eyes.
“Theodore?”
“…!”
The man who called his name looked exactly the same as when his eyes were closed. He had simply opened his eyes and was staring at him. As those pitch-black eyes gazed intently, Theodore was too flustered to say anything.
Sian scanned the frozen Theodore from head to toe. Theodore had opened his eyes briefly during the fever last night, but he hadn’t been lucid. Sian wondered if it was the same now, but the reaction was distinctly different from the night before.
The way he curled his body up like a wary herbivore, with only his eyes wide open, was cute. Sian had to suppress a laugh so as not to startle Theodore.
“Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”
“Uh…”
At the calm voice that held a hint of amusement, Theodore barely managed to calm his racing heart. Having lived his life constantly reading others’ expressions from a certain point, Theodore realized almost instinctively that this man, who looked like the symbol of a demon his nanny described, had no intention of harming him.
Glancing again at the towel that had fallen by his head, Theodore cautiously spoke.
“Did you… save me?”
“Hmm? Well… I guess so.”
“Thank… you. Nothing hurts.”
“That’s a relief.”
Sian, who had originally intended to leave the wounded and collapsed Theodore behind, paused for a moment before nodding. He then cast a questioning look at Theodore, who was unnervingly calm for a child.
He recalled from the novel that Theodore was around ten years old when he fell into Drake’s clutches. Then he should be the same age now, right? But for a ten-year-old, his body was remarkably small, and the way he pretended to be fine while trembling with fear looked far too pitiful.
How much had he spent his life walking on eggshells to be like this? Moreover, as the Crown Prince of the Empire, shouldn’t he be accustomed to speaking down to anyone, regardless of their age? In the palace, only the Emperor or Empress would have held a higher status than Crown Prince Theodore…
‘Those bastards.’
It seemed he hadn’t even been treated as a proper Crown Prince. The novel didn’t detail how Theodore lived in the palace as a child, but seeing the current Theodore, Sian could guess it clearly. Sian frowned unconsciously.
“Um, but…”
“Yeah?”
Sian snapped back to attention at the tiny voice. Theodore asked, his eyes still glancing around anxiously.
“Where is this place?”
“Ah.”
It was natural for the newly awakened Theodore to be curious. Sian opened his mouth to answer, but he hesitated for a moment.
He should give him the exact name of the region, right? Since Theodore had been nearly delirious due to his wounds, he might not realize he had crossed the border.
“This place is, um… for now, the Out-chamber.”
“The Out… chamber?”
“Yes.”
Sian imagined Theodore’s surprised reaction. However, contrary to his imagination, Theodore wasn’t surprised. On the contrary, he looked too unfazed. With an innocent face, Theodore asked another question.
“What is the Out-chamber?”
“What…?”
He hadn’t expected this. To think he didn’t know at all. Even so, at ten years old, he should have received some education in the Imperial Palace.
‘Those crazy bastards, seriously.’
Even so, they neglected the child to this extent? Is this child not the Crown Prince of the Empire? Sian’s hostility toward the humans of the Imperial Palace flared up once more.
“Hmm, then do you know where the place you lived is?”
“…The Kailos Empire?”
“Right. I’m glad you at least know that.”
Honestly, Sian had been at a loss as to where to start explaining, so this was a relief. Sian breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
“The eastern continent where the Kailos Empire is located is called the In-chamber, and this western continent is called the Out-chamber. You crossed the border and came to another continent.”
“I… crossed the border?”
Only then did Theodore show signs of bewilderment. Still, he seemed to have a vague understanding of what the ‘border’ meant.
Two continents exist in this fantasy world. The East Continent, where the Kailos Empire—the birthplace of the protagonist Theodore—is located, and the West Continent, where Sian lives. Formally, the East Continent is called the In-chamber and the West Continent is called the Out-chamber.
There was a theory that the two continents were once a single land long ago, but since it wasn’t even in the memory of the dragon Drake, it was hard to consider it a fact. Furthermore, the two continents were thoroughly severed by a massive mountain range.
That mountain range was the very mountain where Sian had established [visit our site]his home. The only person who could freely move across this border between the two continents was the protagonist, Theodore.
“Then, is this place perhaps…”
“Hmm, would you know it if I called it the Mountain of Death…?”
“…!”
Theodore’s face turned pale. Seeing that Theodore seemed to know about the mountain, Sian felt a bit complicated.
This mountain, which served as the border between the two continents, had no official name. People simply called it the Mountain of Death because no living creatures could survive there due to the evil dragon’s demonic energy, and it was swarming with magic beasts.
It seemed its notoriety had reached even the long-isolated In-chamber. With a terrified face, Theodore asked.
“Are you… going to eat me?”
The dragons in the old stories he heard from his nanny were terrifying. Surely the man before him wasn’t a dragon, but they said unauthorized stolen contentcopyeveryone living on the Mountain of Death were demons who followed the dragon. Believing firmly that demons ate humans, Theodore trembled and hugged himself tightly.
“What?”
Sian was baffled by Theodore’s sudden question, but seeing the terrified, shivering boy, he couldn’t help but smile.
So, is it like that? In Korea, elders used to scare children by saying a tiger would take them away if they kept crying. I guess dragons are like tigers here, Sian muttered to himself. Then, with a mischievous expression, he looked at Theodore.
“I don’t know. You’re so skinny that it doesn’t look like there’s much to eat.”
“…!”
“I’ll have to fatten you up first before I can eat you.”
“Ugh…”
Theodore curled up with a tearful face. Sian watched stolen content-->unauthorized copyhim with a smile, then suddenly realized something.
He shouldn’t get too carried away with teasing, but Theodore’s reaction was so cute that he had ended up being mean. Sian worried belatedly. It would be troublesome if the boy actually believed this.
“I, I…”
Gurgle.
It was just as the trembling Theodore managed to open his mouth. A sound so loud it was hard to believe it came from that tiny stomach echoed through the surroundings. It was like a clap of thunder.
Gurgle. Rumble. Growl.
“…”
“…”
Come to think of it, Theodore had been starving for three whole days. Moreover, considering the time it took to get here from stolen content/span>-->the Imperial Palace, he must have suffered from hunger for even longer. Sian sprang up from his seat.
“Wait here for a moment.”
“Ye-yes?”
It was all well and good to have boldly stepped outside, but now he was worried, not knowing what to feed the boy.
Since he had just woken up, he should probably eat something soft. Soup would be best. He had harvested a lot of potatoes last time, so he decided to make potato soup. Sian decided to go to the kitchen and make it himself; he felt too sorry to wake Kali, who would be resting deeply after working hard all night.
* * *
“…….”
Left alone in the room, Theodore blinked and slowly looked around.
The demons in the stories his nanny told him lived in houses built upon graves, but this place didn’t look like that. The interior of the [Read on Read BL Novels]house, which seemed to be made of wood, felt cozy and warm. In the fireplace, not far from the bed, a bright red fire was crackling warmly.
Theodore liked this place much better than the Imperial Palace, which had been wide and merely flashy. Despite having worried just moments ago that the man might eat him, such a carefree thought crossed his mind. Theodore sat on the bed, feeling a complex swirl of emotions.
Click.
After staring blankly for a while, the door opened again. Theodore flinched and looked toward the doorway.
Sian walked in carefully, carrying a bowl on a tray. White steam was rising from the bowl filled with potato soup.
“Here, eat.”
“Uh…….”
“It’s hot, so be careful.”
Theodore’s eyes widened as he looked at the tray and the soup placed on his lap. [unauthorized copyclass="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">visit unauthorized copyour site]He hadn’t expected the man, who had suddenly left, to return with food.
“……!”
Drawn by the smell, Theodore instinctively picked up the spoon, but then he flinched. The conversation he had just had with the man flashed through his mind.
〈I don’t know. You’re so skinny, there doesn’t seem to be anything to eat.〉
〈I’ll have to fatten you up first before I eat you.〉
Could he really be feeding him just to eat him later…?
With an anxious expression, Theodore shifted his gaze and glanced up at the man watching him.
“……?”
Why isn’t he eating? Is something wrong? There was a bit of a burnt smell when he boiled the soup, but he thought the taste was okay. Sian stolen [Read on Read BL Novels]contentraised a hand and scratched his head.
“What? Does it smell weird? It shouldn’t be inedible.”
“That is…….”
“……?”
Sian looked at the hesitating Theodore with curiosity, then recalled their previous conversation.
‘Could it be… because I said I’d eat him earlier?’
He had said it as a joke to tease him, but it seemed the child had taken it seriously.
What should he do? Should he tell him now that it was a joke? But would the boy even believe that? Just as Sian’s mind became cluttered with thoughts—
Gurgleeeee…
“…….”
“…….”
A thunderous sound erupted from Theodore’s stomach, sounding like an ultimatum. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment. Eventually, unable to withstand the hunger, Theodore picked up the spoon.
“……!”
As the white soup entered his mouth, Theodore’s eyes widened. Surprisingly, it didn’t taste bad.
“……?”
However, the aftertaste was a bit subtle. What was this taste? Theodore tilted his head at a flavor he had never experienced in his life.
“How is it?”
“Um…….”
Sian, unable to hold back, asked after seeing Theodore take only one bite. However, Theodore didn’t answer and continued to tilt his head. Then, he took another spoonful of soup.
“It’s tast—”
“Lord Sian!”
The moment Theodore murmured softly, the door slammed open. Both of them turned their heads. Standing at the doorway, huffing with indignation, was Kali.
“What’s going on?”
“Did you go into the kitchen again without telling me?”
“Yeah, I wanted to make some soup for him…….”
“You should have woken me up!”
“I did it because I felt sorry for you.”
Sian had intentionally avoided waking the sleeping Kali to make the soup himself. Even he thought he wasn’t particularly gifted at cooking, but he believed he could at least manage potato soup. As Sian thought this, Kali held something out in front of him.
“Look! The pot is burnt pitch-black again!”
“Ah…….”
The bottom of the pot was burnt to a severe degree. It was because Sian had failed to control the heat while making the potato soup. Regardless, since the parts that weren’t burnt didn’t taste that strange, Sian had only scooped up the top portion to bring to Theodore.
“We can just ask Kunta to make another pot.”
“The mere thought of asking that dwarf fellow to make one is irritating!”
“Isn’t it about time you two started getting along?”
“With him? Absolutely not!”
“…….”
Kali shouted as if having a fit at Sian’s words. Sian shook his head while watching her.
In this fantasy world, various races lived together. Kali was a dark elf, and Kunta was a dwarf. The bad blood between these two races was practically a universal rule in fantasy worlds.
Still, they had practically lived together for several years now, yet to be this disgusted. Sian let out a deep sigh.
“Haa… alright. I’ll be the one to tell him.”
“That’s not the only problem. I have to make breakfast right away, but if you ruin the pots like this…… visit our sitet-size:0;color:transparent;display:inline;">unauthorized copyhonestly, Lord Sian…….”
“Alright, I get it.”
Sian frowned at the immediate barrage of nagging. No matter what excuse he made, it would only make Kali’s nagging worse. Sian simply nodded along to whatever Kali said.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Of course, naturally.”
He even added a few appropriate interjections. Sian wore a practiced smile.
“…….”
Theodore, who had been eating the soup, watched the two of them blankly before glancing back down at the soup he was eating.
‘So that’s why it tasted strange.’
Theodore thought blankly, having found the answer from Sian and Kali’s conversation. The food he had eaten at the Imperial Palace had always been perfect. Having never tasted something burnt, Theodore had been surprised by the unfamiliar flavor in the potato soup Sian made.
‘So this is the taste of burning…….’
Theodore looked down at the potato soup with a strange aftertaste with vacant eyes. For some reason, his chest felt tight.
Whenever he ate in the Imperial Palace, there was always no one around him. The servants who brought his meals were unkind and avoided getting close to him. In truth, aside from his nanny, there was no one who properly looked him in the eye.
And yet, here he was, eating food surrounded by people he didn’t know at all. For some unknown reason, his heart continued to flutter.
“Theodore? What’s wrong?”
“Ah…….”
Sian, who had been bickering with Kali for a while, asked curiously as he noticed Theodore staring [Read on Read [stolen content]BL Novels]wm: Read on Read BL Novels -->blankly at the soup without eating. Theodore then lifted his head. His eyes were shimmering with moisture.
“You… why are you crying?”
Sian flustered, not knowing what to do. Theodore flinched and wiped his eyes with his hand. Seeing the moisture on his fingers, Theodore himself seemed more surprised.
“See that? Even that human is sobbing because the burnt soup tastes bad.”
“What? Is that true?”
Sian was deeply shocked by Kali’s comment as she clicked her tongue from behind. He thought it tasted decent enough. However, since Sian knew that his sense of taste had changed slightly after becoming a dragon, he couldn’t be certain.
“Um… Theodore, are you… okay?”
“…….”
“If it’s too hard, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it. I’ll give you something else.”
Sian reached out awkwardly to take the soup bowl from Theodore. However, Theodore shook his head and gripped the bowl tightly with both hands.
“No. I’ll just eat this.”
“What? But…….”
“I didn’t cry because it tastes bad. Really.”
“……?”
Then why on earth did he cry? Sian looked at Theodore with bewildered eyes. To prevent Sian from saying anything more, Theodore bowed his head and spoke.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Uh, right…….”
Ultimately, Sian withdrew his hand, feeling awkward. He then watched nervously as Theodore ate the soup.
“Hmph, you picked up a guy who was practically dead and even treated him, so why are you taking such care of him?”
“Of course I should take care of him.”
“……You aren’t planning on keeping that human fellow here, are you?”
“Uh…….”
Sian paused at Kali’s question and sank into thought.
The point where the original novel truly begins was after Theodore escaped from Drake. The first part covers his growth while adventuring in the Out-chamber, unable to return to the Empire, and the second part focuses on him returning to the In-chamber as an adult, becoming Emperor, and executing Drake.
Theodore was currently about 10 years old, and he had escaped from Drake around age 15. Normally, Theodore would have Read on Read BL Novelsstolen contentvisit our siteent -->END: Read on Read BL Novels -->to be captured and abused by Drake for about five more years.
Of course, Sian had absolutely no intention of abusing Theodore. If he accumulated karma like Drake, the execution ending from the original story would eventually come for him. That was why he had originally considered ignoring Theodore.
But in the end, he couldn’t leave a crying child behind and brought him here, so he had to start thinking about what to do next.
‘Raising him here… probably won’t work.’
There was a reason this place was called the Mountain of Death. The demonic energy of the black dragon blanketed the mountain, making it so that ordinary plants and animals couldn’t grow and often died quickly. All that existed on this mountain were magic beasts and poisonous herbs. It was nearly a miracle that Kali had accidentally succeeded in cultivating medicinal herbs.
And that was only because those herbs possessed components that could withstand demonic energy. Kali was currently trying to plant more vegetation on the mountain using those herbs. But that was unlikely to be an easy task.
Still, sending the young Theodore away right now felt a bit…… If he sent him back to the In-chamber, he would be killed by his uncle, Kasar, and living in the Out-chamber wasn’t exactly easy either.
‘Ah, right. The female lead!’
Sian thought of the female lead, who would become aria-label="unauthorized copy">unauthorized copyTheodore’s most reliable supporter and companion.
Yurina Dane. The only daughter of the Dane Merchant Guild and the woman who would later marry Theodore to become the Empress of the Kylos Empire. She was the first kind person Theodore met after descending from the Mountain of Death. If it were Yurina and her guild, they would likely take responsibility and look after the young Theodore.
‘But… how do I find them?’
Sian fell into worry once again. In the original story, Theodore met the Dane Merchant Guild five years from now, when he happened to encounter them as they were passing by the foot of the mountain. Right now, they were likely somewhere else. Since they traveled throughout the Out-chamber for their business, it would probably take quite some time to find where the members of the Dane Merchant Guild currently were.
“Um… I’m finished.”
“Huh? You ate it all already?”
“Yes.”
In the meantime, Theodore had emptied the bowl completely. After confirming that Theodore had finished, Sian spoke.
“Alright. I’ll clear the bowl, so lie down and rest more.”
“Yes…… but, excuse me.”
“Yeah?”
Once the bowl and tray were cleared, Theodore lay back down on the bed. Then, he looked up at Sian with eyes that were brighter than before and asked.
“How do you know my name?”
“……What?”
Sian’s body momentarily froze at the child’s sharp question. Since he had been a reader, Sian was naturally familiar with Theodore’s name. However, from Theodore’s perspective, Sian was a stranger. For a complete stranger to naturally call him by his name—it was a situation where he wouldn’t be out of place if he were suspected of being a stalker.
“Well… you told me last night.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. You might not remember, but you woke up for a bit during the night.”
“Ah…… I see.”
It wasn’t a lie that Theodore had woken up briefly during the night. Of course, Theodore hadn’t mentioned his name at that time.
Still, being a young child, Theodore seemed to believe the words. It was a relief that the protagonist, despite his sharp senses, was still young.
“Um, but…….”
“What, what now?”
Sian, who was about to leave with the tray and bowl, flinched and turned his head. Had he made another slip of the tongue besides the name? Sian hurriedly searched his memory.
“I don’t know my savior’s…… name…….”
“……!”
Theodore, who had been mumbling, spoke in a small voice. Seeing this, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck Sian’s mind.
‘What is this cute little thing?’
Theodore’s cheeks, as he spoke while gauging Sian’s reaction, turned a pale pink like peach blossoms. His sparkling yellow eyes timidly glanced toward Sian, and the moment their eyes met, he quickly looked away as if he hadn’t seen him. Sian was mesmerized by the young Theodore acting like a small animal.
Of course, when this child grows up, he will become a terrifying male protagonist who might kill him, but……
‘Still… he’s cute!’
Sian, who shouted internally, cleared his throat with a hem-hem and spoke again.
“My name is Sian.”
“Sian?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve put up with a lot, but how dare he casually use Lord Sian’s name……!”
Sian pushed Kali away with his elbow as she burst out. Theodore looked at Kali and then spoke again.
“Lord Sian.”
“Yeah, call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“Yes…….”
Sian nodded and left the room. Kali hurried after him, chattering away.
“Lord Sian! Do you really intend to keep that strange human around?”
“What can I do? He doesn’t seem to have anywhere to go.”
“His energy is far too ominous!”
“Hmm…….”
Kali’s point was valid. The Kylos Empire, where Theodore was born, believed in and followed the God of Light. The reason the imperial family’s hair remained gold for generations, regardless of the bloodline they mixed with, was because the God of Light had bestowed a blessing.
The protagonist, Theodore, had a blessing from the God of Light that was more special than the other royals, so not only his hair but even his eyes were gold. The blonde hair and gold eyes were proof that Theodore was particularly loved by the God. That was why his uncle, Kasar, viewed Theodore as such an eyesore.
“It would certainly be difficult for that child to stay here.”
“Though we seem to be worrying about different things, I won’t say unauthorized [visit our site]copya word if you kick him out.”
“Hmm… still, kicking him out right now is a bit…… the human villages are quite far from here.”
“What does that have to do with us?”
“Ummm.”
Upon arriving at the kitchen, Kali snatched the tray and bowl from Sian’s hands. Watching Kali grumble consistently, Sian spoke again.
“Kali, can you find out where the Dane Merchant Guild is right now?”
“What? A merchant guild?”
“Yes.”
“A human merchant guild?”
“Yeah.”
Kali doubted her own ears. She looked at Sian in astonishment.
“Are you planning to get involved in human affairs again?”
“No. This time it’s for a different reason.”
“Lord Sian!”
“…….”
Sian ignored Kali, who looked as if she were about to have another fit. Sian wasn’t unaware of why Kali was so averse to it. Since he had suddenly asked her to find a human-run merchant guild, she must be worried. Sian recalled events from the somewhat distant past.
Right after he had first possessed this body, Sian had to clean up the massive mess Drake had left behind. It was a war with humans. Just thinking about it gave Sian a headache.
About 200 years ago, various races in the Out-chamber fought a war for hegemony over the continent. Surprisingly, the cause was Drake.
Fitting for the title of evil dragon, Drake had gone around causing chaos everywhere. The human kingdom he had stirred up simply because he didn’t like them was the place that would later become the great empire occupying the most land in the Out-chamber.
If it had been the original Drake, he would have scoffed and wiped out the human armies one by one, but unfortunately, Sian had possessed him just before that. As soon as he arrived, Sian had to fight the human army that had invaded the Mountain of Death.
Of course, even for a kingdom that would later become a great empire, occupying the Mountain of Death was an impossible feat. No matter how weak Sian was, having not yet fully adapted to a dragon’s body, the magic beasts drawn to the mountain by demonic energy were enough to stop them.
The problem arose when Sian, exhausted by the continuous fighting, tried to communicate with the humans directly. Sian had been quite naive back then. He thought he could resolve things through dialogue with people who were hell-bent on killing him. He hadn’t even guessed how much the villain of a novel was hated by those around him.
“It’s okay. Nothing will happen.”
“Really? I can trust you, right?”
“I told you, yes.”
Kali asked several times, as if anxious. When she was fighting against Orta—which had since become a great empire—Kali was much younger than she is now, but because the dark elf villages had nearly been burned to the ground during the war with humans, she distrusted and hated humans more than anyone.
Although he wasn’t the one who did it, Sian had always felt sorry for the damage suffered by the dark elves living near the mountains. Because of that, he found himself particularly soft-hearted toward Kali.
“……I understand. I’ll try to look for them.”
“Yeah, please do.”
Regardless, the first step was to find the Dane Merchant Guild and entrust Theodore to them. If he did that, the story would progress a bit earlier than in the original work, but…… there probably wouldn’t be any major problems.
Sian finally began to feel a bit at ease.
* * *
“…….”
Sian tried his best to ignore the gaze he kept feeling. Even so, the frequent glancing was quite distracting. While inspecting the flowerbed, Sian let out a deep sigh inwardly.
‘I told him to rest inside, but he keeps doing that.’
About two more days had passed since Theodore had been staying here. The healing power of a protagonist was truly amazing. He had been in pain for two full days as a fever rose from his wounds, but after that, he showed an incredible recovery rate.
One might say it’s because he is the male lead of a fantasy novel. With that kind of recovery power, he must have been able to endure Drake’s vicious tortures. Sian’s mouth suddenly tasted bitter.
The wounds on Theodore’s body were not caused by magic beasts. The largest wound was a sword cut so clean it was almost precise. A skilled swordsman had swung their blade to inflict a fatal blow to kill Theodore. It was likely a knight or an assassin sent by his uncle, Kasar, to kill the Crown Prince who was a thorn in his side.
‘To do that to such a young child……. Those pieces of trash.’
He knew it was merely a world setting created by an author, but Sian was still angry. Shouldn’t a sane adult naturally protect a child? Sian ground his teeth, thinking to himself.
Crack.
“Ah.”
“……!”
With just a bit of strength, the handle of the watering can Sian was holding snapped like a cracker. Sian stared blankly down at the pink container rolling across the flowerbed.
Anyway, why bother watering land where not a single blade of grass grows properly? It was a routine he performed daily at Kali’s request, but no matter how he thought about it, it seemed like a useless task. Sian clicked his tongue.
“Hic……!”
“…….”
Theodore, who was behind him, hiccuped the moment Sian clicked his tongue in displeasure. It was hard to keep pretending not to notice when he did that. Sian sighed and turned his head.
“What are you doing there?”
“Ah, no. That is…….”
Theodore, his face turning pale, hesitated and lowered his gaze. He couldn’t bring himself to look Sian straight in the eye.
Theodore had found out Sian’s identity just yesterday. It was because Kali, unable to hold it in any longer, had practically exposed it.
But it was still hard for Theodore to believe. A dragon. Sian had jet-black hair and eyes that Theodore had never seen where he lived, but he still looked like an ordinary person. A bit…… no, very beautiful, but still.
Theodore’s face suddenly flushed at the thought that had slipped into his mind. Seeing this, Sian asked curiously.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
“A-it’s nothing.”
“……?”
At first, Theodore thought Sian was someone like an Archmage living in seclusion.
The person with pointed ears and dark skin must be an Elf, like the ones in storybooks. Since such a person used honorifics and served him as a superior, Theodore guessed that the one who saved him was no ordinary figure.
But still, a dragon. For some reason, Theodore felt a sense of overwhelming distance and couldn’t quite pull himself together.
“This won’t do. Don’t stay outside too long, let’s go inside.”
“Ah……!”
Worried about Theodore’s condition, Sian scooped the small body up in his arms. Theodore let out a soft moan and instinctively hugged Sian’s shoulder.
“I told you not to come outside because your body shouldn’t get cold.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Theodore bowed his head deeply upon being scolded. Although Sian’s words were blaming him, his tone was gentle. Theodore’s cheeks turned rosy as he was held in Sian’s arms.
After his nanny disappeared from his side, there was no one who worried about Theodore’s health. No one cared for him. At times, he even thought it might be better for everyone if he simply died and disappeared.
‘It’s warm…….’
In this moment, it didn’t matter if Sian was a truly terrifying dragon. No, if it were him, he would surely be a gentle dragon, just like this warm embrace. Theodore thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
* * *
“Hmm…… there are no clothes for a child to wear.”
Sian agonized in front of a large wardrobe. Everything was adult clothing, so there was nothing suitable for Theodore. The clothes Theodore was wearing when he was first discovered were all torn and ruined with dust and bloodstains. Currently, he was wearing the smallest pieces of clothing Sian owned, folded up.
Even so, the fit was too large, and they kept sliding off. Moreover, because Theodore couldn’t contain his curiosity and scurried [visit our site]around the mansion like a puppy, the clothes slid off even more.
‘That makes him even cuter, though…….’
Theodore, who had once again defied Sian’s words to explore the mansion, had tripped over the long hem of his pants after being caught. Recalling that memory, Sian let out a small chuckle.
‘No, I shouldn’t be like this.’
Sian tightened his relaxed lips and muttered inwardly.
In the original work, Theodore was the male protagonist who would kill him. Right now, he was merely looking after him for a short while; when the time came, he had to deliver him to the female protagonist and sever their ties forever.
Therefore, he must not fall too deeply for that angelic and cute appearance. It would only make the parting harder. Sian tried to compose his heart and let out a few dry coughs.
“Sian-nim?”
“Hmm?”
Kali, who had come looking for Sian because he hadn’t come down, asked curiously. Sian, who had been peering into the wardrobe, looked back at the approaching Kali.
Ah, come to think of it, the clothes Kali wore when she was young were still in the mansion. Sian suddenly remembered and asked Kali.
“Now that I think about it, the clothes you wore when you were young are in the mansion, right?”
“……That is true, but.”
“Where are those clothes?”
“…….”
Kali looked at Sian with suspicious eyes. No matter how indecisive he was, a person as great as a dragon wouldn’t be looking for those clothes just to indulge in nostalgia. Having guessed the reason, Kali frowned.
“Why are you looking for those clothes?”
“Why else? The child has nothing to wear, so he should wear those.”
“I refuse!”
“Why?”
Sian was puzzled by the intense reaction. Glaring at him, Kali shouted.
“Those are my clothes!”
“To be precise, they are your clothes that I bought with my money.”
“Still, you gave them to me!”
“You can’t even wear them anymore anyway, so why are you so obsessed?”
Unable to understand, Sian tilted his head. Could it be that the clothes she wore as a child were Kali’s comfort objects? She had plenty of dolls and toys, so he didn’t know why she had such a strange attachment. Feeling frustrated by Sian’s misunderstanding, Kali shouted again.
“I just hate the idea of that brat wearing my clothes!”
“What, he’s a child who will be leaving soon anyway.”
“…….”
Sian spoke in a small voice. For some reason, a hint of bitterness was felt in that tone. Kali grit her teeth.
But as Sian said, that brat with the unpleasant aura would soon be leaving this place. Therefore, she didn’t want to argue with Sian over something like this. Kali reluctantly nodded.
“Fine. I’ll find a few sets.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Haa…….”
Shaking her head, Kali searched the wardrobe. When Sian looked, not a single small piece of clothing was visible, but strangely, as soon as Kali looked, they were all found instantly. After quickly pulling out the clothes she wore as a child, Kali handed them to Sian with a grumpy face.
“You’re really sending that brat away, right?”
“I told you, yes. Just focus on finding that merchant guild I asked about.”
“Understood.”
Sian left the dressing room with the clothes. Would they fit Theodore well? He should try them on quickly. Unaware that he was excited, Sian walked almost as if running toward the room where Theodore was.
Knock, knock.
“……Theodore?”
“Ah……!”
“……?”
Feeling puzzled by the silence following the knock, Sian called his name softly, and then a loud clattering sound was heard. Startled, Sian flung the door open.
“Theo-!”
“Ugh…….”
“dore……?”
Theodore looked like a mess, as if his entire body were tied up in clothes. He didn’t know how it had happened, but the shirt and pants were half-off and tangled around Theodore’s body.
“I-I was trying to change…….”
“Pfft.”
“D-don’t laugh.”
Theodore, his face turning red at the sound of Sian’s laughter, spoke indignantly. Usually, he could change well, but because the clothes were too large and he was mindful of his wounds, this had happened. Moreover, of all people, Sian had to see him like this. He was so embarrassed he wanted to die.
“It’s okay. I’ll help you.”
“Ugh…….”
“I actually brought some clothes for you to wear, so this is perfect.”
Sian smiled and helped Theodore change his clothes. Fortunately, the clothes from the mansion fit Theodore well.
“T-thank you.”
“It’s nothing, just this much.”
“…….”
Theodore glanced at Sian, who was chuckling. Sian was very kind today as well. In the Imperial Palace, new servants and maids would act friendly at first, but eventually, they all changed. He had wondered if Sian would be the same, but he wasn’t. Sian had even saved him when he was on the verge of death. Theodore gathered his courage and asked.
“Um…… why are you so kind to me?”
“What?”
“I mean…….”
Theodore hesitated, his eyes darting around.
“Saving someone like me, and always treating me so kindly…… I was just curious.”
“…….”
Sian was momentarily speechless and looked down at Theodore. To think the male protagonist, who should be shining brilliantly in the future, was like this. How much pressure must the child have faced in the Imperial Palace for his self-esteem to be this low? Feeling pity, Sian spoke.
“You are a child who is more than worthy of being loved.”
“Pardon……?”
“Theodore, you are a pretty, cute, and kind child.”
“M-me?”
“Of course. Everyone you meet in the future will surely come to like you.”
Just like I do now.
Sian stroked the head of Theodore, who still didn’t understand his words, with a heavy heart.
* * *
“Sian-nim, Sian-nim!”
“Hmm?”
Sian turned his head at the voice calling him. The clear, high-pitched voice characteristic of a child tickled Sian’s ears.
“What is it?”
“Sian-nim, what is this?”
“Hmm…….”
Theodore, who had run up to Sian, lifted something he had been holding in his hand. Then, a mud-like thing with a dull brown body slumped limply on Theodore’s palm.
Another week had passed, and Theodore had fully recovered and gotten out of bed. He had suffered wounds large enough to kill an ordinary person, but as expected of a protagonist, he possessed marvelous vitality and physical strength.
Anyway, now that he was completely healed, Theodore scurried around the mansion more actively than before, like a puppy.
Since there were no magic beasts or dangerous flora and fauna nearby, he was allowed to roam freely up to the garden. However, Theodore, at an age of peak curiosity, would occasionally find unexpected things and bring them back, surprising Sian.
The image of Theodore hesitating in fear before him was still vivid, so seeing him act appropriately for his age now was heartwarming. Sian replied with a smile on his lips.
“That is…… a Mud Slime.”
“A Mud Slime?”
“Yes.”
By the way, how on earth did he bring back a slime that lives buried deep underground? Sian looked at the slime slumped powerlessly on Theodore’s hand with a dubious expression.
It was a monster that became helplessly weak upon seeing sunlight, so it wasn’t dangerous, but since it lived by absorbing the demonic energy in the mud, just touching it wouldn’t be good for a child. Should he tell him to throw it away right now? Or would this much be okay? Sian, who was not used to young children, continued to feel an internal conflict.
“Then does it only eat mud?”
“Well…… yes.”
“Wow.”
Theodore let out a short exclamation and looked down at the slime again. The slime, dark in color from being full of mud, was as quiet as if it were dead. Looking at the slime with curious eyes, Theodore muttered softly.
“I wonder if mud tastes good?”
“…….”
The tone was one of pure curiosity. It was an innocent thought that someone of Theodore’s age would have.
Until recently, Theodore had been afraid of him, but after a week, he had completely fallen for Sian’s kindness.
Indeed, there must have been very few people he could trust in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, the monster from the stories turned out to be a person who looked perfectly ordinary on the outside, so his guard seemed to have dropped significantly.
“Is it fascinating?”
“Yes!”
The current Theodore was incredibly pure and lovely. Even to Sian, who had been a reader of the novel, the young Theodore was a side he was seeing for the first time. This was because the events of his childhood only appeared occasionally in flashbacks, and the novel focused primarily on the story of the grown-up Theodore.
The Theodore in the novel had a somewhat twisted personality, perhaps due to his unhappy past. While his appearance was so beautiful it was described as the descent of an angel, his interior was not so.
After returning to the In-chamber, he did not immediately execute the uncle who had tried to kill him. He visit our sitemade his uncle watch with open eyes as everything he owned was taken away one by one. In that way, Theodore felt satisfaction while watching his uncle despair. When reading the novel, it was [Read on Read BL Novels]certainly a cathartic scene, but comparing it to the pure Theodore of now, Sian’s mouth inevitably tasted bitter.
“Still, it’s a monster, so it won’t be good to hold it for long. Go put it back where it was.”
“Can’t I play with it just a little longer?”
“…….”
Sian was directly hit by the attack of Theodore’s sparkling eyes. His entire body stiffened instantly.
‘Too cute……!’
To think such a cute and lovely child would grow up to be a foul-tempered fantasy novel protagonist. Sian, knowing Theodore’s future as a reader, felt even more bitterness.
“Let’s go inside now and have some snacks together.”
“Yaaay.”
Though Theodore looked disappointed, his ears perked up at the mention of snacks. It wasn’t a place with an abundance of food, but Kali’s skill in cooking was exceptionally good.
Sian wanted to help a bit, but since Kali always got angry and told him not to enter the kitchen, he had been kicked out of the mansion again today. As Sian reached out his hand, Theodore, who had returned after putting the slime back, naturally grabbed that hand.
“You have to wash your hands before eating snacks once we go in.”
“Yes.”
Theodore, answering obediently, washed his hands and then ate cookies with dried fruit pulp together with Sian.
Naturally, in terms of taste, the food he had eaten at the Imperial Palace was far more delicious. However, the cookies he ate with Sian felt sweeter. It was truly a strange thing.
“Phew…….”
After putting the nodding, drowsy Theodore to sleep following the snacks, Sian carefully closed the door. He [stolen [Read on Read BL Novels][stolen content]content]walked as stealthily as possible so as not to wake the napping Theodore.
“Sian-nim.”
“Oh, you’re back?”
“Yes, I have returned.”
The results of the investigation into the Dane Merchant Guild had roughly come out, so Kali had briefly visited the dark elf village. The dark elves, whose specialties were stealth and tracking, were also skilled in background checks. Since the Dane Merchant Guild was still a small and relatively unknown entity, it seemed the investigation had taken some time.
“Where did they say they are?”
“Um, well…….”
“……?”
If he just knew the approximate location, he could go there and persuade them. [unauthorized copy]To entrust Theodore to them, Sian had been pondering what words to use for several days, and he had just come up with a rough plan. But for some reason, Kali’s complexion did not look good.
“What is it?”
“The thing is…… they say the Dane Merchant Guild crossed the desert a while ago.”
“……Crossed what?”
“The desert.”
“The desert?”
“Yes.”
Sian doubted his own ears. He hadn’t expected such words to come from Kali.
“Don’t tell me… the Garpa Desert?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“The last place they were spotted was a village bordering the Garpa Desert, and they reportedly told a merchant there that they intended to cross the desert while purchasing Lampa.”
“…….”
Garpa was the largest desert in the Out-chamber. It was said that crossing that desert would lead to numerous desert kingdoms, but because it was located at the far eastern edge, Sian had never been there.
Why on earth did they go there? The desert kingdoms were still closed-off places that rejected outsiders. Even if one risked their life to cross the desert, there was no reason they would be treated generously. So why…
‘Ah, is this that part?’
Sian recalled the plot of the novel. Whenever the female lead, Yurina, reminisced about the past, she would style="position:relative;display:inline;">[stolen content]curse her father, Anderson, severely. She had spent years grinding her teeth over the memory of nearly dying while crossing the desert, having believed the delusional claim that there were mountains of gold piled up in the desert kingdoms.
To think the timing overlapped perfectly. Sian blinked stupidly, blindsided by the revelation.
“Crossing the desert and coming back… how long would that take at minimum?”
“Well, assuming they are alive, wouldn’t it take at least a year?”
“A year…….”
True, they were essentially traversing the continent and returning, so they wouldn’t be back quickly. At least a year. What was he supposed to do with Theodore until then? His head began to throb.
“For now, plant some people in the villages near the desert and let me know as soon as the Dane Merchant Guild returns.”
“Understood.”
Kali nodded, glancing at the distressed Sian. He too knew the [stolen [class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]content]reason Sian was searching for the Dane Merchant Guild; he had heard that Sian intended to entrust that strange brat to them. For Kali, who wanted to kick Theodore out as quickly as possible, this was not good news.
“Then what do you plan to do with that brat now?”
“Hmm, well…….”
He could either keep him for about a year while waiting for the Dane Merchant Guild to return, or he had to send Theodore somewhere else… The problem was that all the races Sian had dealings with shared a similar temperament, meaning they wouldn’t get along well with Theodore.
Human villages were quite far away, but if he asked around, there might be a house willing to take in a child. However, Theodore’s hair and eye color were so striking that Sian worried whether he could live peacefully there.
In the novel, he recalled that Theodore had wandered around after changing his hair color with a special dye obtained by the Dane Merchant Guild, but for now, Sian had no way of knowing how they had acquired that dye.
Come to think of it, he would have to inquire about the dye as well. Sian’s head throbbed even more, and he let out a groan.
“His wounds are all healed, so just kick him out. Why are you agonizing over this so much?”
“How could I do that?”
“Just say the word, and I’ll personally dump him in a nearby human village.”
“That’s…….”
Just as Sian was about to respond to Kali, he felt a presence behind him. Sian whipped his head around and saw someone standing behind the slightly ajar door.
Thud.
“……!”
The doll Theodore had been holding dropped to the floor. It was a rabbit doll that Sian, who lacked manual dexterity, had barely managed to make out of cloth and straw. Theodore was staring at Sian with a shocked expression, as if he had heard everything they just discussed.
“Theo.”
“…….”
When Sian called his name softly, Theodore flinched and slowly backed away. Then, he turned around and ran somewhere.
“Theo!”
Startled, Sian chased after Theodore. Fortunately, Theodore hadn’t gone far. He had simply run to his room and pulled the blanket over his head.
“Theo, did you… hear us earlier?”
“…….”
“Theo…….”
Sian approached Theodore, who was curled up in a ball. He had intended to tell Theodore once everything was settled. He knew the child was gradually opening up to him and that he liked it here. That was precisely why he had been reluctant to speak in such concrete terms.
Still, it was a conversation that had to happen eventually. Above all, moving [visit our site]to a safer place was absolutely necessary for Theodore’s sake. Sian reached out and slowly stroked Theodore’s small back.
“Am I… being kicked out?”
“What?”
“Are you going to abandon me?”
Sobs leaked out from beneath the thin fabric. Sian looked at Theodore with bewildered eyes before speaking.
“Theo, it’s not like that.”
Sian tried to remain calm. Since Theodore had heard the entire conversation, it was now difficult to hide anything. He had no choice but to be honest.
“This is not a good place for you to live. That’s why I wanted to entrust you to a better place.”
“…….”
“Theo, as you know, this is the Mountain of Death. It’s a place where ordinary humans cannot survive.”
Of course, Theodore was not an ordinary human. He was the protagonist, blessed by God.
However, the original Theodore had suffered under Drake for over five years, causing demonic energy to accumulate heavily in his body, and that accumulated demonic energy plagued him for a long time even after he descended the mountain.
Sian would never torment or torture Theodore like Drake did, but it was certain that constant exposure to the demonic energy Sian unconsciously leaked would have a negative effect on Theodore’s body.
“But, I… I took all the herbs Kali told me to take. I endured it even though they tasted bad…….”
“Um, that’s…….”
Even after the wounds had healed, Sian had been consistently feeding Theodore herbs. He did so just in case, as the herbs contained ingredients that expelled demonic energy. However, he couldn’t guarantee they would actually be effective. Perhaps long-term consumption could lead to unexpected side effects.
He couldn’t let Theodore stay here based on such uncertainty. [visit our site]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[Read on Read BL Novels]Sian continued with a firm expression.
“The idea that the herbs prevent demonic energy from building up in your body is merely a theory. Taking them continuously could cause other side effects.”
“…….”
It was likely a bit too difficult for a young child to understand. However, the intelligent Theodore seemed to grasp it to some extent. At the very least, he understood the fact that he could not stay here. Theodore, who had been hiding under the blanket, peeked his small head out. His dim golden eyes were brimming with tears.
“Is it… not because you hate me that you’re kicking me out?”
“I don’t hate you.”
“……!”
As a reader of the novel, there was no way he could hate the protagonist, Theodore. In fact, he liked him quite a bit. Just as he had cheered for him as a reader, he wanted the current Theodore to grow up well without being hurt.
“Theo, staying with me is not good for you. So…….”
“But, but I…….”
Theodore’s face crumpled as if he were about to cry. Sian looked down at him with a heavy heart. Theodore’s small body burst from the blanket and dove straight into Sian’s arms.
“I want to stay here. I want to keep being with you, Lord Sian.”
“…….”
“Is that not allowed……? Please?”
Theodore clung to him desperately. He had barely escaped a place filled with people who hated him. To find that he couldn’t even stay in the sanctuary he had finally found—to Theodore, it felt as if the sky were collapsing.
“Please…… please don’t abandon me.”
“Theo…….”
Eventually, tears streamed down Theodore’s face. Seeing this made Sian’s heart ache. As the child clung to him and wept, it became difficult for Sian to think rationally.
‘The Dane Merchant Guild still has a long way to go before they return… wouldn’t it be okay if I look after Theodore in the meantime?’
Drake, the evil dragon of the original story, was a figure who harmed Theodore, but since Sian had possessed this body, that would no longer happen. If he continued to feed him herbs to neutralize the demonic energy and had Kali keep an eye on his health, Theodore might not suffer from the accumulation of demonic energy in his body.
Above all, Sian had already grown fond of Theodore. He could no longer be firm with a child crying like this. Sian closed his eyes tightly and then opened them.
“Theo, do you really want to stay here?”
“Yes, yes……!”
Theodore, who had been crying, answered with a bright expression at Sian’s words. Seeing the hope glimmering in his eyes, Sian spoke again.
“Alright, then…… let’s do that.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
At that, Theodore was overjoyed. Sian watched him with a fond smile.
‘Anyway, Theodore will need to know a lot if he’s going to live in the Out-chamber.’
Before returning to the In-chamber to become Emperor, Theodore would have to undergo numerous adventures in the Out-chamber. However, Theodore still knew very little about this world. In the novel, he learned by blindly throwing himself into situations, but if he acquired knowledge while living with Sian, his future adventures would be much easier.
The vast knowledge of a dragon was contained within Sian’s mind. Many of these things would be helpful to Theodore. Thus, Sian decided to provide temporary protection for the protagonist until the Dane Merchant Guild returned.
* * *
“I am opposed to this!”
“I figured you would be.”
Since he didn’t expect any kind words from Kali anyway, Sian leisurely passed him by to look for a book. Kali fumed alone before following Sian and whining.
“Do you really intend to take in that human? Huh?”
“Yes, it can’t be helped.”
At the very least, he had to keep Theodore until the Dane Merchant Guild returned to the Empire. He also felt uneasy about looking for someone else at this point. The innocent Theodore knew nothing of the ways of the world; if he fell into the hands of a strange guardian, he might suffer even more than he did under Drake’s torture.
Sian was seriously selecting textbooks to teach Theodore. Since he had to educate him at a child’s level, the books couldn’t be too difficult. However, there was nothing suitable among the books on Drake’s shelves.
“Kali, where is the children’s dragon history book you read when you were young?”
“Ah, that should be over here…….”
Answering Sian’s question reflexively, Kali felt a sense of foreboding. Narrowing his eyes, Kali asked in a displeased tone.
“You’re not actually planning to take that human brat as a disciple, are you?”
“A disciple?”
Sian, who had finally found the book and held it in his hand, widened his eyes.
Taking Theodore as a disciple… He hadn’t thought of that, but it didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“That’s actually a great idea.”
“……!”
Dragons were arrogant beings, but there were cases where they secretly took other races as disciples if they were talented or born with the destiny of a hero. As the protagonist, Theodore was [stolen content]style="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">[unauthorized copy]more qualified than anyone to be a dragon’s disciple.
“Lord Sian!”
Kali, who had been standing still with a shocked face, shrieked. Regardless, Sian began to contemplate the idea seriously on his own.
* * *
“A disciple?”
“Yes.”
Sian nodded toward Theodore, who had widened his eyes. He felt that rather than simply being a temporary guardian, it would be much better to take Theodore as a disciple and teach him, even if only for a year. That was why he told Theodore today, the day he planned to teach him the history of the continent.
Until he returned to the In-chamber, Theodore would have to continue living in the Out-chamber. While it might be different in an In-chamber without dragons, in the Out-chamber, Sian’s reputation would be helpful to Theodore. Of course, since he was called an evil dragon, his reputation wasn’t exactly positive.
Still, having a dragon as a teacher would serve as a useful shield for Theodore. People wouldn’t want to make style="opacity:0;font-size:0;">Read on Read BL Novelsan enemy of a dragon just to mess with Theodore.
After thinking deeply about Sian’s words, Theodore spoke and asked cautiously.
“By any chance… did you have other disciples, Lord Sian?”
“Hmm…… I didn’t.”
Sian searched his memories to see if Drake had ever taken other disciples, but nothing came to mind. Then again, with that personality, there was no way he would have had a disciple. Sian shook his head, thinking to himself.
“Then, am I… Lord Sian’s only disciple?”
“That would be the case.”
“From now on, forever?”
“That is…….”
Sian pondered Theodore’s question for a moment.
He likely wouldn’t take any disciples other than Theodore. Due to his constitution that leaked demonic energy, Sian had lived a life of self-isolation from the start. Furthermore, no matter how good a dragon’s backing was, it seemed unlikely that any crazy person would actually desire to become the disciple of an evil dragon.
“Yes, forever. My only disciple will be you, Theodore.”
“……!”
Theodore’s eyes widened at Sian’s answer. Seeing his yellow eyes tremble for some reason, Sian tilted his head. After a moment, Theodore nodded and spoke.
“I like it. I… I want to be Lord Sian’s disciple too.”
“Do you?”
Sian was inwardly pleased. He had worried that Theodore might refuse out of fear in his young heart. Fortunately, Theodore wanted to be Sian’s aria-label="stolen content">[visit our site]0;">stolen contentdisciple without any hesitation. Sian cleared his throat and spoke again.
“Then, hmm…… would you like to try calling me ‘Master’ now?”
“Master……?”
“Yes.”
Thinking about it now, becoming Theodore’s teacher was equivalent to becoming the teacher of the novel’s protagonist.
For a villain who was originally meant to be executed by the protagonist to become the protagonist’s teacher—it was a tremendous rise in status. The moment he heard the word ‘Master’ from the young protagonist’s mouth, he felt an indescribable sense of pride.
If he continued to maintain a good relationship with Theodore like this, the ending of Part 2 would also change. The subjugation of the evil dragon would never happen, and Theodore, having fallen in love with the female lead, Yurina, would bring her to Sian to introduce her—much like introducing a spouse to an old mentor.
“Master.”
“Yes?”
“Master, Master.”
“Yes, yes.”
Theodore also beamed with a bright smile, seemingly happy to have his first teacher. Seeing that he lacked even basic knowledge, it seemed he had never received a proper education, let alone had a teacher. Sian chuckled and stroked Theodore’s hair.
‘I’ll raise you well, so make sure to pay me back later.’ Muttering inwardly, Sian brushed back Theodore’s soft hair.
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