By Zephyria Portal maintenance and management personnel arrived like the wind.
We listened carefully to the explanation that these people would set up resident Mage accommodations, various travel amenities, and security intelligence facilities around the South Gate portal of Sierren’s capital. It seemed Rubel hadn’t expected this portal magic circle to be installed so quickly.
Of course, that would have been the case if Spiritus hadn’t helped. Without her assistance, drawing the magic circle would have taken twice as long, and even if completed, there would have been no certainty of it functioning properly. More than anything, it was not something two Mages could accomplish alone. It was no exaggeration to call it a blessing from the gods.
The reserve personnel were deeply moved, buoyed by the surprisingly swift and excellent results.
Marianne and Boulder felt too embarrassed to show off their skills in front of Mages who knew their abilities clearly, and Spiritus was reluctant to reveal her true identity, so I received their praise on their behalf.
Even I, who had only planted three trees that would come to be called Sacred Trees, felt immensely burdened. In the end, our party decided to make a hasty retreat, using the excuse that we had stayed up all night.
There were a total of three carriages to travel in for the upcoming journey.
The first carriage, which Rubel and I would ride in, was to be driven by Viscount Burnold. The second carriage, for Marianne and Jenny, would be driven by Lord Haber of Delphoi. The third carriage, for Mage Boulder and Spiritus, would be driven by Lancaster and Benjamin.
While two carriages would have been enough to fit everyone, the majority of them felt quite burdened by the idea of riding in the same carriage as Rubel. Furthermore, there was a considerable amount of luggage to bring for the long journey, and Benjamin needed to learn how to drive a carriage if he were to properly act as a servant from now on, so I permitted it to be so.
The interior of the carriage was quite cozy, equipped with temperature and humidity control magic and soundproofing magic to ward off heat and cold. Since we hadn’t slept all night, they even inserted cushions of the right height into the legroom, making it no different from a moving bed.
I stretched out my legs and leaned back against the plush cushion.
It was a magnificent carriage, with enough space for my large frame to lie down flat and still have two fists’ worth of room left at my feet. Leaning against the soft wall, which was originally the seat back, made the space feel even more ample. Seeing me settle in, Rubel naturally wrapped his arm around my waist and burrowed into my embrace.
“Not sleeping?”
“It’s daytime, so I’m not particularly sleepy… Rubel, you should get some rest.”
“I’m not sleepy either. I just want to be like this.”
“…Alright, then.”
Rubel rested his cheek on my chest. I adjusted his position a few times as his bent neck looked uncomfortable. Eventually, we shared a soft pillow and lay facing each other. Just looking at his face made me smile. The boy, who had tilted his head to look at my face, also giggled.
As I gently brushed his stray hair from behind his ear, I suddenly asked, amused.
“How did you know?”
Rubel, who understood me even when I spoke without context, nodded. The boy chuckled mischievously and nudged my chest with his chin, playing around as he replied.
“I had forgotten for a moment too, but you gave me such obvious hints.”
“‘Dragon-dragon’?”
“I was in too much of a hurry then… I couldn’t think of anything else. Do you not like it?”
“No, it’s cute. It suits you, Rubel.”
“…What?”
“Haha! So, where is Dragon-dragon?”
Rubel took out a round egg from a small silk pouch and showed it to me.
It wasn’t a quail egg, yet it had sparse black speckles. It didn’t look like a dragon’s egg by any means. I understood that all creatures must be fragile when young, so it made sense for it to look like a pebble. But…
“It’s ugly the more I look at it.”
“…You’ll hurt its feelings.”
“That’s why I said it’s cute.”
I playfully traced the egg with my thumb. It was said to be unbreakable even when dropped from a height. Indeed, just by rubbing it with my fingertips, it felt quite solid, unlike bird eggs. As I gently stroked its smooth surface, Rubel hid the egg with both his hands.
Then, I gently caressed the back of Rubel’s meltingly soft hands.
The boy spoke again, his voice slightly hoarse.
“Still, it’s fortunate. I heard it takes five years to infuse Mana, and it could have been delayed by a whole year.”
“That amount of time is nothing…”
“The successor should be decided as soon as possible. Since this journey is a long one, the explanation about the gestation process can be omitted.”
“Gestation process?”
“Yes. It seems most straightforward to claim that I personally laid the egg. It could also be imbued with a certain mythical significance… After all, it will be different from an ordinary child. It’s a good excuse, you see.”
“Will it be very different?”
“Who knows… Perhaps a child stronger than Sir Benjamin will be born.”
Rubel opened his hands again and peered inside.
The conversation we had about a child before quickly came to mind. He had said he wouldn’t raise it like himself. I felt similarly. Regardless of the child’s personality, I wanted them to receive all the love they deserved from their parents after birth.
“Shall we begin now?”
“Now?”
“Yes. Rubel first.”
“…It really is similar to a magical creature, right? Just infusing Mana?”
“Yes. Earlier, I could sense the egg’s presence. I will help you stop immediately if anything strange happens.”
After a moment of thought, Rubel sat up straight. Sitting on the firm mat, Rubel naturally assumed the Lotus Position, making me smile for a moment. Not knowing why I was laughing, Rubel cupped his hands like a bird’s nest, placed the egg on top, and carefully began to breathe.
And very quietly, a surge of energy began from around Rubel’s navel and rose upwards.
He was imitating me. Just as I had done when coaxing the Sacred Tree to sprout, he was isolating all surrounding energy and pushing his purest internal energy to his fingertips to feed it. The sight was so heart-wrenchingly sacred.
Indeed, receiving that love, the tiny egg, no bigger than a thumb, greedily swallowed Rubel’s Mana. Beads of sweat formed on Rubel’s pale face.
“…That’s enough now.”
“…”
[Stop. It’s enough now.]
Since he wouldn’t understand with words, I used Sound Transmission. Rubel’s fingertips slightly curled before opening again like a flower. It seemed difficult to cease Circulating Qi while intimately connected with another being.
This little one is more greedy than I thought. I let out a hollow laugh at the blue pulsations visible within the egg, which greedily swallowed energy without moving.
Finally, I snatched the egg from Rubel’s hand. Only then did Rubel relax the tension in his straight shoulders and back and slump down. His panting breaths grew ragged.
Still wanting something, the egg pulsed like a whimper as I rolled it in my left hand, feeding it my internal energy. Though the egg had no nose or mouth, I could hear a sound as if it were diligently eating. Leaving the egg to its own devices, I gently stroked Rubel’s sweat-soaked forehead with my free hand.
“Is it difficult?”
“…Ah, yes. I was surprised because it was a bit different from what I expected. Has it woken up already?”
“It’s still far from it. While it’s possible for consciousness to awaken within the egg, it’s too small and young to send thoughts now. It just seems to have been very hungry and acted greedily.”
“…Really? It seemed to like being called ‘Dad’.”
“Haha! What? You taught it that already?”
“Just… in my mind.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Rubel, who had been lounging for a moment longer, glanced at my left hand hesitantly. With my realm, no one could harm me even if they attacked while I was circulating internal energy. Opening my arms wide to invite him, Rubel didn’t hesitate and embraced me, wrapping his arms around my neck.
And he whispered,
“Is it still hungry?”
“Who knows… For now, it seems quite satisfied.”
I settled Rubel fully on my right thigh and opened my left hand. The egg, having absorbed Rubel’s and my internal energy, was noticeably shinier than before, when it was speckled. Its rough surface had a sheen like it had absorbed water, and some of the dark speckles gleamed a milky white.
While I could only barely perceive it, Rubel’s gaze, sensitive to gems, saw something else. A smile bloomed on my face again as I saw the wonder spreading across Rubel’s slowly blinking face.
“No. Let’s stop here for today.”
“…I don’t have the energy to do more anyway.”
“It seems this little one is meant to be held by me. If you continue to feed it Mana when I’m not looking, Rubel might be left with just bones.”
“…”
“Why aren’t you saying no?”
“…I’ve never raised a dog before… Strangely, I’m growing fond of it.”
“Dragon-dragon must have recognized you as its father. It’s already melting my heart.”
“Is that so?”
Rubel was utterly exhausted, like a migratory bird that had flown a long distance only to finally return home. His soft breaths were already damp. His forehead, wet with sweat, rested against my neck. As I held him, feeling pity, Rubel suddenly let out a soft laugh.
“Why?”
“…No, it’s funny.”
“Funny, what?”
“No… I didn’t expect to make a child… so wholesome…”
“What would be unwholesome about it?”
Rubel, who had been laughing continuously, bit his lower lip. The heat in his gaze, which I had slightly lifted, intensified. I could no longer laugh. I rubbed my lips against his damp forehead and whispered,
“…Here? There are people outside.”
“If I don’t shake… it might be okay…?”
“…Mmm.”
“I won’t make a sound.”
“Are you confident?”
Rubel, who had been contemplating, untied the scarf around his neck. His hands, which then wrapped the egg and placed it on a cushion decorated in a corner of the carriage, were very deft. It wasn’t just me who didn’t stop him; Rubel, who deliberately put on a prim expression, was also something else.
“Dads are busy, so go to sleep.”
“…Yes. And close your eyes tightly, if possible.”
What else could I do? I simply didn’t want to resist.