#016

“I heard you’ve been visiting the Guardian Dragon’s residence quite often lately.”

Duke Refellon opened his mouth. Cullen put down the tea he was drinking. The sweet tea lingering on his tongue was a southern strawberry tea that only nobles could afford, costing several months’ living expenses for a commoner.

It had been almost three weeks since he arrived at the Imperial Palace. Regardless of his intentions, he had adapted to life here to some extent. He was naturally quick to learn.

“They say there are many eyes in the Imperial Palace, so it seems to be true.”

He had learned etiquette, which became bothersome if not learned, without needing to learn indirect speech or how to give compliments. It was because the etiquette teacher was overly cautious, which was bothersome.

He had also adapted to eating precious food and sitting on chairs for long periods. He still trained every morning as usual, but after that, he studied history and memorized information about nobles.

Politics and economics, well. Based on his short experience, Cullen realized that the Larkan Imperial Family had emperors who were close to figureheads.

Nevertheless, the reason they remained safe from rebellion and manipulation was solely due to the Guardian Dragon.

“There are many who care about Your Highness’s safety.”

A being who obeyed only Larkan’s commands. The master of countless magics that protected them. The retribution for harming the Emperor meant the destruction of everyone involved, which was why the nobles bowed to the Imperial Family.

“Should I be grateful for the favor?”

Cullen learned through the records in the library how many commands the Emperor could issue to the Dragon under the guise of protection. If the Emperor deemed his ‘safety’ to be in danger, he could order the Dragon to do anything.

“It is true, Your Highness. His Majesty is not showing any signs of recovery, so you must prepare. When that time comes, there may be many beasts causing a commotion, so you must always be vigilant.”

The Emperor’s condition had worsened further. Everyone whispered about it, yet believed he would soon pass away. Duke Refellon was warning him that Duke Lenon, who had been hostile towards Cullen from the start, might do something.

“Did you visit for that reason, Duke?”

“I was careless. I apologize. I didn’t tell you the reason for disturbing your precious time. I came to confirm about the banquet the day after tomorrow.”

“Ah.”

He wondered why he wasn’t bringing it up. Cullen had already made up his mind. Kiyen had offered to be his partner, but Cullen had no intention of accepting. He would go to the banquet alone. He would just show his face and disappear.

Instead of focusing on the useless banquet, he delved into the nobles. The first thing he investigated was his mother’s fiancé. As it was natural for royalty to have a fiancé set before reaching adulthood, his mother must have had one too.

There, Cullen learned a little about Duke Refellon. First, the Imperial Family appointed fiancés regardless of gender. The High Priest could perform implantation procedures, the exact opposite of sterilization, so fiancés were chosen without regard to gender, solely based on the circumstances at the time.

Unlike Duke Lenon, who had greatly increased his influence after the fall of the Duchy of Jenix, the Refellon ducal family had produced Empresses for generations.

Although it wasn’t always a child of the ducal family who became Empress, due to the Imperial Family’s policy, generally, related families ascended to the position of Empress. On the other hand, the Lenon ducal family had only supported two Empresses in history.

“Although time was a bit tight, all preparations have been completed well. It’s been a while since a banquet, so everyone seems to be looking forward to it. Have you had a suitable outfit made?”

Therefore, this faction seemed to be divided by the power structure surrounding the Imperial Family. Duke Refellon seemed to be wielding influence using Viscount Grove.

Naturally, the two families were closely related. Duke Refellon had two sons, both of whom married daughters of the Grove Marquessate.

Furthermore, under normal circumstances, his mother should have married the current Marquess Grove.

“Roughly.”

Cullen replied briefly. It was obvious what Duke Refellon would say next.

“Then, have you decided on a partner?”

He took another sip of the terribly sweet strawberry tea. Of course, he had decided. Though he had no intention of bringing them.

“I have.”

The Duke, as if not expecting it, chuckled with an “Oho.” He skillfully continued the conversation.

“May I dare to ask who the person is?”

“You will know when you see them at the banquet hall.”

“If Your Highness says so, then so be it.”

Surprisingly, the Duke withdrew obediently. However, that wasn’t the end.

“But I don’t know if this secret person will be suitable as Your Highness’s fiancé.”

“Fiancé?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

It was getting out of hand.

However, by common standards, Cullen was indeed a man past the age of marriage. It was just that he hadn’t thought about it. In the Imperial Palace, they would naturally be fixated on this.

“The Crown Prince inherently has a fiancé. Princess Kihelene has Viscount Exion as her betrothed. Your Highness must also hurry. You must take an Empress upon your enthronement.”

Viscount Exion. He must be the young lord of the Exion Marquessate, located at the westernmost edge of the Mount Tesnia. Cullen had visited there once.

“It still seems too early to discuss.”

“Not at all, Your Highness.”

Duke Refellon was surprisingly firm. Beneath his kindly smiling face, a resolve could be felt.

“If Your Highness settles down quickly, the Empire will be at peace. Choosing an Empress is the most urgent matter among them. You must hurry.”

“It won’t be too late to discuss it after my enthronement.”

He had no intention of staying in this place for long. And even if that weren’t the reason, Cullen had never even considered marriage. He had no intention of keeping anyone by his side. He had too many things to do right now.

The more he learned about his mother, the more questions Cullen had. If the culprit was someone within the Imperial Palace, there was no reason for them to target her. She wasn’t even the eldest son, nor did she covet the throne.

There was one reason that bothered him. That his mother had some kind of relationship with Kiyen.

What was Kiyen trying to do with his mother? Was that the reason his mother was in danger?

“Viscount Grove is an excellent young lord in many ways, Your Highness.”

Duke Refellon broke Cullen’s reverie. He smiled gently, like an elder soothing a child.

“It is also a family that maintained a good relationship with Princess Kashyella. I am sure Your Highness will be satisfied.”

“I understand the Duke’s intentions, so I will consider it.”

“Your Highness, please understand my sincerity. The Imperial Palace is more complex than Your Highness thinks, and Duke Lenon is a target to be especially wary of. It would be best to be cautious and decide in advance…”

Nobles. Cullen opened his mouth again to completely end the conversation. However, the voice came from elsewhere.

“I said I understand. Stop bothering me and leave, human.”

The Duke and Cullen both looked to the side simultaneously. The voice surprisingly came from the window of the reception room. Someone was leaning against the tall, elongated window, which had opened at some point.

“…Dragon… Your Highness?”

The Duke stood up, showing his surprise. It was the first time Cullen had seen his unreserved expression.

Cullen, still seated, narrowed one eye. In fact, it was surprising to him as well. It was the first time Kiyen had visited him personally.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to repay a debt.”

With those words, Kiyen gracefully descended from the windowsill.

The Duke was still blinking, seemingly flustered by the situation. It was understandable, as the Crown Prince’s reception room was on the third floor. It wasn’t an impossible height to jump from, but nobles wouldn’t be able to gauge such things.

“You leave. I have something to say to the Crown Prince.”

Unlike when he spoke confidently to Cullen, the Duke hesitated, then sighed, and bowed respectfully. He bowed his head and stepped back.

“I will withdraw, Your Highness. Then, I will visit again.”

Cullen gave a short nod. The Duke, seemingly very uncomfortable with the Dragon’s presence, quickly withdrew.

Regardless of the Duke’s disappearance, Kiyen focused on Cullen’s room. It was noticeable that he was stepping on the cold floor paved with calcite barefoot, which bothered him. Unlike dirt, the cut white stones were cool even in midsummer.

Cullen deliberately looked away.

“Why didn’t you come?”

Kiyen approached with a displeased expression. His long legs covered the distance to Cullen in just a few steps.

“I clearly told you I don’t need a partner. You might not have heard because you’re old, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“The banquet is only two days away. I assume you don’t know how to dance at all.”

“I have no intention of becoming a spectacle for others.”

“That’s why I came.”

Though they were only saying what they needed to, the conversation continued. Cullen looked up at Kiyen and asked.

“I thought you disliked me.”

Kiyen met his gaze. After a calm silence, he said with a dry expression.

“My first impression was the worst. However, you are now my contractor. I treat my contractors with at least fairness.”

“Did you chase me away like that, being so generous?”

“Now I see, it’s you who is narrow-minded.”

He remembered that remark.

Cullen blinked. It was only two days ago, so it would be stranger if he didn’t remember. But the Dragon touched upon something trivial at an unexpected moment.

This is strange.

He found himself unfamiliar, caring about mere words.

“I don’t particularly want my contractor to become a spectacle for humans.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I have made up my mind.”

“You are more capricious than a child.”

“Dragons are that kind of race.”

Kiyen, repeating the conversation they had exchanged, finally relaxed his blank expression. He didn’t smile, but the corners of his mouth softened slightly. Despite his resolve to avoid looking directly at his face, Cullen’s gaze was once again drawn away. Each small expression kept catching his eye.

He suddenly thought, I want to see him smile.

“You gave me a name, so to repay that debt, I will teach you to dance.”

The word ‘debt’ was subtly bothersome.

“I didn’t do it expecting a reward.”

Kiyen didn’t reply and approached him. Before he could stop him, their bodies were instantly close. The tip of his perfectly curved, prominent nose touched his eyes. His chest tickled.

“Kiyen, just a moment… isn’t this too close?”

He knew a sword would be useless against Kiyen. He had no intention of angering him by stabbing him with a weapon that wouldn’t work.

However, he hadn’t expected physical contact. Cullen reacted more sensitively than expected, flinching and stiffening his body. This was too intimate.

“Isn’t it natural to dance? I need to check how terrible your skills are, so follow me closely.”

“I’m fine. I have nothing to do but dance…”

His objection was cut off by Kiyen’s movement. Kiyen’s hand touched Cullen’s lower back, which was nicely indented. Although he didn’t feel any force, he could feel his fingers lightly touching through his clothes.

The warmth, which shouldn’t be this hot, pressed against him through the fabric.

Cullen tried to pull back, but ended up leaning heavily against Kiyen’s hand. As he quickly leaned forward slightly again, his upper body made contact.

All the muscles in his body tensed. His vision spun as if dizzy. He was astonished at himself for being so flustered.

He had never desired overly intimate contact, yet he wasn’t someone who got embarrassed by touch.

Silence fell. Kiyen’s eyes, as always, held a deep color, gazing at Cullen.

As silence permeated the air, Kiyen’s hand slowly shifted its position. Moving further down, his large hand wrapped around his firm waist, which formed a curve. He felt the touch of his arm. His arm, beyond the robe, was surprisingly solid. A thin breath escaped.

“You have no manners.”

Kiyen’s face drew closer. His pupils glowed gold as if observing him.

“And you don’t seem very interesting.”

His golden hair flowed, brushing past Cullen’s cheek.

“You also seem naive.”

Kiyen’s lips twisted slightly.

He swallowed the retort, “You seem to be talking nonsense,” in his dry mouth. Kiyen didn’t give him an opening. Though there was no musician playing, the wind and birdsong created a small ensemble.

The sky was blue for the first time in a while. Kiyen pulled Cullen, who was frozen, not knowing how to move. Their legs brushed.

“Kiyen, I might… step on you.”

Cullen recoiled, wondering if he might step on her white instep with his hard heel. Then Kiyen’s other hand grasped Cullen’s wrist. Her long fingers traced up his wrist, gently closing around his hand.

His breath caught in his throat.

“Don’t think too deeply.”

Kiyen enveloped Cullen’s calloused hand. Their fingers intertwined, his trembling hand flinching. His mind went blank.

“Just follow me.”

His throat felt parched. At Kiyen’s gentle pull, Cullen spun around. Kiyen’s hair spread out in a circle before settling. It was like scattered sunlight.

The words “Let go of my hand” stuck to his tongue.

His heart pounded so hard it felt strange, so Cullen’s lips moved as he turned his head. Unable to find a place to look, he gazed at Kiyen’s shoulder. Then, she lowered her head.

“Remember.”

Cullen flinched and raised his head. He saw Kiyen’s golden pupils.

“When we dance, you must look me in the eye.”

A deep ocean, from which there seemed to be no escape, swallowed Cullen.

White lace curtains billowed in the breeze. Against the wind mixed with sunlight, a quiet dance began.