#105

Cullen searched the spot where Pir had disappeared, just in case. But as if possessed by a ghost, she was nowhere to be seen, and only fireflies faintly swarmed past him. Among the strange events he had experienced so far, this was the most chilling. Though he thought she must be somewhere, a premonition suddenly struck him that he might not see her again tomorrow.

He blankly listened to the night insects’ chirping, then snapped back to reality. Reluctantly, he turned his steps and began walking in the direction Ulli had disappeared. He drew his sword, just in case, and scanned his surroundings.

As if summer had fully settled in, the scent of a vibrant forest enveloped him. Birdsong was heard intermittently, then gradually mixed with the sound of water. Following the increasingly loud sound of water, he arrived at a valley.

Finding Ulli was not difficult. She was sitting on the widest stone in the valley. The moonlight shone diagonally across her face.

“Why are you here?”

Ulli asked, as if she had guessed who it was just by the sound of his approach. Cullen sheathed his sword and sat down beside her. He could have a short conversation, as he felt no presence of winged beasts.

“I came to get you.”

“I’ll be there in a bit. I don’t feel good. I don’t want to make a fuss about it.”

Ulli said so and threw a stone into the valley water. Cullen watched the ripples, then the sinking stone, in silence. The moonlight and the water were clear. A comfortable, unawkward silence ensued. Finally, she spoke first.

“Why do you care about me?”

“I don’t care that much.”

“You followed me.”

Cullen replied calmly.

“You were the one who told me to rely on my colleagues.”

“Well, that’s for when we’re fighting. This is just personal now.”

At her reply, Cullen looked ahead. As he moved away from Kiyen and darkness enveloped the surroundings, buried memories of the past began to creep out. As if they had been waiting for the right moment.

Cullen turned his gaze, picked up a stone, and threw it into the valley. The stone skipped several times on the surface without sinking, disappearing only after a long while.

“My younger sister also liked skipping stones. She wasn’t good at physical activities at all, so she said watching me throw them was her favorite thing.”

He felt Ulli’s gaze on his neck. Cullen continued speaking in silence.

“Sometimes I think that if Sasha had been just a little better at running, she might have survived until now. No, I think about it all the time. If she hadn’t pestered Mother to go to the village for her birthday, perhaps everyone would have survived.”

Cullen spoke a story he had never told anyone. It wasn’t as painful as he had expected, to the point of death. That is, it hurt less than he had anticipated. If he hadn’t met Kiyen, he wouldn’t have brought this up. He wouldn’t have met Ulli either, and he would still be alone.

“It might be my delusion, but Ulli, I think you are similar to me. Being left alone, losing family, surviving for revenge.”

Whether she understood despite the many omissions, Ulli said in a voice that seemed choked with emotion.

“I didn’t know you’d tell me stories like this.”

“Under normal circumstances, that wouldn’t have happened.”

“You’re surprisingly kind. You don’t seem like it.”

Cullen’s lips curved upwards slightly.

“Until I met you, I never kept anyone by my side. I lived only for revenge, so there was no need to rely on anyone or form connections. What changed me was……”

He turned his head, and their gazes met. Ulli looked as if she were about to cry.

“It was Kiyen. It might not have been the outcome he wanted, but because of him, I found a place to lean on. He might not be reliable to you, but he… is the only one I can love.”

“Why, of all things?”

“Because Kiyen doesn’t die.”

Her eyes contorted.

“What kind of reason is that?”

“I’ve never been able to protect the people I love. Too many have died, and I couldn’t stop anything. If I lose someone I love again, I won’t have the strength to endure it. I am someone who has no reason to live.”

Cullen finished speaking there. Ulli looked at him with a thoughtful expression, then suddenly asked,

“But why did you eventually acknowledge us as comrades?”

“Because Kiyen is here. No one will die by his side.”

“Lasano almost died.”

“But he lived.”

Ulli sighed. She turned her head back to the stream and spoke after a long while,

“I saw an illusion.”

That seemed likely. Cullen listened quietly to her words.

“It was a scene of my father being beaten to death with a whip, and my mother being slapped while trying to stop it. That bastard hit her so hard that my mother lost hearing in her left ear from that day on.”

Her voice grew moist. She took a deep, ragged breath and continued after some time,

“Even so, she smiled and told me it was okay, not to worry, but I couldn’t protect her…”

She couldn’t continue. Clenching her teeth, she stared ahead, her fists clenched tightly. Cullen comforted her with silence.

“……I will kill him.”

“You will.”

“Yes, I believe you. So I’ll do my best to help you too.”

Ulli let out a long sigh and stood up. She brushed off her clothes and extended her hand to Cullen.

“Let’s go. I’m already afraid of what your ill-tempered Dragon will say.”

Cullen slowly took the offered hand. The small hand, so much smaller than his own, felt rough and firm, not like that of a noble lady. It was a hand full of scars, etched with the traces of struggle. Her will was fervent.

“Since the topic has come up, I suppose I should tell the foolish priests too.”

“Yes.”

“Because we’re comrades.”

Ulli chuckled, as if she understood the unspoken words. They released hands and began walking towards the village with similar strides.

Arne and Lasano were waiting for her at a table on the first floor. Several large wine barrels, acquired from somewhere, were placed next to Arne.

“What is this?”

“While you two were away, the villagers stopped by. They said you were going south to find Ruena, and as a token of their gratitude, they gave us a lot of wine…”

Arne looked like he was dying of curiosity about the wine. Ulli’s face also brightened.

“Wine after so long!”

“Do you like alcohol?”

When Arne asked, she sat down abruptly and looked for a cup.

“Yes! How about you, Arne?”

“This is my first time drinking it.”

At Arne’s bright words, Lasano frowned slightly.

“And you intend to drink it?”

“Yes. If not today, when will I have the chance?”

“Let’s drink, let’s drink! I happen to have a story to tell, and it’s not a pleasant one, so it’s good to have alcohol!”

Ulli insisted as if she couldn’t back down and handed Cullen two bronze cups. Then she handed him a small wooden barrel.

“You play with the sulking Dragon.”

As he had wanted to check on Kiyen anyway, Cullen accepted without refusal. Leaving Arne looking disappointed, he went up the stairs. He headed for the only room with a closed door among the cramped, closely packed rooms. A faint scent lingered near the door, confirming it was Kiyen’s room.

“Kiyen.”

There was no answer. Cullen carefully opened the door and entered. Kiyen, sitting by the small window, came into view. He was looking at the sky. With his back to Cullen, Kiyen spoke softly,

“You’re late for a short while.”

Cullen hesitated. The biggest reason was the time he spent meeting Pir, but he felt he couldn’t tell Kiyen about his conversation with Ulli. It wasn’t pleasant news.

“……It took time to bring Ulli from the valley.”

“I see.”

Kiyen didn’t say much, but he didn’t turn around either. Lasano’s words echoed in his mind.

“Because he’s the only Dragon here.”

The more he pondered it, the more Kiyen’s words of trust overlapped.

Cullen slowly walked to Kiyen’s side and placed the cup and barrel on the floor. Perhaps due to the sudden sound, Kiyen finally turned his gaze. A faint sense of relief washed over him. It might be an arrogant assumption, but Cullen wondered if he was perhaps anxious.

“I followed Ulli not because she is more important than you, or because I prioritize humans.”

Kiyen’s lips tightened. He narrowed his eyes and retorted,

“I didn’t feel that way.”

“It’s only because Ulli is a comrade, and I wanted her to rely on us even a little, that I brought her. She has no one to rely on, but I have… you. So the reason for my actions is actually because of you.”

“That’s a strange logic.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have kept anyone by my side in the first place. Even if I had formed a party, I wouldn’t have paid them any mind.”

Kiyen slightly furrowed his brow and stepped down from the windowsill. His white feet touched the floor.

“There’s some sense to that.”

“Yes, so please cheer up.”

Cullen said that and hesitated. He wanted to say something, but he was extremely embarrassed. It was words that didn’t suit him. But… he still wanted to try.

“……I am now your lover, so can’t you indulge me a little?”

At his small voice, Kiyen blinked. A flicker of unreadable emotion crossed his slightly widened blue eyes. He slowly rubbed his lips.

“……Yes, we are lovers.”

When Kiyen acknowledged it, the back of his neck flushed hot. Even knowing he didn’t love him and it was difficult to see him as a normal lover, his heart reacted. A strange tension filled the air. It was a word to superficially skirt around the actions caused by Rodiak, or the occasional hand-holding… but still, his heart fluttered.

“I brought wine. Have you ever tried it?”

Cullen cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“Countless times.”

Kiyen said as if it were obvious.

“……That’s surprising.”

Because he didn’t seem like the type for such things, Cullen honestly exclaimed in admiration. Kiyen then said languidly,

“When I felt like I was going mad, I drank a lot to test if I could get drunk like a human.”

It wasn’t a good reason, so Cullen pondered. He thought for a moment about how to approach it without touching his wounds, then decided to gloss over it.

“Was it effective?”

“Alcohol is poison, so it doesn’t work on me at all. It’s similar to tasteless water. However, wine has a pleasant aroma, so it’s drinkable.”

Does that mean he’ll drink what I brought? As Cullen pondered, Kiyen picked up a cup first. Then, he easily grasped the small wooden barrel, too large to hold with one hand, and poured the wine.

“You have a suspicious nature, so I’ll try it first.”

“……Thank you.”

Kiyen dropped his expressionless look and chuckled. His white hand, holding the bronze cup, moved. Even the rough cup looked elegant in Kiyen’s hand.

He brought the cup to his lips and lowered his eyes. His chin lifted slightly, revealing a long, white neck. As if mesmerized, Cullen watched the sight, his Adam’s apple moving.

Gulp, the sound of him swallowing the wine settled sensually in his ears.

“How does it taste?”

Kiyen set the cup down. The purplish liquid smeared on his lips made them look particularly red. His blue eyes narrowed.

“That’s something you can judge for yourself. Are you good at drinking?”

Despite his appearance, which suggested he could drink strong liquor without batting an eye, Cullen’s tolerance was average. It would depend on the alcohol content of the wine.

“I don’t know well……”

Just as he was about to say that.

Kiyen’s lips met his parted ones. The scent of wine rushed in. Cullen’s eyes widened, and he held his breath. His tongue parted his slightly open lips and slid inside. It was a sweet yet bitter taste.

Kiyen held Cullen’s stiff body and pulled him closer. Their tongues tangled chaotically, and just as Cullen forgot to breathe again, his breathing becoming ragged.

“I haven’t quite grasped how much I need to do to become proficient.”

Kiyen whispered lowly, his arm still around Cullen’s waist.

The sound of his heart pounding echoed loudly in his ears. The wine on his tongue seemed to have warmed his body, making him feel hot all over.

“So, how does it taste?”

As he managed to move his tongue.

“……Sweet.”

Kiyen smiled.

“Yes, it seems so.”