#107

After the peculiar funeral procession, the group prepared to depart. From here on, there were no villages, only shallow forests stretching out. It would take about three weeks to reach the south, and the summer would deepen during that time, so preparations were necessary.

They had been caught up in an unexpected event and had temporarily forgotten their original purpose, which they now achieved. Haman’s mother, being skilled with her hands, mended the group’s spring clothes.

That would have been enough, but despite Cullen’s pleas, the villagers packed dried fruit for them. Arne couldn’t refuse it when they handed it over with a request to save Ruena-nim.

The group left their lodging at dawn, as they did when leaving other places. As they passed the village entrance, leading the horses that had rested sufficiently, someone suddenly appeared before them. Since they hadn’t informed anyone of their departure time, Cullen instinctively drew his sword.

“Ah, it’s me!”

The person cried out as the sword touched their nape in an instant. Their face was revealed under the dim dawn sky. It was Haman.

“……What, why are you here?”

Ulli, who had also drawn her bow, asked. The answer came from Lasano. He smiled faintly.

“It seems he was reluctant to let Ulli-nim go.”

“Ah, what are you talking about!”

Unlike Ulli’s stern expression, Lasano’s words seemed to be the truth. Haman, blushing, cautiously looked up at Cullen. As Cullen sheathed his sword, Haman shyly approached Ulli.

“Um, I’ve never met a woman as wonderful as you, Ulli-nim. Of course, you are also incredibly beautiful. I think I was too rude at first, so I prepared a gift.”

“I don’t particularly need it.”

Haman’s face fell at Ulli’s refusal. He looked like a pitiful puppy.

“……What is it?”

As she asked, resigned, Haman’s face lit up. He quickly pulled out a circular object made of wood and white thread from his pocket.

“This is a charm passed down in our village for generations. It’s said to ward off bad dreams and bring good luck. Ruena-nim also loved it very much, so I hope your journey is peaceful.”

Ulli, perhaps finding it difficult to refuse again, hesitated and finally accepted it. As soon as Haman handed the charm to Ulli, he smiled happily and shyly added.

“If you save Ruena-nim, then… I hope we can meet again.”

Lasano chuckled from behind. Ulli, looking flustered, put away the charm and replied gruffly.

“I’ll use this well.”

Despite the curt farewell, Haman bowed gratefully. Ulli, seeming awkward, pulled on her horse’s reins first and set off. Haman waved from behind, and the group slowly followed Ulli out of the village. Only after forging through the forest path and reaching the road they had descended from the Duke’s territory did everyone start talking.

“That was a scene straight out of a fairy tale!”

Arne said with emotion, and Lasano chimed in.

“Now I see, you’re the shy type.”

“It’s not like that? Do you know how many times this has happened?”

Arne nodded at her confident statement.

“Indeed, when I first saw Ulli-nim, I thought she was very beautiful.”

“That’s right. Her looks are nothing to be ashamed of. Except for that one abnormal face over there.”

She gestured towards Kiyen with her chin. It was likely referring to the incident where the Young Duke mistook Kiyen for a woman and took him. That was a memory that had been very unpleasant for Cullen as well.

“Your face is also decent, so don’t be discouraged.”

Kiyen said something that might have been comfort. It was very endearing, typical of him. Cullen couldn’t help but smile slightly. Ulli, noticing it, nudged Cullen.

“Why are you smiling!”

Cullen answered honestly. With his smile gone, he said calmly.

“Because Kiyen-nim is cute.”

“……Now you say such things openly, calling yourselves lovers. You’re a blessed Dragon.”

Ulli, perhaps disliking the attention being focused on her, increased her pace. Cullen followed her.

“I probably won’t be able to, my whole life.”

He added as if to himself, and Cullen quietly watched her back. Cullen understood her words perfectly.

“Once the revenge is over, you will be able to then.”

“That’s if I’m still alive.”

Ulli said skeptically.

“You’ll be fine because Kiyen-nim will be there.”

With words full of conviction, she turned back to Cullen. A hot, dry wind blew, ruffling Ulli’s blonde hair. Ulli, with an unnamable expression, asked Cullen.

“You know. I was thinking about what we talked about the other day.”

“Yes.”

“Would you… have loved that Dragon even if he were mortal?”

Cullen closed his mouth. The question of whether he would have loved Kiyen even if he weren’t immortal was one that didn’t even need to be considered for Cullen. He fell in love with Kiyen precisely because he was Kiyen. His personality, his thoughts, all were parts he could only show because he was a Dragon.

Cullen loved Kiyen for who he was. Absolutely and firmly. It was like a law.

Therefore, Ulli’s question didn’t need to be considered. Why bother hypothesizing about an unchangeable fact? But if, truly, if Kiyen were someone who could die somehow…

Would he stop loving Kiyen then?

He couldn’t easily answer the question that pierced his mind. Could such an intense, certain, overflowing love disappear? Was it because one of the biggest reasons he loved Kiyen was his immortality? The certainty that he would naturally love him didn’t come at once.

And that brought guilt to Cullen. It was complicated. The first being he held in his heart was an aggregation of all exceptions for Cullen, so even that feeling was tangled in confusion.

As if her confusion showed on her face, she shook her head and quickly added.

“It doesn’t mean anything. I was just wondering if I would have found a lover if I had someone like that by my side. Forget it.”

Having finished speaking, Ulli started running. Arne followed, calling out, “Hey,” and urged her horse on. Lasano glanced at Cullen and passed him, and finally, Kiyen stopped beside him.

“Are you alright?”

Kiyen’s question was met with Cullen closing his lips tightly. Doubt clouded his face, which was more beautiful than anyone in the world. It looked like worry. A look Kiyen, whom he had met for the first time, would never have shown.

Kiyen’s voice, which had said he would believe, echoed in Cullen’s ears. As he stood there, consumed by an inexplicable guilt, Kiyen extended his hand.

“Take it.”

“……What?”

“When you make that expression, you always hold my hand, don’t you?”

Was that so?

Something surged within him. Cullen slowly took Kiyen’s hand. Their palms met. Fingers intertwined, and warmth mingled. Like lovers.

“Let’s go.”

Looking at their clasped hands, Cullen erased his surging thoughts one by one. Kiyen would not die, and that fact would not change. Therefore, there was no need to add unnecessary hypotheticals. Besides, they were, in the end, merely nominal lovers.

Kiyen did not love him.

So, thinking about it would be useless. He tightened his grip on the hand he held, dispelling his anxiety, and Kiyen turned his head. Without letting go of their clasped hands, they slowly began to ride their horses.

The journey was comfortable. It was peaceful, as if the tumultuous events of the past few months were a lie. The forest was quiet, and the sunlight was moderately dry. When the sun’s rays stung his skin, they would rest in the shade. The bond that had formed over a considerable time felt a little clearer.

Many things had become familiar. Arne’s cooking, Lasano’s cynical yet sly way of speaking, Ulli’s straightforwardness.

And Kiyen’s tenderness, which had changed drastically from before.

“Better than last time.”

Cullen was on cooking duty today. Arne usually took charge, but it was because they had taken turns preparing meals for the past few days, following Ulli’s suggestion to show off their skills.

Kiyen said so after tasting the fruit Cullen had baked. What Cullen had cooked was pears, picked on the way, baked with potatoes. It was hard to call it cooking, but it was a meal.

“As long as you don’t burn the fruit, it’s hard to make it taste bad.”

Ulli added.

“That’s why Ulli-nim’s cooking tasted bad.”

Lasano pointed out Ulli, who had burned apples spectacularly yesterday.

“The embers were just unusually lively yesterday, weren’t they?”

“Yes, yes.”

Ulli glared at Lasano, who replied perfunctorily.

“Tomorrow is Lasano’s turn, so I’ll be watching.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can’t do. You can look forward to it.”

Cullen watched their bickering, resting his chin on his hand. His heart was calm. This was the peace he had enjoyed only in the distant past. The cool summer breeze at night felt pleasant, the smell of food cooked over the campfire was good, and the kind people surrounding him were good.

“Cullen.”

His name was called. Turning his head, Kiyen reached out his hand over Cullen’s head.

“You brought leaves today.”

It seemed a tree, swayed by the summer wind, had shed its leaves. Kiyen’s large, white hand touched Cullen’s hair. His fingers gently stroked his hair. Cullen’s breath hitched involuntarily.

“……Kiyen-nim may have them if you wish.”

“Leaves don’t taste very good.”

Kiyen said so, yet he took the leaves.

Kiyen became more tender each day. He now called Cullen by name often and touched him without hesitation.

“Can you make leaves grow too?”

Thanks to that, Cullen could now ask such things. Kiyen touched the tip of a leaf with his finger and replied.

“It is possible.”

“Then later, it would be nice if you could place this where you wish to plant it, Kiyen-nim.”

Their gazes met. Kiyen’s golden eyes flickered, and he stared at Cullen for a long time, as if thinking of something. Against the backdrop of peaceful murmurs, Cullen waited for him willingly.

“You… don’t plan to return to the Imperial Palace?”

This was the first time he had asked such a question. Kiyen had never inquired about life after revenge.

“……I don’t want to.”

Cullen replied quietly. His heart beat softly. It was as if Kiyen were envisioning him at the end of his journey. Kiyen wore a thoughtful expression. The moment Cullen saw it, his mouth felt tingly.

If Kiyen-nim is okay with it, I want to be by your side until I die.

At that very moment.

“Ah, Cullen-nim!”

Arne called him. The group’s attention shifted to Cullen. As he looked at Arne wordlessly, Arne pointed to Cullen’s chest.

“There’s a light coming from your chest. Is it a compass?”

Cullen looked up at the sky. Through the dense trees, the night sky was visible. A blindingly large full moon hung there. The moon, which felt larger than the sun, shone directly down on Cullen.

“It’s a full moon.”

The emotion that had been lingering on Kiyen’s face vanished. Ulli urged him on at his matter-of-fact confirmation.

“Let’s open it, Cullen!”

Despite the surrounding urging, Cullen couldn’t easily touch the compass. Hesitation held him back. Couldn’t he enjoy it a little longer if he didn’t take out the compass? This moment, this tranquility.

His peaceful heart was instantly thrown into disarray. The sight of Lasano’s red eyes, watching him quietly, brought him back to his senses.

Cullen slowly reached into his chest. He felt the cold touch of the compass.

“It’s really shining?”

Ulli said in wonder, having never seen the compass work properly. Kiyen and Arne also gazed at the compass. Cullen slowly opened the lid. The Akesis stone embedded on top showed no reaction, but the inside of the compass had changed, just like a month ago.

The star cluster formed a golden light and converged in one direction. The metal needle, which had pointed in the direction of Kwanu, spun around and this time pointed southeast. More precisely, it was closer to the east.

“It’s the east, after all.”

Lasano said quietly.

“There must really be something there.”

“So, to know the next precise location, we have to wait another month? That’s very inconvenient.”

At Ulli’s words, Cullen recalled the time he had left. The short summer would soon recede, and autumn would follow. The oracle said everything would end when February arrived. Time had already passed this much.

He recalled his conversation with Kiyen. There was one thing omitted from their conversation. Cullen had to finalize his deal with Kiyen before the end.

The single condition, still unrevealed.

He didn’t know that wish.

Cullen looked down at the compass and said.

“Ultimately, everything must be connected to Zarkas, so we should be able to find clues in the Duke Renon’s territory.”

He raised his head and gazed at the Duke’s territory, which was not yet visible.

“From now on, we should hurry a little.”

Cullen had no choice from the start. All this peace was based on relationships intertwined by a transaction, and Cullen was obligated to fulfill the contract.

Vain dreams end here.