DMHS 44

“I do not know what words to use to thank you. Truly, thank you.”

“You said you need a guarantor to enroll, correct?”

Kian took a piece of paper from the warehouse and wrote quickly. On the paper he handed over, it was written that he guaranteed Mila’s identity, and beneath it was the signature of Kian Semes.

“Though, since my family has fallen, I do not know if this will work. Please wait a moment.”

When Kian returned after leaving his seat, beneath his signature were those of Frederick and Daisy. Mila’s mouth fell open when she saw the names of the master of the Third Tower, Erlesia, and the Bernstein family, once the center of the knights.

“I-I spoke disrespectfully to such great people. I am sorry!”

“It is fine. Anyone can have moments when they think everything is over. But life continues. As long as you do not give up.”

“But I… I already gave up. I tried to throw away the chance you gave me.”

“Even so, you were still reading the Great Charter by a small candle. Hope is stronger than will.”

Kian patted Mila’s shoulder.

“Today is only the beginning. From here on, there will be harder, harsher things. Steady your heart and go forward.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

Passing by Mila’s side, Kian mocked himself.

‘I talks well for someone who is not even certain himself.’

The sun was already rising in the eastern sky. Having worked all night to wipe out the thieves, the group decided to rest a little before departing.

On the way back to the mansion where they had stayed last night, Kian saw a corner of a white robe sticking out between the wisteria.

‘So he followed after all.’

It was expected.

Kian went straight up the stairs and entered the bedroom.

Lucien, who had arrived first, was lying on the bed. He had pulled the blanket up to his neck, leaving only his eyes showing.

“May I lie beside you?”

Still looking at the ceiling, Lucien answered.

“Yes.”

Kian took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. Lying side by side, staring at the ceiling, he felt an itch in his chest.

“Thank you for earlier.”

Kian cleared his throat.

“Thanks to your help, the matter was resolved.”

Lucien turned his body to the side and stretched out his hand.

“Come here.”

Lucien had long since returned to his habitual body. But Kian entered his arms without hesitation. The long slender arms pulled Kian’s back tightly.

‘A faint floral scent…’

From Lucien’s body came the smell of spring flowers.

“……”

“……”

Lucien held Kian in silence. His breathing was irregular, too irregular to call it sleep.

‘A strange dragon.’

Kian thought about Lucien.

A being without affection for people, even less concern for anything else. Because of that, he poured all his attention onto his mate alone.

During the time together, Kian always felt a gaze following him. The owner of that gaze was, of course, Lucien.

The boy sometimes looked at Kian with wonder, sometimes with amusement, and some days with ecstasy.

So Kian had thought he would resent him for leaving him behind. He thought being hated was only natural.

‘At least, I did not expect him to come help.’

His help came at the right time.

The plan of rescuing Mila alone had been shallow. If the band of thieves had not been wiped out, Mila would have stubbornly refused to leave.

Kian could not have done anything for her in that case. He himself might have fallen into deep helplessness.

‘A thankful boy.’

In Chronos as well, and now, the hand Lucien extended at the right time was something he could not dislike. There was comfort there that he never felt when he struggled alone.

Maybe that was why. In the pale morning sunlight that filled the room, Kian spoke to himself.

“She reminded me of my younger sister. That girl, Mila.”

It was the truth he had not been able to say earlier.

“No. That is not right. Perhaps she did not look like her at all. I can hardly remember my sister’s face now. But… I felt she resembled her. That is why I wanted to help. I wanted to give her even a small help.”

A long sigh scattered above his head.

A warm palm stroked Kian’s head, it felt like he was praising and soothing a child.

“Well done.”

At the short words, his chest churned strangely. Heat rose to his eyes. He wanted to stretch his hand and hold onto something.

But instead of grabbing Lucien’s clothes, Kian curled his hand inward. His heart pounded quickly.

“You must be tired, it would be good to get some sleep.”

The truth was Kian had many things he wanted to say to Lucien. His noisy heart sizzled, wanting to pour everything out.

But whenever he tried to bring them out, they vanished without substance. All the mouths inside him were speaking at once, yet he could not hear them. He felt like a fool.

In the end, the only words Kian could say were these.

“…Thank you.”

Kian closed his eyes. Then the fatigue he had not noticed before rushed in as if it had been waiting.

Black drowsiness covered him.

That day, Kian did not dream at all. It had been a long time.

***

The group passed through dry desert land and headed northwest.

In that time the surrounding landscape gradually changed. The dry wind mixed with sand started to hold traces of moisture, and then a great river appeared.

Beyond the rushing river, a vast grassland spread out.

“This is the ‘River of Creation.’ It is the place where Goddess Celestia was born.”

It was Daisy’s first time traveling in the West, and she was amazed.

“Then the land across must be the Land of Creation. In this western desert region, it is the place blessed by the goddess where living beings can survive.”

“That is correct.”

Daisy compared the two lands, divided by the river.

The desert and the grassland. The dry ground and the land where springs flowed.

“Truly, it can only be seen as a blessing.”

Before crossing the river, Frederick left a warning.

“Now is the mating season for the prairie buffalo. In this season, aggressive males sometimes attack anyone carrying a certain fruit, so be careful.”

“What fruit is that?”

“Mango.”

Frederick explained that the smell given off by female buffalo during mating season was similar to the fragrance of mango. So if someone carelessly ate mangoes on the prairie, they could get into trouble.

“Do not touch the mango trees while we travel.”

But the world was never so easy. Saying not to touch something meant there were always those who touched only that.

After crossing the river, the party saw a herd of buffalo pounding the ground in one direction. The buffalo were chasing a man in a white robe.

“Uwaaah! Why do you keep chasing me!”

A familiar voice came.

“Save me! I didn’t do anything! Goddess! You said this was blessed land! Give me some blessing too, ueeek!”

It was the traveler they had met in Chronos. The suspicious man who had suddenly opened the temple door on that rainy night.

He barely avoided being impaled by a buffalo horn and jumped up. The man quickly began climbing the nearest tree.

Fortunately, he was fairly skilled at climbing. He soon reached the top and leaned back laughing.

“You beasts, do you think you can climb trees!”

But his composure did not last long.

“Eh? Wait! Not that!”

The enraged buffalo began ramming the tree with their horns.

Thud, thud, thud.

The tree trunk shook violently. The man’s face turned pale.

“I-I was wrong. Please, spare me, buffalo lords. Have mercy…”

Watching from afar, Daisy shook her head.

“But we must help, right?”

“Of course.”

As soon as Kian answered, Daisy drew her sword from the scabbard at her waist. A blue aura rose around the blade and then sank.

The herd, more instinctive than humans, all turned their eyes to Daisy, then spun around and began fleeing the other way.

Thundering hooves faded as they ran. The man, who had been hanging pitifully, climbed down from the tree.

“Wow, thanks to you I lived. Thank you!”

Yellow stains covered his mouth. He had clearly eaten mangoes from the prairie.

“But now that I see you, it is you all! The wonderful people I met back in Chronos! What a joy to see you again. Can such coincidences exist in this world!”

The man laughed boisterously and stretched out his hand. The hand he offered was also smeared with mango.

While the others hesitated, unwilling to touch his dirty hand, Kian stepped forward.

“Meeting someone who has been tailing us is not what I would call coincidence.”

“What?”

The startled man’s shoulders twitched.

“Since you will follow anyway, travel with us openly. It is more dangerous for someone with no knowledge of traveling to wander alone.”

“I was not following you.”

“You may as well speak honestly now that you are caught. Using magic to alter your face must be uncomfortable too.”

Kian had known for a while that the man was trailing them.

It would have been stranger not to notice. From the time they had left the capital, there had been a shadow following their group.

Kian also guessed his identity.

‘He must hold at least the rank of bureau officer.’

The king had assigned one person from each party to investigate the suspicious incidents happening in the kingdom. It meant he intended to hear from both sides. But if the two sides’ opinions differed, adjusting them would be difficult.

So it was wise to add one more person, someone not belonging to either party, to maintain an objective viewpoint.

Even better if that person was a close aide to the king.