REFDL 57

Fortunately, Odan’s explanation quickly moved on.

“Their intended method was drowning. If successful, it would have been a surefire way. Winged monsters… no matter how powerful a Kremlis might be… they can’t swim.”

Kaelus was his usual self. He spoke in a voice lowered just enough that one had to concentrate to notice.

“…Among the treasures passed down through the imperial family for generations is Julan’s heart. It’s said Julan personally gave it to the next emperor after the founding emperor’s death. Your hypothesis doesn’t account for the existence of that treasure.”

“Whether he received it directly… or if it was extracted after he drowned… no one knows. …Judging by the recorded nature of the event, I believe Julan went and died. Is it because he was a dragon…? It was obvious both would die if they went like that. A terribly foolish and irrational choice….”

“……”

Eeek!

[Ah, anyway!]

I shot out the open window, flapping and scratching my tattoos.

My body instantly swelled to enormous proportions.

People craned their necks out the dining hall windows. But having grown somewhat accustomed to it over the past few days, they peered out briefly before retreating inside.

Nitan, sensing the situation, ran over carrying a saddle. Odan and Kaelus also finished their meals and came outside.

[Let’s go to the lake. We have to find something today.]

“You’re right…”

Odan sat down on Nitan’s Pensilta with an exhausted look. He was very determined.

I flew ahead. The people of Anax waved goodbye from below. 

Normally, I would have waved my tail back in response, but I was in no state for that now.

…The dead dragon at the bottom of the lake.

That phrase refused to leave my mind.

* * *

Exploring the lake wasn’t as exciting as it had been at first.

I was still a little tense, recalling the dream, but as nothing special was found, I gradually relaxed.

Then, something happened suddenly.

Puff!

It came at an unexpected moment.

In an unexpected form.

“……!”

Out of nowhere, the lake’s surface surged upward. The water rose, taking shape. It was a giant, watery hand with a massive forearm.

The hand aimed directly at me. I couldn’t dodge. Strangely, my body froze as if hit by a tranquilizer dart…

Splash!

“Captain!!”

Only upon hearing Nitan’s cry did I remember Kaelus, who was mounted on my back.

No…!

I struggled and twisted my long neck. I saw Kaelus, holding his breath, desperately clinging to the tether with both hands.

Splash!

We were plunged into the lake.

Water weighed on my body. We sank deeper and deeper toward the bottom. The image of the dead dragon underwater surfaced in my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

I flailed desperately to escape, but the harder I struggled, the faster we sank.

Damn it...

* * *

When I regained consciousness, I was in an underground cavern with luminous plants embedded in the ceiling.

[……?!]

My body was soaked through, and the area around where I’d been lying face-down was damp, but there was no moisture anywhere else.

It felt like someone had teleported me from the lake to this place.

I immediately checked on Kaelus. He was hanging from the tether connecting him to the saddle.

A scream echoed in my throat.

I didn’t dwell on it. I closed my eyes once and opened them again, and I was human. ……I thought I understood a little. This ability seemed to manifest based on my ‘need’.

Nothing else mattered right now. I laid Kaelus flat and checked his breathing first.

…He’s not breathing?!

Panicked, I performed CPR.

It was basic training from the swimming club.

Fortunately, after just a few compressions, he immediately coughed up water. Then, he jumped up like a spring, startling me.

“You shouldn’t do that. Don’t move around recklessly. Lie down first… no, sit down…”

Kaelus didn’t respond to my rambling.

“……”

He was still.

He stared at me like the sun wanting to melt chocolate. Only then did the current situation register objectively, and the incident between him and me struck me like lightning.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

What on earth could I say to explain this situation? …Would any excuse even work? I looked at Kaelus with a feeling like a knife was pressed against my throat.

Our eyes met.

Kaelus smiled.

“……?!!”

A smile?! Kaelus smiled?!

No words were needed. The realization that I was completely screwed hit me harder than ever before.

“Ka-ka-ka Kaelus?”

He was smiling.

“……Kael?”

He was still smiling.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Ka-Kaelus! Snap out of it!”

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him vigorously. His reaction didn’t change. Well, he did show a different reaction.

…He suddenly grabbed me.

That’s it! …Is he going to beat me up now?!

I was relieved but scared!

Unfortunately, that wasn’t it.

He pulled me into a tight embrace as I trembled. At first, I thought he was trying to suffocate me, but I realized that wasn’t it.

Something like a sigh of relief tickled the top of my head. Kaelus acted like a satisfied beast, feeling me up with his whole body, as he held me.

As if he didn’t even notice the vibrating, fishy smell. He inhaled me, sighed, and relaxed.

“…….”

I blinked, shocked, then came back to my senses.

I couldn’t stay like this.

First, I need to figure out where we are.

I cautiously pushed against his thick, full chest.

…Wow.

Chest.

This is insane.

I swallowed dryly.

…Just go die, Han Yuram.

I slammed my forehead against an imaginary wall and broke free from Kaelus’s embrace. He looked thoroughly displeased, but when I pushed him away, he let me go without a fight.

Instead, he took my hand.

The hand that had been on my back, then traveled down my shoulder, forearm, and wrist, rubbing over my entire body, now interlaced with mine.

Though he said nothing, I sensed his stubbornness, as if this was the absolute limit of his consent.

I had no choice but to survey my surroundings in that state.

The place where he and I stood was the center of a cavern.

The space resembled a corner of a bustling city carved out and placed here, with compact, beautiful buildings—about three to four stories tall—standing shoulder to shoulder.

The floor was paved with colored bricks.

The ceiling was densely covered with luminous vine plants that illuminated the interior.

The center where we stood was a plaza.

Beside it, instead of a fountain, stood a massive, ancient tree. It was so enormous I initially mistook it for a wall.

“……”

It was definitely no ordinary tree.

Its branches stretched out as if supporting the ceiling, and those branches were actually vine leaves. It looked like two entirely different trees fused into one.

I dragged Kaelus along, since he had no intention of letting go of my hand and still wasn’t speaking, and explored the surroundings first.

First, the plaza…

And aside from the presence of the tree resembling a sacred tree, it was surprisingly ordinary.

….It feels almost too ordinary, creating a sense of dissonance.

Just in case, I went inside the buildings.

No doors were locked, and a natural sense of lived-in comfort lingered everywhere, as if someone had been living there until yesterday.

There was food in the inn.

A stew simmered gently in a pot over a small stove. A half-finished beer and chicken dishes sat on the table.

…The chicken was warm.

Startled, I snatched my hand away and fled the inn.

But there was no one anywhere. 

Not even a trace of life. I asked Kaelus for his opinion, just in case, but he only grinned.

He looked happy just because I was talking to him.

“……”

I plodded along.

I pulled his hand and led him to the edge of the plaza. Behind the last building was the cavern wall, with semicircular tunnels entrances carved at regular intervals.

“……!!”

I hadn’t noticed it when we were facing the plaza. The buildings had blocked the view.

It seems tunnels like this run all the way around the cavern…

After some hesitation, I decided to go inside since there was no other choice.

Should I leave Kaelus behind?

……No.

The food was warm. I can’t let my guard down just because there’s no sign of life.

I sighed and tensed my body. This was different from the cavern. If danger struck, transforming back into a dragon wouldn’t solve it. ……If the rock walls were harder than expected, I could end up like a blood clot in a compressor.

The thought made me shiver unpleasantly.