REFDL 69

“……Something like that happened.”

“…….”

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s somewhat true.”

“About faces?”

“About needing the vessel Artifact.”

“…….”

“It’s a new perspective, not to control violence, but to secure the vessel artifact for fear of it being stolen by another nation.”

Kaelus remained silent. He did not seem to be really listening to what was being said. Nitan shrugged inwardly.

‘He must have a lot on his mind.’

The Forest Village incident was barely half a year ago.

Back then, Kaelus had declared he would kill the Kremlis if he couldn’t secure the vessel. If you showed the current Kaelus to the Kaelus of that time, wouldn’t he draw his sword, claiming he’d been cursed by dark magic?

‘Ah.’

Nitan bit his lip, he nearly burst into laughter in the middle of a serious conversation.

“Anyway. So what do you plan to do?”

“I’m considering it.”

Nitan generally held a positive opinion of Yuram, but that didn’t mean he could afford to be careless.

Regardless of his goodwill toward Yuram, Nitan never forgot the fact that he was a dragon.

And it wasn’t just anything, but a vessel.

Variables could arise at any moment. Even if the other party was Yuram, it was no different.

Dragons varied vastly from species to species, from body structure to diet, but one thing remained constant.

Their instinct regarding their vessel was identical.

One courted, and if the other accepted, they pledged their lives and exchanged vessels. This bond lasted until one died or both perished.

Perhaps because it was a means of finding a mate, dragons were particularly aggressive when it came to vessels.

Without an imprint, even attempting to secure one was impossible, and attempts were frequently met with attacks.

Because of this, large amounts of sedatives were typically used during the acquisition process. However, no matter how much sedative was administered, the dragon would always awaken the moment the vessel was removed, leading to accidents.

“Has the vessel’s location been confirmed?”

Nitan hesitated, then shook his head slowly.

“…When Yuram blocked the Monster Wave at Anax and was gravely wounded, I searched him thoroughly with the healer, but we couldn’t find it.”

Dragon vessels usually appeared in inconspicuous places, but they could still be found if one looked.

After all, they were visible on the surface.

Knum’s was under the jaw. Pensilta’s was on the inner thigh. For the water dragon, Aro, it was between the fins.

…But even after they scanned that huge body multiple times, they couldn’t find it. There was even a period when he was unconscious.

They left no spot untouched.

“There’s only one place we didn’t check…”

“Where?”

“Inside the mouth.”

“…….”

That makes sense you wouldn’t have checked it…

After a brief silence, Kaelus rubbed his chin.

“So it’s a given it’s inside the mouth.”

“Probably.”

“…Alright.”

Having gathered his thoughts, Kaelus rose from his seat.

“I’ll check it myself.”

“Huh? Are you out of your mind?”

“…….”

Smack!

“Aaargh!”

Nitan clutched the top of his head and thought.

‘It feels like it’s been ages since I got hit like that!’

It still hurt like hell. When would that fist ever stop hurting?

Nitan imagined the duke as an old man.

A dignified duke, his white hair swept back stylishly, wrinkles etched like decorations… glaring at him.

They say people shrink as they age. Kaelus hadn’t changed a bit in his imagination.

Whack!

“Aaargh! Why again?!”

“Because you thought something deserving of a hit.”

That… that’s true, but!

No, now he’s reading my mind and hitting me?

Nitan frowned as he rubbed the spot where he’d been struck.

“It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s strange coming from you. Didn’t you trust him?”

“I do. But it’s not just anything, it’s a vessel. And besides…”

Nitan’s expression hardened.

There was a time when he believed that even if something went wrong, Kaelus could somehow subdue or handle Yuram.

…Until he saw Yuram’s actions at Anax.

It’d be a lie to say he wasn’t confident! He trusted Yuram, he really did!

But there’s a big difference between not doing something and being unable to do it.

Nitan now realized that even Kaelus couldn’t control Yuram in a worst-case scenario.

Even back then, he was still in his late adolescent stage, but now he was fully mature.

‘Lately, he’s been in human form constantly, so I haven’t seen his true form…’

Calculating the dates made it almost certain.

“……”

Wow. It’s been a year since I saw him at the cliff. Time really flies. What was once smaller than a palm…

‘……No!’

His brain, which had briefly attempted escapism, quickly snapped back to reality.

“Anyway, I oppose it. Make me do it instead.”

“No. I’ll do it myself.”

I can’t keep avoiding him forever.

He murmured, but it was too loud to be a true soliloquy.

With Kaelus speaking like that, Nitan found it awkward to keep trying to dissuade him. Nitan was also aware that the relationship between Kaelus and Yuram had grown somewhat strained recently.

…Actually, that was putting it very mildly.

The atmosphere hadn’t been bad, at least until they’d repelled the Monster Wave and were cleaning up afterward.

Yuram (though he’d tried his best not to show it) was overjoyed to have Kaelus on his back.

Kaelus looked distinctly uncomfortable, but that didn’t mean he disliked it. He himself wasn’t aware of it, but from what those watching could tell, he looked several times calm than when riding the Pensilta.

He hardly had any of the nightmares he used to have frequently. Everything seemed to have found its place.

It was as if he were the Kaelus from the time before anything had happened.

Nitan secretly swallowed the lump that rose in his throat.

The situation changed when they searched the lake at Odan’s suggestion.

The two who had been kidnapped by the sudden surge of water and returned were different.

The distance between them seemed to have closed abruptly, yet they acted awkward toward each other, driving Nitan mad.

They didn’t even tell him what had happened inside.

Giving up on Kaelus, who was playing the stone statue, Nitan tried to subtly probe Yuram. But he too clamped his mouth shut like a clamshell.

It didn’t seem like they had any mutual agreement. Yet, seeing how perfectly in sync they were, it also felt like they had grown closer. It was a mystery.

Anyway.

Kaelus finally seemed determined to end this subtle war of nerves that had been going on since Anax.

“…Understood.”

Nitan held back what he wanted to say, and left the office first.

Kaelus, who seemed ready to go to Yuram at any moment, aimlessly circled the office before plopping his butt onto the sofa.

He rubbed his forehead, looking tired.

“Haah.”

Kaelus knew it too.

He couldn’t keep avoiding it like this forever. The moment that should have come eventually had arrived, and that moment was now.

Honestly, considering his personality, avoiding situations this irresponsibly and without a plan made no sense.

“……”

But when it came to Yuram, that was how it was.

Things that shouldn’t happen happened all the time. Acting uncharacteristically felt natural.

Just as he was slowly growing accustomed to the impulses and ambivalence, Kaelus could no longer suppress the urge to see Yuram.

He had to meet him.

He wanted to look at that soft, beautiful face, then bury his face in his embrace.

……No.

He wanted to bury himself entirely within him.

“……!!”

The realization came slowly yet heavily.

Its weight leaned on the duke.

Shock slowly spread on the emotionless man’s face.

Thump.

He covered his mouth with his hand, afraid a moan or scream, or anything, would escape.

‘What… what is this?’

And as if waiting for this moment, memories from the void came rushing back.

Parts that had been hidden finally surfaced.

They scattered like dandelion seeds ready to fly, filling his mind with an unknown self.

“……?!”

He was struck by the memory. Kaelus’s trembling hand swept across the desk in his office.

Crash!

Furniture fell, but no one looked in.

He collapsed and fell asleep.

Splash!

Foam rose.

He sank into a dark dream.

It wasn’t a nightmare, but it wasn’t an ordinary dream either.