Chapter 26: Gradually, Closer

Calling him a Crown Prince seemed almost pitiful.

Seeing the intricacy with which things had been set up, it was clear the matter at hand was much larger than he initially thought. His original plan was to remain unseen until he had unraveled the full truth behind the incident.

Is it time to reconsider waiting until the perfect moment to seize the culprit’s trail?

‘To think I’d even consider suspecting a powerless consort… Pathetic of me. But yes, the time has come.’

Several gears, entirely misaligned with past choices, began turning strangely in sync. And at the center, though no one knew, was Fay, standing isolated. Around her, a quiet wind swirled in a vast, unbroken circle.

* * * 

That winter was bitterly cold.

“Lucius, look at this!”

“Oh. Sure.”

Fay was bundled in a warm fur cloak sent from Grace Monastery, her gloved hands conjuring snowflakes with magic. The little snow around the Tower was insufficient, so she indulged in a luxurious magic display to create more—an excuse to practice her ice spells.

Lucius, who’d spent millennia in boredom, was typically indifferent to snow or storms. But somehow, he couldn’t look away from the scene of Fay delighting in the snow.

Was it enjoyable?

For him, or for her?

Each time her hands glided through the air over the slightly frosted ground, fresh snowflakes appeared. And each time, Lucius felt his own heart stir, as if his unyielding dragon heart had turned into a puppet dangling from a string.

“Peep-peep-peep~ Peep-hmm~”

Momo, the bird, began humming the familiar tune of ‘The March’, only to stifle it with a yawn when Lucius suddenly picked up a large stone. His life was precious, so he held back.

But this drakan had always awaited a moment of rebellion. He’d take the chance next time, no question.

“…”

An ominous threat cut him off.

“…You’ll die.”

“Eep!”

Sometimes, when Lucius watched Fay silently, Momo would act out like this. Lately, he had been misbehaving whenever given the opportunity; Lucius wondered if he should lay him down and give his belly a decisive slice.

Whether he threatened, thumped, or kicked him as a drakan, nothing changed.

Does Momo see him as someone likely to wed the descendant of an enemy? He’d been deceived by their kin twice already!

Insane! Should I just kill him?

Without Momo, he could enjoy a quieter life. Though he seriously considered this, Lucius quickly abandoned the thought. He’d declared Fay as the drakan rider and couldn’t revoke it now.

He hated to admit it, but threatening (?) Momo into obedience was the best option. After all, they were naturally aggressive. Curse you, you wretched creature, a d**ned salamander-like reptile.

‘Just wait until I find a replacement.’

Just then, Fay, who had her back turned, came running over.

“Lucius, look! This is Momo.”

“It doesn’t look anything like him.”

The clumsily crafted round shape bore no resemblance to a drakan. At best, it was just a snowball with a stick attached to it. Honestly, it looked like a ruined sausage on a skewer.

With a blank expression, Lucius tapped the stick meant to represent a tail. Instantly, the clumped snow crumbled, losing its form. And Fay’s bright expression crumbled along with it.

“Uh…”

“Hey.”

The usually composed Fay now pouted slightly, leaving Lucius flustered. He knew she wasn’t truly upset, but he didn’t want to see her disappointed.

D**n it!

A fine thread of magic danced urgently in his hands. From the snow she’d gathered, he sculpted a remarkably fine drakan. Wings unfurled majestically from its back, with horns on its head, claws, and a fully-formed tail.

Fay gasped in admiration.

“Wow, as expected! A 7-circle Master’s skill is truly something… Do you think I could ever do this?”

“You…”

You’re human. No amount of effort can bridge the innate gap between humans and dragons. Ancient humans were different, with divine origins, but—

Lucius closed his mouth, suppressing the brutal truth.

Curse it.

If he returned to his dragon form, a single swipe of his forepaw would end her life before her dormant power could fully awaken.

No, it wouldn’t even come to that. With the intense training he’d done in secret, even a fraction of his skill as a 10-circle master could crush her.

Morgan le Fay, or Morgana, would meet a futile end and drift into rest.

That’s what humans are, aren’t they?

He knew this better than anyone. Back then, he had been too consumed by a destructive vengeance to see it clearly, but now he wouldn’t make that mistake. He was certain he could defeat her.

‘This is… instinct. Just as mortal humans possess fearlessness from their brief lifespan, I’m the same.’

But despite knowing this, Lucius found himself utterly powerless before Fay.

‘My immortal instincts must be seeking safety by avoiding anything that would upset Fay.’

In plain terms, it meant smashing his dragon pride with a hammer—a humiliating realization. But for Lucius, whose pride was enormous, this was the best reasoning he could muster.

The sharp-sensed drakan immediately caught his subtle emotions. Lucius didn’t want to examine too deeply what they might mean.

No. Fay’s presence was only a reminder of the past, nothing more.

‘I’ll need to fully recover my powers soon and then decide what to do.’

Unaware of his thoughts, Fay suddenly spoke earnestly.

“Thank you, Lucius.”

“For what?”

“Ever since I met you, I feel like I can laugh freely, and my heart feels more at ease. Before, I was often told that I was too stiff.”

[“Act with decorum wherever you are. Don’t smile carelessly.”]

Duke Klein’s family, who had drilled these words into her, had constantly grumbled that she was stiff as a board.

[“Will I ever be a perfect Eina?”]

The reason she could let go of her long-standing worries like dandelion seeds.

Her smile, which had felt awkward even before Holtdayne, came naturally before Lucius. She was deeply grateful he was by her side.

Lucius furrowed his brow and replied.

“Don’t listen to people who pick you apart for every little thing. If you do what they want, later on, they’ll gossip that you’re not how you used to be.”

“Really?”

“Have I seen a few of them? Just relax.”

“Got it. Thanks again, Lucius.”

“Hmph.”

Yes, he only said it reluctantly to avoid seeing the human who’d bested him falter before other humans.

It wasn’t for her!

Another self-justification, Lucius looked away for a moment.

In that instant, Fay picked up the snow drakan in Lucius’s palm and showed it to Momo.

“Look, Momo! Your master made this just for you. Doesn’t it mean a lot?”

“Squawk! (

Die!)”

If he couldn’t take revenge on his cruel master, he’d settle for this!

With a loud squawk, Momo lunged, biting off a chunk of the snow figure Lucius had carefully crafted. Fay groaned.

“Momo! Really?”

“Squawk… Squeeaaak. (

I was thirsty… That was hydrating.)”

“Hey.”

Just when he’d managed to cheer her up, and now this?

Lucius’s ominous dark eyes flared, sending Momo scrambling to hide within Fay’s fur cloak. He dove into a pocket sewn by Mother Superior Beryl, making Fay laugh.

“Oh, it’s fine. Snowmen or snow drakans, they’re all snow anyway.”

“Fine? Fay, take him out right now. Lately, his rebellion is getting out of hand. I won’t stand for it.”

“Isn’t the season of rebellion in spring?”

“Enough, hand him over. I need to teach him a lesson.”

“No, Lucius! Don’t bully Momo!”

Fay dashed off with Momo in her arms.

“Hey! Stop right there!”

On the icy ground, the chase ensued, watched from the tower by Holtdayne with a sigh. Though he had vaguely expected this when he first saw Lucius, it seemed Holtdayne’s first love would remain a hidden, unspoken memory.

“…”

“Fay, you—!”

“No!”

After all this time, the two of them just fit.

D**n it, it was over.

— — —

A few days after the events at the tower and after another snowfall, Kassel invited Fay to the Mijuang Hotel. Officially, this was their third meeting, but in reality, it was the fourth time he had seen her.

He was now about to be inaugurated as the commander of the reformed Blue Rose Knights, and the royal palace was hosting a winter ball in his honor. Additionally, he had recently learned that, during the Harvest Festival incident, the Crown Prince had secretly hired a certain mage from the tower named Fay to carry out some clandestine mission.

He wasn’t angry.

He just felt a sudden squeeze in his chest as he realized that his vague suspicions had, in fact, been real. But after a few days had passed and he felt no physical discomfort, he figured he was fine.

At least Fay was safe.

It was just… he had something he truly wanted to say to her.

“Hello, Sir Leon.”

“Miss Fay.”

She wore a pair of knit gloves with slightly uneven stitches. They fit well enough, but the slight imperfections caught his eye in a way that irritated him for no reason.

Why did it bother him?

Her shabby clothes from the tower days, her willingness to stay at the cramped ‘Blue Butterfly Inn’, known neither for its reputation nor its space, without a single complaint.

That fresh smile, so radiant, when she refused a luxurious pocket watch as a gift, and the way her face lit up over a single strawberry skewer.

And now, her plain winter clothes, typical of a commoner or a mage—he couldn’t fault them. Still, he couldn’t stand seeing her dressed in something humbler than even the unworn dresses of Eina stored in his own mansion.

Kassel thought suddenly of how he wished she would wear a beautiful dress, laughing freely in the sunlight.

‘She chose to go to the tower because that’s what she wanted. I know that. But… every time we part ways, it feels like I’m leaving something behind. Why do I feel this way?’

Whenever he thought of Fay, he felt a strange mix of comfort, frustration, and affection, emotions that didn’t suit him at all. For someone who rarely grew attached to anyone, even he found it hard to make sense of himself.

……

T/N: She’s surely growing on him, our dearest older brother and cutie pie Kassel 😊)