Chapter 36: Always by Her Side
Chapter 36: Always by Her Side
Breaking a promise is already bad enough, but now he’s suddenly suggesting they go somewhere else? Just what is Lucius talking about?
“I know a quiet and pleasant place.”
“We’re not going to the Imperial Palace? Today’s the appointed day.”
“Yeah. It’ll be fine.”
Fay’s pupils trembled.
Is this… running away at night? No, wait, it’s morning, so it wouldn’t be called that!
“Bbii… bbii bbii bbii~…”
Even as Momo sneakily hummed the wedding march, Lucius didn’t stop him. Instead, he continued his persuasion in all seriousness.
Yes, this was better. If we moved to a space I am familiar with and shut out the outside world, things would settle down soon enough.
One day, all my feelings for Fay would fade away. When that time came, I would prepare a comfortable place for her to live and ensure she had enough wealth to sustain herself before sending her off.
And then, I’d forget her.
I would act as though I had never met someone named Fay. I would return to being his original self.
“There’s a library there, and a natural herb garden nearby. It won’t interfere with your magic studies at all.”
His dragon lair existed in a subspace connected to his mental realm. While the entrance was located in the Driana Mountain Range, only those chosen could pass through – an impregnable fortress.
Lucius had just declared that he would bring Fay into that space. Even Momo, who had served him for a long time, had not been raised inside the lair but in a separate breeding ground.
Momo, rather than feeling sorrowful, twitched his beak in amusement at his decision.
“Bbii bbii bbii…”
“No, I’ll go. Honestly, I’m nervous, but what can I do? When a person gets involved in something, they have to see it through, no matter the outcome.”
She made a bold decision.
“…Really?”
Lucius’s lips twitched in an odd way.
D**n it, Fay. Give me a moment to get tired of you, will you? Just how long do you plan to keep me tethered? Of course, even if we go to his lair alone together, I would still be a nervous wreck!
Regardless of his internal turmoil, their carriage safely entered the Imperial Palace. At least they had been directed to a secluded clearing in the western part of the palace rather than a heavily trafficked or strategic area.
— — —
Until they arrived, Lucius kept slipping his hand inside his vest. Fay showed no particular reaction.
‘Is he cold?’
Fay recalled her days in the monastery, where, during winter, she would slip her hands under her arms or around her waist to warm her shivering body. The carriage wasn’t particularly chilly, but since it was winter, perhaps Lucius was suddenly feeling cold.
Fay glanced at him and noticed his teeth occasionally biting into the soft flesh of his lips, his expression twitching now and then. Unlike before, he seemed to be burdened by their trip to the palace. Was there a way to help him?
Then, suddenly—
“Here.”
“Huh?”
Lucius pulled his fumbling hand from his vest and extended something toward her. It was a small glass bottle resembling a perfume vial.
“What’s this?”
“Your face is completely chapped from nerves.”
“I am?”
So he wasn’t cold?
Without meeting her eyes, Lucius thrust the bottle toward her more insistently.
“If you get too nervous, take a sip when no one’s watching. It’ll help you feel better and refresh your body.”
A recovery tonic, perhaps?
Fay had been diligently studying at the Mage Tower but wasn’t yet at the level to brew potions. Lucius, being a powerful mage, would certainly be capable of making such things.
So, without much thought, she accepted it gratefully.
“Alright. Thank you, Lucius.”
The bottle contained an opaque yellow liquid, with its label clearly inscribed.
<Elixir>
Fay didn’t see the label, and Lucius, thrilled at having given it to her, turned his head toward the window, hiding a silent grin.
A short while later, their carriage arrived at its destination.
“Please summon the Drakan here and wait a moment. Knights Order Commander Kassel will arrive shortly with His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Understood.”
The knight addressing Fay spoke in a rigid tone, devoid of emotion. Lucius grumbled as he watched Momo grow to his full size.
“Tch, knights always have that d**n arrogance. Past or present, they sure have a knack for making people uncomfortable.”
Fay softly replied,
“I know someone who isn’t like that.”
“…Huh?”
Who? Had he ever taken up knighthood as a joke in the past?
Fay’s unexpectedly warm tone made Lucius pause for a moment before he dismissed the thought.
D**n it, d**n it, d**n it! It’s not me, is it?! Why did that feel so disappointing?
“Momo – no, Moitettra Vanus. Don’t roar freely here, got it? If the sound echoes off the palace walls, it’ll startle people.”
Nod, nod.
Fay, finishing the saddle adjustments Lucius had taught her, smiled.
“Hehe, good job.”
Shortly after, a large group of knights, several carriages, and a few imperial magicians arrived. Bringing a Drakan into the Crown Prince’s presence meant security was exceptionally tight.
Lucius, finding it all pompous and impractical, grumbled openly.
“Tch, even if Drakans are less intelligent than dragons, do they really think a few measly soldiers can prevent an emergency?”
“Shh!”
“Humans taming ferocious Drakans… Foolish then, foolish now.”
“Lucius, your voice is too loud.”
Fay tried to soothe him gently, but his arrogance remained unchecked. After all his complaints about the knights being arrogant, he himself acted even more imperious.
“I hate seeing you troubled, but I also wish they’d realize. Some things simply aren’t possible. If taming Drakans were easy, wouldn’t there already be breeding grounds?”
“Oh, Lucius.”
Fay found it amusing when Lucius contradicted himself. She never showed it in front of him, but she often thought so. He had insisted she would be fine if they went to the palace together, but when she said she’d go alone, he blew up, demanding how she could even set foot there.
Wasn’t a dangerous place just as dangerous, regardless of whether one or two people went? He claimed Drakans were nothing compared to dragons, yet now he was unhappy with the elite forces gathered at the palace. He really does suit Momo. Maybe he’s actually an elven elder or something?
“Hehe.”
As Fay hid a small laugh behind her hand, Lucius’s tense expression relaxed slightly.
“Feeling less nervous?”
“Yes. I think I’ll do just fine.”
“Good. Oh, and did I mention? Unlike great dragons, Drakans’ scales, claws, blood, and hearts are all useless.”
“Drakans can’t be used in alchemy?”
At her innocent question, Lucius smirked.
“Didn’t I just say no? Their corpses dry out, crack, or harden beyond refinement. Take note – Momo is only useful while alive.”
“K-Kuwaa…”
At Lucius’s ruthless words, Momo whimpered. Fay had warned against loud cries, so she kept it subdued, but the surrounding knights looked on in alarm. A knight gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his spear.
“Drakan…!”
“Calm yourself. Although this Drakan is unusually large, Commander Kassel personally confirmed its behavior. As long as we remain composed, it is not a threat.”
“Step aside.”
As the knights murmured amongst themselves, a dignified voice cut through the small commotion with clarity.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”
“…We greet the Crown Prince. Momo?”
“Kweeeek.”
Sillas emerged through the tightly packed wall of knights. As Fay quickly bowed in greeting, she also made Momo lower its head slightly, just as they had practiced. Seeing the massive Drakan clumsily imitate human etiquette, the Crown Prince was impressed.
“Amazing. I believed Sir Kassel’s words, but to think you could actually handle a living Drakan.”
“Truly a remarkable feat, Your Highness. You, Drakan Rider. How did you manage to capture a Drakan alive? Do their habitats still exist somewhere?”
‘Ah… Good grief!’
Behind the Crown Prince, a deep, weighty voice suddenly rang out, making Fay’s face drain of color.
Duke Klein.
Fay hadn’t expected to run into him like this, without any warning. She knew it would happen someday, but not so soon.
Thankfully, Kassel, who had received the relevant documents from her earlier, was standing nearby and responded on her behalf.
“Miss Fay is too young to have participated in the Drakan’s capture. She was merely granted permission to borrow it for a set period by its original owner. As such, she neither knows nor has any intention of investigating further.”
“Is that so?”
“However, what matters is that this Drakan has been tamed in a manner unlike anything recorded in ancient texts.”
“Sir Kassel is right, Duke. The fact that the Arkan Empire now has a Drakan Rider is what truly matters.”
Like Kassel, the Crown Prince smoothly redirected the Duke’s question.
“Oh-ho, so the young lady really is just a girl. She appears delicate, yet even if she didn’t tame it herself, the mere fact that she can handle a living Drakan is astonishing.”
Fay nearly lost her composure at the Duke’s sudden appearance, but she barely managed to suppress her emotions.
Then again, she hadn’t been given any warning when she ran into Dott at the Arcadnia Hall either. It was only natural that key figures of the Empire would attend an event where the Crown Prince himself came to see the Drakan. She had been too careless.
‘But, Duke… Unlike Sir Kassel, you have no interest in swords. I thought you wouldn’t come. You don’t even care for horseback riding. You always take a carriage instead.’
Fay had been caught between ignoring and paying attention to Duke Klein, torn between indifference and unease. But now, as she faced him once more, there was a faint smile lingering on his lips.
And yet, his eyes fearlessly roamed over the Drakan’s imposing form.
Her hatred for Duke Klein remained unchanged. After all, wasn’t he the very person who taught her just how exhausting indifference could be?
‘Forget it. Don’t think about it.’
With a reserved expression, Fay turned her head slightly to avoid meeting his gaze. She refused to have any relationship with him beyond strict professionalism.
Even if, in this lifetime, the Duke had done nothing particularly cruel to her, she couldn’t forget the pain he had caused. Even if tears were to fall from their eyes, she would never go back.
“…”
As Fay remained silent, she suddenly felt an intense gaze on her.
It was Kassel.
His sharp crimson eyes, which usually held nothing but quiet warmth for her, now tried their hardest to offer reassuring words – telling her that it was okay, that she didn’t need to be nervous, that she could take things at her own pace.
‘That’s right. I can do this. Train as if it’s real, treat reality like training. And if it all gets too much, I’ll just ask Lucius to let me stay in that place for magic research.’
Little did Fay know that the place he had in mind was a dragon’s lair.
……
(T/N: Lucius’ monologue is killing me hahahaha our great dragon is soo inlove and is sooo ready to share his dragon lair with Fay hahahaha 🤣
On another note, I thought Fay would be soft-hearted towards her family. It’s good that even though Duke Klein hadn’t done anything in particular to her in this life, she doesn’t forgive him so easily 👍)
