Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Instinctively wrapping Lydia in his arms and practically locking her in his embrace, Ilian let out a sigh of relief upon realizing it was just the sword that had fallen, and moved to return it to its place.

As Ilian unsheathed the sword to check for any damage, Lydia suddenly felt something strange.

But it wasn’t a foreboding strangeness—it was more like a faint calling she hadn’t noticed before, directed at her. It wasn’t something rising from within her heart…

“That sword… may I have a look at it?”

When Lydia asked with curiosity, Ilian readily stopped what he was doing and handed her the sword.

It wavered in her hand, heavier than she had expected, But Lydia paid it no mind.

She merely grasped the hilt and drew the sword once more.

Uniquely beautiful and shimmering in a dark hue, it was unlike the typical swords that gleamed with a bright light.

“This is… When did this sword come into your family’s possession?”

Lydia turned the sword this way and that under the light, revealing its intricate and dizzying patterns, gently brushing its surface with her fingers as she asked.

“That sword? Silain? That one… Lydia, it’s sharp—you might cut yourself. Don’t touch it like that.”

—Found you.

The whisperings that had clouded her mind suddenly coalesced into one. Lydia mulled over the name Silain. Silain. Sila, in.

It was a truly ironic fate.

Just as she had finally gathered her courage, this answer had come to sever her inner turmoil in the cruelest possible way.

“They say it was made into a sword from an incredibly hard metal discovered while digging up a gold mine. It was so sharp and strong that it could easily damage anything it came into contact with, even other swords. That’s why it became the family’s treasured blade.”

Even as he explained, Ilian felt an inexplicable unease tainted by anxiety.

There was only one reason Lydia would show such focused interest in anything: if it was related to magic.

And the fact that it had to be with a sword passed down through generations in his family… gave him a very bad feeling.

“Discovered in a gold mine?”

“What truly mattered was the prophecy that said if the metal found by our predecessor were forged, it would grant invincible strength to protect the family. Our ancestors believed it firmly.”

Ah, that must have been advice not from a prophet, but from someone with ill intent.

Lydia sensed that a very complicated story was entwined with a past she no longer knew.

But even if she tried to dig into it now, it would be meaningless in the context of what was already unfolding.

“This isn’t just some hard material. The one who named it must have known exactly what it was.”

Whoever it was, they had done so knowingly.

Given the name, it was no different from mocking Esteban’s ignorance. Which meant it had to have been a magician.

Especially considering they must’ve known this sword would disturb a dragon’s rest.

They must’ve known it would incur a dragon’s wrath, and still said those things. Perhaps they had a grudge against House Esteban, wanting revenge with the dragon’s power.

“Silain. Sila-in. It means ‘of the dragon.’ In a very, very ancient tongue. A language used only in the days when dragons walked this land and soared the skies—so it might have already been a dead language even when this sword was made.”

It was a language familiar only to someone like her, who studied ancient records.

It sometimes appeared in obscure tomes, often replacing the most important words.

All magical beings, though they work miracles and reshape reality, eventually return to nature upon death, submitting to the great flow of mana and finding rest.

But in this case, the most vital part of a dragon in that process—the heart—had been forcibly extracted and turned into a toy for humans.

So of course the dragon would resent it, and it made perfect sense that the sword couldn’t be returned.

She had never imagined anyone could dare turn a dragon’s heart into something like this.

Still, the sword was practically the strongest and most formidable magical artifact in existence.

“This is a dragon’s heart.”

As Lydia’s meaning finally began to dawn on him, understanding slowly spread across Illian’s face.

In her hands was the key to resolving the curse by making a deal with the dragon.

Which meant their relationship could end at any moment.

It was the moment Ilian stepped forward and placed his hand on the sword’s surface along with Lydia’s.

A voice whispered simultaneously in both their minds.

—Return it to where it belongs. To where it must go.

“If we return it like this, if I give up this sword… will you stop tormenting Ilian Esteban? The entire House of Esteban?”

—It’s not complete. Return it completely.

What did that mean? When Lydia looked up at Ilian in confusion, he seemed to understand.

Staring calmly at the sword, he spoke.

“We also made a small dagger from the leftover metal when Silain was forged. I gave it to House Rodrigo recently—as a symbol of alliance.”

—Return it.

It had been a symbol of alliance, so they couldn’t just demand it back without reason.

But since Katrina had chosen to become the Countess of Rodrigo rather than marrying for alliance, and considering her relationship with Ilian, it wouldn’t be much of an issue.

That meant Lydia had no more role to play here. The way to send the dragon into eternal rest was now in front of them.

‘I… I didn’t think I’d have to consider parting so soon.’

She had focused only on the duty of breaking the curse, and though she had longed for this moment, she realized she hadn’t truly wanted it.

Gripping the sword tighter with trembling hands, Lydia resolved to end everything properly here and now.

“I’ll return it. So stop tormenting Ilian. Esteban didn’t mean to harm you.”

—Return this first. Show your faith first.

It was the family’s treasured blade, so Lydia couldn’t make that decision on her own.

She looked up at Ilian, who had strangely remained silent throughout the entire exchange.

Without a word, he took the sword back from her hands and said,

“I’ll return it. I just need to place it back where it was found, right?”

But the dragon had already vanished from their minds once again.

Still, Lydia knew that was the correct answer and nodded.

“Then the curse will be lifted.”

A dragon’s pride was too great for it to go back on its word. That was probably why they always spoke in such cryptic riddles.

The clearer their speech, the clearer their intent—and their pride would force them to follow through.

“Then our contract can end here. It was all because of the curse, wasn’t it?”

Saying it out loud felt better than she’d expected.

Lydia decided to think of it that way. Ah, since it didn’t hurt as much as she thought, maybe this parting was bearable. Maybe she had overthought all the feelings that had blossomed between them.

When she saw Ilian’s brow furrow, Lydia hurriedly added,

“As long as you return that dagger later, my lord, it should be fine. Dragons don’t have a rushed sense of time, so there’s no need to do it immediately. You don’t need to worry.”

Lydia forced herself to feel glad that he would no longer suffer under the curse—that he would be free from the same horrific pain she once endured.

But she was already beginning to feel a deep emptiness. All her chattering, all those obvious words, were attempts to fill that hollow space.

“So… so…”

But she couldn’t find anything more to say.

Holding and releasing her dress hem nervously, Lydia realized that Ilian had been silently listening this whole time without a single word.

She had been talking pointlessly by herself.

“Let’s go back for now, and talk later.”

Pressing her clasped hands over her chest, Lydia exhaled a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding.

She hadn’t felt such relief in a long time. She couldn’t believe how much comfort she found in their time being prolonged, in the ending being delayed.

“Yes, it’s best to head back for now.”

As if sensing their conversation had ended, even the sound of rain outside began to subside.