TEB Ch 31
by STAR***
Liev left the room first, leaving the noisy group members behind, and came face-to-face with the problem. Behind Renard stood an attendant, fidgeting helplessly. Renard’s thick tail thumped against the hem of his clothes, a clear sign of his frustration. What more could be bothering him after achieving everything he wanted? Liev spoke with an indifferent expression.
“Why do you look like that? What are you dissatisfied with now?”
When I asked in a calm voice, as if I didn’t have any affection left for him, Renard flinched with a confused look in his eyes, shrugged his shoulders, and answered.
“I don’t know.”
The clumsy answer could only lead to an even sharper response.
“So you’re saying you caused all those people trouble by insisting on something you’re not even sure about? You haven’t changed at all. You still expect everyone to cater to you and give in just because you insist.”
I need to make him lose interest quickly so he stops this childish obsession. With this resolve, Liev snapped back at Renard, who looked down at him with a hurt expression. Was he still clinging to some shred of hope? His gaze was intense, as if desperately searching for any sign.
“…..”
See? He can’t even offer a proper rebuttal, just relying on this childish behavior. Liev looked up at the tongue-tied Renard and asked again.
“So, what now? How are you going to torment me?”
As he pressed Renard with his words, trying to ignore the pang in his chest for being so harsh, what came next was something Liev had not expected at all.
“I’m going to make you lay my egg.”
“…?”
This was so absurd that Liev couldn’t maintain his indifferent expression and frowned, wondering if he had heard correctly. Renard, sounding a bit more smug, added.
“You’re going to raise an offspring with bloodlines resembling me, whom you so hate, and witness the miserable sight of it.”
“…?”
Does this guy even realize what he’s saying? Sometimes, when you hear something so outrageous, you can’t even get angry,, you’re just left wondering what on earth the other person is thinking. That was exactly how Liev felt. Unable to hide his shock, he asked again.
“What? How exactly?”
The most common method of reproduction known for dragons was sexual reproduction. Of course, Liev knew that asexual reproduction was also possible, but it was never discussed in the work, so he didn’t know about it. What was certain was that there was no record of a male laying a dragon’s egg. Stunned by Liev’s question, Renard answered with a confident face.
“I said it’s time for me to have a companion. Just like you guys, I can reproduce as much as I want!”
Then, with his shoulders straightened, he looked down at Liev, and a fundamental question flowed out of Liev’s lips.
“…Do you know how reproduction works?”
It was a moment when I seriously wondered what the Divine Dragon taught him.
Renard immediately retorted,
“Of course, I know! Did you think I wouldn’t know about that?”
However, the sentence strangely lacked strength. It seemed like he didn’t know anything. Taking advantage of the situation, Liev chuckled as if amused by Renard’s unexpected response.
“Oh, really? Then go ahead and do whatever you want. I have no intention of cooperating with your childish tantrums.”
If the other side continued to come out strongly, this side had no choice but to respond equally. Since it is already a situation that cannot be avoided, it was better to make Renard tired of it. The plan was changed to make him so uncomfortable that he wouldn’t want to appear in front of Liev. It seemed that giving in to Renard’s desires would only satisfy him. Ignoring Renard, Liev spoke to the attendant, who was trembling with anxiety behind him.
“Shall we go now? Should we move the room right away?”
“Oh, come this way, I’ll guide you!”
Liev’s harsh words left Renard unable to offer any further objections. He just watched Liev move away without saying anything. Though Renard’s expression seemed to want to say something, he remained silent. Liev turned away from Renard and walked along with the attendant.
Despite faithfully putting the plan into action, there was a strangely uncomfortable feeling in one corner of Liev’s heart. Continuing to be blunt and confrontational toward the person he had missed for a long time, who was still the most important thing to Liev.
‘Why are you making a hurt face?
Who was it that told him he would be tormented to death the moment he was caught? Who said such nonsense? Did you expect me to be overjoyed and welcome you with open arms after hearing all those nasty words? If Renard were still a ten-year-old dragon, he might have accepted some pampering, but not now. He had the power to influence the fate of an entire nation; he shouldn’t be allowed to do as he pleases.
“…….”
Yes, let’s continue to ignore it. As Liev resolved himself, the petals that hadn’t been completely cleared away from the door of the room where he spent the night were crushed under the tip of his shoe.
With an indifferent expression, Liev casually pushed the petals aside with the tip of his shoe. The attendant forced a smile and spoke.
“You can stay here for today. Starting tomorrow, you’ll move to a private residence within the royal palace. The appointment ceremony will probably take place next week to avoid the king’s other schedules.”
Appointment ceremony. The fact that he had to go through such meaningless ceremonies was very discouraging. Everyone would have other things to do at that time. Though he grumbled internally, nothing would change, so Liev simply nodded.
Eventually, even the attendant left, and Liev was alone again. Yesterday, it seemed like they wouldn’t leave him alone for a single moment,
Liev lay down on the bed without energy, slowly recalling thoughts that could clear his mind. He thought about the appearance and names of the horses he had taken care of at the Lobelia Research Institute, reflecting on the time he had spent with them. With a gentle closing of his eyelids, he let out a sigh. The restless night was due to the vivid memories that had kept him tossing and turning. Just before falling asleep, the last face that came to Liev’s mind was still precious, and the mere thought of it brought a tender smile to his face. The image of Renard transforming into a human for the first time flashed before his eyes and then disappeared.
“Liev, I’m so happy!”
The voice that shouted with a tight grip on the flower Liev had picked for him still rang in Liev’s ears.
***
Meanwhile, Renard, left alone where Liev had been, soon found himself dragged into a separate hearing. As Renard entered the meeting room, not by his own feet but pushed by Rowena’s hand, several voices rang out at the same time.
“What made you create this mess in the first place?”
“You said there wouldn’t be any backlash.”
Without even having time to respond to one person first. Renard answered bluntly, ignoring all the nagging comments that were coming at him in an instant.
“…Liev was mine to begin with, so isn’t it natural?”
Albert gasped in shock at the answer that nonsensical response.
“You can’t just think that way! Do you think we can just do whatever you tell us? Humans have laws and procedures to follow!”
“Frankly, it’s a bit amusing that you say that.”
“Hey, come on! That’s something to point out later…”
In an instant, the noisy meeting room became chaotic again, but Renard simply closed his ears and paid no attention. It didn’t matter what they said. If Liev were to ask why he considered him his own, there would be no logical answer. He was just his from the beginning. From the moment he broke out of the shell, he was in front of him. Liev had embraced him affectionately, fed him, put him to sleep, and taken care of him. It was only natural for Liev to be with him. Because he was always his from the beginning.