RODH Chapter 42

42.

“Spring has come, and the North shall rise once more. Darkness is coming. Oh, the darkness is coming!”

At the mention of darkness, Ian recalled the monster he had seen in his dream.

A beast with multiple arms, one that could not be slain even with a sword forged of silver.

Only when a man ripped its heart out with his bare hands did the creature finally stop moving.

The monster that rotted human flesh and brought the curse upon Kirias.

As Ian instinctively took a step back from the terrifying darkness in his mind, the old man grabbed his arm.

“You who brings spring, you are already living your sixth life.”

“Let go of me.”

Ian tried to keep his expression blank as he attempted to pry the old man’s hand off his arm.

But the scrawny elder, surprisingly strong, chuckled hoarsely and muttered on.

“It’s no use denying it. Haven’t you already realized it yourself? You’ve enchanted the deer with the pure soul, made the Winstol tree bloom… Then why don’t you return to the North?”

“How should I know?!”

With a sharp pull, Ian freed his arm, causing the old man to stumble.

“If the Grand Duke still lives, he would surely offer his son to you himself. I hesitate to say this, but if you truly hate the Empire, then you should leave this land.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Because only then will the Grand Duke of Kirias die, and disaster will befall the Empire.”

“Nonsense!”

Leaving the raving madman behind, Ian stormed off.

Life only tells you it’s gone wrong after it’s tangled beyond fixing.

Had something gone wrong from the very first regression?

No—he should never have returned in the first place.

Ian recalled his first death.

Back then, he still liked Seor very much. He died out of jealousy over some omega.

Seor looked at that omega with warmth in his eyes—the kind of warmth Ian hated.

All Ian did was pour champagne on the omega’s head to humiliate him, but what he got in return was an order for his own execution.

Come to think of it, who even was that omega?

Before he knew it, Ian had forgotten about the demon lord and everything else, lost in thoughts about his own life.

Had he really committed such an unforgivable crime?

The second life wasn’t any better.

He was sentenced to death just for catching Seor in bed with another omega.

At this point, Ian began to think of himself as a fool, a complete idiot.

Sure, he had been overly excited at being named the future Crown Princess, but the way everyone around him had treated him was excessive.

It wasn’t like he couldn’t be reasoned with—was there really a need to poison him?

The more he thought about it, the more wronged and angry he felt. He wanted to beg the people he cared about to just flee the country with him.

But then there was Nevan.

Nevan would never abandon the Empire—more precisely, he would never abandon the North.

Ian leaned his elbows against the low ledge that had been placed to create space for the passing procession.

Crossing his thumbs together, he sank deeper into thought.

“Darkness is coming.”

---

“I’ve been looking for you forever!”

“That’s right, young master. We searched so long.”

Both of them spoke with their cheeks puffed out, full of sweets.

“You really did look for me, right?”

Bain showed off the snacks Lucian had bought him—sugar-dusted treats coated in caramel berries, and mini cream puffs that melted in your mouth.

Just looking at them made my teeth ache, so I said I’d pass and just enjoy them with my eyes.

“Did something happen, Ian?”

Noticing the subdued expression on my face, Lucian asked, but I shook my head.

“I’m just tired.”

“Your stamina really is a problem.”

“Let’s head home now.”

“Not yet. There’s one more thing we need to do.”

“What— Ack!”

Without warning, Lucian grabbed me and jumped high into the air.

I could hear the crowd around us cheering.

I shut my eyes tight—I hated the feeling of floating.

Then Lucian spoke softly.

“Open your eyes, Ian.”

Was there some kind of magic in his voice?

My eyes opened smoothly.

Beyond his navy-blue, veil-like wings, a huge moon hung in the sky.

The wings didn’t even flap, yet we flew steadily. It seemed Lucian was used to this.

But I, of course, had no such experience. Clinging to Lucian’s neck for dear life, I said,

“I feel like I’m going to die from fear… Let’s just go down.”

“Oh, are you afraid of heights?”

“Y-yes, I am.”

Is there anyone who ‘isn’t’, aside from dragonfolk?

I wanted to snap at him, but I held back—he was holding my life in his hands.

When we finally landed and sat on the trunk of a tree, I almost shouted that feet belonged on the ground.

Completely oblivious, Lucian gave me a thumbs-up and asked,

“Still, didn’t that feel amazing?”

“Not really.”

“Really? Then how about the view?”

“The view was nice, but…”

“Then I’ll take you flying again!”

“No thank you. I prefer keeping my feet on the ground, Lucian.”

“Tch. You say no to everything.”

“Isn’t it weirder for someone to say yes to everything?”

“Why? I’ve only ever heard yes my whole life.”

He blinked and said it so blankly, I had nothing to say.

I’d heard rumors that the dragon crown prince was odd, but maybe this was what they meant?

There wasn’t any other way to clearly recall memories from my past lives—aside from the deaths—so I didn’t know for sure.

If I rejoined the social scene, I could find out quickly, but I was in the middle of recovering from alcoholism. That wasn’t an option.

Lucian must’ve noticed my serious expression again, because he asked,

“Something’s bothering you, right, Ian?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then why do you look so down?”

“I always look down—”

Lucian pressed a hand over my mouth.

“Shh. I have something for you, since you worry so much.”

He smiled and gently removed his hand.

Then he took off his necklace and placed it around my neck.

Too tired to resist and too curious to understand his intent, I let him.

At the end of the necklace was a pendant.

As I reached to open it, Lucian stopped me.

“Check it out at home.”

“What is this?”

“A necklace with a powerful protective enchantment.”

“Why would you give me something this valuable…?”

Lucian’s violet eyes looked unusually warm as he gazed down at me.

“Because you seem anxious.”

“I can’t accept something this burdensome.”

I tried to take it off, but Lucian waved me off with an “Ehh!”

“I’m giving it to you because I want to. And Ian, sometimes people get overwhelmed by fear. But don’t be afraid of feelings that don’t belong to you. They can never truly control you.”

“…Thank you.”

“That said, can I kiss you?”

“…What? How did we get there?”

“I gave you a token of affection, didn’t I? Isn’t a kiss the next step?”

“What kind of logic is that?!”

I began to remove the necklace, saying he should take it back.

But Lucian stopped me and suddenly kissed me on the cheek.

It was like a quick peck from a bird—brief and soft—and for a moment, it left a strange feeling behind. But I quickly wiped the spot with the back of my hand.

Lucian frowned and grumbled.

“Wow, seriously. Harsh.”

Harsh or not, I’d never seen Lucian as anything but a lunatic, so I took the chance to make things clear.

“I can’t meet your expectations, Lucian. This necklace too—it’s just too much for me.”

Unlike earlier, Lucian’s eyes sparkled.

It was the look of someone who refused to give up on something he wanted.

“No, Ian Pearl Ruben. I like you. I don’t know yet if this feeling will turn out to be as fickle as I am, but until then, please keep my necklace. Just until then. I’m asking you.”

How did he know I was weak to sincere requests?

When I didn’t answer, Lucian smiled faintly.

“You’re too soft. That’s what I like about you, though.”

---

‘Uwaaaah! Young master, do you know how much I struggled trying to find you?’

‘I’m sorry, Bain. Take it easy and rest early tonight.’

‘Yes, sniff…’

I gently comforted the tearful Bain and sent him off.

It was the time of day to wind things down.

Reflecting on the events of the day, I pulled out Berkisto’s journal.

The standard edition had hardly any mention of the dragon clan, but the northern edition—found with Bain—contained detailed entries about them.

I reached behind my neck and unfastened the necklace.

When I turned the gold pendant set with an emerald, just as expected, there was a photograph perfectly fitted inside.

A tall woman and a small boy standing to the right.

With those sharp eyes, there was no mistaking that the boy was Lucian.

‘Then the person in the photo must be…’

So this was the precious item he mentioned—a pendant holding a picture of his mother?

I rubbed my forehead with one hand.

This kind of gift was way too heavy.

On a hunch, I searched Berkisto’s journal for a surname ending in ‘del Venom.’

Unlike the Empire’s general tradition, the dragon clan inherits the mother’s surname unless they ascend to kingship.

That includes the crown prince.

“…Del Venom, Del Venom… Ah, here it is.”

[Odette del Venom
Third consort of Dragon King Kruch, and the only pure-blooded member of House del Venom.
Known as the Poison Dragon, she possessed a deadly toxin and was also said to be incredibly beautiful.
However, she suffered greatly in her later years due to an incurable illness caused by the buildup of poison in her body.
(Omitted)]

She suffered because of the poison inside her?

I stared at the passage, wondering if what was written could really be true.

If it were divine water from the temple, it should’ve detoxified her regardless of race.

Why hadn’t that worked?

I returned to reading about Odette del Venom.

Then, a familiar name caught my eye.