TDAA Ch 10

Delicious.

Siol thought as he chewed the food in his mouth.

“Geez… I must’ve been hungrier than I thought.”

“Ugh, even in his sleep, he’s gotta eat.”

A tongue-clicking sound, as if in disbelief, and a gentle chuckle filled with amusement echoed in his ears.

Where am I?

Siol tilted his head, savoring the taste in his mouth. As his head rubbed against the firm surface he was leaning on, a faint tremor ran down his back. Feeling a familiar voice coming from nearby, Siol lifted his head.

Then, a large hand cupped Siol’s chin, swiftly wiping the corner of his mouth.

“…Mmm…”

Siol, slowly waking from sleep, realized he wasn’t in bed.

Raising his head with bleary eyes, Siol came face-to-face with Eorzen. Seeing Siol’s still half-asleep expression, Eorzen smiled softly and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“…Huh?”

“You’re awake, Sizool.”

“Uh… Wha—? W-Why am I here?!”

Fully snapping awake, Siol nearly shrieked, flailing to get up but almost slipping and falling. Eorzen caught him, pulling Siol’s waist close and enveloping him tightly in his arms.

Siol stiffened, sitting with his back pressed against Eorzen’s chest.

“You’d hurt yourself if you fell. Are you okay?”

Eorzen’s chest, pressed firmly against Siol’s back, felt vivid. The rise and fall of his breathing, the hard, muscular thighs beneath Siol’s hips, and above all, his low voice, his breath.

Siol froze, holding his breath, eyes squeezed shut. The memory of being held by the blue dragon swept over him vividly.

“I-I’m fine! Uh…! W-Why am I here?”

He’d been so focused on guiding him for days that he must’ve lost his mind a bit. Back on Earth, he’d never acted so unprofessionally, so why did he keep losing it in front of the blue dragon?

“You didn’t wake up even when morning came, so I brought you out to eat.”

“Food… I’m not even hungry…”

Siol pouted, grumbling at the idea of being dragged out of sleep just for food. If they’d just let him sleep, he wouldn’t be so flustered now.

At that, Ryufen poked his head out from the kitchen, retorting in disbelief.

“Hey, if you’re gonna say that, at least wipe the bread crumbs off your face first.”

Instinctively touching his mouth, Siol realized there were indeed crumbs. Come to think of it, there was a salty, savory taste lingering in his mouth.

Ryufen set down a plate in front of Siol, who was still rolling his eyes in confusion. It was piled high with meat, bread, and salad.

“Here, stop stealing the boss’s bread and eat your own.”

“…I… stole Eorzen’s bread?”

Now that he thought about it, Eorzen was holding the bacon-filled bread he always ate, but the bite marks on it were too small to be his. No, Eorzen didn’t even bite into his bread to begin with—he tore off pieces by hand to eat. And Ryufen—a massive wolf—could probably swallow that bread whole in one bite.

“When a kid’s hungry, that can happen. You’re being too harsh, Ryufen.”

Though it was a reprimand aimed at Ryufen, Ryufen just snorted and returned to the kitchen, leaving Siol feeling like he’d been the one struck.

I stole Eorzen’s bread in my sleep?

Siol couldn’t tear his eyes away from the bite marks on the bread, still unable to believe it even after hearing confirmation.

“You can eat it, Sizool.”

Misinterpreting Siol’s dazed stare, Eorzen smiled warmly, placing a piece of meat-filled bread in Siol’s hand and gently caressing his cheek. His tender demeanor only made Siol more embarrassed. Holding the bread, Siol blushed, unable to eat or refuse it.

“What’s wrong? You ate so well in your sleep, but now that you’re awake, you’ve lost your appetite?”

“…It’s… not like that…”

Mumbling in response to Eorzen’s clearly teasing question, Siol obediently took a bite of the bread. He was determined to devour the incriminating evidence. Eorzen looked down at him fondly, as if finding him adorable. Meeting that gaze, Siol felt his ears burning.

The way Eorzen pulled him close by the waist, caressed his cheek, kissed his forehead, or gazed at him lovingly—it was all probably just affectionate gestures toward a pitiful beastman child.

The feeling that their physical contact had grown more intimate lately… it was probably because they’d grown closer after the incident with Ryufen.

The slight increase in the area of skin touched or the way Eorzen’s fingertips felt different than usual—it was just Siol overthinking things…

“What are you thinking about in my arms?”

Startled by the cool voice, Siol looked up, but Eorzen’s eyes, gazing down at him, were still kind and warm. It was hard to believe they belonged to the same person as the voice he’d just heard.

“Eorzen…?”

“Hm? What were you so lost in thought about? Is something worrying you?”

“No…”

Despite Eorzen’s concerned caress of his cheek and gentle smile, Siol couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something beneath it.

“You keep getting lost in thought, don’t you? Hm? Even now.”

“Ah…! No, it’s just, sitting on someone’s lap like this… it’s awkward…”

Hesitating under Eorzen’s persistent questioning, Siol answered. His fidgeting hips and bright red ears, head bowed, betrayed his flustered state. Come to think of it, Siol’s back was also stiff with tension.

Seeing Siol quietly squirming in embarrassment, Eorzen pressed his palm against Siol’s stomach, pulling him closer. As Siol flinched in surprise, Eorzen rubbed his stomach in circles and whispered.

“Eek…!”

“Get used to it.”

“It doesn’t… feel like I’ll get used to this…!”

Though he protested defiantly, Siol didn’t dare struggle or try to escape. He could feel the curse tapping at his heart. His small body was already perfectly nestled in Eorzen’s arms, and Eorzen had ordered him to get used to it. Defying that command would surely lead to collapsing in pain, just like that day when his heart was gripped.

With no choice, Siol leaned fully against Eorzen, protesting only with words.

“I can sit… by myself…”

“Ryufen, what do you wolves usually do in cases like this?”

Ryufen, emerging from the kitchen with a mountain of fried meat, tilted his head in confusion.

“What cases?”

“Sizool’s embarrassed about sitting on my lap.”

“Hm… I’ve never seen a wolf cub embarrassed about that. I’ve seen plenty get restless from boredom, though.”

“What’s the trick?”

“Well…”

Ryufen set the plate of fried meat on the table, sat down, and pondered for a moment before exclaiming.

“Our wolves, from when they’re young, get licked all over by family and kin in turns.”

“Oh?”

“We roughhouse and play physically a lot… so there’s no way they’d be embarrassed about sitting on a lap. They’re all the type to plop their butts on someone’s head.”

“Stripped bare?”

“Stripped bare.”

“That’s how it is, Sizool.”

Eorzen seemed ready to apply the wolf’s method to Siol right then and there.

Siol’s face paled, and he stopped his timid squirming. Being stripped and licked all over—Ryufen was talking about something no different from how dogs groom their pups, but even so, Siol absolutely didn’t want to experience it.

Rationally, Eorzen and Ryufen were just trying to care for a young beastman as beastmen do. Siol was the one at fault for feeling restless thinking about that night with Eorzen. It was just guiding, so he should forget it and act nonchalantly, but he kept recalling those indecent memories.

“…I’ll get used to it…”

“Good. That’s the spirit, Sizool.”

Eorzen patted Siol’s stomach, encouraging him kindly.

In the end, Siol had no choice but to finish his meal pressed tightly against Eorzen. After swallowing the last bite, he slumped, utterly exhausted. He’d only just woken up and eaten breakfast, yet the warmth from Eorzen’s body against his back, the gaze piercing the top of his head—everything drained him.

He didn’t want to be tense, but he kept getting tense, hyper-aware of Eorzen. He knew he was overly fixated on what happened a few days ago. Even though he didn’t want to dwell on it, Eorzen’s constant touching made it hard to stay in control.

Feeling unfairly alone in his turmoil, Siol shot a glance at Eorzen, who was reading a book on the sofa, then pulled out the pouch from his pocket to check inside.

A reply had arrived!

“Where are you going?”

At the sharp question, Siol stopped, answering with a puzzled look.

“Uh… my room?”

“Why?”

“…Huh?”

Confused, Siol tilted his head, and Eorzen beckoned him over. Approaching hesitantly, Siol was swiftly lifted by the waist and plopped down next to Eorzen.

“…Huh?”

“Sizool, I’d prefer if you didn’t play alone for a while.”

“…Huh?”

Eorzen looked down at Siol, who kept repeating himself, with an amused expression, stroking his head and tapping his stomach.

Siol barely swallowed another “huh?” and asked properly.

“What do you mean, refrain from playing alone?”

“A while back, you locked yourself in the lab alone to make Ryufen’s leg, and for days after that, you collapsed alone in the grass because of my rampage. You’re not in great health, so I can’t help but worry. So, for now, I’d like you to avoid being alone.”

“I’m perfectly fine!”

“Alright, then let’s say I’m lonely and want you to stay with me.”

Eorzen gave Siol a warm smile before turning back to his book. Siol stared at him, mouth agape, but Eorzen remained unfazed, focused on his reading.

He didn’t believe Siol’s claim of being fine at all, and the excuse he offered instead was utterly half-hearted. The idea of the blue dragon being lonely and wanting Siol’s company was something even Ryufen would scoff at.

Yet, being kept by his side with such an absurd claim made Siol feel like no argument would work, sapping his will to resist. Siol looked up at Eorzen with a mix of admiration and frustration, pursing his lips.

As Siol subtly slid his hips off the sofa, Eorzen’s large hand landed on Siol’s chest, pushing him back against the sofa’s backrest.

Eorzen narrowed his eyes and said,

“Sizool, I’m hurt. Do you not want to stay with me?”

“N-No, it’s not that, I was just going to grab something to do…!”

“…Ah, I didn’t think of that. Alright, let’s go get a book or some writing tools.”

“No! I-I’ll go by myself!”

“But…”

“I’ll be quick, super quick! I’ll come right back, right next to you, Eorzen. So just wait a sec!”

Siol hurriedly stopped Eorzen, who looked ready to stand, and leapt off the sofa. Glancing back as he ran to his room, he was relieved to see no sign of pursuit.

Fiddling with the pouch in his pocket, Siol dashed to his room and opened it.

[There was nothing delivered before the day you asked if I was alive. What did you put in? You’re not talking about something like rock crumbs, are you?]

If the master key Burdril put in the pouch didn’t reach Ladie, where did it go? Siol trusted Ladie’s words—she wasn’t the type to secretly keep his master key and play dumb.

That meant the pouch was either connected to somewhere other than Ladie, or there was a chance the items placed inside could get sucked into some interdimensional void with a certain probability. Though, for something like that, the letters they kept exchanging seemed to be delivered just fine…

Scratching his head, Siol quickly scribbled a reply.

[The master key I used before going to the lab. Since it didn’t get delivered, it seems the pouch’s connection is a bit unstable.]

There was no time to wait for a response. Siol hurriedly grabbed the alchemy book manuscript he’d been working on, a stack of papers, and a pen. He wasn’t in the right headspace to focus on writing, but he couldn’t exactly fiddle with the pouch in front of Eorzen. If anyone found out he was communicating with someone, they’d get curious about who it was, and the moment they discovered Ladie’s identity, Siol’s own identity would be exposed.

His correspondence with Ladie had to remain secret.

“What’s with all the sneaking around?”

“Eek!”

Startled by the sudden voice, Siol dropped everything he was holding. Turning around, he saw Ryufen leaning against the doorway, clicking his tongue.

“I’m not sneaking around!”

“You said you were just grabbing something, but you’re playing alone in your room. That’s sneaking around.”

“I said I’m not!”

“Let’s see what you’re sneaking around for.”

Ryufen, clearly picking a fight on purpose, stepped into the room. He crouched low, glancing outside cautiously, then pushed the door shut with his hind leg, moving silently toward Siol. Watching his suspiciously stealthy movements, Siol stared, wondering what he was up to. Ryufen covered his mouth with a paw and whispered into Siol’s ear.

“Hey, the boss is acting kinda weird right now.”

Matching his hushed tone, Siol nodded.

“Yeah, he’s acting strange.”

“When you disappeared, the boss got seriously pissed. I mean, come on, how far could a kid like you have gone? We could’ve sent out a few guys and found you in no time, but he was growling and snapping like crazy. He looked at me like I was trash. Even when I accidentally half-destroyed the castle wall during a fight, he didn’t give me that look…”

Ryufen whined, practically clinging to Siol.

If you paid attention, Ryufen always got secretly sulky whenever Eorzen scolded him. He’d brush off nagging like it was nothing, but when Eorzen was genuinely angry, he’d get all mopey and whiny like this. It was the same when Siol collapsed from overeating.

“Not that I’m saying I did great or anything. I shouldn’t have trusted you when you said you could find your room… But if we’re being real, it’s not like you just got lost—you deliberately escaped and went back to the castle! How was I supposed to stop that? Am I supposed to hold your hand and go everywhere with you or what?!”

“…I already apologized for that earlier…”

Siol protested in a sulky tone, and Ryufen narrowed his eyes, glaring at him before letting out a deep sigh.

“Anyway, I think the boss was pretty shaken up by that whole thing. Even before you woke up, he was glued to your bedside the whole time… Ugh, anyone would’ve thought you were his mate or something. Not that I mean that literally. If you were his mate, he’d have figured it out way sooner. So, I think the way he’s acting now is just… he was really shocked, you know?”

“Shocked by what?”

“The boss is a dragon. He’s never lost anything in his life.”

“Huh? But didn’t countless beastmen die during the war…?”

“That’s war, and it’s completely different from your situation, obviously. You might not get it, but war is about giving something up to gain something else. You can’t just say you ‘lost’ because one person died. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not painful… But it’s different from this.”

It was a messy explanation, but Siol roughly got the gist. Nodding with a serious expression, he asked,

“Then why am I considered something he lost?”

“Well… He personally saved you and took you in, didn’t he? You’ve been living together in the castle. And… Ugh, why do you know so little about relationships that I have to explain all this?”

“…What am I supposed to do if I don’t get it?”

“…No, don’t feel bad… It’s just kind of a sappy thing to say.”

Scratching his neck, Ryufen continued.

“To the boss, you’re a little guy he needs to protect. But while he was out of control—when he couldn’t control himself—you disappeared. That’s probably why he’s… like this. Plus, you’re a weak little wolf who doesn’t even know how to protect himself… Ugh, come on, get the picture already. How much do I have to spell out?”

Ryufen, getting irritated, nudged Siol’s shoulder with his snout.

Even as Ryufen did that, Siol didn’t feel like protesting. The warmth and embarrassment blooming in his chest overwhelmed any annoyance. In the end, it was because Eorzen cared about him so much, worried something might’ve happened, that he was acting a bit strange, wasn’t it?

“Okay, I get it. You can stop now, I understand…”

For some reason, his toes wiggled, and his shoulders hunched as he clasped his hands tightly, feeling that kind of emotion.

“So what do I do?”

“For now, just go along with it. What else can you do?”

“Go along with it?”

“Yeah, keep going along with it, and he’ll get better. It’s not like this’ll last forever.”

It made sense.

If Eorzen’s odd behavior was really due to something like PTSD from losing Siol, then showing him that Siol was safe by staying close would gradually help him recover. That was a reasonable assumption.

But at the same time, for Siol, who flinched at every touch from Eorzen, it was a harsh prescription.

“Got it. I just need to stay by his side, right?”

“Yeah, stop trying to slip away and stay with him until he feels reassured.”

“I said I got it.”

Of course, that didn’t mean he could refuse.

Pushing away Ryufen’s snout, which kept poking his shoulder, Siol answered, picked up the items he’d dropped, and headed outside.

Eorzen was still sitting on the sofa, holding a book, just as before. As soon as Siol approached, he set the book on the opposite seat and held out his hand. When Siol scurried over, Eorzen grabbed his chin with his right hand, caressed his cheek, and leaned down to kiss the other cheek.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Y-Yes.”

Something felt a bit off.

Was the blue dragon so insistent on keeping him close because of the shock of his disappearance? Was the fact that Siol had vanished such a surprising and traumatic event for this man?

Siol had never been a precious or important existence to anyone before. He’d been an important tool to someone, but never a cherished existence like he was to the blue dragon—

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just…”

Siol hesitated, choosing his words, but when he met Eorzen’s eyes, he instinctively looked away.

To hide his embarrassment, Siol started staring at his toes, completely unaware of what was happening because of it. Eorzen, who’d been staring intently at Siol blatantly avoiding his gaze, felt his pupils slit vertically as a strange impulse struck him.

He wanted to make sure Siol could never look away like that again, to gaze into the child’s eyes forever.

“Because I’m happy.”

At that response, the blue dragon’s hand, which had been reaching for Siol’s neck, froze.

“Sometimes I can’t believe I’m here like this.”

“…Why’s that?”

“Because you’re so kind to me, Eorzen.”

“…Is kindness a good thing?”

“…Yes. I like it.”

It felt a bit embarrassing, like he was asking to be treated kindly, but he felt he had to be honest with Eorzen, who was always so kind to him.

“I really like that you’re so kind to me, Eorzen.”

Siol mustered the courage to look up at Eorzen. Soft, gentle eyes gazed down at him. A tender hand reached out, gently stroking his hair with a soft rustle.

“I see.”

If he’d had an older male relative, would it have felt like this?

Perhaps Eorzen had been touching him like this all along. The only thing that had changed was Siol’s own perspective. He must’ve imagined that Eorzen was touching him the way he did during his rampage because Siol was overly conscious of that moment a few days ago.

As Siol stood there, his cheeks unconsciously flushing at the realization that it was all just his presumptuous imagination, Eorzen lifted him up, sat him back down beside him, and placed a small table in front of him. Siol spread out the stack of papers, notebook, and pen he’d brought, stealing a glance at Eorzen.

Eorzen was looking down at him kindly. In that gaze, filled with pure affection devoid of any romantic intent, Siol paradoxically felt a pang in his chest. A strange mix of emotions—ticklish, joyful, yet somehow bittersweet—washed over him.

But that feeling didn’t last long. It was just a fleeting moment. Siol knew well that guiding was just a job, and the emotions from guiding shouldn’t be brought into everyday life. The only thing he could expect from the blue dragon was kindness. That alone was more than enough to be grateful for.

Because the blue dragon had a destined partner waiting for him.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

[If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll get it and send it to you. My severance pay was more than generous, so I really want to repay you.]

Boom! A loud explosion, like a rock or tree bursting apart, echoed from outside.

Siol clicked his tongue, placed a piece of paper on the bathroom windowsill, and carefully tapped it with both hands. A small light, matching his cautious movements, traced a circle on the paper, and the courier burned the paper slightly to write the words Siol desired. The price was two sheets of paper and Siol’s mana.

Honestly, using alchemy to write letters was an outrageous waste. It required delicate mana control, and to appease the courier, who found the task absurdly trivial, Siol had to pour in mana generously.

Even so, the reason he used alchemy to meticulously burn words onto the paper was that it was the only way he could find a moment to write letters.

“…….”

Whenever Siol left Eorzen’s sight, Eorzen visibly grew anxious.

At least he didn’t follow him to the bathroom, so it wasn’t impossible to have some secretive alone time, but the problem was the pen and ink. Bringing a pen and ink every time he went to the bathroom would obviously look suspicious.

In the end, the only option Siol had was this extravagant method of writing with alchemy.

[No, I’m doing pretty well myself. By the way, I might get a bit busy soon. Please understand if my replies are slow.]

[Is something going on?]

[Not really. Just… stuff.]

[If you need my help, you have to tell me.]

[Got it. Don’t worry too much. I’m really doing fine. Why do you keep thinking I’m lying?]

[I don’t exactly think you’re lying. It’s just… Master Siol, you’re easy to fool.]

[It’s hard to argue when you put it like that.]

Siol pursed his lips, grumbling inwardly as he burned a reply.

It felt half-serious, half-teasing, but to Siol, it was like a stab to the heart. She had watched Siol be deceived by the king for so long, so he really had no defense to offer.

Siol stopped there, tucked the pouch back into his pocket, washed his hands, and stepped outside. Staying in the bathroom too long could lead to weird misunderstandings.

When he returned to the hall, he saw Eorzen brewing tea himself.

Though Eorzen wasn’t picky about food or shelter, he always brewed his own tea. His skill was so exceptional that Siol couldn’t help but look forward to it whenever he started brewing.

“Come here.”

“Yes!”

“Want some milk in it?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

As Siol hurried to Eorzen’s side, Eorzen handed him a cup of milk tea as if bestowing a reward. It was sweetened with apricot jam.

“It’s delicious.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

At that moment, the closed window burst open, and a cold gust swept in. Siol and Eorzen turned to see a massive wolf, puffing hot breath, stumbling through the window.

Ryufen had a habit of using windows as doors whenever he felt like it.

“Gimme a cup too. Cold!”

Eorzen gave Ryufen, who was rolling dramatically across the floor, a disapproving look before closing the window with a glance. As the wind died down, Siol relaxed his hunched shoulders. Eorzen adjusted Siol’s collar neatly and picked up his own teacup.

“Hey, give me one too. Don’t be stingy.”

“You drink tea like it’s water. It’s a waste to give you any.”

“I’m dying of thirst here! Man, I’m only like this trying to help you, boss, and you’re being so stingy…! Right, Sizool?”

Siol narrowed his eyes at Ryufen, who was unnecessarily dragging him into it, but Ryufen was too busy panting with his mouth open to even look at him. Exercise was great and all, but did he have to go that far?

As a brainy desk-dweller, Siol could never understand that mindset.

They’d probably never understand each other.

“Cold water… Ugh, I’m gonna cook my insides at this rate, boss…”

And honestly, he looked like he was genuinely running out of steam.

Siol, alarmed, looked back and forth between Ryufen and Eorzen. Eorzen’s face was disapproving, but he didn’t leave Ryufen to suffer. He summoned his magic, pulling a wide dish from the kitchen and tilting the teapot over it. The tea, hot in the pot, turned ice-cold by the time it touched the dish, even forming a thin layer of frost.

Siol couldn’t help but marvel at the seamless use of magic and mana. Dragons were truly astonishingly adept at wielding magic.

But Ryufen, the beneficiary of this magic, merely crawled sluggishly to the dish, dunked his head in, and started lapping up the cold tea with his tongue.

“Stand up and drink properly!”

“I’ve only got enough energy to move my tongue…”

“Who told you to overdo it like that?”

Siol looked at him with exasperation, but Ryufen just kept lazily lapping without responding.

The new leg Siol had painstakingly crafted for Ryufen was, of course, an impressive piece of work, but it wasn’t identical to a real leg. There were bound to be some awkward and uncomfortable moments at first, and Ryufen had been told he’d get used to it with time. So, he’d taken to climbing mountains, tearing through snowy peaks, hunting, and even kicking trees as part of his aggressive rehabilitation. That crashing sound Siol had heard from the bathroom earlier? Ryufen was the culprit.

Sure, diligent rehab was good, but overdoing it like this couldn’t be healthy.

Still, it was tricky to scold him and tell him to ease up since Siol didn’t know the limits of a beastman’s body. If he tried to set rehab intensity based on his own body, he’d probably just get a pitying look.

“…So, is it paying off at all?”

“…Yeah… Sometimes it moves a bit… weirdly… but I’m getting the hang of it… and I’ve pretty much figured out how to move it… Mission accomplished!”

After cooling his insides with the cold tea, Ryufen finally seemed to regain some energy. He rolled half a turn onto his stomach, dipped his chin into the dish, and kept lapping.

Seeing the normally laid-back, energetic wolf so exhausted made Siol wonder what on earth he’d been doing out there.

“Now I can take down all the knights.”

“…What?”

Siol blinked, dumbfounded, and Eorzen handed him a small bacon-filled bread, explaining in his stead.

“There’s a lion among the knights eyeing the vice-captain position. Seems he didn’t want to lose.”

“Even without a leg, I wouldn’t lose to that guy!”

Ryufen jerked his head up, shouting, before slumping back down, dipping his chin into the dish again, and slurping the tea noisily.

“Really?”

“That guy’s not even after my spot—he just wants to beat me. When we went to rescue Muriel, he made such a fuss about being included. He’s not exactly fast, so we left him out.”

“If you’re not going to lose, why are you rushing to get used to it?”

“Hey, I’ve been serving the boss for how long? I’ve got pride. Even if that lion brings a whole pack, I’ve gotta be able to win.”

“Uh… You’re doing this because you’re worried they’ll gang up on you?”

“Yeah, I need to be able to take on five or six at once. I can’t lose. Under the boss, I’m the top dog…”

Mumbling with exhaustion, Ryufen’s eyes blinked slowly as he started to doze off.

The usually carefree, lazy wolf had been rampaging through the mountains since morning, only returning once he was completely drained. It seemed it was all to avoid losing to the knights under his command. His determination to never lose to anyone but the blue dragon had driven him to this state.

Siol felt a pang in his chest, as if it were aching.

He knew from hearsay that beastmen didn’t despise or look down on physical disabilities, so losing a limb or two in their lands would only make life a bit inconvenient. But even so, it wasn’t as if the hearts of those who’d lost something could simply be fine. Unable to run as they once did, unable to keep up with the pack’s speed, unable to lift with both hands what they once could and thus failing to achieve the same results as before—how could anyone just brush that off with a simple “It’s fine”?

For a knight like Ryufen, or any beastman in a combat role, that gap would be even more profound.

Saying it’s fine without a leg means they don’t hate or reject the disability—it doesn’t mean the loss of function isn’t felt.

“…Ryufen’s fallen asleep.”

Ryufen, who had been drowsily sipping water, finally plunged his nose into the dish of sloshing tea and passed out.

Eorzen shook his head as he looked at Ryufen, his expression a mix of a sigh and pity.

Well, the two of them seemed to have known each other for quite a while, so Ryufen acting like this probably wasn’t a one- or two-day thing.

Even Siol, who hadn’t known Ryufen for long, felt both worry and exasperation whenever Ryufen acted recklessly, so Eorzen likely felt the same.

Watching bubbles rise as Ryufen exhaled into the tea, Siol reached out and lifted the massive wolf’s face. Just lifting his head was so heavy that Siol’s hands trembled.

The carefree Ryufen breathed comfortably, smacking his lips.

Maybe I should just let him drown in the dishwater.

As Siol fumed with that thought, Eorzen approached and grabbed one of Ryufen’s front legs.

“I’ll take him to his room, so wait here for a bit.”

While Eorzen dragged Ryufen off to his room, Siol secretly checked the pouch in his pocket.

A reply had arrived. Since the last letter he sent was a bit of a grumble, maybe it was a warning to be careful not to get fooled again? He wanted to take it out and check, but he wasn’t sure if it was safe to do so now.

He was fiddling with the pouch, lost in thought, when—

“What are you doing?”

Startled, Siol dropped the pouch. Eorzen, who had approached unnoticed, picked it up before Siol could.

“This is…”

“Ah…!”

Eorzen gazed at the flustered Siol and reached into the pouch.

The sound of paper rustling followed.

Eorzen pulled out a piece of paper, examining it slowly, and soon his eyes lit up.

“Impressive tracking spell.”

Drawn on the square piece of paper was a delicately crafted tracking spell. The blue dragon, untrained in alchemy and unable to cast spells himself, could still read the flow of mana and interpret the meanings of spell circles thanks to his innate abilities as a dragon.

The spell circle on this paper was not only skillfully drawn but also had a uniform and well-controlled amount of mana mixed into the ink. Moreover, it was designed to activate only when the paper was moved to another location, consuming minimal mana otherwise—an astonishing feature.

“I’m not just flattering you; I mean it. Was the conditional activation your own idea, Sizool?”

“Y-Yes.”

“To draw such a precise spell circle at your age, and even combine spells on your own…”

As Eorzen looked at him with genuine admiration, Siol had to muster all his strength to suppress the guilt stabbing at his conscience. Despite looking young, he was actually an adult, and receiving such praise made his head spin.

But confessing the truth right then and there wasn’t an option, so he could only smile shyly.

“But the spell circle needs to be transferred to track a location, and there’s been no response yet.”

As Siol reached out, Eorzen placed the paper with the spell circle back into the pouch and handed it over.

Only after tucking it back into his pocket did Siol realize his heart was pounding wildly. The heart beneath his ribs, touched by his fingertips, was racing so fiercely that he hadn’t even noticed how tense he’d been.

“It might require specific conditions to trigger the transfer. Time, weight… maybe even the object itself.”

“Hm. I’ll keep that in mind and experiment.”

“But—”

Eorzen, now seated on the sofa, tilted his head toward Siol, who had followed and sat beside him.

“Why were you fiddling with the pouch so suspiciously?”

“S-Suspiciously?!”

“Wasn’t it? You were hiding the pouch in your pocket and stroking it.”

“That was just—”

“And when I asked what you were doing, you got so startled you dropped it.”

Siol stammered, racking his brain for an excuse. Nothing had been exposed. He could say anything, and Eorzen would likely believe him and let it go, but he couldn’t just do that. If there was no lie right now, if he was truly working to find the missing master key, then—

“…Not now, but after I find the master key… or at least figure out roughly where it went, I wanted to show you.”

Was that a proper answer? Was it believable?

Siol looked up, heart pounding, and saw Eorzen staring at him with a somewhat stiff expression.

“Oh… Sizool, I’ve put pressure on you.”

“No? That’s not it.”

“You don’t need to feel so burdened. Doing what you can is enough.”

“No, Eorzen, that’s not what I meant…”

“It was Burdril who lost the master key in the first place, and it’s not like we have to recover it. I only brought it up because I thought you might be able to handle it. I didn’t mean you must succeed.”

Siol shook his head, but Eorzen spoke calmly, reaching toward Siol’s pocket.

As if he was about to take the pouch back to relieve Siol’s burden. Panicking, Siol pressed his hands to his chest to keep Eorzen from taking it and quickly explained.

“I won’t overdo it! I’ll only do what I can, I promise!”

“…Absolutely?”

“Absolutely!”

“Alright. I’ll let it slide this time. But always remember: no one in my castle is allowed to overexert themselves.”

Satisfied with the answer, Eorzen finally sat back down beside Siol. As Siol was about to nod, he suddenly thought of the massive wolf sprawled out in his room, snoring loudly.

“What about Ryufen?”

“Hm?”

“Ryufen’s overexerting himself. Right now.”

“…Ryufen’s an idiot, so he’s an exception.”

“So it’s just me and you who aren’t allowed to overdo it?”

In a castle with only three residents, excluding Ryufen left just the two of them here.

But Eorzen smiled nonchalantly and replied,

“As the lord of this castle, I can make exceptions to the rules whenever I want.”

Siol’s jaw dropped at the shameless declaration that he’d overexert himself whenever he pleased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?! So I’m the only one who has to follow it?”

“That’s how it is.”

“That’s not fair!”

“It might not be fair. But you promised, so you have to keep it, right?”

Watching him try to smooth over an unfair promise with a sweet smile was utterly absurd. But it was also true that the smile melted away Siol’s indignation.

Siol felt his heart tingle, realizing that this dignified dragon’s insistence wasn’t for some nefarious purpose but to keep him from overexerting himself. Unlike the king, who had forced him to make weapons, Eorzen was telling him not to feel burdened by the task, to stop if it felt overwhelming, to absolutely not push himself too hard.

“…Okay.”

With a face unsure of what expression to make, Siol answered.

After that, a peaceful time followed.

Gazing at the snow falling beyond the window, Siol sat in a room warmed by a blazing fireplace, revising a manuscript he’d written earlier and adding new content. The sofa was plush, the milk tea sweet and warm, and the shawl Eorzen had draped over his shoulders cozy.

Suddenly, everything surrounding him felt strikingly vivid. It was as if he’d only realized the chill of a blizzard by reaching out to touch the snow he’d only felt through the window.

Startled by that sharp sensation, Siol shrank his shoulders. When he opened his eyes again, the scene was as ordinary as ever.

Holding the milk tea with both hands, Siol looked out at the snow. The teacup was very warm, but not as vividly warm as it had felt a moment ago. He didn’t know what the difference was or why it felt different. Perhaps he was a little afraid of knowing. Feeling oddly unsettled, Siol quietly opened the pouch in his pocket.

In truth, the pouch contained all the letters Siol had exchanged with Ladie. The reason Eorzen hadn’t noticed was that Siol had cast a spell on the pouch.

On the first day he began corresponding with Ladie, Siol realized he was holding a highly suspicious note. He couldn’t leave letters that clearly showed he was communicating with an unidentified someone in a drawer in his room. The paper carried the scent of a non-beastman entity. If a dragon or wolf entered the room, they’d immediately detect the unfamiliar smell.

But burning the evidence wasn’t an option either. The smell of something burning would be just as suspicious.

So, Siol added an “owner recognition” spell to the existing “weight reduction,” “space expansion,” and “space connection” spells inside the pouch. He divided the inner space into two: one accessible to anyone, and the other only to Siol, the owner. Of course, he redrew and included the tracking spell he’d shown Eorzen that first day.

Since he hadn’t drawn a new spell but modified existing ones, the mana flow barely changed. He figured even a dragon wouldn’t notice the alteration, and fortunately, he was right.

It might sound like a flawless plan, but it was actually quite flimsy. If Eorzen had suspected Siol and turned the pouch inside out to examine the spells with his own eyes, he could have figured everything out.

It was a bit of a gamble, but luckily, Eorzen had only taken out the paper inside the pouch.

“I told you to only do what you can.”

“Huh?”

“That. You’re making that face because the paper hasn’t transferred, aren’t you?”

“Oh… Yeah. It hasn’t transferred.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to stress about it earlier?”

Under Eorzen’s reproachful gaze, Siol realized he’d been wearing a glum expression. But try as he might, he couldn’t smile. He was deceiving the blue dragon—the blue dragon who was even now looking at him with concern. And he’d have to keep deceiving him.

“It’s not that right now… I’m just a little tired.”

Siol yawned, set down his pen, and leaned deep into the sofa. Now that he’d said it, he actually felt tired.

“I’ll sleep a little…”

“Alright.”

As Siol closed his eyes to drift off, Eorzen pulled him closer, laying Siol’s head on his thigh. When Siol startled and tried to sit up, Eorzen placed a hand over his eyes, blocking the light, and whispered in a low voice.

“I’ll wake you before dinner.”

“…Okay.”

“Sleep well.”

In the darkness created by Eorzen’s hand, Siol blinked a few times before quietly closing his eyes.

The serene darkness and tranquil silence guided him into a deep sleep.