TDAA Ch 18

The reason Siol, who was dozing off, huddled under a blanket in front of the fireplace, woke up was the harsh sound of the door. Ryufen, who entered after kicking the door open and shaking off the cold from his fur, pushed Siol aside and took the spot in front of the fireplace, then subtly slipped his forepaw under Siol’s thigh. Startled by the cold pressing against him, Siol fully awoke and irritably pushed Ryufen away, but it was no use.

In the end, Siol gave up and instead reached out and began to massage Ryufen’s cold forepaw. It was better to hold it in his hand than to have something icy against his thigh.

While receiving a paw massage from Siol, Ryufen spoke to Eorzen.

“The temperature really drops here at night. Phew, there were more supplies than I expected, Captain.”

Eorzen, who was sitting on the sofa reading documents, looked up. His gaze lingered for a moment on the two wolves’ clasped hands before moving to Ryufen.

“They gave us a lot, celebrating Marsiga’s independence.”

“Lots of food, lots of clothes. There won’t be much left after distributing them to the city residents, but still, we won’t have to worry until supplies arrive from our city. But why did you throw such a large quantity outside the city?”

“…I told you I was busy.”

Eorzen said, frowning as if to block further questions, but Ryufen scoffed and ignored him. If it were another beastkin, the pressure would have been enough to make them hide their tail between their legs, but after decades together, it was nothing.

“What could you have been so suddenly busy with? Surely… not Sizool being out in just a cardigan?”

“…….”

“Of course, it would be troublesome if he caught a cold….”

Ryufen glanced at Eorzen suspiciously.

“But still, it wasn’t something to be that angry about, was it? No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have been angry, but you could have just dressed him and told him to be careful in the future, why did you have to pressure and scold him like that? Asios didn’t even do it on purpose.”

At the questioning, Eorzen, looking troubled, put down the documents he was holding and rubbed his forehead. Siol, who had been thinking the same thing as Ryufen, was also subtly observing the scene and waiting for an answer. But Eorzen couldn’t give an answer for a long time.

As if he didn’t know why he was angry himself.

“I had a hard time playing along with your story, Captain. Do you know how awkward it was for me to pretend to be angry while rattling on about how weak Sizool is? Thinking about how he might later treat me like an overprotective guardian…”

“…Ri… Wait, you just played along?”

Siol threw down Ryufen’s forepaw and shouted.

So, all that talk about his weakness back then was just to smooth things over? Even though he refuted everything and mocked his weak body for a beastkin?

For Siol, who had endured the embarrassing stories thinking that Ryufen was doing it for his sake, it couldn’t be anything but shocking news.

Ryufen tucked the paw Siol had thrown down under his chin and calmly nodded.

“Yes, since the Captain was quite angry, I played along, saying that what he did was worthy of anger. Even though it wasn’t true.”

“This… wicked wolf! Then you didn’t have to exaggerate so much!”

“No, it was necessary.”

“…What necessity?”

When Siol asked with narrowed eyes, Ryufen grinned.

“It was fun!”

“Fun—?!”

“You’re really something. He asks you to go out while you’re only wearing a cardigan, and you just blindly follow him? Sigh. Idiot.”

Even though he knew he was being teased, Siol couldn’t help but feel his blood boil. He jumped up and tried to stomp on Ryufen’s tail. However, Siol couldn’t properly stomp on the large wolf’s tail, which moved nimbly to avoid him.

Instead, Ryufen wagged his tail and chuckled, narrowly dodging Siol’s foot as if teasing him.

“I didn’t know we were going to a place like that! And Ryufen, you always bite the back of my neck and take me to strange places too!”

“That’s because it’s okay with me.”

“How can you say that? You— bad wolf! You wicked wolf!”

Unable to utter harsher curses like “Damn wolf” or worse, Siol spat out childish insults and took a deep breath, trembling as anger and frustration built up inside him. The desire to unleash a torrent of Korean curses at the scoundrel of a wolf and the awareness that he couldn’t do so in front of Eorzen clashed within him, resulting in a self-destructive stalemate.

Gritting his teeth, Siol grabbed his coat, scarf, and hat.

If he stayed here any longer, his brain would melt from the heat of his anger at that wicked wolf.

“Sizool? Where are you going?”

“Downstairs! I’ll be right back!”

Siol, who had unconsciously shouted in a high-pitched voice at Eorzen’s question, was startled by his own voice and glanced at him nervously.

“Bring me some water when you come back, Sizool.”

“No!”

But that resolve lasted only a moment. Siol, who had been hesitantly wondering if he should apologize, stomped out of the room at Ryufen’s annoying request. As the door slammed shut with a loud bang, Eorzen sensed Siol standing in front of the door, flinching and at a loss for what to do, before regaining his composure and walking down the hallway.

Eorzen, who was listening to the small footsteps and confirming that Siol was going down the stairs, was distracted by Ryufen. He had straightened his posture and was sitting upright, looking at Eorzen. He placed a forepaw on Eorzen’s knee and asked,

“Captain, let’s have a serious talk. What were you so angry about earlier?”

“…That’s…”

“Asios was wrong to take him outside without proper outerwear. But other than that, what’s the problem? Do you want Siol to be cooped up in his room and never come out? Only come out with you?”

“Ryufen!”

Eorzen called Ryufen in displeasure, but he didn’t stop.

“Even though he’s small and weak, he’s a child with his own will. If you overprotect him like that, he won’t grow into a proper wolf. He needs to get into trouble when he’s young to learn right from wrong and grow up well. Surely, Captain, you’re not planning to keep him under your wing even after he’s grown up, are you? He needs to learn to be independent so he can live on his own later.”

“…….”

“What are you going to do if he can’t eat by himself, can’t dress himself, can’t go for a walk by himself, and can’t even sleep without you?”

“…Be reasonable, Ryufen.”

“Like, Sizool won’t be able to eat properly without you, so you won’t be able to go to dragon gatherings, and later, you won’t be able to spend time alone with your mate…”

At the string of exaggerated future scenarios, Eorzen finally surrendered.

Rubbing his face, he realized that his anger earlier had been very unlike him. He prided himself on his cool rationality, so why had he gotten so angry over something so trivial? But the fact that Siol was only wearing a cardigan in this weather wasn’t something to be described as trivial.

“Alright, you’re right, Ryufen. I overreacted.”

“Since you admit it, I have to ask, could it have been a precursor to a frenzy?”

“…What?”

He asked back in surprise, but Eorzen also had a hunch.

Frenzies didn’t always come in the same way. Usually, the precursory symptoms included heightened senses and the feeling of residual magic churning inside his body as if about to explode, but sometimes only some senses became heightened, making him irritable.

“Indeed. That’s possible.”

“Right? The Captain I know wouldn’t normally get angry over something like that.”

“Yes. I don’t feel the churning of residual magic, but a frenzy is unpredictable. Oh dear… The timing is bad.”

It would be quite troublesome to have a frenzy in another city. Depending on the type of frenzy, he could completely destroy the city. But if he returned to his city to face the frenzy, that would be a loss of face. Returning after patrolling the surrounding cities might look like he was running away.

“It seems finding your mate takes precedence over reclaiming the surrounding cities. How does that ‘feeling’ feel right now?”

The last time Ryufen had questioned Eorzen, who was staying only in the castle, Eorzen had answered that he was fine as he was. He wasn’t anxious even though he was staying in the castle, so it was like he was moving in the right direction.

But now his heart was beating erratically, he couldn’t hide his anxiety, and a sense of loss, as if he had lost something important, tightened his chest. It was a mystery how he hadn’t been aware of it until now.

As soon as he became aware of it, the sensation urged him strongly. To retrieve it quickly.

“…I need my mate right now.”

“I knew it!”

Ryufen, who had been inwardly anxious seeing Eorzen remain inactive despite saying that the mate’s star had appeared, jumped up and exclaimed excitedly.

“Yes. Starting tomorrow, I must go around and look for my mate. I wonder why I thought it was okay until now. I can’t stand it, I want to see them right away….”

“What can I do? Shall I have the others gather everyone in this city towards the Tower of Survival?”

“I can’t let my mate be treated like that. Forget it. You… for the time being, assume there won’t be a war and focus on Marsiga’s restoration. I don’t need to make eye contact to recognize my mate. I just need to see them. Starting tomorrow, I’ll go around the surrounding cities and see as many beastkin as possible… no, even if I have to go to human cities…”

The thought that this stabbing pain in his chest was proof of his mate’s existence made even the pain feel lovely.

Eorzen took a deep breath and said to Ryufen.

“Anyway, I’ll take care of that, so Ryufen, just know that I won’t be able to focus on Knights’ business for a while.”

“Of course! I’ll handle everything well.”

Eorzen wasn’t the only one whose heart was racing with hope for the being he had sought for so long and then given up on for so long. The wolf, who had served him for a long time, also had a beaming face, as if he couldn’t contain his excitement.

Watching this, Eorzen suddenly had a strange thought.

“By the way, Ryufen. Did you… perhaps deliberately send Sizool out earlier?”

“Huh? Ah. Yes, that’s right. Last time, Sizool fainted and was out cold for days because of you going berserk, so I thought he might get scared hearing about it again. That’s why I teased him a bit on purpose to make him angry and leave.”

“…I didn’t know you had that kind of consideration.”

“Wouldn’t you say I’m a rather mature wolf?”

As Ryufen puffed out his chest and lifted his chin, his chest fur bristled up. Eorzen shook his head at the gesture that seemed to boast of himself.

“…Ryufen, if you find the kid cute, you need to just treat him nicely…”

“Actually, Sizool enjoys it when I tease him like this, so it’s alright.”

“…….”

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Perhaps it was because of the late hour. The first floor was filled with a chill, and not a single spark of fire could be seen. Although the wolf’s body wasn’t bothered by the darkness, the cold air that brushed against his cheeks was so frigid that he regretted coming out. However, he couldn’t go back in a minute after coming out like that.

Siol calmly crossed the hall and headed for the dining room.

He was told to fetch some water, but he had absolutely no intention of doing such an errand.

Actually, he didn’t particularly dislike bringing a glass of water to Ryufen, but he was so annoyed by the way he teased him and then acted so brazen that he didn’t want to do anything for him.

When should he go back up so he could maintain some pride? Should he wait until Eorzen came to get him?

As he was crouching on a chair, lost in these thoughts, he suddenly heard a clattering sound from behind.

“Master Sizool? Why are you here at this hour?”

It was Asios who appeared in the darkness. Even though he was in Marsiga, a place he could call home, he was staying in the dormitory, saying that his status as a member of the Knights was a higher priority than his status as the chieftain’s son. Thanks to Eorzen and Ryufen’s consideration, he spent his daytime helping the chieftain manage the city, and when evening came, he returned to eat dinner with them, sleep, or stand guard.

“You shouldn’t be in such a cold place with such a frail body.”

Before Siol could make any excuses, Asios set the box he was carrying down on the dining table where Siol was sitting, then dashed outside and returned with a portable stove-like thing that was lit. It seemed like he had snatched it from a knight standing guard outside. Even while hearing loud protests, Asios pointed inside without flinching. To be precise, at Siol. The knight who had been standing guard saw Siol crouching on the dining room chair and nodded, then closed his mouth.

There was no doubt that the words “frail” and such were exchanged there again.

If he tried to deny it, he would have to talk about the incident where Eorzen flew into an unreasonable rage. He’d rather be a frail wolf than spread such a story about the blue dragon.

Siol sighed deeply and decided to just accept the situation.

Meanwhile, Asios, carrying the portable stove, came up to Siol and placed it at his feet. The flames crackled orange, spreading warmth. It wasn’t as warm as the blue dragon’s flames, but it was enough to keep his feet from freezing.

“But really, why are you here alone?”

“…I came out.”

As Siol hugged his knees, implying he didn’t want to talk much, Asios, as if to say he wouldn’t pry, spread his hands and started to do his own thing. He opened the box and took out the contents, fetched water from somewhere and poured it into a kettle, which he placed on the stove, and then took tea leaves out of a round container.

Siol watched in fascination as Asios warmed the teacups, brewed the tea once and discarded it, then brewed it again and divided it into two small teacups.

Asios pushed one of the teacups towards Siol.

“Are you… giving it to me?”

“Try it.”

The scent, which he was smelling for the first time, somehow felt soothing.

As he took a sip from the warm teacup, a deep, grassy aroma, as if he were somewhere in the forest, enveloped him. It wasn’t a raw smell, but a fragrant… surprisingly elegant aroma. A warm cup of tea in the cold surprisingly relaxed Siol’s mind.

Asios smiled and refilled the empty cup.

“New beastmen all enjoy tea. They say it’s a leftover habit from when they were birds, enjoying the scent of flowers, but I don’t know if that’s true. There were some tea leaves in the supplies the Captain received this time, so I snuck some. Since there are many bird beastmen in Marsiga, I guess they included it on purpose. The Captain doesn’t like green tea, and my brothers wouldn’t know how to enjoy tea anyway, so I was going to drink it secretly by myself, but it seems like Master Siol knows how to appreciate tea.”

“The aroma is very nice.”

“The Vice-Captain asked what the difference was between that and plain water.”

“It’s completely different!”

“Exactly.”

A wolf’s nose should be sensitive to the scent of tea, but why wasn’t that the case? Maybe it was due to personality. It was hard to imagine that dull and brazen wolf enjoying the aroma of tea.

“Ryufen is usually like that. He’s mean, always teasing.”

“Did the Vice-Captain do something to you?”

“He does it all the time! He teases me all the time…. But I can’t beat him. I always lose.”

“Could I hear what he said, if you don’t mind?”

Siol almost spilled everything to the man who leaned in earnestly.

He felt so relaxed, it was as if the tea had been spiked with a truth serum or alcohol. Watching Siol open his mouth and then close it again, Asios slowly nodded.

“If you’re uncomfortable talking about it, you don’t have to. I know what kind of person the Vice-Captain is. But if you don’t tell me, I can’t help you….”

“Help me?”

“Yes. If there’s anything I can do.”

It wasn’t so much that he was tempted by those words, but rather that he really wanted to vent his complaints about Ryufen.

Siol thought for a moment and figured it would be okay as long as he left out the story about Eorzen.

“When I first arrived, he started barbecuing in the morning. He never did that when Master Eorzen was around. As soon as Master Eorzen left in the morning, he suddenly started barbecuing a lot in the garden and told me to eat it all. Keep eating, keep eating….”

“Oh dear.”

“But after I ate as much as I could, he suddenly started chasing me. I felt like my stomach was going to burst, but since he was chasing me from behind, I couldn’t help but run…. So I ran hard, but he kept chasing me, and then I threw up….”

“You threw up because you ran after eating?”

Asios was looking at Siol with disbelief.

“That’s what I’m saying. After eating, you need to rest for a bit, but Ryufen made me run….”

“I see….”

“And then he took me to a shop and said that since I threw up, I had to eat again, and he ordered a ton of food.”

Siol frowned, recalling the horrific overeating of that day. Glancing at Asios, he saw him nodding seriously.

“At that time, Ryufen went grocery shopping, so I called a little kid who was playing nearby and ate with him. It was a small wolf named Edot, and luckily, he ate more than me. If it weren’t for him, my stomach would have exploded. Actually, even though we shared it like that, I had indigestion for a few days…”

“Indigestion…”

“Yes, it was because of Ryufen!”

As Siol slammed the tea in one gulp, Asios refilled the cup, looking at him strangely.

“And now, after teasing me so much, he tells me to fetch water as I’m about to leave in anger!”

“Ah. He definitely did that on purpose.”

Once the talk of food was over, Asios finally took a more active stance in the conversation. Until now, he had looked somewhat incredulous, but this time, he nodded with certainty.

“Right? I think he did it on purpose to anger me. I’m not bringing him any water.”

At Siol’s resolute words, Asios seemed to think for a moment, then smiled and leaned towards Siol, proposing in a quiet voice as if sharing a secret. As if offering a dangerous deal.

“Although I grew up as an only child, I’ve lived a rough life in the Knights since I was young, as you can see. At first, because I grew up pampered, I was just taken advantage of when I joined, but I’ve learned a few tricks. Would you like to try my advice? It’s a bit childish, but you have to treat a childish wolf childishly.”

How would growing up in the Knights be an advantage in a childish fight with Ryufen?

Siol was bewildered. Then he recalled the knights who had been loitering near the barracks when he went to retrieve the necklace with Eorzen, chirping like telltales when Eorzen appeared. And when Siol was first rescued by Eorzen, the knight who mercilessly retaliated by striking him, claiming his wings had brushed against him while robbing the cabin, and the knight who immediately clenched his fists and lunged at him.

Back then, he had found them scary, but now that he thought about it, they were no different from elementary school kids, like Ryufen’s clones, those childish brawlers….

Suddenly, his trust soared infinitely.

“Tell me. I’ll do as you say!”

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Siol, who returned much later, fortunately seemed to be in a better mood. Since it was late, there was no fire in the dining room, and he was frozen stiff. If he hadn’t bundled up, he might have gotten frostbite somewhere. Ryufen went to open the door when he knocked since Siol wouldn’t come in, and he found Siol holding two large mugs in his hands.

Seeing that, Ryufen glanced at Eorzen and snorted haughtily.

See? I told you he likes me.

Eorzen felt as if he could hear that voice.

Siol couldn’t see Ryufen’s face, but he could somehow sense that he was showing off to Eorzen.

“Well done, Siol. Good job running that errand.”

“Here you go.”

Siol handed the mug filled with cold water to Ryufen, who was using a strangely unpleasant tone – like an elementary school teacher saying, “Good job.” What was with that weird attitude? Despite Siol’s dubious expression, Ryufen just smiled contentedly and drank the water Siol brought him.

This time, it was Eorzen’s turn. Siol smiled bashfully and approached him.

“Sizool, if you don’t like it, you should say so properly…”

“Here, Master Eorzen, have some too.”

The mug Siol offered contained warm tea with a subtle fragrance. A small flower bloomed and swayed gently in the faintly green tea.

Unlike Ryufen’s.

“As I was sitting in the dining room, Asios came down with a big box! He said it was tea-making equipment, so I watched him. He put the cups on a large plate first, poured hot water over them to warm them… He put tea leaves in the teacups, poured water, and discarded the first brew. He said the second brew tastes the best. This is the second brew too. I made it!”

There was a stark difference between cold water and carefully brewed warm tea. Eorzen, momentarily dazed, accepted the mug, and Siol, throwing off his hat, scarf, and coat, sat down next to him.

“The aroma is nice.”

“Right? It was my first time brewing tea, but I was praised for doing a good job.”

“You did well, Sizool.”

He could tell that the “well” didn’t just refer to the tea. He thought he might be scolded for acting childish, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Actually, Ryufen was the most childish, so if anyone should be scolded, it should be Ryufen, the older of the two acting childish. A child acting childish is just acting their age.

Siol, whose soul, if not his body, was not young, thought brazenly and smiled bashfully.

Just then, Ryufen, with a displeased expression, approached Siol with a swaggering gait like a delinquent and nudged his knee with his nose.

“Where’s mine?”

It was obvious just by looking, but he was so shameless.

Siol pushed his nose away with his palm and turned his head away.

“I heard wolves don’t really like tea.”

“Then you should have at least brought warm water! Cold water in this freezing weather? My tongue will freeze off!”

“What do I care.”

“What?”

Flames flickered in the large wolf’s eyes. Looking at those eyes filled with betrayal and shock, Siol chuckled inwardly.

Asios’s solution, saying it’s best to respond to childishness with childishness, had worked perfectly. Perhaps this was his first victory in his battle with Ryufen.

Ryufen, who was looking at Siol, reveling in his inner victory, with narrowed eyes, suddenly burst out laughing.

“Even so, the ‘Master Eorzen’ you adore won’t be able to play with you for a while.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The Captain has to go look for his destined mate starting tomorrow~. He’ll be so busy that I’ll be the only one to play with you.”

“Destined… mate.”

Right. Eorzen had a destined mate, a mate he was bound to fall in love with upon meeting.

Siol couldn’t understand why this fact was making him feel suffocated right now.

At the Stargazing Tower, the blue dragon had smiled happily, saying that his destined mate’s star had finally appeared.

He knew that for the blue dragon, a destined mate wasn’t just someone he loved, but a lifeline. If he met his destined mate, he wouldn’t go berserk anymore, and the blue dragon, who had been alone for so long, could finally spend his days without loneliness.

The people living in Eorzen’s city wouldn’t have to run away every time he went berserk, and Ryufen wouldn’t have to be anxious by his side, suspecting a rampage. It would also reduce one element of uncertainty in this war.

It was positive in every way.

“Did you… feel something?”

“Not yet. But I felt like… it was time to meet them.”

“It’s probably because they are close by.”

“Probably.”

Eorzen agreed, sipping his tea. The faint smile that accompanied his words was probably due to the excitement of meeting his future mate. It was a dazzlingly beautiful smile, but at the same time, it mercilessly struck the back of Siol’s head.

Betrayal, and jealousy. Pushing the sudden surge of emotions deep down, Siol managed to smile.

“Finally! I was wondering when Master Eorzen would go look for your mate.”

“Me too! I was so worried why you kept putting it off. You kept saying it wasn’t time yet, like an old man, so I was almost worried that you had gone a little crazy from not meeting your mate.”

Ryufen chimed in, poking his head forward. He seemed excited, as if he had forgotten what had just happened. His words were a bit harsh, but Siol could roughly understand his feelings.

“Back then, I really was fine, that’s all.”

“Yes, yes, I believe you now. It seems that feeling really depends on the time and place.”

“Yes. And now… I feel alright, somehow.”

As Eorzen tilted his head and spoke, Ryufen’s face was filled with horror.

“Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind?”

“No, it’s not that. I don’t want that fear… no, that sense of loss… no, that fear from earlier to come back again.”

He chose his words several times, but what remained was fear. It was a word Eorzen had never uttered before. When he left the city where dragons lived and settled on a barren mountain, when he drove out the monsters and declared his territory, when he first went berserk and had a terrible experience, Eorzen had never spoken the word fear. He had simply moved as if it were natural, shrugged off admiring glances, and endured the pain.

While Ryufen couldn’t hide his surprise at the existence of a destined mate who could draw the word “fear” from a dragon’s mouth, Siol was also caught in a strange feeling.

He felt a strange fear towards the destined mate who made the blue dragon know fear.

He would teach the blue dragon fear, deep love, and possessiveness. Would there be a place for him beside such a blue dragon?

Siol secretly took a deep breath so as not to be noticed.

He shouldn’t think of his current place as natural, as if it would last forever.

From the beginning, he hadn’t intended to stay in this comfortable place forever. Once he finished spreading the word about prosthetic limbs in Eorzen’s city and taught Burdril some alchemy, he would have to leave for the human lands to deal with the things he had done.

He had decided to do so, yet he was so reluctant to leave this place and afraid of losing it….

He knew the human heart was fickle, but he had to control his emotions, especially in this regard. Yes. It was the destined mate of the esteemed blue dragon, his benefactor.

If he were to meet that mate—

“I… I’ll make you rings.”

“Rings…?”

“Don’t beastmen exchange rings with their mates? Where I used to live, there was a custom for two people who decided to spend their lives together to exchange identical rings. It’s a way of marking each other as belonging to one another.”

Eorzen stretched out his hand, looked at his fingers intently. It seemed like nothing would please him more than to have a ring on his finger, matching his mate’s.

“That’s a wonderful custom.”

“Yes, I’ll make you some really amazing ones. Your mate could be human, right? So I’ll imbue them with powerful magic so you can protect yourself…! Ah. It would also be good to be able to communicate with each other. What do you think?”

“So we can contact each other even when we are apart?”

“Yes, anytime.”

“There’s no need for that. If I meet my mate… we will never be apart.”

Even so, wouldn’t it be too resolute to say he’d keep his mate by his side even during war? Siol was momentarily taken aback but decided it didn’t matter and just nodded.

“Then I’ll leave that out.”

Eorzen nodded in satisfaction and continued to look at Siol. His gaze seemed to urge him to continue. Glancing at Ryufen, he too was smiling contentedly at them.

Feeling pressured to keep talking, Siol just started blurting out whatever came to mind.

“I’ll also vacate the premises for you and your mate so Ryufen doesn’t disturb you.”

“Why would I be a disturbance?”

“You two can go to the market together and eat lots of street food. Buy lots of fruits and snacks for your mate…. And come back later so you don’t bother them if you return too early.”

“Right, let’s be good friends when the mate arrives. Since the Captain will only be spending time with his mate, we should take care of each other.”

Ryufen said, placing his paw on Siol’s knee. Listening to it, Siol’s words seemed plausible. No matter how high he set his expectations for the dragon’s obsession after finally meeting his mate, it wouldn’t be enough. The way it manifests would depend on the other person, but it was clear that they would demand time alone.

Hmm. It would be polite to give them space. Above all, he couldn’t leave the little one in the castle filled with all sorts of noises.

“And sometimes you two can sleep downstairs and come up to the castle in the morning.”

At those words, Siol, who had unintentionally imagined the night the blue dragon and his mate would spend together, curled his toes to ignore his heart, which had started to ache again.

“And.”

Siol met eyes with Eorzen, whose face was almost expressionless. Startled, Siol just stared back, and Eorzen asked again.

“And what else will you do?”

Siol racked his brains desperately, observing Eorzen’s expression.

“Uh… I can make alchemical tools imbued with various spells. If I take some time, I can also install a temperature control device in the castle…”

“Is this enough?” When he glanced at Eorzen again, he had narrowed his eyes and was giving him a look that demanded more. He certainly didn’t seem to be in a good mood. Why all of a sudden?

“Also… I can follow your mate around and make sure they have water, help them put on their boots, and… I can massage their feet if they get swollen…. And I’ll talk to them a lot so they don’t get bored in a new place. I’ll also make sure Ryufen doesn’t just serve meat dishes.”

“Stop, Sizool.”

Siol flinched at the subtle anger.

He wasn’t shouting, but it was clear he was irritated. He had just told him to say more, and now he was telling him to stop, so he didn’t know what to do with his sudden change of mood.

Did I say something wrong? Siol, frozen, replayed the words he had just spoken. He didn’t think he had said anything rude.

In the midst of the subtle atmosphere, Ryufen tilted his head and asked.

“Hmm… Could it be that you’re already jealous?”

“Did I say something that would make him jealous?”

“I don’t know, but they say a dragon’s possessiveness is beyond imagination….”

“Ah. That’s… that’s right.”

Siol finally understood.

He thought that the idea of massaging his mate’s feet and talking to them a lot might have been uncomfortable for the possessive blue dragon. So this is what a dragon’s possessiveness is like.

At the same time, Siol realized once again that he couldn’t be the blue dragon’s mate. Seeing him get angry at Siol, with whom he had built a relationship so far, for the sake of a mate he hadn’t even met, it was clear that he couldn’t be a contender. When the blue dragon met his mate, he would undoubtedly stay by their side, taking care of everything, and when the sun set, they would spend the night together. The guiding Siol had done so far would be nothing compared to the presence of a mate.

What happened to guides who became useless on Earth? They were definitely disposed of.

It wouldn’t be that extreme here, but it was clear that his life would be different.

“No, that’s not it.”

Eorzen, cutting him off firmly, seemed to choose his words for a moment, then grabbed Siol’s shoulders. Those slender, trembling shoulders.

“Sizool. I told you before, but I have no intention of making you wait on me.”

“…Yes?”

“You’re still so small and frail. You don’t have to do anything until your body is as healthy as an average beastman.”

Eorzen playfully continued to the dazed Siol.

“Yes… until you can jump from the third floor and be perfectly fine.”

“That’s impossible…!”

Siol instinctively retorted and lowered his head again. Eorzen gently stroked and straightened Siol’s shoulders, then cupped his cheek, as if stroking his neck. He had thought he needed to take care of this small beastman child so he wouldn’t tremble, yet why couldn’t he control his anger just now?

Eorzen gently stroked Siol’s cheek with his thumb and whispered as if sharing a secret.

“Then you have no choice but to stay in the castle and do nothing.”

“…I’ll teach alchemy. Burdril is a good student….”

“You can do what you want. But don’t ever think about waiting on anyone.”

“I’ll also make prosthetic limbs for the residents.”

“And?”

It was a different, affectionate “And?” than before. Siol smiled bashfully and shook his head.

Other than living as he was now, he had no other requests.

“Tell me anytime if you want something. Sizool, you can do anything, as much as you want, by my side.”

Perhaps these words were a momentary promise that would become a lie once he found his mate, but for now, Siol decided to go with the flow. As he nodded, Eorzen smiled and kissed Siol’s forehead.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Through his hazy consciousness, he felt someone tapping his back with a finger, tracing from his shoulder to his shoulder blade, and down below. It tickled and annoyed him, so he twisted his body and turned to the side, but a moment later, a hand grabbed his waist and pulled him back to his original position.

His cheek was pressed against firm skin, and his whole body touched the other person’s.

The moment he opened his sleepy eyes at the unfamiliar sensation, raised his head, and met Eorzen’s gaze, he was jolted awake.

“…E… Eorzen…”

Siol gasped and sat up. He was looking at the tattered curtains and the wardrobe with its broken door when a lightning bolt suddenly struck outside the window. Light flashed and disappeared through the window, followed by the sound of something collapsing, echoing all around.

He had seen this scene before.

Eorzen, who was lying next to him, pulled Siol’s waist, embraced him, and rested his cheek on his thigh. He had only seen that childlike, innocent smile once before.

Yes. The day the blue dragon went berserk.

As Siol trembled and looked down at Eorzen, he kissed Siol’s knee. When Siol flinched and tried to push him away, Eorzen, as if waiting for it, smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and climbed on top of Siol.

As if urging him to play a little more if he had the strength to push him away.

“Wait, hold on…!”

In an instant, Eorzen positioned himself between Siol’s legs, placed one of Siol’s legs on his shoulder, and, as if challenging him, pulled Siol’s hand and placed it on his chest. His expression said he knew that no matter how much Siol pushed, it would be useless.

Siol gasped and tried to collect himself.

Is this, is this a dream?

Is he dreaming of that day?

The scene felt even more unfamiliar to Siol because he had been consciously avoiding thinking about that day since Eorzen went berserk.

Siol felt his emotions turning towards Eorzen. But he considered it merely the emotional confusion that often followed guiding. He had seen countless lovers who fell for each other after guiding and got married, only to become indifferent shortly after. He had tried to forget, so as not to be swept away by momentary feelings.

Perhaps that was a misjudgment. The scene unfolding before him was clearly just a repetition of that day, yet it was unfamiliar, embarrassing, and disconcerting as if it were the first time, and he couldn’t bear it. If he had revisited it every day, would it not be so embarrassing?

Now he felt so ashamed that he wished it had been like that time. Because back then, he had approached the blue dragon with the firm resolve to guide him, and now, he felt like he had been suddenly thrown in front of the blue dragon.

But even so, there was something Siol could do now.

Siol repeated to himself the fact that he was a guide. He wasn’t the young Sizool now, but the adult Siol, and the guide Siyoon had been trained on how to handle espers on Earth.

The one who leads and controls the situation should be the guide, not the esper.

Siol pushed Eorzen’s shoulders hard with his feet, as if he was about to pounce at any moment. Losing his balance at the sudden resistance, Eorzen fell back halfway, but narrowed his eyes, as if to see how much longer Siol could keep this up.

Siol also knew that his resistance was meaningless. How could he possibly handle the blue dragon?

Running away was impossible, and avoiding it was pointless.

Siol lunged at Eorzen and kissed him. Eorzen seemed to hesitate for a moment, then grabbed the back of Siol’s head, pressed him down so he couldn’t pull back, and tilted his head. Siol had initiated the kiss, but it was Eorzen who entangled him. Their breaths mingled between their parted lips.

“Ugh…!”

Eorzen bit Siol’s lip and laughed in satisfaction.

How can I wake up?

Siol wondered how to keep Eorzen preoccupied with the kiss.

It might be strange to refuse now after having done more before, but he didn’t want to continue like this with the blue dragon anymore. After all, this man had a mate. It wasn’t morally right to do this with a man who had a mate….

Ah, morals aside, he couldn’t defile the blue dragon with a dream like this. Back then, he had the purpose of guiding, but now it was just his own desire.

Desire. Yes, desire….

It wasn’t right to harbor such desires. He was the Death Alchemist, and in the beastmen’s land, he was the little wolf saved by him….

“Uh, huh…!”

As a cold hand brushed up his back, Siol involuntarily flinched. He felt the corner of their joined lips twist.

He had to wake up before anything more happened, but what should he do?

As if sensing his thoughts of escape, Eorzen’s hand pulled Siol’s waist again, pressing their bodies tightly together. He liked being this close except on special occasions. The unfamiliar sensation of their sweat-drenched skin sticking together tormented Siol.

Back then, he was so out of it that he didn’t have time to feel these things one by one. He was too busy trying to guide him properly, more so than dealing with the approaching touch. But now, he was fully experiencing every single one of Eorzen’s touches.

No, was this movement and touch really Eorzen’s in the first place? Since this was a dream, maybe it was just moving as Siol imagined. But if so, why couldn’t he control it, even though it was a dream?

While he was being tossed around by Eorzen in confusion, he found himself sitting on Eorzen’s lap. He felt something hard.

Oh, this is really bad.

He was embracing Eorzen’s neck, captured by his burning blue eyes, when he thought his last thought.

A clear voice cut through his hazy, scattered vision and pulled Siol to the surface.

“Sizool?”

Siol shuddered and sat up, scrambling to the head of the bed. He pulled the blanket tight and hugged it, but it only brought psychological comfort. He knew what would happen next. Eorzen would grab his ankle, pull him down, snatch the blanket away, and throw it—.

“You’re drenched in sweat. Are you alright?”