Chapter 39

The doctor smelled what was in the bottle and even tasted it with his tongue. Then he asked again in surprise.

"They really took this?"

"Yes..."

"What is it?"

When the dragon interrupted, the doctor answered with a troubled face.

"It's poison."

"What?"

"One pill probably wouldn't endanger their life, but it's not something to be taken carelessly."

"Poison? That can't be, you definitely said it was a painkiller!"

Ramu was equally shocked.

At those words, the doctor laughed incredulously.

"Well, it could be used as a painkiller. Even if all your limbs were cut off and you were dying, one pill of this and you wouldn't feel much pain."

"..."

"Using this as medicine, that's something only mayflies who don't think about tomorrow would do. Where did your master get such medicine?"

Listening to the doctor's words, Asad realized the source of his sense of incongruity.

No wonder they had seemed fine even with broken fingers and ankle. They hadn't been pretending to be fine - they truly hadn't felt much pain.

"Well..."

The winged tribe servant explained tearfully that their master's condition had been poor since morning but had taken the medicine to participate in the test.

'So that was it.'

Jet's expression while listening to the servant said 'that explains it.'

He hadn't been seeing things wrong. This tough human had been standing there pretending to be fine with the help of medicine.

'I thought it was strange how a nearly dead human appeared perfectly fine.'

He hadn't thought of painkillers because the dragon hadn't permitted prescribing medicine to the human. There was no record of them requesting and receiving medicine from the main palace either. Yet they had been carrying such medicine.

They really weren't ordinary. Jet realized once again how different this human was from other omegas raised in greenhouses. Unlike their seemingly sturdy appearance, this human was the type who would cut their own flesh if it served their purpose.

If that was good... rather the opposite.

The dragon was already unstable. What such a dragon needed was a stable and sensible mate. Not a human who would unhesitatingly take even poison when necessary.

The doctor put down the medicine bottle and said:

"Since they've taken this, we can't prescribe other medicine for several days. It would become poison in this state. However, surgery without painkillers also risks death from shock..."

The doctor looked at the dragon as if seeking permission.

"Don't let them die."

It was an indifferent voice.

"If they die like this... it would be too easy, wouldn't it?"

Asad approached the bedside. Everyone could see the white light gathering in his hand. It was a sign of magic.

Finally, the light-covered hand touched the blood-covered face.

"..."

After a moment, Asad frowned.

"What is this."

The human's injured face remained unchanged.

The white hand touching the human's cheek glowed again. However, still nothing changed.

"...Lord Asad?"

Though Jet called out in confusion, Asad didn't answer.

The magic wasn't working.

This situation was the first. No, was it the first? Something felt familiar about it...

'Restrictions.'

Yes, it felt similar to when hitting against restrictions.

Meanwhile, blood continuing to flow from the human had soaked the sheets. The hesitating doctor spoke up.

"Lord Asad. If we delay in this state, their life is in danger. What should we do?"

Asad's fist clenched.

Since becoming aware he was a dragon, he had been able to do almost everything as he wished. Fixing a broken toy should have been simple. Yet why was nothing ever going his way with this human?

Just then.

"...do it."

A cracked voice was heard. Its owner was none other than the human lying on the bed.

As swollen eyelids opened with difficulty, unfocused black eyes were revealed. The doctor approached the bed in surprise.

"Are you conscious?"

"...Surgery, do it."

The human seemed to have heard their earlier conversation. Though they looked no different from a corpse, their tone was unmistakably calm.

"The painkiller's effects... are still there."

The doctor shook his head.

"If you took this medicine this morning, the effects will wear off during surgery. Then we'll have to stitch living flesh without the help of painkillers. It will be unbearable."

Their whole body was battered. When the painkiller's effects wore off, the rushing pain could stop their heart.

However, the human was firm.

"Do it."

When the doctor hesitated, the human shifted their gaze. As if knowing who the final decision maker was.

Asad, who had been staring at those black eyes, looked away.

"Do it."

With permission finally given, the doctor took out an incense from his bag.

"This is called dream incense. When you smell it, your mind becomes hazy and you dream."

Asad knew this item too. Made by the scaled tribe who were skilled in medicine manufacturing, it was one of the things he had tried when gathering everything said to be good for sleep.

Though it had seemed effective at first, it stopped working after using it once or twice, as if he had developed immunity.

But for a human rather than a dragon, it would work well multiple times.

"Though it doesn't directly remove pain like painkillers, won't it be somewhat more bearable if you think it's happening in a dream? At least better than feeling the pain of flesh being stitched with a clear mind."

The doctor seemed to have no intention of seeking the human's consent as he immediately lit the incense. In truth, there was no time. They had already lost too much blood, and further delay would be dangerous.

As sweet smoke spread, Jet and Ramu covered their noses with their sleeves. If they stayed here, they too would fall into dreams. Finally, both left the room to avoid interference.

Only the doctor, immune to dream incense, and Asad the dragon remained. However, Asad also had to leave the room as the doctor's hands kept shaking from consciousness of Asad's gaze.

"Lord Asad. Shall we return to the main palace now?"

Jet carefully spoke to Asad who was standing there somewhat blankly.

Was it his imagination? Though this was his doing, for some reason the dragon wore an expression like a lost child with nowhere to go.

'Is it because this is his first time encountering someone his magic doesn't work on?'

It was a situation where the nearly omnipotent dragon was helplessly unable to do anything. It was understandable to be confused, experiencing this for the first time since realizing he was a dragon.

That aside, it was certainly strange that Asad's healing magic didn't work on the human. Jet thought he should look into the human separately as he called to Asad again.

"Lord Asad."

"I'm not deaf."

Asad frowned irritably. As if he had no idea what expression he had been wearing just moments ago.

Seeing him act like his usual self, Jet was secretly relieved.

"Let's go. It's cramped and smelly here."

Pressing his brow as if having a headache, Asad strode ahead with large steps.

* * *

Kinaine was dreaming.

Usually, people don't know they're dreaming while dreaming. However, Kinaine immediately knew this was a dream. Because the man was standing before his eyes.

"...Helio."

"Yes, Your Highness."

A gentle response came to his choked call.

So this had to be a dream. Because in reality, no matter how much he called, he never answered.

But even a dream was good. Kinaine hurriedly took in the sight of the man before him as if he might disappear at any moment.

The man, Helio, looked incomparably different from when they first met.

His skin covered in black scales that gleamed like reptilian hide remained the same. However, when he straightened his back that had always been hunched, his height a head taller than others and his thick frame became prominent. His eyes that had always been full of anxiety no longer showed any wavering. His golden eyes, bright as the sun, gave as straight an impression as his posture.

Wearing a knight's uniform instead of worn clothes, the man looked every bit the splendid knight to anyone who saw him. Now no one would remember the monster who had only blinked stupidly while being beaten by people.

'Helio...'

Kinaine wanted to embrace his lover and kiss him right away. Since his cruel lover rarely appeared even in dreams, who knew when he would see him again if not now.

However, his body wouldn't move as he wished. No matter how hard he tried, he could barely move a finger.

Could he not do as he wished even in a dream?

It seemed this dream was merely a replay of the past, not allowing Kinaine's intervention.

Though Kinaine felt so wronged he could cry, contrary to his feelings, his eyes remained completely dry.