Chapter 76

Everything happened in an instant.

By the time he realized the situation, he was already far from the ground. Even without the enormous claws, similar to those of a bird of prey but incomparably larger, holding his upper body immobile, he couldn't have done anything from this height.

A magical beast? That was his first thought. But it seemed strange that a magical beast would roam so freely here where the dragon resided. Moreover, this being didn't emit any of the evil energy characteristic of magical beasts.

But if not a magical beast, what could it be? He wanted to turn his head to get a proper look, but his position made it impossible. Only a flash of silver caught the edge of his vision. If he hadn't seen wrong, they were definitely scales like those you'd see on fish or snakes.

Something tried to surface in his mind, but it remained hazy like a mirage, never taking clear form. The landscape passing by fast enough to leave afterimages and the rough sound of wind interfered with his thoughts.

Kinaine muttered unconsciously.

"Surely you're not thinking of eating me? Eating something like me would make you terribly sick."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a grunt sounded from above. It was as if it understood his words and was snorting in derision.

Kinaine felt a sense of déjà vu.

"Lord Asad?"

The moment the words escaped without passing through thought, the force constricting his body disappeared.

"Ah."

Before he could say anything more, Kinaine began falling.

Splash!

Fortunately, there was a lake directly below. Thanks to this he avoided having all his bones shattered, but the impact with the water's surface made him lose consciousness.

The night lake accepted the man's body without resistance and pulled him deep inside. His body, unable to overcome the weight of the water, sank helplessly downward.

Fortunately, Kinaine opened his eyes not long after. He immediately began swimming upward upon assessing the situation.

But he was already too deep. Before he could move his limbs even a few times, bubbles escaped from his lips. Though he urgently covered his mouth, as a human, there was a limit to how long he could endure underwater.

'...!'

Realizing time was running out, he swam more desperately. However, unfortunately, he reached his limit before he could escape the lake.

He couldn't hold on any longer.

Though knowing they shouldn't, people who are drowning instinctively try to breathe through their mouth. Kinaine was no different. His unconsciously opened mouth filled his lungs with water instead of clean air.

Bubble bubble. Water bubbles continuously poured from his open mouth. Watching his last breath scatter futilely, he thought.

Is this how I die?

Though he had known his life would end soon, he hadn't expected it to end this quickly, in this way.

Like most people facing imminent death, Kinaine felt belated regret.

'If I had known... should I have at least kissed him one last time?'

Through his blurry vision, he saw something silver wavering. It was the ring that had come out from where he had hidden it inside his clothes when he fell into the water.

The silver used to make this ring was special, emitting a slight light even in darkness like now. Kinaine's gaze turned to the engraving inside the ring. Unlike its exterior worn down during several rough years, the engraving inside remained clearly visible.

'Your Highness, what is eternity?'

A voice from the past suddenly crossed his mind.

The past Helio had been a quick learner, but he had difficulty understanding abstract concepts that couldn't be seen or touched.

But on the day he put this ring on him, he had said:

'Now I know. What eternity means.'

Did the current Asad know too? Or had he forgotten that realization along with his other memories...

His thoughts scattered like his breath dissolving into bubbles. Kinaine's eyes slowly closed. Just as his body began sinking back into the dark waters.

He felt something. It was like a gaze, like a call. It was a sensation felt in some realm of instinct that couldn't be expressed in words. Kinaine painfully opened his eyes.

The first thing that entered his hazy vision was a bright silver light. At first he thought it was the light from the ring, but it wasn't. The ring's light was too weak to shine this brightly.

Kinaine's eyes took in an enormous being shining as bright as the moon in the darkness.

Though it was a being he had never seen before in his life, strangely it felt familiar, as if he had seen it for a long time. Was it because he had swallowed too much water and lost his mind? Or was it because the two eyes as large as suns staring intently at him contained a familiar color?

He unconsciously tried to reach out his hand, but lost consciousness again.

***

"Cough, cough!"

As soon as Kinaine opened his eyes, he frantically spat out water while bracing against the ground. Since he hadn't eaten much, everything that came out was water.

After throwing up all the water in his stomach, his strength was spent. He collapsed in that spot, all strength leaving his body. He felt wet soil and grass against his back, and saw the moon shining faintly in the night sky. Which meant...

"I'm alive..."

"If you had died, I would have killed you."

At the cold voice from behind, Kinaine tried to get up in surprise. But lacking strength in his body, he started to collapse again mid-rise.

Just as he was about to face-plant into the ground, a strong force grabbed his arm and set him upright. Kinaine turned his head.

"...Lord Asad."

The black eyes that confirmed who it was immediately grew wide.

"Are you alright?"

When Kinaine asked unconsciously, Asad stared down at him as if seeing something very strange. But Kinaine had reason for his concern. For some reason, Asad's complexion looked worse than his own, though he had nearly drowned. His face even had a bluish tint like someone greatly shocked, so he couldn't help but feel worried.

However, before Kinaine could express more concern.

Rip, Asad tore Kinaine's upper clothes.

"What...!"

Before the startled Kinaine could stop him, Asad threw away the torn clothing with an expressionless face and tried to remove Kinaine's pants as well.

"What are you doing!"

"Let go."

"I don't want... cough!"

He was so startled he choked. At the sudden coughing sound, Asad's hand reaching for the pants froze as if hardened. Kinaine didn't see it, but the golden eyes looking at him were shaking greatly, unlike usual.

"Ah!"

Kinaine let out a surprised gasp. Asad had suddenly put his hands under his armpits and lifted him up.

The reason Kinaine didn't resist was because Asad's expression looked so unwell. With a serious face, he turned Kinaine this way and that, examining him thoroughly. Though he had become somewhat used to being lifted as if he weighed nothing, this was different.

What in the world is he doing...

Unable to understand Asad's actions, Kinaine lost his words. He was also conscious of his scars being completely exposed in the bright moonlight.

Meanwhile, having thoroughly checked Kinaine's condition, Asad finally took a deep breath as if releasing held breath. Then he started getting angry again.

"This is truly outrageous! Nearly dying just from being in water for a few minutes!"

To the dragon raging as if greatly wronged, Kinaine calmly replied.

"Lord Asad, humans cannot breathe in water."

"Pathetic!"

Had he forgotten that not only humans but also other spirits except the scaled tribe couldn't breathe in water? Though he had only stated the obvious, Asad stomped his feet in irritation. All the while he didn't put Kinaine down, so his body shook along with each stomp.

Kinaine was bewildered, not knowing why Asad was so angry. If he had to guess the reason, perhaps he was upset because his recent favorite toy had nearly broken. But...

"Why are you angry? Weren't you the one who dropped me in the water, Lord Asad?"

"..."

"'That' was you, wasn't it, Lord Asad?"

It was strange to throw something and then get angry about it breaking. That's what Kinaine was saying.

"That..."

Facing the calm gaze looking at him, confusion settled on Asad's face. Though everyone else couldn't say anything when he got angry, this human always said what he wanted to say without his expression changing.

Despite being so weak that he couldn't breathe in water and would pant for breath after just a little kissing, he was surprisingly fearless.

Asad chewed his lips repeatedly before finally bursting out, unable to contain his indignation.

"...That was just to wash off the perfume smell!"