Chapter 103

After hesitating briefly at those words, Asad immediately left the room and personally caught each of the doctors who had fled the dragon palace at news of "the dragon going mad" to examine the human's condition.

But everyone who came out of the room where the human was simply shook their heads with gloomy expressions.

"We apologize, Lord Asad."

All the dragon palace doctors were highly skilled and had been confident they could cure any disease. But that was only when the cause was illness.

"The bride candidate's blindness is due to demonic energy poisoning. As mere doctors, we don't know how to cure it."

Asad listened to the doctor with a cold face. Under the dragon's icy gaze, the doctor's shoulders gradually shrank.

"As far as I know, there is only one way to remove demonic energy without physical damage - purification. Since this is Lord Shinsurial's ability, perhaps you could request his help?"

Why would Asad not have thought of that?

He had sought out Shinsurial as soon as he realized the human's blindness was caused by demonic energy.

But when he arrived at the scaled tribe's territory, Shinsurial was in a deep sleep at the bottom of the sea.

When Asad tried to forcibly wake him, Shinsurial's servants urgently stopped him. They persuaded him that Shinsurial wouldn't wake even if called, and even if he did wake, he wouldn't be able to use his purification power.

Shinsurial wasn't in ordinary sleep. When Asad had become demonized, he had used his purification ability beyond its limits to protect others from demonic energy. As a result, he had exhausted all his energy and fallen into a death-like state.

Though it was fortunate there weren't many injuries at the dragon palace, now no one knew how long the only being with purification ability would sleep.

Asad's clenched fist tightened.

'If I were full-grown...'

A full-grown dragon's magic was incomparably stronger than his current level. Removing demonic energy wouldn't be difficult either.

But Asad hadn't reached that level yet. Though he had tried several times, the human's eyes didn't recover.

No, if he had been full-grown in the first place, he wouldn't have been controlled by demonic energy at all.

'And whether due to the demonic energy or not, the bride candidate's strength seems greatly diminished. Though I don't know much about human bodies, his pulse is weak and his body cold - it seems he needs long-term nourishment.'

The doctor's diagnosis wasn't wrong since Kinaine's weakened state was due to demonic energy. However, the dragon palace doctors all knew little about human bodies and couldn't accurately diagnose Kinaine's serious condition.

"I'm taking care of that part myself, so you may go."

The doctor hurriedly left, perhaps fearing Asad might grab him again.

"All of them useless."

Asad spat out the words as if grinding them.

Those words were partly directed at himself too.

Frowning, Asad strode toward his bedroom where the human was.

Finding nowhere else suitable to move him, he had left him in the bedroom, and three days had passed like that. During that time, Asad had done everything himself - bathing, feeding, and putting to bed the sightless human.

'Though it's bothersome and troublesome, there's no choice since the servants haven't returned yet.'

Of course, the servants who had fled at news of the dragon regaining his senses had returned one by one, and by today, the fourth day, things were almost back to normal, but Asad thought whatever he pleased as usual.

"Ahem."

After pacing in front of his bedroom door for a while, Asad swallowed a sigh and knocked. Having to knock to enter his own bedroom couldn't be more inconvenient. But after seeing the human startle violently, he had been deliberately making noise.

Soon a voice came from inside the room.

"Yes."

When Asad opened the door and entered, he saw the human sitting by the bed. Though he immediately turned his head toward where Asad was, looking closely, one could tell his eyes weren't focused.

"What did the doctor say?"

"...They're all useless."

As if that one answer was enough, the human didn't ask further. Feeling somehow urgent, Asad quickly continued.

"Just be patient a little longer. When the scaled tribe's leader wakes, we should be able to cure it then."

"When will Lord Shinsurial wake?"

"..."

He couldn't promise anything.

Shinsurial was a spirit who had existed since the first dragon. The lifespan of spirits with such great power was unfathomably long. Long enough that sleeping for several decades wouldn't be a problem.

Humans only lived 100 years, no, 90 years, hadn't they said? Perhaps Shinsurial would only open his eyes after the human's lifespan had ended.

"If he doesn't wake by the change of seasons, I'll find some way to wake him."

Of course, he didn't know if a forcibly awakened Shinsurial could use his purification power, but he didn't mention that. He didn't want to see the human make that lost child expression again.

But even if Asad had said that, the human wouldn't have shown such an expression.

Like now.

"I see. I understand."

Though the human's face was utterly calm, Asad's brow furrowed as he looked at it.

Anyone else would have broken down crying when they lost their sight. But the human consistently acted composed in front of him.

This response wasn't normal. But it would also be strange to grab the human's collar and shake him demanding honesty.

Shouldn't it be convenient for him if the human wasn't whining? Yet he couldn't understand why his heart felt so uncomfortable.

Pressing his fingers hard against his eyelids, Asad soon strode over and lifted the human into his arms.

"Ah."

"Let's go bathe for now."

The human had been soaking in the dragon's private bath every morning. Even without the doctor's words, Asad too had felt the human's strength was weaker than before.

Though he could have lifted him with magic, Asad deliberately held the human in his arms. The startled human flailed before wrapping his arms around Asad's neck. Asad's lips twitched at this.

As the dragon strode outside, the human whispered in a small voice.

"Lord Asad, I can bathe by myself."

"How could you by yourself? Last time when I let you try alone, you insisted on going to the deep end and nearly drowned."

"..."

Unable to argue against his record, the human fell silent.

"Really troublesome."

"I'm sorry."

He hadn't meant to hear an apology... when the human grew quiet at his habitual grumbling, it bothered him. Not just bothered - his chest stung like being pricked with needles. It was one of the symptoms he often felt when with the human since the rut.

Just as Asad was once again realizing the location of his conscience that he hadn't known existed, the human resting his face against his chest sighed faintly.

"This wasn't what I intended."

Though it was a very quiet mutter to himself, Asad with his keen hearing caught it.

What wasn't intended? Obviously becoming blind wasn't the human's intention.

Though curious, his pride wouldn't let him show interest by asking.

They soon arrived at the bath. Though he could have used magic, he had deliberately walked.

He just happened to feel like walking a bit. Using magic continuously was tiring too.

'Definitely not because I wanted to hold this one longer or anything like that.'

Asad made excuses to himself that no one else could hear.

Unaware of Asad's thoughts, the human blinked rapidly as if smelling the now-familiar scent of water. As if doing so would let him see what was in front of him.

"I'm putting you down."

"Yes."

Asad set the human down and moved to help him undress. Or rather, tried to help.

"I can do it myself."

When Asad's hands touched his upper clothes, the human quickly stepped back.

A crooked smile formed on Asad's face.

"Why, do you dislike my touch?"

"That's not it..."

The human lowered his eyes and was silent for a moment.

"If I'm going to remain blind like this, I need to get used to doing things alone."

"Why? I..."

Asad closed his mouth then corrected his words.

"There are servants. Have them do it. They've just returned to the dragon palace, should I call them?"

The human calmly shook his head.

"They should return to their own positions. I can't have them serve me for life."

Asad didn't properly understand what the human was trying to say. He merely assumed the winged tribe children would find it difficult to care for someone blind because they were young.

"If you're uncomfortable using the winged tribe children, you can use the dragon palace servants? You're a bride candidate, so they'll follow your orders."

At this, the human gave a faint smile. Asad disliked the human's smiles because they made his chest feel tight each time. But this smile he hated most among all he had seen.

Asad tried to say something about it, but the human's lips opened slightly faster.

"How can I continue as a bride candidate while blind? I won't even be able to take the third test in this state. So I intend to return to my place now."

"What?"

Asad stared blankly at the human as if struck on the head.

Confusion came at the unexpected words.

Then anxiety.

And finally anger surged up.

'Don't let him leave.'

Someone whispered in his mind. It was undeniably his own voice.

"...Who said you could leave as you please?"

The air instantly cooled.

Despite the atmosphere turning sharp as a blade, the human's face remained peaceful.

The human knelt, looking toward where Asad's face would be.

Asad's body jerked violently for a moment. His hand unconsciously reached toward the human as if to help him up.

But before that hand could move, the human's lips opened.

"I know that Lord Asad hates humans. However, considering our time together, please allow me to return to my place."