Chapter 137

"...A dragon?"

Kinaine's voice trembled. His unfocused black eyes wavered as well.

Tiron didn't find Kinaine's agitation strange. It would have been more surprising if he hadn't been shocked by a mythical being suddenly appearing in reality.

"So even the great black mage can be surprised by something?"

But he couldn't help the mocking words that naturally escaped his lips. How could he speak kindly to the enemy who had turned his parents and siblings to stone?

However, his tone wasn't as sharp as before. Tiron was aware of this fact himself.

'It can't be helped.'

After all, he was the very person who had pulled the man back from the brink of death.

He had stayed up day and night to save a man who was on the verge of dying. When the fever finally began to drop, hadn't he even felt a surge of emotion?

'...I was just relieved because the king would have punished me if he had died.'

Tiron made excuses to himself. Of course, it was true. If the man had died, the king would have punished him. More precisely, he would have taken out his anger under the name of punishment.

The king... was not normal.

Originally, Tiron had disliked the king. While magical beasts swarmed the world and everyone suffered, the king only protected the capital where the royal palace was located and ignored the rest. Tiron thought such a king did not value the lives of his citizens and was incompetent.

But he hadn't thought he would be a madman.

What about the look in the king's eyes as he gazed at the man who had lost consciousness, covered in blood, in the prison?

It wasn't anger or hatred toward the villain who had thrown the world into chaos... it was pleasure.

Tiron shuddered again as he recalled the king who had seemed to be experiencing climax right there.

'He's not in his right mind.'

Some people in the royal palace wondered why the black mage wasn't on the scaffold. Wasn't there a more appropriate punishment for a criminal?

There was no reason to show him wearing a dog collar, falling and bumping into things like a fool in an empty space, or working like a slave. What people wanted was the scaffold, or burning at the stake.

But the king's actions so far seemed to want something other than punishing the black mage.

As if he wanted to display the man's downfall itself to everyone.

'Even if he's a villain, they're still brothers.'

"Really, is it truly a dragon? Really?"

Tiron's thoughts were interrupted by a voice that even sounded urgent.

Tiron was surprised to realize how deeply he had been lost in thought. How could he have let his guard down to this extent with the black mage right in front of him?

It was impossible unless he subconsciously thought this man wouldn't harm him.

'Whatever his true identity is, we're alive thanks to the mister.'

Jane's voice suddenly came to mind and then disappeared. It was because he missed Jane, whom he had left with relatives in the capital, not because he was swayed by the man. Tiron thought forcefully.

"Well, I didn't see it directly. I was busy treating someone all night."

"..."

"But I heard what people were saying. With one wave of his hand, all the guards at the spot flew backward, and the ground froze white wherever he stepped."

Tiron shrugged.

"When I first heard this, I thought people had collectively lost their minds. It was something that couldn't be said unless there was a hallucinogen in the food. But I couldn't help but believe it."

Tiron's gaze turned toward the window.

Kinaine, who couldn't see, wouldn't have noticed.

"Snow falling in the capital is a first since the kingdom was established."

Outside, white snow was pouring down.

At first, it had looked quite beautiful, but that was only for a moment. The snowstorm, which was threatening to cover the entire world in white, had something ominous about it.

"I don't know why a dragon would make it snow."

"...It's probably not intentional."

The voice was faint, almost extinguishing. Tiron turned his head at the unexpected answer.

"How would you know that?"

"..."

"Well, you were originally a prince, so you probably know more than I do. I heard His Majesty wasn't particularly surprised and calmly welcomed the dragon. Did you know dragons actually existed?"

Though Kinaine didn't answer, Tiron nodded.

"Then did you also know this? Unlike in pictures, the dragon's appearance is similar to humans. I'm curious about an appearance that shouldn't exist in this world."

Tiron closed his mouth at that point. It was such an amazing story that he had gotten carried away talking about it. And to such a person, no less.

He felt self-loathing. Tiron approached Kinaine and checked his temperature.

"The fever still hasn't gone down. Your stomach must be empty, so I'll bring some porridge."

Kinaine showed no reaction. With a fever this high, it would be difficult to think properly.

Tiron left the room, leaving Kinaine behind.

However, when he returned with a bowl of porridge, Kinaine was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Kinaine hadn't noticed Tiron leaving. But contrary to Tiron's assumption, it wasn't just because of the fever.

His mind was in turmoil.

'Asad has come... That can't be.'

Kinaine was certain that Asad would never come to the human realm. He had found the things that happened in the human realm horrifying.

For a moment, he wondered if Asad had come looking for him. If he had followed in anger because Kinaine had secretly run away.

But he quickly dismissed the thought. He didn't think he was a being of such significance to Asad.

After the final test, Asad would welcome his mate and could become full-grown. Wasn't that what he had wanted?

Capturing a runaway human was nothing compared to that.

'He's not someone you need to worry about.'

He couldn't distinguish whether he had heard those words in a dream or in reality.

Because Kinaine had always tried to maintain his rationality in any situation, he knew his current state wasn't normal.

'It's because I overused black magic.'

The raw material of black magic is human negative emotions. Sometimes, black magic induced its user to have nightmares or depressing thoughts to create its raw materials.

Before, he had been able to overcome it by focusing on the purpose of resolving Jinaks' petrification. But now...

Chirp!

Chirpy, who had transformed back into a bird, perched on Kinaine's shoulder and chirped clearly. The small bird rubbed its soft body against his neck, comforting the somehow darkened human, but Kinaine couldn't properly feel it.

Just then, there was a presence at the doorway. Not one, but several people. Chirpy slipped between Kinaine's clothes as if tumbling down.

"So you were here. Come along. His Majesty is calling for you."

Those who had come for Kinaine were Hasan's henchmen.

Soon, a thick collar was fastened around his neck. Kinaine didn't resist.

Moving his feet as the chain pulled, he eventually arrived at his destination.

"Your Majesty, we have brought the criminal."

"Enter."

The sound of a door opening was heard. Kinaine instantly realized that the air temperature had changed. The room was abnormally cold. Cold enough to notice even with senses that weren't functioning properly.

So Kinaine couldn't help but know who was in this room.

"What's this?"

The soldier who had led the way, holding the chain, turned to look at Kinaine in confusion. This was because Kinaine, who had been obediently following until now, suddenly stopped moving.

"Move!"

After a moment of confusion, the soldier pulled the chain with strong force.

Even if he tried to resist, Kinaine didn't have enough strength left. Rather, due to the recoil from the force he had exerted to resist, he lost his balance and fell.

"Ugh."

Kinaine fell, almost rolling on the floor. Fortunately, he didn't feel any particular pain, but his ears turned bright red at the thought that the person inside had seen him like this.

Just as he was hurriedly trying to get up.

"Is this the one Lord Asad is looking for?"

At the familiar name Hasan uttered, Kinaine's body stiffened.

He wasn't surprised that Asad was here, as he had already anticipated it.

However, Hasan's tone sounded strangely gentle, giving Kinaine an ominous feeling.

"Well..."

Kinaine came to his senses at the quiet response.

No sooner had the words ended than the soldier holding the chain made a confused sound. This was because the chain, as if alive, had escaped from the soldier's hand.

Kinaine didn't know this fact, but he couldn't help but notice that the chain was being pulled from the opposite direction of where the soldier was standing. Because his body was being dragged by a merciless force.

"Raise your head."

Before Kinaine could raise his head, an impatient hand grabbed his chin.

"Ha."

The person who examined him by turning his head this way and that as he pleased let out a soft sigh. It sounded like irritation.

Kinaine flinched slightly but understood Asad's feelings. If he had really come all this way to chase after him who had run away, it would be natural to be annoyed just by looking at his face.

But he soon learned that wasn't all. Because Asad spoke as he threw his face away.

"So, what should I call you? Nine? Or... Hasan?"