Chapter 139

The king, whose face was not much different from what Asad had seen in his dreams, was looking at him with black eyes.

'Has he, recognized me?'

What Asad felt at that moment was exactly the opposite of joy or gladness.

Asad felt displeasure.

Until he realized he was a dragon, Asad had been in a terribly wretched state. Knowing nothing, having learned nothing, he had been no different from a beast.

Wouldn't it be strange not to feel discomfort at the fact that someone knew about his past? And typically, Asad didn't just leave things that made him uncomfortable alone.

"..."

The king was quick-witted. As if sensing the murderous intent, he took a step back with a troubled face. Perhaps out of habit, he fiddled with the bracelet on his right arm.

It was at that moment that Asad's irises narrowed like needles.

"Cough!"

The first thing Asad recognized was the smell of blood. His gaze followed belatedly.

The human coughed repeatedly. Though he covered his mouth with his hand, drops of blood flowed between his fingers.

Asad stared at the sight, frozen.

"...Nine?"

"Gasp, ugh."

The human didn't seem to hear Asad calling him. He curled up his body and clawed at his chest.

Painful groans escaped through his swollen, cracked lips. He didn't seem to notice that his nails were digging in, causing blood to soak through his clothes. It would be impossible unless he was feeling a pain greater than that of nails tearing into flesh.

"Nine!"

Forgetting what he had been about to do just moments ago, Asad pulled the collapsing human into his arms. Only after stopping the hands that kept trying to harm their owner did Asad realize.

'His body temperature.'

The human's body was abnormally hot.

Asad was bewildered. Had he been in this state all along?

He could feel the body in his arms convulsing slightly. Fearing he might bite his tongue, Asad hurriedly inserted his finger between his lips. Though he had seen the human cough up blood once before, this was the first time it had been this severe.

"Why..."

"It's because of the demonic energy accumulated from using black magic."

The king explained that this was the aftermath of having used demonic energy with a human body.

Only then did Asad realize that the human's illness wasn't due to a chronic condition.

Asad covered the human's eyes with his free left hand.

His palm was wet with tears that had flowed down without notice. Asad's breathing became unsteady.

"...Sleep."

Fortunately, though healing magic didn't work, the convulsing body went limp at once. Even after confirming that the human had lost consciousness, Asad didn't move for a while.

Suddenly, he realized that he was panting just like the human had been moments ago. But once his breathing became unstable, it showed no signs of returning to normal.

"Hah."

Asad lowered his head and pressed his forehead against the human's.

He needed to calm down. If he turned into a magical beast this time, he might never return.

Asad tried hard to think calmly.

'I can take him to Shinsurial. If the demonic energy is purified, he'll be fine.'

If the human's illness was due to demonic energy, purification would solve it.

But problems still remained.

Shinsurial's purification ability had limits. Having woken up early while recovering his strength, it was uncertain whether he could use his purification ability before it was too late.

Above all, was it the right choice to take the human in this state to the spirit realm? To reach the spirit realm, they would have to fly to the bridge in the middle of the sky, and Asad couldn't be sure if the human could endure it in his current state.

Since he couldn't afford even the slightest uncertainty, Asad had only one option.

If they couldn't go, couldn't he summon Shinsurial?

Asad stood up, carrying the human.

"I'll stay here for a while. I'll stay with this one in his room."

At this unilateral command, a look of embarrassment once again crossed the king's face.

"Lord Asad, he hasn't been given a room."

"What do you mean he doesn't have a room?"

"Because the only place where the criminal Hasan can be is in prison."

"Prison?"

Crack. Simultaneously, a strange sound came from the window. The king checked the frost-covered window. The odd sound seemed to have been caused by the window suddenly freezing.

"You kept him in prison when he's in this condition?"

To Asad, the fact that the human in his arms was the worst criminal didn't matter. The king, seeming to realize this, was silent for a moment.

"...If people see Hasan freely walking outside of prison, they will protest. Even more so if he uses a good room."

"Let them protest. I'm curious if they can still do so with their tongues cut out."

"...Lord Asad, you are quite different from what I imagined."

The king muttered. It seemed like words with many implications.

"In that case, I'll first guide you to the separate quarters where you'll stay. Would it be acceptable to arrange for Hasan to stay there from now on?"

"Do as you please."

The king guided Asad to the separate quarters. Asad entered the bedroom without even looking back at the king and closed the door.

The king's face was cold as he stared at the closed door.

The king, Hasan, slowly left the separate quarters.

He muttered into the empty air.

"Replace all the servants here with the royal guard. Make sure the dragon doesn't notice."

"Yes, understood."

Though he had clearly spoken to empty air, an answer came from somewhere. It was the king's secret royal guard, always hiding nearby to protect him.

Night had fallen without notice. Hasan, who had returned to the main palace, washed himself and entered his bedroom. In the bedroom stood a servant holding a tub filled with heated stones.

It seemed they had come to warm the bedroom, as it had suddenly become cold enough for snow to fall. Thanks to this, the bedroom was moderately warm.

"You may leave now."

"I would have told you to kill Kinaine before meeting the dragon."

An emotionless voice flowed from the servant's lips.

Hasan slowly turned to face the servant. His face showed little surprise.

"So it's you."

'He' always came to find him in this way.

It would have been unpleasant if it had been someone else, but since this was how he had taught him black magic seven years ago, it even evoked a bit of nostalgia.

Some days he was a young man like now, other days a young woman. Sometimes an old person or a child. His appearance changed with each meeting, so Hasan didn't know his true form.

But he knew what he wanted.

In exchange for teaching him black magic, there was only one thing he had wanted.

'To kill Kinaine and his lover.'

Since he had explained all the methods, Hasan didn't need to think too hard. Hasan had moved according to the plan he had laid out, and succeeded.

No, he had thought he succeeded... until Kinaine appeared alive.

When he appeared again a few days ago, Hasan thought he would be angry about his failure to finish the job properly. But he neither got angry nor showed disappointment. Not because he had a particularly good personality, but because it was clear he hadn't expected much from him in the first place.

He had only warned him to make sure this time.

'If Kinaine is still alive, make sure to kill him before he meets the dragon.'

Though he had commanded so, Hasan didn't obey.

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"Well. I don't see why I should follow your orders."

"...What?"

"Of course, I'm grateful to you. If you hadn't taught me black magic, I would still be living in his shadow."

Though the throne would have eventually passed to Hasan due to strict primogeniture, no one would have truly regarded him as king. No one would accept a recessive omega as king when there was a dominant alpha.

"Seven years ago, I did as you told me because we wanted the same thing. But that's not the case now, is it?"

"What are you saying?"

What am I saying? Stop pretending you don't understand when you already do. Hasan smiled wryly.

"I'm saying we should go our separate ways now."

"...How dare you, a mere human!"

The man shouted in anger, but soon fell silent.

Hasan swung the bloodied sword once in the air to clean it.

In the past, he wouldn't have dared to resist, if only out of fear of retaliation. But seven years had passed. That meant many things had changed.

Hasan glanced down at the bracelet on his right arm and placed the sword on the table.

"Clean this up."

Soon, the royal guard appeared like shadows and quietly disappeared, dragging the corpse away.

People's recognition, his mother's palace, loyal subordinates who unconditionally obeyed the king's orders—all were now his.

Hasan had obtained everything of Kinaine's that he had so desperately wanted.

But isn't that how desire works?

Even after getting what you want, desire doesn't end. You only covet what you still don't have.

The moment he saw the dragon's power, Hasan began to want it.