Chapter 100

Reason returned slowly.

The heat that seemed to boil his entire body, the lust like terrible thirst, the senses so heightened that even raindrops sounded like shattering rocks—all gradually returned to their normal state.

Finally, the end of the long, long rut.

The first thing Asad saw upon regaining his rational reins was the black-haired human lying unconscious beneath him.

Without question, his current state was worse than when he had faced Asad's demonized form. Asad's eyes trembled as he took in the bruises and bite marks covering his body. Though his skin had always been pale, now it was so white there would be no difference placing a sheet of paper beside it.

His heart dropped. Asad hurriedly tried to raise himself. Tried being the key word.

"Nngh."

When a faint moan escaped those scabbed and torn lips, Asad's body froze stiff.

Only then did he realize his member was still inside Kinaine.

After hesitating, Asad carefully pulled back. Though the thought of plunging back in when the inner walls clenched around him as if begging him not to leave did cross his mind... somehow seeing the human's eyes, swollen and red from crying, made it impossible to act selfishly as usual.

Withdrawing took quite a while. Not only was it long, but the human's constant whimpers and inner twitches forced him to stop several times during the process.

Veins stood out on Asad's hands as he scraped the bottom of patience he hadn't known he possessed.

"Whew."

Finally succeeding in fully withdrawing from the hole, Asad unconsciously let out a relieved sigh. His gaze soon moved to where his glistening member had emerged.

White fluid flowed steadily from the reddened, swollen hole, like a cork had been removed. As if entranced by the impossibly lewd sight, Asad reached out.

When his fingers spread the hole, the semen inside gushed out, flowing down the cleft to pool between his thighs. Asad unconsciously started to push the seed back inside before catching himself and jerking his hand to a stop.

The aftereffects of rut clearly remained.

It's not like a child could be conceived from this anyway. He had definitely taken contraceptives, and he'd heard their effects lasted a month.

"Ugh, uuh... enough..."

The human's voice was hoarse and unsightly as he muttered like sleep-talking. Asad's ruts usually lasted about a week. After enduring that long, his throat being completely raw was unavoidable.

In contrast, Asad's condition was excellent. His body had long since fully recovered, and his skin and hair seemed even more lustrous and radiant than before.

Above all, he didn't feel bad. Strange, since ruts had always been terribly unpleasant for him.

So it's true that spending rut with an omega is best.

Asad didn't notice that he wasn't even considering substituting anyone else for Kinaine as that omega.

Like a well-fed cat, Asad's mood improved. Perhaps that's why the sight of the human sprawled like a rag bothered him. Judging by his groans, he would likely be bedridden for days in this state.

"Who told you to throw yourself at an alpha in rut?"

Feeling an unfamiliar prick of conscience, Asad grumbled.

No matter how he thought about it, the human wouldn't have done such a thing without gain. Staying by his demonized self, helping him through his rut—there must have been some reason.

Nothing came to mind. Asad began thinking hard.

'Good, Asad...'

'I love you.'

Could it be that?

Unlike his demonization, Asad remembered everything from his rut. Including the voice that had whispered love to him several times.

Asad scratched his chest roughly. For some reason, he felt unbearably itchy.

"Because he likes me..."

His lips twitched. After rubbing his face needlessly, he stared at the ceiling for a while, then the floor, and finally began pacing around the room.

Well, thinking about it, even with humans' poor judgment, it would be difficult not to fall for him. Wasn't he known for being particularly handsome even among dragons? Even spirits who pointed fingers at his ferocity couldn't criticize his appearance.

Moreover, after coupling several times, it would have been quick for feelings to ignite.

Such a foolish human indeed. Harboring feelings that would never be returned.

Asad couldn't help laughing at human stupidity. As he smiled until his lips pulled, his steps suddenly stopped. Soon he strode over to stand beside the bed where Kinaine lay.

'Wait, does this one really like me?'

Was it just meaningless words spoken while drunk on alpha pheromones? Or perhaps a facade hiding some other scheme?

...If that were the case, just watch. He would make sure to punish such contempt toward a dragon.

Asad stared at Kinaine for a long time, as if answers would appear from glaring.

Finally, he lifted him into his arms.

"What's this, why are you so light?"

Asad tilted his head at the weight that somehow seemed even lighter than before. Only then did he notice how much thinner the body seemed than when he had last seen it.

"Does this one not eat?"

Looking disapprovingly at the protruding ribs, Asad clicked his tongue. He didn't know about what had happened after he had assigned the ruined palace as Kinaine's quarters and openly showed his dislike in front of others. He had no interest in others, so he didn't know about the servant's blatant disregard or the meals withheld leading to starvation.

Asad just grumbled at the too-thin body and walked quickly. His destination was the outdoor bath he often used. Though Asad didn't remember, it was also where he had brought Kinaine when he was demonized.

The water flowing here had healing properties, sharing components with medicinal herbs. Though Asad, who rarely got hurt, just enjoyed the scent while bathing, it would be quite effective for a human.

"Why won't healing magic work on you anyway? How troublesome."

Approaching the bath while grumbling, Asad fell into thought.

Should I just throw him in? What's so pretty about this mere human? Bringing him this far is enough.

But the moment he saw the human breathing laboriously with that pale face, he was already walking into the bath while holding him.

"I wanted to bathe anyway."

Though he could clean with magic, dragons naturally liked water. Bathing and swimming were common dragon hobbies. So he had just brought the human in while entering himself. Definitely not because he was worried about waking him.

As he sat down in the bath, warm water scented with herbs splashed against his chest. The water nearly covered the human's face.

Asad startled and quickly adjusted his hold.

"That was close!"

After glaring fiercely at the innocent water, Asad carefully sat the human on his thigh and moved his head to rest on his shoulder. Despite all the commotion, the human showed no signs of waking from his deep sleep.

With wet hands, Asad carefully wiped Kinaine's swollen, reddened eyes. After several repetitions, the tear stains were cleanly removed. He also wiped away the dried fluids around his mouth.

"Sigh, how bothersome."

Contrary to his words, a smile played on Asad's lips. Not realizing he was smiling, he looked proudly at Kinaine sleeping quietly in his arms.

Then he suddenly remembered the semen he had released inside Kinaine. Since pregnancy was impossible anyway, cleaning the inside wouldn't be bad. It would be annoying if what was inside leaked out and made him dirty after he had cleaned him so well.

Asad put one arm under Kinaine's knee to bend it. Then he inserted his index and middle fingers into the hole and spread them. Soon, cloudy fluid dispersed into the water.

This won't get everything out. After brief consideration, Asad curved his fingers into hooks and began scraping the inner walls.

"...Nngh, ugh."

A faint moan spread near Asad's ear from the stimulation. Asad glanced to confirm Kinaine's eyelids were still closed, then spoke as if grumbling.

"Bear with the pain. You should endure at least this much when I'm going to such trouble."

Asad moved his hand faster. I really released a lot. Tsk, as he clicked his tongue.

"Hnnk."

Kinaine's body trembled finely. Only then did Asad sense something strange. Kinaine's limp member had somehow become slightly erect. Those hadn't been sounds of pain.

Though Kinaine was still asleep, small sounds escaped his slightly parted lips.

"Stop... it's too much..."

Kinaine rubbed his cheek against Asad's shoulder like a young beast whining.

Asad froze completely still.

It was right then.

"Oh heavens, Lord Asad!"

The ones running breathlessly were Jet and Targan.

When they saw Asad's demonization, they had prepared with the leaders for the calamity that would befall the world. However, after one day passed, then two days, then a week, nothing happened.

Only then did they realize something was strange and returned to the dragon palace. The palace they had thought would have been destroyed by the demonized dragon's rampage was intact. It was just empty since all the workers had fled.

Convinced something unusual had occurred, Jet and Targan began searching the main palace. And here they encountered not a magical beast, but Asad in his right mind.

No... wait, was he really in his right mind?

Jet and Targan's urgent steps faltered.

Their reaction was justified. Because Asad was showing an appearance they had never seen before.

Jet and Targan's gazes swept questioningly over Asad, who had turned bright red from head to toe.