Chapter 109

When they returned to the quarters, Asad and Kor were there.

"Lord Nine, you're finally here!"

Sweating profusely while serving the two difficult guests, Ramu rushed to Kinaine, throwing aside even her previous awkwardness at seeing someone relatively easier to deal with.

Kor, having apparently already heard about Kinaine's condition, didn't seem particularly surprised to see him wearing a blindfold. Rather, it was Asad who was more than surprised - he was irritated.

"Why do you look like this? What have you been doing?"

Only then did it occur to him that his appearance probably wasn't very pleasant to others. Having been covered in dirt during his tussle with Rahu, he must have looked quite disheveled.

"I felt stuffy staying inside the palace, so I went out briefly and accidentally fell."

"Ha, I knew this would happen. That's why I told you to stay put. Let me see if you're hurt anywhere?"

Only after enduring Asad's thorough inspection could Kinaine properly greet Kor.

"You've come at a good time, Lord Kor. There's something I want to show you."

Kinaine nodded slightly while looking toward where he thought Rahu stood.

"Rahu. Show them."

"Yes, Lord Nine!"

At Kinaine's order, Rahu spread his wings wide.

A moment later, when her twin, who had floated about a hand's width in the air, landed back on the ground, Ramu looked like she might faint.

"Wh-what is this."

Though not as much as Ramu, even Kor couldn't hide his agitation. Even though he had somewhat expected this from what Kinaine had told him before, actually seeing his hypothesis proven correct made it difficult to contain his surging emotions.

"Nine, you were right. The magic was truly already broken."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Kinaine revealed the truth about the magic cast on the winged tribe to the confused Ramu.

"When the one who cast the magic dies... the magic breaks?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't make sense! Then why couldn't anyone fly for all that time?"

Though she had heard the whole story and clearly seen Rahu flying with her own eyes, Ramu couldn't easily believe it. Kinaine felt somewhat sorry for her. The entire tribe had lived for ages yearning for past glory while carrying their sorrow. Now hearing that it wasn't all true must have been shocking.

How difficult it was to believe was evident in how Ramu even looked to Asad, whom she so feared, as if asking if it was true. Though Asad didn't spare her a single glance.

But that reaction itself became the answer. The dragon Ramu knew would have snapped at such nonsense if it were false.

"It can't be. It can't be..."

"Nine isn't lying. Ramu. Trust Lord Nine and try to fly."

"Rahu, since when did you follow them so devotedly!"

Biting her lips in anger, Ramu finally tried to move her wings following her twin's advice. But no matter how hard she tried, her wings remained as immobile as rocks. After struggling for a while, Ramu finally shook her head.

"It's no use. I can't fly. Maybe the magic hasn't broken for me."

Kor, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke.

"That's why it happened."

"What? Lord Kor, what do you mean?"

"Because everyone thought they couldn't fly, because everyone believed that for such a long time, no one could fly."

During the long years when the previous dragon lived, the winged tribe learned resignation. They thought it natural that they couldn't fly, and at some point stopped even attempting the smallest wing movements.

Time passed like that. Though the magic broke when the previous dragon died, the winged tribe, not knowing this fact, continued to believe they couldn't fly.

"To think all that suffering was just because of an illusion."

Deeply distressed, Ramu finally collapsed. Rahu helped her up and sat her in a chair, giving her water.

After a while, when the situation seemed to have calmed somewhat, Kinaine carefully spoke to Ramu.

"Ramu, your wings probably don't move because they haven't been used for so long. Since you've never flown since birth, it would be strange if you could fly right away. But if you keep trying, you'll be able to fly soon."

"Then how could Rahu fly right away?"

It was a sharp question. Kinaine maintained a calm expression as he replied.

"Well, maybe he was just lucky?"

Either sensing Kinaine's difficulty or wanting to boast, Rahu cut in.

"Ramu, actually, I've been secretly training my wings all along! I even jumped from trees several times trying to fly!"

Ramu, who had been dejected, suddenly raised her head.

"Wait, is that why you came back with a broken leg that time? Don't tell me that's also why you broke your arm and I had to work alone?"

"Sorry. But look, now I can fly because of it!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it! Do you know how hard that was for me!"

Finally knowing the truth, Ramu forgot her distress and jumped up and down in anger.

Kinaine secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Though Rahu's secret training was indeed part of why he could fly, the main reason was actually the obedience magic he had cast.

The black magic's brainwashing that 'you must absolutely follow orders' had overcome the self-brainwashing that 'I cannot fly.'

Anyway, this incident had saved Rahu's life and revealed the truth to the winged tribe, so it could be said things had worked out well in the end.

'I should also tell them about the black mage.'

But to bring that up, he would inevitably have to reveal that he was a black mage himself. That made Kinaine hesitate.

Just then, Kor carefully placed his hand on Kinaine's shoulder.

"Thank you, Nine. If you hadn't told us, I would never have noticed."

"No, Lord Kor would have figured it out soon enough."

"That's not true. Without you, I wouldn't have known."

Since magic was exclusive to dragons, even spirits who had lived as long as Kor knew little about it. Unless a dragon told them, there was no way to know. If Kinaine hadn't shared what he had heard from Asad, Kor would never have known.

"I'm glad I met you that day."

Though Kor's expression wasn't visible, his sincerity could be felt. Kinaine was about to reply "likewise" when a white hand suddenly shot out and removed Kor's hand from his shoulder.

"If you're grateful that's fine, but why touch? Do you know who this is? If you're done greeting, you can go now!"

When the dragon was being unreasonable, no one could stop him. Finally, Kor left the palace as if being chased out.

Having driven away the unwelcome guest, Asad lifted Kinaine and strode up the stairs.

"You must be tired, let's go to sleep quickly. Coming to bother us from morning and not leaving until this hour."

After casting a cleaning spell on Kinaine, Asad laid him on the bed and quickly lay down beside him. Since he had changed it to a larger bed, there was space left even with two people lying down. Before, the bed had been so narrow they had to stick close together.

'Maybe I shouldn't have changed it?'

"Ah, the blanket's too small."

Asad grumbled about the blanket being too small while subtly moving closer to Kinaine. However, thinking Asad might be uncomfortable, Kinaine moved further into the corner.

"Lord Asad can have all the blanket."

"Do I look like such a selfish and greedy dragon to you?"

When things didn't go his way, Asad snapped in irritation, but quickly closed his mouth again, remembering the other couldn't see.

"What I'm trying to say is, I'm not so pathetic as to try to steal a mere blanket from you. Understand?"

"I understand."

There seemed to be a hint of laughter in the answering voice. Somehow his fingertips felt ticklish again. Asad stared at Kinaine lying facing straight up, then casually removed his blindfold.

"Why sleep wearing this? Isn't it uncomfortable?"

Though the wearer didn't seem uncomfortable at all, it bothered him to look at, so he spoke confidently. Fortunately, Kinaine quietly kept his eyes closed without any complaint.

Asad hesitated, wanting to talk to him. Though he had never chosen his words carefully regardless of who he was speaking to, he couldn't help being careful before someone who had made him feel he had made mistakes several times.

As if reading such thoughts, Kinaine opened his lips.

"Did you have a good visit to the main palace?"

Asad's expression brightened. He answered with a grin.

"Yes. They worry so much. All problems will disappear anyway once I take a mate and become full-grown."

In truth, Asad hadn't properly listened to most of what the leaders said. His attention had been elsewhere.

"...They must all wish for Lord Asad's wellbeing."

"You too?"

Why did I ask such a question? But because he wanted to hear the answer, Asad didn't correct his mistake.

"Yes, of course I too wish for Lord Asad's wellbeing."

"...Hmph, worry about yourself. Yourself."

Though he said this, Asad's lips couldn't hide their twitching. Perhaps finding it amusing that such a small, insignificant human worried about him, his heart beat faster and his body grew hot.

Unable to contain his feelings, Asad lowered his head toward Kinaine's face.

But why?

'Considering our time together, please allow me to return to my place!'

'When these feelings disappear... I'll let you go.'

Suddenly yesterday's promise came to mind.

At the same time, his body cooled as if doused with cold water.

A day had passed, so only three days remained.

Asad looked down at the sleeping Kinaine with a face that had grown serious without him realizing.

Of course, in three days the heart-fluttering sensation called rut aftereffects would disappear but.

'Does he really need to return to the human realm?'

Though Kinaine didn't know, the current human realm had long since become a den of magical beasts. It was the result of Asad deliberately neglecting them. Now someone who couldn't even see might suffer needlessly if they returned. Someone who came back injured just from going out briefly...

'Staying in the dragon palace would be better after all.'

There were many ways to stay in the dragon palace even without being a bride candidate.

He would be unable to do proper work as a servant with his eyes like that. Moreover, there were several alphas in the dragon palace, though recessive ones, so that one would need to be more careful.

It couldn't be helped. Though he would be completely useless, he should make him his personal servant to just follow him around.

Asad smiled, satisfied with his own thoughts. The human probably said he would leave because he felt too shameless to ask to stay in the dragon palace. But if given permission to stay, he would surely shed tears of gratitude at his benevolence.

Asad fell asleep in a satisfied mood, admiring his own broad-mindedness.

But the next day.

"I'm sorry, Lord Asad. Though I'm grateful for the offer, I will return to my homeland."

The human's decision was completely different from what he had imagined.