Chapter 116

As soon as the coughing stopped, Kinaine felt the floor. His expression darkened as he confirmed the wet carpet.

"This is maddening."

His muttering voice was soaked with fatigue. Rising, Kinaine this time properly found his way to the bathroom. Water sounds suggested he was washing his hands.

When he emerged from the bathroom, his lips and hands were clean. Though he looked a bit tired, all traces of blood had been perfectly erased.

Since all unnecessary items had been removed, Kinaine moved easily without bumping into anything. He stood before the tray Asad had placed on the bedside table. After seeming to smell each dish one by one, he picked up the bowl containing soft pumpkin soup and limped away.

There was no need to wonder how he planned to eat without a spoon. It wasn't for eating in the first place.

Kinaine felt for the wet spot on the floor and poured the soup over the stained carpet. Both the bloodstain and the fishy blood smell disappeared under the soup. Perfect evidence destruction.

"..."

Asad watched this scene with wide eyes.

It felt like watching an absurd play. Unless this wicked human was trying to mock him with malicious acting, how could someone who had been fine suddenly cough up blood?

Playing such tricks. Did he want to be punished that badly?

Asad ground his teeth and strode toward Kinaine. Though he moved roughly, no sound emerged thanks to his magic. But the human must already know he had come. Wasn't that why he had attempted such a wicked trick?

Even while thinking this, with each step he took, their past conversations came back one by one.

'But why are you bleeding?'

'Ah, that... I accidentally hit myself while sleeping.'

The face smiling awkwardly while bleeding from the nose.

'Blood smell.'

'...What?'

'I smell blood. From you.'

'Ah... I bit my tongue earlier when trying to call out as you were going down.'

The silly expression clearly showing embarrassment.

Asad's steps gradually stopped.

He had mocked him for acting stupidly then. He hadn't doubted for a moment that he was lying.

Because the face saying those words had been so composed. He hadn't looked at all like someone telling lies.

"What are you doing?"

"Lord Asad? When did you arrive?"

"I asked what you're doing."

"Ah, this... I accidentally spilled the soup. I'm sorry."

Yes, with exactly the same face as now, he had said that.

With a face as composed as if nothing had happened.

Asad glared at the human while clenching his fists. It felt like flames were rising in his chest. Whether from betrayal or anger, or something else unknown, his insides burned hot.

But anyone who saw it, no one would think someone with such an expression could be lying.

Asad realized in that moment that the human before him was the most skilled liar he had ever known.

"You spilled the soup?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"Is that all?"

"Have I, done something else wrong?"

Seeming to notice the strange atmosphere, Kinaine asked carefully. Instead of answering, Asad reached out and grabbed Kinaine's chin. Perhaps because he didn't control his strength and it hurt, the black eyelashes fluttered slightly faster.

"Open your mouth."

"Asad..."

"Open it."

At the forceful tone, the pale lips slowly parted. Asad inserted his fingers to examine inside. Nothing could be found by visual inspection.

Asad lowered his head and thrust his tongue into the mouth.

"Ugh!"

Kinaine's shoulders jerked as the tongue entered deeply as if stabbing his throat. He seemed about to retch. But Asad paid no attention and grabbed the back of his neck to prevent escape while pushing his tongue in even deeper.

Finally, the dragon's sensitive senses caught what he was looking for.

Asad separated their lips. A long silver thread stretched between their lips. From what had just happened, natural tears had gathered in eyes black as the night sky. Asad glared at those eyes.

"I taste blood."

Kinaine said nothing. His indifferent face didn't show even the surprise characteristic of someone caught in a lie. It was acting skill that could fool anyone, but Asad felt no admiration.

"Did you bite your tongue again? Or perhaps bump into something?"

Asad glared at Kinaine with bloodshot eyes. Kinaine lowered his gaze. Quiet resignation floated across his face.

"So you saw everything."

"You..."

Though it was his opponent who had been caught lying, Asad was the one who was flustered.

In truth, he had hoped. Hoped that Kinaine would say it was all lies.

But what came back instead was calm acknowledgment. His mind felt distant, as if the ground had fallen away beneath him.

A calm voice reached Asad's ears as he lost his words.

"I have a chronic illness. I didn't deliberately try to deceive you, I just thought you didn't particularly need to know and so didn't tell you. I'm sorry if I startled you."

Every single word was incredible. Examining the face that showed no trace of deception, Asad realized something bothered him about what he had just heard.

"Wait, chronic illness? How long have you been like this?"

"Since before entering the dragon palace."

"What?"

If those words were true, it meant he had been in this state since the moment Asad first saw him.

Asad's words failed him again.

"That's, impossible. You fought magical beasts, and with me during rut... you did even that. Could someone who's really sick do such things? You're lying?"

Asad forced a sneer. But unlike his mocking lips, his eyes shook ceaselessly.

In truth, he knew. Knew that the human before him was capable of exactly that.

How could he not know? It was Asad himself who had continuously tested how well Kinaine could endure frightening situations, how much pain he could bear.

Each time, Kinaine had been battered, but not once had he shown weakness. That's why even while mocking him as weak, Asad had simultaneously been convinced he would never break.

But what if that wasn't true?

If he had merely been hiding his weak points.

His mind went blank. Asad muttered dazedly.

"Then you... won't live even 90 years?"

"Even healthy humans struggle to live 90 years."

"J-just 90 years?"

"Whether 90 years or 9 years, to Lord Asad it would be merely a brief moment."

Eyelash shadows fell across Kinaine's pale face.

"So whether I'm ill or not, the result is the same."

Raising his head, Kinaine continued calmly.

"I will die before Lord Asad."

Asad's image reflected clearly like a mirror in the pitch-black pupils. At this, Asad realized he was making a strange expression he had never seen before.

Asad had never thought deeply about death. Dragons who lived eternal lives were the beings most removed from the word death in this world. If it wasn't his own business, there was even less need to care.

Then why did his insides feel so hot and churning?

Just then, Kinaine slowly rose from his seat. Then he knelt and pressed his forehead to the floor.

"What are you doing? Get up."

Despite the growling voice, Kinaine didn't rise.

"Please don't set your heart on this fleeting moment that will soon fade away, and let me go. Then I will spend the rest of my life grateful for Lord Asad's grace."

"I said get up!"

Asad grabbed Kinaine's arm and forcibly pulled him up. Staggering up under the force, Kinaine suddenly turned his head to the side.

"Cough!"

A series of coughs followed. Each time the sound of bloody phlegm bubbled up, Asad's shoulders jerked.

Forgetting even his anger, Asad hurriedly lifted Kinaine and sat him on the bed. Seeing blood spots on the thin clothes, Asad's gaze darkened.

"You, why don't you beg me to cure your illness? If you became my bride..."

Asad continued speaking without even knowing what he was saying.

"If you became my bride, you could use the first wish to ask for your illness to be cured."

The dragon's first wish was power that transcended causality. Whatever was wished for would definitely come true. Even if Kinaine became a corpse, he could be revived.

"Isn't that why you joined the selection? To cure your illness?"

Asad wanted to hear the answer 'yes.' But Kinaine slowly shook his head.

"Lord Asad said you wouldn't take a human as your bride."

"That's...!"

Asad couldn't continue. Because that feeling remained the same. The physiological disgust toward humans still remained deep in his heart.

As if reading such feelings in Asad's heart, Kinaine smiled calmly.

"I am no longer a bride candidate now. And..."

The small voice sounded almost as if speaking to himself.

"Lord Asad should take a good mate."

In that moment, Asad felt a chill.

"Lord Asad?"

Without realizing it, he embraced Kinaine. Like a child hugging a doll after a nightmare. Instead of answering the voice questioning him curiously, he put all his strength into his arms. Through their touching chests came the sound of a beating heart.

He was alive. Clearly alive.

"Is that all? What you wish for."

Why did the human before him feel like a corpse?

'Though it may be difficult for the noble dragon to understand, all living beings desire something and move to obtain it. If one desires nothing, they are no different from the dead. Therefore, desire itself is life force. Isn't that wonderful?'

When the tailed tribe leader had said that, Asad had sneered at him, thinking it pathetic.

But only upon reaching this moment did he feel he could understand those words.

Living beings inherently desire something. If one desires nothing, they are no different from the dead.

Like this human.