Chapter 146

In the empty room after Asad's departure, Kinaine had many thoughts.

In the end, Kinaine had no choice but to watch Asad leave without being able to change his mind.

'Please take this back.'

'No. Have I ever taken back something I gave you? I'm not that petty of a dragon.'

If he could have returned it forcibly, he would have done so, but he didn't know how to give it back since he didn't know how the eye had been exchanged in the first place.

Immersed in complex thoughts, he fell asleep without realizing when, and when he opened his eyes again, it was midday. Bright sunlight was pouring in through the window.

"...So it wasn't a dream."

Being like this made all of yesterday's events feel like a dream. Kinaine blankly stared at the patterns on the ceiling. Seeing even the tiniest imperfections clearly, his vision seemed better than before. Even though it was just one eye.

However, despite being able to see the world again after a long time, he didn't feel as much joy as expected. It was because he felt he was enjoying something taken from Asad. Even though Asad had actually given it as a gift, the guilt remained.

Moreover, the cause of his guilt toward Asad wasn't just that. The biggest factor was that he was continuously deceiving him under the pretext of doing it for Asad's sake.

He had always done his best in given situations and resisted fate. But what about now? As he was repeatedly forced to make bad choices due to circumstances, he couldn't prevent himself from becoming helpless.

Though he had never been lazy in his life, it was difficult to get up. It felt like he could fall back asleep if he just closed his eyes.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Dragon, did you cough?"

At the servant's voice, Kinaine opened his mouth with his eyes closed.

"Come in."

The servant who soon entered and saw Kinaine lying on the bed frowned. Knowing that Kinaine couldn't see, he didn't bother hiding his contemptuous expression. Of course, he wouldn't have hidden it even if Kinaine could see.

With his eyes closed, Kinaine couldn't see his expression, but he clearly felt the hostility piercing him like thorns. However, he just lay sprawled on the bed as if he knew nothing.

"...His Majesty has invited you to lunch, but where is the dragon?"

"He left on business. He'll be back tomorrow, so tell His Majesty that."

"...Still thinks he's a prince, I see."

The servant muttered just loudly enough to be heard and left the room. It seemed that Hasan's effect of dragging him around like a dog on a leash was working. Everyone's hatred for the black mage seemed to have grown larger than their fear.

Kinaine unconsciously touched his neck. Come to think of it, what had been around his neck was now gone. Asad must have removed it.

It was strange that even though the heavy iron collar had been removed, his body didn't feel any lighter, but rather heavier than before.

Kinaine dozed off again. But he woke up not long after. It was because a familiar voice had screamed.

"Aah!"

"What's wrong?"

"Y-you were awake?"

Tiron made a startled sound, apparently not expecting Kinaine to be awake.

"I was trying to check your temperature, but as soon as I touched you, something like sparks flew... What on earth did you do?"

Kinaine could easily tell it was Asad's doing. So that's what he had been busy with during the night.

"It wasn't me. What brings you here?"

"What do you mean? Managing your body is my role. Did you forget you were almost dying yesterday? ...But why do you keep your eyes closed like that?"

"I thought it might be more comfortable for those looking at me."

Kinaine had no intention of telling anyone that he could see again. No matter who he told, it would flow back to Hasan. There was no benefit in making Hasan wary of him.

"How's your physical condition?"

"Fine."

"Pain?"

"That too."

"I see. Then what's your relationship with the dragon?"

"That..."

Kinaine, who had been answering automatically, paused. Meanwhile, Tiron continued speaking.

"Honestly, when you hear about a dragon protecting the world, you naturally have certain expectations. Like a gentle and benevolent appearance. But he was completely different from what I imagined."

Gentle and benevolent? Though Kinaine loved Asad, he had no objection to the statement that there were no words more distant from Asad than those two.

"His appearance is clearly human, but the moment I met his eyes, I thought there was no way this could be human. It was a different kind of eerie feeling than when facing a magical beast. I wondered if this is how an ant feels when looking at me."

...Is that so? Kinaine had never once received the same impression from Asad as Tiron had. He had only thought how incredibly beautiful he was every time he faced him.

But it seemed that what Tiron really wanted to talk about wasn't gossip about the dragon who differed from expectations.

"But when the dragon looked at you, something was different. ...Somehow, he seemed human."

"......"

Kinaine's closed eyelids twitched.

In truth, he had sensed to some extent that Asad treated him somewhat differently from others since their time at the dragon palace. How could he not notice? He was the only one Asad kissed and caressed there.

But Kinaine had thought the reason was the attachment an alpha feels toward an omega they've been intimate with. He hadn't placed much significance on it, thinking it would naturally disappear once Asad experienced other omegas.

No, to be precise, he had been afraid to attach meaning to it. Because if he had expectations and then realized it was nothing, he would undoubtedly be the one to get hurt.

They kissed but weren't lovers, they shared their bodies but there was no affection. That's the kind of relationship he thought they had.

But Asad's behavior yesterday...

Kinaine unconsciously moved his hand, which had almost touched his left eye, back to its original position.

Sharing bodies might be something some people can do without love. But giving one's eye? Acting as if everything could be resolved with just one statement of liking someone?

Kinaine couldn't distinguish whether what was faintly blooming in his heart was hope or despair.

Tiron continued speaking.

"I don't know what relationship you have with the dragon, but the dragon is clearly protecting you now. That's why you're here instead of in prison. ...If you were to ask the dragon to help you escape, there's nothing I could do."

"......"

"But that shouldn't happen, right? You need to pay for your crimes."

Kinaine realized that he wasn't the only one feeling confused. Tiron also seemed perplexed. As if he couldn't understand why a dragon who was supposed to protect the world would shield a black mage. To him, it seemed to be a contradiction like a god protecting a villain.

An awkward silence hung in the room. Tiron was the first to break the stillness.

"Anyway, go wash up for now. You smell."

He smells? Kinaine sniffed at his body but couldn't detect any particular odor. It was hard to tell whether it was because his sense of smell had dulled significantly or because he had become accustomed to it.

But he could tell his appearance was a mess without seeing it. Having slept in dirt and dust, plus having sweated a lot due to the fever.

Thinking he must have shown a really unsightly appearance to Asad, he found himself ridiculous for feeling faint even in this situation.

* * *

While returning to the spirit realm, Asad thought only of Kinaine. Though it was just one day, honestly, he didn't want to be apart even for a moment.

If Kinaine's condition had been just a little better. Or if the connection between the two worlds, the spirit realm and the human realm, had been better, allowing for the use of spatial movement, he would have brought Kinaine to the spirit realm without a moment's hesitation. But since neither was the case, Asad had no choice but to enter the spirit realm alone.

'Should I take a quick look at what he's doing?'

Asad closed his left eye and then flinched greatly.

'...I shouldn't do this.'

Why on earth was he completely undressed? He almost got an erection in front of everyone.

"More importantly, why is the atmosphere like this?"

Trying to shake off what he had just seen, Asad entered the dragon palace and tilted his head. The atmosphere was unusual. He asked a servant who recognized him and hurriedly approached.

"What's happening?"

"W-well, that is..."

Asad flung open the door and entered. The doctor jumped up in surprise. But the one lying on the bed didn't move at all.

Jet was sitting beside the bed. Upon seeing Asad, he approached, staggering with eyes swollen red.

"Lord Asad, Targan..."

Targan appeared to be in a deep sleep. But with the horn on his forehead, which was as good as the life of the horned tribe, half-broken, it was impossible not to know that his condition was critical without looking closely.

Asad examined Targan with sunken eyes and then looked at Jet.

"Who did this?"

Jet lowered his head, hiding his tear-stained face. As if he didn't want to show weakness.

"I don't know either. By the time I arrived, he was already... Also, Lord Shinsurial, whom Targan was guarding, is missing as well."