Episode 28
The day after Erina decided to go to the Sylvian Empire arrived.
It was also the third day since her meeting with Dylan. So from the early morning, Erina was up, waiting for Dylan to arrive.
Fwoosh!
The air rippled, and a bright light appeared next to the dining table.
Erina, who had been sitting and staring out the window, startled and turned her head abruptly.
“Huh?!”
“Good morning, Miss Erina,” said Dylan as he emerged from the fading light.
He smoothed his slightly disheveled silver-white hair and bowed his head politely.
The navy uniform he wore today further highlighted his refined features.
Erina, momentarily stunned by his appearance, quickly stood up and bowed in return.
But then her eyes were drawn to his legs, where three dragons were clinging tightly, crying pitifully as they stared at her.
“Kya!”
“Puu!”
“Mama!”
“Oh my goodness, you little ones!”
Erina exclaimed, squatting down and wrapping the three dragons in a tight hug.
They burrowed into her arms, crying even louder as if releasing all their pent-up sorrow.
It was such an emotional reunion that anyone watching might have felt their nose tingle.
Unfortunately, the only witness was Dylan, who seemed entirely uninterested in the heartfelt scene.
His only emotion was irritation, having once again given in to his niblings’ stubbornness.
***
An hour earlier, at the Harrison estate.
Dylan was rushing through his morning tasks to free up time for his visit to Erina’s house, with the three dragons firmly latched onto his legs the entire time.
“No,” he said firmly to the niblings, who had been pestering him to let them accompany him to Erina.
If Dylan made one mistake, it was underestimating their resolve.
His stern tone initially startled them, but they soon dismissed him as if he were no more than a passing breeze.
Perhaps it was their shared bloodline that made them immune to his intimidation.
Even the most arrogant and selfish dragons seemed to have a soft spot for their kin.
It was something ingrained in their very genes, rendering all of Dylan’s efforts to resist this family trait futile.
By now, his head was pounding from their incessant whining all morning.
The solution, he knew, was simple—giving in. It was the quickest and easiest way to restore peace.
The downside? His pride took a significant hit every time.
“Fine,” he sighed, “I’ll take you with me if you stay quiet for the next hour.”
“Kyu!”
“Ba!”
“Moo!”
At least they were smart enough to keep their end of a bargain, most of the time.
With the niblings unusually silent, Dylan managed to finish his work before arriving at Erina’s house, the three dragons still clinging to him like ornaments.
***
“Have you been well?,” Erina asked.
The dragons responded by chattering loudly in their own language, each trying to outdo the other.
Naturally, Erina couldn’t understand a word, so she simply nodded and smiled.
The sight of them tearing up and chirping away reminded her of when she first took them in, and her eyes grew misty with emotion.
As she basked in the joy of their reunion, Erina tilted her head.
Come to think of it, they had already gone through their first molting phase. Why were they still in their dragon forms?
Moreover, they hadn’t grown at all since returning to the Sylvian Empire.
Considering how quickly they had grown while living with her, their current size seemed peculiar.
***
“Well then, shall we go?,” Dylan asked.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re coming with us to the Sylvian Empire, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I’ve decided to go, but… right now? I haven’t even packed or cleaned up the house,” Erina said, glancing around at her disorganized home.
Life without the children had left the place in a sorry state.
“As I mentioned before, you only need to bring yourself. I’ll take care of everything else,” Dylan replied confidently.
“Then at least let me tidy up the house—”
“That’s fine as well. I’ll cast a preservation spell on it. It’ll stay exactly as it is for the next 50 years.”
He said it as casually as if he were buying bread from a bakery.
Erina stared at him, wide-eyed, as he began murmuring incantations in an unfamiliar language.
When he finished the short spell, a gentle blue light enveloped the entire house before fading away.
“All done. The house will remain just as it is until you return,” Dylan declared.
“You’re… truly amazing, Mr. Dylan…”
Erina said in awe.
“Preservation magic for non-living objects is hardly noteworthy,” Dylan replied, though his shoulders visibly puffed up with pride.
The admiration in Erina’s eyes seemed to wash away all the frustration he had endured with the dragonlings earlier.
The three dragons, however, were less impressed. They stomped on Dylan’s feet with mischievous glee.
Of course, their small dragon strength was no more than a tickle to Dylan, but it was enough to annoy him.
Just as he was about to reprimand them, Erina intervened.
“You little ones! What are you doing, being so naughty to your uncle? Even as a joke, stepping on someone’s feet is unacceptable! Apologize to your uncle right now!”
Erina scooped the dragons off Dylan’s feet and scolded them.
Cowed by her rare display of sternness, the dragons chirped meekly, their heads drooping.
“That’s better. Now, Resen, start by apologizing.”
“Kyuu, kya kya!”
“Baaa.”
“Mama, moma.”
Hearing their sincere apologies, Dylan felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.
How could I have forgotten this feeling? he thought to himself, a triumphant smile tugging at his lips.
The Only One Who Can Control the Kids!
If Dylan had realized this just a bit sooner, he wouldn’t have had to endure a month of absolute chaos!
Struggling to suppress the twitch at the corner of his lips, he nodded, donning a benevolent uncle’s smile.
It was clear—if he could stay on Erina’s good side, handling the triplets with a mere flick of her finger would be a breeze.
Dylan extended his hand to Erina, his expression bright and inviting.
“Shall we go now? I’ll escort you to the Sylvian Empire.”
“Y-yes!”
Erina replied, nervously placing her hand in Dylan’s.
She still held the triplets tightly in her arms. He had warned them before not to let go, so this time she clung to them even more resolutely.
Her face betrayed her nervousness as she glanced between Dylan on one side and the triplets nestled in her arms.
With a final look around her home, Erina’s eyes softened.
From her earliest childhood memories to her recent days with the dragons, this place had been a constant in her life.
She didn’t know when she would return, but she silently wished it would remain unchanged until then.
***
“Ah, Miss Erina? I’m sorry, but could I ask you for one more favor?”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Well…”
Dylan launched into an elaborate explanation that went on for several minutes. When he finally finished, Erina gave a small nod, seemingly unbothered.
Her indifferent reaction made Dylan’s smile widen once more.
***
“Finally! They’re coming!”
“They’re here!”
Mitzu and Hael exclaimed as they stared at the empty sky.
The staff working nearby looked up as well, bewildered, but felt nothing unusual.
Mitzu tossed aside the documents he was reviewing and dashed toward Dylan’s office, with Hael following close behind.
“Mitzu! Hael!”
The startled staff called after them, but it was too late.
The two had already disappeared, their curiosity fueling their rush.
Bursting into Dylan’s office, Mitzu and Hael’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Who could this human possibly be, for Dylan to personally bring her here?
However, their high expectations were immediately dashed when they saw her.
“Dylan? Is that her?”
Mitzu asked, pointing to the human woman holding the three dragons.
The woman had plain brown hair and equally unremarkable brown eyes. So ordinary was her appearance that she seemed to blend into the background.
Mitzu and Hael’s faces fell, their disappointment palpable.
Seeing their reactions, Erina felt a mix of embarrassment and relief.
It seemed Dylan had been right; changing just her hair color was enough to deflect the dragons’ curiosity entirely.
