“Uh-uh…”
As the Goldmaster’s puppet rattled as it received Asherai’s scales, the man and woman appeared unsure of what to do, continuously sneaking glances at Elshnain.
Whether they did end up speaking or not, Elshnain didn’t know because her ears were burning from the swarm of reporters crowding around her.
“Um, May I ask who you are?”
“Could you possibly reveal your affiliation?”
“Your status, your status! You must be a noble, right?”
At that moment, her eyes fell on the pale-faced pair who had been stealing a glances at her.
“……!”
They were visibly startled as their shoulders immediately flinched.
Then, after a few more seconds of hesitation, they squeezed into the crowd of reporters.
“We’ve noticed it since earlier! The dignity emanating from your noble body!” One of them said.
“That’s right! I noticed it at first glance!” the other added.
“Um, perhaps, ahem, would you consider signing a contract with our Harwa Trading Company…?”
“And if you happen to have any other goods, how about partnering with our corporation…!”
Earlier, they had mocked her as if she were a beggar, but upon discovering she was the owner of the scales, their attitude shifted dramatically.
Amused by the abrupt change, Elshnain couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing her reaction, the man and woman laughed along.
“No thanks.”
“What?”
However, their laughter didn’t last long.
“I prefer not to associate with people below a certain standard.”
With a sly smile, and the corners of her lips curling under her mask, Elshnain spoke confidently to everyone watching.
“I will observe further to see if there are any worthy partners. I am looking for talent, after all. The Harwa Trading Company, was it? Let’s cross that place off the list first.”
Elshnain slowly retrieved a scroll she had kept in the pocket of her robe.
“I have no interest in trading companies that, like you, judge people by their wealth and divide them into classes.”
As she tore open the scroll, she whispered softly: “See you again, Goldmaster.”
“…huh?!” A startled noise came from the one hidden inside the puppet.
It was no surprise he was shocked, as she had not revealed his existence nor acted like she knew that he was inside the puppet.
Elshnain then swiftly teleported to a pre-marked location near Haunbert.
“Just a moment, please! White Mask!”
And while someone was calling out to her, Elshnain vanished from the auction house.
** *
After Elshunine disappeared from the Golden Tower, the newspapers were buzzing daily with stories about her.
-White Mask lady appeared like a comet, and brought Silver Dragon scales to the empire!”
-Who is she really? Could she be the Silver Dragon itself?
-She said she was waiting to invest in talent! White Mask lady! How much did she make at the auction this time?!”
Each newspaper headline featured a video loop of a woman in a white mask, smirking sinisterly.
No, when did I ever smile so wickedly?
Elshnain stared blankly at her own image on the screen, then gently scratched her cheek, thinking about how realistic she appeared in the video.
This world really is strange. Science and technology still have a long way to go, yet magic is highly developed.
She blinked a few times as she continued to watch the fascinating video embedded in the paper.
Just then, Killian, who was sitting across from her with his legs crossed, deeply engrossed in reading a newspaper, abruptly set it down.
“Elshnain, doesn’t it seem strange?” he asked.
“Uh, yes?” Elshnain involuntarily bit her tongue, feeling a prick of guilt. “What, Killian? What’s strange?”
While Killian’s gaze was still fixed on his own image in the newspaper, Elshnain, with slightly trembling lips, brought a steaming cup of tea to her mouth to hide them.
Ouch!
“…….”
She burned her tongue with the hot tea and stuck it out slightly to cool it off, only to meet Killian’s piercing red eyes.
“Be careful,” he said.
That intense gaze.
Surely…
He’s thinking I’m hopelessly foolish, isn’t he?
Trying to recover, Elshunine cleared her throat and nodded vigorously.
“Ha-ha. I didn’t expect it to be this hot. But what did you say was strange?” she asked, fanning her tea as Killian elegantly lift his own teacup saying,
“I was wondering why Asherai’s scales suddenly appeared at the Golden Tower.”
“……cough, cough!”
Elshnain choked on her tea, which then spilled over the back of her hand.
Ouch! Hot, hot, hot!
“Sigh.”
A large, cool hand covered Elshnain’s, causing her to recoil in surprise —it was Killian’s.
“I told you to be careful,” he reprimanded.
Then a white light suddenly spread between their overlapped hands—it was Killian’s divine power. The back of her hand, which had been burning hot, quickly returned to its normal color, and the pain faded away.
It had been a long time since Killian’s divine power had touched her.
It’s still warm.
Contrary to his cold demeanor, his divine power was very warm and… yes, quite fluffy.
Just then, Elshnain, feeling drowsy from the comfort it gave, sensed the same sensation that she had just felt on the back of her hand, on her lips.
“Huh?”
“Stay still.”
“…Hmmm.”
It seemed he intended to also heal her burned tongue.
Realizing that fact, Elshnain relaxed her tensed body and looked up at Killian in a daze.
With an indifferent expression, the man looked down at her while his hand rested on her lips.
“…….”
After a short while, the same cool, and fluffy sensation spread over her lips, making the numb pain in her tongue vanish.
“Uh… Killian?”
Why isn’t he moving away?
When Elshnain tilted her head inquisitively, Killian’s hand slowly moved away; finally. And as if to dispel any notion of his earlier hesitant movements, he quickly crossed his legs again and resumed his position.
Then, pointing with his long index finger, he directed her attention to the newspaper.
“Here. This person sold Asherai’s scales, didn’t they?”
“…Hmm. Why do you think they’re Asherai’s scales? They could just be from another Silver Dragon, couldn’t they?”
Elshnain tried to change the subject, but Killian was resolute.
“It’s that stupid dragon’s scales.”
“What, how can you be so sure?”
“They have a sinister aura.”
“…Is that the only reason?”
Though unsure of what had transpired between them, it seemed that even from a mere glimpse of the scales, Killian could recognize their origin.
Should I be happy that you two have become so close to each other…?
“The reason is simple. Asherai wouldn’t just stand by and watch this happen.”
“…….”
“Besides, he personally organized the lairs and remains of other dragons….”
Indeed. Given Asherai’s perfectionism, even if his personality was less than ideal, there’s no way dragon scales would be found after he had personally sorted things out.
“Hmm. Then, I guess they are Asherai’s scales.”
“That’s what’s strange.”
“Why…?”
“Hmmm.”
Killian tilted his head and intently stared at her. There was a hint of perplexity in his eyes before he slumped down as if he finally understood.
“Ah. You’ve erased your memories, so it’s natural that you’d forget about Asherai.”
“…….”
“He wouldn’t just give his scales to anyone, would he now? He’s the type who can’t tolerate his dragon stuff being scattered about.”
“Oh, I see,” Elshnain nodded vigorously as if she had just understood. She even murmured softly to herself as if committing it to memory.
“…Right. That’s why it’s very strange.”
“Ha-ha. Well, maybe Asherai has a very close friend… ahem, maybe they asked him for a favor?”
“He doesn’t have any close friends.”
“…….”
That was true.
Elshnain was silently agreeing with Killian’s words when he suddenly added,
“Just one.”
“Huh?”
Killian set down his teacup with a thud on the table and interlocked his fingers while staring at her.
““Asherai has only one friend for whom he would go as far as giving even his liver and gallbladder.”
“……?”
Did Asherai have such a friend? Elshnain’s head tilted innocently to the side as she questioned herself.
“That half-elf, Peridot? Are you talking about him?” She asked.
“…….”
But Killian did not respond and merely pour tea into his cup.
The liquid, a deep red like Killian’s eyes, streamed from the teapot. It was a long while before he finally looked away from the swirling tea in the cup, filled with tiny circles.
“Want more cookies?” he suddenly inquired.
“Huh? Oh, yes, please.”
Elshnain, who had been staring blankly at Killian’s well-formed black hair and straight nose, nodded in surprise.
His answer was clearly an evasion of her question, but she couldn’t press further.
The look in Killian’s eyes was too intense.
* * *
“Hehe! Ku! Silver Dragon scales! Ku!”
The Goldmaster, originally named Gold and a baby pig, was ecstatic.
“I never imagined I could get my hands on something so precious! Ku!” He clutched the scales tightly in his small hands and gleefully rolled back and forth on his specially made mini gold bed, which rocked with his movements.
After some time, his thoughts shifted to someone else.
“By the way, Ku…”
Sitting crumpled on his bed, he flapped his small wings while still holding the scales tightly.
“Who was that person, ku…?” He pondered with a serious expression, tapping what one would assume was his chin.
“She knew me, Ku.”
He had never revealed his identity, which puzzled him. After mulling it over, he suddenly burst into a broad smile and flopped down on his bed.
“Let’s just enjoy this for now, Ku!”
Regardless of who that person was, the important thing was that the scales were now in his possession. However, suspecting he might see that person more often, he shook off a somewhat ominous feeling.
If you liked this chapter, buy me a Kofi for more 😁.
