When Ian lifted his head, the child slowly walked forward as if descending the stairs and stood in front of him.
“Do you remember who I am?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s have a talk.”
“…This is not an appropriate place to talk.”
The child nodded.
“Then I’ll go wherever you go.”
Ian sighed and spoke.
“Let’s go together.”
***
Although it was naptime, Rose had been so startled that she couldn’t fall asleep easily.
After much comforting, soothing, and singing lullabies until his voice almost gave out, Rose finally fell asleep. However, tears still lingered at the corners of her eyes.
Ian tried to place Rose on the bed but noticed that her hand gripping his shirt wouldn’t let go.
He gave up on laying her down and decided instead to pick up a thin blanket from the sofa in the bedroom. Wrapping her securely as if tucking her into a cocoon, Ian then headed to the parlor.
Inside the parlor, the child who had resolved the earlier incident with ease was leisurely enjoying a cup of tea.
Even though the child’s silver-white hair dragged on the floor, he paid no mind and gracefully sipped his tea.
Ian entered the parlor and spoke,
“I apologize, but the child was so frightened that she won’t be able to sit down right now.”
The child clicked his tongue.
“Understandable. Come here. Let me help.”
Not knowing what kind of help was being offered but sensing no harm toward Rose, Ian approached the child.
The child’s small hand, no larger than Rose’s, touched her round forehead.
“Stebeletti.”
A light shimmered over Rose’s body before fading away.
Even while asleep, Rose had occasionally whimpered. Now, however, she breathed softly and evenly, just as she usually did. The grip on Ian’s shirt had also loosened.
“I cast a calming spell. Her frightened heart has settled, so she’ll sleep peacefully now.”
“…Thank you.”
Ian bowed his head in gratitude before unwrapping the blanket and laying Rose on the sofa. Then he took a seat across from the child.
At a flick of the child’s fingers, the teapot floated into the air. Following the child’s gestures, the teapot tilted, pouring fragrant tea into the cup before Ian.
“You’ve been startled as well. Have a drink.”
“Th-thank you.”
As Ian took a sip of tea, the child asked,
“Do you know who I am?”
“…I’m not certain, but I have a guess.”
The child nodded.
“Go on, what do you think?”
“I suspect… you might be a dragon.”
The child broke into a wide smile.
“That’s correct. Let me introduce myself. I’m Bernaba, a black dragon who has lived for ten thousand years.”
A black dragon.
Ian felt sweat forming in his palms.
It was uncertain whether the appearance of a dragon, which had never shown up in the flow before, was a blessing or a curse.
Bernaba looked at Ian and said,
“Don’t be so tense.”
Despite Bernaba’s words, Ian couldn’t relax. Just earlier, an incident had occurred in the imperial palace because of Rose.
There was a possibility that the dragon, who had handled the situation, might hold Rose accountable.
Placing the teacup silently on the table, Bernaba spoke.
“I see you’ve been collecting sacred relics.”
Ian flinched.
However, Bernaba continued speaking leisurely, as if ignoring Ian’s reaction.
“God is a whimsical and capricious being. If something displeases Him, He discards it, but on another day, He might reach for it again.”
“……..”
Bernaba turned to look out the window.
“Sacred relics can tether a wandering soul to a body, but that’s the extent of their power. If you use the power of the soul you possess, the unanchored soul will continue to suffer damage.”
Bernaba turned back to Ian.
“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? The flow is just a flow—don’t blindly trust it.”
“I’ve never blindly trusted it.”
Bernaba’s gaze sharpened.
“If you weren’t blindly trusting it, then why are you using the power of the soul?”
“It’s because the situation keeps steering itself in that direction, and I’ve been struggling to break free.”
Bernaba clicked his tongue.
“What’s your relationship with that child that makes you struggle so desperately?”
Ian let out a deep sigh and explained how he had come to possess his current body and who Rose was.
After listening to the explanation, Bernaba merely clicked his tongue again without saying a word.
As the silence lingered, Ian clenched his fists in anxiety.
“Even if it means shattering my soul, I will protect Rose.”
Bernaba frowned deeply.
“Do you even understand what it means for a soul to be shattered?”
“I’ve heard stories. I understand.”
“And yet you’re still willing to protect her?”
Ian nodded firmly with a determined expression.
“That is the purpose of my existence.”
“.…Tsk.”
Bernaba clicked his tongue once more and said,
“Dragons cannot interfere in human affairs. The same applies to your life. If you’ve made up your mind, you’ll have to see it through. What else can be done?”
“………”
Ian bowed his head.
“Thank you for helping me earlier.”
“I merely kept a promise.”
“A promise?”
Bernaba picked up his teacup again.
“A long time ago, I made a single vow to the first emperor—to intervene if the imperial palace ever faced danger. I simply fulfilled that promise; it has nothing to do with you.”
“Even so, I thank you.”
Had the dragon not come to uphold its promise, Ian might have unsealed Fragarach to fight, leaving Rose alone.
“Are you truly grateful?”
Ian nodded.
“Then I’ll be indebted to you for a while.”
It was when Ian blinked in confusion, unable to fully comprehend the sudden declaration.
“I’ve taken an interest in you. The rest of my life as a dragon should be interesting.”
Bernaba’s eyes curved into a soft smile.
***
– …Did you say you failed?
“I have no excuse. I’m sorry.”
Even though she was speaking through a communication stone, Yekhaterina could feel the piercing gaze on her, and a cold sweat dripped down her back.
– Are you unaware that the duke is wary of us? What are you going to do now? The duke will never come to the capital no matter what! Even if we try to summon him through the emperor, the nobles will oppose it! How could you let things turn out this way?
“I have no words to defend myself.”
She truly thought she would succeed this time.
If the child were attacked, the duke would do everything to protect her, and in the meantime, killing the duke would have been as easy as pie.
And everything had been going according to Yekhaterina’s plan.
If not for that strange child who suddenly appeared.
‘In the previous life, that child didn’t exist. Why did they suddenly appear now? And why on earth won’t that duke die? What has changed?!’
– He is disappointed in you.
Yekhaterina’s head snapped up.
“But! You know I succeeded with the jewelry store <Yekhaterina> and became friends with the crown prince! Not everything was a failure!”
– Success? You think <Yekhaterina> was a success? The imperial seal was awarded to Rose! A friend of the crown prince? What importance does that superficial title hold?!
At the other person’s scolding, Yekhaterina bit her lips.
– Do you think the resources poured into you were easily obtained? What about the powers used to save you? Do you really think you’re worth all that?
The more the reprimand continued, the paler Yekhaterina’s face became. Each word seemed to choke the life out of her.
Then suddenly, the person’s voice softened, as if speaking kindly to a granddaughter.
– I know how much you’ve struggled. But he only cares about the results. If this continues, you know what will happen to you, don’t you?
“…Yes. I’m sorry.”
– I will speak to him again on your behalf. So don’t fail next time. Remember, this is your last chance.
Tears brimming in her eyes, Yekhaterina nodded.
“I understand. I will succeed.”
The communication stone’s light went out.
Yekhaterina collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
When she first opened her eyes and realized she had arrived in an unfamiliar world, she had been bewildered.
But the world she had crossed into had been incredibly kind to her.
As if it had been created just for her, the world gave her everything she wanted, whether she asked for it or not.
There was no sadness, no heartbreak.
Everyone loved her, admired her.
That was who she was.
‘I will go back.’
After her sobs subsided, Yekhaterina wiped her tears roughly.
There was still a chance for her to reverse everything.
So, it wasn’t yet time to despair.
Yekhaterina’s gaze became sharp as she stared into the void.
***
The incident in the imperial palace was resolved quickly.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, most of the injured were knights.
However, the nobles whose lives had been threatened raised their voices, making it clear they couldn’t just let it go.
Even the nobles who weren’t directly involved in the chaos joined in.
It was as if they were seizing the opportunity to humble the proud Marquess Hayant, with their complaints growing louder by the day.
“What are we to do?”
The Marchioness of Hayant, her face pale, shed tears.
In her arms was Katrina, staring blankly into the void.
“…There is no solution.”
The nobles demanded that Katrina, who was the cause of the incident, be executed.
They argued that she must be killed, fearing she might transform into that black mass again.
But who was Katrina?
She was the youngest daughter, born to the Marquess and Marchioness of Hayant in their later years, cherished to the extent that even when she was learning to walk, maids were tasked to keep a close watch so she wouldn’t hurt herself if she stumbled.
“The Empress…”
The Marchioness spoke with a glimmer of hope, but the Marquess shook his head.
“She will not see us.”
In this situation, defending her younger sister Katrina could mean the end of the Empress’s own life.
Understanding this, the couple couldn’t resent the Empress for her decision.
“Then is there truly no other way? Are we really going to let our Katrina be…?”
Unable to finish her sentence, the Marchioness began to cry.
“What if we move to the estate?”
“What?”
The Marquess asked in shock.
“If the problem lies with her being in the capital, then wouldn’t moving to the estate resolve the issue? That way, she wouldn’t need to be executed—”
“Ridiculous!”
The Marquess interrupted her sharply.
“Do you even hear yourself? If we move, who will protect the Empress? What about the Crown Prince?”
“But we need to save our child first! Katrina is our daughter! She’s our child!”
The Marchioness wailed.
The Marquess looked at his wife, sobbing uncontrollably, then shifted his gaze to Katrina, who lay lifelessly in her arms.
Seeing her soulless face brought back the haunting image of her at the banquet, spewing black smoke and screaming.
A shiver ran down his spine.
The Marquess quickly turned away and said,
“There’s nothing we can do. You must accept this now.”
“Marquess!”
“You and I are both healthy; we can have another child.”
“Please, don’t say such things.”
The Marquess turned his back on her.
“Make your peace with it. We’ll be given time for a final goodbye.”
The Marchioness watched the Marquess leave the room as if fleeing. She then clutched Katrina tightly and broke into tears once more.
It was heart-wrenching and utterly devastating.
