< 6.Gift >
A breeze blew through the open window, caressing Elaine’s hair.
Sergey thought it was a beautiful sight, like a wheat field ready for harvest.
He couldn’t resist and had to run his fingers through that rich, wheat-colored hair.
“Umm….”
That’s why Elaine seemed to have woken up from her sleep.
“Shhh… it’s okay. Sleep a little more.”
At his soft, coaxing voice, her fluttering eyelashes slowly fell shut again.
Sergey looked down at Elaine, who was now asleep again and smiled happily.
‘I don’t like those dragons….. but that elder one at least knew some manners.’
After becoming a full-fledged companion with Elaine thanks to Thalia, Sergey’s resentment and anger toward the dragons have subsided a lot.
Thanks to that, he was able to shake off his anxiety about the unknown concept of ‘love’ and become one with Elaine.
He hadn’t known such immense happiness could exist.
He felt as if he finally understood the reason why he was born into this world.
‘I was born for Elaine, and I am destined to live for Elaine. I know it with certainty.’
It had been nearly a year since that day, and even now, Sergey couldn’t control the overwhelming feeling that washed over him every time he looked at Elaine.
So today too, Sergey pressed a gentle kiss to Elaine’s cheek while she was sleeping.
And this time, Elaine’s eyes blinked open.
“Sergey.….”
Sergey’s heart pounded as she called his name in a hazy voice that was still barely awake.
“Did you sleep well?”
As Elaine gave her morning greeting with a smile, it felt like the brilliant sunlight was wrapping just their bedroom in its glow.
“Good morning, Elaine.”
A bright smile appeared on Elaine’s lips at his greeting. It was brighter than the morning sunlight.
After sharing a long kiss, the two lay back down on the white blanket and looked at each other, enjoying their happiness.
Then Elaine muttered.
“I had a strange dream last night.”
“A dream?”
“Yeah.”
Elaine recalled the sight of a woman smiling and welcoming her under a large tree on a hill she had never seen before.
* * *
“Over here, Elaine!”
The woman who called Elaine while waving her hand affectionately was so beautiful that it was hard to look at her without being mesmerized.
“We finally met.”
Elaine couldn’t remember what she replied to that.
But the woman, seemingly not caring about her response, gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder and started walking slowly with her.
“You probably don’t know how much I’ve wanted to meet you.”
Her voice, tinged with laughter, was so pleasant to hear.
Even though Elaine had never seen her before, she felt an odd urge to embrace her.
And after what felt like only a short walk, a quiet beach with gentle waves appeared before them.
In the blue sky, in addition to the dazzling sun, there were two white moons.
It was a strange space, but far from being scary, it was infinitely comfortable.
As she soaked in that peaceful sensation, the woman suddenly asked a seemingly random question.
“Are you happy….?”
But Elaine didn’t seem confused or hesitate as she answered.
“Yes. I’m happy.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I feel like I’m finally complete.”
There was no better way to describe it.
She had always felt like a half—but now, she felt whole.
The loneliness, fear, exhaustion, and sadness had melted away like snow, replaced by something solid.
The world no longer felt scary.
It didn’t matter what happened.
Because Elaine had Sergey. His love, his soul, always surrounded her.
“Yes, that’s what love with a companion is like. It’s realizing that you have become a complete being.”
The woman smiled gently and patted Elaine’s head.
“It was the same for me. I never imagined such a feeling could exist. But after I bonded with him… that’s when I finally understood. I was so happy and grateful that I almost cried.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So… when I lost him, I couldn’t stay sane.”
Elaine’s heart sank.
As if she had just realized for the first time that she could lose that happiness.
The woman continued speaking, gently stroking Elaine’s surprised face.
“The hardest part was that nothing remained to prove his existence—the one I loved, who was everything to me.”
Looking at the empty space beside her, where once someone had been, must’ve felt like his very existence was being erased.
Although the woman did not describe the pain in detail, Elaine could simply understand it.
“So….. what did you do?”
The woman answered with a sad look in her eyes at Elaine’s voice, which was filled with fear.
“I tried to leave behind proof that he had lived beside me. I poured everything I had into it.”
“Proof? How?”
“I created our child. A child who would resemble both me and my companion.”
It might have been impossible for a human, but Elaine somehow understood what she was saying.
The sorrow and desperation she must have felt—Elaine felt it too.
“I really wanted to see that child… I wanted to love them just as much as I loved the partner I lost…”
The woman closed her eyes and muttered.
She wasn’t even crying, yet Elaine’s heart felt like it was breaking from the sadness.
But the woman smiled as she looked at Elaine.
“You loved him that much instead of me. Thank you, Elaine.”
Elaine nodded, tears falling for her.
What the woman said wasn’t all that surprising.
At some point, Elaine had already realized she was Ratel.
“I worried, you know—knowing he’d be born into loneliness. I gave him everything I had, but I was sure there’d be parts I lacked… and I was afraid those gaps might matter.”
Elaine shook her head.
“Sergey—no, Rabes—is more beautiful and perfect than anything in this world. Really.”
And that’s why she fell for him so helplessly.
How could she not love the wonderful black dragon who had such a warm and caring heart beneath his gruff exterior?
“No, that child is perfect because of you. Thank you, Elaine.”
The woman smiled brightly.
At that moment, a man approached from beyond. He had black hair and golden eyes, and he looked very much like someone from somewhere.
“Ratel. We have to go back now.”
“Katan.”
The two hugged each other lightly and then looked at Elaine again.
“Now we can finally relax. Please take good care of Rabes in the future.”
“Don’t worry!”
“And this is my gift. If you don’t want it, you can bury it in the ground. But if you ever truly want it, then swallow it.”
“What is this?”
Elaine looked down at the small bean-like thing that Ratel had placed in her hand and asked.
But there was no answer, and when she raised her head and looked around, Ratel and Katan were no longer in sight.
“Ratel? Ratel!”
She called her name, but her vision turned white, and the dream faded.
Sergey’s face slowly came into view.
* * *
Elaine had never placed much meaning in dreams, but this time, it felt different.
“Could they really have been Sergey’s parents?”
“Well… I hope so.”
Sergey nodded with a somewhat bitter expression on his face.
And after hesitating for a moment he asked.
“What do my parents look like?”
“Oh…”
It was only then that Elaine realized that Sergey had never seen his parents’ faces.
He might’ve even resented that they appeared only in her dream.
Elaine did her best to describe their appearance.
“I only saw her in human form, but she was truly beautiful. Ratel had moonlight blond hair and blue eyes like yours, Sergey. She was a lot taller than me….”
Sergey listened quietly.
No matter how detailed her description, he had no way of knowing if the image forming in his mind truly matched what Ratel or Katan looked like.
Elaine also knew that fact and said with a small sigh.
“Why didn’t they appear in your dream?”
“Maybe… they could only appear in one of our dreams.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Do you remember when I briefly brought your mother’s soul into this world?”
Elaine nodded vigorously. There was no way she could forget that incredible gift.
“It is very difficult for the soul of the dead to cross over to the world of the living. It is even more difficult for dragons.”
“Then….!”
“It’s just a guess, but I think they had only one chance. And they chose you.”
Sergey believed it was the right choice.
If his partner was happy, then he could be happy too.
But Elaine couldn’t understand.
‘Still… I think they would’ve wanted to see Sergey more….’
But Sergey didn’t seem to think much of it, got out of bed, and disappeared for a moment, saying he would prepare Elaine’s meal himself.
Elaine, who was smiling at the sight, suddenly felt something on her palm.
Without realizing it, she had been clenching her fist tightly—and inside it was the very same thing she had received from Ratel in her dream.
“What is this…? A bean…? No, that’s not it…”
But then suddenly it started floating in the air, spinning around and emitting light.
And inside that tiny bean, she saw something even smaller curled up.
At that moment, she realized.
“Ah, this is…!”
It was a small seed that could become a dragon’s egg.
Only with the combined magic of Sergey and Elaine could it turn into a real egg—but it was clearly the seed of an egg, something a human-like Elaine could never have.
Then Sergey appeared, carrying a bowl of hot soup, some white bread, and a few pieces of fresh fruit.
“It’s been a while since I’ve shown off my skills. This is your favorite cream soup, and this—Elaine? Why are you crying?”
He had been excitedly explaining the breakfast menu, but was startled when he saw Elaine in tears.
He rushed over to her, flustered.
He begged her to tell him why she was crying, saying that no matter what it was, he’d fix it for her.
Watching him panic like that, Elaine whispered softly.
“Sergey……”
“Yeah, just say anything! I’ll listen—whatever it is!”
“Let’s become three.”
“Huh?”
Elaine burst into laughter at Sergey’s confused face.
They had thought being two made them complete—but now she was certain that being three would bring them even greater happiness.
The small egg seed in Elaine’s hand sparkled and trembled gently.
Like a tiny baby laughing with joy…
<END>
