REFDL 91

To be exact, he was appalled by the fact that Yuram climbed the wall with such severe injuries. He felt the need to restrict Yuram’s movements so Yuram’s wounds wouldn’t worsen.

But Kaelus wasn’t the type of man who’d explain the reasons for his actions in detail.

In the end, as the misunderstanding deepened, they shared a profound silence on the same issue, each for their own reasons.

Yuram still couldn’t believe it.

‘Odan is… royalty?’

He thought Odan’s bloodline wouldn’t be ordinary, but he never imagined there would be such a huge backstory behind it.

Even the problem didn’t just end with Odan being royalty.

Yuram glared at Kaelus.

There was no need to reconfirm. Kaelus must’ve known the moment he saw Odan. Even if he wasn’t certain, he would’ve sensed something close to it.

“…I heard the healers were startled because you suddenly jumped out the window. Why didn’t you stay still?”

[Is that what’s important right now?]

“….”

[Why didn’t you tell me?]

Kaelus let out a long sigh.

He was too exhausted.

He was always sensitive about matters related to the Second Prince. But now, it was something more concerning than other times, so Kaelus’s fatigue accumulated faster than usual. He confronted Tortan in that state.

In the end, he said unrefined words in front of Yuram, and it led to a slip of the tongue.

“I didn’t feel the need to tell you.”

[…What?]

Kaelus realized his mistake only after he saw Yuram freeze like an ornament.

What he originally meant to say was, ‘I didn’t feel the need to tell you back then.’ When they reunited in the Forest Village, that was the truth, and so many things happened afterward… he forgot.

It’d be more accurate to say he didn’t think of it at all.

Kaelus hurriedly made an excuse.

“I mean, what I’m saying is…”

Grrr!

Yuram wasn’t listening anymore.

His pupils dilated vertically, and a growl escaped from his mouth. He couldn’t control his anger. He felt like a fuse had blown in his head.

Crunch!

Yuram bit Kaelus’s hand with plenty of spite.

Kaelus stopped moving.

“….”

Yuram hesitated as he belatedly remembered Kaelus’s trauma. But anger is anger. [stolen content]The dragon let go and turned away to curl up without even licking the wound once.

He spread his small wings that fit his size and completely wrapped his head.

After a moment of silence, Kaelus spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

His tone was dejected. Even the angry Yuram flinched for a moment.

A completely drained Kaelus didn’t suit him.

It felt like the remaining color had completely drained from a man who was already close to achromatic.

“I should’ve told you… I was thoughtless. It wasn’t certain, and since the matter was serious, I judged that the fewer people who knew, the better… These words are just an excuse.”

[….]

“…Take a rest.”

Creak.

He opened the cage door wider. Yuram stiffened, wondering if Kaelus was going to take him out, but he didn’t.

Footsteps that sounded intentional grew distant.

The sound of the bedroom door opening and closing.

Click.

Yuram was submerged in silence for a while, then he slowly moved the wings that covered his head.

He was left alone.

Kaelus didn’t return until dawn.

***

Things proceeded smoothly.

Since he received nothing, he had nothing to pack.

The important thing was a single document with the Emperor’s seal. And just sending word to the archipelago first.

He made contact through a mage.

The Ilba family expressed their welcome on the surface, regardless of their true intentions.

They said it was an honor for them to meet the continent-renowned Kremlis in person.

Kaelus found that statement strangely bothersome. Nitan, who had been pondering it, agreed.

“Personally, I think it’s something they could say… but I can’t easily ignore your intuition, Captain. But even if the Ilba family has an agenda, we have no choice but to go now.”

“I’ll have to prepare more thoroughly.”

“…Wait. Isn’t that a combat support artifact that’s banned from being taken out?!”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s preparation.”

“No, what are you talking about? You absolutely can’t!”

He packed a little bit of food, blankets, and temporary tents for long-distance flights.

Kaelus said he was only packing essentials, but he kept stuffing more things in with a dissatisfied expression.

So, a day before they left for the capital, visitation for Odan was granted.

***

Immediately after the incident, Odan was dragged away and imprisoned.

It wasn’t above ground, but an underground prison where not a single ray of light entered. Kaelus protested, but it didn’t work.

No access or contact was allowed.

The Emperor allowed the visitation as if he was granting a final mercy.

The expedition to borrow the artifact to reveal Odan’s bloodline hadn’t even left yet, but the Emperor seemed certain that he was the Second Prince’s son.

The dungeon was exactly as expected.

…Actually, it was worse than expected.

Kaelus kept quiet, so Yuram forced the truth out of Nitan. Nitan said it was a place to lock up ‘those who’ll never see the light again.’

In other words, being imprisoned here meant you wouldn’t see the sunlight again while alive.

…It looked like such a place.

A disgusting smell wafted through the air, and the sound of groaning came from all directions.

There was even a criminal who suddenly let out screams and shrieks. In one corner, someone muttered unintelligible words constantly as if they were reciting a prayer.

It was a space enough to make even a sane person lose their mind.

Odan’s room was in the middle.

It wasn’t close to the entrance, but he had to walk down for a long time to reach the deepest part.

On the floor of the prison made of jagged stones, there was only a single piece of crude, old cloth.

The only furniture was an old bed, but even that was a miracle.

It wasn’t originally like that.

Yuram knew Nitan looked after Odan by making requests everywhere and sometimes threatening others. It was only because of that effort that it was this much.

However, even Nitan’s sincerity couldn’t overcome the Emperor’s command and the limitations of the location.

“Oh. Maybe it’s because we’re meeting in a place like this. It’s a bit awkward.”

Odan looked fine, at least on the [stolen content]outside. He was as bright as usual even in front of the adults with serious expressions.

“Why do you have that look? I’m fine.”

“….”

“I think your expressions are definitely easier to read when you’re a dragon than when you’re human. Is it because you’re a dragon by nature?”

“…Are you really fine?”

It was a stupid question.

But those were the only words that he could say. …That was all Yuram wanted to ask, too.

“Yes. I’m not just saying that. I’m fine.”

“….”

“I mean it. I think it’s because I’ve been prepared for a while….”

“…I’ll be back soon. I won’t let it take long. I can fly to a place like Ilba in one breath. I’m a fully grown Kremlis now. I was already a great Kremlis, but I’ve become an even greater one. The dragon with no match among living things is me.”

I can bring back that artifact like the wind.

Even if something happens at Ilba, or even if they change their minds and say they can’t give it to us.

“I’ll bring it back no matter what. So, stay well until then.”

The matter wouldn’t end just by getting the artifact.

The result had to show that Odan was Tortan’s son. Yuram knew that but didn’t say a word about it.

“Yes. I’ll wait.”

Then Yuram handed over a pile of letters containing Rotol and Mirim’s messages.

He pushed the food, snacks, and daily necessities prepared by Derrick through the rusted iron bars to deliver them.

Half of them were successful even if they had to be crumpled. The bulky ones wouldn’t fit because the gap between the bars was too narrow.

As he struggled, Kaelus, who was watching quietly, approached and grabbed the rusted bars to pull them apart.

Creak.

“….”

“….”

Yuram didn’t ask if it was okay to do that. Nitan, who was nearby, looked fed up but didnR[stolen content]17;t say anything either.

He slid the extra blankets and winter goods through the gap that was slightly, very slightly wider than the original distance. It was spring outside, but frost still formed on the walls of the underground prison.

This wasn’t a cold that a ten-year-old child could endure.

Kaelus didn’t restore the bars and left them as they were. He wiped his palms, which were dirty from holding the rusted bars, thoroughly on his pants. Then he reached through the bars and placed his hand on Odan’s head.

It was a single moment of comfort that was more reliable than tens of thousands of words.