24. The Important Thing Is an Unbreakable Will
"Huh? Lerven, what's up with your forehead? Did you get hurt somewhere?"
As always, breakfast in the dormitory cafeteria brought Evan and Sionel right to my table. They eyed the wound on my forehead with clear curiosity, and I, furrowing my brow deeply, gave them the blunt truth.
"...Got smacked by a card I trusted."
"What the hell does that even mean...?"
Of course, telling the truth didn't always make it land.
"Anyway, that's how it is. Oh yeah, all classes are canceled today, right?"
"Yeah, I heard all the academy staff are having an emergency meeting. Wonder what's up?"
It had only been a day since the semester started, so Sionel's puzzled look at the idea of every single staff member gathering for a meeting made sense. I crunched down on the spoon I'd been using to sip my stew. Glancing at Evan, her eyes darted away—she clearly knew this wasn't in the original story either.
Which meant this whole mess stemmed from my existence derailing the plot. If I could just peek into that meeting's details, it'd be gold, but as mere students, neither Evan nor I could get anywhere near it. A real shame.
"Eh, if it's nothing big, they'll tell us eventually."
"You think?"
Of course, I couldn't spill everything to Sionel, so I brushed it off curtly, dropping the topic. She didn't seem too invested anyway, just munching her bread with a lukewarm shrug.
"Oh, right!"
Sionel swallowed a huge mouthful of bread in one go, her eyes sparkling like she'd just had a brilliant idea.
"I found this great sunny spot yesterday. If you guys don't have plans, wanna check it out together? The view's amazing!"
"Mm... I'm good either way. What about you, Lerven?"
"I've got nothing right now..."
I racked my brain under their expectant gazes—Sionel's eyes shining, Evan smoothly joining in—but with the semester just kicking off, there really wasn't anything pressing. I started to nod along.
If not for that unwelcome intruder glaring daggers at me from over their shoulders, beckoning with a hand.
"...Ah, crap. Looks like today won't work."
"Huh? Suddenly? You just said you were free."
"Got a prior claim. I'll head out first—catch you later."
Exchanging a look with the intruder, I cleared my dishes and stood.
As I left the cafeteria, the guy leaning against the entrance wall—who'd been waiting—spoke up.
"You're slow as hell. You planning to keep Sidus-sama waiting? That's some nerve."
His tone dripped with disdain. Reverence and admiration for Sidus oozed from every word, unfiltered.
Hard to tell if Sidus had whipped him into this zealot in record time or if he was always like this.
"If we're talking rudeness, showing up right at dorm breakfast hour when you knew the schedule? That's the real offense."
"...Tch."
I'd poked at him partly because his attitude grated, mostly because I hated being summoned like a dog. But he wasn't dumb enough to bite; he just ignored me and strode ahead.
Part of me wanted to keep prodding till he snapped, but it'd draw eyes, so I followed quietly.
*
Tailing Sidus's fervent follower as he marched through the academy, we ended up in a dense forest—rare even for a medieval backdrop like this city. Perfect for a private chat, away from prying eyes.
Or, put another way, ideal for burying a body without a trace.
"Sidus-sama, I've brought Lerven as ordered."
Deeper into the thickening woods, a sunlit clearing appeared where light filtered through the trees. At its center, basking in the rays, stood the black-haired, golden-eyed dragon: Sidus.
She glanced between her follower and me, then dismissively waved him off.
"Yeah, good job. You can go now."
"Glory to Dracapolis."
Dismissed with a curt "good job" after all that effort, he still bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, beaming, before hurrying out of the woods.
"He's polite. Always like that? Or did you brainwash him with power or magic?"
Curiosity piqued by loyalty that'd make most nobles blush, I pointed after him and asked Sidus.
She scowled faintly, clearly annoyed by the random question.
Her look screamed, You're seriously asking that? I just shrugged.
"That's the first thing you ask? Aren't you curious why I called you here?"
"Not really. You're just giving me one last chance to be your lackey, right?"
I'd clocked her intent ages ago. If she wanted to humiliate me, she'd pick a crowd. If she planned harm, she'd bring more goons. This setup? Pure recruitment pitch.
She chose seclusion because who knew what I'd say.
"...You some kind of mind reader?"
"Nah, just reading the room."
Truth was, context covered maybe twenty percent; the rest was Sidus being so predictably straightforward I could've guessed from her face alone. Luckily, I kept that to myself this time—no need to drop a star on the academy.
"So, straight to business? Or you gonna answer my question?"
I could've pushed to the point, but with time to kill and few chances to chat her up, why not?
Her call, of course.
"...Sigh. That guy's a dragonkin. Dragon-human half-breed, wandered till he hit Dracapolis—land that accepts all dragonkin. He can live true to his blood there, so he follows me."
Surprisingly, she picked dialogue. Her actions screamed "cut to chase," but dragons learned fast, huh?
"Ah, gotcha. Thought he was a lizardman."
Scales on his face had thrown me; turns out her nation took him in, and he repaid the favor. Mystery solved—not some rigid racial hierarchy.
"Say that in our empire? Straight to jail."
"Lucky we're in Elumhult then. No lockup for species bias here."
As we bantered, her expression shifted subtly by the second. She had to realize by now: I was stalling to derail her interest.
"Haa... Talking to you is gonna rot my brain. No friends, huh?"
"No one's braved the princess's 'interest' to approach."
"First human this weird I've met."
"Everyone's got their weird side. Most hide it. I'm just more honest."
Honestly, dodging me benefited her too. Getting tangled could kill her amid the chaos I'd unleash.
Per Evan's lore, Sidus was a top-tier heroine—survived to the end barring rare flags. Risking that guarantee nagged at me.
"...Ugh, minus the first question, this chat's nutrition-free. Wanna quit?"
"You're the one who started. Why end it?"
So I hinted: drop the lackey pitch.
She just stared, incredulous. Not getting it? Or doubling down?
I got blunt.
"You know I'll reject you. Deep down."
"Doesn't matter. You'll end up in my hand someday."
"...Even with me stonewalling? That confident?"
"Dragon's instinct says so."
"......"
Straight talk didn't faze her. Pride thing? Whatever—instinct was bullshit.
"We're just talking past each other. How about we cool off and pick this up later—"
Our views parallel, I was about to suggest tabling it when I froze, eyes locked one way.
"What? Sudden change of heart?"
Sidus questioned my halt; I pointed to answer.
"...Did your dragon instinct mention this?"
"What're you—"
Clueless to the creeping danger, she turned.
"—Ah?"
And faced it.
"Ka... ssscraa... guroook...?"
A ragged monster—barely qualifying as "living."