A Heart Offered in Blush
The night-duty room’s window shimmered with a crimson glow, as though a mood lamp had been left on. It was all because Sofia’s face had flushed a deep, vivid red from embarrassment. The halo that usually illuminated her temples had shifted to match her complexion, radiating that same reddish hue. During the day it was barely visible under sunlight, but it changed color with her emotions. Red, in particular, signified shame.
“……”
Sofia kept her head lowered, Dragon Heart cradled in her hands, maintaining her silence. What on earth is she thinking so hard about all by herself? Breeder, too, found it difficult to speak. Her expression looked far from ordinary. She simply sat there, eyes cast down, saying nothing.
…If I can’t hand over the Dragon Heart like this… then everything we’ve done until now would just be an act of irreverence, wouldn’t it? How could someone who serves the Primordial Dragon…! Outwardly she remained silent, but inside Sofia’s mind was in turmoil. Countless thoughts churned violently. Having been raised from childhood under her clan’s strict emphasis on purity, even the mere thought of a Love Pact felt unbearably shameful, making it impossible for her to lift her head. On top of that, the lingering intensity of their recent deep kiss had set her mind ablaze with thoughts she knew she shouldn’t entertain. She desperately needed time to calm herself.
An overwhelming sense of shame left her mind blank. Thoughts beyond kissing began to surface—things that transcended mere spiritual love…
…I want to confirm Breeder’s true feelings toward me first…! Sofia imagined them properly affirming their love through the Love Pact. The thought alone made her body stiffen further. Kissing Breeder had been thrilling—more so than last time. If they were to truly become one…
Wouldn’t it feel far happier than mint… no, even happier than mint chocolate? New information settled into Sofia’s heart. The realization that pressing her lips to Breeder’s was far more exhilarating than the scent of mint or the sweet, addictive taste of mint chocolate.
How much sweeter would Breeder’s sincere kiss be…? If just kissing already makes me dizzy, then truly becoming one with him…
—Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Though she still couldn’t calm her racing heart, a firm resolve formed within her. She was beginning to think that entering into the Love Pact might be acceptable after all.
“…Young lady? Are you all right?”
Breeder’s timely question carried a note of concern. The person who had been so forward moments ago had suddenly grown quiet; of course he would worry.
“Um… Breeder?”
“Ah? Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes. More importantly… what is your ideal type, Breeder?”
“Huh? Where did that come from all of a sudden…?”
“Please don’t ask for the reason. It’s an important matter to me.”
—Rustle…
Sofia lifted her long golden hair and met Breeder’s gaze once more. Her eyes traced over him: silver hair and rare black eyes, a rather handsome face for a human, cooking skills unmatched on the continent, and a kind, considerate nature—especially toward dragons. Beyond the dizzying kiss, there were plenty of reasons to fall for him. He was the very picture of what most women would consider their ideal type.
Am I close to Breeder’s ideal type? Sofia secretly hoped he would say she was.
“Ideal type, huh… I’ve never really thought about it deeply, but I suppose it would be someone who loves me consistently, no matter what.”
Breeder answered sincerely, caught off guard by the sudden question.
“So, in short, someone capable of pure, unwavering love?”
“Well… I guess so? But why are you asking this so suddenly…”
—Clasp!
The moment Breeder finished speaking, Sofia took both of his hands in hers. She placed her Dragon Heart into his palm, then rose to her feet.
“Huh? Young lady?”
“Part of me wants to form the Love Pact right now and give you the Dragon Heart, but I can’t ignore your feelings and decide on my own. That wouldn’t be pure, unwavering love at all…”
“Wait, the Love Pact?”
“Breeder? I like you. But because this is the first time I’ve felt this way in over six hundred years… I can’t help being cautious. I’m not ready to confidently declare that what I feel is love…”
“S-Sofia?”
“Still, we’ve already formed a pact, haven’t we? So please… keep half of my Dragon Heart. Hold on to it carefully, and when you think I match your ideal type… please tell me then. Without fail.”
“……?”
“At that time, I’ll give you the rest of my Dragon Heart through the Love Pact.”
—Rustle…!
With those final words, Sofia turned her back on him.
“Ah, young lady?! Wait a moment…!”
“I’m sorry for disturbing you so late at night. I hope you have pleasant dreams…”
—Click!
Breeder scrambled to his feet to stop her, but Sofia had already slipped out and shut the door behind her, her halo glowing a deep rose-red that spoke of her embarrassment.
“What on earth just happened…?”
Left alone in the night-duty room, Breeder found only a golden orb resting quietly in his palm.
“Haa… I couldn’t sleep a wink.”
After Sofia’s visit at dawn, sleep had been impossible. At first he wondered if everything had been a dream. Not only did I kiss Sofia, but I also received a sudden confession…
—Roll, roll…
After finishing breakfast, Breeder returned to the night-duty room and idly rolled Sofia’s Dragon Heart across the desk. Normally he would have enjoyed the rare day off, but his heart felt heavier than ever. After all, he had casually accepted a dragon’s heart. According to what Sofia had said yesterday, it seemed the Dragon Heart could be transferred through the “Love Pact.”
“By the way… she said to tell her when I think she matches my ideal type…”
Honestly, Sofia’s personality alone would pass with flying colors—she was among the best even among dragons. Add her stunning appearance, and there wasn’t a single flaw. She had even confessed that she liked him yesterday. While the sudden confession had been startling, he didn’t dislike it at all. He simply couldn’t believe it. After sharing such a long, deep kiss with her, feelings he hadn’t had before seemed to have taken root. After all, what man wouldn’t be moved when a beauty rarely seen even in reality confessed to him?
“Haha… I never thought I’d end up declaring myself a reptile enthusiast.”
He had planned to tell Sofia his feelings the moment morning came—that he felt the same, that she matched his ideal type, and that he was fine with forming the Love Pact. If they went beyond a simple pact and formed a Love Pact, he might finally be able to escape the academy. Few would dare mistreat a dragon’s partner. He could gain both Sofia’s heart and freedom from the academy. It was perfect. No matter how he thought about it, there was no reason to reject Sofia’s sincerity.
But why is she avoiding me since morning…? Why? For what reason?
She had done the same at wake-up and in the dining hall—barely letting him speak. Sofia had been deliberately avoiding him. The moment their eyes met, she would blush just like yesterday and hurry away.
“Whew… I don’t know the reason, but she won’t be able to avoid me during the pilgrimage activity later.”
Since Benetric had ordered them to go together, he would have a chance to talk soon. But when exactly was the pilgrimage activity supposed to start? Was it similar to a military weekend religious service? It was already 10 a.m. More than an hour had passed since breakfast, yet there had been no announcement whatsoever. He had no idea when they were departing. Since Sofia—the person in charge of the pilgrimage—was avoiding him, there was no way to know.
—Knock, knock, knock…!
“Who is it? Is that you, Sofia?”
While he had been slumped over the desk wasting time, a knock sounded at the door. He assumed Sofia had come to discuss the pilgrimage activity.
—Creaaak…!
But the person standing in the doorway was…
“Breeder, open the door! You’re late…!”
“Ah, Overseer Indrago?”
The one who entered after he opened the door was none other than the Administrative Affairs Overseer, Indrago the Wood Person. At first glance, Breeder had thought someone had sent a dried-up tree as a wreath. Wood People were composed entirely of stiff, slender brown branches. They walked upright like humans, yet wore no clothing whatsoever. Despite being plants, they possessed arms, legs, and even knot-like eyes—an odd race indeed.
“…Why haven’t you departed yet—?!”
“What do you mean?”
“The 10 a.m. pilgrimage activity! It’s time to leave…!”
Indrago shouted in his characteristic Wood Person speech pattern. Wood People used extremely short phrases and always ended their sentences with “—go.” While it often made context difficult to grasp, since they had no brains, Breeder had no choice but to interpret their words himself.
“No one told me anything… By the way, what’s this?”
—Flutter!
Indrago abruptly handed him an attendance sheet. The smell of passing the buck was strong. He was dumping the task on Breeder just because they were heading the same way. How could an academy have not a single competent department head?
“Whew, understood. Should I check attendance and depart right away?”
“That’s right. The young ladies will guide the way—go.”
Indrago nodded his long head—rather, his stem. Every time he moved, the bare branches at the top of his head trembled.
“Understood. I’ll gather the young ladies right now, so if you could please leave…”
—Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
“Huh? Overseer Indrago? Didn’t you understand that I asked you to leave?”
Wood People weren’t only strange in speech. They occasionally ignored people like this. No—they were a race that always did as they pleased. Whether it was announcing duty schedules the day before or arbitrarily changing work assignments… In any case, they were the most problematic staff at the academy. Hadn’t they delivered the dormitory assignment chart on the very day itself?
“Go-go-go…? What’s this—go?”
—Slither, slither, slither…
Without warning, Indrago entered the night-duty room, stopped in front of the desk, and extended something tentacle-like from his fingertip.
“Ah, don’t touch that—!!!”
Overseer or not, Breeder couldn’t help but shout. After all…
Indrago’s hand was reaching straight for Sofia’s Dragon Heart.