Chapter 43
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: A Precious Existence
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43.
"Mind?"
"Kind?"
The two sword spirits denied it without hesitation.
For hostile spirits, they got along remarkably well.
It was just that hard for the two sword spirits to accept what Silia had said.
Even if she was their master, there were lines that could be crossed and those that couldn't.
There was something off about the half-dragon before their eyes.
Just as the two sword spirits solidified that conviction, Silia added,
"And so very human-like."
Silia, who had averted her gaze from Eirana, now turned it toward the two sword spirits and asked,
"I just can't understand Eirana. How can she have such a human side?"
It wasn't a question seeking an answer. Yet Silia's face was a mix of utter confusion and joy.
"To dragons, I'm nothing more than a mere fantasy. That's what a half-dragon is. A child born from whimsy. Simply a byproduct of play. My father acknowledged me as his child, but that was just one dragon's view, not the stance of all dragons. In the end, I can never truly be one of the dragonkin."
Nor was she human.
Her lifespan was far too different to consider her one.
A being that belonged neither to dragons nor humans.
She couldn't even have a proper family. To dragons, she was a fantasy, and a human lifetime was but a fleeting moment to her.
There was Elencan, but dragons viewed their offspring as separate entities the moment they became adult dragons.
She didn't know about other dragons, but to Elencan, she was a dragon.
In the end, the only time she had formed proper family bonds was the 500 years she was recognized as a hatchling.
And even that time wasn't spent solely in a lair like other hatchlings.
She met many people and built connections.
Just like a human.
Elencan had protected and taught her, instilling a dragon's way of thinking.
And so she had spent nearly 5,000 years alone.
If she had been a half-elf or half-dwarf, the pain of solitude might have been less severe.
Not as long as dragons, but elves and dwarves had extended lifespans, and their mindsets were shaped accordingly.
But human blood flowed in her veins, granting her a human heart.
Some dreamed of near-eternal life.
But she thought differently.
That 5,000 years of life was a curse to humans.
The agony of being alone tormented her that much.
Then Eirana appeared before her.
Though their blood was mingled, a distance existed between Eirana and Silia.
It was a wall Silia had felt in her bones over nearly 5,000 years.
Still, just the shared blood made her glad.
She tried to be content with that.
But strangely, Eirana saw her as family.
Silia was flustered by that human-like demeanor, yet so overjoyed she didn't know what to do.
Silia brought her right hand to her chest, clenched it into a fist, closed her eyes, and said,
"You probably can't understand this feeling."
The sensation of finally obtaining what she had desperately sought and then given up on.
It might be just another fleeting illusion, but it filled her with such joy and relief that tears welled up.
"I know it doesn't make sense to you. I get it. I even doubt myself, knowing this emotion is irrational. But..."
Silia opened her eyes and looked at the two sword spirits.
"Though we only met today, Eirana is more precious to me than anything."
It wasn't just because they were family. It was the liberation from 5,000 years of loneliness.
The two sword spirits exchanged glances.
They still couldn't fully understand Silia, but they now knew she wouldn't harm Eirana.
Silver Fang yawned, stretched, hopped down from the table, and Black Fang spread his wings wide and flew back to the top of the wardrobe.
Silia quietly lay back on the sofa, lost in thought.
'Her human side is undoubtedly a great fortune to me... but is it truly okay for her?'
With that thought, Silia closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
Scribble. Scribble.
The sound of writing on paper echoed in the room.
Leria was earnestly solving the exam problems given to her, while Eirana sat nearby, watching.
Silver Fang, whose class observation with Leria had become routine, was in the form of a baby tiger, curled up silently on Eirana's thigh.
Eirana, looking away from Leria, pinched the closed-eyed Silver Fang's face. He opened his eyes and playfully nipped her finger.
It wasn't a bite meant to hurt, just mischief.
Watching this, Eirana murmured inwardly,
'She really looks just like a cat.'
As she played with Silver Fang, Leria set down her quill and said,
"I'm done."
At those words, Eirana spread the hand that had been pinching Silver Fang and extended it forward. The paper in front of Leria whooshed into her grasp.
Today was history exam day.
Having gone from mere etiquette tutor to handling all of Leria's education, Eirana was doing her utmost to mold her into a princess brimming with character, refinement, and intellect.
Of course, the process involved a bit(?) of violence, but the results were progressing very positively.
Thanks to the fear of violence and Leria's sharp mind, she was rapidly filling her head with refinement, etiquette, and (by Eirana's standards) common sense day by day.
As Leria watched tensely while Eirana graded, Eirana spoke up.
"You're going to the Parkro Duchy next week, right?"
Leria nodded at the question.
The Parkro Ducal House.
The foremost noble family in the kingdom.
Their influence was said to rival only the royal family, and in truth, Duke Parkro was the kingdom's second-in-command after the crown.
The house's history stretched back to the founding of the nation.
This year, Duke Parkro was celebrating his 60th birthday.
Having left court politics to his son and focused on domain management, the birthday banquet was to be held in Parkro territory.
To celebrate, Crown Prince Winzer, Princess Leria, and the Second Prince would visit the Parkro Duchy.
As an aside, Duke Parkro was neutral, siding with neither the Crown Prince nor Second Prince factions.
In any case, this meant Leria's lessons would be temporarily halted.
It was a chance to escape Eirana's gaze, but Leria wasn't pleased.
"I want to go too."
"I know."
Eirana, as Crown Prince Winzer's guard, would naturally accompany them.
Of course, going as a guard rather than tutor meant no separate lessons.
"We won't have classes, though."
Leria murmured as she watched Eirana mutter softly.
"What a shame."
Pure 100% lip service, of course.
Not escaping Eirana was torment, but no lessons alone made Leria plenty happy.
Hearing Leria, Eirana smiled and said,
"Should I ask His Highness the Crown Prince to let us continue lessons on the way to the Parkro Duchy?"
Leria's face paled at the words.
Eirana watched her with amusement before resuming grading with a bored expression.
Soon after finishing, Eirana set down the exam paper and furrowed her brow as if remembering something.
"Come to think of it, didn't you say Lady Parkro and her maid had a spat?"
Recalling the outdoor lesson talk from before, Leria tensed and replied,
"Yes! She's coming along this time!"
Eirana asked as Leria answered vigorously in a trembling voice,
"What do you do if she picks a fight?"
"No need to mind manners—retaliate!!!"
"Good."
Eirana nodded in satisfaction.
Well taught.
"The Parkro Duchy?"
That night, after finishing work, Silia asked curiously during her conversation with Eirana.
Silia, who had been playing with Silver Fang's paws, turned her gaze to Eirana changing in front of the wardrobe.
Eirana, having tossed her top onto the bed, reached for her nightclothes and nodded.
"Yes, next week with the royals to the Parkro Duchy."
Silia pondered briefly at Eirana's words before nodding.
"Right, Duke Parkro's birthday is coming up soon."
As the event's honoree was mentioned, Eirana, now changed, sat before her and asked,
"Do you know him?"
"Yes, I've met the current king and a few great nobles a few times in their youth."
Silia smiled gently.
Eirana nodded and asked,
"So, what will you do?"
"About what?"
Silia tilted her head, holding both of Silver Fang's front paws. Matching her, Silver Fang exposed his belly toward Eirana and tilted his head. They synced perfectly.
"Are you planning to come to the Parkro Duchy with me?"
"Yes."
Silia answered matter-of-factly and released Silver Fang.
He hopped down, yawned, and soon wandered off elsewhere.
"I hear Tessras is a promising noble here. With his letter of introduction, it shouldn't be impossible to move with you, Eirana. Oh, but do you have to stay with the princess?"
"Not particularly."
Eirana shook her head.
Sticking to her nonstop might make Leria throw a fit anyway.
"Rumor has it the princess follows you well."
"I trained her properly."
Eirana said flatly, not batting an eye.
Shameless.
Then Silver Fang, who had snuck to her feet, spoke up.
- The master hits if you don't listen.
Silia's eyes widened at that, and Eirana kicked Silver Fang at her feet.
Kicked, he curled up and rolled across the floor.
Then he stretched out, yawned, climbed onto the bed, and curled up.
No real impact, apparently.
Silia covered her mouth and laughed at Eirana's frowning face and Silver Fang's nonchalance.
"Eirana can't help being Erannis's daughter after all."
And she calmly accepted it.
Eirana sighed, thinking that Silia's quick acceptance without surprise meant she wasn't ordinary either.
"By the way, that Demon King has been quiet since then."
Days had passed since confronting the Demon King, with no major moves since.
"Of course. A demon of Demon King rank wouldn't wander the human world carelessly."
Silia smiled reassuringly.
Eirana let out a 'hmm~'.
From his words and actions then, he truly seemed to have zero interest in humans.
'Jewel.'
Recalling how he'd called his contractor a jewel, Eirana looked puzzled.
"What does the Demon King's contractor want?"
Silia shook her head at Eirana's question.
"No way to know. But one thing's clear—nothing good."
From the Midplane's view, demons were outright evil.
Bringing a Demon King, the pinnacle of that evil pyramid, to the Midplane meant no benevolent intent.
"Dreaming of world conquest or something?"
Silia gave a wry smile as Eirana tilted her head.
"No Demon King would care about that."
The summoner surely harbored dark emotions beyond personal greed.