A Sweet Awakening
A gulp.
Imugi watched Perdikion swallow that single sweet mouthful of honey, then reached for the milk bottle and held it out to him.
‘Milk tastes even better together.’
Christina, who had been quietly observing the entire scene, let out a soft sigh of admiration.
“It seems you two have already grown close.”
“Close… well, we simply greeted each other and shared.”
“Is that so? From my perspective, this little one appears quite fond of you.”
Smiling, Christina glanced at the black hatchling extended toward Perdikion.
“Kyaa!”
The Red Dragon hatchling’s ruby eyes sparkled like polished gems, and the plump, irresistibly cute creature before him was exactly the kind of adorable appearance one would love.
Add to that his sincere, innocent smile.
Perdikion found himself wondering whether Imugi truly liked him.
“Well… I’ll accept it gladly.”
His voice had softened considerably. Imugi smiled inwardly.
‘That face is finally useful.’
The face that had once been nothing but a source of worry, an expression he had spent long nights trying to figure out how to handle without causing a scene.
Right now, it was working perfectly in breaking through Perdikion’s defenses.
Imugi felt the wisdom that had gently peeled away the armor of a wanderer’s heart, not with a raging storm but with warm sunlight. He could not help but smile more innocently than ever.
“Kyeaa!”
After one quick glance at Perdikion, the little one pressed his mouth to the bottle’s rim and drank deeply.
Perdikion, watching, picked up his own bottle in the same manner.
The moment the liquid touched his tongue, the young Red Dragon opened his eyes wide and began gulping down the milk with a sound even louder than Imugi’s.
‘I never expected him to enjoy it this much.’
The face of someone savoring every sip, looking pleased, almost reluctant to finish.
Perdikion’s expression, though far from trash, was strangely endearing.
‘He’s arrogant and proud, but isn’t the “childish” side of him genuine?’
Imugi began viewing the boy in two different ways.
The first was someone who lied on purpose. In that case, the best strategy was simply to stay away.
The second was someone who had been forced to deceive others. The personality had been shaped by external circumstances, so changing the environment could bring about real change.
‘At least from what I’m seeing now, he falls into the second category.’
In that case, it was worth testing.
Approaching without ulterior motives, sharing what he had, reacting positively to the boy’s emotions and showing his own feelings.
Reading Perdikion’s expression, responding to the child without hesitation.
When that happened, what were the chances he would change?
‘I’ll give him a chance. Of course, if he turns out to be hopeless, then there’s nothing I can do about it.’
Not a bad investment at all. If Perdikion became a true adult after changing his heart, he might even become an ally.
The famous “straight path to the dragon.”
Imugi quietly checked off the necessary items one by one.
‘Changing the surrounding environment… that’s already satisfied.’
Because the place they spent most time was Christina’s Lair, the basic environmental setup was already complete.
There was no external factor likely to create negative variables.
‘Next are the people around him.’
That was also fine. Christina was a good ally, and the occasional friction with the young bird she sometimes followed would be manageable as long as Imugi was present.
“Pik!”
“Kye?”
The white bird flapped its wings happily as if demanding more, its clear cry ringing out.
Imugi held out the broken biscuit pieces in one hand. The bird’s eyes sparkled with joy as it pecked away.
Even so, it continued to look at Imugi with bright, expectant eyes.
After giving the bird another biscuit, Imugi turned his gaze toward Perdikion, who had already finished emptying the biscuit basket.
‘There’s a familiar feeling to this. Reminds me of the things I did in my past life to build merit.’
In his previous existence, whenever humans who had been offered as sacrifices reached the island, Imugi would help them gather strength so they could leave.
He could never keep them on the island forever, nor could he simply let them die there, so this was the only way. But it also helped them build the merit needed to ascend, a win-win.
‘That’s the last biscuit.’
Imugi waited for Perdikion to pick up the remaining piece.
The moment he did, Imugi gently held his hand over the basket.
“Kyu.”
“What’s all this sudden fuss about?”
Imugi glanced at Perdikion’s reluctant tone, then pointed at the young bird still eyeing the biscuit fragment.
“Kyuuh.”
“…Give this to the stupid bird? No, to the bird?”
“Kyu. Kyeuu.”
Perdikion saw Imugi nodding eagerly and furrowed his brows slightly.
He quickly glanced at the bird, then broke the biscuit small enough for the bird to eat.
‘Good job. That’s how you handle a younger one than you are.’
Since Perdikion had no idea of Imugi’s true intention, he placed the broken pieces in his palm and carefully held them out toward the baby bird.
The white bird looked back and forth between the biscuit and the two dragons.
Imugi winked at it.
‘Go on, eat.’
“Pii?”
‘Eat, I said.’
He lightly grabbed Perdikion’s wrist and pushed it forward.
As if Imugi were controlling Perdikion.
At first the white bird hesitated, looking at Imugi as if unsure, then slowly moved its beak forward with a hint of hesitation.
“Pyaak!”
Peck. Peck. Small pecking sounds filled the air as the bird’s beak touched Perdikion’s palm.
When Imugi stroked the young bird’s head with genuine praise, the bird became even more lively, pecking with extra joy.
At that moment, Perdikion, who had been frozen stiff, looked around in confusion for a place to rest his eyes. Christina spoke up.
“The children are getting along so well already. It’s wonderful, Perdikion.”
‘Perfect. Solid support fire.’
Imugi clapped his hands lightly in agreement, the meaning of which Christina caught.
“It’s nothing special, really.”
Unlike his blunt tone, Perdikion’s eyes now held a clear change.
Christina, the Lair’s owner, was present. Others around him were smiling and showing affection.
The once-fearful bird was now eating the biscuit in his hand without any worry, utterly at ease.
Perdikion felt an inexplicable peace wash over him.
‘This is… my first time.’
Teaching a young, weak being how to treat others was something only a hatchling who had been alive for less than a month should be doing. The thought left him strangely conflicted.
Perdikion wanted to flee from the gentle atmosphere yet also wanted to stay. He spoke a little dazedly.
“Well… it seems these little ones have eyes for me.”
There was a faint tremor in Perdikion’s voice.
A moment later he continued as if nothing had happened.
“My father told me this creature is a Black Dragon Lord’s heir. He said as the lord of the Dark Clan I should help it fulfill its role. So… may I come visit again tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
“Then… since I only came today to say hello, I’ll leave now. I’ll come again tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you out.”
Christina moved first, and Imugi followed her in an instant back to the place where he had first met Perdikion.
Before they left, Perdikion looked at the small black hatchling on his lap, its head resting gently on the white bird’s head, and said,
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
His farewell was still a little stiff, but the sharp edges had largely disappeared from the first time they had met.
“Kyeuu.”
“Pii!”
Imugi waved his hand in farewell, and Perdikion’s figure vanished through the portal.
“You did well. How did it feel? Perdikion.”
‘Was he just asking because he didn’t know? I don’t know who raised him, but the talent for raising children is terrible.’
He could not say his thoughts directly, so Imugi replied differently.
[Polite, but a liar.]
“Oh my.”
Christina gave a light exclamation upon seeing Imugi, and Imugi looked back at her.
[Terrified of her, yet fires her up, and she acts like she hates it all. What an odd brother.]
“Is that so? I could have guessed.”
Her expression shifted from one about to explode like a volcano to one as cold as a knife.
She had been taught to look down on and treat anyone weaker as easily as breathing. Even when her emotions were clear, she hid her true self behind an appearance of weakness.
Watching someone behave so rigidly, Imugi felt a vague unease.
Christina spoke as if sensing Imugi’s thoughts.
“Perhaps it’s because no life other than that of a Lord has ever been allowed for Perdikion.”
[A Lord’s life?]
A bitter smile touched Christina’s face, mixing sadness and resignation.
“Perdikion’s father, Pasiyas, is the Red Dragon Lord who has led the Fire Clan for a long time. He raised Perdikion as the heir to inherit his life and status.”
[Did he want this?]
Christina shook her head slightly.
“I don’t know. Of course he worked extremely hard to become the Lord of the Fire Clan. But… he never learned how to honestly speak his own heart. He was forced to ignore the things his heart wanted to say just to endure the cruel and harsh lessons of becoming an heir. I suppose that’s how it happened.”
[I see.]
Imugi clicked his tongue inwardly.
He had suspected the boy’s life was already set in stone, but according to Christina, Perdikion had simply spent his time as a tool for becoming a Lord.
When someone with power is trapped in a mold that doesn’t fit their body, even if problems don’t show while they are controlled, the suppressed original desires are bound to burst out all at once.
‘Their natural temperament rots away, or when the chance finally comes, it explodes in some absurd way. Extreme situations are inevitable.’
Christina looked at him with gentle eyes, as if reading his thoughts.
“You don’t have to do anything grand. Just… let Perdikion experience a life other than the one he was born to rule as a Lord. Like you.”
[Like me?]
“Yes.”
Christina smiled, and Imugi shrugged his shoulders and nodded.
“Thank you. If there’s anything I can help with, please tell me.”
A clear worry lingered in her voice for the boy who would have nothing left after removing the title of Lord’s heir.
‘Just Perdikion himself, not the Lord. Changing his environment gave him a chance, but a more direct help would be better. For example… a proper friend?’
Imugi looked at Christina with eyes full of expectation, then reached his own conclusion.
‘That’s my role.’