Is This Adolescence?
Rune and Perdikion locked eyes with each other.
It was an unusual occurrence for anyone to visit Christina’s Lair.
No one could have predicted it.
Rune took a deep breath to steady himself.
“Who is the guest?”
Christina smiled playfully and revealed the answer.
“It’s Amelia.”
“Oh,” Christina added.
“More precisely, it’s Amelia the Water Dragon hatchling.”
“……?”
‘Why?’
Rune still had more questions after hearing the reply.
“Ah! Amelia noona is here?”
Heungmi asked with a mix of excitement and doubt. Her blue gaze shifted.
Christina answered in a gentle voice.
“Yes, that’s right. Amelia has decided to join Perdikion for his adulthood trial. His parents contacted me.”
It was no wonder Christina had seemed so busy lately. She was coordinating not only with the Elf Kingdom but also with the Blue Dragon clan.
Christina continued.
“Amelia’s parents saw this as a wonderful opportunity, but they were also worried about her having lived only in the deep sea.”
Upon hearing this, Rune vaguely understood why Amelia was coming.
“Could it be that Amelia will be taking classes with me too?”
Rune asked to confirm. Christina looked at him with pride.
“Hehe. How perceptive you are.”
Of all of them, only Perdikion had stepped foot on the continent. Even Amelia, who had never seen a human and had barely conversed with elves like Rune, was a hatchling.
Rune nodded inwardly and thought, ‘It makes sense. Amelia has almost no experience communicating with the same dragon clan as her own.’
The child of the Water Dragon clan, who had never once set foot on land.
Assigning her education to the one who had experienced the most on the continent—Christina—was an excellent choice.
Rune felt a surge of admiration inwardly. ‘She’s so wise.’
Amelia, who would one day become the Water Dragon Elder, was lacking in many areas.
Interpersonal skills, connections with the Elders of other clans, the ability to wield influence on the continent, and experience.
She had seized the perfect chance to fill all those gaps.
With a faint smile, Rune opened his mouth.
“I’m looking forward to it. Taking classes with Amelia.”
On the surface, his innocent face looked happy about having a new friend to study with. But inside, it was a little different.
‘Even though she’s been bedridden for so long, it seems no one can simply acquire the qualities of a clan Elder.’
Thinking this, Rune smiled inwardly.
Their decision was also a gain for Rune.
‘Studying together will give us three a chance to understand each other better.’
If it was only about knowledge, Amelia’s parents could have taught her.
They were full-grown dragons, after all.
But there was a more important issue.
If knowledge alone was all that mattered, then going to the continent and meeting Amelia for the first time at the Water Dungeon would have been just like their initial encounter. Perdikion and Amelia would have clashed in their views, and Rune would have suffered in between.
‘There’s another problem too.’
Amelia tended to avoid looking her partner straight in the eyes.
Even now, she was naturally not interacting well with Perdikion and Rune. What would she be like when meeting someone for the first time on the continent?
Rune recalled the Amelia he had known and swallowed a sigh inwardly.
‘It’s not so much her mindset as the lack of experience.’
Amelia had a cautious and gentle nature.
But she was never one to avoid eye contact or stutter from the start.
The only reason for this was that she had almost no experience speaking naturally about her thoughts.
Rune predicted it by comparing with the time of Perdikion.
‘This will be something Christina will ask for soon.’
Rune filed the expectation away in a corner of his mind.
Christina spoke again.
“Especially you, Rune. Amelia’s parents said they’ve become much better thanks to you bringing the World Tree fruit. They wanted to thank you in person.”
Rune smiled with soft eyes and answered.
“Really? I’m glad you’ve been feeling better.”
‘A personal thank-you for the World Tree fruit… hmm, there are probably other thoughts too.’
Various possibilities flashed through his mind.
In any case, he would find out when they actually met.
Perdikion, who had been watching the situation, opened his mouth.
“Then, may I also pay my respects to the Water Dragon clan?”
“Of course. Will you join us?”
Despite leaving the Fire Lair for several days, Perdikion answered readily.
“Yes, I will.”
Christina smiled brightly.
“Then I’ll prepare a place for you to rest. Alone, were you thinking of sleeping?”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Christina’s Lair was specialized in recovery.
There was no better place to relieve fatigue.
At that moment, Heungmi said with a laugh.
“Lord Perdikion. We’ll all sleep together today!”
“Pyi!”
Baekya chirped as if approving.
“All…… together?”
Perdikion muttered this, furrowing his brows deeply.
It was clear he was uncomfortable.
‘From his reaction, he’ll definitely reject it.’
Rune thought the same. It was only natural.
Perdikion had never slept in a noisy group.
So this would be unfamiliar.
He would likely feel it very awkward.
But Perdikion gave a different answer from Rune’s prediction.
“I…… understand.”
“?”
The Red Dragon hatchling, who had pondered for a long time and accepted with a big decision, accepted it in one glance.
Rune gave him a somewhat puzzled look.
‘If he hated it, he would have clearly said so. Why force himself to accept this?’
Thinking this, Rune tilted his head.
‘Kids change quickly…… is that it?’
Unlike Rune, who had a question that wouldn’t be resolved, Heungmi was energetic and chattered on.
“If we go to Rune-nim’s room, the blanket is super warm and fluffy!”
“Pyi!”
Heungmi and Baekya explained excitedly, and Jed joined in.
“Whee! In that room, just like Rune-nim, the black roses are in full bloom!”
Jed’s words made Perdikion glance at Rune.
“I see. I’ve been there before. It was surprising. Your taste for black roses…….”
“No.”
Before Perdikion’s sentence ended, Rune cut him off and thought, ‘This guy. He knows my taste isn’t for black roses.’
It was obvious that Heungmi’s true form as a demon realm black rose was why he spoke that way.
‘Was he teasing me?’
Rune had often seen him making light jokes when he had room in his heart.
But thanks to that, he seemed to have realized something strange.
In the midst of this, Heungmi looked at him cautiously and spoke.
“Rune-nim, you don’t like roses……?”
“……”
She squeezed her eyes tightly.
Rune barely restrained himself from closing his eyes and gritted his teeth.
Then he smiled as brightly as he could and spoke gently.
“No, I don’t hate them. Roses…… are beautiful.”
“……”
Yet, despite his effort, the young fox beastkin’s ears drooped and her face turned gloomy.
‘No way, again?’
In an instant, Rune remembered the time when he had been hated for eating a lot and dropping leaves on the roses.
‘Can’t do it.’
Sweat broke out on Rune’s forehead.
He telepathically asked Perdikion for help.
[Hyung, help me out a bit.]
It was more of a plea than a request.
Perdikion let out a big sigh and extended a helping hand.
“Hmm, that’s not possible. I once received an invitation from your brother. That place suits black roses well.”
“Yes……”
Heungmi’s fox ears perked up at the flattering words.
But her tail was honest.
‘It’s drooping.’
She had failed.
The tip of her tail wagged slightly, but it was different from when she wagged it excitedly.
‘It’s no good.’
It seemed they would need to talk.
Rune organized the situation.
“Hyung, let’s all go sleep together.”
Perdikion, sensing the vibe, answered honestly.
“That would be best.”
Christina felt a twinge of regret.
She had been watching the situation with interest.
But she thought it would be much better if they resolved it themselves.
Christina opened her mouth.
“Rune, do you still have the blanket I gave you before?”
Rune nodded and answered.
“The blanket blessed with light mana? It’s in my room.”
It was the blanket Christina personally wove when Rune entered his second sleep cycle.
It could change size at will and was made of fur that absorbed light mana, providing excellent recovery during deep sleep and naps.
“If you need anything else or want to ask for something, tell me.”
Rune, lost in thought, shook his head.
“It’s fine. Ah, since it’s my room, I’ll take it.”
Christina shook her head slightly as if understanding and added a warning.
“Yes. Bring Rai with you. If anything comes up that you want to request from me, you can tell Rai.”
“Okay.”
Rune headed with the others to the black room.
***
A black room where moonlight seeped softly.
Rune returned to his normal appearance without the transformation bracelet.
Similarly, Perdikion unfroze his polymorph and rolled his shoulders.
Heungmi and Dullahan began preparing as well.
“Quyyu.”
[Will this size do?]
Rune pulled the blanket and asked.
“Kyaaak.”
[It would be better to make it bigger.]
Hearing Perdikion, Rune stumbled backward.
“Ppyi.”
On the blanket that stretched as he pulled, Baekya walked back and forth.
[??(*´∇｀*)??]
Rai, who drew small lights, floated in the air as if cheering.
Once the space was complete, everyone gathered tightly in the middle of the blanket with pillows and blankets.
“I’ll take this spot.”
Heungmi said this and settled down. She seemed in better spirits than before.
However, the forced brightness in her smile was obvious.
Rune exchanged a glance with Perdikion.
Then he swallowed a sigh and thought, ‘Christina didn’t let us eat before going to sleep.’
It was Rune who spoke first.
“Quyyuu.”
[Since it’s our first time sleeping together, let’s talk a little and then sleep.]
Using telepathy so everyone could hear, Rune took out snacks from his spatial pocket.
They were more effective than regular potions, and Rune had stocked up plenty of cookies and snack bread.
“Pyi!”
Excited, Baekya flapped her wings and snatched a strawberry jam cookie with her beak.
“Quyuu.”
[Eat too, Heungmi.]
Rune offered it to Heungmi, who was staring blankly at the snacks.
“Ah, yes.”
Heungmi, who had suddenly snapped to attention, picked up a chocolate cookie.
“Quyyuk.”
[You all have this.]
Rune took out a perfume box and placed it at the spot where Dullahan and Jed were.
When the grape-scented candy box activated, Dullahan began breathing deeply slowly.
And Jed.
“Oh ho! This is it! The scent is incredible!”
He started humming while enjoying the tune.
If he had a body, he might have been swinging a battle axe and having a firework display.
Around the time the mood had mellowed just right.
‘Now is the time.’
Rune quietly moved next to Heungmi, who was poking at her pudding.
“Quyuuu. Kkyu.”
[You seem to be eating less than usual…… is there something bothering you?]
Heungmi shook her head at the slow eating speed.
“Uuuuung. It’s nothing.”
It was driving him crazy.
There was clearly something, but she didn’t want to say it.
‘Is this adolescence?’
Rune wondered if the hearts of children were the hardest to understand.