Falling in Love
The reason he had deliberately brought in a descendant of Charon—someone who stood in complete opposition to Lucius—was clear.
It was for the sake of the girl whose life he had ruined with his own hands, the girl he had hurt, the girl he had forced to walk a path of thorns.
For the pitiful life of Morgana, Morgan le Fay, Tiana Marietta Klein. Every protective measure he had prepared was in case of the worst, the unforeseen…
What good was any of it! Pay—she had suffered unbearable pain because of his very existence!
“A wretch like me, to you—!”
Crash.
As Lucius’s fury erupted, the blue gems shattered behind him and melted completely into fine powder on the floor.
The name of a mage he had given the terrified little girl instead of her true name. Such an obvious hint!
‘Why did I realize it so late? Fool. Idiot. Worthless wretch. A scoundrel worse than a dog!’
A great dragon? Ha!
The one who had tried to use the innocent girl Pay’s sacrifice as a hostage to “deal with” his own troubles was none other than himself!
What was even more astonishing was that she, too, had faintly begun to grasp the meaning behind Baroa’s actions.
Though the memories from when she was so young must have been hazy, her intelligence was truly remarkable.
Who was I to look down on you?
Overwhelmed by crushing self-loathing, Lucius clenched his teeth.
“At this point, please give me another hint. Just like that time when you deliberately gave me both the names Morgana and Morgan le Fay.”
Leaving behind the path that would have made her happiest, I had strutted about in ignorance…
Hahaha.
A supreme being? One who reigned above all living creatures?
Because the gods and the ancient dragons had vanished from this world, I thought I could do as I pleased?
How ridiculous.
Lucius staggered out of Baroa’s room.
The moment he left, the blue powder scattered on the floor and the red spellbook began to burn quietly.
He did not know where he was going.
He simply could not leave the Magic Tower’s domain.
I committed a terrible sin against Pay, and until she forgives me for that original sin, I can do nothing.
I… I… I am, to you, a sinner who can never be forgiven…
Pay. Morgana. Jena. Tiana. You…
His aimless footsteps suddenly stopped.
“Lucius!”
A cheerful voice, a light and lively tone that should not have been audible.
‘Weren’t you going to sleep?’
Even as Lucius’s black pupils trembled violently, Pay’s face was simply filled with joy as she approached from the opposite direction.
“Hehe, I tried to take a nap, but I couldn’t fall asleep, so I got up. Were you on your way back from the library, Lucius? Your hands are empty.”
Why…
Why did you appear now, when I feel such intense disgust toward myself?
What was even more absurd was…
The moment you appeared, my mood became both better and, in another way, even more of a mess.
Would you ever know?
“……”
“Hm? Was today’s lunch not to your liking? I quite like French toast. If what you ate wasn’t satisfying, shall we go eat custard pudding together? They said they don’t make it much in winter, but the head chef is making it specially for just three days because his hands were getting stiff. Let’s go eat it.”
Refusal was impossible.
Pay was the one who had taken hold of his very soul.
He strode forward and grasped Pay’s slender hand tightly. Without any words or signals, he simply took it first. He just wanted to.
Her hands, roughened from handling so many herbs and papers, felt to him as sweet and soft as holding cake cream.
Something within his powerful body melted away in a rare sensation.
Ah… Pay. I…
You said you wanted a dragon heart?
It seems, just as I once thought, its owner has already been decided.
Yes. It is you. If you want it, I will take it out and give it to you anytime.
When would be good? The day my extinction becomes your joy.
“…Lucius?”
“I think I’m done for.”
He gave a twisted smile.
He could not recite the romantic poems and words he knew by heart, nor could he manage a ticklish confession.
For someone who had just realized he had nearly turned the world into hell, this was the best he could do.
How dare someone like me speak of love?
Pay’s eyes widened at the unexpected words, then she smiled.
“Oh, I feel the same way! Remember the mandrake and herb bundle we won at the auction last time? I tried following a recipe for herbal tea, and it tasted truly awful.”
“……”
“It was like soaking thirty-day-old socks with rotten eggs and letting them ferment. Still, the alchemy professor admitted it had good healing properties.”
“If there’s anything you don’t want to eat, just give it all to Momo.”
At his flat remark, Pay laughed again.
“Really, Lucius! You’re Momo’s true master, yet you act the scariest.”
“…Momo, just make him yours. He seems to like you, so do whatever you want with him. Whether you kill him or keep him, I won’t interfere anymore.”
If that was all he could give her without emotion, then of course he should hand it over.
She shook her head with a smile.
“No, it’s fine. I already know exactly who Lucius is. Once I finish my short human lifespan, you’ll have to take Momo and return to some quiet, vast land, won’t you?”
Her tone was so casual that his heart sank.
Why would you say such a thing?
Pay, Morgana, Tiana—you are the one who deserves happiness more than anyone. Your end will also be my end. If a world without you exists, I would not want to live any longer than that.
Should I take this out before it becomes useless too? It feels like it will soon stop beating—my heart races and stops every time it stands before your eyes.
He clutched the area near his heart and asked.
“Who am I?”
Did you know?
Pay, who had not seen Lucius’s eyes filled with unspeakable sorrow, answered clearly.
“Of course! Um, you’re an elf mage, right? More precisely, one with high elf blood mixed in. You’ve lived much longer than humans, so you know Momo, and your magic skills are incredible too.”
“……”
Thud.
Something fell loudly in front of her. A once-great dragon had lost all his pride and collapsed helplessly.
“L-Lucius?”
He sank to the floor, having thrown away every shred of dignity.
What had I been expecting…
When the startled Pay tried to forcibly pull him up by the hand, he muttered gloomily.
“I said earlier that I think I’m done for.”
“Yes? Yes.”
“On top of that, I think my nose has been pierced quite badly too.”
Pay tilted her head.
“Yes? Where? Lucius’s nose looks perfectly fine… What did you do? Did you touch some herb with your bare hands that you were told not to? There are herbs that can ruin your nose if they touch your skin—I should make a note if I find one.”
Her endless chatter pushed the already exhausted Lucius further into despair.
“……”
I’m done for.
Yes, I’m done for.
I had faintly realized it before, but I’ve spectacularly ruined everything!!
Seeing Lucius’s deathly pale face, Pay was startled.
“Lucius? Are you all right? Hmm, this won’t do. Let’s go to the cafeteria and have some snacks. A bit of sugar will perk you up.”
Practically dragged along, he forced himself to chew the custard pudding whose taste he could not even feel, together with Pay.
Only after nearly finishing it in one bite did he think that he should have just given it all to Pay, who liked it.
Watching her happily scrape up the few remaining spoonfuls of pudding, there was only one thing he could do.
He smiled brightly, like a fool.
Like a man obviously in love.
Fortunately, his foolish and fresh smile went unnoticed by anyone.
Even by the woman he loved.
* * *
The winter in the capital, Lapis, was particularly long.
While the climate of spring, summer, and autumn was mild, winter could be considered to last from mid-October to late March.
Though the reason was unknown, the Arkan Empire had never planned to move its capital after establishing Lapis as its seat.
It was proof of how outstanding Lapis’s other advantages were.
And there was one person who greatly disliked this long winter.
“Ah, another cold season.”
“Marchioness Whiante, I heard you came all the way to the imperial palace for the winter ball last time but had to rest in your room because you weren’t feeling well. How is your health these days?”
Jona Whiante continued speaking without even glancing at Baroness Gahel, who had addressed her.
“To watch a Drakan from atop the city walls—that was truly a first. I caught a glimpse through the window, and it was enormous. My word, to fly such an ugly winged beast across the imperial palace sky.”
“The Crow Knight Order members seem quite pleased with that Drakan rider.”
“Oh my! Really?”
“They say he also came during the harvest festival and entered into a contract with the Crow Knight Order. They want to make that mage lady their symbol in the future. Isn’t that surprising?”
Baroness Gahel tried her best to play the role of Jona Whiante’s conversation partner.
Only then did Jona Whiante show a hint of interest.
“The Crow Knight Order?”
“Yes!”
The Crow Knight Order contained her family’s archenemy, Raphael, the young duke of the Orleans ducal house.
Come to think of it, Cassel, the eldest son of the Klein ducal house, had become the knight commander, while he remained an ordinary member. Should I stir things up with this?
With a cool smile hidden behind her fan, Jona lowered her eyes slowly.
“Hmm, well, since they’re both winged symbols, it wouldn’t be bad. Since that Drakan rider has also entered the Crown Prince’s direct service, forming ties with the imperial knights would be a fine choice.”
“……”
“Then I’m quite curious what symbol the Blue Rose Knight Order will adopt.”
“Yes…?”
Jona Whiante lowered her fan completely and let out a high-pitched laugh.
“Hohoho, of course. If the Crow Knight Order, which has Young Lord Orleans, brings in a Drakan rider, then the Blue Rose Knight Order, led by Young Duke Klein as its commander, must also be given something equivalent.”
“Ah…!”
“Aren’t both knight orders of the capital? Since there is only one person, we cannot split a single symbol into two.”
Oh no! At those words, Baroness Gahel quickly shut her mouth, while her daughter Barbara tried her best to remain composed without changing her expression.
Yet her heart was filled with endless sorrow.
Mother still does not know. Or perhaps she does, and that is why she is acting this way.
No matter how hard we try, our family cannot succeed. Far from joining their circle, we will only be mocked or, at best, used as a convenient pawn.
How long must I live like this? Forever? Even after death?
‘I’m tired of it.’
She knew exactly why her mother had just mentioned the Drakan rider.
That mage who had helped pull the carriage out of the mud during the fruit festival was now the Drakan rider.
Pinkish hair and fresh green eyes like new sprouts—there was no mistaking it. Her appearance had been so striking, after all.
Mother must have wanted to take the lead in the conversation by mentioning her brief connection with that Drakan rider.
But… the very reason she had come here had just been shattered.
Marchioness Whiante would devote herself for quite some time to nothing but needling the Orleans ducal house. She would do anything for that purpose.