A Pleasant Time
As the Sharp Empire hurtled toward its final days, dragon worship faced growing backlash. Sensing the end, Lucius wiped the memories of his followers and sent them to safe, unclaimed lands.
He had never sought human devotion.
Those who needed a place to rest their hearts had simply wished to find shelter beneath the name of the ancient dragon Lucius.
He neither accepted nor rejected their one-sided worship, yet he saved them before the end came.
Though he could not prevent his own sealing, he spared them from tragedy.
Pay let out a soft sigh.
“It’s surprising, but when I think about it, it makes sense. Most ancient histories were theocracies, so religious powers were stronger, but not in the Sharp Empire. Even though many emperors served as high priests themselves.”
“I knew you were clever.”
“Oh, come on…!”
Pay, who would normally blush at Lucius’s praise, simply smiled instead.
I like Lucius. No matter what anyone says, I want to stay with him—including that mischievous side of his that keeps secrets from me.
She held out the basket of snacks she had prepared.
While they ate the simple sandwiches and fruit, her eyes wandered curiously over their surroundings.
It was fascinating that these ruins had endured for a thousand years, and trying to figure out their location was its own quiet joy. Even with Lucius beside her who knew the answers, she chose not to ask right away. She wanted to enjoy the process of discovering things on her own.
It was exactly the sort of behavior one would expect from a mage.
Lucius, familiar with her habits, waited quietly.
Eventually, Pay spoke.
“Where are we?”
“…Inside my lair. Originally, this place stood at the heart of the Orleans Ducal House’s provincial territory, but I moved it.”
“What? This is your lair, Lucius? Then we’re inside the Dryana Mountain Range?”
“Uh… yes.”
Lucius answered without thinking, then froze.
What if she said she wanted to explore the entire lair?
She might discover the messy plans and items he had scattered while preparing his confession! Not that he minded her seeing them, but he had been waiting for the perfect moment.
Pay had mentioned wanting to see the spring, and this had seemed like the ideal spot. Now Lucius felt as though he had dug his own grave.
Completely unaware, Pay’s mouth fell open.
“Goodness, I thought the sky was bright, so I assumed we were outdoors. If this is inside a lair, it’s basically a cavern. Does that mean the light on the ceiling is coming from far away?”
Fortunately, a way out of his panic presented itself, and Lucius answered quickly.
“Not quite. I used magic to brighten it. My subordinates come and go often. You know how it is—buildings made by human hands live alongside the people who dwell in them. They get oiled, they breathe, they change together.”
“Is that so?”
“When the people inside leave, cracks form in the walls. No matter how diligently you maintain it, the traces of living beings slowly fade.”
“…You must have grown attached to it. Seeing that you preserved every trace even after so much time.”
Lucius gave a small laugh.
“Perhaps.”
The people from a thousand years ago who had fought over becoming the dragon’s bride.
Whether they still rested here or had been reborn somewhere else and were living well, it no longer mattered. At least their endings had not been tragic like his.
An odd spring picnic with no scent of flowers or grass.
Yet Pay was happy that day, chattering away with Lucius as they explored every corner of the Dragon God Temple. Every stone beneath their feet was a relic, and she fussed over them, terrified of damaging something precious.
Lucius told her it was fine, but how could it be?
“Ah! Just a moment.”
“Hm?”
Standing before a fierce-looking dragon statue—perhaps a representation of Lucius’s true form—Pay pulled out her flute and blew it with all her might.
A pure white unicorn soon appeared, lowering its flank so Pay could reach its mane.
“Wow…”
Forgetting why she had summoned the unicorn in the first place, she absentmindedly stroked its soft mane before suddenly lifting her head.
Just as she had thought.
The ruins of a fallen civilization and a legendary unicorn.
Together, they created the perfect atmosphere—melancholy and wondrous. She gently pushed the unicorn’s rump so it could rest comfortably beneath a low wall, then murmured,
“I should have learned how to draw. A scene like this deserves to be captured on paper so I can keep it in my eyes forever.”
“If you want, we can come back anytime. Ahem… Drawing, is it? If that’s what you wish, I’ll get you as many brushes and paints as you need.”
Paper was plentiful anywhere in the Magic Tower.
The reason Lucius’s boastful reply sounded lukewarm was simple: though he was a capable dragon in many fields, he had no talent for art whatsoever.
No matter how many centuries he spent trying, he never improved. It was simply something he had not been born with. He had achieved a certain level, but it never satisfied him, so it was useless.
Out of stubbornness, he had collected quite a few works considered masterpieces…
There’s no way anyone has already painted the exact scene Pay wants.
Beyond his pride as a dragon and his love for Pay, Lucius knew how to remain objective in other matters.
That was why he did not make the absurd claim that he would paint the picture she wanted and give it to her. Some things simply could not be done, no matter how hard one tried.
“Let’s stay a little longer.”
“All right.”
Well, even if he could not draw, he could at least fill her eyes with the beautiful scenery she admired.
Lucius watched her smile at the unicorn, a foolishly bright grin spreading across his own face.
Approximately one hour later.
Pay’s recent sulkiness had completely melted away.
This was why people needed to move their bodies and change their surroundings sometimes, even when everything around them was pleasant.
She swallowed her regret and took one last look at the Dragon God Temple.
When would they return?
“It won’t be destroyed if we leave it like this, right?”
“Of course not. That will never happen. I’ll bring you here whenever you want.”
Who would dare destroy a dragon’s lair? Still, Lucius answered seriously.
“Shall we head back now?”
“Ah, wait.”
He suddenly remembered something and stood up abruptly.
“Yes?”
“Stay here. Since we’re already here, I should grab a book.”
Lucius’s body vanished in an instant as he teleported from the temple entrance toward the Magic Tower.
At that moment, Momo, nestled in Pay’s arms, whispered into her mind.
「Pay… Ahem, anyway. Don’t be impatient. Just wait quietly. That’s all you need to do.」
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Bwoop~?”
Pay tilted her head in confusion, but Momo simply made cute noises and pretended not to understand.
What…? Was that some important hint just now?
“I’m back!”
Only a few minutes later, Lucius returned carrying three books. In his outstretched hand was a single large flower with striking pale-blue petals.
“A flower…?”
It was much larger than any she had seen before, and she found it fascinating.
“This is called a Terifria. It went extinct in ancient times. There’s a special flowerbed in my lair where it grows from seeds found only there. If you keep it in a vase and breathe in its scent, it clears your mind. Since this flower exists nowhere else in the world but for you, will you accept it?”
How beautiful.
Receiving yet another flower from him, Pay smiled brightly. He must have been in such a hurry that sap still dripped from the freshly cut stem, but she did not mind.
She quickly wiped it away with her palm so Lucius would not notice his small mistake and become flustered.
The sticky residue that would not come off easily did not bother her in the slightest.
No matter what anyone said, this was happiness to her.
She carefully tucked the precious flower away, then returned to the Magic Tower with Lucius.
* * *
While Pay cherished her spring memories, someone else began preparing to move—carefully watching for the right moment.
It was Dot, who had finally stopped feigning illness.
The Saintess who had departed for the Main Temple showed no sign of returning.
Rumor had it she was spreading the faith in a small village between the capital and the Main Temple. Dot hoped they would remain separated forever.
‘Phew…’
Most of the empire’s religious followers believed in Ciel, the Main God, but the empire itself was not a theocracy.
Faith was free, whether one believed or not, so it was common for priests of the Main Temple to visit private homes. They needed to maintain their influence.
The Saintess had confidently declared she would return when she left, yet no one knew when that would be.
Dot fondly recalled watching the Duchess remove the holy water the Saintess had supposedly sprinkled in the garden from behind the curtains.
Her reliable, proud mother, pointing here and there as she directed the removal of every trace of the Saintess.
As long as the Duchess continued to thoroughly block the Saintess’s nonsense, Dot had nothing to fear.
‘Yes. Let’s assume the Saintess was the one who interfered with my bloodline verification. Then she would try to blackmail me. She wouldn’t present evidence to my mother, because that would mean the Main Temple had failed to properly identify their own daughter—which would become their own fault.’
She simply had to avoid facing the cunning old Saintess one-on-one.
Having regained some confidence, Dot checked the nearest social schedule.
As if things were working in her favor, there was an event starting today.
“The Esolt Count’s tea party…”
After the gold mine discovery, the Orleans Ducal House and the Huiante Marquisate were said to be keeping a low profile, unable to offer excuses.
In contrast, the Esolt Count’s House, the Queisar Count’s House, and the Duran Viscount’s House had risen in status. Needless to say, the Klein Ducal House to which Dot belonged had benefited as well.
Yet the moment Dot thought of the Queisar Count’s House, her mood soured again.
“…Why did the iron mine have to be there of all places!”
With the weather warming, it was time to hint to the Duke about the Queisar Count’s damaged weapons.
Thanks to those two foolish houses’ schemes, her chance to speak had slipped away. And now an iron vein had been discovered there, ruining everything.
It was obvious what had happened.
After news spread of the large quantity of high-quality iron, the Queisar Count—worried his preparations were insufficient—must have impatiently pressed the imperial family. That was why the Crown Prince had immediately promised support.
Damn it!
‘I still have one final move left. Next year’s dragon attack—this disaster won’t change. I’ve already warned them, so all I have to do is wait. Though… there’s also the possibility I’ll get married and leave before then.’
It was rather amusing. When some clueless noble had suggested she try riding a Drakan, the Saintess had insisted they fly toward the Main Temple.
And because of the gold vein they discovered, two prominent houses in the capital had collapsed at once. The detestable Morgana had supposedly gone into brief seclusion, claiming she had failed to properly host the Saintess?
As they say, when a crow flies, the pear falls.
Dot did not suspect Morgana in the slightest regarding this bizarre chain of events. After all, gold and iron were matters she had known nothing about in her previous life.
‘Morgana? Since you’ve already made a mistake, it would be best if you never left the Magic Tower again. Saintess Capia, you’re dealing with someone far more terrifying than you can handle.’