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"You want⦠to be with me? But⦠it has only been a few days and I am an ugly dragon⦠I mean, I am a monster⦠Why do want to be with me?" I asked.
"That's⦠I just want to⦠Y-You're not a monster⦠you're a dragon! It's different⦠And you're not wild either, you're a gentle person⦠you reminded me of family," said Benladann.
"Family�" I asked.
"Family⦠I⦠It is what makes me happy," said Benladann.
Ah⦠By the Gods, this girl is⦠way too much for me to handle. I thank my race to have a stiff and expressionless face, or I would be blushing right now.
"You don't want to be with me? I felt like⦠sticking with youâ¦" said Benladann.
"Really? Are you⦠being sincere?" I asked her.
"Yeah⦠Why not? You're even taking care of me⦠Why would I even not be sincere?" she asked.
"Oh⦠Well⦠That's⦠I guess it is okay if you want it so badly! I can't help itâ¦" I said.
"Eh? Really? Are you okay with me? Even if I am⦠a crazy girl with weird mold?" she asked.
"Crazy girl�" I asked.
"Ah⦠F-Forget about thatâ¦" sighed Benladann.
Why does she consider herself "crazy"?
Hm, that must be some big mental trauma thereâ¦
But well, let's go one step at a time, shall we?
"Yeah, I am fine too⦠That's what you wanted to hear? I said itâ¦" I said.
"I never thought I would have a dragon friend before⦠Thank you, Drakeâ¦" said Benladann.
Friend⦠A friend.
I made a friendâ¦
"Don't mind itâ¦" I said, averting my gaze from her hypnotizing golden eyes.
"So⦠Why did you consider yourself a loser, Drake? I don't think you're a loser⦠I think you're pretty awesomeâ¦" said Benladann.
"Eh⦠Well, I was a loser. I never went out, I didn't like to interact with people outside my house, and I worked at home doing programing and stuff⦠I just didn't like to be in the outside world⦠people called me a loser due to that," I said.
I noticed as Benladann glare intensified.
"T-That's not really bad! They are just bad people!" she said, as I noticed a few tears surging on her eyesâ¦
"Eh? Okay, I got over that already, calm downâ¦" I said, petting her a bit.
"I don't think you're a loser⦠not now⦠nor before⦠I wish I could have a life like that⦠Normal people often are not aware that there are always⦠worse casesâ¦" she sighed.
"Okay, okay, don't get too much over it⦠And I know! I am actually a pretty big winner now! Look at me and my size! I am just a big ice dragon! Who would even find me a loser anymore? Hehâ¦" I said. I tried to look prideful so she would stop pitying me, I don't really like that.
Benladann glanced at the floor, her hands, and then back at me.
"I see⦠I can tell that you didn't have an easy first life eitherâ¦" she said.
Ah! Girl, do you need to always hit in just the weakest spots?!
"That's⦠how things are I guess," I said, shrugging it off. It wasn't a particularly bad life, I was kind of fine.
"But how⦠how come you became⦠an ice dragon if you were a person before?" she asked.
"Hm⦠W-Well⦠This might sound stupid, so bear with me⦠I died⦠in an avalancheâ¦" I said.
"Eh?! That's horrible! How would that sound stupid?" she asked.
"Oh⦠Well, it is stupid because when the voice spoke I wished all kinds of stupid stuff like ice immunity⦠and then a fitting body ended on this, a dragon⦠An ice dragon to be specific," I said.
"I see⦠So you also were granted wishes based on what you were desiring at that moment⦠But when we are about to die our minds are not really⦠quite clear about everything⦠It is very hard to actually wish for things that could benefit us⦠Through that, I ended bringing⦠the mold here⦠Which is more like a curse than an ability that can help meâ¦" sighed Benladann.
I could feel that the moment she mentioned that, her eyes seemed to become devoid of light⦠the traumas weighing this girl's mind are enormous, more than even I could bear.
Whatever has she gone through⦠it is not something normal. Not something that a normal person would be able to bearâ¦
And even now, after seeing her getting so well⦠I can tell that she is trying to strive forward even after everything.
She is strong.
"You're strong, Benladannâ¦" I said.
"Eh? Strong⦠Me?" she asked.
"Hm. I can tell it, just by looking directly at your eyes⦠you have gone through a lot, haven't you?" I asked.
Benladann eyes suddenly became teary, as her lips started to tremble. She glanced at the floor, at her hands, as they began to tremble.
"H-How can you tell? I am⦠that easy to read?" she wondered.
"Erm⦠No. I just have a thing for thisâ¦" I said.
"Oh⦠Well⦠I have⦠gone through some⦠things. I supposeâ¦" she sighed.
"That's why you're strong," I said, glancing at her eyes.
"Ahâ¦"
"Because even after everything you've gone through⦠You're still here now. You're still trying to survive. I can see within your eyes. There's still a spark of life, a spark of hope. I wish⦠I could be that strongâ¦" I said.
"D-Don't say such thingsâ¦" she sighed.
"Ah, sorry⦠Maybe it was discomforting? I apologize... I got carried away, I shouldn't treat you like thatâ¦" I sighed.
"N-No⦠I didn't mean⦠I like it⦠it's just⦠makes me embarrassedâ¦" sighed Benladann.
"Embarrassed? From me? I am just a dragonâ¦" I said.
"S-So what? Y-You're still a man⦠praising me so much⦠It is⦠embarrassing!" she said, as she blushed like a tomato and averted her gaze from me.
A man⦠Well, I guess I am a man, I know already that I am a male dragon.
But I never saw myself as a "man" by itself, a person.
I just saw myself as a dragon.
But I guess⦠I am a man too.
"Sorry about that then⦠I will try to not embarrass you anymore," I said.
"N-No⦠It is fine⦠If it is you⦠I guess it is fineâ¦" she said timidly approaching me and hugging my dragon arm.
"It is fine if it's youâ¦" she said again.
Ah⦠I think I skipped a beat.
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