Chapter 49

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Chapter 49

I know that Albert cares about me. That the smile he shows me isn’t something common either.

And it’s not like he said anything wrong here. So I couldn’t easily retort against the words that were pressuring me.

Even still, it’s also true that I don’t want to just let Blanc go.

As I woke up at dawn, I stood near the window. It was snowing heavily outside again. It’s a lot of work to just shovel that snow every single day.

The sky, as the sun rose, became tinged with red. I was captivated by the beautiful scenery, but I paused at one spot as I saw something moving in the air.

A human-looking figure seemed to be rushing towards the fortress. The figure was so far away that I couldn’t really make it out.

I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but this time, I found nothing. Did I see it wrong? I guess I really am tired.

I changed my clothes and prepared to go out and meet Albert. It’s one thing to not want to talk to him about this, but nursing him back to health was another thing.

Opening the door of my room, I blinked as I saw someone unexpected there.

“…Your Grace?”

Liam stood in front of me after traversing across the corridor. He was breathing heavily as he swept through his still-wet black hair. Huu, his exhale was deep. It’s the first time I’m seeing him so frazzled.

“Perfect timing.”

He let out a murmur as he fastened the previously open top button of his shirt. It was a well-fitted shirt and uniform, and there was a sword attached to his waist. He looked like he was ready to go to war at any moment.

Facing my expressionless countenance, I admired how different his atmosphere was now—how similar it was to Albert’s. There’s no reason why anyone would dislike the grand duke of the north archetype.

When I was in the tower, I vividly remembered Albert, who was continuing his daily routine even though no one was requiring him to.

It’s clear that morning training was the standard for the male protagonist. It’s difficult for him to get up now, but it’s right to say that nobody does it like the protagonist does.

“What can I do for you?”

“His Highness has given his command. We are leaving this evening, so be ready.”

“So soon? But His Highness…”

Albert did tell me to go, but I can’t help but worry since he wasn’t in a good condition right now.

“His Highness said it’s alright.”

That didn’t mean that Albert’s fine though. Watching my baffled expression, Liam further spoke.

“It is my duty to believe so.”

Liam took a deep breath as his brows furrowed. While saying, ‘Let’s go inside and talk,’ Liam put one hand on my left shoulder, turned me around lightly and guided me back into my room.

“The fledgling dragon is practically considered dead the moment it lets out a cry. The sooner the better. Even now, the number of people going there is increasing, so I’m already late as it is since I have to be there for the preparation of the magic circle. It’s imperative to leave as soon as possible. We must not be late.”

As if explaining military strategy, he spoke in a clear and firm tone. Listening to him say this made it more real to me that I was really going to see a dying dragon cub.

“Do not ever be a burden.”

These clipped words hit me like a sledgehammer. It’s like the strength in my body left me just like that.

“This is all for His Highness.”

My world, which consisted of only Albert and Blanc inside the tower, began expanding.

I thought I’d only wander around the north after being treated from the black magic. But now, the world, which I considered only to be a world inside a book, gradually started to come alive around me.

The fact that Albert let me go on such an important occasion was proof enough that he trusted me that much. There was no need for the contract now.

“Yes, I understand.”

Seeing me without the usual smile on my lips, Liam nodded as if he was satisfied with my answer.

“If there’s anything you need to be prepared for this operation, talk to Baron Schubert.”

“…Is the Baron coming with us?”

It was a bit of a surprise to me that he came here from his station in the knight order. From what I could recall, the knight order was positioned at the imperial palace, but it didn’t seem like he was called all the way here to the north just to participate in this operation.

…He’s a real knight, right? It seemed like he’s playing hooky too much.

Though if I were to see him act as he usually did along with his external image, Schubert seemed exactly like Liam, except the knight version of him.

It would be faster for you to hear the rest from Schubert, but there’s one other thing I have to ask you. Are you going to take that dragon with you this time?”

Liam gestured to Blanc with his chin. He must have heard about Blanc’s real identity.

I glanced towards the small dragon, feeling conflicted. No matter how individualistic a dragon may be, witnessing a fellow dragon’s death would be traumatic.

This wasn’t a matter for me to decide. It should be decided upon by Blanc himself.

“If you’re going to take the dragon with you, come out with it at the gates by 8 PM. It might be beneficial to talk to another dragon.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“It is not an act of consideration—it is my duty. And the conversation we had in the library…”

“……”

“We’ll continue it at the capital.”

After one last reminder that he didn’t forget about the conversation we had before, Liam left the room.

When he was gone, I woke up Blanc.

“Blanc, wake up.”

“Whaaaat…”

Blanc wiggled his body as he shook himself awake. He seemed to have played a lot yesterday with Schubert. Even his tired, sleepy eyes were so very adorable.

“Blanc, I’m about to go to the capital.”

“Huuuh…?”

Blanc’s eyes widened a lot, wordlessly asking what I meant.

“It’s to see the dragon cub for the last time before dying.”

When the word ‘die’ was uttered, Blanc faltered. He seemed shocked when the topic he’s been avoiding all this time suddenly came out. His scales were already white from his head to his body, but his face looked even paler right then.

“W-Why…? It huuurts…? Rosé… you’re siiick…? Y-You’re gonna diiie?”

Blanc looked as though he was about to burst into tears as he glanced up at me.

I held one of Blanc’s front paws carefully. It was a paw small enough to fit in one hand.

“It’s not that. I just want to confirm how brave I can be.”

“…Huuh?”

“Blanc, I want to be your contractor.”

“Noo, being a contractor hurts too muuuch… I don’t want Rosé to huuurt… I’m going to die anywaaay…”

Blanc shook his head as he said this slowly. His voice was calm, without even a hint of resignation.

Hearing him say this made me realize just how much this dragon had given up in the past. I held Blanc in my embrace and patted his back.

“Blanc, I want you to live.”

Perhaps this was my own selfish greed. However, as my limited world that started at the tower continued to grow, I also hoped that Blanc’s world would also grow.

With a life directly connected to his existence, he had to give up so many things and slept through everything instead. I hope that Blanc would be greedier for life, too.

“You and I, let’s go on a trip, you can also get angry at me, and you can whine and complain a lot more. I hope we can continue to share our daily lives, just as we have been doing inside the tower.”

After coming to this place, next to Albert, the one I had grown so attached to was this perso… I mean dragon.

“You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to. I’ll be right back.”

“……”

Blanc hesitated and fiddled with my hand. I gave him a big hug.

“I’m leaving tonight, so you can think about it more. I’ll go and meet His Highness now.”

It might be good to give Blanc some more time to think about it.

Thinking about what I could do for Albert before I left for the capital, I borrowed the kitchen and made a simple potato soup. Just like what we used to eat at the tower.

It’s up to Albert whether or not he wanted to eat this, but I wanted to do something for him before I left.

Albert’s condition was much worse today than it was yesterday. Greten was standing by him and nursing him with utmost care.

As she felt an approaching presence, Greten turned her head to the side and grimaced the moment she saw me as she raised her head. Her face turned practically blue.

“…That, um, I heard from His Highness, that he has taken you in… I apologize for treating you in that way yesterday.”

She didn’t look like a person who’d easily admit to her mistakes, but it seemed like Albert’s words frightened her so. See, you should have just let me in yesterday.

“Thank you for apologizing first.”

Regardless of what Albert said, it’s not easy for someone of her age to give in first.

“I would like to stay here with my cat until before lunch. Is that alright?”

“Ah, of course. Then, I’ll be on my way…”

Greten left the room at an unbelievable speed compared to how she was yesterday. Now, only Albert was left inside the room.

Albert was lying on the bed, groaning. I walked closer to him and observed him closely. Even while his condition was this serious, he was trying to send me to the capital.

Should he eat something? I hesitated for a moment before taking Albert’s hand. It was perhaps the first time I initiated contact with him.

Albert finally noticed my presence and opened his eyes halfway. The shadows beneath his eyes looked terribly dark.

And his eyes trembled as he looked at me. With an out of place sense of wonder, he smiled faintly and gasped out.

“Whenever I’m in front of you, I always show you this weak side of me.”

“I’m the one responsible for this though. And if this is what Your Highness considers to be weak already, then you look too good for that.”

I’m serious. The pain he was feeling right now was the price to pay, and it was a moment when we would always touch. As he was willing to endure that much, Albert was simply amazing.

I fumbled with his hand for a long while before I raised my head.

Since when had Albert been staring at me? I looked back into his red eyes, then I spoke firmly.

“Your Highness, I’ll go to the capital and watch the last moments of the dragon you told me about before. I’ll think about it properly.”

“……”

“Whether my decision is just a moment’s impulse, or whether I’m determined that I won’t ever regret this.”

“……”

“I know I’m being difficult, but thank you for understanding me, really. Your Highness is always giving me something to be thankful about, being the beautiful person that you are.”

I knew whatever Albert did, it’s always for my own good. So I wanted to let him know.

“Prince, you’re a good man.”

I’ve been calling him handsome all this time, but I’ve never let him know that I think he’s a good man. Complimenting someone for their looks was easy, but praising them for their inner character was difficult.

Rolling over my hand to hold it tightly, Albert smiled with his eyes. They were as beautiful as crescent moons amidst the dark sky. It was a satisfied smile, as if to say I like it.

“You. You’re not even giving me a proper chance to get angry.”

“……”

“I sometimes resent you for that. But you know, that’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me.”

Albert pulled my hand towards him.

“Oohh…”

I lost my balance and promptly fell on top of him. It looked as if I was in his embrace right then.

“Have a safe trip.”

Albert brought my hand, which he was still holding, close to his heart. Thump, thump. I could hear his heartbeat. His entire body vibrated—it was a pulse similar to mine.

My face was flushed red. It felt like there was nothing else in this world for him except for me. For a moment, it’s like we were back in the tower.

“Rosé.”

With a voice similar to the sound of his heart, Albert spoke.

“I sometimes wonder… What if we stay locked up in that tower, just you and me.”

Perhaps.

We had the same thoughts.

“I know you don’t like it, but the normal days we’ve spent together have become more precious to me more than anything else.”

The look in Albert’s eyes was as deep as the endless sea.

“You’re the one who made that possible.”

At that moment, it was as if I could hear Albert’s thoughts. He held the nape of my neck naturally and— his face drew nearer. The beads of sweat at the sides of his face, the shadow that fell over him, that desperate look in his eyes.

Devoid of his usual composure, this side of him was so unfamiliar to me.

“So, you cannot die.”

It wasn’t an order. It was a promise that he was making to me. And, as he vowed this, his face drew ever so nearer.

Our lips touched. He pulled me closer in such a way that revealed his yearning for me. At that moment, neither of us mentioned the contract.

It was because we both knew that we couldn’t resist each other.

That very moment, it was impossible to push the other away.

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