âYouâ¦even if you really want to go, say goodbye to me first before you leave! Of course Iâve tried to send you, uh, five times, butâ¦Iâve had a lot of affection for you!â
Park Noah gasped for breath as she talked; she couldnât tell whether her voice trembled because she exerted too much energy looking for him or because of the relief that the child was found okay.
The dragon flapped its wings harder and harder. Eventually, as the creature relaxed in the witchâs arms, the dragon transformed into a curly-haired boy.
âWhy didnât you answer?â Park Noah asked, looking at the child who began to sob quietly, bowing his head low.
âI didnât hear youâ¦â
âYou didnât hear me calling you?â
âI was sleepingâ¦then there was a sound of someone walking around.â
âSo?â
âI thought it was Uncle Kyleâ¦â The red-eyed child mumbled faintly, fumbling his tiny fingers.
âWhatâs wrong with him?â Park Noah was surprised to hear what the child had just said.
âNoah⦠Iâm scared heâll make me leave if he sees me in a dragon formâ¦â
âWhat?â At loss for words, Park Noah held the boy tightly in her arms. âThen you just have to stay this way, why did you change into a dragon?â
The child didnât answer, looking away from Park Noahâs gaze. Suddenly, as if to answer her question, Park Noah felt the mana being drawn out from her body, which stopped in an instant. At the same moment, the child changed back into the shape of a black dragon.
âWhatâ¦â Park Noah stuttered, realizing her stupid mistake.
The baby dragon broke free from Park Noahâs embrace and slowly backed away, and hid behind the mountain of junk. He stuck his head out and looked at Park Noah with his big round red eyes.
âOh, come on.â She groaned softly.
After all, it was only possible for the dragon to humanize by drawing out her mana. Therefore, as the child spent less time with Park Noah, it was harder for him to maintain the human form as he did not have enough mana. A young dragon, which was practically depending on the witchâs mana because of an incomplete imprint, to suddenly become malnourished is only natural.
Yet, the child remains distanced from Park Noah despite the urgent pleas of his body to imprint.
Is it because he doesnât want me to get sick?
In an instant, tears brimmed Park Noahâs eyes, her sight beginning to look blurry. She mutters in a weak voice, âHey, what do you like about me so much? You wonât even imprint on meâ¦â
The continent was inhabited by humans who qualified to become owners of dragons, even if not necessarily the heroine Lenia. Even Kyle Leonard alone was capable of taking full responsibility for the dragon child.
On the other hand, Park Noah was not the powerful witch every living man feared. She was merely an unfortunate soul who transmigrated into Eleonoraâs body. She does not wield the same power as the original witch. Park Noah is merely not strong enough to sustain him.
The dragon flapped its wings, having seen Park Noahâs somber expression, and lowered his head.
ââ¦.â
Park Noah stared at the dragon intensely for a long time when suddenly, the most absurd thought crossed her mind.
I canât organize my thoughts. I know I shouldnât decide something crucial in this state. Iâm still not prepared for anything. I donât know when Iâll die if I lose all my mana to him in the first placeâ¦
Yet the words flowed out of her mouth smoothly.
âDo you really want to live with me?â
Youâre crazy, Park Noah.