Chapter 71
“It’s not my true intention. To be precise, it’s a device to monitor your enemies.”
“So in the end, it’ll follow me wherever I go.”
The silver dragon… though honestly it looked more like a lizard than a dragon, crawled up my body the moment it confirmed my safety and flopped down on my shoulder. Cool to the touch, which felt nice. But that’s that, and this is this.
“Feels like whatever it sees or hears, Father will see and hear as well.”
“Not I. The Silver Dragon within me hears.”
“Father, I’m pretty sure you came here today to test your patience—‘How long will my daughter hold out without running away from home?’ kind of thing.”
“It’s the truth. I cannot spy on your private life. The Silver Dragon will only gauge your well-being, in the way dragons do.”
“And what exactly is ‘the way dragons do’?”
“Breathing. Moving. Whether you suddenly fall. Things like that.”
“Hm…”
“It’s a power you’ve never seen before. Of course you’re afraid. Understandable.”
…No, that’s not it. I can’t say it out loud, but I know a scene exactly like this.
The climax of To Save You.
The Duke revives the Ancient Dragon, but fails to either absorb it or subdue it. Enraged, the Ancient Dragon tries to destroy the world.
In that dire moment, the hero and heroine find the solution: they free the Silver Dragon dwelling within the Duke.
…With tears in their eyes, they attack the Duke. The Duke’s blood spills into the desert and transforms into the Silver Dragon, which then deals a fatal blow to the Ancient Dragon.
Blood as a medium of energy. That means the Duke just now shared some of the Silver Dragon’s energy from within himself. Even if it was only a small amount, there’s no way it didn’t harm him.
But he acted like nothing happened, calmly staunching the cut on his palm.
“Father, that’s a really deep cut. The bleeding won’t stop. Let’s go to the infirmary together.”
“No need. I’m used to this.”
“You shouldn’t be used to this. Come on, get up! The infirmary’s right there!”
When I sprang to my feet, the lizard quivered in surprise and scuttled into my hair.
Nice and cool. Though I worry how it’ll feel in the winter.
“Father, does this thing not need to eat?”
“It’s nothing but a lump crafted from a few drops of blood and cold. Not an animal. No need to worry.”
“Can I name it? The Silver Dragon won’t be mad, right?”
“Were you listening to me?”
“I asked first.”
“…Call it what you want.”
“Yay! Once I decide, I’ll tell you too, Father!”
The Duke sighed and turned away. But I definitely saw the corners of his mouth lift.
A priest was stationed at the infirmary. But once he realized the patient was the Duke, he started trembling all over and wasn’t much help.
So the task of bandaging the Duke’s hand fell to me.
“Father, this lizard—can others not see it?”
“That’s right.”
“…That’s a little disappointing.”
“Didn’t you recoil earlier, calling it a surveillance tool?”
“That’s different.”
“If you want privacy, wrap it in a handkerchief. Darken the surroundings, and after about ten minutes it will return to you.”
While I wrapped the bandage, the lizard perched on my head, staring at the dangling end of the cloth as it spun around.
Treatment done. Time to part ways. Even though we didn’t fight, it felt just as awkward as fighting, reconciling, and then parting.
At the path leading to the dorms, I pushed lightly against the Duke’s chest.
“You don’t have to follow me any further. Go back.”
“The dorms are still far.”
“They’re right there.”
And if we walk in together now, the caretaker will probably give us that warm, knowing look. Embarrassing!
But I couldn’t say that, and the Duke was stubborn. Eventually, I gave up trying to push him away.
Ugh, I really don’t want to endure those drama-like, heated gazes…
Just as I was ignoring the Duke hesitating over whether to rest his hand on my shoulder, we rounded the curve.
The caretaker was in conversation with someone else. But I couldn’t be glad.
That someone was Seo Yujin.
…Or rather, in appearance, Ignatz Schlaeger.
“Caretaker, please deliver this box to Sol Schlaeger.”
“What’s inside?”
“Study materials. For her schoolwork.”
“Hm… Feels heavy. Open it once.”
“You think I’d bring something strange? You know me.”
“Even so, I have to ask at least once.”
“Do you know how many years I’ve been serving here? Fine, I’ll open it. Just a moment.”
It looked 100% like a forbidden item.
My brother smiled awkwardly, holding the box. But before he could open it, his eyes, mine, and the Duke’s all crossed in midair.
…Crap. Why here, why now?
The Duke spoke first.
“Ignatz…?”
But the first to react was not Ignatz—rather, Yujin oppa using his body. He gripped the sword at his waist and approached.
“Did that bastard catch you? Damn it, Se—Sol, run!”
“Oppa! No, it’s not—”
“I’ll handle this bastard—ugh…!”
The Duke immediately drew a sword of ice from the air. Their blades clashed. At first glance, it looked like my brother, holding a real sword, had the advantage.
But the moment he mistook the breaking ice for victory, the Duke already conjured a second sword.
“Oppaaa! Dad! Stop! It’s a misunderstanding! Talk it out!”
Both Yujin oppa, the awakened Ignatz, and the Duke wore expressions of hesitation…
But none of their bodies stopped. Trained too long to halt unless the opponent did first.
The transparent blade slashed toward my brother. Where was it aiming?
<Ah, I can see where this is going!>
The final strike of the Duke’s blade targeted my brother’s leg. He somehow managed to withstand it—but only barely.
In that eternal-feeling nine seconds, I saw the box my brother had brought roll across the ground.
I didn’t know what it was, but I prayed it was sturdy. I hurled it toward the spot the Duke’s sword was aiming.
“S-stop—fightinggg!”
The ice sword struck the box—
With a bang! A red haze filled the air.
…My brother had brought kimchi.
The sharp, tangy smell spread, and both men instantly lost their will to fight. Seizing the chance, I wedged myself between them.
“Hey, how could you throw this?!”
That was clearly Yujin oppa yelling.
“Sol, since when have you known Ignatz?”
That was the Duke, his voice laced with suspicion and anger.
“…Father, why did you even adopt another daughter?”
Ignatz, speaking through his own body.
“What is this fermented smell?!”
The caretaker, the most furious of all.
And me—the calmest one here—could only say a single thing:
“Should we move back to the visitation room?”
…After cleaning up the kimchi.
I couldn’t exactly confess, “Ta-da! Your son’s body has been taken over by a suspicious Korean!” So in the visitation room, Ignatz did the explaining, sprinkling in a few lies.
We met by chance. Ignatz didn’t trust the Duke, so he tried to help me…
A lie, but based in truth. And Ignatz clearly had plenty to say to the Duke.
“I’m doing fine. I’ve gotten used to earning my keep at the temple.”
“…”
“But when I learned the kind volunteer was actually the Schlaeger family’s adoptee, I was shocked. Could Father really take responsibility for a child?”
“If you want to know how I’ve treated Sol, ask her directly.”
“In front of you? Of course she’ll only say good things.”
“….”
Clearly, Ignatz had a lot bottled up. Yet he didn’t lash out, only focused on how I was being treated. As though he truly saw me as his little sister.
The Duke, too, silently endured his eldest son’s complaints.
At last, as the conversation wound down, Ignatz turned to me.
“Sol, let me ask you something.”
“Yes!”
No doubt he’d ask: Are you really okay with this man as your father?
“Have you ever successfully run away from home? For more than half a year.”
“…I’ve never even tried.”
“If you ever want tips on packing for a long-term runaway, ask me. I guarantee a successful escape.”
…What on earth?
Without explanation, he turned back to the Duke.
“I don’t want to meddle in your life now. I’m no longer a Schlaeger.”
“…”
“But… as a fellow human being, I will protect this child, who’s practically my little sister.”
“Little sister? You threw away the Schlaeger name, yet you still want to claim the title of elder brother?”
“Yes. Honestly, helping my little sister run away has been my lifelong dream.”
Wow. Not a normal personality at all.
Before the Duke’s slightly hardened expression, Ignatz continued smoothly.
“And wouldn’t my presence be to your benefit as well, Father?”
“In what way?”
“People cornered will claw at the ground with their nails to escape. But if you show them an opening—‘I can always run away if I want’—they’ll endure far longer.”
Ah. I kind of get it.
At tough jobs, the ones who suffered most would suddenly vanish, quitting out of the blue. But a guy who’d once won second place in the lottery stuck around for ages, like he wanted to see how long he could hold out.
Ignatz smiled brightly.
“So keep me as that safety valve.”
“…You mean you still think of the Schlaeger family?”
“I’d like to see the day when a proper lady emerges from the Schlaegers.”
“I hope you mean that sincerely.”
The talk finally wrapped up.
I would stay at the academy. Ignatz would keep his identity as a Schlaeger secret, maintaining only a “personal connection” with me.
…Was it really okay for blood family matters to be settled like this?
Looking left and right, both Ignatz and the Duke wore the cold faces of business partners striking a deal.
Ignatz extended his hand first for a farewell shake.
“Pleasure meeting you, Your Excellency. Please take good care of Lady Sol. She’s a treasured talent of our temple.”
“Of course.”
The Duke grasped his hand.
…And held it for quite a long time.
When Ignatz finally tried to withdraw, flustered, the Duke’s voice rumbled.
“…I lost you once. I will not make the same mistake twice.”
…In the end, Ignatz couldn’t free his hand from the Duke’s grip for some time. I couldn’t bear to look at their expressions, so I simply hugged them both tightly and stood with them in the visitation room for a long while.
“Sol, may your talent bloom fully for your own sake.”
With those words from the Duke, the mana pearl that had always felt like a ticking time bomb suddenly began to feel like mine.
After entrusting me to Ignatz, he left the academy.
Phew. One hurdle cleared.
But school life wasn’t entirely peaceful. Yujin oppa was banned from making kimchi.
“Brother Ignatz! How could you make fermented food in the sacred temple—and even cause it to explode?!”
“There was a brief clash with His Excellency the Duke… Wait, exploding food is the bigger issue than fighting?!”
“No one died! But wasting food is a grave sin!”
“….”
“Brother Ignatz, you are forbidden from entering the kitchen again!”
“Ugh…”
But once we’d tasted kimchi, there was no going back.
