Episode 20
The man only smiled gently.
But he never gave Yuriel the answer she was hoping for.
She didn’t know where she was or who this man who had changed from a deer into a human really was.
It was all so confusing.
She tried to remember something, anything, but the effort made her head pound.
Just then—
‘…Fire!’
She blinked—and the forest was suddenly in flames.
Just a second ago, everything had been peaceful.
Now, fire consumed the trees, turning everything pitch-black.
‘The lake…! I need to stop the fire!’
She looked for the lake—perhaps it could help put the fire out.
But the once clear water was now black and tainted.
‘No…!’
Panicked, Yuriel fell to her knees and reached into the dark water.
But what she touched wasn’t water—it was thick and sticky.
Worse yet, the tree at the lake’s center was dying, rotting fast from the roots.
‘Why…?’
She was powerless in this dark, burning world.
The screams of dying life filled her ears, clear as day.
Please! Help me! It hurts…!
The cries were so vivid, it felt like her sanity might snap.
But the most hopeless part?
She couldn’t do anything to help them.
‘Help them… please!’
She grabbed the man’s clothes in desperation.
‘Can’t you hear them too? Why aren’t you doing anything?’
But even as they watched it all together, the man stayed calm.
He wiped her tears gently, his expression filled with quiet sympathy.
Then, in a soft voice that didn’t match the terrifying scene at all, he said:
【…Find it.】
Yuriel stared at him in disbelief.
He offered no real help—no way to save the dying life around them.
Only vague, cryptic words. It made her heart ache with frustration.
‘Why…?’
Who are you? Why can’t I save them?
Her sorrow grew heavy like a mountain.
The whole world started to blur and fade, along with the man himself.
Yuriel tried to reach for him, but he disappeared like mist.
She could only read his lips as he whispered his final word:
【Please.】
“Please…!”
Yuriel sat up with a scream, drenched in cold sweat.
The room was dark.
Outside the window, the sky was pitch-black.
‘It was a dream…?’
But it was far too real to be just a nightmare.
She could still hear the cries of burning life in her ears.
Yuriel rarely dreamed at all, especially since she met Akron.
But now, right after arriving at his estate, she had this dream?
It felt like a bad omen.
Her body trembled with unease.
She forced herself to sit up, but dizziness hit her immediately.
‘How long did I sleep?’
She hadn’t even realized she’d fallen asleep.
Yuriel looked toward the window.
Still dark. Dawn was far off.
She reached beside her, but Akron wasn’t there.
Not even a trace of his warmth.
‘He hasn’t returned?’
They were supposed to share the room as husband and wife…
Had something happened?
Combined with the horrible dream, his absence scared her.
Yuriel rubbed her stomach gently, where her baby was sleeping.
Then she quietly got out of bed.
‘…It’ll be okay.’
It was still night, but surely just walking a little wouldn’t hurt.
She wrapped a shawl around herself and stepped out.
The halls were silent, night and dawn blending in that quiet hour.
‘I don’t know where I’m going…’
It hadn’t even been a full day since she arrived.
She didn’t know the layout of the castle.
‘Let’s try going downstairs.’
She walked cautiously down the steps.
‘It’s cold…’
The night wind pierced her shawl.
She shivered as she walked in the direction of the breeze.
“Ah…”
There it was—an arched doorway leading outside.
The garden was just grass—no flowers.
Thankfully, small lanterns lit up the path.
Yuriel followed the light.
“…This place.”
She found a small lake reflecting the moonlight.
It sat quietly in the middle of the castle grounds.
It was so beautiful that she instinctively stepped closer to listen to the rippling water.
“They say a mysterious power sleeps beneath this lake.”
Startled, Yuriel turned her head.
Akron stood there.
“…Akron?”
Had he been there all along? She hadn’t sensed a thing.
Before she could speak, he walked over and gently hugged her from behind.
“The night is cold. You should dress more warmly.”
His warmth spread through her body.
She blushed—he was much warmer than she, despite being outside longer.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“I’m half-dragon. I don’t feel the cold.”
He said it so casually.
Yuriel looked again—he wasn’t even wearing winter clothes.
It finally made sense why he felt so warm.
“Though… I might be a little cold now.”
“…Liar.”
His playful tone was obvious.
He tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer.
Yuriel felt her ears heat up.
She mumbled a complaint, and he chuckled softly behind her.
“Let’s stay like this a bit longer. The night’s chill is hard on you.”
It was true.
She couldn’t argue.
Just for a moment—just a little while—it was okay to stay like this.
“This place… was it created?”
“No. The lake has been here since the Black Lands first began forming.”
Yuriel stared into the shimmering water.
Despite its beauty, the lake felt… lonely.
“Here. Take this.”
“…What is it?”
He handed her a small, ornate box.
Yuriel accepted it hesitantly.
“Open it.”
The box itself was already a luxury item.
She carefully opened the lid—
“…A key?”
A golden key lay nestled on a plush cushion.
Its handle had the crest of the Veiharz family and intricate grapevine carvings—symbols of prosperity.
It looked ancient, full of history.
‘A family key…’
She knew instantly what it was.
After marriage, this key symbolized a wife’s rightful place as the head of the household.
It wasn’t given lightly.
“It’s yours now.”
Akron gently placed the key into her hand.
The cool metal was heavy—it carried meaning.
He truly considered her the mistress of the house.
Yuriel was touched… but also afraid.
‘Is it really okay for me to accept this?’
She wanted to do well. But she still had doubts.
And she was planning to leave one day…
Should she take it?
“Take it. There’s only one rightful owner.”
As if reading her heart, he gently held her hand around the key.
His deep red eyes didn’t waver.
Yuriel found courage in them.
“…Thank…”
She almost said “thank you”, but hesitated.
He looked like giving her the key was simply natural.
She remembered his earlier words.
“I’ll take good care of it.”
She changed her words and carefully held onto the key.
Akron smiled at her.
“The castle may look similar, but the West is very different from the capital.”
He briefly explained:
The plants, animals, and even the people lived differently here.
It was a remote land, and the way of life reflected that.
“I hope you’ll adjust well here.”
His low voice carried on the wind and nestled deep in her heart.
His warm hand around hers gave her strength.
“…I want to learn everything—step by step.”
She spoke honestly.
This was her choice, so she would carry its weight.
To do that, she needed to understand this place.
“So please… teach me.”
She met his gaze with unwavering eyes.
Akron didn’t look away.
“Gladly.”
He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.
Even as he bowed, his gaze never left hers, making his shadowed eyes look even deeper.
“But why did you come out here?”
“Well…”
Yuriel paused. Should she say she had a nightmare?
She didn’t want to sound strange.
She had planned to say she simply couldn’t sleep and came out for a walk.
That would have been a good excuse.
But for some reason—maybe the moonlight—it just slipped out.
“Because… you didn’t come back.”
Her voice was tiny, like she wanted to disappear.
You said we’d share the same room. But you didn’t come back…
She couldn’t say the rest.
“Really…”
Just then, a low voice echoed softly.
He rested his face on her shoulder.
It was as if he hadn’t even realized how dangerous that confession was.
Had she misheard?
It sounded like Akron mumbled something strange.
“Let’s go back together.”
He finally said.
