Chapter 76
At the familiar call, my feet froze in place. It wasn’t the voice that always drew a line, calling “Miss, Miss.”
“Why is Danae…?”
A low, hoarse voice continued, as if still half-asleep, followed by a deep sigh.
“Sky… I thought I had chased you away.”
<That’s right, you did.>
“Why are you suddenly… like this?”
<I had no choice. That sly human said I wouldn’t be allowed in otherwise.>
“What nonsense? If you’re going to keep bothering me, get out right now.”
<I’m not bothering you—I’m giving proper advice… cough!>
With Ska’s cough came the sound of a chair being dragged and light footsteps following.
“…Miss?”
Then came the usual voice of Rien.
Without looking back, I hurriedly grabbed the door handle.
But before I could pull it, Rien, approaching from behind, lightly pressed the door.
“What brings you here? If there’s any pain, please tell me…”
I felt Rien’s gaze land on the top of my head.
Not knowing what to do, I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt something hot pour down.
“…Are you crying?”
“No.”
I said no, but my voice was trembling.
“It looks like you are.”
“I said I’m not.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Why?”
“You need to be honest with me. Only then can I help solve the problem.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Miss.”
With each exchange, Rien’s voice grew lower.
His tone, like scolding a child, made something inside me flare up and spill out.
“You lie all the time! Why can’t I?”
“……”
Rien, perhaps surprised I said that, immediately shut his mouth tight.
“See? That’s why you have nothing to say.”
I roughly wiped my tears and grabbed the door handle again, but Rien’s hand pressed against the door once more.
The door slammed shut with a thud.
“No, I have a lot to say.”
Rien turned me around.
I bowed my head deeply, not wanting him to see me crying, and heard his short sigh above me.
“Miss, I think we need to talk. Please, speak to me.”
“Call me Danae.”
I wiped my tears and said sulkily.
“If you call me Danae, I’ll lift my head and talk.”
“…Alright, Danae.”
Rien hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh and calling my name.
“…Yes.”
But once I answered, I found it hard to lift my head.
Seeing me still with my head bowed, Rien murmured in slight dissatisfaction and brushed my cheek.
“You called me Danae, so why aren’t you looking at me?”
“Well… it’s not on purpose. I just suddenly feel embarrassed. My face is probably a mess right now.”
“I see.”
He chuckled softly at my mumbling and gently lifted my head.
Sniffling from embarrassment, I looked at him and noticed his sky-blue eyes carried a warmth different from usual.
“Let’s clean it.”
Rien took a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to me.
“Achoo!”
I didn’t refuse. I blew my nose and returned the handkerchief.
“…This handkerchief will have to be thrown away.”
“You don’t need to tell me that.”
I said bluntly and brushed past him to sit in the chair he had been in just moments ago.
“Go ahead. Say all that you have to say.”
I crossed my arms and looked at Rien. He leaned against the door and gestured to Ska.
<If I leave my seat…>
“I won’t.”
<But before…>
“I said I won’t. I know it’s dangerous to do twice.”
<Hmph, you just talk well.>
He pouted, waddled, and then jumped out the window.
‘This isn’t the first floor…’
But if he’s a friend of a dragon, he’s probably not an ordinary being.
‘He won’t die from jumping from a height.’
While watching the spot where Ska disappeared, I heard Rien’s voice in my ear.
“I am Rien. And at the same time, I am not Rien.”
His ambiguous words made me frown automatically.
“What kind of riddle is that?”
“I’m saying that if I reveal my past, I can’t be here.”
Now I understood the reason.
“Because that’s the rule?”
“Yes, because it’s the rule.”
“What happens if the rules are broken?”
“You’re punished.”
Punishment. Of course. Without it, anyone would break the rules.
“…Does it hurt?”
“Depends on the person.”
“But there must be some general tendency, right?”
“Usually, it’s considered painful.”
I wanted to know the truth.
I was annoyed at Master.
But if Master feels pain just to satisfy my curiosity, I didn’t want that either.
Sensing my complex feelings, Rien let out a small sigh and spoke.
“I am Rien, your will, and I will be closest to you when you are in pain or struggling. Isn’t that enough?”
“Why?”
I tilted my head.
“If the past doesn’t exist, why are you next to me? Why did you come to me?”
If he hadn’t, I would have thought Master was dead and forgotten him.
Rien slightly raised one corner of his mouth at my question.
“Someone caused a lot of accidents.”
No, what accidents did I cause?
But I couldn’t say it aloud, because I knew I had indeed caused a lot of trouble myself.
‘Misunderstood as the Demon King and killed, then reincarnated and kidnapped, even jumped into the lake.’
I realized I really brought accidents wherever I went.
Not on purpose, of course.
“…Doesn’t that kind of thing break the rules? Can you just do whatever you want?”
“I didn’t say who, did I? But someone seems to think it applies to them.”
“What kind of rules are so arbitrary?”
I muttered as I stood up.
Rien stared at me, waiting for my answer.
“Will you let me do what I want? In any direction?”
“I will.”
“No, why are you so lacking in spirit? When you came here, didn’t you have some thought like, ‘I must do this’?”
“Your feelings are more important than my spirit.”
“Th-That…”
His calm words made my face heat up for some reason.
Embarrassed, I fanned myself and turned my head away from him.
“Where did you learn to say something like a flirt?”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
He said it sincerely, without any ulterior motive.
“That’s scarier…”
The awkwardness, combined with my blushing, was too much of a synergy.
‘A truly excellent flirt-in-training.’
I took a deep breath and stepped closer to Rien.
“I’m very curious. I can’t stand not knowing, and I need to return what I receive to feel satisfied.”
“I know.”
“But I won’t ask.”
Perhaps I was nervous. Rien’s tightly closed lips seemed slightly softened at my words.
“Do what you want. I’ll be closest to you when you are in pain or struggling. I don’t want you to leave.”
“…I will.”
I still had many questions, but Master couldn’t answer them.
Because it’s the rule.
‘Then the solution is simple.’
I can find out myself, just like now.
‘That’s the dragon’s rule, not a human’s, not Danae’s rule.’
If I coax Ska well, I might even learn more important things.
Swallowing these thoughts, I extended my hand to him.
“Then let’s greet properly. I’m Danae, fourteen years old. My occupation is lord.”
Rien listened quietly and smiled, taking my hand.
“I am Rien, twenty years old, your physician.”
Six years apart in this life.
In my previous life, I didn’t know Master’s age. I had only guessed roughly.
‘Anyway, it’s a fake age.’
Still, it felt satisfying to learn something new.
