~Chapter 89~
All night, my fever came back.
In a daze, I dreamed. In the dream, the dragon appeared. The dragon was calling me.
I wanted to go to it. I longed for it with all my heart.
But no matter how much I ran, no matter how far I reached out my hand, I couldn’t touch the dragon.
It hurt so much that I cried. To want it this badly and never be able to reach it.
Then, in the darkness, someone called me.
“…Rena…!”
My eyes snapped open. I was met with Calix’s worried face leaning over me.
“Are you alright? You looked uncomfortable…”
“…Ah.”
A short sound left me. Then I remembered. Right, I had fallen asleep with Calix.
“I’m fine. I just had a strange dream.”
“What kind of dream?”
“Well…”
I tried to explain, then froze.
‘Wait… what dream was it?’
“It was… a really strange dream.”
But I couldn’t remember. I frowned for a long time, then gave up.
“I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember?”
Calix gave me a strange smile.
“That’s fine.”
At that moment, his mouth stretched into a wide grin.
Because in the end, humans all die anyway.
“…What?”
Flash—!
Thud. The carriage jolted, maybe over a stone. Calix instinctively looked at his passenger beside him.
They had decided to leave the village. Staying too long in one place wasn’t safe. Besides, Rena insisted she needed to find Prenia.
As soon as the carriage started, Rena fell asleep on his shoulder. She didn’t even stir at the jolts—she must have been exhausted.
Her strength was far weaker than before. Ever since that unbelievable incident at the palace, Calix had worried constantly that she would fall ill.
‘…Though I’m not one to blame others.’
This time, her sickness came from the stress of fighting with him.
Just then, Rena trembled slightly.
“…Rena?”
“….”
Maybe she was uncomfortable. Calix thought he should lay her down. He started to move, when she murmured quietly.
“…want to…”
“Hm? What?”
“…want to…”
Calix froze, turning to her.
“Rena…?”
Her eyes were closed, but her eyeballs moved under the lids. Her hands twitched too.
She was having a nightmare.
He had to wake her. Calix grabbed her shoulder, speaking firmly.
“Rena. Wake up.”
“….”
“Rena!”
Then suddenly—
Her eyes shot open.
Emerald eyes gleamed, startling him. Relieved, Calix reached to comfort her, ready to say it was just a dream.
But the moment his hand reached—
Slap!
“….”
“….”
For an instant, her face showed a clear rejection.
But just as quickly, it vanished.
Rena’s face turned pale with confusion. She looked at him nervously, full of guilt and worry, as if to say it wasn’t on purpose.
“…It’s fine.”
Calix hid his reddening hand and slowly reached out with the other.
“You had a bad dream.”
But inside, his mouth tasted bitter. Unknowingly, he bit his cheek.
He knew her reaction was reflex, just remnants of the nightmare. But still, it stung.
At first, his heart had dropped like a stone.
“…This isn’t a dream…?”
Rena asked, confused.
“No.”
He nodded, extending his hand. Hesitating, she finally took it.
“What if this is a dream…?”
“I told you before—if it’s a dream with you, then any dream is fine.”
Her eyes softened. She nodded.
Their hands tightened, fingers interlocked. Calix pulled her into his arms.
Only when he felt her warmth against his chest did he breathe in relief. His racing heart finally calmed.
Soon, Rena drifted back to sleep. He didn’t lay her down, but held her against him the whole time.
Lately, she had been having more strange dreams, more fevers.
Calix didn’t know if it was her weakening health—or the dragon’s influence.
He bit his lip hard.
He remembered the words of Hilda Troxia, Rena’s mother, long ago:
“Rena was born with an open heart that functions as a vessel for magic. She can freely control world mana, but that also means she is easily influenced by external mana. Unlike other magicians, who are born with closed hearts carrying only their own share of mana.”
Was Hilda sad as she said that? Or regretful? Or maybe proud? Calix couldn’t recall.
But he remembered Rena that day. She had smiled as she grabbed his hand, pulling him into the forest to show him magic.
She had been surrounded by blossoms she created, laughing like a fairy of the woods.
He had thought only of her—not the magic, not the flowers.
‘You’re more beautiful than the flowers.’ He had wanted to say, but never did.
Creak— The carriage stopped.
“Duke, we’ve arrived.”
It was the same city they had stayed in before, on the way to Troxia.
Only months had passed since then, yet so much had changed—their feelings, their situation.
Calix laid a cloak over Rena and carried her out.
The men had already prepared lodgings. Without disturbance, Calix reached the room.
Even as he laid her on the bed, Rena didn’t wake. He sat in a chair beside her, gazing at her, and memories resurfaced.
When Calix once asked why the truth was hidden, Count Bruang Troxia had answered:
“The underground holds too much mana. For Rena, it’s dangerous. To suddenly face such power would overwhelm her fragile human body.”
So Rena had lived apart from the underground dragon. She was bound to it more than anyone, yet lived unaware of it.
Her parents had planned to tell her when she was older. But now… it was too late.
She had been left alone, with no protectors. The one friend left to her was himself, bound to the dragon’s contract.
Calix thought about this cruel tragedy.
When he first learned of it, he had rejected it outright. Before Hilda and Bruang, he declared he would never let Rena face danger.
How had they looked at him then? Grateful that he wanted to protect her? Or angry that he refused their sacred duty?
The Troxia family had believed it their destiny to guard the dragon for centuries.
Even knowing their daughter was tied to the dragon, they had expected Calix—future heir of Hertio—to let the dragon go when the time came, even if it endangered her life.
Outwardly, he had nodded. Inwardly, he swore:
Even if the dragon itself desired release, I would never let Rena face danger. I will chain the dragon to this land forever.
He swore that Hertio would abandon its duty. If the Troxia couple had known, they would have fainted.
“….”
Biting his lip, Calix thought bitterly.
It was ironic.
They had been her protectors, her parents, who should have given her safety. Yet they had chosen the dragon first.
Now, all Rena had left was him—someone who put her above all else, yet still carried the duty of the dragon’s contract.
“…What a cruel twist, isn’t it?”
He grimaced, forcing a smile.
“You’re the one I love most in this world. But they say I shouldn’t.”
No reply came. He was grateful—if she spoke, his guilt would have crushed him.
Even while he had lived with her in Hertio, he had feared. She might someday learn she had to return to Troxia.
He had hidden it as much as he could, but some truths couldn’t be hidden forever.
“…Damn it.”
Calix tugged harshly at his collar chain.
