Chapter 47: Dragon Eyes
FoKaGbAThe dragon cavalry armor was revealed under the moonlight.nCTXkTv
v4OZ1YKTwo meters tall, with intimidating ornaments designed to oppress the opponent.LeKu
8MfiHowever, Perda had seen that armor more times than her real appearance.Ov3r
kaZcbkMFor him, that armor was already part of Valdrova, and as such, he could love it as well.77sGRw5
vEpHe had thought it would be nice to meet her like this unexpectedly, but the reality was different from what he expected.lO8IM8b
ulvh3TMore than joy, what he felt was confusion.Utk
UhUNHad he been so consumed by desire that he was already starting to see hallucinations?TzbJA6
HLTAs he thought that, she stopped in front of him.qYkwPXz
n4UDgw“……”Dx6
T8lg“……”VTtBJ
nBAThey looked at each other in silence.tbzPcH
PaqqqAfter a long moment of stillness, it was Valdrova who spoke first.ay0zTYy
Spo“I-it’s just, this… well, I…”FSxDLGR
r4dBGUShe forced out the words, as if searching for a pearl in the sand.56eYnk5
19LC“I wanted… to go out for a walk a bit…”30dJ8
6YWd“Oh, yes?”K6eEcL
C2Mjd“Y-yes, that’s right!”JBGuOp9
PPRiPerda knew it was a lie.rq24Bq
QcIxQBut it wasn’t something important.roK
ZqqnAfter saying that, Valdrova nervously fidgeted with her hands.1gip
YqNTadClank, clank.7zn
yYFThe steel of her gauntlets clashed, making noise.EAxl
w6lRmShe seemed uneasy.chhxtb
FS80a8dWas she uncomfortable running into him like this?UuSJ3R
zpFzpsFinally, she spoke again.t5xt
LB8oSL“T-that’s not the truth!”p7BBY
lK8O“Huh?”DclyXy
Bqt“I knew that… you were going to come out… so I came out too.”ydu0V
qiJzzYg“Oh… yes?”17j1f
rV3P7“Yes.”N3gbCze
RW8KtShe placed her hand on her chest and sighed, as if she had just confessed a sin.OAu9
R2EQhPerda didn’t mind.INtcz87
NyEzyIWhat mattered was that she had come out knowing he was there.gN0
OZFtuPNThat meant she wanted to see him.red
i4P3S0j‘She wants to see me.’i6Jc
ndxeA6bRealizing it, his heart stirred.rC3
z7sHad he brushed his teeth?48Nry9
Qn9Y25JWould his clothes smell bad?gD0R
fqF35WMaybe the candle smoke had clung to him.xcXLWm
xjxETBut those worries didn’t last long.inp0
rWfPerda remembered something important and lowered his head.ihEJdK
Q2VUN“I greet Grand Duchess Valdrova.”GdbGip
vVr“Ah, yes, welcome, um… Perda… Perda…”X4bs
g2VAs she said his name, her voice faded at the end.uQa
WWfrUJThrough the voice modulator in her helmet, it sounded like a muffled lament.UAz0h3T
CqRl“Do you mean regent?”w5Bax
PqwBz“Ah, yes, that! Regent!”pK1F
TuVXMShe clapped softly, her voice brightening.eE708
lCC8“Yes. Perda, the regent. I’ve always wanted to use that title. That’s what they call the sovereign’s fiancé, right?”eBH
4EXiq“The truth is that… no, yes, that’s correct.”lyRze
psIfxHCPerda stopped himself from correcting her.P7pVLr
ZMTjHe didn’t want to taint that radiant purity.ybi3
kymLL“Then, can I call you regent now?”LHP4Po5
MOpFmqj“It’s not necessary. It’s a term for formal situations. When we are alone, just call me Perda.”V3U
bn9CU1j“Ah, alright… Perda… sir.”IUqgK
YCxjfPerda, Perda…auy
2hRsvw8Valdrova repeated his name several times inside the helmet, as if practicing.X5BeUc
F7jtqLIt sounded like she was whispering it into his ear.iH2ol
0YS“I wanted to see you again, but… I don’t know why… I didn’t dare.”lIr
FCcDUUp“I understand.”a1k
ot0v9LPerda nodded silently.Nyvz
GQ1NIAgCould it be that she also felt it intensely?EcQ2
g8gw“I… came because of Ruri.”hrSE1
bmfqNNIt wasn’t that.DGXJ
1BAUn3R“Because of Ruri?”e34G
9eKGdValdrova nodded.XpN1J
OQkkQ“Lately she seems very affected.”m3nmq5w
YsaHPerda remembered that he had rejected Ruri’s request to attend the Grand Council.lmjA
VNsThe last time he saw her, she was angry.Euoev4
75r“I don’t think I understand emotions very well, but I know how to recognize when that child is sad. And now… she is sad.”x4eI
7pK0Her helmet turned toward him.WYmI
UP2euy“If you know why she’s like that… I thought you would know, Perda.”2FkH
NFfFZ7Perda’s lips moved, but he couldn’t speak immediately.t48pn
fZd9aHe knew he was the cause.4vhm
y6jaOHow could he say it?1lyR
gbaWWhat if telling the truth made her start to hate him?IuZRS2
jjVanEven so, he decided to be honest.BdeALJ
2mDc“That change… is probably my fault.”qkAi6FD
6K7Xs2“Yours?”qau
hwYwIk“Ruri asked me to attend the Grand Council, but I refused. That’s all I know.”kEA
VyRwaO“Why would she want to go there…?”M2nbifO
8wReKa“She said she wanted to talk to the Silverwind side.”mVbKj35
OCulPrValdrova’s body tensed.ESacH
LXWPLdkBut soon she nodded slightly, as if understanding.MpW
W51X“If it’s just to talk… couldn’t you take her?”vBAP
4L6“It’s a vain hope.”OHg0iGG
roYr“A vain hope?”tYA2UeH
GSOlzM“What that servant is trying to do is like tearing off a scab. If the wound hasn’t healed and you rip it, the flesh opens again. It’s exactly that.”OLhKL
E1Fd“Ah… that… hurts a lot.”DL2UbP
BCf9m“Yes. It hurts quite a bit.”305sqI
xv6Valdrova nodded softly, as if understanding.5TU
ATDuThen, she held her arm with her hand.pqHFv
uAE“But… what if that vain hope… isn’t so vain?”MUst
wIIIRQBValdrova finished the sentence with an uncertain tone.fSpjETi
9ocCK“Silverwind still holds resentment.”TN7kO2V
h2v“I know that too. But… maybe it’s not like that for Ruri, right?”s84
ZuS“Do you think everything will be resolved just by talking?”qKDFpp1
Z4oy33p“At least… that child will have a place to return to.”B7n
dwwhnRj“Return to?”kOZHE4
0DKjAdmAt Perda’s question, Valdrova hesitated for a moment and then spoke with determination.xmv1
kB8bJd“Ah… it seems you don’t know, Perda. That child is not my spawn, but a spawn of the silver dragons.”H8z0k
ghU644e“Ah…”1RWiBS
5IP“Since she is loyal to me, there may be misunderstandings.”u8qnC
hwoDg4P“I see…”C3ez5
VceqIn reality, Perda already knew.pRa4CwP
LGzdJQWhat surprised him was that word, “return.”jwbLt
yEe8HP“Dragon spawn are a family bound by blood. For Ruri, her family is Silverwind’s spawn.”f4C
D2g6“Do you mean Ruri should return to her family?”grj
8tv“Isn’t family the most important thing?”DZb3
QbSgFamily.WcI
tycvxYpFor Perda, it was a distant concept.6zhzJtz
5kgHe had been mistreated by his own and eventually abandoned.KRP3HY3
6cTYThe origin of his desire for revenge was precisely his family.RcQqdt
gLWdnSAnd in the end, he returned everything they had done to him.l27
1ThvT7Now, after exhausting all those feelings, he no longer cared.W6vF
3KY9FBut Ruri.ohVF4XS
GhfPerda didn’t know what she thought.jKRwy4w
dCk5DJERuri cares about Valdrova.n4K5
oOgiHowever, compared to the blood bond with Silverwind, that might not mean much.1PgKBo
lXXHigPerhaps this was her chance to cut her relationship with Valdrova.tWJByUC
C7EGFHAfter all, in the future, she didn’t appear until Perda tore out Valdrova’s heart.Bp5hm
kTL“She may want it, but…”mKY7
GiLPerda raised his gaze toward Valdrova.CmKpf1
B3njX“Do you want it?”ndjcX
j3PInstead of answering, Valdrova turned her head toward the sky.1d7dVa
Q4QuGHer hand on the railing clenched slightly into a fist.XxlLq
Mo8uGVtIt was not an easy decision.5vOmEMc
EuyMZP“I was the one who tied her to this place. If she has a path to return to… I should let her go.”RG8m
GykrO“……”rc4
8Bs“And besides…”UYLT
xiNVAIValdrova looked at Perda again.L9u
ZHol“Now I have a fiancé, don’t I?”kVLo
94HIAn indescribable weight pressed on Perda’s chest.wJEhp
ce6jgSA decision already made forced him to rethink everything.Lrs
JBhAShould he really take Ruri to the Grand Council?9kPxCw
g1CBOIn the end, Perda decided.dwv4h8
zM9a9Gt“Alright.”lSH
RhFG“You’ll take Ruri?”L2uHM
kdV“Yes. If you ask it of me, how could I refuse?”kFJc
XVe0Zy“Ah… yes, thank you.”Gr0
4oGValdrova nodded, somewhat bewildered.lXMF23
iOHKWhen that topic ended, silence settled heavily between them once again.PcqC8
yWMuT0“The Grand Council…”p5rwEk
wv1Valdrova broke the silence carefully.ElSGW
Eczozz9“I’ve always heard about it, but I don’t know what happens there.”8TqQK4
ou9“Are you interested?”aKMHg
Ko3Q0T“Very much. It’s the place where all races gather to talk about the peace of the continent, right? It’s natural that I would want to know what kind of conversations take place there.”I7q2F
qWF10MValdrova’s helmet turned toward him.ntpK
CmwhUw“When you return… could you tell me what happened there?”R9YDFv
X8wKcfgEven though her face was hidden, Perda knew what she expected.8H2
8aB0IIALike a child listening to stories of heroes who defeat darkness.he9V1
KoRHMqkLike pure snow gathered in winter.2FGPj1R
n1xTA dazzling purity.gjNWpeS
V1Zd“The stories… won’t be pleasant.”q6fdse
Xik“W-why?”Q329Zy
cILOn1BHer voice showed confusion.g4dn
WbjPerda realized his mistake.Ospx
hPL2uHBut it was too late to take it back.Xjk2r
goFSo he told the truth.LY1ZA
u6bGH7“They don’t talk about such noble things. They only care about their own interests.”Vo0
Il0DZM“Is that so…?”lIb
H7Wm7DP“Yes. So don’t have expectations that are too high.”W2g
v0PoB2He finished speaking with difficulty.7um6s
FNcdValdrova looked at him in silence.WjtfVy
PZPJWhat kind of expression would she have?RRea1q
lQ28sQWould she be stunned?Y5uEE1y
tt47B8Or on the verge of tears?6nvG
oP7Jx0“Perda…”Czq
xszHIWxThe response came in a calm voice, without emotion.oXKSnAa
MualUA4“Do you know what happened when Godwin rose to destroy this world?”3lYm7K
476u4There was no way he could know.vIsE0
bohWIt was an event from 150 years ago.4HM2ub
THHp“When Godwin plunged the world into chaos, we were the first to surrender.”P08
7UUB“The dragons?”8NQfhwd
z0SI6aValdrova nodded.DdmO1
fOeysy4For Perda, it was not something shocking.Y3hisE4
rd6jn7But for a scholar of Escolea, this revelation would have caused an academic earthquake.cuHjVEg
88AzValdrova, as if realizing it, covered her mouth and looked around cautiously.3EZ
2Og1ajMThen she whispered.JYe3
NRl“Everything I say now… is a secret.”9VC32X
rLBE“I will take it to the grave.”mjwln
RXL“At that time… the conclusion was that the best option was to make a pact with chaos. The long-lived races like the dwarves and elves were also inclined to accept that agreement.”iIo
nuy0waCBut clearly, that agreement was never completed.rWWon1
96Wj“However, there was one race that did not.”W7E
dMQThat part Perda did know.FCj
IF5o“Humans were the first to rise.”TlO
wnlShe clasped both hands carefully and brought them close to her chest.dD4j3
03I“Because they did not yield, because their swords did not spare the demons, we understood that there was still hope left on the continent… and that is why this world was able to regain peace.”TYBS
Z1QoSPerda understood in his heart what Valdrova remembered from that day.zfX9
e6WGKj3It was respect.OnQ
CReSjnLDragons and humans.8dltt
kyhg8MLong-lived races and short-lived races.LhyZ
musImmortals and mortals.Zb0lMt
AwIL0A human can admire and fear a dragon.Oos0qO0
g3mkkIBut for a dragon to admire a human—that should not exist.9TSm
4xdoTMHowever, Valdrova was different.Gem5Scd
25JxTt“Even if they are blinded by greed now, at the most important moment they will fight for the world. That is why…”rOs6
o4Hwx5rValdrova tilted her head slightly toward him.3sw
KDlOYaQThe red armor, bathed in moonlight, shone with absolute nobility.biV
l8xLu“I will love them.”8iAAyO1
4fSkEDAt that moment—PEUApG8
a1DhAn unknown reaction arose in Perda’s mind.LYFUiuZ
OCKUThe helmet shaped like a dragon’s head.KHFk
gnYyAnd within it, he began to see the figure of a fragile woman.LDE
3Lb3aIn her eyes, there was hope.DimJqU
45UNdAnd that hope was smiling.OQgr
UBDX1“Ah…”0JuI
lbdEpPerda let out an exclamation, like a fool.6gO
HtaIt was like flying high in the sky and then plummeting down.z0uYDn
3xCG2NFrom the highest point, the impact of the fall was indescribable.Yh3TE9m
BUaqN7U“Perda…?”ojVv
PwRRmj“……”Ue9
xyhHZ“Are you alright? You’re not saying anything…”XRPyHK
F00YuqZValdrova, nervous, examined his face.oN8
fbcUoPerda, who had been staring at her, finally spoke.xL4wFG
aYSmyDs“Just once.”VWB
zRACs“Huh?”xKdXj
gguaX1r“Could you show me once more… those dragon eyes?”xoeNm
ZYniq“D-dragon eyes? Do you mean… my face…?”zWxVf
caN“Yes. Your face.”Cn0
WSUWYuPerda’s hand instinctively reached toward Valdrova’s helmet.JOs
sylv7B5She flinched and held it tightly.Ok0eo
6lPp“N-no! I still can’t show my face!”5nOg3
1F1“I beg you. Please… let me see those dragon eyes just once more…”iFkdL
c7SR“I-it’s not possible! Don’t come any closer!”3Apa2n
c5V3OdHe stepped forward, she stepped back.fG8q7
GqzIt seemed like a chase that would never end.y7F
jDNbBut the one who broke it was Valdrova.M1zhWGu
dQDSs“I’m sorry!!”8eUhniH
ANpWith that shout of apology, she disappeared into the darkness.C3X8B
oO0The only thing left was the warmth she had left behind.imae1j
dq7RPerda, his face burning as if he had a fever, stared at the place where he had last seen her.EcWl
IL7hHPVThe wind entered through the open window.Intq
Lr6F6uqBut it was not enough to cool his heat.yZA
a1tBHe raised his gaze toward the moon.5v5tin
6InxseFull moon.fsz
UxTJBut, unlike before, there was no longer space in his heart to think about his mother.Dh6h2Uk
Coj6GgJAnd this time there was no reason for concern.3gB
uQfFYBecause the emotion dwelling in his chest was spinning intensely, dyed red.EHhbYA
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationOho my boy is blushing 😊 they are such a cute couple