“Your Highness.”

Cecil and Denise, discovering the Grand Duke who had just emerged from his bedroom, reflexively bowed their waists.

“The Princess needs to wash up and rest. Have her eat, and even if she lies down, do not leave her side.”

“Ah, yes, Your Highness.”

After quickly responding, the two maids raised their heads and looked at each other as they saw the Grand Duke walking away. Hadn’t he just said he wasn’t in his chambers?

“Your Highness!”

Peon, heading towards the city walls, pretended to have done a brief patrol. It was unnecessary, but putting on an act was less troublesome and more convenient in the long run.

“The monsters were retreating.”

“Yes. Where were you? Are you alright?”

The knights rushed over to examine him.

“I was withdrawn to the rear. Any casualties?”

“None. It’s very strange.”

“There’s more than one strange thing here.”

At this point, a woman who should be throwing tantrums, acting out, or crying, but either didn’t know how or lacked the strength or desire to do so, was the strangest thing of all. She might have just tilted her head, probably thinking Peon was the strange one before dismissing it.

“Yes. There had been no signals since last autumn, but they suddenly appeared today, acted as if they were going to attack, and then…”

“They retreated.”

“Yes. You saw it?”

He didn’t see it; he knew. His father’s goal was likely just to draw attention for a moment to bring his daughter-in-law, the only one who could save his son dying in his own blood.

“Wilberk, strengthen the defenses of Fort Pueten.”

“Yes.”

“Renard, guard the Princess and maintain order within the castle.”

“Yes.”

“Ferweding, stay alert but don’t overcommit our forces. I’ll find out why the evil dragon’s minions retreated.”

“Yes, what?”

The knights were surprised to see the Grand Duke mounting his horse again.

“Your Highness, it’s dangerous.”

“I’ve just returned alive, so how dangerous can it be? I feel ashamed for being absent during the battle.”

“The Princess was with you.”

Was she? That woman who sings of death yet still tries to fulfill her duties was always impeccable. Peon smiled wryly.

She desires an impeccable death, that’s why. Having died amidst all sorts of slander and accusations, this time she probably wants to die without any fuss.

“A married couple is one flesh. The monsters wouldn’t have retreated without reason. It’s suspicious, so I’ll go check it out.”

“But, Your Highness.”

“I know how to move without being noticed. Everyone has worked hard, so I should do the final reconnaissance. I’m counting on you to watch things here.”

Peon left without listening further. The events unfolding in Lucenford now seemed very small to him. Honestly, it was even annoying.

Maintaining one’s title and being dutiful to one’s duties in hopes of better rewards is human nature. Even the Emperor no longer held his interest.

He just wanted to quickly kill them by ripping out their throats, lead his mother to his father, and then live peacefully alone with Kaella. He was only playing along because Kaella cared about titles and duties, and feared the Emperor.

Peon, who had casually ridden out on horseback, dismounted and walked once he reached an inconspicuous spot. With each step he took, the surroundings grew darker.

Having instantly reached the domain of the evil dragon, he encountered the lights illuminating his path. The evil dragon, who had been worrying and weeping all day because of his son, still lit up plenty of lights so his son wouldn’t walk a dark path.

Round lights floated about, and in the deepest part of the realm where flowers bloomed profusely, large golden eyes were watching him. The eyes, mixed with black spots, green spots, and red flames, were glazed with moisture.

You’ve come. Well done. Well done. You thought well.

The father, who had lived for thousands of years and barely obtained a son, never scolded him. He simply spread his wings in welcome.

Peon walked straight into those wings. The dragon’s skin, completely unlike human skin, felt hard like a shield. The evil dragon Ghasalante pulled his son close and embraced him.

Well done. I’m glad you came back. Thank you.

What could be more joyous than his precious son returning from the brink of madness and death? The evil dragon’s voice, repeatedly saying “well done” and “good boy” with trembling tones, was completely hoarse.

He had wept all night, calling out desperately, trying somehow to bring his isolated, maddening son back to his senses.

The gentle touch of his hand, patting lightly with relaxed strength, was simply affectionate. Peon, staying still as his hair was messed up by the caressing, knew what to say at times like this.

“I’m sorry.”

That’s right.

“I won’t do it again.”

That’s right, that’s good then. That’s good.

The volume of the soft yet majestic voice that had been resonating throughout the realm gradually decreased. It was heard closer, more intimately.

The thick arms embracing his son shrank, and the sturdy skin that no arrow could pierce changed into soft human skin.

The evil dragon reduced his size and altered his composition, returning to the form he took when meeting his only lover, and tightly hugged his son. Peon had already seen this form several times before.

“It’s fine as long as you don’t do it again.”

When Ghasalante took on human form, he looked exactly like his son. Anyone could tell they were father and son. If he were to appear at Lucenford Castle, anyone would immediately recognize him as “Ah, the Grand Duke’s father” and guide him into the castle, so similar were they.

This is how Peon would look when he grew a bit older and more mature.

The evil dragon, transcending time and ages, was an extraordinarily handsome being with an innate dignity and aura of a ruler. Even as he was deeply saddened and distressed, he embraced his son.

“You did well. I’m glad you came back. Thank you for returning.”

Peon hugged his father back as he held and gently stroked him.

“I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.”

“That’s right. You need to rebel and disobey sometimes too.”

Isn’t that how raising children goes? Ghasalante tugged at his son’s ear. Even that was a light touch, careful not to hurt.

“Still, what were you thinking, doing that right in front of me?”

“Thanks to you, I managed to survive and return.”

“So you know you almost died.”

“When I came to my senses, I realized it. But I probably wouldn’t have died.”

“Right.”

You might not have died, but a calamity would have befallen all of Crania, starting with Lucenford. A massive disaster that even Ghasalante couldn’t stop would have swept across the entire continent.

“I’m sorry.”

Ghasalante muttered, rubbing his face.

“I’m ashamed of being such an incompetent father.”

To save a son who couldn’t even recognize his own father, the dragon had bound himself here, unable to move, seemingly dead, for a thousand years beyond the previous promise. He had so desperately and humiliatingly prevented the Emperor from killing his son.

He knew that sending monsters and spirits to knock on Lucenford’s walls, even gaining the infamy of being an evil dragon, was to raise the unstable position of his son.

Or perhaps it was a desperate attempt to see his son’s face, to reveal himself as the father, even if it meant doing so.

“Don’t worry about anything. As I’ve said many times, none of this is your fault.”

Peon knew well what Ghasalante was referring to. The child he didn’t even know existed but had lost. The child whose fate was sealed when Kaella was confined. Losing the child had been a great shock to Peon.

But more than the child, the fact that he had hurt Kaella even more by creating the child was most important to Peon.

More precisely, that fact had driven him to madness. However, he had no intention of expressing such thoughts in front of a father who adored his child so much that he was willing to sacrifice anything.

“Please tell Kaella I’m sorry for bringing her like that too. I’m truly sorry for scaring her so much.”

“If you’re sorry, why don’t you give me some of that over there, Father?”

Before his father could sink deeper into unreasonable self-blame, Peon diverted attention to the gold and silver treasures scattered throughout the realm.

“I’ll give it to Kaella.”

“Why are you asking permission? Just take it.”

“Is this mine? It’s yours, Father.”

“It’s all gathered to give to you. I gave you the mines too, didn’t I? Come to think of it, why are you leaving the ones nearby untouched? Do you know how much is buried there?”

“The guy who’s supposed to work the mines is too cowardly to come near here.”

As soon as communication with his father became possible after the regression, the first thing Peon received was enormous wealth. Dragons live with gold and silver treasures beneath them.

Ghasalante, who had given his son the locations of mines, types and quantities of buried minerals, and even offerings collected separately for over a thousand years, was overjoyed.

Considering how much trouble he had gone through to reveal the location of the diamond mine where the Kerban series came from before the regression, it was truly a happy occasion.

However, the largest and most important mine happened to be in the evil dragon’s domain.

Since Secretary Regen Nerkel said he couldn’t go there and begged to spare his tiny liver, Peon had left it alone. After all, he had received many mines from his father, and he had plenty of wealth besides the mines.

“Take a lot. You’ll have to go to Crain soon.”

Ghasalante personally selected the best jewels for his son who asked for them.

“Do I have to go?”

Peon turned to look at his father, hesitating.

“Yes. Both you and Kaella will have to go.”

Ghasalante smiled bitterly. It was a bit disappointing that his son, who had just grown close, would be distancing himself again. Especially since it was a son who had gone mad and cut himself up, he was more than a little worried.

“I can sometimes see things from afar. And lately, my vision has become clearer.”

Peon listened silently. Crain, huh.

“It seems you’ll be there for quite a while.”

Ghasalante pulled out boxes he had kept separately, precious among the carelessly piled gold.

“Then, Mother…”

“Yes. Evelyn…”

The father and son, understanding each other’s hearts, nodded.

“Still, don’t think too hastily. Do as you’re comfortable, alright? I’m fine with waiting a bit longer.”

“I can’t wait any longer.”

“I see. You’ve become that kind of dragon.”

Ghasalante’s voice, who had tried to stop his son all night long, sank deeply. He was too late this time as well.

“Is it completely finished?”

“Once a dragon opens its eyes, there is no end. It only keeps spreading, never stopping. There is no ultimate stage.”

The Emperor, who had placed restrictions and prevented his son from opening his eyes, had failed this time, but that didn’t mean Ghasalante had succeeded either.

“I don’t know where you’ll go.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ve never walked the path you’re walking. After long years, I met Evelyn, and though I lost her, you and she sustained me. Your existence made me happy. I had hope.”

But his son no longer wants to have hope. The precious hope he had was already broken.

“Peon, you’re a dragon I’ve never seen or known.”

The evil dragon could only say that the one who would be called the mad dragon had gone mad several times.

*

They said it was the first time monsters had acted as if they were about to attack and then retreated. Strangely, no one seemed to know that Kaella had also left her place during that time. Another unsettling day in Lucenford was passing by.

“It’s strange. We didn’t prepare any bathwater.”

Cecil seemed incredibly amazed that a bathtub full of warm water was already prepared. Since she kept mentioning it, Kaella had no choice but to respond.

“His Highness took care of it.”

“What? Oh my goodness.”

Cecil’s eyes widened. He even prepared a warm bath separately? My goodness. Could there be such a caring and affectionate husband? But for the Grand Duke to do such menial tasks, how honored and sorry I feel!

Though she didn’t say it, her face clearly showed what she wanted to say. Kaella left Cecil to her own quiet thoughts. She had her own matters to think about.

The fact that her father-in-law was a dragon was something everyone should seriously consider. Of course, thinking about it didn’t lead to any answers.

The proper course of action would be to go to Crain immediately and report it, but considering her husband who had made ‘that’ evil dragon weep… Well. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by reporting, and she lacked that level of passion anyway.

Right. No passion or motivation. A dragon, huh. Kaella knew a few legends about dragons she had heard since coming here. Well, things like dragons being born from ashes burned in fire, or wielding tremendous magic. Such legends.

‘Was the regression because of the dragon?’

Because of Peon? Or because of the evil dragon Ghasalante? Well, even that didn’t interest her anymore. There was only one thing Kaella was curious about.

She closed her hazy eyes. She was very tired today. It was natural, considering she had been unconscious for a month after being poisoned and had only recently started walking again.

When she opened her eyes again, everything was quiet. Kaella stared ahead blankly before slowly realizing that what was blocking her view was a man’s upper body.

“Are you awake?”

Peon, who had been propping up his head with his arm and looking down at her, smiled. Even in the darkness, his smile was quite handsome.