Siod continued to speak without yielding to William’s annoyance.

“When I heard the news that your mom was pregnant, I thought it might be better if things turned out well.”

What a random thing to say? William raised his head.

“Because I didn’t know that a half-blood could be born between a dragon and a human, I thought it would be another man’s child for sure. It’s a good opportunity to detach emotions, right?”

Siod continued to speak, looking out the window.
“How long do humans live, really? I’ve never heard of a human living over a thousand years. But I’m a dragon, almost immortal. How long will Grenavier live?”

“…Why are you talking about that?”

“I shouldn’t have given you affection from the beginning, but I kept regretting it even though I circled around you. I kept thinking about what would happen if Grenavier died. But love is something unstoppable.”

“That’s cringeworthy.”

“Your mom must have been scared too.”

William sighed, unable to follow the conversation. What on earth is he talking about?

“She probably had such thoughts as soon as she gave birth to you. She is a transcendent being. Even though she knew you would leave first someday, giving love freely must have been frightening.”

William couldn’t retort any further and fell silent. After a moment of hesitation, Siod spoke quietly.

“And you, too… You’ll face the same dilemma.”

“What?”

“I looked it up, and it seems that dragon hybrids live for over a thousand years.”

“What?”

“Your lifespan is probably the same. So, be good to Larisa.”

William became lost in thought.

Living for over a thousand years? It was still an unreal story. However, even if it wasn’t Siod’s advice, he had already planned to treat Larisa well.

Because she was a pitiable child.

“Larisa.”

“Why?”

“Do you want to go somewhere with me today?”

Larisa nodded more obediently than expected. Holding out his hand, William walked with Larisa down the corridor.

“Don’t you want to know where we’re going?”
“…….”

“Lala, do you like flowers?”

Larisa remained quiet inside the carriage. William continued to speak, even without receiving a response.

“It’s spring, and it seems like we haven’t gone flower viewing. So, today, let’s go on a picnic. I hope you like it.”

William helped Larisa down from the carriage at an alley the carriage couldn’t enter. Holding a picnic basket, William hesitated for a moment.

It was a hill overlooking the clock tower. So, probably around here. William realized that this place was close to the impoverished area when he made a rough estimate of the way.

“Should I carry you if your leg hurts?”

“No.”

Passing by the communal cemetery behind the church, there was the hill he had seen in his dream. As his dream turned into reality, William felt a strange sensation.

“How did you know?”

“Huh?”

“We used to come here often with Mom.”

Unable to mention that he had seen it in a dream, William awkwardly smiled.

Laying out a blanket to prevent grass stains on their clothes, when William opened the picnic basket, it was filled with sandwiches and snacks Larisa liked.

“Let’s eat first; I’m hungry.”

William handed a sandwich to Larisa, quickly finishing his own share.

“The weather is nice.”

William flopped down, looking up at the sky. The sky was blue, and the clouds were leisurely drifting, while William’s mind was disturbingly complicated.

‘It’s really here, this hill.’
I felt like there might be something, so I came to look for it, but once I found it, my mood was strange. William was contemplating what on earth that nonsensical dream was when Larisa flopped down next to him.

“Will.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No?”

“I’m a bad girl.”

Sniff, the sound of her sniffing came through.

“Lala, why didn’t you come to the restaurant for dinner last night?”

“…Because I was scared.”

“You kept eating alone in your room?”

“Yeah.”

“Scared your mom would scold you?”

Sniff.

“Mom won’t get mad.”

“Now that I’m no longer needed by the witch.”

“Mom doesn’t lie. She won’t abandon you, right?”

Larisa didn’t believe promises from adults. Adults were all liars. Mom was the same. She promised to keep watching over Larisa, yet she died first.

No, in truth, Larisa didn’t trust anyone. The first person she believed in was William. Seeing William looking so lonely in the mansion, she mistakenly thought they were in the same situation.

She deluded herself into thinking that they could run away together, set up an alchemy shop, and continue to be close friends.

Believing that William had wonderful parents, and observing how the two of them did their best for William, she gradually realized the difference.

William would eventually become a noble duke, and someone like her, a street rat, no matter how hard she tried, wouldn’t be able to fit in with William.

At that moment, William’s warm voice was heard.
“If your mother abandons you, then I’ll protect you.”

Larisa began to sob heavily.