William stuttered, knowing this was a dream but still feeling too bewildered.

“No, that’s… not the issue…”

“Are you going to be this shy every time we kiss? It’s not like we’ve only done it once or twice.”

William’s mouth gaped open. Not just once or twice?

“Really, how can you be so cute when you’re 7 years older than me?”

Larisa smiled brightly and pinched William’s cheek. It didn’t hurt at all. After all, this was proof it was a dream.

“I love you, William.”

‘Why am I having this kind of dream?’

William woke up with this question. Even after waking, he was dumbfounded. To clear his mind, he banged his head against the dormitory bedroom wall, feeling a dull pain.

‘This is reality.’

William kept banging his head until he came to his senses. James, woken by the noise, grumbled irritably.

“Hey, William, can’t you sleep quietly?”

Once again, he had to stay up all night. Greeting with a hoarse voice in the morning, James asked him:

“What’s wrong with your voice?”

“I guess it’s because I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Did you have a nightmare again yesterday?”

“…Yeah.”

It was a nightmare. A terrible nightmare.

‘I love you, William.’

“Aaaargh!”

William screamed as if having a fit when the voice came back to him. James stepped back in surprise and said:

“Are you crazy this early in the morning?”

William just wanted to fall asleep without dreaming anymore. That day, after exhausting himself with physical training all day, William collapsed into bed.

And the next morning, William woke up feeling refreshed without having any dreams. But his voice was still the same.

“Are you going through puberty?”

James asked.

“Puberty?”

“I’m jealous. I’m the only one who hasn’t started yet.”

Come to think of it, it was about time for puberty. William remembered his voice from the dream.

‘Is it because of puberty that I had such a dream?’

William frowned. No matter what, he didn’t want to have erotic dreams about Larisa.

“Oh right, James. I can’t go this weekend.”

“Why?”

“Just, something came up at home.”

“Okay. Make up well.”

William waited for the weekend with an uneasy feeling.

*

Siod was already waiting in the carriage going home.

“What are you doing? Get in quickly.”

“…”

“I was worried you might say you weren’t coming home, but I’m glad.”

“I said I was coming.”

“Why is your voice like that? Did you catch a cold?”

“I don’t know.”

William sighed and closed the carriage door. As the carriage started, Siod said:

“We won’t have lessons tomorrow, so why don’t you take Larisa somewhere nearby?”

Siod started pondering alone, ignoring William’s silence.

“Let’s see, what does Larisa like? Is it food? Maybe you two should go to a dessert cafe. Or since she likes the piano, maybe a concert…”

“Okay.”

William cut off Siod’s words and started staring blankly out the window. Siod sighed.

“I wonder if the women got along well while we were gone.”

“…”

“Can you answer me?”

I’m so tired, why is he being so annoying? William grumbled inwardly. Siod spoke in a pitiful voice:

“Don’t you want to talk to Dad?”

“Ugh, stop it. That.”

“What?”

“Acting pitiful.”

“It works well on Vera.”

It was surprising that it worked. Siod grinned and said:

“But you’re not telling me not to act like a father.”

William looked at Siod incredulously.

“If you haven’t done it until now, shouldn’t you do it with interest from now on?”

“I’m touched that you say that…”

“It’s creepy.”

“I should tell Guinevere too. I wanted to tell her I was a father quickly, but Vera insisted I shouldn’t, so should I thank Larisa for this?”

Thinking of Larisa made his head complicated again. William leaned his head against the window and sighed.

“I think she wants to test us.”

“Who?”

“Larisa. She’s making things difficult for us to see if it’s okay for her to be a bad child.”

William thought so too. All this time, pretending not to know while knowing was probably consideration. What could that little head be thinking now?

“So don’t get angry and treat her well, okay?”

“I’m not angry at Larisa.”

“Then who are you angry at? Is it me after all?”

“No.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out.

“I wasn’t angry, just a bit surprised since I never had expectations for a father figure in the first place.”

“Then why are you so sulky?”

“…”

I don’t know. Why am I so angry? Hearing the story, Guinevere seemed to be nothing but a victim, but I was just angry.

It wasn’t intentional that she hid the existence of a father, and Mother was abandoned too.

No, it wasn’t because of that. William couldn’t even tell exactly why he was angry. But Siod apologized as if he knew all the emotions William himself didn’t know.

“I’m sorry, William. For making you grow up lonely.”

“It’s fine.”

“Your mom regrets it a lot too.”

“Really, I said it’s fine.”

Despite William’s irritation, Siod continued speaking.

“When I heard the news that your mother was pregnant, I thought it was for the best.”

What’s this all of a sudden? William raised his head.

“I didn’t know a hybrid between a dragon and a human could be born, so I thought it must be another man’s child. It was a good opportunity to cut ties, right?”

Siod continued speaking while looking out the window.

“How long can humans live? I’ve never heard of humans living more than a thousand years. But I’m a dragon, almost immortal. How much longer will Guinevere live?”

“…Why are you telling me this?”

“I shouldn’t have gotten attached from the beginning, but I kept regretting it while hovering around. Wondering what I would do when Guinevere dies. But love can’t be stopped.”

“It’s cheesy.”

“Your mom must have been scared too.”

William sighed, unable to follow the conversation. What on earth was he saying…

“She must have thought that as soon as you were born. She’s a transcendent being. She must have been scared to give her love freely, knowing that you would leave first someday.”

William remained silent, no longer able to sneer. After a moment’s hesitation, Siod said quietly:

“And you… will have the same worries.”

“What?”

“I found out that dragon hybrids live for over a thousand years.”

“What?”

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

William had a lot to think about.

*

Living for over a thousand years? It was still hard to grasp. But even without Siod’s advice, he was planning to treat Larisa well.

Because she was a pitiful child.

“Larisa.”

“What?”

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

Larisa nodded more docilely than expected. Holding William’s outstretched hand, Larisa trudged down the hallway.

“Aren’t you going to ask where we’re going?”

“…”

“Lara, you like flowers, right?”

Larisa was quiet in the carriage too. William kept talking, unlike his usual self.

“It’s spring, but I don’t think we’ve gone flower viewing, so I’m planning a picnic today. I hope you’ll like it.”

At an alley where the carriage couldn’t enter, William helped Larisa down. Holding the picnic basket, William pondered for a moment.

It was a hill overlooking the clock tower. So it should be around here. William was finding his way based on rough guesses when he suddenly realized this place was close to the slums.

“If your legs hurt, should I carry you?”

“No.”

Past the cemetery behind the church was that hill he saw in his dream. William felt strange when what he had hoped for became reality.

“How did you know?”

“Hm?”

“This is a place I used to come to often with Mom.”

Unable to say he saw it in a dream, William smiled awkwardly.

He spread out the blanket he had prepared so their clothes wouldn’t get grass stains and opened the picnic basket filled with sandwiches and Larisa’s favorite snacks.

“Let’s eat first, I’m hungry.”

William put a sandwich in Larisa’s hand too and quickly devoured his portion.

“The weather’s nice.”

William flopped down and looked at the sky. The sky was blue and the clouds were leisurely, but William’s mind was terribly complicated.

‘This hill really exists.’

He had come looking for it thinking it might be here, but actually finding it felt strange. What on earth was that ridiculous dream? As William was pondering, Larisa plopped down beside him.

“Willy.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No?”

“I’m a bad kid.”

Sniff, the sound of a runny nose was heard.

“Lara, why didn’t you come to the dining room for dinner yesterday?”

“…I was scared.”

“Did you eat alone in your room the whole time?”

“Yeah.”

“Were you afraid of getting scolded by Mother?”

Sniff.

“Mother won’t get angry.”

“The witch lady doesn’t need me anymore.”

“Mother doesn’t lie. She said she won’t abandon you, right?”

Larisa didn’t believe in adults’ promises. All adults are liars. Mom was the same. She said she would always protect Larisa, but she died first.

No, actually Larisa didn’t trust anyone. William was the first person she trusted. Seeing William look so lonely at the mansion, she mistakenly thought they were in the same situation.

She foolishly believed they could really run away together, open an alchemy shop, and stay close friends.

Watching William’s wonderful parents alive and doing their best for him, she gradually realized the difference.

William would someday become a noble duke, and no matter how hard she tried, a sewer rat like her could never fit in with William.

Then, William’s warm voice was heard:

“If Mother abandons you, then I’ll protect you.”

Larisa started crying loudly.