Well, that makes sense. Even if she was mentally similar in age to Varen, conversation wouldn’t have worked, and Margon and I acted like old men. Stuck between us, she must’ve felt pretty lonely.
Bell looked to be in her early twenties, so she was the perfect person for a nineteen-year-old girl to grow attached to. It made sense she’d burst into chatter after meeting someone her age.
Still, a corner of my chest felt strangely empty. It was the first time I’d felt something like this, and I couldn’t control my expression.
Margon shook his head and looked at the dragons standing like totem poles at the entrance.
“Move. Let Sir Ceryl go inside.”
“If you want to enter, go alone. Ceryl cannot.”
“What? Who are you to decide that?”
“You still don’t know my name? I believe I told you — Morpha.”
“Who asked for introductions? Sir Ceryl is tired, so move.”
“I said no.”
An unexpected clash of wills broke out between Varen’s retainer and my guard. I widened my eyes and looked back and forth between them.
“Hey, Sir Ceryl isn’t some monster like you. He’s a normal human. Don’t you know he needs to eat well and sleep well?”
“Eat and sleep as much as you like. Just not here. If Ceryl enters, Lord Varen will follow.”
“What does your dragon have to do with me? Move.”
“...Your dragon?”
Similar builds pressed together as they locked eyes. Morpha’s gaze sharpened faintly, and Margon had already gripped his sheathed sword tightly.
If I left this alone, blood would be spilled for sure. I shoved myself between them and pushed Margon’s chest, separating him from Morpha.
“Whoa, whoa. Why are you fighting over nothing.”
After a brief moment of thought, I raised a finger at Morpha and Varen.
“You two. If you hate this place so much, go find a new sleeping place. Somewhere five minutes away on foot with a comfortable bed and clean blankets. Then I’ll sleep there without complaint.”
“But around here—”
“Until you find a bedroom, I’m sleeping here. How long I stay here depends on you two.”
Varen bit his lip, about to argue, then exchanged a glance with Morpha and disappeared like the wind before I could stop them.
I sighed heavily, soaked in fatigue. Hard bed or dirty blanket, I felt like I’d pass out the moment I lay down.
It’ll be fine if Morpha is here. After reminding myself about Varen’s safety, I gestured to Margon to go inside.
But he only stared at where the dragons vanished with an unpleasant expression.
“Margon, what are you doing?”
“...If Sir Ceryl insists, it can’t be helped. But I truly oppose it. I oppose it!”
Margon stomped into the tent. Left alone, I rubbed my forehead awkwardly.
It felt like more and more people were opposing the relationship between Varen and me lately.
***
Compared to Morpha’s fierce criticism, the Rebels’ cot was quite comfortable. Though every time I turned, old metal shrieked beneath me. Maybe because I was exhausted, I fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow.
While drifting deep in dreams, I felt a strangely cold sensation. Even with my eyes closed, I could clearly feel it.
I listened carefully without showing I was awake. Only unfamiliar men’s snores and teeth grinding filled the air.
Who is it. Who is hiding their presence like the dead.
If my senses hadn’t sharpened beyond those of an ordinary human, I surely would’ve died without noticing anything.
I calmed my nerves with a deep breath and, once ready, opened my eyes.
Beside the bed, eyes glowing blue in the darkness floated in the air. My heart dropped — no, it nearly stopped.
Clutching my left chest and gasping, I sat upright.
“Hah... huff, Va-Varen... why are you....”
The one watching me sleep motionlessly in the darkness was Varen. His gaze shone brighter than usual, as if lasers might shoot from it.
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead after sitting properly. It felt like I’d stepped into a horror scene.
“You... what are you doing here....”
“I couldn’t find a suitable bedroom. So I couldn’t move you.”
“What? What time is it....”
I looked outside through the small tent window. The moon was still bright — it was the middle of the night.
Varen and Morpha had left around sunset. Apparently they’d wandered the forest until now because of my offhand remark.
As my startled heart calmed, guilt filled its place. I whispered, facing Varen.
“You’ve been wandering until now? Looking for a bed?”
“Yes.”
“If you couldn’t find one, you should’ve come back early and rested. Why are you watching me sleep?”
“I was guarding. So the males wouldn’t pounce on you while you slept.”
Varen firmly believed men would covet me. I let out a dumbfounded laugh and got out of bed.
The moment I met the blue glow, sleep had completely vanished. Rather than forcing myself back to sleep, it seemed better to soothe the sulking dragon.
***
Holding Varen’s hand, I left the tent and walked into the forest. The bright full moon illuminated the ground beneath us.
“This reminds me of when we were in the forest.”
“I was thinking the same. Those days were nice.”
His strangely sentimental tone made me look up sharply.
Varen gave me a hurt look.
“Ceryl, did you think I wouldn’t notice? You’ve been avoiding me since last night.”
“......”
“I won’t tolerate anything that interferes with us. Even if it’s my kin.”
It seemed Varen had heard my conversation with Morpha at the inn last night.
Though it hadn’t even lasted a day, he had already noticed my attempt to create distance.
Feeling awkward, I stiffened and stared ahead. One part of me thought how can someone meant for greater causes cling to a single human, while another selfish relief rose with it.
Caught in a hopeless conflict of emotions, I said nothing.
“It might be nice to travel the forest again like before. Nothing interfered with us back then.”
“Kallen was there too. We weren’t alone.”
“At least there were no male humans.”
“...How about calling them men instead of males?”
“Why should I? It means the same.”
Right. Do whatever you want.
It bothered my ears a little, but I quickly gave up correcting Varen’s wording.
We had walked quite far from the Rebel tents. Still, we hadn’t left the range of the concealment magic cast by Drunkard.
I found myself newly curious about the old man capable of such large-scale magic.
“Varen, did you see the mage in the tent where the monsters were kept? The blind old man.”
“Yes. An ordinary human with remarkable skill. I felt it from his magic, but seeing it directly confirmed it — he surpasses dragons.”
“That’s possible? How can a normal human surpass dragons?”
“There is nothing absolute in this world. Especially not when judged by human common sense.”
His sage-like words made me pout.
Part of me relied on human common sense, but my knowledge also came from the original story.
The novel had many outstanding mages, all academy graduates serving under King Laskar.
But up to what I’d read, the mages never played remarkable roles, and none stood out particularly.
So the existence of a mage surpassing dragons was hard to accept.
While I was lost in thought, Varen tugged my hand.
“Let’s sit here. There’s shade from the tree — even when the ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) sun rises, it’ll be fine.”
“You want to stay outside all night?”
“Ceryl, I don’t like you sleeping defenseless among males.”
“...Alright, let’s do that.”
Varen spread his thin cloak beneath a tree and patted it. As I sat on it, he naturally wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
Leaning against his familiar chest, I looked up at the night sky.
I still couldn’t fully trust the Rebels, and there was no progress on the plan to strike the king.
Yet there was no commotion, no threat — a peace I hadn’t felt in a very long time. My tension loosened.
When I chuckled softly, Varen lowered his head, pressed his lips to my forehead, and whispered.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because it’s peaceful. I can’t remember the last time I felt this at ease.”
“You were uneasy all this time?”
“Well, of course. Look at everything that’s happened.”
As I closed my eyes briefly, the past events passed like a panorama — the facility, wandering the forest, staying in the Beljena Mountains. Every day had something to worry about.
Even with my eyes closed, I felt Varen’s gaze. After staring at my face for a long time, he carefully took my hand and fidgeted with it.
“Ceryl, when everything is over... there’s somewhere I want to go with you.”
