Chapter 161: The Dragon and the Flower Bloom at Night (5)
The incident wrapped up surprisingly quickly.
And it was all thanks to the list obtained from the underground waterway.
That list was densely packed with the names of Cultists of the Evil God who had infiltrated various parts of the Empire under false identities, as well as those who had cooperated with them.
As soon as she confirmed the contents, Selendis acted with astonishing speed.
She mobilized not only the Capital Guard but also the Dragon Knights and every connection she could summon to her side.
Before dawn even broke, a massive sweep operation was launched across the entire capital under her command.
In addition, documents found in the underground waterway provided evidence that the attacks on the Guard Captain and guards were also the work of those same perpetrators.
Thanks to that, the case was resolved in an instant, and Yuran’s false charges were lifted as well.
One way or another, Selendis had undoubtedly earned the greatest merit in this incident.
Although in truth, she had ended up snatching someone else’s credit, so she couldn’t help feeling somewhat awkward about it.
Perhaps that’s why.
Selendis sent a modest gift and a thank-you letter to Lian through Cecilia.
At the end of the letter, she added that if there was ever anything within her power, she would be happy to help—so he should feel free to reach out anytime.
— Since you're directly involved, I thought it’d be better if you knew the situation to some extent, so I'm telling you this first.
Next was Windy May.
She quietly shared something with Lian.
It was about the Merchant Group of Demons and the werewolf he had beheaded—Jode.
— The werewolf you fought, the one named Jode—he also seems to have been associated with the Cultists of the Evil God.
— So, even though it may seem otherwise, neither you nor Professor Shagas need worry about having killed a member of the delegation.
— And… her name was Yuran, wasn’t it?
For some reason, Windy May continued speaking with a faintly displeased tone.
— As I said earlier, even if you were attacked first, killing members of a delegation is diplomatically and politically risky. And given she’s a foreigner, things could’ve gotten far worse… but at least for this time, there will be no issues. I personally vouch for that with my name. So there’s no need to worry.
— …You must feel lucky to have such a capable and talented teacher, don’t you?
With that, she reassured Lian again that this matter wouldn’t escalate further.
She had already noticed how much Lian cared about Yuran.
Meanwhile, the Inquisitors and Holy Knights of the Holy Sun Church, who had arrived late to the scene, surprisingly showed little reaction.
They simply went about their duties in silence.
They didn’t contact or respond to Lian at all.
Only Archbishop Onnime showed signs of being visibly tense for a while—anyone could tell.
‘He looked like he’d snap at the slightest touch.’
From that, Lian could tell that despite being publicly retired from the role of Inquisitor, the archbishop still wielded real influence.
‘And then…’
Anguster.
Once the leader of the Declaum Knights and a name synonymous with glory, he was now officially a wanted criminal.
The charges: treason and being a Cultist of the Evil God.
‘…I can’t exactly laugh about this.’
Perhaps it was because of memories from his previous life, but Lian couldn’t take this lightly.
Still, unlike himself, Anguster had actually committed crimes.
That was all Lian could think.
It was just a strange feeling—he had no reason to pity someone who had tried to kill him.
As a side note, it was said that the subordinates who should’ve been investigated alongside Anguster were being handled with care.
It was due to their status as former knights and soldiers.
Not to mention, Anguster had been under the official patronage of the Second Prince, which made the matter even more delicate.
‘Well…’
Frankly, Lian couldn’t care less about Anguster’s situation.
What mattered to him was that Yuran, after accepting the dragon’s blood, was now visibly more stable.
That was the most important thing to Lian.
Of course, she had grown a large, hard horn on her forehead…
But he could explain that away by saying she was originally of beastkin blood.
In reality, it wasn’t uncommon for beastkin hybrids to exhibit distinct physical traits, and besides—she was actually half-human, half-dragon, so it wasn’t even a lie.
And with that, all the major and minor issues surrounding Yuran had been resolved.
The stormy, chaotic night that could’ve easily triggered a major incident had come to a close.
And finally—
Click.
At the quiet sound of a teacup being set down, Lian quickly raised his head.
“……”
Sitting across from him, Velita lowered her teacup and spoke.
“…I was truly impressed, Lord Gwendil.”
Her voice had grown noticeably softer than before.
She didn’t bother to hide the surprise and admiration in her tone.
“I did say I’d be grateful, but to be honest, I only expected you to uncover a few traces or clues. I never imagined you’d resolve everything so perfectly—and so quickly at that.”
Her eyes quietly turned to Lian.
As if looking at a piece of amethyst, her gaze made him naturally lower his own.
“It was just a coincidence.”
Lian replied calmly.
After all, things had played out in ways far beyond his intent.
“Hehe.”
Velita let out a small laugh.
She muttered as if intrigued.
“Once might be called a coincidence. Twice… well, maybe. But Lord Gwendil, if I recall correctly, this makes it the third time, doesn’t it? At this point, wouldn’t it be more accurate to call it fate rather than chance?”
She paused briefly, then added with a playful smile.
“Hmm, even if it really was coincidence as you say… wouldn’t that mean the heavens are favoring you, Lord Gwendil?”
Then she slightly bowed her head.
As if admitting to a misstep.
“Ah, my apologies. I should’ve said it was the care of Lord Ilionel, rather than the favor of the heavens. That was my mistake. Please forgive me.”
“I don’t concern myself with such things, so there’s no need to apologize, Princess.”
“Hehe, you’re generous as always.”
“……”
“……”
And so, time quietly passed with nothing but the occasional sip of tea.
Eventually, Velita opened her mouth once more.
"Then, what would you like as a reward?"
This time, it was a more direct question.
Lian raised his head and met Velita’s gaze.
"How far are you willing to go?"
"…Oh my."
A hint of surprise crossed Velita’s lips.
She seemed to be genuinely enjoying the conversation with Lian.
"I wasn’t just saying it for show, but… I thought you'd politely decline once, just to be courteous."
"I didn’t think someone like you would be fond of meaningless exchanges, Princess."
Lian continued calmly.
"And since you were the one who proposed a deal in the first place, I figured you'd prefer a clear settlement over leaving it as an ambiguous debt."
"…"
Instead of replying, Velita offered a silent smile.
But the smile carried the subtle air of someone caught off guard—like she was trying to smooth over the moment.
"…Would it be alright if I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Have I ever… caused you trouble in the past?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"At the entrance ceremony."
Velita leaned forward slightly.
"I clearly remember the moment our eyes first met at the Academy’s entrance ceremony. Back then… there was unmistakable hostility in your gaze toward me. I’ve been wondering ever since—did I somehow wrong you without realizing it? I tried to think it over, but I couldn’t recall anything that might explain it."
"…"
Lian remained silent.
And in that moment, he realized the reason she had approached him in the first place.
"If my suspicion is correct, could you tell me the reason?"
"…"
"It could easily be misunderstood, so would you like me to explain first? It’s a simple reason, really."
Velita shrugged her shoulders lightly.
"After this incident, I find myself wanting to maintain a positive—let’s say, cooperative—relationship with you going forward, Lord Gwendil. And for that, wouldn’t it be better to clear away any old grudges between us?"
It was a blunt statement.
But for that very reason, it was also incredibly effective—enough to leave Lian momentarily silent.
"…It is related to you, Princess."
Lian finally spoke.
"But that doesn’t mean it’s about you."
A puzzling answer.
Like a riddle.
Even so, Velita didn’t ask further and simply nodded quietly.
As if that answer alone was enough for now.
"I see."
She lifted her teacup again and returned to the previous topic.
"Now then, you asked how far I’m willing to go?"
Velita gave a small smile.
"I’m willing to give you anything I can."
She added playfully with a laugh.
"Of course, excluding outrageous things like my life or half the Empire. Only within what’s in my power."
"That’s quite a lot. Honestly, it’s a bit overwhelming. May I take some time to think about it?"
"As much as you like."
Velita nodded without hesitation.
"It’s not like there’s interest on it."
She ended with a satisfied smile as she lifted her teacup again.
Lian followed her lead and lifted his own.
In a noticeably more relaxed atmosphere than before, the two quietly concluded their meeting.
After finishing his meeting with Velita and stepping outside the building, Lian fell into thought.
The conversation they’d just had,
Her unexpected remarks and proposal—
And above all, the warmth in her demeanor toward him.
‘What exactly is it that she wants from me?’
What did she truly desire?
And what would be the best thing for him to ask of her?
His mind was quickly cluttered with thoughts.
Just then, a faint rustling sound came from the direction of the garden.
Lian turned his head and saw something slightly odd.
"…?"
It was Yuran.
She was leaning against a large tree at the edge of the garden.
After glancing around to check that no one was watching…
"…Ugh."
Scritch scritch.
She began rubbing the horn on her forehead against the tree, like she was trying to scratch an itch.
It looked just like someone scratching a spot that had been bothering them.
"…!"
Then, all of a sudden, she flinched and turned her head—directly toward where Lian was standing.
The moment their eyes met, her face turned bright red in an instant.
"G-Great benefactor?! Since when were you…?!"
Flustered, Yuran began stammering and rambling.
"Ah, no, I was just… exercise! Yes, I was exercising my neck! It’s stiff, so I was doing neck stretches! It’s true!"
She awkwardly twisted her neck left and right, desperately trying to cover it up, but anyone could tell it was a clumsy lie.