Chapter 162: Dragons and Flowers Bloom at Night (6)
“...To be honest. All my thoughts are focused on the horn.”
That was the first thing Yuran said, as she swept her hand over her face, as if embarrassed.
She said all her nerves were drawn to the horn, and yet she kept tapping the horn protruding from her forehead with her fingers.
The horn, tinged with a black sheen, looked smooth yet solid, even from the outside.
“Something… it’s all tingly and won’t go away.”
Yuran murmured, furrowing her brows slightly.
It was clear from her expression that, although she knew it was an unseemly habit, she simply couldn’t help herself.
Before long, she let out a small sigh, as if resigned.
“I tried to handle it myself. But the location isn’t ideal. It's quite difficult to manage. Even looking in a mirror doesn’t help.”
So, without realizing it, she ended up resorting to the easiest method—scratching it against a tree, just like she had earlier. That was her explanation.
Her cheeks were still flushed red, though not as much as before, clearly showing her current embarrassment.
As she spoke, Lian, who had been silently listening, opened his mouth.
“Then, how about I help you?”
“What?!”
Yuran looked utterly shocked at Lian’s suggestion.
She stared at him, as if wondering how he could say something like that.
“Doing such a thing between a man and a woman is highly improper! I think it's very inappropriate!”
Now, even her neck was turning crimson as she shouted.
‘...Really? Now, of all times?’
Lian couldn't help but feel baffled by her reaction.
After all...
“Didn’t you also clean my ears before, Yuran? I thought this wouldn’t be all that different…”
“T-That and this are completely different! Entirely different things!”
Yuran strongly denied it.
“What I did back then was part of taking my first steps as a Sky Guide, a form of training! But this... this is, um…”
She hesitated mid-sentence, and eventually mumbled in a faint voice.
“...It’s nothing.”
The problem was that even as she spoke, she twitched and her eye involuntarily twitched as well.
Anyone could see she was desperately holding back an itch.
At one point, she unconsciously reached toward the horn again, only to suddenly jolt and straighten up.
Seeing that, Lian stifled a chuckle and offered his suggestion once more.
“You’ve helped me a lot before too.”
“...”
“It’s nothing strange, really.”
At Lian’s words, Yuran looked displeased for a moment.
She turned her head slightly, pouting.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she grumbled.
“...You’re a very dangerous man.”
In the end, she let out a long sigh and reluctantly gave a nod.
Thus, the two of them headed to Professor Shagas’s office.
After all, it was hard to ignore others' eyes if they stayed outside.
As soon as they entered the office, Yuran busied herself rummaging through something.
It was a small box of unknown purpose.
“What’s this?”
“Horn maintenance tools.”
Yuran answered curtly.
She placed the box on the table and carefully opened it.
Inside were various tools resembling files of different sizes, soft cloths, and bottles containing unidentified liquids.
“I bought it outside. They were actually selling these.”
Lian nodded in understanding.
“Well, there are beastkin and demi-humans with horns too.”
“Indeed.”
She looked down at the contents of the box for a moment before sighing again.
“Hmm…”
After a brief pause, she finally pulled over a chair with a backrest.
Then, she sat down and leaned back as far as possible, almost lying flat.
Meanwhile, Lian examined each tool in the box, checking them one by one.
“...Ah.”
Yuran let out a small sound as she reclined in the chair.
With her eyes open in this position, she would be staring directly at Lian looking down at her.
Had it been just a few days earlier, she wouldn’t have cared at all...
“W-Wait just a moment!”
Yuran shot up and grabbed a towel from somewhere.
Then, sitting back down and leaning again, she placed the towel over her face to cover it.
“...Now it’s fine.”
Her muffled voice came from beneath the towel.
The sight was so amusing that Lian couldn’t help but smile.
“Well then…”
Lian carefully examined the horn protruding from her forehead.
Up close, it looked even bigger and more imposing.
At the same time, it exuded a kind of mystical aura.
“What should I start with?”
Yuran’s voice came from under the towel.
“Do whatever you like.”
She then added,
“Oh, and... hmm. Think of it like a fingernail? Yes, it feels similar to a nail. So even if it gets a little worn or trimmed, it doesn’t hurt, so don’t worry too much.”
“Got it.”
Apparently, sensitivity varied by individual, and Yuran seemed to be on the less sensitive side.
‘Right, it was almost half-cut in the underground waterway before.’
Lian first took a soft handkerchief and gently wiped the surface of the horn.
As the dust came off, a smooth texture touched his fingertips, and he was surprised by the warmth it radiated—it was warmer than he expected.
“...”
Meanwhile, Yuran remained completely still under the towel.
‘Let’s see here…’
Next, Lian picked one of the mid-sized files from the set.
It looked slightly coarse, like a tool used to file metal.
Though, of course, it was much more refined in shape than an actual metalworking tool.
“…….”
Lian carefully brought the file to the surface of the horn.
Then, applying just a little pressure, he began to lightly file the surface.
A faint rasping sound quietly spread through the silent office.
“...Ugh.”
At that moment, he felt Yuran’s body tremble slightly.
Lian immediately stopped his hand and asked her,
“Are you alright?”
“…”
From beneath the towel, Yuran gave a small nod instead of a reply.
Lian resumed filing with great care.
The soft, steady rasping resumed.
After lightly filing the entire surface of the horn, Lian picked out a finer, thinner file.
It was time to smooth out the slightly curved inner part.
He gently pressed the file to the area and began to work—
“...Nngh!”
Suddenly, a strange moan escaped Yuran’s lips.
It was incomparably louder and higher in pitch than before.
Startled by the sound, Lian instinctively froze.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence fell over the office.
Beneath the towel, Yuran’s shoulders trembled faintly.
Her hands, which had been floundering aimlessly in the air, slowly folded together over her stomach.
Her quivering fingertips betrayed her embarrassment and flustered state.
“…”
Lian resumed his task as if nothing had happened.
In a moment like this, the best course was to act like everything was normal.
Swish... swish...
Once again, the rhythmic sound filled the room.
Though his touch was far more cautious and slower than before.
For a while, Lian silently trimmed Yuran’s horn, and Yuran quietly accepted his touch.
…And thus, a new routine was added to their regular meetings.
Srrrk.
With a sound like a snake slithering, a small wind spirit appeared.
— Lady Cecilia.
Shaped like a butterfly, it fluttered directly to Cecilia in the room.
Then, as if whispering, it began to relay everything it had seen in detail.
“…”
After listening, Cecilia rested her chin on her hand, sinking into deep thought.
Her eyes shimmered with a contemplative glow.
Then suddenly, she softly called a name into the air.
“Taranis.”
As if responding to the call, the air in the room stirred, and the presence of a mighty being filled the space.
The Spirit King of Fire, Taranis, had answered her call.
— What is it?
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
— What is it?
“Do you happen to know how to make a horn grow from the forehead?”
— …
Taranis paused at Cecilia’s absurd question.
Soon, a voice filled with disbelief echoed.
— …What nonsense are you spouting now?
“If you don’t know, never mind.”
— This is about that half-dragon beyond the mountain range who unleashed dragon aura a few days ago, isn’t it?
Taranis, quick to pick up on the reason behind her question, spoke as if sighing.
— You haven’t forgotten there are more important matters at hand, I hope? Especially since this was your own request.
There was a hint of mild reproach in Taranis’s tone.
— The gathering of multiple powerful energies detectable even from afar is not something to be ignored. You yourself agreed we must be cautious. Don’t forget that a much more pressing matter is right before us…
“I know.”
Cecilia answered calmly.
She wasn’t just brushing him off to avoid nagging.
She had, in fact, already dispatched several spirits across the land following the advice of the Spirit Kings, gathering information and conducting investigations.
To prevent potential disasters, and to prepare for any eventuality.
However…
‘In just half a day.’
In just half a day since they parted, Lian had already gotten wrapped up in yet another major incident.
While she was busy worrying about distant threats, she had failed to notice the danger that had come right to her doorstep.
She whispered again,
“...I know.”
— …Then I’ll say no more.
“…”
Cecilia fell silent, her thoughts drifting back to the days since entering the Academy.
Hadn’t countless incidents broken out without rest, one after another?
It would be easier to count the quiet days than the chaotic ones.
‘If Lian finds out...’
He would no doubt rush in, as if it were his responsibility, just like always.
‘…That’s why not this time.’
She didn’t want to put him in danger.
To prevent that, she had to resolve what was coming first.
That was the conclusion Cecilia reached.
Sigh.
She let out a quiet sigh and looked out the window.
The Departure Festival was now just around the corner.
At the very least, she wished that day—the day of the festival—would remain peaceful.
As always, but even more so today, the underground waterway was damp and oppressive.
It had now become a strictly restricted area, off-limits to outsiders.
And that was no empty rule—soldiers, clerics, and Holy Knights had been stationed throughout the area, with even mages urgently dispatched from the Magic Tower.
Among all areas, the deepest parts—where the fiercest battle had occurred and the core of the incident had taken place—were under the tightest security.
Namely, the space where the massive cocoon once stood.
And there, someone suddenly appeared.
“…”
From the shadows emerged a figure in the shape of a woman.
She briefly looked around, then began walking slowly toward the remnants of the cocoon.
Strangely, none of the guards around seemed to notice her presence.
Even those she passed by directly did nothing but stand silently.
“…”
“…”
Reaching the remains, the woman bent down and picked something up from the floor.
In her hand was a small shard, emitting a strange glow.
“…”
She stared at the shard in silence.
Then, she crushed it in her hand.
Snap!
The piece shattered into fine particles of light and scattered into the air.
And those glowing remnants, as if alive, writhed and soon began to seep into her body.
Then the woman slowly looked down at her right hand.
Her hand, which had looked hazy and ready to dissolve like mist, was now perfectly solid.
“...Hoo.”
She let out a short breath.
And just like when she came, the next moment she silently vanished into the darkness.
…Clink.
All that remained was a faint echo of a bell.