Chapter 188: Meeting (2)
Bang!
With a loud noise, the door slammed shut.
Thanks to that, I, left alone in the room, stared blankly at the closed door.
“……”
Startled, I turned my head toward Menoruka.
“Ah.”
She, too, seemed at a loss over the sudden situation, blinking blankly in confusion.
In her large eyes, unease and embarrassment slowly began to surface.
“Uh, um… I think he was a little flustered. But more importantly… do you think it’s really him?”
I asked, trying to gloss over the situation.
At that, Menoruka immediately and vigorously nodded her head up and down.
“...Yes, without a doubt.”
Her voice carried not even a hint of hesitation.
Rather, it was filled with certainty.
Though, perhaps because of what just happened, it trembled faintly.
“Just a moment. I’ll go and check.”
I said with an awkward smile, then carefully opened the door and stepped outside.
Fortunately, not too far away, Behad was standing there in a daze.
He was blinking rapidly and gasping for breath like someone who had just seen a ghost.
“...Are you alright?”
At the sound of my voice, Behad flinched and turned to me.
His face had gone completely pale.
After taking a few deep breaths, he suddenly muttered in a low voice.
“...Hey, just asking, but…”
“Yes?”
“...Did someone put you up to this?”
At the unexpected question, I asked back.
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Behad hurriedly shook his head.
“No, no. I’m sorry—really sorry, Gwendil. I just got so startled for a moment… said something crazy… No, more importantly, what the hell is this… uh…”
Unable to finish his sentence, he just kept clearing his throat awkwardly.
Even so, he continued to mutter softly.
“No way… It can’t be… It can’t be…”
He even looked somewhat pitiful.
Faced with such an unexpected reaction, I simply waited silently without saying a word.
“Hoo…”
After a while, Behad took several deep breaths.
His gaze gradually seemed to regain composure.
Then he walked over to a small flowerpot placed in the hallway and carefully picked a rose.
“…Hoo.”
Returning to the door, he took another deep breath.
Now, his face even showed a trace of solemn resolve.
Creak.
Opening the door again, this time he was met with the sight of Menoruka standing awkwardly, unable to settle down.
“…Ah!”
Startled by the sound of the door opening, she looked up—and upon seeing Behad, her face brightened into a radiant smile.
“……”
Behad approached her.
From where I stood, every movement of his seemed stiff and awkward from nervousness, but even so, he managed to reach her and offered the flower he held.
“...After reuniting at last, it struck me too late that I had nothing in hand. Embarrassed, I briefly stepped back. I ask your forgiveness for that moment of cowardice.”
Behad’s voice was astonishingly calm and gentle.
Although, somehow, he sounded unusually humble—or so I thought.
Menoruka accepted the flower with a blissful expression.
Her cheeks flushed a soft red.
“You… remember this girl?”
Her voice trembled slightly.
Behad gave a small nod.
A faint smile curved his lips.
“Yes. How could I forget? Since that day… you haven’t changed a bit.”
In that moment, I nearly let out a short gasp.
‘So that’s what he looked like the first time too, huh.’
Since they had met as children, I had assumed both Behad and Menoruka would’ve been kids back then.
But apparently, she hadn’t changed at all in appearance from those years ago to now.
That must be why Behad recognized her the moment he saw her.
‘…Though I still don’t know what exactly happened.’
Behad had been so shocked just by seeing her face that he ran off.
But then, realizing she wasn’t a normal being, he must have sensed that fleeing recklessly would only make things worse.
“But how did you even… come all the way here…”
At Behad’s question, Menoruka replied in a voice that seemed lost in a dream.
“This girl… could not forget that day, not even for a single one.”
She continued to murmur in a dazed, enraptured tone.
“How could I possibly forget? When you stepped forward so bravely for my sake… uh, um…”
At that, Behad interjected.
“Please, call me Behad.”
“Yes, yes…”
Menoruka nodded absentmindedly.
“Hehe… Lord Behad…”
She repeated his name softly, over and over, as if it were the sweetest sound in the world.
“…That gallant figure of Lord Behad stepping forth for me—I’ve never forgotten it for even a moment.”
Behad murmured quietly.
“…I don’t think I did anything that great, though.”
“What—what are you saying! If it weren’t for Lord Behad that day, I surely wouldn’t be here now. Ah… Lord Behad.”
Her eyes sparkled with reverence, admiration, and something even more blindly fervent.
“I know it’s impolite… but this moment feels so dreamlike that I fear it might be a dream. I know it’s shameless, truly shameless, but… would you perhaps… just once, even if only for a moment… be willing to hold me in your arms…?”
Behad seemed briefly flustered by her earnest request, but soon opened his arms awkwardly. She wasted no time rushing into his embrace.
‘…Something about this feels dangerous.’
I thought so instinctively.
Even someone as inexperienced as me in such matters could sense it.
Quietly, I tried to sneak out of the room.
“Then I’ll just be—”
At that moment, Behad’s gaze turned toward me.
It was a look that blended urgency, desperation, and a flicker of fury—one I couldn’t quite describe.
Under that intense gaze, I failed to find a chance to slip away.
“Sigh.”
Moments later, Menoruka reluctantly pulled away.
“Thank you for indulging this girl’s selfishness… Lord Behad.”
Behad forced a calm smile.
“It was nothing. For someone as beautiful as you, I’d gladly offer my arms anytime.”
As usual, he whispered the words with a smile.
But then, Menoruka looked at him intently and asked,
“Have you… offered your arms so generously to other women as well…?”
Immediately, Behad’s face stiffened.
Menoruka’s eyes widened in alarm, and she hurriedly shook her head.
“Ah, no! I didn’t mean anything strange by it! I only asked because I thought you were kind and broad-hearted, Lord Behad!”
Flustered, she babbled in defense.
Behad nodded with an awkward smile.
“Ah, yes…”
“Ugh…”
“……”
“……”
A brief silence fell between them.
Behad, attempting to change the awkward atmosphere, brought up another topic.
“...You said your name is Menoruka, correct? I’ve only just learned your name today.”
Menoruka shyly nodded.
“At the time, I was too flustered to properly introduce myself. I didn’t expect it would weigh on my heart this heavily for so long. However… now that I’ve been able to meet Lord Behad again like this, I have no more regrets.”
She hesitated briefly, then looked Behad straight in the eyes and spoke with resolve.
“If you wish it… I could tell you my True Name at any time.”
Both I and Behad held our breath at those words.
Even from outside the room came a loud crashing sound.
Amaruah had probably been eavesdropping and was so startled that she tripped over something.
And such reactions were only natural.
For a dragon, revealing their True Name was no different from offering their soul and everything else to another being.
In other words, if Behad were to learn her True Name, Menoruka would be bound to him for life, even down to her soul.
“No.”
Behad quickly waved his hand.
As someone with frequent contact with other races, he knew the weight of a True Name better than anyone.
“No, really, it’s alright! There’s absolutely… absolutely no need for that.”
Though Menoruka looked slightly disappointed, she nodded in understanding.
“If Lord Behad says so… I understand.”
Only then did I notice the frantic footsteps in the hallway come to a stop.
Once the commotion had quieted, Behad cautiously opened his mouth.
“…Forgive me for the rudeness, but may I ask you one question?”
Menoruka nodded immediately.
“Of course. Please ask me anything. I truly meant it when I offered my True Name earlier. I would never speak a lie to Lord Behad.”
Behad swallowed dryly and spoke.
“The True Name… and the fact that you look exactly the same as you did in the past… makes me think you’re not an ordinary human…”
To that, Menoruka responded without the slightest hesitation, smiling brightly.
“I am a dragon.”
A sharp gasp escaped Behad’s throat.
His face grew even paler.
“Th-then… why have you come to see me?”
His voice trembled slightly.
Menoruka, a little hurt by the question, pouted.
“How could you say such a thing? Have you forgotten the vow you made to this girl? Just as we spoke that day… I’ve come to… ma-marry you…”
She blushed deeply, covering her reddening cheeks with both hands.
“To marry you, my lord.”
Behad gulped hard.
Cold sweat must have already been trailing down his back.
“W-well, I do remember. But… to think that someone as beautiful and noble as you would tie yourself to an ordinary human like me over a fleeting encounter… it pains me.”
Menoruka shook her head firmly.
“A fleeting encounter? That’s an utterly absurd thing to say. Bonds of fate can be formed even with just a shared glance. Come, look.”
Menoruka gently took Behad’s hand.
His hand trembled slightly in hers.
“Isn’t this more than enough to call a bond? I have waited for Lord Behad, ignoring all proposals from other members of my kind. Of course, some fools who didn’t understand my heart even tried to press their case through duels.”
“…I-is that so?”
“Yes, but worry not! I thoroughly put them in their place.”
She looked up at him as if waiting to be praised.
“My one and only husband is Lord Behad. And I heard that you are still single. Is that true?”
“…Yes, that’s true.”
Behad nodded weakly.
If he lied, he’d surely die.
He muttered quietly.
Menoruka beamed and murmured.
“Oh my, this must truly be fate! Honestly, I believed Lord Behad wouldn’t ignore our promise, but… since human lives are different from ours, I was secretly worried. Being so gallant, I feared other women wouldn’t leave you alone.”
She paused, then continued.
“And I also heard that you have no fiancée.”
Behad nodded again.
“…Yes.”
“But… you must’ve had romantic encounters with others.”
Behad answered in a shaky voice.
“Y-yes. I-I have. Perhaps…”
As he tried to add more, Menoruka continued first.
“I don’t mind at all. It’s alright. Instead, please tell me everything about those encounters. That will be enough.”
She whispered quietly.
“What made them happy? What words did they wish to hear? What gifts did they like… from start to finish.”
The dragon whispered.
“…I shall do the complete opposite of everything they did. And still, I shall do everything I can to make Lord Behad happy.”
“……”
Behad could no longer respond.
After taking a breath, Menoruka murmured with genuine relief.
“More than anything, I am truly glad. Had Lord Behad already married someone else… I would have held this burning heart and gone ahead to wait for you.”
I honestly wanted to run away right then.
I had never in my life felt my skin crawl and my spine chill like this.
Then, Behad finally managed to speak with a trembling voice.
“M-Menoruka. I truly appreciate your feelings. But… there is a great problem between us.”
“What is it, Lord Behad?”
At her innocent question, Behad spoke as if clinging to a last hope.
“Lifespan.”
He tried hard to sound calm, but his voice wavered at the end.
“I am but a weak human who won’t live even a hundred years. To form a bond with someone like you, who lives nearly eternally… and leave you to endure the long years alone afterward… I just…”
I thought that was a pretty convincing final attempt.
Behad likely thought so too.
But…
“Oh! You don’t need to worry about that at all!”
Menoruka cut in cheerfully with a bright smile.
Then, she slightly lowered her collar, pointing toward her left chest.
“If you split my heart in two and eat one half, Lord Behad, you’ll be able to live nearly as long as me. So don’t worry about that even a little!”
When I came to my senses, I was already outside the room.
I didn’t even remember how I got out.
I must have just sprinted out instinctively.
“Oh dear…”
In the hallway, Amaruah stood pressing her temples like she had a migraine, her expression full of dismay.
I muttered almost inaudibly,
“…Maybe I shouldn’t have interfered.”
Amaruah responded with a deep sigh.
“You said that fool formed the bond first, right? Then it’s his fault. Even if it weren’t you, Menoruka would’ve found her way to him.”
She shook her head.
“I’ve no idea what he did to make that young dragon fall for him that hard, but once you have a dragon’s obsession, living a normal life is out of the question. …Poor fool.”
Amaruah clicked her tongue and said,
“I’ll go in and wrap things up when the time’s right… but either way, it’s a good thing Menoruka will calm down for a while, and the only real concern we had is now gone. If we’re lucky, her help might even settle the other dragons.”
She gestured to me.
“You should head back now. There’s nothing more to see.”
I nodded weakly and stepped out of the library.
It felt like I was abandoning Behad…
Even so…
I shivered all over.
‘I’ve heard stories about how a dragon’s obsession can ruin your life…’
The image of Menoruka casually offering her heart to be eaten flashed through my mind.
‘Dragons are terrifying… truly terrifying…’
It was then.
Someone tapped me lightly on the shoulder.
“Lian Gwendil.”
A familiar voice.
“What has you so deep in thought that you didn’t hear me calling?”
When I turned my head, there stood Yuran.
…A half-dragon.
In other words, someone who was part dragon.
At that moment, even without a mirror, I knew my face had gone as white as paper.