Chapter 67
“Mm, mm… mmm.”
“…Uht?”
“Sorry. Did it hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I’ll be careful with my teeth.”
About fifteen minutes had passed since the carriage had set off.
Lisa was still biting my neck, drinking my blood.
She was savoring it little by little, slowly.
‘…This position feels awkward.’
Lisa had me sitting on her lap.
From that position, she was hugging me from behind and diligently biting my neck.
It was an unfamiliar kind of physical contact, which was awkward enough—but there was something that made the situation even more awkward.
“Ahem.”
Nia, who was sitting across from us, cleared her throat awkwardly.
But even as she did, she didn’t take her eyes off us.
For reference, Nia had originally tried to sit on the coachman’s seat, but the coachman sent her back into the carriage.
He said it would be improper and dangerous to let a noble sit outside.
So, unwillingly, Nia had returned and taken the seat across from us…
“Mmm, sweet.”
She now had a front-row view of Lisa biting my neck and drinking my blood.
Nia, who had been quietly watching, soon let out a dry laugh and spoke.
“Is your junior’s blood that delicious?”
“Yeah, it is. It’s a little salty today… but still so sweet. I just want to keep drinking.”
Lisa gave a short reply and sank her teeth into my neck again.
She hugged me tightly from behind and drank for a few more minutes.
Then, after a short while—
“Haaah. That should do it.”
Lisa released my neck.
Then she lifted me slightly and turned me around so that we were facing each other.
“Thank you, Gideon. For indulging me.”
“No, it’s fine. I can always provide blood for you, Lady Lisa.”
I replied as I pulled a bandage from my pocket.
It was to wrap the spot she had just bitten.
If I applied some medicine later, it would heal quickly, but for now, I needed to bandage it…
“Give it here. I’ll wrap it for you.”
“Eh?”
“Give it.”
Lisa snatched the bandage from my hand and skillfully wrapped it around my neck.
Then she brought both hands up to my face.
She gently brushed her fingers against my cheeks and smiled faintly.
It was a small smile—but a very beautiful one.
“Again, thank you. For always helping me, Gideon.”
“Ah… uh, yes. Th-thank you as well.”
I couldn’t get my words out properly for a moment.
Because I was momentarily entranced by Lisa’s smile.
‘What’s… wrong with me?’
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her smile.
It wasn’t even the first time I’d seen that beautiful smile. So why now…
“Hey, you two. Don’t forget I’m still in the carriage.”
“Oh? Ah, sorry.”
“Sorry, Nia-unni. Did it bother you?”
“Bother me? Both-er me? Hey, seriously, if it were you… would it not bother you watching a couple being all lovey-dovey right in front of your face? It bothers me and makes me so jealous my stomach hurts, you brat.”
“I see. Sorry. Gideon, come down and sit next to me.”
“Yes, understood.”
I quickly moved to the seat beside her.
Nia looked at the two of us and let out a bitter laugh.
“Hey, Gideon. You’ve fallen hard for Lisa, huh? You went all dazed just from seeing her smile once.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Forget it, don’t say anything. I’ll just get more jealous if you do.”
This time, Nia turned her gaze toward Lisa.
“I don’t know what you two did last night, but it sure led to this, huh? So, you really like your junior that much?”
“…Hmm.”
Lisa didn’t answer Nia’s question.
Instead, she quietly wrapped her arm around my waist.
Then she rested her head on my shoulder—and Nia could only laugh helplessly again at the sight.
“Once you’ve made up your mind, you don’t hold back, huh? Anyway, Lisa, your Gideon looks tired. Why don’t you let him sleep for a bit?”
“Hmm? Gideon, are you tired?”
“No, I’m fine—”
“Don’t lie.”
“…Yes, I guess I’m still a bit fatigued.”
“Then sleep.”
“Uwah.”
Lisa pulled me down onto her lap.
To be precise, she laid me down on the carriage seat so I could rest my head on her thighs.
“How’s that? Comfortable?”
“Yes, it is, but won’t this be uncomfortable for you, Lady Lisa—”
“I’m fine. Just sleep.”
“But…”
“Sleep. You’ll need proper rest to move well later.”
“Then… excuse me.”
I closed my eyes, resting my head on Lisa’s lap.
Honestly, I didn’t think I’d fall asleep right away.
But contrary to my expectation, I fell asleep almost instantly.
I must’ve been far more exhausted than I’d realized.
* * *
“He fell asleep right away. Guess you were right, he really was tired.”
“Of course. From what I heard, Gideon nearly died yesterday, didn’t he?”
“He… almost did. Luckily, he didn’t.”
Lisa answered Nia while gazing at the sleeping Gideon.
Then she gently stroked his white hair with her hand.
“Look at the two of you, honey practically dripping from your eyes. So, you and Gideon—are you officially lovers now? Planning to have an engagement ceremony or something later?”
“…It’s not like that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nia looked at Lisa, her expression filled with genuine confusion.
“From the way you cling to Gideon, you look like a couple that’s already promised to get married, but you’re saying you’re not lovers?”
“…Nothing’s been decided yet.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“I haven’t asked Gideon’s opinion yet. I’m just… following my heart, that’s all.”
Nia let out a deep sigh.
“…Ha. What the hell. So what’s your plan with your junior, then?”
“I’m thinking of finding a good moment to talk to him during this school trip.”
Lisa looked at the sleeping Gideon with a blank expression.
But in contrast to her expression, her face was visibly red.
“I’ll ask him if he can accept me as his lover…”
“Why would you even ask something like that? Hey, Lisa. You’re a Lady of a ducal family—next in line to lead House Balmuth, no less. Any man you choose doesn’t have a choice. He can only say yes.”
“E-even so, I want to ask Gideon properly and respect his answer. If he says he doesn’t like me…”
“Yeah right, as if he’d say that. No, would he even dare to say that? What man in the Empire would refuse the Lady of House Balmuth?”
“You don’t know that.”
“Oh, please.”
Nia let out an incredulous laugh, then slumped comfortably into her seat.
“Well, do what you want. It’s your romance, not mine. I’m tired, so I’m gonna take a nap.”
“Sleep well. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
“Thanks. Ah, and when you have time later, make sure you tell me exactly what happened last night, got it? I mean it.”
“Alright. Should I come by your lodging tonight to talk?”
“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll have some snacks ready, so drop by when you can.”
With that, Nia lay back comfortably and closed her eyes.
And just like Gideon earlier, she soon drifted off to sleep.
“The Student Council President must be really tired too.”
Lisa also felt exhaustion creeping in.
But when she looked down at Gideon sleeping with his head on her lap, that fatigue seemed to vanish.
She gently brushed her fingers across his face and smiled without realizing it.
“I hope… we can be together for a long time.”
Lisa kept watching Gideon’s face as he slept deeply.
To her eyes, he seemed to be having a pleasant dream.
Though, of course, not everything he dreamed was good.
‘What’s this?’
It felt like a dream… no, it was a dream.
I was dreaming right now.
And in this dream, I was a giant bird.
To be exact—a great falcon.
“Peregrie, what are you doing here alone?”
“I was watching to make sure that dragon doesn’t suddenly attack.”
I—no, Peregrie—answered the question.
Now that I looked closely, it seemed I had entered Peregrie’s body.
And I instinctively realized that what I was seeing now was one of Peregrie’s memories.
“Do you really think we can stop that dragon?”
“We can. If we combine our strength, it’s possible.”
A white-haired man approached Peregrie’s side.
His clothes looked worn, like he’d been traveling for years, and at his waist hung an old, battered sword.
But more than anything… that man looked strangely similar to me—or rather, to Gideon, whose body I had transmigrated into.
“I’m not sure. Even I would have a hard time fighting that dragon.”
“That’s why I told you—you don’t have to fight it. I’ll block all its attacks. You just focus on striking.”
“Are you sure you can withstand all of that dragon’s attacks? I acknowledge your swordsmanship, but… with that old sword alone, it won’t be easy.”
“I’m not fighting with just a sword.”
The white-haired man smiled faintly and brushed his hand along his sword’s hilt.
“The strength of my friends, their hopes and will—they’re with me.”
“You mean those other races? Hm. The power they’ve gathered for you isn’t weak, but still…”
“Don’t worry. This much is enough.”
“…This battle against that dragon will be our last, you know. The final one.”
Peregrie lowered his head so his eyes met the man’s.
“After this fight, no one knows what will happen to us. So I’ll say this now—my great friend, whatever happens, I’ll never forget you.”
“Same here.”
The white-haired man placed his hand on the great falcon’s head.
“No matter what happens, I’ll never forget you. And really, how could I? You’re the beast who tried to kill me the moment we met.”
“That was years ago. And as I’ve told you before, you had trespassed into my territory. I was only doing my duty…”
Kraaaaaah―!
A tremendous roar echoed from afar.
At the sound, Peregrie raised his head and looked toward a distant mountain.
“It’s moving.”
“Then shall we go?”
“No. We don’t need to move. It’s coming straight for us.”
Peregrie spread his massive wings and took to the sky.
And from afar, I saw it approaching—
A colossal dragon, a creature that embodied pure terror itself.
“Gideon.”
“Mm… mm?”
“Gideon, wake up. We’ve arrived.”
“…Ah, Lady Lisa.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, thanks to you, I slept comfortably.”
I slowly sat up.
The first thing that came into view was Nia, still fast asleep across from us.
Then, turning to look out the window…
“We’ve arrived?”
“Yeah, we have.”
Outside the window stretched a mountain range.
A range formed around the massive bones of a dragon.
“…Intezer.”
Even from afar, the enormous, ancient skull of the dragon was visible.
The moment I saw it, I understood immediately.
That dragon—it was the very same one I’d seen in my dream, or rather, in Peregrie’s memory.