Chapter 47 - Dragon Visage

The dragon knight armor revealed itself in the moonlight.

It stood two meters tall, adorned with menacing decorations designed to overwhelm opponents.

However, having seen that armor more than her bare appearance, Ferda felt it was a part of Valdrova, and he could love it as a part of her.

He had thought it would be nice to suddenly run into Valdrova even in that state, but reality was different from what he had expected.

His bewilderment was greater than his gladness.

‘Am I already seeing things because I've gone mad with desire?’

Just as he thought that, she stood in front of Ferda.

"..."

"..."

Only silence flowed as they stared at each other.

After a long period of silence, Valdrova was the one who finally broke the ice.

"So, the thing is, um, I mean..."

She forced the words out with difficulty, like picking a pearl out of a sandy beach.

"I wanted to... take a little walk... so I came out."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

Ferda knew that was a lie.

However, that wasn't a very important detail to Ferda.

After answering like that, Valdrova fidgeted with her neatly gathered hands.

CLANK, CLANK.

The steel of her gauntlets ground together, making a noise.

She was visibly restless.

‘Is she uncomfortable because she suddenly ran into Ferda?’

Then, she eventually opened her mouth again.

"A-Actually, that's not it!"

"Pardon?"

"I knew that you... would be coming out, Ferda... so that's why I came out!"

"Is... that so?"

"Yes."

She swept a hand over her chest and let out a sigh.

It was as if she had confessed a sin kept hidden in her heart.

Ferda didn't mind.

She had come looking for him, knowing Ferda was alone in the corridor.

That was all that mattered.

Her words meant she had come here because she wanted to see him.

‘She wants to see me.’

Now that he was conscious of it, he felt nervous for no reason.

‘Did I brush my teeth before coming out?’

‘Do my clothes smell?’

‘The smell of smoke might have seeped into them from relying on a single candle in that secret room.’

Those worries were only temporary.

Ferda belatedly remembered the most important thing and bowed his head.

"I greet Grand Duchess Valdrova."

"Ah, yes, welcome, um... Ferda... Ferda..."

She trailed off while calling his name.

Perhaps due to the voice modulator built into the helmet, her faded words, unable to find an end, echoed like a sorrowful cry.

"Are you trying to say Regent?"

"Ah, right, that's it! Regent!"

She clapped her hands together, a bright tone returning to her voice.

"Right. Regent Ferda. I really wanted to try using that title. Isn't that how you address a king's fiancé?"

"Actually, that's... No, yes, that is correct."

He stopped himself from correcting her.

He couldn't bear to keep meddling with that sparkling innocence just because it was pretty, lest it become sullied.

"Then can I just call you Regent now?"

"There is no need for that. It is a term only used in public settings, so please feel free to call me Ferda when it's just the two of us."

"Ah, I will do that, Ferda..."

Ferda, Ferda...

Valdrova practiced repeating it over and over from inside her helmet.

It sounded as if she were whispering right in his ear, making his ears tickle for no reason.

"I wanted to see you again, Ferda, but strangely... I couldn't muster the courage."

"I understand."

Ferda quietly sympathized with her.

‘Did she have strong feelings for me too?’

"Um... the reason I came here like this was because of Luri."

That wasn't it.

"Luri?"

Valdrova nodded.

"It's because Luri seems to be having a really hard time lately."

Ferda recalled how he had rejected Luri's request to participate.

The last time he saw her face, she had been angry.

"I don't think I'm very good at reading emotions, but I know that child's sad face very well. She is... definitely sad right now."

Her helmet turned toward Ferda's face.

"If anyone knew why that child was struggling... I thought you might know, Ferda..."

Ferda's lips only parted slightly without producing a sound.

It was difficult to bring it up.

Knowing that he was the cause, how could he possibly tell her?

‘Won't she hate me if I tell her this truth?’

However, he ultimately told her the truth.

"That change is probably my fault."

"Your fault, Ferda?"

"Luri asked me if she could attend the Grand Council, but I refused. That is the only reason I know of."

"Why does that child want to go... there?"

"She said she wanted to have a conversation with Silverwind's side."

Valdrova's body flinched.

However, she lightly nodded as if she finally understood.

"If it's just a conversation... shouldn't you be able to take her?"

"Because it's false hope."

"False hope?"

"What that servant is trying to do is no different from scratching off a scab. If you scratch an unhealed wound, the flesh falls off again and the wound reopens. That is exactly what this is."

"Ah, that... really hurts."

"Yes, it hurts a lot."

Valdrova gave a small nod, as if empathizing.

She wrapped her hand around her forearm.

"But isn't it possible that that false hope... might not have been in vain?"

Valdrova ended her sentence with an uncertain question mark.

"Silverwind is still harboring a grudge."

"I know that too. But... that might not be the case for Luri, right?"

"Do you think things will work out if they talk?"

"At the very least, that child will have a place to return to."

"Return?"

As if realizing her slip at Ferda's question, she spoke solemnly.

"Ah, you must not know, Ferda. That child isn't my spawn, but a Silver Dragon's spawn."

"Ah..."

"She was a loyal child to me, so it's understandable why one might make that misunderstanding."

"Yes..."

It was something he had known all along.

Ferda was only surprised because of the word 'return'.

"Dragon spawns are families connected by blood. To Luri, her family is Silverwind's spawns."

"Are you saying Luri should return to the embrace of her family?"

"There is nothing as precious as family, is there?"

Precious family.

It was a topic far removed from Ferda.

He had been tormented by his family and ultimately abandoned.

The root of Ferda's vengeance was his family, and in the end, he returned everything they had done to him.

And now that all those emotions had been resolved, he didn't care at all anymore.

But what about Luri?

Ferda didn't know what Luri thought.

Luri cared for Valdrova.

However, compared to the bloodline connected to Silverwind, it might be insignificant.

This might be her move to sever ties with Valdrova using this opportunity.

Since she hadn't appeared even when the future Ferda tore out Valdrova's heart, that might very well be the case.

"Luri might want that, but..."

Ferda looked up at Valdrova and asked.

"Do you want that?"

Instead of answering right away, she turned her head toward the sky.

Her hand resting on the railing curled into a small fist.

It wasn't an easy thing.

"I'm the one who tied that child down here. If there is a way for her to return... I have to let her go."

"..."

"And..."

Valdrova looked down at Ferda.

"I have a proper fiancé now, don't I?"

Ferda felt an indescribable tightness wrap around his chest.

It made him question an issue that had already been concluded.

‘Is it really okay to take Luri to the Grand Council?’

In the end, Ferda made his decision.

"I understand."

"Will you take Luri with you?"

"Yes. Since you have said that much, how could I refuse?"

"Ah, yes, thank you."

She nodded her head in a dazed manner.

With one topic coming to an end, a heavy silence tried to plop down and take a seat again.

"The Grand Council..."

Valdrova carefully kicked that rear end away.

"I've always heard that it's held, but I didn't even know what happens there."

"Are you curious?"

"I'm incredibly curious. Isn't it a place where all races gather to discuss peace for this continent? Of course I can't help but wonder what kinds of things are talked about there!"

Valdrova's helmet whipped around to look at Ferda as she asked.

"By any chance, when you return, Ferda, could you tell me the stories of what happened there?"

Although it was hidden by the helmet, he could tell what she was anticipating.

Like a young child listening to a tale of heroes uniting under the light to defeat the darkness.

Like a pristine field of snow piled up in the cold winter.

It was a dazzling innocence.

"The stories won't exactly be pleasant to hear."

"U-Why is that?"

A voice laced with bewilderment.

Ferda realized he had made a mistake.

But it was spilt milk.

It was too late to stay silent or make up an excuse.

So, he told her the truth as he knew it.

"They are not the sort to have such convenient discussions. They are simply too busy looking out for their own interests."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. So please do not set your expectations too high."

He concluded his words with difficulty.

Valdrova quietly looked down at him.

‘What kind of expression is she making?’

‘Is she staring blankly with her mouth open in shock,’

‘Or is she shedding tears, unable to overcome those feelings?’

"Do you know, Ferda..."

The reply that returned was a woman's calm voice, free of tears.

"Do you know what it was like when Godwin rose to destroy this world?"

There was no way he would know.

Because it was an event that had occurred 150 years ago, an era that not even Ferda's grandfather had experienced.

"When Godwin plunged the world into chaos, the first ones to give up were us."

"You mean the dragons?"

Valdrova nodded.

It was a story that didn't inspire much emotion in Ferda.

But if a scholar in Escolaia had heard this story, the academic world would have been turned upside down.

As if realizing she had slipped up again, Valdrova covered her mouth.

She looked around for no reason and carefully whispered.

"Everything I'm telling you right now is a secret, okay?"

"I will take it to my grave."

"Anyway... the conclusion at the time was that compromising with chaos was the most ideal countermeasure. The long-lived races, like the dwarves and elves, were all in the mood to accept that compromise, too."

But that must not have happened.

If that compromise had been reached, the far east wouldn't have become a land where demonic forces were driven out and left to spew their filth.

"But there was only one race that didn't."

This part was a story Ferda knew as well.

"The humans were the first to rise up."

She neatly folded her hands together and held them to her chest.

"Because they did not compromise, because their swords did not forgive the demonic forces, we realized there was still hope on the continent, and that is why peace returned to this land."

Ferda understood in his heart what Valdrova was thinking as she reminisced about those past days.

It was respect.

Dragons and humans.

Long-lived races and short-lived races.

Immortals and mortals.

While humans might respect and revere dragons, it was unheard of for dragons to respect humans.

However, Valdrova was different.

"Even if their eyes are currently clouded by greed, in the most important moments, they will fight against the demonic forces. So..."

Valdrova's head gently looked down at Ferda.

The red armor bathed in the moonlight shone truly nobly.

"I will love them."

It was then.

The chemical reaction occurring in his head led Ferda into unknown territory.

The helmet forged in the likeness of a dragon's head,

The figure of the delicate woman hiding inside it began to appear to him.

Hope resided in her two eyes.

And that hope was smiling.

"Ah."

Ferda let out a foolish exclamation.

It felt as though he had been flying high in the sky, only to plummet straight down.

The impact of falling from the boundless sky was immeasurable.

"Ferda?"

"..."

"Are you alright? Why aren't you saying anything...?"

Valdrova checked Ferda's complexion in a fluster.

Ferda, who had been quietly staring at her, opened his mouth.

"Just once."

"Pardon??"

"Could you show me that dragon visage just one more time?"

"D-Dragon visage? U-Uh, you mean my face...??"

"Yes. Your face."

Ferda's hand unconsciously reached for Valdrova's helmet.

Valdrova jumped in surprise and fiercely guarded her helmet.

"N-No! I-I can't show you my face yet!"

"I beg of you. Please, just one more time, show me that dragon visage..."

"I-I said you can't! Don't come any closer!"

When he took a step forward, she took a step back.

It was Valdrova who broke the cycle of the chase that felt like it would go on forever.

"I'm sorryyyy!!"

With her apology, Valdrova disappeared into the darkness.

All that remained was the lingering warmth where she had stood.

Ferda, his face flushed with fever as if intoxicated by that warmth, stared blankly at the spot where he had last seen her.

A breeze blew in through the open window.

It was woefully insufficient to cool Ferda's heat.

He looked up at the moon again.

A full moon.

However, in his feverish heart, there was nowhere for thoughts of his mother to squeeze in.

But unlike at first, he had nothing to worry about.

The emotion dwelling within Ferda's chest was spinning crimson.