C 165
Miss, the high priest is waiting.
Yes, I will go.
I, who had been lying dazed, suddenly got up at Laurent's words.
A whole day had passed, and I had no idea what happened yesterday.
"Is this some kind of bad joke from the star guardian?"
Richard might not know, but it didn't seem like Lucilion, who was under God's protection, was caught in the star guardian's bad joke.
So, how do I explain all of this?
"They both like me..."
I had actually noticed Richard's strange obsession. So, when Richard confessed, it didn't surprise me as much.
But Lucilion was truly unexpected.
Since he had never shown any rational hints, I thought he was just a friend.
"Well, for a certain friend..."
Would you come to another world and stay with him for three years?
When I think about it, Lucilion's feelings become understandable.
"Love..."
It's not like I haven't thought about being with someone for the rest of my life.
I wanted to be an adult and have a harmonious family. I wanted to have children and live a normal life.
However, in reality, I was close to giving up because the situation around me wasn't very favorable.
I'm not just a dragon, but I'm from another world, and I'm also the head of a duke's family.
You could say that normal family life has disappeared.
That's what I thought.
"Good morning, Eirin."
When I opened the door to the room and walked in, Lucilion smiled and greeted me.
It was a peaceful face that showed no worries, concerns, or embarrassment.
I felt a bit embarrassed because I felt like I was the only one who thought and worried about what happened yesterday.
"Yes, thank you for coming."
"Yes, I learned what you said after praying to Arma."
"Really? It still exists?"
"Yes, he said the Verdant Mirror is hidden in the ruins of the underground castle of an ancient temple."
"The underground castle of an ancient temple?"
"Yes. He said that if you win the bet with the guardian guarding the temple entrance, you can obtain the Verdant Mirror."
"Bet? What kind of bet is this?"
"He said it's a riddle. He also added that you have to figure out what it is."
Lucilion frowned and replied.
It was clear that something was not working properly with Arma. But for now, it was enough for me.
"That's enough."
"So I guess I'll have to go away for a while. Is that okay?"
"I'll go with you."
Lucilion's expression darkened slightly at my words.
"I don't want to take you to any place that might be dangerous."
"Yes, but I'll go because it's my job."
Lucilion pursed his lips at my resolute words. He let out a brief sigh and shrugged.
"I'll use the divine power portal in the temple, so I don't think it will take much time."
"But why are you leaving me behind?"
"Arma laughed."
He laughed?
Why is that a problem?
When I looked at him puzzled, Lucilion clicked his lips a couple of times and then fell silent.
"Lucy?"
"Yes."
"Why did you stop talking?"
"Oh..."
He glanced quickly and opened his mouth.
"When Arma laughs, something annoying and exhausting always happens."
What on earth could that god do to his most devoted believer to be rated like that?
"Eirin."
"Yes?"
"Once you get there, could you not leave my side?"
"Look, everyone seems to be forgetting, but originally I'm a dragon..."
Whatever the case, I won't die.
All sorts of history books describe how strong dragons are, and in fact, I'm now resistant to most things.
"That doesn't mean you won't get hurt."
"... What?"
"I don't want you to get sick," he said.
He slowly extended his hand and lightly stroked my cheek.
"Even if it doesn't leave the slightest scar."
Lucilion's voice grew even softer. Lucilion always looked at me with a bright expression, so I couldn't get used to an atmosphere like this.
"That doesn't mean it's nothing to you."
"...I'll be careful."
Only after hearing my response did Lucilion narrow his eyes into a half-moon shape.
"So, should we head to the temple first?"
"Yes."
When we joined our outstretched hands, a halo of pure white light connected and created something like a passage.
I closed my eyes tightly due to the blinding light. And when I opened my eyes again, I was in the temple.
To be precise, it was one of the empty rooms in the temple.
A room with a single bed, a desk, and a small bookshelf.
It was a desolate room, unadorned and nothing more than a desk, a chair, and a bed.
"We have to walk a bit from here. I only marked the location of my room."
"Your room?"
"Yes."
"This is your room?"
"Yes..."
When I asked the question twice, Lucilion also seemed puzzled as if he felt something was strange.
"Why? Is there something uncomfortable?"
"It's not like that, but isn't there too little in the room?"
I thought my dad's room was rather bleak, but not to this extent.
Dad's room was a desert, but this wasn't even a desert; it was just a dry space where the ground had cracked due to severe drought.
"Because it's just a place to sleep."
"Yes, but..."
Anyway, isn't it really sad that there's only a desk, a bed, and a bookshelf?
I opened my mouth, but I thought it was an unnecessary intrusion, so I closed my mouth, and Lucilion let out a small laugh.
"So, please give me something as a gift."
"What?"
"If Eirin gives me something for my room, I'll keep it."
"Oh... Is that so? But is it okay? Wouldn't it be better to tell your subordinates?"
To be honest, it wasn't a room where I thought my cute favorite accessories would fit.
However, I'm not very good at interior design.
"I'll like it if Eirin does it."
"Really?"
"Yes. Every time I see it, I'll think of you."
My eyes widened at the sudden words that hit me. I turned my head to Lucilion with a puzzled expression, but he was already opening the door.
"Really..."
"Why?"
Lucilion's eyes curved.
"Because I don't play games where I lose."
"This isn't a game..."
"So surrender and get used to it."
Just as I was passing by him and about to walk out the door, Lucilion, who was whispering to me, lowered the upper part of his body and pressed his lips a little closer to my ear.
"When you regain your senses, you'll take my hand."
Whoosh, a whisper passed through my ears like the wind. As my body shivered with instinctive goosebumps, he extended his hand.
"Come on, Eirin."
"...Holding hands?"
"You might get lost."
Why would I get lost in the temple?
As I looked at him bewildered, Lucilion grinned mischievously and quickly took my hand and walked ahead of me.
"I've never been particularly greedy for anything since I was born."
"...What happened suddenly?"
"Everything we learned in the temple was that sharing is more important than possessing, and the superiors who taught us that were busy enriching themselves."
Lucilion gently clicked his lips. I felt a bit curious about his past after hearing it for the first time, so I pursed my lips.
"Yes, I wasn't particularly greedy for anything."
It seemed like I had seen this description before in "Adopted."
As he grew up seeing all the ugly things around him, he didn't give his heart to anything or desire it.
"But there's only one thing I long for."
"......"
"You're the only one in my life, Eirin."
His voice was soft, and he continued to walk slowly at the same pace.
Is it my imagination that our joined hands feel particularly warm?
"So I'll do anything to get it."
"Lucilion, I..."
"I'll always be there when you need something."
It sounded more like a declaration of war than a sweet confession.
So surrender.
It seemed like he was saying that.
"It was the first time I felt the emotion of greed, and I guess I'm a very greedy person."
He spoke darkly with the expression of a saint. He looked very different from the usual Lucilion.
His steps suddenly stopped.
"We've arrived, Eirin."
He smiled cheerfully as if he had never done that before and opened the tightly closed door.
Inside was a portal radiating so much light that it was hard to open your eyes.
