Chapter 107
It went without saying—my clingy Lycian had absolutely no intention of letting me out of his sight.
It took a full ten minutes to coax him into letting go.
And with the members of the Grastea Imperial Family watching us with open interest the entire time, I was dying of embarrassment.
“Muriel, you have to come back quickly. If Master isn’t here, this fox gets lonely.”
“I—I said I got it, so let go already! And don’t call me Master here…!”
“When you come back, you’ll hug me, pet me, kiss me….”
“I’ll do all of it, so just let me go!”
After a grueling struggle, I finally pried myself free from Lycian—the human leech—and followed the Emperor out into the rear garden.
The imperial garden was arranged in a natural style, with a tangle of plants growing in layered harmony.
“Well then. Did tonight’s banquet suit your tastes?”
“Yes, it was truly splendid! A feast befitting the dignity of the Grastea Empire’s imperial house—”
“Don’t be nervous. Speak comfortably. Think of me as your father.”
“F-Father….”
Was it really all right to think of him that way? The Emperor, of all people?
My heart thudded. As I swallowed nervously, the Emperor smiled gently at me.
“To be honest, when I first heard that Lycian had found his mate, I felt relieved. And yet, at the same time, I couldn’t help but worry.”
His soft voice continued.
“To one of dragon blood, a mate is the greatest blessing… and also no different from a reverse scale1.”
His expression, lost in thought, carried a faint bitterness.
I couldn’t be certain, but it was easy to guess that something must have happened involving the Empress or the Crown Princess.
‘But the Empress looked healthy… so maybe it’s the Crown Princess? She seemed listless throughout the banquet.’
“And you are a Purifier, are you not? There will be no end to those who covet your power. That will only make Lycian all the more wary.”
I nodded in agreement. Even now, Lycian was extremely sensitive to anyone who so much as hinted at wanting my abilities.
‘This is only the beginning… I’m more worried about Lycian than myself. He’s on edge every waking moment.’
…Maybe I should dote on him a little before bed. He’s a handful, but still.
“And Lycian as well… you must have heard. The Star Clan who call themselves the Witch of the Crescent Moon are after him.”
“Yes, I’ve heard….”
The Emperor let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head.
“But do you think that would make him quietly hide inside the palace? That child despises restraint. He wants to live freely. He slips away without guards and wanders wherever he pleases.”
‘Ah… right.’
Now that I thought about it, it was strange. Lycian was a prince—someone whose life could be threatened at any moment—yet he had shown up in the contaminated zone alone.
‘And it was all because of his reckless personality!’
This precious little fox brat really was a walking problem.
“No matter how I try to assign him guards, he refuses and shakes them off… Hah. Raising Lycian nearly gave me baldness I didn’t have before.”
“…….”
Your hair looks quite full to me…?
“In any case, it surprises me all the more. That such an unruly Lycian would willingly bind himself to you.”
The Emperor smiled at me.
He reached out and plucked a single white lisianthus blooming in the garden, then held it out to me.
“Do you know the meaning of the lisianthus? ‘An unchanging, pure love.’”
I accepted the flower quietly. Its delicate petals overlapped in lush layers.
“We of dragon blood… often say that a mate is a bond that began in a previous life.”
The Emperor’s hand reached toward me and gently stroked my hair.
“Whether that is truly so, I cannot say. But it means a being so precious that you loved them even in another life. A bond not merely of flesh, but of soul.”
“…….”
“Please take good care of Lycian, Muriel. Now that I have met you myself… you are such a kind and gentle child that I feel at ease.”
When I looked up, the Emperor’s face was no longer that of a ruler—but simply a father.
“And—ah, ahem! I don’t mean to burden you, but… I do hope you’ll marry soon and show me some grandchildren. A child who resembles the two of you would surely be adorable.”
“…….”
The elders of the imperial palace seemed rather prone to counting their chickens before they hatched.
Before parting with the Emperor, I made one request.
“Um, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to ask this of you… but it’s truly important to me, so… if possible….”
“What is it? Don’t hesitate. Speak freely.”
“…Could you obtain a Dragon’s Tear for me?”
The Emperor looked at me in surprise.
“A Dragon’s Tear? Why would you need such a thing?”
When asking something of someone above you, honesty was best. And there was no reason to lie.
So I answered plainly.
“A Dragon’s Tear is an ingredient for an Elixir. I need to make one.”
The Emperor’s eyes widened like full moons.
“An Elixir? That is….”
“Yes. The legendary panacea.”
A brief silence fell between us. He stared at me, then let out a soft, incredulous laugh.
Shaking his head, he said, “You truly are an unpredictable child. Why do you wish to make an Elixir?”
“Well, you may have already heard from Mr. Dante… but I am under the protection of a god. Recently, that god assigned me the task of creating an Elixir.”
At that, the Emperor’s expression turned strange.
After a moment, he nodded slowly and murmured, almost to himself,
“I see…. A Purifier was always meant to be a special existence. Not merely one who descends to cleanse corruption.”
“…?”
I didn’t understand what he meant, but after clearing his throat twice, the Emperor shifted the mood.
“I will do what I can to help you obtain a Dragon’s Tear. And I believe… ‘He’ will be pleased to meet you as well.”
“By ‘He’… do you mean the Dragon of Time?”
When I asked carefully, the Emperor looked at me with a satisfied smile—like a teacher regarding a clever student.
“Indeed. Most ancient dragons now slumber or remain in hiding, making them nearly impossible to meet. But the Founding Dragon at least responds to requests.”
That was wonderful news. It seemed meeting the Dragon of Time wouldn’t be as difficult as I had feared.
Beaming, I bowed deeply.
“Thank you very much, Your Majesty!”
“Ahem! Don’t be so stiff. Call me Father-in-law.”
“Y-Yes…! Father-in-law…!”
The Emperor promptly reached out again and ruffled my hair with enthusiasm.
While staying in the capital, Lycian and I were to reside in the Second Prince’s Palace.
After parting with the Emperor and making our way there, what awaited me was—
“…?”
Unexpectedly, it was the Crown Princess, Delphinia.
The Second Prince’s palace, Aegis Palace.
In the ancient tongue, Aegis meant “shield” or “protection.”
Delphinia was seated in the first-floor drawing room, sipping tea.
Lycian, the palace’s rightful master, appeared to have absented himself—no doubt unwilling to deal with her.
When I stepped inside and made my presence known, the Crown Princess glanced at me and rose from her seat.
“You’re here. I’ve been waiting.”
I had felt it during the banquet as well—an air of melancholy clung to her, as though she were submerged in deep water.
Whether it was due to illness… or something else entirely, I couldn’t tell.
“It’s good to see you again, Your Highness. The night is growing late… may I ask what brings you here?”
“…….”
When I asked with an awkward smile, she regarded me steadily.
Her gaze was so transparent it felt as though it could see straight through me.
“Sit first. There’s something I’m personally curious about.”
“O-Of course!”
I hurried to sit across from her.
After taking a sip of tea, she opened her mouth.
“Was it a forced imprinting?”
Footnotes
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역린: Reverse scale refers to the single inverted scale beneath a dragon’s chin, where touching it means instant death. Well-known idiom meaning someone’s greatest vulnerability. ↩