Dragonlord Ep 136. I Did? (4)

Ep 136. I Did? (4)

Ep 136. I Did? (4)

When Asarda’s formless sun had fallen, nurous campfires instead illuminated Chell. Even though it was only early evening, the lack of sunlight made it seem later than it actually was.

An oily scent of roasted at wafted about the surrounding atmosphere as the people sang in celebration of their guardian deity’s appearance. With all the food that fell out of the skies bolstering the people’s festivity, Asardans continued to flock to the orange-haired girl and the feathered professor that guarded her side.

“…”

Light’s disinterested eyes stared into one of the fires feeding off the oil that was dripping into the blaze. Sitting alone on a polished tree trunk, the half girl emptily watched on as the festivity continued throughout Chell.

Eventually, Serenis would take notice of the half girl sitting in her loneso, walking over to stand by her side.

“All by yourself? Where did Ilias go?”

“…Over there.”

The dragonlord’s gaze followed where Light was pointing to a peculiar wooden table. A ring of warriors surrounded it, laughing and cheering at the two sitting across from each other.

On one side sat a burly Asardan, his muscles chiseled beyond what Serenis would’ve thought possible in a human body. Compared to Patrick, the warrior was at least twice as tall, and triple in width; he was the epito of a giant.

And on the opposite side sat a skinny purple-haired youngling, grinning back in confidence at the sweating warrior. Their hands were locked against each other upon the table, seemingly in a contesting manner.

Even as the surrounding crowd watched in anticipation, Serenis only frowned at the sight, unable to understand what was going on.

“…What are they doing?”

“You’ve never seen people arm wrestle?”

“No. Is that so sort of sport?”

“Yeah, it’s where you…well…do that. Each person tries to bring down the other person’s hand onto the table.”

“A contest of strength, then?”

“Pretty much.”

“I see…how co you’re not joining? Ilias seems to be having fun.”

Light pursed her lips at the dragonlord’s last comnt. Her eyes darted between the sitting warrior’s arm – which was practically as thick as her waist – and her own, which may as well be a twig in comparison.

Finally, she turned to Serenis with narrowed, twitching eyes.

“…You’re joking, right?”

“Perhaps.”

A loud bashing noise interrupted their chat, followed by another series of gasps and cheers. The defeated warrior was rubbing his aching arm, the crowd cheering on the youngling’s seemingly never-ending winning streak.

While another warrior arose to challenge the red dragon, Light let out a small, tired sigh.

“They don’t know when to give up…I hope no one gets hurt.”

“I’m sure Ilias is controlling herself. That table wouldn’t have lasted otherwise.”

The half girl nodded in agreent, studying her sister a while longer. Given all the years Ilias had spent living alongside people in Partivine, she had little doubt that the youngling would keep herself under control.

Though, there was another dragon in the party – one that Light couldn’t really trust to keep themselves under control.

“…By the way, where’s Raizel?”

“She’s gone outside to find a place to sleep. She wasn’t fond of all the noise here.”

“…Wild animal.”

“Hm?”

“Nothing, nothing.”

Light let out a sheepish laughter at her own comnt. As scary as Raizel had been at first, the steel dragon had since grown on her; now, she could throw around comnts about the steel dragon as she would a long friend.

Serenis bead a soft smile at the sight of Light’s laughter.

“Are you feeling a little better?”

“What do you an? I wasn’t feeling bad or anything.”

“About your ho, I an.”

“…Oh.”

Light blinked twice, opening her mouth a few tis to say sothing back. But when nothing ca out, the half girl let out a pained groan instead, rubbing her head as she stared up into the murky night sky.

“…I don’t know. I do feel better, but…I’m not sure if that’s because I’m okay or because I’m just far away from ho. Ever since you appeared, too much happened too quickly.”

“…I apologize if that’s the case.”

“I don’t an to bla you. If anyone’s to bla, it’s…”

A number of phrases brushed past Light’s mind – alongside a single na of a peculiar divinity.

Every to she’d read, the Twelve were described as benevolent, essential beings to their world: deities that mankind could not do without. Not a single text would attest to the horrors she’d experienced, as if it was unthinkable for a deity to be evil in the first place.

Not even the one that had claid the lives of all her friends and family.

“…You know, before, I used to think deities were all nice people. I even thought it’d be cool to et them.”

“…”

“But now that I’ve actually seen what they’re like, I don’t know what to think of them anymore. All the books say they’re supposed to be fair and just…that a long ti ago, they protected us from the evil demonlords. Can you believe that? You’re not even half as evil as what the books say.”

“…Are you disappointed?”

Light let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head in response.

“…Not at you. I’m more disappointed that our deities weren’t really…trustworthy. A deity took away all my friends and family, but I’m not even allowed to talk about it back ho…and even if I ntion his na, nobody believes anyways.”

“Ilias believes you, does she not?”

“…”

“So does Karas.”

A brief silence settled in as Light slowly shifted her gaze towards the dragonlord. Serenis wasn’t looking back at her, but the resolute glow in their eyes mirrored the confidence she held for her sister and teacher.

“Believe in those that believe in you, child. For they will never bring you harm.”

“…”

A brief pause followed as Light drew up those that she believed in.

Finally, the half girl bead a faint grin as she answered the dragonlord.

“…I believe you too.”

“Hm?”

“I still think you’re a weirdo, but…you’re pretty okay for a demonlord. You get along well with everyone. Raizel’s…a little scary, but I believe her too.”

Serenis widened her eyes at the unexpected comnt. A soft grin gradually replaced her surprise as she nodded in agreent.

“Is that so? I’m glad.”

Thud!

Another arm fell to the table as Ilias brought down yet another challenger. The red dragon’s triumph and the bout of deafening cheers she roused were quick to fill any silence.

“…Hey, Serenis?”

“Hm?”

“You said you’ve died before, right? What was your life like before then?”

Upon hearing the question, Serenis finally turned her eyes to et the half girl’s.

“…Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. You’re a demonlord, that must’ve been sothing.”

“…Being a demonlord didn’t necessarily change the way I lived. It was rely a title bestowed upon us by others. The life I’ve led was mostly uneventful.”

“Pft, no way. If that’s true, then why’re you going around looking for deities now? You must have a reason, right?”

“…Atonent, I suppose.”

“Atonent? Did you do sothing wrong?”

The dragonlord’s eyes slowly sealed shut, turning away to avoid the half girl’s inquisitive gaze.

She gave her answer in the most neutral voice she could muster. Yet even so, Serenis couldn’t prevent her voice from shaking ever so slightly.

“That’s right. I’ve wronged…far too many to count.”

“…”

Once upon a ti, the cheers and laughter that filled her world were that of her brethren’s.

When Serenis closed her eyes, she could almost paint her world anew – the sa world she’d lived and breathed in, thousands of years ago.

And while Light couldn’t stare into the dragonlord’s mind, she could at least discern that the topic wasn’t the most pleasant one for her peculiar friend.

“…You know, I’m not the one to talk, but…you should look after yourself sotis.”

“…?”

“Ilias told that a couple days ago. She got worried because I was crying so much. But, see…I think you need that advice more than I do.”

Serenis wore a puzzled expression when her eyes opened back. She glanced towards the half girl who seed strangely confident in their words.

“And what is it that makes you think so? I can’t say I recall crying in front of you.”

“Well, maybe not on the outside, but…I don’t know, it just feels like you are sotis. You have this really weird…aura. It was like this ever since I t you.”

Blinking in evident surprise, Serenis let out an amused snort as she looked away.

“…The extent to which you can read others is quite staggering. I dare say even the deity of emotions would be shocked at your vigilance.”

“Blegh…what kinda deity is that? I bet it’s another weirdo.”

“…It’s Aldrid’s son.”

“…I never said anything.”

Chortle laughter mixed into the sounds of burning firewood as the night deepened. Amidst in the warmth of fires and festivities, even their harshest of mories felt a little lighter.

And for so others, the entire night was a walk down mory lane.

✧ ✧ ✧

Karas sat cross-legged and cross-ard, watching the forr deity from a distance.

Truth be told, the professor had no choice but to watch from a distance. He could only cut through the swarming crowd so many tis. Unless he resorted to brute force, Ayia was practically impossible to get to.

Surrounded by Asardans that flocked to her with offerings and praises, Ayia lost herself in a nostalgic night of being worshipped.

“Lady Ayia!”

“…Mm?”

When she’d first been sward with the people’s attention, Ayia had been, admittedly, on edge. She’d been reluctant to speak, much less touch others or accept their offerings.

After hours of continued attention, however, Asarda’s guardian was starting to lose her alertness – enough to allow a little boy to walk up to her unhard.

“I heard you saved us from the empire! Thank you!”

“…Mhm. You’re welco.”

Ayia answered the excited boy in a surprisingly warm voice. She’d even bent down on one knee to et the child’s eyes, nodding back at his delighted grin.

…After the first two hours of arguing against her own people, Ayia had since accepted the role of being called their savior.

In her defense, she’d tried to correct them nurous tis – that their savior wasn’t her, but the crow-headed monster and his party of dragons. But her efforts were sabotaged by that very crow himself; the dragons didn’t seem one bit interested in stepping in to correct the Asardans, either.

Apparently, that all translated to Ayia having to answer to the people’s gratitude by herself.

…Not that she was complaining.

Ayia patiently waited as the boy frantically rummaged his pockets. He soon produced a small, colorless flower to offer to the deity before him.

“Here! This is for you!”

“…”

As Ayia accepted the flower, her eyes quietly stared into its colorless petals. Even though it wasn’t particularly pretty or noteworthy, she found the item more srizing than any other.

She’d received mountains of gifts by now – as rare as flowers were in Asarda, it didn’t make sense to give it any more aning than the other offerings she’d received. Even though it was the boy’s most prized possession, even he hadn’t thought that his guardian deity would make much out of his offering.

And so, the boy was quite surprised when Ayia prompted him further about the peculiar plant.

“What flower…is this?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s a moonbloom!”

“…A moonbloom…”

Despite the familiarity of the na, nowhere in Vulka’s mories could she find traces of the flower she held. A dragonlord had no use for a flower’s na.

And yet, Ayia had always known its na.

Always.

- ‘Lady Ayia? What’s wrong?’

- ‘Yuris, I…I think I killed the flower you gave …’

- ‘Oh? Haha, please, there’s no need to cry! It’s not dead. It’s just asleep.’

- ‘But…but the petals are all withered and colorless. It wasn’t like this when you gave it to …’

- ‘That’s because the sun has risen, my lady. You see, moonblooms only bloom when there’s just the right amount of light –like the full moon we had last night. When there’s too much or too little light, it’ll fall asleep.’

“…”

Slowly, Ayia raised her gaze into the distant night sky.

With no moons or stars, the only source of light nearby were the nurous campfires around her – none of which the small flower in her hand could see. The bloom resting within her palm was completely devoid of light.

With a gentle smile, Ayia then hovered her other hand over the colorless bloom, summoning a small, orange ember to levitate above it.

She’d done this before. Thousands of tis.

Vulka hadn’t. But she had.

“Woah…!”

The boy marvelled at the sight unfolding before his eyes. The flower he’d believed to be colorless from birth was slowly gaining hue, its translucent petals being shaded in a vibrant orange. It raised its head towards the small ember glowing above, feeding off the light that shone upon it.

When the flower had regained its proper form, Ayia let out a satisfied sigh. At the sa ti, the boy bounced his arms up and down in excitent from his guardian deity’s magical display.

“Th…the flower ca back to life!”

“It was only asleep. It just needed so light.”

A soft smile curved Ayia’s lips as she reminisced the flowerbeds that she’d once spent her days in.

As much as she taught her followers, she, too, had learned from them – especially about how to take care of Asarda’s wildlife. She’d gave her utmost effort in maintaining her holand’s vibrant atmosphere, both for herself and her people.

‘…That’s right. Back then, nights like these were unthinkable.’

No matter the ti of day, one would always be able to raise their gaze and see sothing glowing in the sky. The sun, the moon, or the stars that accompanied them – they all served to guide her people, and illuminate the land that housed them.

Asarda had never seen such murky skies – not until their guardian deity had ceased to care after her people.

“…”

Ayia retreated her flas, blowing softly on the flower in her grip. Then, she handed the gift back to the boy before her, placing it into his little hands.

“Huh? Lady Ayia?”

“Take it with you – it’ll stay this way, at least for tonight. Let everyone know what a moonbloom truly looks like.”

“But…I don’t have anything else to offer you…”

Smiling, Ayia gently rubbed the boy’s head.

“That’s okay. You’ve given sothing far more precious.”

The people had always been grateful for their guardian deity’s efforts.

And, to this day, they hadn’t forgotten who their guardian deity was. Even when Ayia herself had forgotten, they’d passed their tales through songs and stories to rember Asarda’s halcyon days.

And because they hadn’t forgotten, they were able to remind their guardian of who she once was.

✧ ✧ ✧

Karas sat in silence, watching the series of gift-giving between Ayia and her followers. His hands rapidly flew across his notepad as he furiously recorded the transpiring events like any historian would – all the while keeping the silent conversation within his head.

‘Good, she’s seeing progress. So the hypothesis was correct.’

‘…Really? It was that easy? Are you fucking kidding ?’

‘Don’t celebrate just yet. She’s far from fully recovered.’

‘Slaver, you don’t understand! She’s been beyond saving for centuries, you can’t just – oh, I don’t even know anymore.’

‘…That begs the question…just what HAVE you tried to restore Ayia’s mories?’

‘I left her be in her temple.’

‘…’

‘What? She’d have anger bursts every ti I’d appear. What else was I supposed to do?’

‘I’m glad you’re dead. For her sake.’

Although Felicir was resting inside the professor’s head, the Reaper’s spirit was internally rolling his eyes.

He didn’t have eyes anymore. But he’d roll them if he could.

‘You know what else pisses off, slaver? The fact that your stupid dragonlord was hellbent on killing , and yet she’s leaving Ayia be. This is discrimination! We’re both deities!’

‘…Did Ayia abuse her divinity like you?’

‘What? No. She hardly knew how to wield her divinity.’

‘Then, did Ayia torture others as you did?’

‘I did no such thing! I rely executed the most efficient of thods to preserve the Twelve’s rule.’

‘Lastly, are you a dragonkin like Ayia?’

‘? Of course not. That’s disgusting.’

‘…And yet you’ve the mind to question why Serenis discriminated you. Interesting.’

Another series of complaints reverberated through Karas’ head.

Fortunately, he was growing used to ignoring the Reaper’s voice.