The Emperor Who Was Chapter 41 : Chapter 41

Chapter . 41

I was so choked up that no words ca out. I thought he would jump for joy like , but his words, sounding like it didn't feel real, broke my heart.

"......."

"...Right, it's real. Your feeling is correct."

"I wandered that maze again and again, and again. From the exit back to the exit... Then when I fell asleep, I had a strange dream. I woke up in surprise and heard your voice. Or maybe your voice ca first..."

He didn't seem like the usual Michelon. Just as he had escaped the barrier now, it seed he shouldn't stay trapped in the egg any longer either. It was better to hatch quickly.

How on earth did he endure it alone before the regression, when it took much longer to hatch than now? Did he end up falling for my words because it was just too hard?

"H-Hang in there. I'm here."

I don't know how to say important things to a being I want to be friends with. The words that flowed so easily when fighting enemies were difficult now.

"...Where is this?"

"Inside the Imperial Palace. We moved via the magic circle from the palace courtyard where you were."

"......."

Michelon, who was silent for a mont, asked.

"Where are you taking

now?"

"To my room. I will hide you with invisibility magic."

"Do it quickly."

Michelon seed to be in a hurry for so reason. Enough to spare even his words. Perhaps...

I returned to my quarters holding the egg with invisibility magic cast on it. Even using flight magic, it was hard because the egg was so large and heavy.

Since Michelon had been trapped in the barrier for so long, I hesitated to use any magic other than what was absolutely necessary, such as weight-lightening magic.

I placed the dragon egg on the bed in my quarters, gasping for breath as I drank a potion. This wasn't the ti for this, so why does my body always hold

back?

First, I made sure no sound could leak out, then I stroked the egg and spoke to it.

"We've arrived. You don't have to worry. Just rest."

Actually, I was the one who wanted to rest. But Michelon spoke.

"You, is the promise not to brand

real?"

"Yeah."

"Even if I hatch now, are you saying there are no wizards hiding and waiting to brand or imprison ?"

"I'm the only wizard here. And I won't brand you either. Shall I swear on my magic?"

"Don't. You have to protect

with your magic until I grow."

"Just keeping the promise is enough."

"Do you think changing a tradition kept for so long is simple? Who can guarantee what might happen if things go wrong?"

"Indeed, you are wise, Michelon."

"Am I a kid? Shut up."

"If your temper is twisted, your tongue gets twisted too."

"Shut up, and swear on sothing other than magic."

"What?"

"Are you stupid? You have to bet sothing precious to you."

"If we're talking about things precious to , there's you, magic, Nanette, Sir Rolf, about that much, but among these, I have nothing to bet but magic."

I haven't t my master yet, so it's not a lie not to ntion him.

"......."

"Ah, shall I bet my neck?"

"...Forget it."

Then, after a mont of silence, Michelon said sothing unexpected.

"Move."

"What?"

"I said move."

For a mont, I didn't understand what he wanted

to do, but then the egg shook. It slowly began to crack.

Startled, I hugged the egg. How am I supposed to raise this kid who causes trouble the mont he makes up his mind, without even a word of warning! Nanny! Mother!

As the brilliantly golden egg cracked, pieces of the shell began to fall away. I hugged that wildly shaking egg tightly. Just like before the regression.

And just like back then, I heard the suppressed groan of the young dragon hatching from the egg. A sound that couldn't be heard unless you held the shaking egg with all your might, unless you pressed your face and ear against the shell.

I didn't know how to soothe him then, and I didn't know now.

"You can cry if it hurts. I will listen."

So I just said the words I wanted to hear.

However, that groan actually stopped for a mont, and light burst out from the center of the egg. Then, with a CRACK, it began to split in half. I hurriedly cleared away the splitting fragnts.

Finally, the shaking stopped and the dragon egg broke completely. And in that spot, a baby dragon stood tall. Gold from head to toe, with small horns and wings bigger than his body. My dragon.

"Michelon!"

I rushed in and hugged him tight. He was damp, slippery, bumpy, and warm.

"......."

Michelon was held silently. Trembling occasionally, with his eyes still closed.

Before long, his eyelids slowly rose, and his vertical golden eyes flashed open.

The exact sa eyes as back then.

"I really missed you, Michelon..."

"...Leontes."

"Yeah, it's . Your voice is hoarse. Did it hurt a lot?"

"My voice is hoarse? You are bleeding right now!"

"Ah, sorry, blood got on your body."

"Why are you bleeding?"

"It's nothing."

A dragon egg doesn't feel like marble for no reason; the shell is thick and the edges of the fragnts are sharp. I had been cut while hugging the egg or clearing away the pieces.

I healed myself hurriedly.

"Look, it got better imdiately, right?"

"...Your lips are pale. Drink a magic potion or sothing."

"Ah, right."

I summoned a magic potion and held it out to Michelon.

"I said you drink it!"

"I already drank so."

"Drink more!"

When an adult tells you to drink, just drink.

"You are a kind child to yield. But consider the sincerity of the person offering."

I forced a smile and pushed it back toward him, but Michelon stared at

piercingly, snatched the bottle, and opened the stopper. I thought he was going to drink it, but he shoved the bottle right into my mouth.

"Ugh!"

"Are you a kid? Don't spill it happily."

I almost choked, but I gulped down the potion, wiped what had flowed slightly down my chin, and took a deep breath.

That is a kid... A kid, but a kid who hates hearing he's a kid... Why? Because he's a kid.......

Soday, I must teach him the beauty of this logic.

On the bed, Michelon looked around and asked.

"Is this your room?"

"Yes, let's stay together until you grow up. Ah, aren't you hungry? I'll prepare food."

I stood up, but in the next mont, sothing flew from behind and wrapped around my ankle. I fell right back onto the bed. Michelon's tail, which had been wrapped around my ankle, unwound and returned to its place. I wanted to grab that tail, hang him upside down from the ceiling, and shake him out.

"I'm sleepy so don't make a fuss. Don't move and just sleep."

Then the baby dragon stretched out his four paws and fell asleep, snoring with a PURR PURR sound.

I'll endure it because he's cute. He won't be cute when he grows up, so let's endure it now.

As I repeated deep breaths to suppress my anger, I eventually fell asleep too.

***

Early in the morning, sothing poked

repeatedly.

I opened my eyes to find the rude baby dragon poking my stomach with his tail.

"Finally opening your eyes?"

"...Michelon, you shouldn't poke a sleeping person with a tail to wake them."

"I can't stab you with a sword to wake you. Since you'd sleep forever."

"...Michelon, my dead nanny said this. That the hardest ti raising

as a baby was when I had eaten, slept, had my diaper changed, had everything done, and wasn't sick, but still cried. A baby who couldn't even say why he was crying."

"What does that have to do with ?"

"You aren't a newborn, but it's the sa that you can't say what you're dissatisfied about. Here, don't use bad words because you're angry, and speak calmly."

The vertical pupils in Michelon's eyes contracted and expanded. Small steam leaked out of his nostrils like a boiling kettle, PUFF PUFF. They say babies are cute even when they cry, and my nanny wasn't wrong about anything.

"...Since my temper is originally like this, you adjust, Prince."

"I am adjusting, aren't I? I'm not hanging your tail from the ceiling or anything."

"If I suffer such things, would I contract with you, Prince?"

As Michelon snorted, a round smoke ring rose up from his nose with a POOF. Like a tiny chimney.

But this wasn't the ti to think he was cute.

"Even if we don't contract, you will be a good kid, right?"

"Who are you calling a kid!"

"You can use casual language. If you speak nicely."

I wanted to be friends with Michelon, so I didn't desire polite language. But what he needs right now is a nanny. Still, I wanted a close relationship without standing on ceremony.

"Forget it!"

Michelon switched to casual speech while getting angry. He grumbled, but he did what he was told well enough. Now I just have to raise him well.

"Prince, are you awake?"

Just then, Sir Rolf knocked on the door. I decided to cast invisibility magic on Michelon, wash up first, and then have breakfast.

"I have things to think about today, so I will eat alone in the bedroom."

"Yes, then let's eat lunch together, Prince!"

Nanette spoke energetically, but I lacked a reply.

Fortunately, Sir Rolf looked at

and Nanette alternately, then took the child out.

"Nanette, there might often be tis like this in the future..."

Amplifying my hearing, I heard his voice quietly explaining things to Nanette beyond the closed door.

"He is a knight but good at childcare too, he is a genius."

When I marveled, Michelon, who was sitting majestically on his tail coiled like a cushion, rolled his white eyes. Even though his golden eyes were pretty.

"What are you saying?"

"That person has to raise you too."

"Is that nonsense pretty language? Shut up and just eat."

Michelon ate well. I had ordered for two, but it wasn't enough, so I had to order more. Nanette, who was already surprised when I ordered two servings, spoke upon seeing the dishes that arrived again.

"I've never seen the Prince eat this much! Are you going to beco thick like Sir Rolf now? Like a rock?"

I had no words to answer, but Michelon giggled.

"Y-Yeah, I'm eating a lot to do that. If I think a lot, I get very hungry."

"Yes, please eat a lot!"

However, Sir Rolf, who was truly surprised, only blinked his eyes and said nothing. It certainly must look suspicious, but it couldn't be helped for the ti being.

"Cute kid. Speaks very nicely, huh?"

As soon as the door closed, Michelon giggled again.

"Kid. She is older than you. Call her big sister."

"Do you know how long I spent in the egg? You call

big brother!"

Michelon went KYAAK, puffing out smoke and hitting the floor with his tail, THUMP THUMP. I shouldn't try to teach him while eating; it's bad for digestion.

However, as soon as the al was over, Michelon demanded abruptly.

"Tell

everything that happened so far."

"I told you everything."

"Say it again. From start to finish. Including what happened right before you summoned ."

Co to think of it, back then I didn't have the ti to visit Michelon separately and tell him stories like usual.

The story that began while drinking tea only ended when the teapot was empty. Michelon, who had been drinking with his snout buried in a large cup, asked.

"The camouflage branding you ntioned, how will you do it?"

When I explained, wrinkles ford on the bridge of his nose.

"Will that be possible?"

"I will definitely manage it. You tell

when you decide to contract."

"First, take

to where the throne is. Where we were yesterday."

"Why? We don't necessarily have to contract there."

Of course, doing it there was the standard. But if a civil war broke out like before the regression, the thod was to contract with the dragon first elsewhere, and then complete the contract to beco the master of the magic circle after ascending the throne.

"Why do you keep asking? If you want to contract with , do as I say."