“You...”
I sat up. The red streak across his black eyes glead with a chill light. His appearance resembled young Yuhyun, but those eyes were unmistakably...
“...Black Dragon?”
“Once, yes. Though the mories continued, being newly born ans we’re not entirely the sa.”
His tone reminded of Yuhyun as a child—until about age eight he often spoke like this, as if observing the world from a detached distance. He still showed glimpses of that now and then.
So much of Yuhyun’s blood influenced him. Gyeol unexpectedly bore Seong Hyunjae’s mark, too—do I simply take after those I care about?
“Hm, this doesn’t seem to be reality.”
I couldn’t see Gyeol. Was this within my consciousness? The space around was empty void.
“Na . And my brother.”
“...Huh? Brother?”
Brother? Did he an that little rabbit–chinchilla–looking creature in his arms? Its fur was more of a pale wheat color—hardly the black of Kkumdong-i. Yet no other monster sibling existed, so perhaps the SS-rank beast used in their combination once had that form. Though its attributes faded over ti, its shape may have influenced the result. And it had been far higher rank.
The small, pale-furred beast wagged its long tail.
“Na us, now?”
Honestly, I wasn’t confident. Naming monsters I’d created felt weighty, and deciding alone felt...wrong.
“Na us.”
But the Black Dragon was resolute. Well...um...wrong. Only “Blackie” ca to mind... Since it could turn human, maybe a human na? They said not to use “Hyun” in the na, but it isn’t human... And “dragon” wasn’t quite right either.
“Do I really have to na you now? Absolutely?”
“You must receive your nas to depart.”
“What?”
The Black Dragon looked at icily.
“We’ll leave together, brother and I.”
“Wait, wait!”
“Don’t worry about the Overlord’s Sword. As I grow, the sword will grow too. We needn’t stay nearby.”
“It’s not the sword—I an, where would you even go? This world is new to you. You have no money, and you’re just children!”
“If I grow, I’m still inexperienced. Even if we reach S-rank, we’re newborns.”
“I acknowledge you as our father. But don’t try to act as our guardian.”
“No, but—”
“You’re unqualified to guard us.”
...Hearing those words from soone bearing Yuhyun’s face made my heart drop. My throat stung and I couldn’t retort.
“...I still... I’ve done my best.”
“I know you care for us and will try your hardest. But a guardian who might vanish at any mont is better not to exist from the start.”
“Vanish?”
“You care for your wards too much. They’re strong now, so it’s fine. But truly weak, ordinary beings can’t survive losing their guardian. Even if caring for the young is a guardian’s duty, in the end the guardian must save themselves first—so they can protect the survivors.”
“That’s—”
“A guardian must live for the children to live.”
It was true. In modern society, children lose so much when they lose parents. In the wild, a guardian’s absence ant certain death. Doing one’s best for a child is good, but if the guardian sacrifices themselves, both suffer.
“But I... how could I stay safe and just watch?”
How could I save myself first?
“If soone dear to is in danger, I must rush in.”
“So you’ll go. Father lives that way, but we don’t want to be dragged into it.”
There was no reproach in that tone. It was calm. I studied the Black Dragon. Would Yuhyun, never giving his heart, have spoken like this? Coldly weighing a guardian’s usefulness and acting with pure logic.
“...At least take what you need and go.”
Unlike before, I now had sothing to offer.
“You’ll need status, a ho, money in human form. If you awaken young, I can sponsor you through Dodam or Haeyeon. No need to be tied to —”
My chest tightened. This was right: if I couldn’t fully shoulder responsibility, I shouldn’t hold them back. Just as Yuhyun had to leave , I didn’t know my own fate. No matter how I struggled, the outco was uncertain.
So I had no right to keep the Black Dragon who chose to leave. Still, my eyes burned. Because he looked like Yuhyun.
“I’ll do everything I can for you. That’s not too little, right?”
—Pfuit!
Kkumdong-i, once black but now pale-furred, wriggled free from the Black Dragon’s arms and leapt to . It hopped around, tail thumping, glancing between us. The Black Dragon frowned.
“Now?”
—Pi, peep!
“...All right. Here—follow , and move your mana.”
With a gentle touch, the Black Dragon stroked the curled Kkumdong-i. The little beast transford into a child.
“Well done, brother! Practice a few more tis and you’ll master it.”
His pale beige hair and blue eyes weren’t typical Korean, but his face resembled my own childhood. Or rather—
“How...?”
“I taught him. Although my brother is a monster, he took much of my influence. So I could guide him into a human form. Being human has many advantages.”
“Dad!”
Kkumdong-i nestled against . Like that brief ti before, he rubbed my hair. I gently patted him and he bead. Smaller than the Black Dragon, he looked younger ntally too. Kkumdong-i had once been simple and naive.
“Co here, brother. We must go.”
The Black Dragon said, and Kkumdong-i shook his head.
“No. I don’t want to go. Don’t go either, brother.”
“...You’re siblings now? Created around the sa ti?”
“No.”
The Black Dragon soothed the whimpering Kkumdong-i.
“By our reckoning, you’re twin younger sister.”
“What? But you just called him brother.”
“That’s the word he hears most.”
Ah...no wonder Yuhyun always heard “brother” from him. Youngest siblings sotis use sister or brother regardless of gender.
“And I have no fixed gender.”
“...Huh?”
“Unique being, influenced by my blood toward masculinity, but not strictly male.”
Reaching for Kkumdong-i, the Black Dragon said:
“Let’s go. Good child, co now.”
“No. I like it with Dad. I wanted to co out quickly...”
Kkumdong-i’s voice trailed off into a whimper. Oh dear. As tears welled, the Black Dragon panicked.
“No, it’s because being beside Dad is dangerous. You can’t handle mana properly yet, you’re too weak.”
“Dad gave tasty things...”
“Brother did too. I’ll give you lots, okay?”
“...I like brother too.”
Then tears fell. The Black Dragon looked at , helpless.
“I’ve always been alone.”
His startled eyes darted like any frightened child. He truly loved his sibling. I swallowed a smile and patted Kkumdong-i’s back.
“It’s hard forcing a child to choose. It’s okay—stay with Dad. Brother won’t go either.”
A child holding treats in both hands, forced to give one away, often cries. So hold firm, but how could he choose between father and brother?
“As you said, I can’t promise to take full responsibility for him.”
I soothed Kkumdong-i and spoke softly.
“But I’ll do everything I can. That’s what guardians do—parents simply do their best.”
Perfect responsibility is nearly impossible for any person. We’re flawed. Many fail to care for themselves, let alone others. I had been one of them. Even my efforts might end poorly.
Yet Yuhyun loved to the end, and I loved him. Despite our shortcomings, we earned the title of perfect guardians. Not flawless, but our hearts never wavered.
“Let’s go ho. If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll prepare a separate room on the first floor. Let’s live together until your sister grows up. What’s the harm? You’ll have to adapt to a new place, and I need money to buy you toys, clothes, treats.”
“This place anyway—”
The Black Dragon sighed mid-sentence.
“It’s because of the blood. Otherwise I wouldn’t call you father. The blood’s master loves you so much it affects .”
Thanks to Yuhyun, he couldn’t treat cruelly.
“Is that why you care for this child?”
“No. The blood’s master only looks to you. It doesn’t matter to him. He’s simply my only sibling.”
Recalling his uniqueness: Kkumdong-i truly was the Black Dragon’s sole kin. Even as father, I was different—a lone family.
Kkumdong-i, dozing in my arms, soon reverted to his beast form. Small, soft, warm—curled into a ball, he fell completely asleep.
“I’ll na you both when we get ho. I’m not confident yet. And a pretty ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) na suits a sister, doesn’t it?”
He was a girl, after all, which shook my confidence further. Gyeol’s na ca easily. But naming a daughter like ...she’d only grow more different.
“All right. I’ll na you as soon as I can. You can’t function outside without nas. You clung to saying you had to help —”
“Oh...by the way.”
I looked at the scar on my palm, rembering the burning heat from wielding the Overlord’s Sword. So the Black Dragon helped because of Kkumdong-i’s plea.
“Thank you.”
“...We had to live too.”
“Just that,” the Black Dragon replied indifferently.
“And Father—though the fairy-dragon didn’t say, be careful.”
“Huh?”
“You’re better off not knowing.”
Before I could ask, the Black Dragon and sleeping Kkumdong-i vanished. My eyes opened again.
“...Oh.”
An unfamiliar ceiling lood. My limbs felt immobile. I didn’t know where I’d fallen, but it didn’t seem benevolent. Well, as long as I was on Earth, it’d be okay.
“Chatterbox kept his promise!”
A woman with long bright blonde hair exclaid happily.
“Though he seems dead, what of it? Preparation must be perfect.”
“Traps are set, S-ranks stand by. But is it enough? The target is the Sesung Guild Master.”
Park Hayul lowered her voice anxiously.
“I’m out. He might kill on sight!”
“Coward.”
“Besides, it’s nothing to do with . I just need to get back Brother Yujin.”
Hayul’s expression softened as she gazed into the air and spoke earnestly:
“I really like Brother Yujin! He’s so cool and so tragic! Because of the party, I like him more than ever!”
“Well, you wouldn’t rember.”
The woman looked at Hayul with a hint of disdain.
“I found Han Yujin annoying. I like him even less.”
“Why on earth? How could you dislike him? If it were Han Yuhyun, maybe! Brother, just wait a little longer. I will save you!”
Tears glistening, Hayul called for Brother Yujin as the woman strode down the hall. He must be in the room at the end of the corridor—her future husband.
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