FIDA 12

Chapter 12

‘Since when has he been here? Something’s wrong.’

She was still young and weak, but Jeyna was nonetheless both a dragon and a mage, born with sharp instincts.

No matter how distracted she had been, there was no way she could have failed to notice Moben standing this close—unless he had deliberately concealed himself.

A chill crept down her spine.

Sensing her wariness, Moben shrugged.

“Haha, don’t worry so much. I don’t know what kind of secret talk you were having, but I didn’t eavesdrop. The soundproofing spell blocked me.”

He smiled as if kindly, but it felt forced, unnatural.

‘So he really was targeting me?’

Neither she nor Michael were fools. That was why they had deliberately taken a quiet path, away from the constant stares of others. Yet here of all places, she had run into Moben. Unless he knew her routes, it should have been impossible.

“…Were you waiting here for me?”

Just as she had waited for Michael today, perhaps Moben had been waiting for her to pass by alone.

“Well, what do you think?”

Instead of answering, he threw back a question.

“If I was waiting for you, why do you think I’d be doing that, little dragon girl?”

Little dragon girl.

The answer was hidden in his words.

Realizing her identity had been exposed, Jeyna straightened her posture.

“Ah, like I said, I didn’t overhear anything. It’s just… I recognized the sigil on your hood. It’s one that only dragons use.”

Drunk on his own words, Moben began revealing things unasked.

“You didn’t know, did you? If you had, you wouldn’t have worn it so openly at the Tower. Not that I can blame you—I only learned it myself by chance, reading some ancient documents in my family’s library.”

He stepped closer. One step. Two.

His presence felt much larger than before.

“So, who besides me knows you’re a dragon?”

“…”

“The Tower Master, Lord Hilbenzia, maybe Michael? Ah, but your ‘Brother Michael’ isn’t here right now, is he?”

From their first meeting, Moben had unsettled her. She had wondered if she was being unfair, if she was simply misjudging someone good. But now she was certain.

‘He definitely has an agenda.’

Before, he’d approached cautiously. Now, with no one watching, he dropped the act and grew overly familiar.

“I’ve been thinking. Michael and Hilbenzia wouldn’t just take a liking to you for no reason, would they?”

Jeyna’s voice grew low.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I think they’re interested in you because you’re a dragon. You’ve already given them some hair or blood, haven’t you?”

“No. They’ve never taken anything from me.”

“And yet they dote on you like that?”

Bang!

He slammed the wall beside her.

Jeyna flinched back until her escape was cut off by the wall. There was nowhere else to go.

“Don’t joke with me. Do you think I look like a fool just because you smile sweetly? Why do they treat you differently? Because they’re geniuses, and I’m not?”

It was absurd jealousy, born from years of festering inferiority.

“You’re far too agitated right now.”

“Say it right! I’m not agitated—you made me angry. Do you even know what happens to me if I fail the exam?”

His face twisted, voice rising.

“If you’d just given me some hair or blood, would I have had to raise my voice like this?”

A lie. Even if she gave them, he would demand more. The strong always oppressed the weak.

But for now, calming him was more important. Jeyna chose to feign cooperation.

“…So, if I give you just a little hair and blood, that’s all you want?”

As she spoke, her eyes darted around, looking for a way to escape. Her face betrayed no panic, so Moben didn’t suspect her.

‘If I run toward the crowd ahead, he’ll catch me first. In that case…’

“Go on, give it here. Behave, and I won’t have to get angry.”

“You promise… really?”

She lowered her head, voice trembling—like any child cowed by an angry adult. She repeated herself deliberately.

“If I really just give you hair and blood…”

“Do you think I’m that gullible?”

At his harsh reply, she shrank back, pretending to be cowed. Then she rolled up her sleeve.

Naturally, Moben prepared to extract what he wanted.

“Let’s see…”

The moment she leaned closer to him—

‘Now. Time the moment…’

She quietly edged backward.

And bolted.

‘Even if I can use magic, I can’t match a Tower mage!’

“Jeyna, just put your arm here—huh? What the—?”

Humming to himself as he fiddled with his device, Moben realized too late she had fled. He chased after her.

At this rate, she would soon be cornered.

But Jeyna knew a secret about the Tower that Moben did not.

She grabbed a doorknob, twisted, and whistled—
picturing the snow-white garden blooming with Leshanna flowers.

It was her only chance to escape.

Other teleportation routes had chants too long to attempt. But if she could just open the way to that garden…

• I’m sorry I came in without permission. I only came to pick flowers. I won’t return again.

The words she had once spoken to Diamid echoed in her mind.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

Her hesitation cost her. Moben’s magic struck.

Dragons were powerful—and therefore priceless.

If they were weak, every hand would wield a holy sword. But if one stumbled upon a dragon who was weak, unprotected, unclaimed…

That was nothing less than a godsend.

“You know it too, don’t you? That no one will help you.”

When Jeyna suddenly bolted toward the door, Moben’s heart lurched. Somehow, she knew the Tower’s doors were magically linked.

If she escaped elsewhere, he’d never have this chance again.

Woooong!

The door opened, and he thought it was over.

But at that moment, she froze. Moben seized his chance, using even the high-grade binding spell he had reserved to keep her intact as a specimen.

‘Who would’ve thought such a small body could weigh hundreds of kilos…’

He glanced back at her limp form dragging along the floor.

“Phew.”

He bound her tightly with thick, mana-laced ropes. Even if she awoke, she wouldn’t escape.

‘Perfect.’

If he delivered her unconscious, the exam would be no problem. No—he might even craft research of historic value, using a rare dragon as material.

‘But damn, she’s heavy…’

He had prepared scrolls for concealment and soundproofing, but hadn’t expected to need lightening and strength enhancement spells. He had no choice but to overextend himself casting them.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

Even so, dragging her left him drenched in sweat. Even with the weight-reduction spell, it wasn’t enough.

‘Damn it. At this rate, how long until I get there?’

He staggered—

Thwack!

Something struck his ankle.

Crash!

An unknown force slammed his face into the wall.

Pain burned through every inch of her body.

Her vision swam. She shut her eyes, focusing on the sound repeating in her ears.

Ssshh—drag.

The sound of something heavy scraping the floor.

It didn’t take long to realize it was her own body.

She tried to scream, but with her mouth gagged, the cries only echoed inward.

‘Why me…?’

She tried to think, but her head was fuzzy from the impact. She recalled only that, when she hesitated at the forbidden garden door, chains had wrapped around her, and she had lost consciousness.

‘Should I call for help?’

But Moben had cast both concealment and silence spells. If she brushed against someone, the magic would break—but bound so tightly, escape seemed impossible. And there was no one nearby.

Worse—

There was no one she could trust.

If she begged, what if another Tower mage sided with Moben? What if he revealed her identity and offered to share the spoils?

Better to fight alone than stake her life on uncertainty.

“Hff… hah…”

Thankfully, Moben was careless. With her gagged and body bound, he didn’t realize she had awoken. Exhaustion weighed him down as he dragged her.

It was fortunate he wasn’t skilled enough to teleport.

Through the blur of tears, Jeyna forced her eyes wide open.