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Chapter : 14
The fear of being hated by someone.
If it were a stranger, the pain would be less. But being hated by Kael or the people of the castle was far more frightening.
So Hiazelki often watched their expressions carefully.
People had easily hated her in the past.
“I don’t hate you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I don’t hate you.”
If they had truly hated her, they would not have kept her in the castle—even if it was the will of God.
So Kael felt sorry seeing her so worried about being hated.
His dragon-like red eyes glowed faintly.
He stared into space for a moment, then let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes.
As if he could not bear to watch anymore.
Then he gently patted the child’s back as she clung to him.
“You don’t need to worry. There is nothing for you to be hated for.”
“…Even in the future?”
“Yes. Always.”
“No matter what? Even if I… don’t listen and stuff?”
“Yuri will handle your education.”
“Even if I cause trouble?”
With her continued questions, Kael softly stroked her coral-colored hair.
“Hia. I will scold you if you do something wrong. But I will not hate you.”
Tears welled up in her large eyes, but she tried to hide them by holding onto Kael’s neck even tighter.
“Thank you… Papa.”
“Good. Let’s go back to your room.”
As Kael walked, he took a book from the shelf with his free hand.
“Oh, can you put me down now?”
“No. I will carry you like this.”
“…Papa, what book is that?”
“Nothing important. You don’t need to know.”
Hiazelki did not ask further and rested her head on his shoulder.
What mattered to her most was his promise that he would not hate her.
So she never learned what book Kael had taken.
Of course, she was the only one who didn’t know—when Albert later found a book Kael had taken from the library titled “How to Comfort a Frightened Child,” he trembled violently.
* * *
“Hoo.”
Her breath turned white in the cold air.
Finding it amusing, Hiazelki played in the garden, blowing out little clouds of breath.
“Miss, how long will you stay out?”
It was now full winter.
The year was ending, and her birthday was approaching.
Everyone—Lisa, Albert, and Yuri—were busy preparing a grand celebration.
“Just a little longer!”
“You’ll catch a cold if you stay out too long!”
Hiazelki stepped on the snow, making soft crunching sounds, and looked back at Yuri.
Seeing her worried face, it was hard to keep being stubborn.
With a long sigh, she walked toward the snowflake tree in the garden.
It was said to be the most beautiful tree in winter.
Since Hiazelki often walked in the garden, the gardener had become even more dedicated.
‘It really is beautiful.’
The leaves looked like snowflakes. All summer it stood bare, and only in winter did it reveal its true beauty.
Its bluish leaves made it look as if real snowflakes were blooming.
She crouched down in front of it and made a small snow rabbit, then turned around.
“I’m coming in now!”
Yuri sighed in relief.
A lot of snow had already piled up, though the walking path had been cleared.
But near the snowflake tree, the snow remained untouched.
Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in her ear.
[I curse you.]
“Huh?”
A brief sensation brushed her ankle, and her body tilted.
Thud.
“Miss!”
Something had grabbed her ankle.
Yuri ran toward her in panic, but Hiazelki couldn’t move.
‘That’s strange… it’s snow…’
She had fallen on snow, so she shouldn’t be seriously hurt.
But she felt pain in her forehead and knees.
‘Why does it hurt?’
“Ahh! Miss!”
Yuri’s face turned completely pale as she came closer. Tears filled her eyes.
“Albert! Lady Lisa! Please help!”
Seeing her trembling and panicking, Hiazelki tilted her head.
‘Why does my body feel so heavy…?’
Her forehead felt hot. She tried to move, but Yuri, crying heavily, shut her eyes and shouted.
“Master!”
At that shout, Kael appeared instantly—leaping down from the window.
The loud crash made Yuri scream again.
“…What is this…”
Kael’s red eyes trembled wildly.
Blood had bloomed in the white snow like red flowers.
“She… she fell, and there was blood, and she didn’t wake up…”
The frightened explanation came out in pieces.
Kael picked up the unconscious Hiazelki.
Albert and Lisa rushed in, covering their mouths in shock.
Albert quickly gave orders and helped carry her to her room.
The moment Kael laid her on the bed, they stopped the bleeding.
“…I will return shortly.”
“Pardon?”
Before Albert could ask, Kael opened the window and flew into the sky without another word.
After cleaning the blood, the wound turned out to be smaller than expected.
“Did she faint from shock?”
Albert murmured worriedly, and Lisa nodded.
“I think so. Oh dear… if such a beautiful face were scarred…”
“That must not happen.”
Albert shook his head sternly and ordered a maid to fetch ointment.
“How did this happen, Yuri?”
Lisa asked Yuri, who was still crying.
“She was walking near the snowflake tree, then suddenly…”
“On snow, yet injured like this… was there something there?”
“There was a sharp stone. She must have fallen onto it.”
“Of all things…”
Albert looked at the sleeping child.
Bang.
“Oh, I brought the ointment—”
Albert turned at the sound of the door.
But he froze.
“I brought a doctor.”
Everyone was stunned.
No one had imagined that Kael, who had left moments ago saying “I’ll return shortly,” would come back holding another dragon by the back of his neck.
“Hi, Hiell!”
“It’s been a while, Albert.”
Hiell smiled gently at the flustered butler.
“Treat the child. Now.”
Kael spoke shortly as he released Hiell.
He sounded calm, but in truth, he had simply been too panicked to speak properly.
Hiell, the Healing Dragon who lived in the Light Temple at the far south, quickly regained composure.
“Master… did you really go to the temple yourself?”
“Yes. Hurry and treat her.”
“Let’s treat the patient first, then we can hear the explanation.”
“Yes, yes, Hiell-nim.”
Albert bowed deeply, knowing his master had likely dragged Hiell here without explanation.
A maid arrived with ointment, but seeing a dragon like Hiell, she quietly stepped back.
Hiell approached the bed and examined the child’s wounds.
There was a cut on her forehead and knee.
He frowned slightly and extended his hand.
A pale golden light spread from his fingertips.
Time seemed to flow faster over the wounds, and they quickly healed before the eye.
Soon, there were no traces left, and Hiazelki looked as if she were simply sleeping.
Hiell kept his hand on her forehead for a moment longer.
“…Truly.”
A distant expression crossed his face.
Kael stepped closer, and only then did Hiell withdraw his hand.
“Is she healed? Then why is she not waking up?”
“Just wait a little. She needs time.”
At Hiell’s words, Kael pressed his lips together and stared at the child anxiously.
After a while, she slowly opened her eyes.
Kael let out a breath of relief.
Hiazelki blinked blankly, not understanding the situation.
Hiell gently brushed her cheek and smiled.
“…You’ve grown a lot.”
He turned to Kael and Albert.
“Now, shall you explain what happened?”
Although he smiled kindly, Albert still flinched—he was a dragon, after all.
“What?”
“This situation.”
“Hia got hurt. I brought you.”
Kael’s blunt explanation made Hiell smile faintly as he turned to Albert.
He already expected nothing proper from Kael.
Albert sighed and explained.
“She fell in the snow and started bleeding… Master seemed quite shocked.”
Hiell looked at the child, then at Kael.
“You seem to be taking good care of her, more than I expected.”
Kael ignored him completely and held Hiazelki’s hand.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah… yes…”
Seeing her dazed response, Hiell caught Kael’s attention.
“Look at this first, Kael.”
Hiell touched near Hiazelki’s ankle.
A faint black mark appeared.
Kael’s red eyes darkened.
“….”
Hiazelki stared at it, wide-eyed.
‘What is that…?’
Before she could understand, the mark disappeared.
Hiell gently stroked her head.
‘She really resembles that person.’
A long-buried longing resurfaced.
A presence that reminded him of ancient times.
Something that awakened longing, yet also filled it.
“If she is ever hurt again, send word. I will come immediately.”
“…I will.”
“If you drag me here like today, I’ll be in trouble.”
“I apologize for that, Hiell-nim.”
Albert bowed deeply.
“It’s fine. Nothing is more important than a child’s health.”
With that, Hiell prepared to leave.
“I should return now. The temple must be in chaos since I disappeared so suddenly.”
