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Chapter 7
“If he fell in love at first sight, he should’ve come in person. How is it fair to just steal my soul like this?”
—No such thing as “falling in love”!
“Yes, yes. Of course.”
—I’m serious!
“Alright, alright.”
—I said it’s not like that! I simply…!
“Simply?”
—…felt like I had met a companion for the first time in a thousand years.
“A companion? You mean another dragon?”
—Correct.
The golden sphere that had been floating high above as if enjoying being worshipped slowly descended to the ground.
—A thousand years ago, the dragons of the surface world all left for another realm. But I, as an egg, was left behind.
“Why didn’t you hatch and follow them?”
—I am still inside the egg.
“…Even after a thousand years, you still haven’t hatched?”
—It is not that I couldn’t. I chose not to!
“Why though?”
—…B-because…
“Pardon?”
After a long hesitation, Arell muttered softly.
—I was afraid of the outside world, so I could not hatch.
“You’re literally the strongest magical creature on earth. What are you afraid of? Just go out and wreck everything.”
—A hatchling must undergo “awakening” over days or even years before it can use its power.
“So you could just stay hidden here during that time.”
—This place is only meant for eggs. Once I hatch, I would vanish from here and be left alone.
His previously dignified voice sank into something painfully lonely.
—So I remained inside this cramped egg for a thousand years… longing only for a peaceful death. And then…
“…I showed up.”
Bice sat beside the trembling golden light, which flickered like a teardrop.
“To soothe the loneliness of Lord Arell, who had always been alone.”
—T-that’s not such a grand thing.
“So I should just leave this rude human, then?”
—No!
A trembling strand of golden light clung desperately to Bice.
—Please… do not leave me alone.
“……”
At that plea, Bice recalled the moment she had recovered memories of her past life—the sudden flood of another world, the shock that everyone’s love had been false.
“…Alright.”
Knowing the loneliness of being utterly alone, she could not refuse the dragon.
“I’ll stay by your side until you return me to my body and can safely hatch and awaken.”
—Return you to your body?
“And you’ll also have to meet the Tower Master. He’s been searching for you desperately for a long time.”
—So your goal was to use me after all.
“Hmph.”
Arell turned away with a dignified snort that didn’t match his cute tone.
—I am not a fool.
“It’s also true that I want to help you.”
—If your intentions are truly pure… then I will form a vow.
“A vow?”
—A soulmate oath, in which we protect each other. With souls bound together, you will not be able to abandon me.
“That’s a bit too far.”
Bice answered firmly. No matter how pitiful he was, binding her soul was—
—Originally, it is a contract allowing humans to use a dragon’s abilities.
“…So where do I sign?”
That sounds very righteous!
—Wait… are you really trying to help me…?
The flickering light rose into the air.
—Human, Beatrice Adelhedis.
“Yes.”
—Do you accept Gold Dragon Arell as your soulmate and fulfill your duties as such?
“…I will.”
A dragon contract really does feel like a marriage vow, she thought blankly.
Then Arell continued.
—I, Gold Dragon Arell, also swear to fulfill my duties as Beatrice Adelhedis’s soulmate… as her husband.
“…Wait, what did you just say? Husband? What—”
Before she could finish, the golden sphere shattered into sparkling dust that rained down upon her soul. Her blue spirit turned gold, and her vision went completely white.
“No marriage!!”
When Bice regained consciousness, she was holding a golden egg the size of her head.
Her hands were once again a healthy pink.
But she was no longer in the cave.
Rather—she was inside it.
“…Why am I in a pit?”
She lay in a hole barely large enough for her body.
At the entrance far above, a figure appeared.
“Still alive?”
The muttering silhouette looked like a villain straight out of a horror film.
“…Tower Master, were you trying to bury me just now?”
“……”
“Did you think I was dead and tried to erase the evidence?”
“……”
“Are you currently still thinking, ‘Now that she’s been found out, should I just bury her again?’”
“I will pull you out.”
Her body lifted instantly out of the pit.
“I’m glad you’re alive.”
“I assume you’re also glad you won’t have to report my death to my family.”
“There was never going to be such a report.”
“Excuse me, but that excuse of ‘I would’ve saved you anyway’ doesn’t really work now.”
“Yes. I had also considered erasing all memories of you to solve the problem.”
“….”
As expected of a villain.
Bice shot him a resentful glare.
“Still… I suppose this is fortunate.”
“Fortunate? In what way?”
“The fact that you really don’t seem like someone who would ever love me, Tower Master.”
“I can swear that such a thing will never happen.”
At that, Cassius let out a faint laugh. His blue eyes shifted—no longer dull and indifferent, but sharpened with interest.
Bice froze, noticing the change.
“W-what are you doing?”
His strong arm wrapped around her slender waist.
“Stay still.”
“Tower Master, this isn’t the time for jokes—”
Bice stiffened as his hand brushed her cheek.
Cassius gently lifted her chin and leaned closer.
“…!”
She tried to turn away, but his hand held her in place.
Up close, his long lashes looked like delicate lace.
“Your eye color is unusual.”
“W-what?”
Her heart pounded violently.
No one had ever remembered her eye color before…
“It’s not that special in this world…”
“Light green mixed with gold.”
“…Mixed with what?”
“Gold. The same color as what you are holding.”
He released her chin and gestured toward the egg.
“You didn’t have that when I buried you in the ground.”
“Ah…”
“So you found the dragon egg?”
“…Yes.”
A simple, sincere admiration—no mockery, no sarcasm.
Yet Bice’s expression darkened.
“I have something to confess, Tower Master.”
“What is it?”
“I made a contract with the dragon inside the egg. So I can’t give you the dragon egg.”
She lowered her head in apology.
“I’m really sorry… I know how badly you wanted it.”
“…You made a contract with it while it was still an egg?”
“Yes. Lord Arell said he hadn’t been able to hatch for a thousand years because no one was there to protect him, so—”
“So you agreed to protect it in exchange for its hatching?”
“Yes.”
“When is it supposed to hatch?”
“Huh?”
“When. I asked when it will hatch.”
“I didn’t ask that—oh.”
As if waiting for this moment, the egg began to vibrate.
“…Looks like it’s about to hatch now.”
“Leave the egg and come here. Now.”
“Leave it? Didn’t you want it so badly?”
“I only gave you an impossible task you would never succeed at.”
“Pardon?”
“More importantly, I’m transporting you to the Magic Tower immediately. Come here.”
“I can’t just leave it behind.”
Bice pulled away from Cassius’s grip.
“I promised to protect Lord Arell as a soulmate—”
“You shared your soul with a dragon?”
“Yes. I was told it would let me use its power.”
“Damn it.”
Cassius dragged a hand through his hair and activated magic.
Dozens—hundreds—of translucent barriers formed around them.
“W-why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
“It seems that dragon didn’t explain everything.”
Beyond the dense formation of magic circles, an attack spell was being prepared.
“The fluid inside a dragon egg releases massive mana when it hatches.”
“Huh?”
“And the moment that egg cracks, monsters from the Teneb Mountain Range—drawn by mana—will converge here.”
