Watching Lucis surrounded by dragons, I suddenly had a thought.
“Maybe following the dragons would actually be a happier life for him?”
Even if I, as Seymour, managed to erase the future where Lucis dies, he would still always remain an outsider in the human world.
For now, he’s considered an exception under the Mausoleum Treaty because he’s only a hatchling, but eventually, he would still have to leave the mortal realm.
Wouldn’t it be better, then, for him to go with the dragons now, to live among his own kind? Wouldn’t that be the happier path?
That’s what I had thought.
“Hah. I must’ve lost my mind.”
At least, that’s what I thought—until the dragon named Rokarium dared to grab Lucis by the base of his wings.
There’s no way just being among the same species guarantees happiness.
Being treated as “precious” simply because of low birth rates could never be the foundation of happiness either.
After all, when they said “precious,” it didn’t mean raising him with affection and devotion. It only meant protecting him.
“Lucis is happiest when he’s with me.”
Because—
I’m his parent.
The closest thing to a parent he has.
“Oh.”
When I cast a gravity spell to ease the weight on his wings, Lucis flapped his arms and giggled as though he enjoyed the floating sensation.
I let out a small sigh of relief and raised my gaze.
“You’re holding him in a way that makes him uncomfortable.”
I barely swallowed the string of curses that almost followed. No matter how much I wanted to, cursing out a dragon was not an option.
“……Ho?”
Rokarium looked at me with interest.
I turned my head toward the robed elder beside him. That old man seemed to hold the highest authority among them.
According to the lore, dragons had a hierarchy based on age, after all.
“Do you plan to just drag the child away so unreasonably?”
The elder stroked his beard without answering. So, I pressed my point again.
“Shouldn’t you at least hear Lucis’s opinion first?”
“Hm.”
The elder gave only a slight nod, as if telling me to ask him directly.
I carefully took Lucis from Rokarium’s grasp.
With a reluctant look, Rokarium handed him over, clearly obeying the elder’s word.
I set Lucis back on his feet and first checked his wings. Thankfully, there was no swelling or scrape.
Breathing out in relief, I asked,
“Lucis. Who do you want to live with from now on?”
Even as I asked, I was confident of the answer.
“Mm.”
And just as I expected, Lucis pointed to me without even a moment’s hesitation.
Even though I already knew his choice, the joy that swelled in me couldn’t be denied.
My lips were just beginning to curl up when a voice shattered the moment.
“Unbelievable. How much did you brainwash the kid for him to choose that? Or is his brain just underdeveloped and stupid?”
It was Rokarium.
“……”
I rose slowly to my feet. Rokarium turned to the elder.
“There’s nothing to hear. Let’s just take him. He only chooses like that because he doesn’t know the dragon’s way of life yet—”
“Why do you sound so much like a snake?”
“…What?”
He turned back toward me when I cut him off.
“I thought you were a snake, not a dragon.”
I spat the words straight at his dumbfounded face.
“Once you make a promise, you keep it. That’s something even a three-year-old human child knows.”
“……”
“You’re old enough to know better. If you break your word like this, what will your descendants learn from you?”
Rokarium stared blankly at me for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
“Hah. Ridiculous.”
The next instant, his golden pupils split into narrow vertical slits aimed directly at me.
—Shhhhk.
Goosebumps erupted along both arms. Cold sweat drenched me in an instant; my fingers and toes froze.
Dragon Fear…!
Even breathing was nearly impossible.
But—it was bearable.
Unlike the first time I faced Lucis’s Dragon Fear, this time I had been expecting it.
—Wuuuum.
I cast a spell. The target of my gravity magic was my own lungs—the air within them.
I willed it upward, to rise.
Magic worked by intent. Knowing anatomy might help with spellcasting, but even without that, pouring in enough mana could still force it through.
“Huuuh…!”
Like a pump, the gravity magic forced the air out of my chest and up through my throat.
Once my breathing restarted, sensation slowly returned to my body.
I forced a half-frozen grin at Rokarium, who stared at me in disbelief.
“Your bloodline’s impressive, I’ll give you that.”
“…What?”
I knew it wasn’t wise to provoke him further.
But no parent ever retracts their claws when their child is in danger.
“Still, it’s nothing compared to Lucis’s Dragon Fear.”
My back was drenched with cold sweat even as I said it.
Rokarium blinked at me in dazed silence, then gave a cold chuckle.
“Heh. A mere human dares…”
He started to raise his hand again when—
“Grrr…”
A growl rang out.
Lucis was clutching at my pants, baring his teeth at Rokarium.
“Grrr…”
Seeing the little hatchling snarl at him made Rokarium burst out laughing.
“Ha! You’re doing this because I threatened that human? Unbelievable. You do remember you’re a dragon, not some pet dog, right?”
Lucis didn’t answer. Instead, he summoned his mana. Rokarium’s brows rose as he did the same.
“Enough.”
The elder in the robe cut him off.
Though his face twisted with displeasure, Rokarium obeyed without complaint.
The elder turned his golden gaze on me. Those eyes carried a span of years even longer than Lucis’s.
“Child. What is your name?”
“My name is Seymour, great one.”
“Good. Seymour—what would you do if we insisted on taking that hatchling with us?”
I answered without hesitation.
“I would fight to the death.”
I felt Lucis glance up at me, but I kept my eyes locked on the elder.
The old dragon chuckled.
“And do you think your life or death would change our will?”
“No. You wouldn’t. I would die fighting.”
“And what meaning would your death hold for us?”
“None. But it would matter to Lucis.”
I reached down and rested my fingers gently on Lucis’s small head.
“This child chose me—the human he wants to stay with. Are you truly willing to show him the sight of me dying in front of his eyes?”
The elder blinked at me, then let out a low, amused laugh.
“Are you…threatening a dragon?”
“Of course not. I am begging.”
“Begging?”
“Yes. Begging you not to take Lucis from me, and not to take me from him.”
“Khahaha…!”
The elder laughed so hard he held his forehead.
Even Rokarium was staring in confusion. Finally, the elder lifted his head, amusement gleaming in his eyes.
“As expected. Blood cannot be denied.”
“…Sir?”
“Allow me to introduce myself properly.”
He placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly.
“I am Infinium, Elder of the Black Dragons.”
Infinium.
The name rang a bell. As I struggled to recall, a great rustling sound came from behind me.
I turned—every Mausoleum clansman had fallen to their knees.
“We greet the great Ancestor Dragon!”
At Simon’s cry, they all bowed their heads lower still.
That’s when I remembered who Infinium was.
The progenitor of Nihil Dragon Mausoleum.
The distant ancestor of the entire Mausoleum line, including myself—
And at the same time, Lucis’s grandfather.
I hastily dropped to one knee and cried out,
“We greet the great Ancestor Dragon!”
“Raise your heads. You are all but my distant grandchildren.”
Would such an honor ever come again in our lives? I could hear several clan members gasp in awe behind me.
Infinium knelt to meet Lucis at eye level.
“Child. What is your name?”
“Lucis.”
“Lucis. I am your grandfather.”
“Gran’pa?”
“Yes.”
Infinium gently stroked Lucis’s cheek with one finger and asked,
“Lucis, won’t you truly come with your grandpa?”
Lucis turned to me.
I said nothing. Whatever he chose, I would respect it.
After a moment, he turned back to Infinium.
“No. I’m not going.”
Warmth swelled in my chest all over again at his answer.
“…I see. So that’s your choice.”
Though Infinium looked a little regretful, he didn’t ask again.
“How decisive you are. Just like your father.”
He even seemed pleased.
Infinium rose and looked around at the dragons.
“Then the matter for which the Black Dragon Society was convened is finished.”
The dragons nodded.
“The fears we had upon receiving the letter turned out to be unnecessary.”
His gaze flicked toward me as he said that—an indirect way of telling me there was a traitor within the clan.
Understanding the meeting was over, I bowed respectfully.
“Great Ancestor Dragon, we have prepared a banquet in your honor.”
“No. That won’t be necessary.”
“But—”
“If I linger too long, someone might invoke that damned treaty named after my son to interfere.”
With that reasoning, I couldn’t insist further.
As he turned to leave, Infinium suddenly paused, as if recalling something, and ordered Rokarium,
“Rokarium. You will visit here regularly to check on Lucis’s well-being.”
“…What?”
“We can’t just leave a young hatchling in the human realm without measures.”
“Well, yes, but… me?”
Rokarium’s face clearly said he wanted nothing to do with it. But Infinium remained unmoved.
“Weren’t you the one begging me for a great responsibility?”
“This isn’t a great responsibility!”
“I am entrusting you with the future of our bloodline. What could be greater?”
“But… I’m still a hatchling too!”
“The moment you were given the clan’s name, you ceased being one.”
“…Elder Grandfather…”
“Now, now. Don’t whine. The humans are watching.”
Left speechless, Rokarium could only open and close his mouth.
Truthfully, I wasn’t happy about him staying either.
I don’t want that arrogant brat anywhere near Lucis.
Still, from their conversation, I gathered Rokarium hadn’t been a full-grown dragon for long. That explained his reckless behavior.
…Wait.
A thought suddenly struck me.
I quickly called out to Infinium before he left.
“Elder! I have one question.”
“Speak.”
“When will Lucis receive the clan’s name?”
The difference between his name and other black dragons’ proved that “Lucis” was still a childhood name.
“He must live five centuries and grow horns on his true form.”
“I’ve heard that dragons place immense importance on age—that even a hundred years of difference is enough to demand respect. Is that true?”
“It is. That’s why this decrepit body holds the title of Elder.”
Several dragons chuckled at the joke.
I pressed on.
“Then one last thing—do dragons count age from the time of birth?”
“…Ohhh.”
Infinium let out a hearty laugh, clearly grasping my intention.
“Indeed. Age is counted from birth.”
Exactly the answer I’d hoped for.
I scooped Lucis into my arms and turned to Rokarium.
“What now, human?”
He frowned at my sudden smug expression.
I looked at Lucis and said,
“Say hello, Lucis. That’s your younger brother.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Lucis and Rokarium stared at me, equally stunned.
“W-wait, Grandfather!”
Realizing the implication, Rokarium turned to Infinium in a panic.
But Infinium only chuckled, finding the situation amusing.
Of course Rokarium never realized.
After all, Infinium himself had kept calling Lucis a “hatchling.”
To stop being considered a hatchling and gain recognition as an adult dragon, one needed the clan’s name.
But that required being at least 500 years old and growing horns.
Lucis was born a thousand years ago, making him a millennium old.
Yet, because he’d been sealed since birth, he never matured—so he lacked horns and thus had no clan name.
In other words, he’s a thousand-year-old hatchling.
Rokarium had assumed “hatchling” meant Lucis was younger, so he treated him roughly. But in truth, it was the opposite.
“…Oh!”
At last, Lucis grasped it too and swung his gaze toward Rokarium.
Rokarium flinched under his glare, suddenly remembering all the disrespect he’d shown him.
“Hmph.”
Lucis narrowed his eyes and raised his chin high. Then, with a chubby finger, he pointed straight at Rokarium.
“You’re nothing but a lowly brat.”
Sharp words, spilling from such a small mouth.
“Know your place, peanut.”
“…!”
“Ahahaha!”
Rokarium’s face twisted in outrage while I burst out laughing.
That was the very insult I had once taught Lucis to use against any rude humans.
His face distorted even further, torn between humiliation and anger.
“You—you’re the peanut! You’re the tiny one…!”
Of all his grievances, that seemed to hurt him the most. Rokarium muttered bitterly, looking more wronged than ever.
