NMP 1.2

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Cold water poured over Jeno’s head. His dark red hair was drenched in moisture. He filled the wooden bucket with water again and poured it over his head, slowly closing his eyes.

Steam, similar to a haze, rose from his body, and in less than a minute, it dried up. His hair, which had been drenched, became so soft that even a light sigh could blow it away.

When he looked up, he saw Mikaela walking down the corridor with a laundry basket. She was different from any other princess. She did the laundry, cooking, cleaning, and gardening by herself. No, she had to do it.

There was not a single maid to help her in this place, so if she neglected to pay attention for a moment, the place would be covered in moss and ivy.

“You’ve got a ridiculous marriage, Hildian.”

Jeno whispered the name of the contractor who woke him up after sleeping for a thousand years.

Hildian Rowana Priscid.

A person who had a beautiful, gentle smile. The daughter of the Great King, the deceased first queen of the present King, and the mother of Mikaela.

When he woke up from a long sleep, the Flame Dragon had a dejected smile for a while when he realized that the person who broke his seal was not an ambitious general trying to recapture the kingdom or a hero of turbulent times, but a princess like a light purple Heath Bell.

The princess, who revealed her name as Hildian, looked aloof in front of a dragon who was large enough to tear her apart with just one claw.

One thing was impressive.

A contract of subordination was maintained until it was broken by the contractor once the seal was released. After transforming into human form, Jeno sat on the edge of a rock and asked the new contractor what she wanted.

 

[Are there any princes blocking the succession to the throne? Do you want to be queen? Or are there other things you want? Those with dragons can just build their own new kingdom. You probably didn’t wake me up unaware of my power.]

[No particular reason.]

 

The new contractor tucked her flowing hair behind her ears and smiled innocently.

 

[Be my friend.]

[…….]

[That’s more than enough.]

 

Time passed while he thought she was kidding. Hildian grew a few years older and was about to get married. Jeno, who had been spending a peaceful time for the first time in a thousand years, found out about his contractor’s marriage partner and sneered.

There were such people a thousand years ago, even two thousand years ago. Those who wanted to become kings by marrying princesses because they were not born as princes or heroes.

The man had a good reputation as a pleasant and handsome nobleman, but the Flame Dragon saw through his indecent behavior at a glance.

Jeno told Hildian to refuse the marriage. Any princess would have no choice but to obey her father’s orders, but Hildian was different. She had him. A dragon who would give a taste of hell to those who rebelled against the princess.

The only response was a quiet and lonely smile.

 

[I do not care.]

 

When she said those words, Hildian looked as if she was about to be blown away by the wind at any moment. It was dangerous. She was clearly in front of him, but he could not shake the feeling of her being an illusion.

Why do you laugh like that?

Every time I ask her to think more about herself, it’s like it’s someone else’s business.

 

[My father likes him. That’s not bad.]

 

And three years later, Hildian gave birth to a child. The little one was so small and wrinkly, was warm and soft, and was so fragile. Her hair and eye color resembled her father, but the rest were definitely of Hildian.

The contractor, who was always quiet, often burst into laughter when she was with the child.

The Flame Dragon, who once flew in the sky and burned the earth, burned a plate of stewed turnips, which young Mikaela hated to eat, and spent days watching to see if she wrote the alphabet in order. If other dragons who knew him saw him, they would have been stunned and would think if he had been shot in the head by a cannon.

But he was really fine. There was no problem. He could now use these kinds of words to describe what he felt. He now knew what little joy was.

Then one day, Hildian collapsed.

The queen, who suddenly lost consciousness in the garden, suffered for three days as if she were sick and closed her eyes. The death of the graceful and merciful queen brought many to tears.

But why? Jeno, who was close to Hildian, did not feel sorrow.

It was not because he was a dragon who was different from humans. Rather, he thought that the contractor had lasted a long time. Hildian didn’t tell him the reason for her fleeting smile until the end, but Jeno thought she would finally be free.

Thus, the Flame Dragon was left alone with an eight-year-old princess. The king, who was afraid of the dragon who always stayed by his wife’s side, made this proposal without even daring to make eye contact.

 

[Take Mikaela and go to the western forest. Daily necessities such as food and clothes will be sent regularly.]

 

The king’s voice trembled even more when he asked an unspoken question.

 

[There are people who are already targeting the young princess and asking for marriage. Besides, Mikaela is very pretty, just like her mother. It would be better for her to grow up safely in a place out of the sight of people.]

[Since when did you even care about your daughter’s safety?]

 

He made a mockery of it, but the king did not even dare to refute it. No matter how plausible the excuses were made, in the end, he was telling the dragon to leave. He did his best for an insignificant concubine. Not wanting to leave Mikaela by his side anyway, he stood up without a word.

He indulged him, but he did not expect him to take things too far with his words.

 

[Never let the princess marry a prince from a neighboring country!]

 

The king hurriedly shouted at Jeno, who was walking away without looking back.

 

[Let Mikaela live in the castle.]

[Why are you asking for such a request, human king?]

[T-That is.]

 

The king hesitated. In fact, even without hearing the answer, he could guess the reason. The man was originally of noble status, and by marrying Hildian, he obtained the right to succeed the throne. Although he was the king of the kingdom at the moment, only Mikaela, the daughter of Hildian and the only one with royal blood, can be said to be a true royalty.

If Mikaela married a prince from a neighboring country, and if a son was born between the princess and the prince.

“Hildian.”

The low voice of the flame dragon scattered in the morning air. The contractor, who asked for nothing other than to be friends, spoke of a master’s rights for the first and last time before closing her eyes.

Telling him to protect her young daughter.

There was no way he could refuse a request to be by the side of a child who really had to be alone now. Mikaela was not the master of the contract, but his heart was already—.

“The crows took the walnut basket!”

Mikaela shouted indignantly, sticking her head out of the window. It happened early in the morning, but she seemed to have just discovered it.

“I was going to bake a walnut pie today!”

Mikaela was angry, saying that if this happened again, she would turn the crow into a pie next time. Jeno looked up at her with strange eyes.

She was a princess he had watched since she was a newborn. When she took her first step, and when she was pointing her tiny finger at him, calling him ‘Yongyong’, he was always with her. He still vividly remembered the moment she finished her first weaving on the loom. It was clumsy, but the princess’s shy expression was very cute.

It had been 10 years since she entered the castle. It was no exaggeration to say that Mikaela had lived with Jeno all her life. He, too, had watched the princess throughout her life.

“If I were a human, I would have to say I must have been senile.”

He muttered to himself with a faint sigh. It was beyond belief, no, unbelievably, that at some point, Mikaela was no longer a young princess.

Since when was it?

Ever since she asked for her first kiss as a present for her 18th birthday, saying she was curious about the feeling of kissing she read in the book? Thinking back on his reaction back then, it might have been earlier. Instead of letting out a ridiculous laugh, he avoided her eyes by telling her not to say anything absurd.

If he really looked at the younger Mikaela, a light kiss would have been no problem. Just as Hildian kissed the baby, he could have kissed her in a similar way.

As time went on, the mission to drive away the little princes grew more and more sincere.

“There’s a limit to impersonating humans.”

At this point, he suspected that he might be mistaken for a real human being because he followed Hildian’s friendship play. Originally, dragons were not swayed by emotions and were cynical about worldly affairs. To be attracted to Mikaela, whom he almost raised with his own hands.

However, it had been too long since Hildian passed away to blame the contractor. So these days, Jeno often fell into a state of confusion and embarrassment when he saw the only person he lived with.

“What are you muttering to yourself?”

“Nothing.”

“You just had a very complicated expression on your face.”

“You must have seen it wrong.”

“You’re equivocating, Jeno.”

The princess’ mouth drew an interesting curve.

“Did you imagine something strange?”

“What the hell do you think I am?”

Suddenly, Mikaela’s attention shifted from the crows to Jeno. It was unpleasant. When the mysterious color of his eyes were directed at her, she felt like she was out of breath.

“I don’t know. An evil dragon?”

Mikaela smiled a little and left the window. When she touched his fingertips, he stiffened, but the princess was talking casually like that.

He should stop. It was not Mikaela’s fault. She did nothing wrong. He was the one who was not in his right mind.

Jeno shook his head, trying to shake off the anguish that could not be washed away even with cold water.

Dragons have no lust for human children. A human child was not someone he should watch breathlessly by the bedside when he entered the room in the morning and tried to wake her up. Then, he should not gently caress her cheeks or touch her lips.

The plan to make up his mind met an unexpected reef. One simple word made Jeno’s amber eyes glow.

“On the… lips.”

No one knows that you have grown up so beautifully. Lush forests and high walls surround you. If nothing else happens, you’ll keep living each day as it is, only as far as your eyes can see. When I think of the fact that I have a monopoly on you, I feel happy, but I feel sorry for you who don’t know what life is like outside the castle.

Mikaela. When I think of you, red rose petals, clouds in the autumn sky, and raindrops that fell on the lake pass by one after another. It appears as though the morning dew on the blade of grass is brushing against the tip of my tongue.

Mikaela Priscid. My sweet princess, raised by my own hands.

“…You are absolutely crazy.”

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. She’s a lovely girl, isn’t she? Hildian’s voice, who smiled broadly at him, lingered in his ears.

Yeah, she’s so lovely that I’m dying.

Jeno snarled at the contractor who had already passed away a long time ago and turned around. He didn’t want to let this dangerous anguish continue.

Ha, look at this.

The three-thousand-year-old dragon was also fleeing like a coward.