Camille (3)

At Camille’s bombshell declaration, I momentarily doubted my ears.

“What…?”

“You are a Dragon. The very embodiment of our faith.”

“…”

“If the Dragon’s Priestesses were to lie with another man, it would be a blasphemy against our faith. But you are an exception. Rather, it’s akin to service to the gods.”

Camille grabbed my shoulder and pleaded.

“Please. Share your love with those girls too. Those poor girls who must live their entire lives alone and die of old age, please embrace them just a little.”

I understood what she was trying to say.

But I had no intention of accepting Camille’s proposal.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Helix…”

“I want to be alone for a while. I’ll be going now.”

“Wait…! Helix!”

I fled from that spot as if escaping.

I ran and ran for a long time, like someone being chased.

But that wasn’t enough, so I returned to my Dragon form and flew for a long time.

Only after reaching a quiet, uninhabited mountainous area did I burst into tears.

“Grrrrrrr…!!”

I couldn’t believe it.

That Camille would make such an absurd request of me.

I was so angry I felt like I would explode.

And more than that, I was sad.

All this time, I thought I was Camille’s most precious person.

But I wasn’t.

I was merely one of Camille’s precious people.

That cruel truth I had vaguely known but tried to ignore.

The moment I faced it, I couldn’t help but collapse.

“O Dragon-isiyeo…! Is something wrong…!?”

When I suddenly left as if fleeing, everyone seemed surprised.

The Dragon Knights of the Holy Dominion, riding Wyverns, frantically followed.

I didn’t want to take my anger out on them, so I growled and chased them away.

“We apologize. We will return once your anger has subsided.”

I didn’t want to cause trouble in the wrong place later.

I needed a place to vent this boiling rage.

CRUNCH!!

I went wild, smashing the rocks on the mountaintop indiscriminately.

How long did I vent my fury for?

Returning to my human form, I flopped down onto the ruins.

“This is really fucked up…”

Feeling embarrassed that tears might flow, I pressed hard on my eyelids.

I couldn’t bear the resentment I felt towards Camille.

I hated her for not returning as much love as I had given.

*****

After that day, a cold war began.

I deliberately avoided Camille.

The Dragon’s Priestesses, of course, went without saying.

“Helix, let’s talk.”

“Kyaaak!!”

As a sign of my displeasure, I didn’t even take human form.

Yet Camille, undeterred, kept trying to persuade me.

And I, avoiding her.

With things like this, I found myself with nowhere to go.

Left with no choice, I went to the house of Derek, a Holy Knight I was usually close with.

“Hello, Derek. Good evening.”

“Helix-nim? What brings you to our home?”

“Sorry, but could you put me up for the night?”

I decided to stay at his house for the time being.

To look as pitiful as possible, I even used Polymorph to take on the appearance of a baby Dragon.

“No, why my house, when there are so many other places?”

“Cut me some slack. I’ll take you in too if you ever get kicked out later.”

“No, isn’t that a women-only area…? Holy Knights like me aren’t allowed in there.”

Unlike Derek, who had a reluctant expression, his children were excited.

“Daddy, Daddy!! We’re keeping this, right?!”

“Calling Helix-nim ‘this’. You shouldn’t do that.”

“Then, Helix-nim. We’re keeping you, right?!”

“…”

This is practically being treated like a stray dog picked up from the street.

The children were simply delighted, but I was conscious of his wife’s gaze.

Of course, as a citizen of the Holy Dominion, she wouldn’t show it, but it must still be uncomfortable for her.

So, to help with the household, I played with the children and acted as their nanny.

“Helix-nim! Fetch!”

“Kyaaak!!”

“Oh, but dogs usually like this kind of thing…”

The little brat threw a frisbee and pointed at me, telling me to fetch it.

How dare they treat a sacred Dragon like a neighborhood mongrel.

I wanted to smack their head with my forepaw, but I couldn’t.

‘Hoo…’

This little brat’s name was Stella.

She was the youngest daughter in a household full of sons.

Naturally, Derek doted on her immensely.

If she were to burst into tears, I would be the one in trouble.

“Helix-nim, isn’t it hard looking after the children?”

“Kiiik…”

In response to Derek’s question, I flopped down and rolled around.

Of course, it’s damn hard.

Why do these brats have so much energy?

But what complaints could I have, living off someone else’s hospitality?

And so, I gradually adapted to this freeloading life.

Of course, uninvited guests would occasionally show up.

“O Great Dragon-isiyeo. Please, return to us.”

“Go tell Camille, not me.”

“However, O Dragon-isiyeo…”

Occasionally, high-ranking elders from the Holy Dominion would come and bother me.

Their business was always the same.

To ask me to return.

And to rule over them.

“Why don’t you scram while I’m being nice? Are you unaware of my temper?”

“These humble servants will wait. O Dragon-isiyeo…”

They probably thought they had hidden it well, but they couldn’t fool me.

Where exactly did Camille’s crazy idea come from?

Of course, her compassion for her sisters would be the biggest reason.

However, the fact that these old geezers had put ideas in her head from behind couldn’t be ignored either.

The old geezers’ intentions were obvious.

They probably intended to have me spread my seed as much as possible throughout the Holy Dominion.

After all, the excellence of the Dragon’s descendants played a part in the Holy Dominion maintaining its hegemonic status for a thousand years.

But I had no intention of fulfilling that wish.

A Dragon has only one mate in its lifetime.

For me, Camille alone is enough as a woman.

I had no desire whatsoever to have children with any other woman besides her.

And so…

Half a year passed.

“It’s been a while, Helix.”

After a long time, Camille finally came to find me herself.

She was still beautiful, but her face was much thinner.

She must have suffered a lot during this time.

Pity arose in me before any lingering resentment.

“I want to talk for a moment. Is that alright?”

In truth, what Camille had to say was obvious.

She would ask me to return and embrace the Dragon’s Priestesses.

But even knowing that, I couldn’t refuse.

Because I was simply happy to see Camille after so long.

“What have you been doing all this time?”

“Well, during the day I played with the kids. At night, I secretly drank with the old man, behind his wife’s back.”

“You certainly had an interesting time.”

“Don’t even get me started, the kids treated me like some neighborhood mongrel.”

Camille’s eyes curved into a slight smile.

Under the soft moonlight, her eyes sparkled like stardust.

“Camille, what about you?”

“Me? I’ve been busy with this and that. There were diplomatic issues with the Empire, too.”

“Are they trying to start another war? Should I go teach those guys a lesson?”

“No, no. Helix, you don’t need to get involved. Sending a Dragon to the battlefield is sacrilege.”

Camille waved her hand, dissuading me.

“Well, still, let me know if it gets urgent.”

“It’s fine, really. And I’m not busy because of war. Rather, it seems the new Emperor has ascended and is preparing to improve relations with our Holy Dominion.”

“Oh? I misunderstood then.”

“We might even be invited to the Empire sometime next year.”

The conversation paused for a moment.

But both Camille and I knew.

That the pleasantries were over.

And now was the real main topic.

“Helix.”

“Yes.”

“I wanted to apologize to you.”

“That’s unexpected. I didn’t think you’d start with an apology.”

“Actually, I meant to do it as soon as I saw you, but the words just wouldn’t come out.”

Camille gave an awkward laugh and gazed at me.

“Want to hold hands…?”

“Yes.”

Sitting on the bench, I held Camille’s hand.

Camille’s hand, which I hadn’t touched in a long time, was still warm.

Listening to the chirping of insects, we remained like that for a long time.

“I kept thinking about why you were so angry with me, Helix. Only one answer came to mind.”

“What was it?”

“Because Helix loves only me too much. That’s why you didn’t want to accept anyone else.”

It wasn’t a perfect answer.

But it was enough to melt away some of the bitterness in my heart.

“Helix, I know my request is selfish.”

“If you know, then can’t you just not do it?”

“Sorry, it’s not that easy.”

A bitter smile formed on Camille’s lips.

“This is just my greed. There’s no great cause or anything. I just want to be a good older sister to my sisters.”

She admitted it so frankly that I had nothing to say.

“So, Helix, I’m asking you.”

“…”

“Can you sacrifice for me?”

I couldn’t take it anymore.

At Camille’s words, I shot up from my seat.

I roughly ran my hand through my hair and glared fiercely at Camille.

“Ha, is that what you say to your husband whom you haven’t seen in half a year?”

“Sorry.”

“I think I was mistaken about you.”

I snapped harshly at Camille.

“Camille, all this time, I thought you were just like an angel. But I think I was wrong.”

“Helix…”

“If I had known this, I wouldn’t have chosen you. I would have just stayed trapped in my egg, never waking up.”

Had I ever spoken so harshly to Camille in my life?

But this was also my plea to her.

Please, let’s stop now.

It’s still not too late.

“…”

Camille merely remained silent.

As if she would endure whatever I poured out…

The resolve in her blue eyes simply wouldn’t fade.

“Even after I’ve said all this, your mind still hasn’t changed?”

“Sorry, but my conviction is firm.”

“Ugh…”

Overwhelmed with emotion, I bit my lip tightly.

My tightly clenched fists trembled.

“How could you do this to me? I only need you, that’s enough… I don’t need anything else…”

“That’s right. Because you’re a Dragon. You don’t get greedy if you have just one truly precious thing. But I’m human, Helix.”

“…”

“I’m sorry for being a greedy human. I want both you, Helix, and my sisters.”

I had nothing more to say.

I didn’t even dare to try persuading her or anything.

Because her resolve was as strong as steel; it felt like nothing could get through to her.

“You’ll regret this later.”

“Yes, maybe so.”

“…”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I had to accept it now.

That it was no longer possible to love only Camille, purely.

Ironically, to return to her embrace…

I had to embrace other women.

“Helix. Let’s go back, to our home.”

Camille extended her hand to me with a gentle smile.

The moment I took that hand, a happy hell would begin.

A happy hell that any ordinary man might dream of at least once.

“…”

I hesitated, unable to take her hand.

Perhaps frustrated by this, Camille firmly grabbed my wrist.

“Let’s go, everyone is eagerly waiting for you.”

The hand Camille used to pull me was so warm…

I couldn’t refuse her.