First Reunion (12)

That’s enough touching.

I had no intention of deliberately provoking her while Camille was watching.

“D-Dragon-isiyeo?”

Woooong!!

I released my Polymorph and returned to my human form.

Garmiyu wiggled her fingers, seemingly disappointed.

“So, have you thought about it?”

“Huh? Thought about what…?”

“I told you I’d grant your wish.”

To be honest, even after asking, I wasn’t confident myself.

Garmiyu was the Lady of Reinvalt, one of the five great noble families.

She must have enjoyed every luxury imaginable, so would it even be possible for me to grant her wish?

All I currently possessed was a paltry amount of Magic knowledge.

‘If it were a special situation requiring Magic knowledge, like with Vivian, then maybe…’

I didn’t sense particularly strong Magic from Garmiyu.

Her talent as a Magician was quite ordinary.

It might be different if she wanted to, but it wasn’t enough for me to strongly urge her to learn.

“I really can’t think of anything… I just wished the Dragon-nim wouldn’t be in so much pain…”

“Right, that was my greed.”

Seeing Garmiyu’s gaze, I immediately gave up on granting her wish.

A wish only stands if there’s something desired.

I wanted what she possessed, but she, in turn, wanted nothing from me.

Just pure devotion.

Helpless, I changed my offer.

“Let’s do this.”

“How…?”

“You don’t have to tell me your wish right now. Instead, find me when you need me later.”

“Would that be alright?”

“Of course. As more time passes, I’ll grow even bigger than I am now, and I’ll have more ability to grant your wish.”

This way, both I and Garmiyu would feel more at ease.

If Garmiyu ever found herself in a desperate situation later…

It would also create a reason for her to ask me for help.

“I’ll repay the favor I’ve received today later. I never break a promise.”

“Then… I’ll do that.”

“Alright, then, shall we start using it now?”

I opened the glass bottle containing the Fairy Dust.

The method of use was incredibly simple: grab a handful and sprinkle it over your head, and that’s it.

“Is it really over just by sprinkling it?”

“Yeah, the effect will soon… no, it’s appearing right away.”

A dreamy sensation came over me, and my eyes glazed over.

The Fairy Dust instantly plunged me into a world of dreams.

“I’m sleepy…”

“Helix, you can’t sleep here.”

As I swayed, intoxicated by the dust’s power, Camille quickly approached and caught me.

And then…

As if she had been waiting for this moment, she subtly conveyed to Garmiyu.

“It seems Helix needs to rest. Would you mind returning for today?”

“Huh? Oh, yes…”

Her voice sounded full of regret at Camille’s dismissal.

Was it right to just send her away like this?

She was a benefactor who had given me precious Fairy Dust purely out of devotion.

Though I was a penniless Dragon with nothing, this didn’t feel right.

“No, don’t go.”

“Helix…?”

“I should at least show her around the Temple. It feels a bit heartless to just send her away like this.”

“You need to rest, Helix.”

Despite Camille’s dissuasion, I slipped out of her embrace.

“Dragon-isiyeo, please rest as Saint-nim says…”

“If I send you away like this, I think I’ll be even less at ease.”

I was just a little dizzy from using Fairy Dust after a long time.

My body itself was fine.

“Helix. Don’t be stubbornly useless. You clearly don’t look okay!”

“Ahaha, Camille, you wouldn’t know, would you?”

“What…?”

“Do you think I’ve only used this once or twice?”

Like a delinquent student teaching a good student bad habits…

I grinned mischievously at Camille and shook the glass bottle.

“I’ve used it a *lot*, so I know very well. How much to use for the effects to fully kick in, and even what the lethal dose is…”

“Helix…”

Intoxicated by the Fairy Dust, words flowed easily.

If there was a side effect, it would be this.

Like drinking alcohol, my reason blurred, and I couldn’t control my emotions well.

“I’ll show you around the Temple. Follow me.”

“D-Dragon-isiyeo…?”

I grabbed Garmiyu’s wrist and ran out with excited steps, like a child.

I heard Camille’s voice, as if she was calling me, but…

Right now, I didn’t care at all.

“Dragon-isiyeo, Saint-nim is calling…”

“Don’t worry about it right now.”

“But…”

Despite Garmiyu’s fidgeting voice, I led her around the Temple, showing her various places.

“This is the Confessional. We rarely use it, but it’s part of the Temple, after all.”

“Do you actually use it?”

“Sometimes? The Dragon’s Priestess girls use it occasionally if they have something bothering their conscience. Not often, though.”

“Even those deeply devout people use the Confessional.”

“Yeah, Dragon’s Priestesses are people too.”

Garmiyu, who had been stiff from watching Camille, slowly began to react.

Was she really interested in the Dragon’s Priestesses?

“Garmiyu, I vaguely remember hearing you wanted to serve me before, didn’t you?”

“That’s right, it used to be my dream to become a Dragon’s Priestess.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s true.”

Her gaze was unwavering and earnest.

She didn’t seem to be lying.

“Because of your devotion?”

“Yes, that too, of course, but… I felt respect when I saw the Dragon’s Priestesses-nim.”

“For what reason?”

“They dedicated everything for their faith, didn’t they? Seeing them quietly walk a path others consider difficult, I couldn’t help but respect them.”

“That’s something the girls would like to hear. But it’s just as harsh.”

Garmiyu nodded, as if acknowledging it.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s harsh… Although I haven’t experienced it myself, I know that path is painful and difficult.”

“It’s a relief you know that.”

“But Dragon-isiyeo, sometimes I have these thoughts. The luxuries I’ve enjoyed growing up as the daughter of a prestigious family. I’m sometimes afraid of forgetting where they truly came from.”

Her endlessly serious gaze made me close my mouth.

Because it was becoming clear what Garmiyu wanted to say.

“Dragon-isiyeo, I…”

“Just call me Helix. ‘Dragon-isiyeo, Dragon-isiyeo’ all the time. It’s too serious, like you’re talking to the Archbishop grandfathers.”

“Would that be alright…?”

“Yeah, otherwise I feel too burdened.”

I tried to lighten the mood for a moment, but…

Garmiyu, whose eyes had already lit up once, didn’t back down easily.

“I, I came with a certain resolve. Please accept me.”

“This isn’t a place you come to with ‘a certain resolve’.”

“Is it because I’m a noble?”

“Uh, that’s part of it. Honestly, it can’t be ignored.”

If Garmiyu were just an ordinary girl, I would have granted her wish if her intentions were so earnest.

But Garmiyu, to be frank, lived as a noble Lady who knew no hardship.

Of course, if she truly put in the effort, she might be able to adapt to this life.

However…

‘There’s no real need for her to do that.’

That question suddenly popping up was the problem.

“First, I’ll show you more. Follow me.”

“Yes, Helix-nim…!”

Had she mistaken this for me accepting her as a Dragon’s Priestess?

Garmiyu’s voice held even more conviction than before.

I merely wanted to show her the reality of the life here to make her change her mind.

“This is the kitchen.”

“Ah…”

“It’s not as big as you thought, is it?”

“Yes, honestly.”

I don’t eat lavish meals every day; grilled meat is perfectly fine, so there’s no need for a large staff.

The kitchen in the Reinvalt family mansion is probably several times larger than this.

“Have you ever cooked?”

“No, not yet…”

“If you become a Dragon’s Priestess, you might have to cut meat yourself.”

“…”

Well, even that would only be possible with the permission of Lev, the kitchen’s matriarch.

When it comes to cooking, everyone is clamoring to do it.

Even though working in front of the fire is arduous.

“Seems difficult, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Even if you say you can’t do it now, no one will laugh at you. So…”

“I’ve never thought I couldn’t do it.”

Contrary to my expectations, Garmiyu’s will remained unbroken.

Honestly, at this point, I became genuinely curious.

“Does your family perhaps not like you very much?”

“Th-that’s not it! My parents cherish me.”

“Really? You’re not getting beaten up somewhere, are you? I’ll go check later, you know?”

“It’s true… I’ve never been hit in my life…”

So it wasn’t that either.

Hmm…

Then, perhaps?

“Do you have a fiancé?”

“Yes, I do…”

Of course.

As the daughter of a prestigious family approaching marriageable age, it was impossible for her not to have a fiancé.

“Do you perhaps not like your fiancé? If that’s the case, I understand.”

“It’s not that I don’t like him. He’s a good person. A diligent person.”

“Hmm, but it seems that’s as far as it goes.”

If she truly loved him, she wouldn’t even be thinking about becoming a Dragon’s Priestess or anything like that.

So, he’s a good person, but she’s not romantically attracted to him?

“Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t want to come here as an escape from an arranged marriage.”

“…”

“Nor am I looking down on this life and wanting to come here.”

Did she not want to be misunderstood?

It was I who was flustered by her blazing gaze.

“Of course, life as the Lady of Reinvalt is comfortable. Everything is provided.”

“Then why?”

“It’s comfortable, but I don’t think it has any special meaning. My current life…”

“There are many people who live well even without meaning.”

“I know, but even so, I want to give it a little more special meaning.”

This is too firm, even for her.

Can’t be helped.

Just coaxing and soothing won’t work.

“Alright, but there’s a condition.”

“What kind of condition?”

“Get permission from Camille.”

“S-Saint-nim…?”

Garmiyu’s eyes widened when Camille’s name was mentioned.

Come to think of it, their names are similar.

Camille, Garmiyu.

Is there some meaning to the end of their names?

“But Saint-nim doesn’t seem to think highly of me…”

“Camille is the de facto administrator of this Temple. She’s also the leader of the Dragon’s Priestesses. If you don’t convince her, becoming a Dragon’s Priestess is impossible.”

“Saint-nim was a Dragon’s Priestess…?”

“Yes. You didn’t know that, did you?”

It’s actually quite well-known.

Perplexity clouded Garmiyu’s eyes.

“If you don’t get recognized by Camille, you won’t be recognized by the other fellow Priestesses either.”

“…”

“How do I get recognized?”

“You’ll have to prove that you’re someone who can endure as a Dragon’s Priestess without giving up halfway.”

It was true that Camille wasn’t looking favorably upon Garmiyu right now.

I could tell just by her gaze.

But apart from that, Camille, as a Saint-nim, was someone who strictly separated public and private matters.

And Garmiyu was my benefactor.

A grateful person who had temporarily freed me from my suffering.

If she could just prove her qualifications, Camille wouldn’t be able to stop her.

“I will prove it.”

“It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

“I’m prepared.”

“Alright, then follow me.”

I took Garmiyu’s hand and returned to where Camille was.

Perhaps she didn’t like that I had ignored her words and run off.

Her gaze towards me was not kind.

“Why did you come back so quickly? Weren’t you going to show her around the Temple?”

“Camille, please check if Garmiyu has any divine power.”

“What are you going to do by checking?”

“To see if she has the minimum qualifications to become a Dragon’s Priestess.”

“…”

At my words, Camille’s eyelids twitched.

Ah, this is already getting a bit dangerous.

She’s expressing her unwillingness with her whole body.

“Helix, selecting the Dragon’s Priestesses is my right.”

“I know, that’s why I came to get your permission.”

“Why do you want to become a Dragon’s Priestess? This is by no means an easy path, Lady Reinvalt-nim.”

Despite Camille’s sharp gaze, Garmiyu answered steadfastly.

“That’s right. But precisely because it’s not an easy path, I believe it has meaning.”

“…”

“And I truly… want to serve Helix-nim.”

Camille reluctantly sighed.

“Alright. I’ll check her divine power first.”

“Thank you, Saint-nim…!”

“There’s no need to thank me. If you’re not qualified, you’ll be immediately disqualified.”

Camille briefly took Garmiyu’s hand.

She began to draw out divine power, checking if it also existed within Garmiyu.

“Impossible…”

Camille’s eyes widened, as if greatly surprised.

“Why? Does she have an enormous amount of divine power?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Then what is it?”

Camille didn’t answer, instead asking Garmiyu.

“Lady-nim, do you perhaps have a Dragon among your ancestors?”

“Huh…? A Dragon? I’ve heard there was a connection with Elves, but a Dragon…”

At Camille’s words, just in case, I quickly took Garmiyu’s hand.

And as I drew out Magic and assimilated it into Garmiyu…

“Oh…?”

At that moment, a pair of small black horns sprouted from Garmiyu’s head.

Everyone gasped at their appearance, which looked remarkably similar to mine.

“A Half-Dragon….”

“My goodness…”

Surprisingly, Garmiyu was a Half-Dragon.

And not a Half-Dragon with very diluted blood, like Vivian, but…

A Half-Dragon with very strong lineage.

Perhaps a Quarter… or even a Half…

She was a miraculous child born of a Dragon.