With her cheeks puffed up, grumbling to herself, she turned to the very last page. She found her mother’s final translation paper.

The aged, faded paper showed signs of being touched so much that fingerprints were visible. She even had the illusion of feeling warm energy, like her mother’s touch remained.

『Pia mo mana—』

These words were also in the lullaby Mother always sang. Clementina read along. Mother’s affectionate voice seemed to echo.

“My beloved child.”

『I hope you never see this book.』

It was a letter Caroline sent to her daughter. Clementina could tell at a glance the words were meant for her.

『Please, I hope you don’t see the end of this book. I hope you don’t come to this island and discover this book. How wonderful it would be if this book stayed buried forever under Tahan’s bottom, never seeing light. Mother desperately wishes for that.

Pia mo mana. I hope you don’t grow into a foolish woman who falls in love. I hope you don’t ruin your life swept up in that stupid, futile emotion. There’s no love in the world that doesn’t betray.

Pia mo mana. I hope you grow into a wise woman. Love is futile. Spend all your time for yourself. Let your heart grow and keep your body strong. And you must love yourself enough. Even if Mother isn’t by your side, please don’t think I abandoned you. Though I’m away from you, I’ve never forgotten you for a moment.

Claire, Tina, Bella. You always deserve to be loved.

Pia mo mana. Nevertheless, if you meet someone you love, if you feel you’d die without that person, love freely.

Through that intense, ecstatic experience, you’ll grow even more. Sometimes you’ll suffer swept up in rough storms, sometimes you’ll struggle untangling hopelessly tangled threads, but you’ll bask in warm sunlight you’ve never experienced and find refuge in cool shade.

Pia mo mana. If you meet someone you love like that, please just live ordinarily.

I’ve put various safeguards in place for you, but I don’t know how much they’ll help.

This damned dragon power gives you strength no one else can have, but it will simultaneously make you weaker than anyone. A dragon that dies when betrayed in love. Humans experience heartbreak and separation. Then they start another love. They become mature humans that way. But why can’t we?

We’re cursed with fate to love only one person for life.

But what can we do? That’s who we are.

Mother met someone she loved and her life became abundant. The quality of life became more fertile. I don’t regret meeting Wellicks. I loved him, and I could meet you.

Pia mo mana. If you’re hesitating considering your loved one’s circumstances, if he made mistakes because of his unavoidable position, stop and forgive him and love him freely. Then you can start again.

That’s my one regret. Abandoning and leaving him because I felt betrayed. When I realized that, it was already too late for your Mother.

Pia mo mana. Nothing enriches your magic as much as loving.

Pia mo mana. Pia.』

It was her mother’s long letter. Among several diary volumes, this was the only letter written to her daughter. Clementina didn’t cry. Even without her mother’s letter, Clementina had decided to be with Dion.

Though life here on Diahart Island had reduced her pain, she’d ultimately coughed up blood. She was clearly ill.

Though she wasn’t afraid of dying, she didn’t want to die either. She’d simply chosen to spend her remaining life with him rather than cause Dion pain.

Since she’d die anyway, what was wrong with that much selfishness? If anyone criticized her, she planned to shamelessly hide behind Dion. This wasn’t for him but purely for Clementina herself.

Yet her mother told her to stay by his side for him.

‘No, I’ll stay by his side for myself.’

Clementina raised her head. Dion was organizing weapons made from branches. His voluptuous bare chest, wet with sweat, glistened in the sunlight. He should have done that from the start.

He mingled with knights without reserve. Even in front of Clementina. So sometimes she wondered whether Dion’s attitude toward her was like addressing subordinate knights. She wanted to reproach him, asking if he even saw her as a woman.

Now that she knew his heart, she didn’t need to express hurt feelings. But she couldn’t help feeling disappointed, thinking he’d probably act the same way in front of other women.

“Is she watching?”

“Yes, so put more strength into it. The Duchess is definitely paying attention to Your Majesty. Take that thicker wood instead. You need to really flex so your arm muscles show well. Don’t forget to flex your chest too.”

At Dion and Berche’s whispered conversation, Lillian, who’d been trimming her bow beside them, shook her head and clicked her tongue. Such one-dimensional male conversation. It was embarrassingly pathetic for a conversation between an Emperor and knight order commander.

But she couldn’t blame the two. Clementina was looking at Dion with loving eyes.

No, why was someone so composed about other things so sincere about a man’s chest? Thinking of herself worrying alone about Clementina all this time made her angry.

Still, on the other hand, she sighed away her frustration, thinking it was enough if Clementina was happy.

“Will it take long for everyone to come, Lillian?”

Before she knew it, Clementina had approached Lillian, who was sharpening arrowheads.

“Are you worried?”

“Yes, what if she already killed her dragon?”

“That probably didn’t happen.”

“No, that woman could. If she wants to, she’ll cut down the dragon without a moment’s hesitation. We should go before then.”

“If you’re that anxious, I’ll go check briefly.”

“Lillian? What if you get caught? You mustn’t get hurt!”

Lillian blinked like hearing such absurd talk for the first time.

“Who? Me? I’m even against all the other dragon riders coming. I don’t see why we need to. Sir Berche and I are enough.”

“……Of course, you’re right. Sorry. I misspoke.”

“You’re anxious, right? But think about it. Tina, that woman didn’t do that much to you.”

“What? That’s because you don’t know how hard it was for me when I was with the rock dragons for a month!”

“Right, I don’t know. But that’s why I can speak objectively. Tina. Did the dragons attack you there?”

“That’s…… no. They couldn’t because of the drug effects.”

“Did that mage hurt you?”

“She didn’t physically attack, but—”

“She starved you. When Jerbek told your location, he said that. There were edible fruits and spring water. But you didn’t know, right?”

“……I didn’t!”

“She did it on purpose. She wanted to corner you. The herbs that weaken dragons made it harder for you too. But it’s not like that now. The victim suffered, but think about it from a distance. You have no reason to be afraid. So don’t suffer so much. You have the best army right now.”

“……But that woman is too reckless. Who knows what she’ll do.”

“That mage can never hurt you again. She won’t cloud your mind either. We’ll stop her. So don’t be so afraid. Don’t think only His Majesty is here. Sir Berche is here, and so am I! And—”

Lillian pulled out one fist-sized leather pouch and two smaller leather pouches from inside her chest.

“Here. Custus told me to give you these.”

“What are these?”

“The small ones—if that woman catches you, put this in her mouth. It’s mixed with all kinds of poison plants, so she’ll die quickly.”

“How could I force-feed her this no matter what happens?”

“Right? I said the same thing, but he said just in case. Just in case. Hehe. And the big pouch has lily of the valley berries. He was worried you might have run out.”

During her time on Diahart Island, Clementina felt no pain tormenting her. So she hadn’t needed lily of the valley berries separately.

Wait. Mother had suffered continuously while staying on Diahart Island. Then perhaps staying on the island wasn’t why Clementina felt no pain? Moreover, she hadn’t coughed up blood again after that.

What was going on? The more time passed, the less Clementina understood.

“I’ll go for now. Wait a moment. Mago!”

Mago was resting in the mountain shade created by the sheer cliff on the opposite side of the pond. At Lillian’s call, Mago rose at once, flew over, picked up Lillian, and vanished instantly.

But Lillian, who became a small dot disappearing into the sky, couldn’t appear before them right away despite her bold promise.

Five dragon riders remained in Drasia.

The Gold Dragon Order, led by Lillian as captain, had Sir Hamon Lug as vice captain. With Lillian and Berche absent, Hamon Lug stayed at Aeskis Castle, and excluding dragon riders on missions elsewhere by the Emperor’s order, Sir Vance Hunts, Jeremiah Dezia, Ray Luium, and William Grant came to Diahart Island.

With Dimint also absent now, no dragon rider had visited Diahart Island before. This was everyone’s first time. Moreover, even among the northern regions where many wild dragons lived, they couldn’t have approached such a deeply hidden place without a guide, even if they’d come exploring.

A place that could only be found with a dragon’s guidance—the place where Tahan and wild dragons rested was such a location.

Instead of Lillian returning quickly, the dragon riders who’d departed from Drasia arrived first.

“Duchess! It’s been so long!”

Jeremiah greeted Clementina most enthusiastically. His dragon Gerard had broken a wing bone fighting at Kentlen Palace a year ago. Gerard’s injury had been more serious than expected and took longer than Lili’s treatment.

Today was exactly the sixth day since Gerard’s wing had fully healed and he’d started flying.

Jeremiah embraced Clementina with glistening eyes. Since he mingled casually with Lillian too, Jeremiah greeted her out of gladness, but Dion’s gaze watching him was far from pleased.

“Urk!”

Dion grabbed Jeremiah’s nape and pulled him away from Clementina. Jeremiah, whose breath had caught, looked up at Dion with bewildered eyes.

“Your, Your Majesty. Why are you—”