2. Promise (edit highlight)

The strong chains binding the bodies of four dragons held Clementina’s carriage suspended in the air without any trouble.

As the carriage slowly rose into the air, it swayed from the momentum. Clementina’s body instantly curled up. But her fear lasted only a moment. Once in the sky, Clementina peeked her head out the window and seemed reluctant to pull it back inside.

Watching the rapidly changing scenery as they passed over quaint villages below the clouds, followed rivers, and crossed over marvelous mountain ridges never grew boring.

Sitting across from the continuously amazed Clementina, Dion added brief explanations about each place they passed.

Permissions to visit again if there were places she wanted to see were dropped here and there.

As they headed north, the cold wind grew stronger and the carriage shook slightly but soon stabilized. The four dragons transported the carriage very skillfully, maintaining precise distances between them.

Clementina, still peering out the window, noticed enormous air bubbles.

The four dragons gradually slowed down and landed on a surface full of heat.

Dion, who exited the carriage first, extended his hand to Clementina. She took his hand and stepped onto the red earth.

The place was filled with red soil, with huge puddles scattered throughout, and in those puddles, red spring water was bubbling up.

“What is this place for?”

When Dion turned to look at Clementina, a cold wind suddenly blew, contrasting with the hot ground.

Facing that wind, Dion answered playfully.

“Shall we take a bath?”

⁕⁕⁕

Frozen land, Halia, located right beneath the Kingdom of Leila, is where the warm currents of the Elmar Ocean flow in from afar and reach their end.

The summit of Halia, a blunt mountainous terrain created by erupting lava, consisted of flat areas and multiple large and small puddles forming terraced steps. Inside the puddles, the red water was full of small bubbles, as if boiling.

Clementina’s pink dress, embroidered with black silk roses, was covered in red soil dust. She brushed off her dress with her hands while glancing nervously at the puddles.

“I don’t want to become cooked meat and be food for dragons.”

“This temperature won’t cook a person. And dragons don’t eat cooked meat.”

Dion’s low voice carried a serious tone. Moreover, he was watching the dragons with his eyes. His mind seemed completely filled with thoughts about those animals.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s not as hot as it looks. There’s carbon dioxide inside. That’s why bubbles form, it’s not actually boiling. What do you think? Feel like going in?”

Clementina relaxed after Dion’s explanation that it wasn’t dangerous. Only then did the warm scenery of the hot spring, which she was seeing for the first time, come into view. However, she worried about how to manage afterward if she soaked her body in this strange place without even a maid present.

“The water here is really good. I’m not joking this time.”

Thinking she might as well try it, she tentatively felt for the ground with her foot.

“Many noble ladies want to vacation here. They say it makes you beautiful? There’s no shortage of humans who try to scheme their way in regardless of age, just to soak in this place. If this weren’t His Majesty the Emperor’s private property, there would be nothing left of it by now.”

Her highly inclined heart found its place again. Her excited feelings instantly cooled.

“If that’s the reason, I don’t need it.”

“Are you saying it’s difficult for you to become more beautiful?”

Unlike the smiling Dion, contempt flashed in Clementina’s eyes. She felt a bitter taste rising in her throat and pressed her hand against her chest.

“That’s not what I meant. Becoming beautiful—I’ve never once wanted that for myself. Sitting like a flower makes me feel sick now. I’d rather make efforts not to appear beautiful.”

Clementina hoped that marriage to Dion wouldn’t be a wrong choice. At least on that night before the wedding, he was different from Count Sustain.

“Do you also want me to sit as a beautiful flower, Duke?”

Clementina’s facial muscles stiffened. Seeing her face twisted into a somewhat strange smile, Dion scratched his chin.

“I think I’ve misunderstood again. There’s no need to get that angry. I didn’t mean you should go in just to become prettier. Actually, the water here is really good for your health.”

A bitter smile flashed across Clementina’s lips. Dion lightly ignored her irreverent attitude. He never expected a docile attitude from her in the first place. Rather the opposite, if anything.

“Exactly how is it good?”

“It helps you eat well, digest well, and sleep well.”

Clementina frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s effective for anemia, chronic athlete’s foot and eczema, and good for bones too. It’s also effective for detoxifying metal poisoning. And for dizziness, nausea.”

“Are you some kind of medicine peddler right now?”

“I’m selling medicine right now. So? Want to try? Let’s try. You haven’t tried it before.”

“……”

“Hmm? If you don’t want to soak your body, at least try soaking your feet.”

Several spiders began chaotically weaving webs in Clementina’s mind. She couldn’t gauge which direction the conversation was bouncing toward. It was dizzying to maintain focus with words that kept springing off in unexpected tangents.

When she began to pity herself for getting angry, she suddenly felt drained.

“Ha—I’ll buy it. That medicine.”

Clementina’s sigh and Dion’s laughter erupted simultaneously.

“But where did everyone go?”

There were only Dion and Clementina there. Not a single dragon rider was visible around.

Dion rummaged through the pile of luggage brought by the dragons.

“They went hunting. There’s a delicacy you can only eat here. Look forward to it. It’ll be a taste you’ve never experienced before. Ah! Here it is.”

Dion took out a small pouch from a large wooden box and came back to the puddle where Clementina was.

The dragons had folded their wings and settled in their respective puddles to rest. Dion took out a white object the size of a fist from the small pouch and threw it into the puddle where Mago was.

When the white object touched the water, it created white foam and instantly released a sweet floral scent.

“What is that?”

Dion sat down near the puddle where Mago was and put his hand in the water.

“Something to put in when bathing. Doesn’t it seem like they like it?”

“Dragons use such things too?”

“It was made by a quack wizard named Henry in Drasia territory, but it’s quite useful.”

Indeed, as white foam like clouds formed in the puddle, the dragons swept the foam with their tails or immersed their bodies deeper, making languid sounds.

“Look at that. Not bad, right?”

‘There are all kinds of dragons in the world. Some like going into hot magma, some like cold glacier water. There are even some that like going into mud full of poison.’

She thought it was just an amusing story, but her mother’s old tales were advice that would help her daughter’s future. She swallowed them inside, wondering when she could speak out the stories that only she knew.

Dion took out another white object from the pouch and handed it to Clementina. Its surface was rough, and as she rolled it around, it sparkled in the sunlight.

‘But what they like best is something else. A very expensive—’

“What is it made of?”

“Salt, honey, musk powder, whirlwind mushroom powder, gold, pearl powder. I heard such things are in it.”

Dion scratched his forehead with his finger and threw the white object into a distant puddle.

“Those are good things for humans.”

“What else can we do? How can we know what they’re thinking? We just think if it’s good for us, it’ll be good for them too. Of course, it would be wonderful if we could really know. Why? Do you know something?”

“No. I don’t.”

When Clementina hurriedly threw the white object into the puddle, Dion glanced at her and tied the opening of the small pouch with a string.

“Right? Tell me if you find out.”

“How would I know that?”

“If you find out, I mean. Haha.”

A cold wind suddenly blew, and the foam that had collected in the puddles flew into the sky. One dragon spread its wings and flew up slightly to catch the flying foam. It was while Clementina was watching the dragon playing with the flying foam.