“…Do you also think dragons are the source of magical beasts?”

Agnes’s first impression was nothing but arrogant.

As soon as their violent fight ended, Agnes spoke in a low voice, trying to maintain dignity.

With a huge bump on his head.

Ariel frowned at the sight of Agnes looking down the cliff, beaten up and covered in blood.

“What are you talking about? I couldn’t care less. You’re the one who blocked my path and got beaten up.”

“…Isn’t the Tower Master supposed to have a contract with the Imperial family to exterminate magical beasts?”

Agnes, who had been staring at the dark sky where nothing was visible, turned his head as if finding something strange.

“I agreed to catch magical beasts, not dragons. Their energy is completely different.”

“……”

“You. You’re the last remaining dragon.”

Agnes held his breath, struck by those blue eyes that displayed neither interest nor hostility – only pure, complete indifference to everything around them.

Throughout his centuries of living in hiding and encountering various humans, he had never encountered someone quite like this.

“……”

After being lost in thought for a moment, Ariel ran his hand through his hair above his mask. Then he handed the note back to Seren.

“That Agnes is at the Hartez mansion right now.”

“……What?! What do you mean?”

Seren, who was carefully receiving the note, almost dropped it again in surprise.

Why would the dragon, who had hurriedly left to get medicine, be at the Hartez mansion?

The Saint, whom this eccentric Tower Master cherishes, would be there too…….

Seren, after safely tucking away the documents and note in his chest, rolled his eyes around.

“It’s a long story. Continue your research. Let me know if you need Agnes’s help.”

“Yes, of course.”

As expected, Ariel wasn’t going to explain. ‘Just do what you’re told,’ Seren grumbled.

“Christopher. I’ll see you next time too.”

“……Keeeng.”

Even though his voice was gentle and soft this time too, the magical beast trembled.

Making a sound similar to the whimpers Agnes made in baby dragon form.

“Oh come on, Tower Master. When you say it like that, it sounds like a threat to kill them next time.”

Realizing something was wrong, Seren offered some advice. Ariel tilted his head and corrected his words.

“I’ll shower you with more love next time.”

Though he said this with a bright smile. It seemed to have the opposite effect.

Christopher fainted on the spot with foam in their mouth.

“Oh nooo!”

Despite Seren’s wail accompanying the loud crash of something heavy collapsing, Ariel didn’t hear it as he had already teleported hurriedly to his room.

***

“Merri, about that date you mentioned before.”

“You want to go today?”

“Yes.”

Somehow, it felt like he was back to his original self.

For the past few days, Ariel had been in his Whitey form, constantly presenting his face to her as if begging to be petted.

Moreover, whenever Merrien tried to look at Agnes, he would growl and block her view with his front paws.

Even when taking medicine, he would droop his ears and act depressed, which was quite troublesome.

Of course, touching Whitey’s cute fluffy fur and pink jelly paw pads was a happy thing.

But still…

‘I prefer this handsome face.’

Merrien liked seeing Ariel’s face after so long. She struggled to avoid his eyes whenever the corners of his mouth twitched.

Ariel, who had leisurely received healing, lay sprawled on the table with his head tilted slightly to look at Merrien.

At this point, she couldn’t ignore that blatant gaze. He clearly seemed to want something.

“Alright then. Is there somewhere you want to go?”

“Yes. The pudding shop.”

“Must have been delicious. Ah, I wonder if Agnes likes pudding too?”

“……”

She had just spoken without thinking. The atmosphere turned awkward at the sudden mention of that name.

Agnes, who had been quietly receiving medicine, got caught in the crossfire for no reason.

“I don’t know what pudding is, but as a dragon, I’m not particularly interested in anything.”

His voice was extremely businesslike and stiff as he spoke quickly.

The one who had been a tiny dragon until just now had somehow transformed into the appearance of a young boy.

“Really? You might change your mind if you try it. But I’ve been thinking, you really talk like an old person in a child’s body.”

“Well, being a dragon, I suppose I’m different from humans in some ways.”

…Or maybe not. More like a machine than an old soul?

While Merrien tilted her head and rolled her eyes, a very quiet conversation passed between the two men without her knowing.

“What kind of nonsense is that.”

“Don’t know. That’s just how it turned out.”

When Merrien suddenly turned her head, seemingly remembering something, the two abruptly cut their conversation short.

“Ah, I also have somewhere I want to go. I heard there’s a really beautiful lake. It’s not far from the pudding shop, so we could visit.”

“A lake?”

Ariel sat up straight as if nothing had happened and propped his chin.

That intense gaze meant ‘don’t look anywhere else.’

Merrien detected a strange obsessiveness in that gaze. What could he possibly be jealous of regarding this small child?

She had created unnecessary tension by mentioning Agnes’s name for no reason.

“Yes. Charlotte told me it’s so beautiful that many nobles go there to sightsee.”

She made an exaggerated gesture, making a large circle with both hands.

“You seem to have gotten quite close with that Saint.”

“Why. Jealous?”

“Yes.”

Ariel seemed to have no intention of hiding it anymore. His nonsensical obsession knew no bounds of gender or age.

When she had thrown out a light joke, his immediate affirmation made Merrien freeze. She was left speechless, her mouth opening and closing uselessly.

Agnes leaned back comfortably against the chair.

Holding cookies and a teacup while snickering at their conversation, he seemed to have completely forgotten how he had been cowering under Ariel’s gaze just moments ago.

“But I’m not angry. I heard that Saint has been crushing other young ladies’ spirits.”

Ariel was also smirking. He spoke casually while looking at the stiffened Merrien.

The obsessive look in his eyes from just moments ago had somewhat returned to normal.

“…How do you know?”

“It’s already all over the rumors. That the two Saints are very close.”

How does he even hear about these rumors?

Should she be grateful the topic had changed? Even so, he already knew everything, so there was nothing more to say.

‘He said he had no friends. Does he have his own information network?’

Merrien squinted one eye and stared intently at Ariel, but those confident eyes that met hers revealed nothing.

‘Well, I suppose that’s how it is. That’s how he was able to conspire with the Emperor to punish the High Priest and Count Montina.’

He must have also known about the rumors about them early on and pretended to collapse.

Actually, there were many things she wanted to ask Ariel about, from beginning to end.

But given his personality, if he was going to tell her, he would have done so already.

Passing over it silently like this meant he had no intention of telling at all.

Merrien’s head drooped toward the floor.

Her heavy eyelids half-covered her eyes. Ariel couldn’t have missed that bitter energy.

“My brother is the Tower Master, so I should at least know this much.”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

Although it seemed he was hiding more than just a few things from her, she decided to withdraw her suspicious gaze.

However, Agnes, who had been watching with interest while grabbing several cookies, suddenly changed his expression to one of confusion.

“His Brother is the Tower Mas…”

The moment he opened his mouth, Ariel threw one of the few remaining cookies on the table into Agnes’s open mouth.

“Mas… Yes. That’s right.”

In that instant, some unspoken whispers passed between the two, and Agnes mumbled while chewing the cookie. Even nodding his head hurriedly.

Ariel, who had been relaxed until just now, suddenly stood up. He seemed somewhat rushed.

“Let’s go. We need to be back before six.”

“Hm? Okay.”

“Agnes. You go back to your room.”

“Yes.”

Go back right after the healing is done.

Ariel gritted his teeth as he quickly passed by them.

Agnes, who had agreed obediently, didn’t bother transforming back into a dragon.

He intended to follow the two people out, walking with small steps.

However, the sensitive master of House Hartez didn’t wait for them.

Creeak-. Bang!

The door slammed shut with forceful anger, right in Agnes’s face.

“Hmm, I see.”

Agnes, who had stopped in front of the door, tilted his head.

He didn’t seem angry at all.

Rather….

“So he’s been hiding that he’s the Tower Master.”

His eyes were fierce despite his cheeks being puffed up from chewing cookies.