When I first saw him, I was amazed at how well a man with such a nickname could usually hide himself.

I thought he had become an existence without any ominous aura or sharp teeth.

‘I was wrong……’

Drukan blamed himself for his foolishness.

‘I never thought I’d see him like this, in a place like this.’

He felt a desire to fight him and found it quite interesting that he had shown his true colors for such a trivial matter.

‘No, perhaps it’s not so trivial.’

It’s not common for a monster to seek a sanctuary.

Drukan slightly changed his mind from his initial casual response.

Firstly, because Drukan himself had once been a monster, he knew well the importance of having a safe haven.

Secondly, he hoped that this monster would find a place to rest and continue to serve well as the empire’s shield and sword without going berserk.

“……That’s an unpleasant assumption.”

He spoke after a long silence.

“Then it seems we have our answer.”

Drukan replied in a somewhat more polite tone than before.

“…What do you mean?”

When the conversation returned to the beginning, he wanted to throw away all his politeness immediately.

“I’m saying that you are in love.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly is love?”

“What you’re doing now is love. If you don’t understand, you might as well keep following her.”

Originally, the emotion of jealousy was the best catalyst for realizing love.

“…Let’s say I am in love, as you claim.”

After pondering for a moment, Magnus hesitated before speaking again.

“Then what should I do? We’re already in the middle of divorce proceedings… It’s about to end soon.”

The man who had been an emotionless monster devoid of vitality until just now had suddenly turned into an incredibly awkward young man.

‘The previous Duke… taught him quite well.’

Usually, becoming this soft must be because he had received enough love and affection.

‘Compared to that, Lady Serena is……’

A dry person.

To the extent that even if you keep watering her, she dries herself up completely.

‘Of all people, he had to fall for someone like that.’

Drukan just smiled, feeling as if he was seeing his own passionate youth.

He had been the same.

He too had been so clumsy. He also knew how much she had pushed him away and found him annoying.

But even that dry woman had emotions.

As he kept pouring water, at some point she couldn’t dry it all up anymore.

When they came to their senses, they were already soaked through.

“You should try to hold onto her somehow. It might not be bad to start over from the beginning after the divorce.”

“From the beginning?”

“Yes, I think you two buttoned the first button too early and incorrectly, which is why your relationship has been misaligned until now.”

“……That’s true.”

Magnus recalled how he had disregarded Serena at their first meeting.

Serena didn’t seem to mind much, but she might have been a bit surprised at first.

Because… she tried to speak to him a few times in the beginning.

It was Magnus who ignored that.

The young Magnus hated the forced political marriage and so treated the young Serena coldly.

And from their next meeting, she too stopped trying to speak and kept her mouth shut.

“It might be best not to divorce, but starting with dating after the divorce could be good too.”

“Then she might go to someone else.”

Magnus said.

“It’s our job to court them so that doesn’t happen. We must do anything for the person we’ve fallen for. Otherwise, they’ll fly away in an instant.”

Drukan faintly recalled his own memories.

He remembered his wife who had truly flown away, flapping her wings.

‘I tried so hard to catch her……’

Just thinking about that time still sent chills down his spine.

“I see……”

He let out a sigh.

He was already feeling frustrated about what to do.

“First, convey your feelings. And then approach her calmly.”

“……”

Even after hearing those words, he was still frustrated. He had never been in love before and didn’t know what to do to gain someone’s love.

“This is difficult.”

“It’s not difficult at all. If you keep hovering around her, an opportunity will surely come.”

Drukan rarely smiled on his usually stern face.

It was because he was reminded of his beloved wife and daughter. And even that annoying face who had tried to kill him at their first meeting.

Of course, now he had come to love even that expression.

“Even a flower blooming in barren land will eventually be soaked if you keep watering it.”

“……”

“It seems Lady Serena might need quite a lot of water, though……”

Nevertheless, Drukan could be certain.

There is no person who doesn’t get wet.

No matter what kind of person they are, in the end, people do get wet.

“Then I’ll really return to my guard duty now.”

“Alright, thanks for putting up with me.”

“Yes.”

“If you want to fight, we could have a match sometime soon.”

Drukan paused at Magnus’s words.

“Isn’t that right, Dragon Slayer? The forgotten hero, Drukan.”

Drukan’s eyes widened.

“You knew?”

“It was a name I remember hearing from my father.”

“…Ah, the previous Duke of Kelahinum was also a good person, though boisterous and rough.”

Drukan smiled.

He didn’t expect him to notice the brief moment of fighting spirit he had.

“I see, it seems you already knew everything and that’s why you left me be.”

“It would be strange to think I wouldn’t check on someone who’s approaching her.”

“……”

You’re doing an excellent job of being in love, my friend.

Only you are under the illusion that you’re just friends, but your possessiveness and obsession are already overflowing.

‘…It would be great for Lady Serena’s future to just be with him.’

At least there would be no reason for other men to die, right?

“I won’t ask why you came to Serena’s side.”

A chilling voice reaches Drukan’s ears.

A heavy killing intent slowly weighs down on him.

It’s the pressure of a hegemon. That of a man not lacking in the ability to command the world.

“But if your existence becomes harmful to Serena……”

Magnus von Kalehinum smiled.

The Red Lion of the Iron Wall bared his teeth ominously.

It was already beyond a simple human smile, it was the malice of a ferocious beast.

“I’m quite curious to see how far I can go myself.”

Drukan took a deep breath.

It was a clear threat.

“I might even come to covet the title of Dragon Slayer quite a bit.”

Images of his wife and daughter flashed through Drukan’s mind. Strength entered his gaze for a moment.

“……I only eliminate evil. As long as Lady Serena is not evil, I won’t lay a hand on her. This time, I’m only trying to repay a debt of gratitude.”

“Even if she were a demon, it would be the same.”

Magnus spoke slowly.

“You have no authority here.”

Magnus smiled faintly.

His hand lightly kneaded Drukan’s shoulder and then let go.

“You may go now. Serena must be waiting a lot.”

“…I don’t think she would be, but I understand.”

“She will be. She’s unnecessarily kind while pretending not to be.”

Magnus turned his body abruptly. After watching him disappear beyond the alley, Drukan immediately headed towards where he could sense Serena’s presence.

‘…He’s watching.’

Of course, his killing intent still flew occasionally and he could still feel the gaze constantly.

‘……He’s more serious than me.’

Drukan momentarily pitied Serena.

Along with the thought that perhaps he had made a greatly wrong choice.