What is Sally thinking about right now?
Confessing her feelings and kissing me, Sally…
She quietly closed her eyes, as if reminiscing about some memory.
And that was probably…
“The time I engraved an oath into my heart.”
“You’re right, Young Master. It was the day the Head of the Family decided that your guard should be a magician or an Aura user, not someone incompetent.”
“You said you learned it from the family’s magician.”
“…That was a lie. I’m sorry.”
“How on earth did you figure out such a method?”
“…………”
“Sally?”
“Among the books you collected, Young Master… there was something like that.”
Hearing Sally’s words, my eyes widened.
Back in my childhood, when I couldn’t accept that I had no talent for Aura or magic.
At that time, I explored every possible method to learn magic or Aura. As the third son of a noble family, even without inheritance rights, gathering such information wasn’t a problem.
I frantically researched and explored various methods, but among the ‘normal’ methods, I couldn’t find even a sliver of possibility.
…It seems there was a book among them that contained ‘abnormal’ methods.
“In a way, I was lucky. That blue-haired Archmage was right. I… had a talent for that Gold Technique.”
“…………”
“With just a few lines written in that book, I successfully engraved the oath… Though it wasn’t perfect, so I didn’t gain a powerful talent.”
But that alone was enough for Sally to remain as my guard. Even as an apprentice, she was still a magician.
In a way, I was the cause. Though, considering Sally’s personality, she would have found some method regardless.
Ultimately, my childhood stubbornness handed Sally the Gold Technique.
“But… why did you make such an oath? Not to love me?”
“Young Master, do you remember when we first met?”
“…That rainy day in the back alley? When you swung a dagger?”
“In the end, I stabbed your body several times with that dagger. The scars are still deeply etched.”
*Tap.*
Sally touched the place where the scar was, always hidden under thick clothes.
After the scar was accidentally revealed at Leisha’s turret, causing Sally to have a breakdown, she had been even more careful to hide it.
Even though it was covered, just touching it through her clothes made Sally’s hand tremble.
“I almost killed you, Young Master.”
“…It was unavoidable.”
“You don’t need to defend me. Back then, I was just a stupid kid, a foolish girl. I was swayed by empty words, not by friendship with you.”
“Sally…?”
“How could I love you, Young Master? That was something I couldn’t allow myself to do.”
But.
Such feelings must have only grown within Sally.
“An oath engraved in the heart becomes stronger the more it binds the person.”
“…………”
“The more deeply it’s tied to one’s life and emotions, the stronger the talent it grants. So I made the heaviest oath I knew. An oath not to love you, Young Master.”
“…Sally.”
“Of course, in the end, I succeeded ambiguously, without much knowledge or skill, so I didn’t gain a talent worthy of the oath. But it was enough.”
──To stay by your side.
──And at the same time, to not dare love you.
“I was happy hiding it and being by your side, Young Master.”
“…………”
“But as you created Kyle Galli, got involved with that Spirit Master, and saved Arkhé Magic Tower, more and more… *those women* started crowding around you.”
“Uh…”
“My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I endured, endured, and endured… until it finally burst today.”
Shisha Glesia’s threats must have also pushed Sally’s back.
She was determined to remove Sally’s oath, and only allowed a reprieve until the Dwarf Village matter was resolved.
Of course, I would have done something, but there was a risk that all of Sally’s emotions could have disappeared.
…Wait, hold on.
“Sa-Sally. Then your oath…?”
“It’s still there.”
“Wait! Then───”
Confessing her love to me and even kissing me…
Wouldn’t that be breaking the oath?
That couldn’t… be.
“Young Master, can you hear me?”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, Sally. I’ll call Diogenes right away. I don’t know what side effects there might be, but we’ll clean up your oath immediately…!!”
“Young Master, can you feel it?”
Sally grabbed my hand as I tried to get up, placing it on her chest.
I could feel something soft, so vividly.
And at the same time… her heart was beating like crazy.
*Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thumpthumpthumpthump────*
“This is the side effect… of breaking the oath.”
“Sally? Sally!!”
“Anyway…”
If I lose my emotions, I might not be myself anymore. At the very least, I wanted to confess my true feelings in front of the Young Master.”
“And.”
“I wanted to die in front of the Young Master.”
“……….”
“Then, the kind Young Master will surely… remember me for the rest of his life. He won’t have a heart to give to another woman.”
*Click.*
Sally let go of the hairpin she was wearing, and it fell into my hand.
The hairpin I had once given her as a gift.
“Ah… Young Master…”
“Sally!!!”
“It’s you, it’s you I see. My beloved you…”
“Stop talking, it’s okay!”
“I love you, Kyle… even in death, forever.”
Sally’s body grew hotter.
Sally’s heart was beating far too fast.
Sally… was gradually turning into “something.”
“Ah, ah, ahhh!!!”
Horns began to sprout from Sally’s forehead. Her teeth grew sharper. Transparent scales emerged on her skin, and wing-like appendages began to form on her back.
Suddenly, Diogenes’ words came to mind.
“The Gold Technique of engraving an oath into the heart is a desperate struggle for a human to become a dragon…!”
Could it be that Sally is trying to become a dragon now?
Only now did I understand why breaking the oath would inevitably lead to death.
A human cannot become a dragon. The changes happening to Sally were not natural—they were accompanied by a horrifying process and pain.
If left like this, Sally would surely die. No human could endure such a transformation.
“Ahhh!!!”
I tightly embraced Sally, who was screaming, her body burning hot, and desperately shouted.
“Diogenes!! Diogenes!!!”
At this point, I didn’t care about side effects or anything else. The only thing that came to mind was a way to “cleanse” the oath engraved in Sally’s heart and all the changes happening to her body.
Sally had come and gone, but Diogenes must surely be nearby. That’s why I called out his name, but…
“What do you expect that stubborn fool to do?”
“………!!”
“Even if it’s that monster’s Cleaning Magic, it can’t reverse this. That’s why it’s called the Gold Technique.”
The person slowly walking toward us wasn’t Diogenes—it was Shisha Glesia.
Why she, who had said she shouldn’t come out of the forest, had come here… was, of course, beyond my understanding.
“Shisha, you’ve come at the right time. Please, remove Sally’s oath!”
“Why should I?”
“Huh…?”
“If we had returned to the Dwarf Village, I would’ve removed it anyway. But she chose to break the oath here and now, opting for suicide.”
“If you hadn’t promised to remove Sally’s oath in the first place…”
“Right, if you hadn’t met me, that maid’s Gold Technique wouldn’t have been exposed. But you’ve been making a name for yourself in the world, always dragging that maid around, haven’t you? If you hadn’t become famous as a Board Game Creator, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Are you saying… this is my fault?”
“In the end, yes. And don’t get me wrong—the maid who used the Gold Technique is entirely at fault here. If the royal family had found out, she would’ve been captured and subjected to lifelong biological experiments. If anything, I’ve been considerate by not reporting the Gold Technique to the royal family.”
“……If that were truly the case, you wouldn’t have come here, Shisha. You shouldn’t have entered the Dwarf Village.”
“………Tch.”
Even though she spoke like that, the fact remained that Shisha was the only hope.
I had to convince her somehow.
“I’ll do anything for you, Shisha.”
“Other Archmages might care, but a Board Game Creator like you holds little value to me.”
“……Then.”
Back when the Archmages gathered at the Arkhé Magic Tower, among the four, you were the only one who showed little interest in board games.
Olfin, Stella, and Bantain all showed considerable interest in Bang and other board games, but Shisha only participated in tournaments and never did anything beyond that.
To her, I must be of little importance. I know that.
But.
“Diogenes, please come.”
“………Fine, speak.”
“Do you still feel indebted to me? Are you willing to fulfill my request?”
“Indeed. Thanks to Diogenes’ Game, I won’t feel lonely or bored for a while.”
“Then, fulfill Shisha’s request in my place.”
“What? Hey, are you serious right now?”
“Even if I hold little value to Shisha, your assistance would be different. How about this?”
“The authority to make a request of that stubborn brat… Hmm.”
Shisha began to ponder, and even as Sally grew colder in my arms, I clenched my teeth and waited.
Whether she truly deliberated for a long time or if it only felt like an eternity to me, I couldn’t tell.
After her contemplation, Shisha answered.
“It’s a tempting offer, but some things just can’t be done.”
“…………….”
“……Then,”
“So, you’re just going to sit back and watch Sally die? You can’t do anything about it?”
“Well, to put it bluntly, that’s how it’s going to be.”
“I can’t possibly… let that happen.”
“Hmm?”
“What about money? The Byron family is one of the wealthiest. Glesia Magic Tower can offer a substantial amount.”
“Rejected.”
“I also have connections with other Archmages, the Duke’s House, and even the royal family. If Shisha wishes, I can arrange a meeting anytime.”
“You don’t seriously think you have more connections than I do, do you?”
“……What about exclusive rights to board games? All the games I’ve made and will make in the future.”
“That might have worked on old geezers like Olfin or some granny. But you know why I’m saying this, right? I’m not particularly interested in board games.”
No matter what I offered, Shisha remained stubborn. It was baffling why she was so adamant in her refusal.
I had offered everything I had, and Shisha had no use for any of it.
……It was clear that no ‘deal’ could move her.
“Then how about this?”
“I told you, I’m not accepting any deals or anything else. This is on a whole different level.”
“If Sally dies…… what if I ask Diogenes to clean up the ice at Glesia Magic Tower?”
“………….”
“Please…… Diogenes.”
“If that’s your request, then fine.”
What a bastard. A real piece of shit.
Threatening innocent lives just to save Sally.
But, but.
“So…… what now?”
“………….”
“Please, I beg you.”
“……Are you serious? You’d really get rid of the ice at Glesia Magic Tower?”
“………….”
“That’s what I thought. I haven’t known you for long, but I didn’t think you were the type to make such a decision sincerely.”
“What on earth can move Shisha’s heart? Sally is dying as we speak! Whether it’s a deal, an offer, or a threat! Just do something to help Sally……!!!”
Blood trickled from my mouth. I had bitten down so hard that I had wounded myself.
But all I could do was hold Sally and glare at Shisha.
“That look in your eyes, it’s really arrogant and unpleasant. It’s also annoying after hearing that threat.”
“………….”
“……Tsk, was that how he felt? It’s a strange feeling to have someone look at me the way I always did.”
Shisha muttered something incomprehensible and slowly approached Sally, crouching down beside her.
Then she spoke in a somewhat softer tone.
“Forget the deals or threats I made earlier. I was planning to help anyway. You said it yourself, if I really didn’t want to help, I wouldn’t have come this far.”
“Really……?”
“To be precise, I’ll help, but not in the way you truly want. What I’m offering…… isn’t a real solution to save this maid.”
Shisha placed her hand on Sally’s body, which was gradually transforming into a half-dragon, and grimaced, clicking her tongue.
It was clearly not good news.
“She’s already broken her oath, and the dragon transformation has progressed significantly. It’s impossible to undo this.”
“So…… you’re saying you can’t help.”
“Ultimately, the reason she can’t withstand the transformation and will die is because of her heart. A Dragon Heart is something that a half-dragon born from a human can’t endure. Of course, it’s not even a proper Dragon Heart, just a shoddy imitation, but the result is the same.”
“Then……?”
“The only method I know is to have her carry an artifact that stabilizes her magical energy for the rest of her life. There have been cases where people survived like that, but…… it’s not really living. They can’t wake up, just lying there breathing like they’re dead.”
“First, let me ask, is there no other way?”
“No, I don’t know of any. This is ultimately a problem for dragons, not humans, but there are no dragons left in this world, right? The last one was killed decades ago by that old geezer Olfin Glassburn……”
So, in the end, there’s no solution? No, there was still a way.
‘An artifact that stabilizes magical energy……’
What Shisha had said about it not being a real solution to save Sally was true. Even if Sally carried the artifact for the rest of her life, the chances of her waking up were slim.
……Of course, even if she remained in a vegetative state, the immediate priority was to prevent Sally from dying.
This is the Dwarf Village. A place filled with skilled artisans who excel in crafting artifacts.
If I go to War’s Hammer right now, I can request the creation of an artifact───
“I sensed ominous magical energy and rushed here…… as expected.”
“Old man……!!”
“So, the heart’s power has finally erupted. Humans are truly something. To develop such a method out of racial jealousy……”
“War’s Hammer. I need an artifact that stabilizes magical energy. Right now!”
“……To save that maid?”
“Please!!”
“From what I see, the problem is the half-dragon transformation…… Hey, Kyle Byron.”
“I’m really sorry, but there’s no time──”
“It’s not certain, but I have──”
“There’s a way.”
“…………Huh?”
War’s Hammer, casually mentioning there’s a way.
But Shisha seemed just as shocked as I was.
“Wait, there’s a way? Really? Without relying on artifacts……?”
“Well, I’ve seen countless dragons during the era of war, and I’ve even hunted a few. I studied their corpses closely, wondering if I could create a dragon out of metal.”
“Then………?”
“The Dragon Heart, and the dragon language inscribed on it, was a source of their power, but also an organ they couldn’t easily control themselves. So, dragons found a way to reduce the burden on their hearts.”
“What, what is it?”
“Retainers.”
“Huh……?”
“If a dragon has a retainer who shares a portion of its power, the burden on the Dragon Heart is reduced. In exchange for sharing power, the retainer also shares the burden. They were sometimes called dragon knights, chosen by the dragons.”
“Retainers……….”
“A dragon only ever had one retainer in its lifetime. While the burden is reduced, sharing too much power would be counterproductive. So, some called them companions instead of retainers, but anyway.”
Overall, she still looked human, but with horns on her head, wings on her back, sharp fangs, and scales here and there.
War’s Hammer shook his head as he looked at Sally, who had taken on a half-dragon form.
More precisely, he was looking at me too.
“But……….”
“Wouldn’t it work if I became Sally’s retainer?”
“To become a retainer, you need talent in magic. Significant talent at that. Otherwise, even if you become a retainer, your own heart would burst and kill you. And Kyle Byron, you……….”
I have no talent in magic. Practically none, if not absolutely none.
I could see why War’s Hammer shook his head. That leaves only Diogenes and Shisha as potential retainers.
“Hmm……….”
“I’ll refuse.”
Diogenes looked troubled, and Shisha firmly refused.
Becoming a retainer to a dragon, or rather, an ambiguous half-dragon, seemed too much even for Diogenes, who owed me.
Well, it didn’t matter anyway.
There was a way.
“So, all I need is talent in magic, right?”
“Well…… that’s true.”
“Lady Shisha.”
“Why me all of a sudden? I won’t become a retainer………wait, are you serious?”
“That ‘serious’ is correct.”
A way for a talentless person to gain magical ability.
In my childhood, I couldn’t find a ‘normal’ way to do that.
But now, it doesn’t matter if it’s normal or not, as long as I have the talent.
Then, the living proof of that was in my arms.
“Please inscribe an oath on my heart. You know how to remove it, so you must know how to inscribe it too, right?”
“You think I’d do that? My duty is to eradicate that gold technique. And you expect me to perform it instead?”
“But this method of becoming a retainer is something you’ve never heard of before, right?”
“Well……….”
“You seemed quite shocked by the retainer method. This is a chance to ‘experiment’ with it. Just as the removal of the oath comes with the loss of emotions, there might be side effects to becoming a retainer, right? You can verify that.”
“………You’re annoyingly good with words.”
Shisha, shaking her head in exasperation and clicking her tongue.
She sighed and sat down beside me.
“How long will the procedure take?”
“At least an hour. Can’t shorten that.”
“……Sir Diogenes, could you slowly ease Sally’s burden? We need to buy as much time as possible.”
“I can do that much. But remember, I can’t hold out for long.”
“War’s Hammer. Do you know the method to become a retainer?”
“I do. With two archmages here, it’s worth a try.”
“Good, then.”
I gently stroked Sally, who was trembling and sweating in my arms, and quietly laid her down on the floor.
I couldn’t keep holding her during the procedure.
‘Don’t worry, Sally.’
You haven’t even heard my response to your confession of love.
‘You think you’ll die and be remembered by me forever?’
No, you need to stay alive by my side forever.
‘I will.’
Save you.
Definitely.
