Chapter 29

“… You want to meet Perseus? Uh… don’t you think there’s no real need to meet?”

About two hours had passed.

When Han Arin visited the hospital room and I told her I wanted to meet Perseus, she looked extremely flustered.

I was curious why she reacted this way, but since I already made a promise with the Suspicious Viewer, I couldn’t break it. Just as I was about to reveal the truth…

‘Saying I want to meet him because I want churros seems kinda off.’

So once again, I tried my best to phrase it carefully.

“To see the dragon!”

At that, Han Arin exclaimed “Ah!” while looking at me.

Then, as if conceding defeat, she nodded and said,

“Yeah, that makes sense. Since Hae-un is half-dragon too, maybe it’s instinct… Hmm. Never mind. Forget I said that.”

Han Arin seemed like she was about to say something but stopped.

She silently smiled at me before roughly pinching my cheeks and continued talking.

“Shall we go meet him then?”

“Yup!”

“I’ll carry you, then.”

Even though I shook my head to say I could walk on my own, Han Arin completely ignored my opinion, picked me up, and held me tightly.

Just as we were about to head straight to Perseus…

“Chae-a wants to come too!”

Chae-a, who had been momentarily forgotten, raised her arms proudly, demanding to be carried.

Startled, Han Arin quickly scooped her up too. Chae-a giggled mischievously, shouting “I’m so happy!”

‘Chae-a really likes being carried by others, huh.’

Thinking I should hug her more often, I turned my gaze.

‘Anyway, it’s my first time seeing a dragon, so I’m excited.’

I secretly hoped it would look like a lizard or have wings—maybe even resemble a dinosaur—and grinned in anticipation.

* * *

To briefly explain Perseus from the original story: he’s described as an overwhelmingly talented swordsman with magical abilities.

Of course, this only refers to his combat skills. If you factor in power, fame, and wealth, he’s portrayed as having even greater influence than the number one swordsman, the Sword Saint.

Perhaps because of these elements, people jokingly nicknamed him things like “Transparent Dragon” or “Deus Ex Machina,” but it’s written that Perseus surprisingly enjoys those nicknames.

‘Anyway, the important thing is that Perseus is incredibly powerful and terrifying as a dragon.’

As just an ordinary citizen, I’d never imagined meeting such a legendary dragon, so tension started creeping over me. The closer we got to where Perseus was waiting, the more I felt cold sweat trickling down as I fidgeted with my fingers. Sensing my anxiety, Han Arin chuckled softly and reassured me:

“No need to worry. Perseus will be nice to Hae-un and Chae-a.”

Though somewhat comforting in this situation, her words oddly implied he might not be kind to everyone else, leaving me puzzled.

Just as I was about to ask for clarification, we reached a massive reception room door.

With a mix of curiosity and nervousness, we entered to find…

A rather elegant-looking blonde man. He calmly sipped his tea until noticing us, then stood up with a considerate expression.

“I’ve been waiting.”

Although I vaguely knew what to expect, it still amazed me how fluently this foreigner spoke Korean with such sophistication, so I stared at him blankly. He approached me and began inspecting my face closely.

“You look quite frail. Does the Association not feed Hae-un properly?”

“It’s not their fault; Hae-un ate two bowls of rice yesterday.”

“Did you have snacks?”

“Yes, ice cream with honey toppings.”

“You should’ve added fruit too. You’re always so thoughtless.”

While the tone sounded like two nobles engaging in some high-stakes psychological warfare, the actual content was akin to elementary school kids bickering immaturely.

Trapped in this bizarre disconnect, I could only dumbly watch them interact.

Seemingly aware of my gaze, they quickly composed themselves and resumed speaking calmly.

“Let’s sit down. This conversation might take a while.”

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have much time—we only have about 30 seconds left. Actually, make that 27.”

“I anticipated this and ordered dinner in advance. We can talk while eating.”

With a slightly irritated expression, Han Arin placed Chae-a and me on an extravagant sofa. Its deep red plushness made me question whether I should even sit on it, but…

Chae-a suddenly pressed her hands against the cushion and declared,

“Wooaaah! If I jump here, I bet I’ll fly super far!”

Indeed, it did seem like the sofa would bounce her quite a distance.

Agreeing with her assessment, I nodded when suddenly Perseus addressed me.

“Let’s start with introductions. I am Perseus, the representative of the dragons and a Gold Dragon.”

Since he introduced himself, it was only polite to do the same.

“I-I’m Yu Ha-eun!”

While he spoke elegantly, my tongue-tied babbling made me feel increasingly embarrassed, my face heating up. I wished there was a mouse hole to hide in as I nervously rubbed my cheeks. Perseus, however, smiled warmly and said,

“I’m aware. You’re the only Hatchling of the Dragon race, Hae-un.”

“…Y-yes.”

Blushing furiously, I didn’t know what to do when suddenly Chae-a stood up, proudly showing off her protruding belly and loudly announced,

“I’m Chae-a! I’m amazing!”

“Indeed, you are impressive.”

“Yay!”

Delighted by Perseus’ praise, Chae-a happily sat back down. Clutching her hand tightly, I trembled as Perseus snapped his fingers and continued.

“Let’s continue our discussion over dinner. Butler, please serve.”

The butler, dressed in formal attire, swiftly arranged the food. As countless dishes appeared, my eyes widened in amazement. Perseus looked at me and calmly stated,

“Before we proceed, let me clarify. All dragons, including myself, are prepared to do anything to protect you, Hae-un. And we also plan to provide you with elixirs whenever necessary.”

“Elixir?”

I knew it was rare, but why were they offering it to me? Since I wasn’t sick or injured, I politely declined.

“That’s okay! Please give the elixir to someone who truly needs it more than me!”

His bitter smile suggested understanding.

“As expected, self-sacrifice. Han Arin was right—you’re too kind.”

“So now you get it? How angelic Hae-un is?”

“I agree.”

What exactly were they saying in front of me?

Embarrassed again, I buried my face in the table and shivered. Perseus gently reassured me,

“But don’t worry. There’s no need for sacrifice since everything is already prepared. So, there’s no reason for you to suffer unnecessarily.”

It seemed like he misunderstood something, so I quickly shook my head in disagreement.

“No, I’m fine! I’m strong and not hurt!”

“Hiding pain isn’t bad, but neither is expressing it. Especially for young ones like you, it’s better to show when you’re in pain.”

Was this even the topic we were discussing?

Looking to Han Arin for help, I saw her trying to hold back tears while nodding. Unable to ask her to intervene, I wondered,

‘Why does she look so sad…?’

As confusion overwhelmed me, Chae-a confidently stood up beside me and declared,

“In that case, Chae-a wants some too! I love yummy stuff!”

“Well then, instead of elixir, I’ll give Chae-a chocolate.”

“How did you know I love chocolate?! You’re amazing!”

“There are various ways to know such things.”

“Wow! Chae-a wants to learn too!”

“If you visit often, I’ll teach you.”

“Yay!”

Somehow, Chae-a and Perseus clicked, their conversation flowing smoothly. Jealous of her confidence, I hesitated awkwardly when Han Arin wiped away her tears and spoke to me.

“Hae-un, if you ever feel even a little pain, you must tell me, okay?”

“Yes…”

“I don’t think I can live without Hae-un anymore.”

“…?”

Everything felt jumbled, so I simply nodded, realizing any attempt to argue would likely fall flat.

Trying to calm my chaotic emotions, I hugged my tail and closed my eyes. Perseus gently patted my head and suggested,

“Let’s eat first. I’ve selected menus that children might enjoy, but I’m unsure if they’ll suit your tastes.”

Grateful for his consideration, I thanked him and inspected the food placed before me.

“Fancy sausages with vegetable stir-fry and steak too!”

Though the dish itself was simple, the plating was exquisite, giving it a luxurious feel.

Amazed at how ordinary food could look so stylish, I marveled at it when…

Chae-a drooled beside me and whispered,

“I’ve never seen such delicious food!”

Apparently, she liked what she saw. Nodding in agreement, I watched her grin and shake her head enthusiastically.

“Alright kids, let’s eat!”

Han Arin handed us children-sized aprons, clearly anticipating potential messes. Seeing the squirrel-print apron, I almost protested, thinking it was cute, but…

Chae-a clung to me, declaring, “I love squirrels!”

“Chae-a has squirrel pajamas too! They’re super cute!”

Smiling at the adorable chatter, I decided to wear the apron and focus on eating. Just as I reached for a sausage…

“After dinner, we’ll take a tour of several lairs. It should be quite entertaining.”

Perseus’ proposal echoed through the room.

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