In front of Albert, he wore a gentle smile. It wasn’t the usual meaningless smile, but one that carried sincerity towards Albert.
“Regardless of how I return from the ordeal, Young Count. No, Albert… I was fortunate to have met you.”
Emmett bowed deeply to Albert, holding his hand. Albert was taken aback but firmly grasped Emmett’s hand in return.
The person who had become such a huge part of Albert’s life was about to depart.
Albert’s heart would feel empty, as if a void had formed.
As if bestowing a blessing, Emmett lightly touched the child’s forehead and then withdrew his hand.
“May you be happy from now on.”
The person who initially had no intentions of doing it for Albert had become sincere in his wish.
“I hope for you to find happiness.”
The voice that wished for Albert’s happiness was so beautiful.
As he was prepared to end everything, Emmett seemed too light and free, making it difficult for me to say anything negative.
Instead, I followed him.
Emmett stepped out into the corridor and turned around.
“Do you have anything you want to say?”
“…Are you going to choose death as soon as the ordeal begins?”
“Does it matter when it will be?”
“I’ll be leaving soon too, but I want a little more time.”
It was true. If Emmett’s death and my farewell coincided, I couldn’t fathom how much it would hurt Albert.
Emmett nodded as if he understood. But eventually, he turned his head.
“…Unfortunately, that’s not possible. The instances of our respective returns would likely overlap.”
“Really? Can’t it be changed? I’ve gained some magic power and have a body now, so I’ll try to adjust it somehow.”
Even if it was to benefit the future Albert, I couldn’t help but worry about the present Albert.
I wanted to minimize the damage somehow.
In this situation, Emmett’s cryptic words were not at all helpful.
“I can’t tell you any more than this. But I’ll give you about a fortnight from now. You can stay with Albert a little longer.”
“……”
“I believe Albert can overcome all of this. It seems you have less faith in him than I do.”
“Saying he can overcome it doesn’t mean it won’t be traumatic.”
“…I will do my best.”
Emmett muttered in silence for a moment, then finally nodded his head in resolve.
Emmett would do what he could.
I was about to return to the room, but Emmett extended his hand as if to shake hands.
“I’m grateful to you, too.”
“I haven’t done anything, but I’m thankful that you were there for Albert during his youth, Emmett.”
“Looking at you… I feel like I could have been more honest with Albert.”
Emmett gave me a satisfied look.
It was the same smile as when I first saw him, but it seemed like his impression was constantly changing, like he could be a person who had lived for a very long time and yet still had the face of pure, child-like youth.
Even so, the calluses I felt in our joined hands seemed to reveal a little of the weight Emmett had carried throughout his life.
“You, too, will live a very long life.”
Dragon contractors shared their lives with the dragons the moment the dragon would reach adulthood.
This meant that the contractor would be able to live for a very long time compared to humans.
You too, he said. Given what he said, I might probably be able to live for as long as Emmett, a sage, would.
“Whatever choice you make, I hope you won’t regret it.”
I imagined my own future in Emmett’s figure.
Emmett had said that Albert couldn’t become a transcendental being. Then, I would have to live alone with Blanc for all that time.
…Could I live alone after sending Albert away? Would I be able to just let him go?
I wouldn’t know the answer until meeting him again, spending my life loving him, and staying by his side.
But I knew very well that I could never abandon him while he was alive.
* * *
After finishing the conversation, Emmett headed to where Noire was waiting.
He had talked about everything he wanted to say before the ordeal began.
Thanks to Jung-in, he had been able to convey all the thoughts he had kept inside.
“You’re here?”
Noire greeted him with a somewhat playful tone. Emmett nodded.
The second hand of the clock marked the exact time. The surroundings changed, and Emmett and Noire arrived at the Dragon’s Nest.
It was their last chance to see each other before Noire’s ordeal began.
Emmett, as he always did when meeting Noire, gently patted her head.
Noire moved as if ticklish, but she didn’t avoid his touch.
“Your ordeal will begin here.”
Noire nodded, snorted as if agreeing with Emmett, and met his gaze.
“I’ll erase all your pain, so it will be okay.”
And finally, she bowed her head in a polite farewell to Emmett. Emmett was a good partner who could fulfill her wishes.
Noire, who recalled the last conversation between Albert and Emmett that she had secretly eavesdropped on earlier, hesitated and then said,
“Meeting you was fortunate for me, too.”
She had once loved a human who had fought against fate, but he was on borrowed time.
In the face of his impending death, Noire felt a sense of loss. She wanted to give up on a life without him.
But standing on the threshold of life’s end, she realized that she was more of a coward than she had thought.
It was contradictory. She wanted to follow him, but the fear of the pain she would feel before her death overwhelmed her.
Perhaps it was because she had seen with her own eyes how agonizing his death would be.
For a long time, she had blamed herself for not being more resolute.
What she remembered at that moment was the 500th birthday of a dragon cub who would become an adult dragon.
At that time, she would have to accept her natural death. If it was something beyond her control, she would be able to come to terms with it.
But leaving that human alone for so long troubled her heart.
While pondering what to do, a man appeared before her, seeking her help.
A sage who had lived for centuries, enduring the long years on behalf of his departed lover and now searching for a dragon to end his life with.
Taking his own life was not an easy decision for the sage, and finding a dragon cub who wanted to die was nearly impossible.
But the near-impossible probability had become a reality.
In front of Albert, he wore a gentle smile. It wasn’t the usual meaningless smile, but one that carried sincerity towards Albert.
“Regardless of how I return from the ordeal, Young Count. No, Albert… I was fortunate to have met you.”
Emmett bowed deeply to Albert, holding his hand. Albert was taken aback but firmly grasped Emmett’s hand in return.
The person who had become such a huge part of Albert’s life was about to depart.
Albert’s heart would feel empty, as if a void had formed.
As if bestowing a blessing, Emmett lightly touched the child’s forehead and then withdrew his hand.
“May you be happy from now on.”
The person who initially had no intentions of doing it for Albert had become sincere in his wish.
“I hope for you to find happiness.”
The voice that wished for Albert’s happiness was so beautiful.
As he was prepared to end everything, Emmett seemed too light and free, making it difficult for me to say anything negative.
Instead, I followed him.
Emmett stepped out into the corridor and turned around.
“Do you have anything you want to say?”
“…Are you going to choose death as soon as the ordeal begins?”
“Does it matter when it will be?”
“I’ll be leaving soon too, but I want a little more time.”
It was true. If Emmett’s death and my farewell coincided, I couldn’t fathom how much it would hurt Albert.
Emmett nodded as if he understood. But eventually, he turned his head.
“…Unfortunately, that’s not possible. The instances of our respective returns would likely overlap.”
“Really? Can’t it be changed? I’ve gained some magic power and have a body now, so I’ll try to adjust it somehow.”
Even if it was to benefit the future Albert, I couldn’t help but worry about the present Albert.
I wanted to minimize the damage somehow.
In this situation, Emmett’s cryptic words were not at all helpful.
“I can’t tell you any more than this. But I’ll give you about a fortnight from now. You can stay with Albert a little longer.”
“……”
“I believe Albert can overcome all of this. It seems you have less faith in him than I do.”
“Saying he can overcome it doesn’t mean it won’t be traumatic.”
“…I will do my best.”
Emmett muttered in silence for a moment, then finally nodded his head in resolve.
Emmett would do what he could.
I was about to return to the room, but Emmett extended his hand as if to shake hands.
“I’m grateful to you, too.”
“I haven’t done anything, but I’m thankful that you were there for Albert during his youth, Emmett.”
“Looking at you… I feel like I could have been more honest with Albert.”
Emmett gave me a satisfied look.
It was the same smile as when I first saw him, but it seemed like his impression was constantly changing, like he could be a person who had lived for a very long time and yet still had the face of pure, child-like youth.
Even so, the calluses I felt in our joined hands seemed to reveal a little of the weight Emmett had carried throughout his life.
“You, too, will live a very long life.”
Dragon contractors shared their lives with the dragons the moment the dragon would reach adulthood.
This meant that the contractor would be able to live for a very long time compared to humans.
You too, he said. Given what he said, I might probably be able to live for as long as Emmett, a sage, would.
“Whatever choice you make, I hope you won’t regret it.”
I imagined my own future in Emmett’s figure.
Emmett had said that Albert couldn’t become a transcendental being. Then, I would have to live alone with Blanc for all that time.
…Could I live alone after sending Albert away? Would I be able to just let him go?
I wouldn’t know the answer until meeting him again, spending my life loving him, and staying by his side.
But I knew very well that I could never abandon him while he was alive.
* * *
After finishing the conversation, Emmett headed to where Noire was waiting.
He had talked about everything he wanted to say before the ordeal began.
Thanks to Jung-in, he had been able to convey all the thoughts he had kept inside.
“You’re here?”
Noire greeted him with a somewhat playful tone. Emmett nodded.
The second hand of the clock marked the exact time. The surroundings changed, and Emmett and Noire arrived at the Dragon’s Nest.
It was their last chance to see each other before Noire’s ordeal began.
Emmett, as he always did when meeting Noire, gently patted her head.
Noire moved as if ticklish, but she didn’t avoid his touch.
“Your ordeal will begin here.”
Noire nodded, snorted as if agreeing with Emmett, and met his gaze.
“I’ll erase all your pain, so it will be okay.”
And finally, she bowed her head in a polite farewell to Emmett. Emmett was a good partner who could fulfill her wishes.
Noire, who recalled the last conversation between Albert and Emmett that she had secretly eavesdropped on earlier, hesitated and then said,
“Meeting you was fortunate for me, too.”
She had once loved a human who had fought against fate, but he was on borrowed time.
In the face of his impending death, Noire felt a sense of loss. She wanted to give up on a life without him.
But standing on the threshold of life’s end, she realized that she was more of a coward than she had thought.
It was contradictory. She wanted to follow him, but the fear of the pain she would feel before her death overwhelmed her.
Perhaps it was because she had seen with her own eyes how agonizing his death would be.
For a long time, she had blamed herself for not being more resolute.
What she remembered at that moment was the 500th birthday of a dragon cub who would become an adult dragon.
At that time, she would have to accept her natural death. If it was something beyond her control, she would be able to come to terms with it.
But leaving that human alone for so long troubled her heart.
While pondering what to do, a man appeared before her, seeking her help.
A sage who had lived for centuries, enduring the long years on behalf of his departed lover and now searching for a dragon to end his life with.
Taking his own life was not an easy decision for the sage, and finding a dragon cub who wanted to die was nearly impossible.
But the near-impossible probability had become a reality.
