FCTG Chapter 27

The time when she couldn't talk to anyone had been like darkness itself. She didn't want to be left alone in that darkness again.

Dante was the only one who had illuminated that darkness.

If she hadn't even had him...

"What if I can't understand other people again?"

Serendia asked in a choked voice.

"Shh. It's okay. Nothing will happen."

"B-but... you don't know that for sure, Your Grace."

No. I do know. Because I'm the one who cast that curse.

'And the reason that curse was broken... it must be this damned egg.'

Dante answered inwardly while repeatedly stroking Serendia's trembling head.

"I-I... I just became able to converse like other people."

What good would it do you to talk to beings other than me?

"I don't want to be a burden anymore."

If you're not a burden? Then what? Are you going to leave me again?

"Your Grace took such good care of me, so it's only right that I get better and pull my own weight."

What a commendable answer. But it's not the answer I want.

Dia, why don't you understand my heart?

I just want to protect you until the end of your insignificantly short life.

I just want to stay by your side forever...

Dante thought.

"I-I want to stay by Your Grace's side from now on. So... can I keep the egg with me?"

At Serendia's following words, Dante's body flinched.

"Really?"

Dante asked back, his eyes sparkling like a child's.

If he wanted to, he could restrain Serendia as much as he pleased.

In fact, he was already doing so.

But having his beloved Serendia decide of her own will to stay by his side was another matter entirely.

What could be more joyful than that?

"You'll stay by my side? ...Even if your memories return?"

Dante asked, looking at Serendia.

His questioning tone was somehow cautious, and expectation dwelled in the eyes waiting for an answer.

Why was that? Usually she couldn't tell at all what the Grand Duke was thinking.

But now, through those red eyes, it felt like she could see right into his heart.

Like a child afraid of being abandoned by their parents. Afraid of being left alone in solitude.

'Dante truly doesn't want me to leave.'

So this time, she wanted to give him the answer he wanted without any objections or doubts. In a way, it was also Serendia's sincere feeling.

"Yes. I won't leave."

Serendia placed her palm over Dante's hand resting on the egg.

'Until I repay this debt,' she thought, swallowing those words.

She felt guilty about deceiving Dante, but the moment she saw his face bloom into a full smile, her pangs of conscience melted away like snow.

This is the right answer for now.

"Follow me, Dia."

"?"

Dante stood up briskly while holding the egg.

"I have an acquaintance who knows a lot about dragons. Let's ask him."

When she followed Dante down to the drawing room, Theodore, Drago, and Lucy greeted them.

"It is my first time greeting you, Saint."

Theodore stepped forward, placed one hand over his chest, and gently inclined his upper body.

"My name is Theodore, from the Kingdom of Elkadia. I was formerly a priest serving Elnus, the god of purity, but today I serve Dante... His Grace. If you need anything while living here, please don't hesitate to tell me. I will faithfully serve you with a glad heart."

His gestures, speech, and even his exhaled breath were so excessively polite that anyone listening would have felt overwhelmed with honor.

"This is Drago. He is an envoy from Draconia. He's not from the continent so he's awkward with the common tongue, but he's not a dangerous person, so please be at ease."

Theodore introduced him on behalf of Drago, who lacked eloquence.

"Mm!"

Drago stepped forward and thrust out his thick chest. He had been huge from afar, but up close his presence was overwhelming.

"...!"

Overwhelmed by Drago's build, Serendia instinctively pressed close to Dante's side. Dante was about to scold Drago at the sight but stopped himself.

Serendia trembling in fear and hiding behind him was too adorable.

Even beasts instinctively seek safe places when in danger, and Serendia had chosen him without hesitation.

'Dia... How can you be this cute even when frightened? Cute enough to make me want to frighten you every day.'

Dante straightened his unpleasantly twitching lips. However, his eyes still watched Serendia, glinting sinisterly.

"Ah, Drago's people worship dragons on their island. You could say he's more knowledgeable about dragons than anyone."

Theodore added naturally.

He didn't know what conversation the two had in the bedroom, but he could guess why they'd come down with the egg.

Having smoothly finished the introductions, Theodore shifted his gaze toward Dante. Dante responded with a satisfied smile.

'So this is him. The acquaintance who knows about dragons.'

Serendia still hid behind Dante's large body, staring intently at Drago.

"My friend Drago! I came down because I have a favor to ask you, a dragon expert."

Dante approached Drago warmly. Drago snorted, puffed out his chest, and took a defensive stance.

"Drago, not friend."

"I know, so just play along. And Dia is scared, so do something about that threatening attitude."

Dante scolded in a lowered voice.

When he swept Drago's body up and down with a displeased look, Drago made an aggrieved expression like a scolded child.

Drago glanced at Serendia standing behind them, then exhaled a long breath through his mouth. His puffed chest returned to its original size.

"It's an egg Dia picked up. It seems like there's a baby dragon inside, and since you grew up with dragons, you'd know, right? We need an expert's advice."

Dante continued speaking clearly and loudly enough for Serendia to hear.

"Mm!"

Drago nodded and thrust his face close to the egg Dante held up. He even sniffed it like picking fruit, sniff sniff.

Throughout the process, Drago was quite serious. Dragon expert! The praise that he knew more about dragons than anyone made him proud.

Dante wanted to yawn from boredom but desperately held it in. Actually, it didn't matter what Drago said.

This was just a show to demonstrate to Serendia how much he thought of her and respected her.

Right, when Serendia was willing to stay by his side of her own accord, what did it matter if she held onto a little egg like this?

He'd already put protective measures in place. So that whatever this unidentified egg-or-pumpkin-or-whatever was couldn't threaten Serendia.

"This egg!"

Drago finally finished his examination and straightened his upper body.

"This egg?"

"Not dragon!"

"Why?"

"Different color from Drago's sisters!"

"...That's it?"

Dante asked back, raising one eyebrow.

That was a fact anyone with eyes would know. The dragons inhabiting Draconia were fire dragons, their entire massive bodies covered in red scales. Meanwhile, the creature inside the egg had scales white as snow.

"And small!"

Drago added with narrowed eyes.

"Dragon, great. Great dragon, not this small!"

"Haah..."

Dante forgot that Serendia was watching and let out a sigh.

Did the dragon matriarch really think this idiot could stop the Apostle of Tenon when she sent him to the continent?

"Drago. My friend. Even those great dragons were babies once, right? Compared to adult dragons, of course it's ridiculously small. Still, just look carefully. It's a dragon. No matter how you look at it, it's a dragon."

That's right.

The creature inside the egg was definitely a dragon. By appearance alone, it was undeniably a dragon.

In fact, Dante had known it was a dragon from the moment he first saw it.

He just hadn't readily acknowledged it because he couldn't sense any magic.

Originally, dragons were sacred beings that possessed strong magic even in egg form.

It didn't matter what Drago said, but denying it was a dragon for absurd reasons was a problem.

"I'm right, aren't I? Look carefully. It's a dragon. Hurry up and say it's a dragon."

Dante pressed the egg close to Drago's face, pressuring him. Like a child insisting he was right.

"Grrr...!"

Drago bared his pink gums and wrinkled his nose fiercely like a beast. Then, becoming aware of Serendia's presence, he quickly hid his gums.

"Drago, youngest! Youngest, so know no younger dragons. Never seen dragon egg!"

Drago turned his head sharply as if his pride was greatly wounded. Then he added in a deflated voice.

"...Dante right. Might be dragon."

"Hahaha! So that was your true feeling? You should have been honest from the start. Well, you're not a real dragon so you might not know. But I do~."

Dante relished his victory in this childish and meaningless argument, teasing obnoxiously.