MHHC Chapter 85

A Difference in Perspective

"Yes. I slept well..."

She murmured, burying her flushed face halfway into the bedding.

Then Valentin, feigning ignorance, pulled her close and pressed his lips softly to her exposed forehead.

When she nestled within his firm embrace, Adelheid could hear her own heart beating rapidly.

Every moment he looked upon her with favor, every instant he bent his ear to her voice—it all felt like nothing more than a dream.

"Um, Valentin. Might I ask you something?"

[Go ahead.]

"You are a dragon, yet how do you take human form?"

[Ah, this.]

He stroked her bangs, laughing a little sheepishly.

[To be honest, it's nothing more than mimicking another's appearance. The dragon's true body would be rather horrifying to human eyes, after all.]

"When you say another..."

[The face of one who once guarded this forest. His eye color was the same as mine, so I borrowed his features briefly.]

"..."

[Are you disappointed?]

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. Valentin was already the closest being to her.

He was the god who had bestowed magic upon her, the pioneer who had opened a new life for her, and even setting all that aside, he was a dragon—the very source of divinity itself.

It didn't matter how "horrifying from a human perspective" his true form might be.

"No. I was simply curious. I'd heard that a 'guest' rarely resides in the temple, but I never imagined it meant a dragon taking human shape. I thought it was merely metaphorical..."

[In the past, I used to spend time with humans who stayed here from time to time.]

He added, as if thinking his explanation had been insufficient.

[That child sends messengers deliberately to ease my loneliness, so I can't very well ignore them entirely.]

"That child, you say."

[My twin, the shadow Morig.]

Morig. A name she'd never heard before.

As far as she knew, the dragon was called by no other name than "the source of divinity" or "the dragon." Such a being had a twin shadow? Moreover, one with a name?

As if sensing her confusion, Valentin added an explanation.

[A pitiful child. Loves humans, lives mingled among them. Skilled at transformation, quite adept at mimicking human ways.]

"Lives mingled among humans... Am I understanding correctly?"

[Yes. That child has no other power besides mimicry. It seems living among humans, helping them, suits better than remaining here. Resents me, you see.]

"Resents you?"

[Believes I unfairly stole much that should have been enjoyed. Not entirely wrong, either.]

"..."

[So I gave the name that was originally intended for me.]

If she understood correctly, "Morig" should have been the dragon's name originally, and that predestined name had been given to his shadow instead.

"Do you mean you gave your original name to the 'shadow'? Is that why you have no name?"

[I have one now. Adelheid, you gave it to me.]

Adelheid suddenly recalled the moment she'd first met Valentin. He'd said there was no name to call him by, so she should call him whatever she liked... So that's what it had meant.

[Time to rise.]

The sunlight had stretched to illuminate them from above. Valentin gently released her from his embrace and rose from the bed.

Then he stretched his arms upward, arching his back. With each movement, the resilient muscles of his back rippled in powerful shapes.

"..."

Feeling a strange sense of loss, Adelheid followed him down to the floor.

While she opened the window and drew back the curtains wide, Valentin cleared the materials she'd spread out yesterday to one side of the desk.

[Come here. We should eat first.]

Where moments ago documents had been scattered messily, a plate now sat heaped with fresh seasonal fruit and a cup of water.

Adelheid's eyes widened.

"You went to the forest?"

[Yes.]

She hadn't even noticed him leave... As Adelheid sat in the chair, he pushed the plate close to her.

Every fruit on the plate was a kind she favored. Wild strawberries and grapes, figs and plums.

After nearly a week of making do with fruit instead of proper meals, Valentin seemed to have come to believe this was her staple diet. Adelheid picked up a wild strawberry and offered her thanks.

"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."

[Does this really fill your belly? The priests who were here before seemed to eat grain and wine, meat. Not just forest berries and water like this.]

"Every human has different food preferences. I like fruit."

[Hmm.]

While Adelheid ate, Valentin rested his chin in his hand and watched her.

The gaze fixed on her eating felt burdensome, but she didn't let it show. She now understood that Valentin was observing humanity through her.

She popped a wild strawberry into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. As sweet and tart juice burst across her tongue, a smile naturally formed on her lips.

[You look pleased.]

"It tastes good. You should try one too, Valentin."

[I have no need to consume food. If I were forcibly inhabiting a dead body, that would consume considerable power and necessitate such things, but right now I've merely transformed.]

"Even so, can't you still taste it? Please try."

She picked up a strawberry and held it out toward Valentin.

He gazed at Adelheid with inscrutable eyes, then obediently opened his mouth and took the berry along with Adelheid's hand into his mouth.

Adelheid's cheeks flushed crimson at the sight of her fingers disappearing between his lips.

'Good heavens...'

His even teeth nibbled at her skin, making it tingle. There was something sensual in Valentin's half-lowered eyes and the lips holding her hand.

[Delicious. Sweet.]

Finally, he released Adelheid's hand and smiled smoothly.

Adelheid somehow received the impression he wasn't talking about the strawberry, but about her.

[Your face has turned red, Adele.]

His will seemed to carry a giggling laugh. He cupped the frozen Adelheid's cheek lightly with his hand.

[What thoughts make you wear such an expression?]

Since promising not to read her will, Valentin had often asked about her thoughts this way. But now.

His words carried a clear intent to tease her.

Adelheid's eyes grew vacant. He'd said he'd never seen a woman before, yet had he instinctively sensed her embarrassment...?

"I didn't expect you to... bite my finger like that. That's considered rude in typical human relationships."

[If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize.]

At the straightforward, clean apology, Adelheid looked up at him blankly.

He stroked her pale cheek with somewhat subdued eyes. Then suddenly, as if by accident, he pressed down on her lips.

Adelheid's lips, softened with fruit juice, parted at his will.

[But, Adele.]

His gaze on her lips had already grown fierce with burning thirst. Her mouth went dry at the blatant desire.

[Would licking your lips also be rude?]

"..."

[Hm? Like when I shared magic with you last time.]

The throat rising and falling with barely restrained patience, the tongue re-licking dry lips, the tendons standing out on the back of his hand.

The sight of a god seeking permission from a mortal creature, not even knowing what he yearned for—it was so innocent it became beautiful.

Adelheid found herself watching him breathlessly.

"..."

In truth, there was nothing rude about it. She wanted it too. Even if he damaged her form, even if he committed something utterly improper—she felt it would only be good.

The heated emotion from moments ago fanned the impulse.

The moment he read wordless permission in her eyes, Valentin bent at the waist and swallowed her lips whole.

Adelheid's pale green eyes flew wide open, then soon clouded with pleasure.

It was different. From the last time when she'd merely received magic with lips barely touching.

He was far too skilled. She alone seemed to be the heated one.

The lips moving lightly and softly, the heat blooming within, the mingled breaths. Everything was overwhelming in its newness.

It was a terribly sweet paradise.

When her breathing grew very shallow, he gently released her. At the lips parting with reluctance, her slender spine trembled faintly.

Watching Adelheid unable to control her heated breath with deepened eyes, he suddenly asked.

[Tomorrow, is it? The day you leave this place for your vows.]

"Yes. Tomorrow."

Expression vanished from his face in an instant.

[I don't want to let you go. What should I do?]

"Just this once. Ten days will pass quickly. Once I complete the vows, I'll never leave again."

[...Yes.]

Valentin slowly bent forward and pulled her close. The strength wrapping around her waist was quite firm, as if he absolutely could not let go.

She was glad. That he would show such greed for her. Adelheid buried her flushed cheek against his chest.

So desperate was she to find stability that she didn't even see Valentin's expression.

Their lips parted with reluctance. She caught her roughened breath.

[Tomorrow, is it? The day you briefly leave this place and return.]

"Yes. Tomorrow."

The moment she nodded and answered thus, Adelheid felt an instant sense of wrongness. As if something was somehow misaligned.

She opened her eyes wide and looked around. It was a room full of sunlight. Their sanctuary where nothing should go wrong.

[I don't want to send you away.]

Adelheid soon erased the sense of wrongness and smiled brightly.

"I'll be right back."

[Tomorrow, is it?]

"Yes. Tomorrow."

Even as she offered the answer by habit, something felt strange.

It was as if she'd experienced this situation before. Once. No, several times... In a dream perhaps? Or just déjà vu?

[Adele?]

The moment he called her name, Adelheid started and raised her head.

The instant she met his narrowed, suspicious gaze, Adelheid suddenly realized. The same day had been repeating. For so long she couldn't even count.

[Tomorrow, is it?]

"Please don't do this."

At her words, Valentin's eyes narrowed slightly.

[Don't do what?]