Mikhail paused for a moment, then spoke with a leisurely smile.
“Ah, this is…”
Resting his hand on the back of the chair, he tapped his long index finger against it with a rhythmic tap, tap.
“It’s a relatively new cultural practice, so it’s possible you wouldn’t know about it.”
Cultural practice? This?
Luce stood across the table, his robe pulled low over his face, as if silently telling him to continue. If it was something worth knowing, it could be useful in his future games. And if he wanted to keep humans from suspecting his true identity, this kind of common knowledge was necessary.
“It’s a gesture of respect—pulling out someone’s chair so they can sit more comfortably.”
“…I know that much.”
“Oh, you do?”
Then why pretend not to notice my gesture? Whether at the Academy cafeteria or now—it was always the same. Mikhail responded to Luce’s words with a slightly curt tone. Yet even with Mikhail’s explanation, there was still something Luce didn’t fully understand.
“But… wasn’t that sort of thing usually done only for women?”
Pulling out a chair was something the dragon had often done for women during past outings to restaurants while engaging in his “games.” Though at first stiff and unsure the first time he visited a restaurant with someone, Luce had quickly adapted, acting with elegant ease ever since. And no woman could resist the charm of a handsome man pulling out her chair with a faint smile. Of course, it had never been the outcome the dragon had sought.
“……”
Women.
Upon hearing Luce’s question, Mikhail tilted his head slightly, wearing an odd expression. After all, the Luce standing before him was a dragon who had lived for countless ages.
How many humans had he brushed past while playing his little games? Had any of them become close to him? Though it was said he’d spent a long time with Carlo, the founding king of Rustavaran, the name “Luce Fennigan” had at some point vanished from the royal records. Perhaps the dragon had left, heartbroken when Carlo took a human bride.
Mikhail bit the inside of his cheek lightly.
No. When I asked before, he clearly said he didn’t care much for humans.
Yes—just as he’d said, it was far more dragon-like to have never given his heart to a single human. But even knowing that, Mikhail couldn’t decide which of the two possibilities would actually be more preferable—for him.
“That’s a very antiquated, narrow-minded way of thinking. Only for women, you say.”
The words slipped from Mikhail’s mouth, more forceful than intended.
“What? You think I’m narrow-minded?”
Luce, who saw himself as extremely open and adaptable, immediately pushed back.
“It’s just a way of expressing a wish for the other person to enjoy their meal in comfort. Gender has nothing to do with it.”
“……”
“I hope you understand now. Since we’re here to eat, I’d appreciate it if you’d take a seat.”
Not that one. This one.
Mikhail tightened his grip on the chair he was holding. His crimson eyes burned with intensity.
“Fine.”
What Mikhail wanted wasn’t an unreasonable request. Luce walked around the table again and returned to where Mikhail stood. As he moved to sit, Mikhail naturally adjusted the chair to let him sit comfortably. Luce had done this countless times for women, but this was his first time actually sitting in a chair someone else had pulled out for him.
“Like this?”
Luce settled into the chair with effortless grace. Mikhail gave a small cough, answering a beat too late.
“…Yes.”
So this is what it feels like.
Mikhail’s fingertips, still resting lightly on the back of Luce’s chair, flushed faintly red. For someone raised in the rigid formality of the royal court—where even the smallest gesture had to follow etiquette—it had always felt suffocating. Yet now, pulling out a chair for someone he liked, and having them sit down and look up at him like this… it stirred something warm and tender in his chest.
It felt like… he and Luce were something to each other.
With a head full of tangled thoughts, Mikhail finally made his way around the table and sat in the seat across from Luce.
“Um… may I take your order now?”
The restaurant staff, who had been watching from a distance, finally approached and spoke to them. Both Luce and Mikhail gave a nod in response.
***
After finishing their meal, Mikhail spoke as they stepped out of the restaurant.
“Shall we take a walk?”
Luce, who had been following behind, lifted his head with a soft Hm? Now that he thought about it, the pleasant fullness in his stomach was satisfying, but for some reason, he didn’t feel like sitting in the carriage right away. It was probably because he was in a human body, which required regular digestion.
Suddenly, Kyle D’Baicia’s words came to mind—“You need to walk after meals.” Luce nodded as if he finally understood him.
“Sure.”
Mikhail glanced at Luce, surprised by his immediate agreement. He’d expected a reluctant reply, so it was unexpected to see him agree so easily.
“Then let’s go this way.”
He couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity. He remembered seeing a forest marked on the village noticeboard near the restaurant. Fixing the map in his mind, Mikhail took the lead, mentally plotting the path through the woods.
Luce followed without hesitation, giving off the air that he didn’t care where they went so long as they were walking. Most villages in the Kingdom of Rustavaran were built along mountain ranges, making it easy to find quiet forests just about anywhere. Fortunately, the village they were currently in was no exception.
Birds fluttered peacefully through the air, chirping clearly, and with every step Luce and Mikhail took, the grass rustled softly beneath their feet. The village was sparsely populated, and it was still daytime—meaning the two of them were the only ones leisurely walking through the woods. The path was completely deserted, which suited them just fine.
But Luce had no intention of walking for hours.
“…Just how far are we going?”
Did he get us lost?
Luce asked the question with a tone laced with curiosity as they walked along the forest trail. But Mikhail was too lost in thought to respond right away. Luce glanced ahead to check Mikhail’s back as he walked a few paces in front.
Did he not hear me? Slowing his pace, Luce jogged a few steps forward to catch up and match Mikhail’s stride.
“Mikhail. I just asked where exactly we’re going.”
“Ah.”
Mikhail snapped out of his thoughts and turned toward Luce. He’d thought Luce was still behind him and hadn’t even noticed when he caught up to walk beside him.
As he pondered how to answer the question, Mikhail decided to feign ignorance. He didn’t want to spoil the surprise waiting for them at the end of the path too soon.
“Nowhere in particular. It’s just a walk.”
Taking his answer at face value, Luce replied in a lackluster tone, clearly losing interest.
“Yeah? Then we should turn back. Aimless wandering has served its purpose.”
They’d already walked more than enough for a post-meal stroll, and the full, slightly uncomfortable feeling in his stomach had eased to a pleasant level. Since they hadn’t changed direction at any point, turning back would mean retracing their entire path. Luce gave a little shrug and was just about to pivot in the opposite direction when—
“…Ah, it just came to me. If we keep going straight, we should reach a lake in the forest.”
Mikhail revealed the truth a little faster than he’d planned.
To be honest, even he was starting to think they’d walked too far for a simple stroll. The old-style map didn’t show the exact distance from the village to the lake, and it had turned out to be much farther than it appeared.
But still, Mikhail wanted to show this lake to Luce. The moment he saw it marked on the board next to the restaurant, he thought Luce might like it. No—that wasn’t the only reason. He and Adrian had spent a lot of time together at the lake in Basamiel. Mikhail wanted to see, with his own eyes, what kind of reaction Luce would have to this lake.
Unaware of Mikhail’s deeper thoughts, Luce’s eyes sparkled.
“A lake? So you’re saying we’re not lost after all?”
“Right. But it’s still a bit farther. Or… should we rest a bit on that rock over there?”
If there was one thing Mikhail hated, it was quitting halfway. Rather than give up without even seeing the lake, he pointed to a large rock with his index finger and offered Luce a break.
“No, let’s just keep going. Better not to stop.”
Resting would only make it harder to continue. The moment Luce heard the word lake, he imagined the gentle sound of lapping water and the glittering surface, nodding to himself. If there was a destination, then even a long walk had meaning.
Mikhail gazed at the dragon—who still seemed to genuinely enjoy lakes—for a moment before responding softly.
“Alright. Let’s keep going, then.”
