Mikhail’s words might have sounded meaningful, but in truth, he hadn’t asked for anything particularly difficult. All he wanted was for Adrian to occasionally accompany him on his daily schedule.
Occasionally? Adrian wasn’t sure exactly how often that meant, but his routine hadn’t changed much. The dragon still took leisurely strolls around the camp almost every day and then settled under the same tree in the corner of the training grounds to read a book. While a few of the other soldiers stole glances at Adrian from time to time, Mikhail—standing dead center in the training field—seemed completely absorbed in his training, aside from a brief nod of acknowledgment at the start.
…Didn’t he say he wanted me to come to the training grounds so we could look like a couple? Then shouldn’t he be at least glancing this way once in a while?
If all he did was train, then this really wasn’t serving any purpose.
Instead, it was Adrian who occasionally lifted his eyes from his book to check on Mikhail’s progress.
He wielded his heavy greatsword with an intimidating ease, cutting through the air with a deadly grace. Even among the elite swordsmen gathered at this camp, his skill was enough to stand out.
One soldier, noticing Adrian’s gaze fixed on Mikhail with his book resting on his lap, shook his head and muttered under his breath.
“So he really followed him all the way to this dangerous battlefield… I guess there really is something going on between them.”
Just then, the sharp swoosh of a wooden sword cutting through the air came flying toward the muttering soldier.
“Focus on your training, idiot.”
Thwack! A crisp crack rang out. The soldier blinked, stunned, and tried to protest, but being scolded for slacking off during training was only fair.
And then—
“What’s going on over there?”
A clear, commanding voice rang out, and the two soldiers snapped upright, stiffening their postures. They’d been caught chatting during sword training.
It was none other than the man at the center of the rumors—Prince Mikhail Luce Inehart. The soldiers scrambled to answer, panicked. Falling out of favor with him meant there’d be no place for them in this camp.
“N-No, sir! Nothing at all!”
“Yes, sir! Nothing!”
The two barked their responses in unison and gripped their wooden swords tightly. The prince’s crimson eyes swept over them coldly. After silently observing the training soldiers for a while and confirming that everyone was properly focused again, he finally looked up.
Off in the distance, Adrian was leaning against a tree, fully engrossed in his book. The sunlight glinted off his golden hair.
He really did come.
Mikhail pressed his lips into a firm line, taking in Adrian’s figure in silence, committing it to memory. It felt like one of those rare peaceful moments back at Basamiel, but here, they were on a battlefield where monstrous beasts could attack at any moment. Such moments were rare and precious.
“…Should we call it for today?”
The adjutant, having noticed where Mikhail’s gaze had landed, leaned in and spoke. Mikhail remained silent, eyes still fixed on Adrian, before shaking his head slowly and murmuring,
“No. I can’t do that.”
His voice was firm, resolute.
The adjutant nodded at the decision and walked off to continue checking on the soldiers’ progress. Judging by the look in his eyes, he seemed deeply moved by the prince’s decision to prioritize duty over love.
***
After training ended, Mikhail wiped the sweat from his face and approached Adrian.
“Was it too much for you?”
A polite, formal greeting—almost excessive. Adrian gave a small smirk in response before answering casually.
“Nope.”
At the same time, he snapped his book shut and gave a small nod.
Mikhail, having already taken a towel from a squire who had hurried over, handed it to Adrian. With that simple gesture, his expression returned to its usual composed self, as if all that grueling training had never happened. He glanced at the book Adrian had been reading, then offered,
“Want to go for a walk?”
The book was thin—light enough that carrying it wouldn’t be a bother.
“Sure.”
Adrian agreed without hesitation, and the two headed for the wide clearing beside the training grounds. As soon as they reached the quiet, deserted space, Mikhail brought up the real reason for their walk—briefly mentioning the event scheduled for tomorrow.
That must have been the true purpose behind this stroll.
“…Deployment?”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed in question.
“The scouts who were sent out have returned to camp. Based on their findings, we’re going to deploy several legions to the most likely area where the largest surge of black mana is being released. Naturally, I’m volunteering for the assignment.”
“I see.”
It was such a Mikhail thing to do. Even if he hadn’t volunteered, his royal status would have meant he’d be conscripted anyway. His swordsmanship alone made him a top-priority candidate—there was hardly anyone on the continent who could rival him anymore.
Adrian, not being part of the combat force, was not included in the legion. Mikhail stood across from him in the open space near the barracks as he continued speaking.
“So starting tomorrow, there’s no need for you to come to the training grounds.”
“Hmm.”
Adrian, who had been quietly listening up until then, made a curious expression.
…Is he really planning to just leave me here?
He studied Mikhail’s serious face, his thoughts turning inward. To think he’d just go off to war and leave a dragon behind in camp—he really was treating Adrian as just Adrian Heather.
“Why?”
Mikhail asked, genuinely clueless to what Adrian was thinking. After a brief silence, Adrian gave a few slow nods and murmured,
“Alright. Come back safe.”
But it seemed Mikhail still had no idea just how stubborn a dragon could be.
If he was going to treat the dragon as his lover, Adrian Heather, then Adrian wasn’t going to just sit back quietly. After all, Adrian Heather wasn’t the type to let something like that slide.
***
The next day, the camp was more crowded than usual.
New faces appeared here and there, confirming what Mikhail had said—the scout teams had returned.
Adrian was taking his usual light stroll through the camp when he noticed a crowd gathered in the distance.
“Did you check the list yet?”
“Not yet! I was just about to. Don’t you see me running?”
“Ah, damn, sorry for stopping you. Go quick.”
From their conversation, it was clear the deployment list had been posted over by the bulletin board.
The dragon abruptly changed direction, heading straight for the commotion. Normally, he didn’t care for places swarming with humans, but today, there was a reason to go.
As he entered the clearing, he saw the deployment list posted on a bulletin board. Seated on the platform beside it were several high-ranking officers sharing current developments. Among them sat Mikhail.
The moment Adrian stepped into the clearing, Mikhail looked up from the parchment in his hand—their eyes met across the crowd, locking in silent collision. It was as though none of the surrounding humans even existed in that moment.
One of the officers stood from the platform and strode forward, raising his voice to the gathered soldiers.
“If you have no objections to your name being on the list, come forward and sign here for confirmation. If there’s an issue, speak up now.”
At the officer’s command, the crowd murmured quietly among themselves. But truthfully, no one here would refuse the deployment—they wouldn’t have entered this camp otherwise.
And then it happened.
Snap. A single arm rose high above the crowd.
All eyes immediately turned toward it.
Of course, the arm belonged to Adrian.
The officer on the platform spotted him and his eyes went wide. Even from this distance, he clearly recognized the man raising his hand.
“Adrian Heather. I’ll be going too.”
Mikhail shot to his feet.
“…What?”
He murmured it low, but Adrian could still hear it. As expected—he hadn’t even considered this possibility. Good. Be flustered. That’s exactly the expression I wanted to see.
Though inwardly amused, Adrian kept his expression bright, smiling cheerfully.
And if he were truly Adrian Heather and not a dragon in disguise, he would’ve added something like this:
“My skills may be lacking, but I wish to remain at the prince’s side, always. Please, let me go with you.”
His slender lips curved upward in a perfect arc. Adrian’s smile was so radiant it felt as though blossoms had bloomed behind him.
A heavy silence fell, as if the entire crowd had stopped breathing.
“…!”
Mikhail’s face flushed deep red the moment he registered the meaning of Adrian’s words. He realized, fully and viscerally, that Adrian had meant every word.
He could feel the heat spreading to his ears as they turned crimson.
…Are they really involved with each other?
Catherine Esteban, seated nearby on the platform, cast a glance at Mikhail before returning her gaze to the front. Now was not the time for the prince to be flustered by a dragon’s confession. If the dragon truly participated in the deployment, he would be a phenomenal addition to their forces.
Mikhail is exactly where he wants to be and wondering why didn’t he do it sooner