“Go ahead. Do your ‘check.'”
At Mikhail’s curt response, Adrian, who had been leaning casually against the wall, stepped forward with a light gait and said, “Smart choice.”
“……”
Adrian’s warm, honey-colored eyes filled Mikhail’s vision. Mikhail grimaced and turned his face slightly to the side. The gaze wasn’t particularly intense, but for some reason, it felt unbearably burdensome.
What truly made the prince’s eyes waver, however, was what Adrian did next.
Tuk.
With an air of nonchalance, Adrian’s pale fingers undid the top button of Mikhail’s shirt.
Smack! The sharp sound of a hand being slapped echoed through the dorm room.
“Why?”
Adrian, who had only intended to help, recoiled as if bewildered by the sudden blow from Mikhail. His expression clearly said, What the hell was that for?
“What does this have to do with mana control?”
“You need to directly check the flow first, don’t you? Ugh, forget it. I’ll deal with the Kevish saplings on my own too. Trying to help and getting treated like this…”
How stupid. Doesn’t even realize a dragon’s advice is worth its weight in gold. Adrian flicked his hand as if brushing off the whole situation, ready to drop it entirely.
Thud. A callused, rough palm landed on the back of Adrian’s hand. Despite sharing a room for months, it was the first time their bare skin had ever come into direct contact like this.
Glance. Adrian’s gaze dropped to where their hands touched. Mikhail’s palm was warmer than the average human’s, while Adrian’s—being a reptilian creature at his core—always maintained a slightly cool temperature. The difference in warmth between them was striking.
Ugh, that’s hot. Adrian was the first to pull away, snapping his hand back like he’d touched something filthy and shaking it off. Mikhail scowled at the reaction.
“I don’t like it either, okay?”
“Fine. Then take it off yourself.”
“…What? Why.”
“……”
Still asking questions when I’m trying to help?
Adrian shot him a look that screamed Do I have to explain everything? The prince stayed silent for a moment under that stare before finally parting his lips.
“…Just the shirt, right?”
And despite all his hesitation, he quickly began unbuttoning his shirt from the top. After a quick glance toward Adrian, he took it all the way off, folding it haphazardly and tossing it onto the bed. His eyes silently dared Adrian to do whatever he wanted.
“Now draw out your mana like that. If it’s hard to imagine, you can stand like you’re holding a sword.”
“…No need.”
So he just wants to observe my mana control. In that case, it was something Mikhail did every day—no need to actually hold a weapon for it. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, concentrating as he began to summon his mana.
Several deep breaths passed through Mikhail’s body. He could feel something rising from within, gradually building. At the same time, strands of his hair brushed against his forehead, starting to stir ever so slightly.
Then it happened.
Swish. Something cold touched his back, and his eyelids flinched instinctively. It was Adrian’s palm.
“…Focus on control.”
The low voice brushed past his ear. The dragon had stepped behind the prince as he concentrated and was now closely observing his back. Mikhail’s body tensed even more at the faint breath he felt against his skin.
As a result, the mana he had just barely drawn out dispersed with a soft fshhh— and vanished.
“Again.”
Adrian’s tone was firm, insisting Mikhail resume the mana control exercise. Trying to appear unbothered, Mikhail closed his eyes again and focused on his breathing.
“Stretch your arms too. Focus on the tips of your fingers.”
Tap. Adrian gave Mikhail’s arm a light flick. With his eyes still closed, the prince tried to draw up his mana again—but the same results as before eluded him.
“Mikhail. Focus.”
“…It’d work instantly if you’d just shut up.”
Mikhail’s curt tone made Adrian, who had been quietly observing the prince’s back, lift his head. When someone said something so oblivious to the ways of the world, it was the duty of the elder to offer correction. And Mikhail was, after all, a human who was bound to join the war someday.
“Have you ever seen a Sword Master talk like that on the battlefield? You need to be ready to control your mana no matter the situation.”
“……”
The prince had no rebuttal to that. He fell silent, then closed his eyes again and steadied his breath. His silver hair began to gently stir. Then, whoosh— a soft warmth brushed against his skin, as if something was wrapping around him. A haze-like aura began to surround him, swirling gently around his body.
Adrian slowly traced a finger down Mikhail’s bare shoulder. Just as I thought.
Mana starts from the heart and spreads throughout the body, but in Mikhail’s case, something seemed blocked. No matter how much he focused, his mana couldn’t extend all the way to his fingertips.
“What do you see in front of you?”
Mikhail was silent for a moment, then spoke with his eyes still closed.
“…My eyes are closed.”
“If you draw up your mana like this, you should be able to see the flow of it.”
“I see glowing particles. But they’re…”
“That’s the state of your mana. They’re moving separately instead of blending together, aren’t they?”
“Well, yeah, but…”
The prince looked uncertain, but Adrian responded with a firm diagnosis.
“There are people like that. Born with mana that’s too dense for them to control.”
Truthfully, this wasn’t just some rare condition. The royal bloodline of Rustavaran carried dragon mana within their bodies. But Adrian wasn’t the type to share such truths out of kindness. He kept his gaze fixed on Mikhail’s back and continued calmly.
“You need to stir your mana from time to time. When you do that, the denser mana that’s settled will rise, and the lighter mana floating at the top will sink. That’s how they blend.”
Fsshh—At the sound of a match striking, Mikhail cracked one eye open. Before him stood Adrian, lighting a strange round black object.
“This will help mix your mana. Don’t worry. It won’t harm your body.”
Adrian placed the object atop a small stand he’d brought from somewhere. A flame flickered at its top, releasing an odd, unfamiliar scent into the air.
“…I’ve never heard of anything like that.”
“Probably because none of those picky court magicians have this kind of body type, and the knights haven’t reached Sword Master level. They wouldn’t understand your condition. They probably just told you your mana control was lacking.”
“……”
That was exactly what had happened. Mikhail opened his eyes slightly and looked at Adrian, who was now adjusting the incense’s position to let the smoke spread more effectively.
“Do I just let it burn?”
“Yeah. Try it for ten minutes first and see if anything changes.”
Thump. The prince sat on the bed with his arms crossed, following Adrian’s advice. Sitting straight with his back upright made his bare upper body stand out even more.
“So what is that thing?”
“Usually it’s taken as a potion to neutralize mana, but in your case, inhaling it through your respiratory system will work better. It needs to spread throughout your body as thoroughly as possible.”
Still seated, Mikhail glanced toward Adrian, who was busy fussing with the herbs like he was tracking Mikhail’s condition.
“You seem familiar with this kind of thing… Are you?”
“I had a friend with a similar issue.”
A friend?
The prince narrowed his eyes slightly at the unexpected word. Come to think of it, there was one name Adrian had let slip once, despite how guarded he usually was about his personal life.
“That person from before?”
Huh? Who’s he talking about? Adrian tilted his head slightly in confusion, meeting Mikhail’s eyes directly.
“The one you always said you had so much fun going out with. Denis Banya.”
“What? How do you know that name…?”
Ah right, I mentioned it myself during that “Taste and Art” class.
Adrian’s warm brown eyes trembled slightly before returning to normal. A gentle smile curled his lips, forming the shape of a crescent moon. Ha. Adrian let out a rare, audible laugh.
“Wow. Can’t remember the Kevish sapling, but you remember that name? Weird memory you’ve got there.”
Mikhail stared at the suddenly beaming Adrian with a dazed expression. Sure, he’d seen Adrian smile before, but he never thought it was a smile born of genuine happiness. This, he thought, This is the smile that suits him best.
Oblivious to Mikhail’s gaze, Adrian glanced at the clock in the room. Then he jerked his chin toward the prince.
“Alright, ten minutes are up. Try again.”
“…I don’t feel anything yet, though.”
Reluctantly, Mikhail stood from the bed and walked toward the closed door. Following Adrian’s instructions, he placed both hands on the surface and began to draw up his mana again.
Our prince remember the name Denis Banya who Adrian said to be his crush right….. lmao interesting detail to remember indeed