A lover? “No”!?
Adrian froze mid-motion, fingers halting just as he was about to turn the page, eyes shifting toward Mikhail.
Mikhail, lips pressed into a stubborn line, was staring resolutely out the window, clearly unwilling to offer a proper answer.
Since he’d said he felt cold, Mikhail’s hand had stayed nestled in Adrian’s, radiating a comforting warmth. Yet the exchange they’d just had had struck a nerve.
“And he even said ‘not yet’?”
The more Adrian thought about it, the deeper he sank into confusion.
Having left the capital together, Adrian had begun to consider Mikhail as his. That statement had landed like a blow. With Mikhail’s time running short, Adrian had assumed he would have every remaining moment to himself. So by human standards, their current relationship should’ve easily passed for what people typically called lovers.
But the moment Mikhail denied it, doubt had inevitably begun to take root in Adrian’s mind.
Then what exactly do we call this relationship?
“Hmm.” Adrian exhaled through his nose with a short sigh and propped his chin in one hand.
Friends.
Was this what humans called being friends?
…No.
Adrian shook his head almost immediately.
Over the years, he’d heard countless humans refer to him as a “friend” during the fleeting amusements he’d shared with them. Each time, the dragon had nodded in agreement. They had staked their lives on each other’s backs—friends, comrades, warriors standing side by side.
But this…
“I like you. That’s why.”
In that instant, Mikhail’s crimson eyes flared like a blaze, flickering with heat. No human had ever looked at the dragon like that before. His pure, unfiltered yearning—his desire—felt like it was brushing against Adrian’s very skin.
What Mikhail wanted clearly wasn’t just to be friends.
If it wasn’t love, and it wasn’t friendship either… then what was it?
All of a sudden, somewhere just above his pounding heart, Adrian felt a sharp, fleeting sting—like pain slicing through and vanishing in the same breath.
Without thinking, his hand moved instinctively to touch the aching spot.
Adrian tried to pull his hand away from Mikhail’s grasp to close the book that no longer held his interest.
“Why?”
Mikhail’s grip tightened sharply, as if letting go of that hand now would mean Adrian would vanish elsewhere. When Adrian lifted his gaze, he was met with Mikhail’s piercing, unwavering eyes.
“It’s still cold outside.”
You know full well that this kind of cold means nothing to me.
Tilting his head slightly, Adrian studied Mikhail. Should I just ask?
‘If we’re not lovers… then what are we?’
But the question never made it past his lips. Even if he asked, he had a feeling Mikhail wouldn’t give him a clear answer.
Slowly, Adrian relaxed his hand, abandoning the attempt to pull away. Mikhail’s fingers, still wrapped over his own, gave a light, approving tap with his index finger—almost like a silent ‘good boy.’ Though the dull ache pressing against his chest remained an unwelcome nuisance, Adrian decided, for now, to leave it be. His gaze flickered toward Mikhail’s fingers laced with his own, then drifted back toward the window.
***
“Uuugh! It’s freezing! ‘Just a quick look around,’ my ass! You bastard, Darphung! We’re gonna freeze to death out here!”
Thwack!
One of the mercenaries smacked his companion hard on the shoulder in frustration. The guy who got hit yelled back in protest, clearly wronged.
“We’ve gotta eat and hit the damn toilet sometime, man! Don’t hit me, I’m freezing my ass off too!”
“Told you, didn’t I? Delbaran winters are brutal! Like, insane-level cold!”
Rubbing their arms roughly with their palms as if trying to generate any scrap of warmth, the mercenaries trudged ahead, shivering. Mikhail watched their retreating backs, then silently raised an arm and snagged Adrian’s by the wrist.
“We’re going that way.”
He pointed in the exact opposite direction of where the mercenaries were headed.
It was a short rest break during what would be a days-long carriage journey. They had to switch out their exhausted horses and let the coachman get some rest as well. And yet, even during this break… they had to separate from those guys.
Mikhail’s unwavering will to avoid moving with the others was made crystal clear.
“That way? But this road leads to the central market—mmph.”
A sudden, cutting gust of wind slammed into them. Adrian squinted slightly. Using magic for such trivial things always felt like a chore, but every time that icy wind scraped against his skin, he couldn’t help but second-guess his choice.
And then—
“Come here.”
A warm palm slid slowly across the back of Adrian’s cold hand. Without hesitation, he naturally laced his fingers with Mikhail’s. In response, Mikhail tightened his grip, pulling Adrian closer with quiet insistence.
With that subtle tug, Adrian had no choice but to start walking, matching his steps to the path Mikhail had chosen. If the goal was to put some distance between themselves and the mercenaries, this was a flawless move—but they’d definitely have to abandon any hope of finding shops or restaurants along the way. Well, it wasn’t like they couldn’t loop back around later. Adrian let out a faint chuckle and watched Mikhail striding confidently ahead.
This kind of clinginess was… charming, really.
Their footsteps echoed softly against the flat, frozen ground beneath them.
“A restaurant? Uh… I think you took a wrong turn…”
That was the reply they got from a child they ran into after walking for quite some time.
“You’ll need to go that way, down that street, to get to the central market.”
The kid looked at the clueless travelers who’d wandered all the way to the outskirts with a sympathetic expression. Adrian had already figured as much.
“I see. Thanks for letting us know.”
Which was why he could offer the child a warm smile. Unlike a certain someone beside him.
“What? How far do we have to walk from here?”
Mikhail’s face twisted with dismay as he quickly scanned their surroundings.
“…Since you need to go back the way you came… probably about as far as you’ve already walked?”
“Goddamn it.”
Adrian called out to Mikhail, who was scowling in irritation.
“Mikhail.”
“Tch.”
Mikhail glanced up, only to see Adrian shake his head lightly—a silent message not to take his frustration out on the kid. Clicking his tongue, Mikhail turned his head sharply in the opposite direction.
Left with no better option, the two had to double back and take the road the mercenaries had originally gone down.
The central market was already bustling, with vendors having set up stalls and selling all manner of goods. Thanks to the biting cold of winter, small stoves had been placed throughout the market, filling the air with a pleasant warmth despite being outdoors.
Quite the lively street, Adrian thought, feeling the chill in his limbs slowly melt away as he stole a glance at Mikhail.
Mikhail’s eyes were gleaming with fascination as he took in the bustling scene. He’d probably never been this far north on the continent before.
A winter kingdom’s market was a world apart from those in Rustavaran—there was no shortage of interesting sights. Naturally, Adrian began guiding him through the stalls, casually explaining bits and pieces along the way.
He pointed out that certain dried fruits, sun-ripened and preserved, were rare and valuable in Delbaran, and shared how the further north you traveled on the continent, the more renowned the local craftsmanship became. Mikhail nodded along with genuine wonder each time Adrian spoke, like a curious child soaking it all in.
While sipping the warm honey milk Adrian had recommended, Mikhail suddenly pointed toward something across the way.
“Huh? They’ve got animals at a place like this?”
“It’s a Darphung.”
Woof!
A fluffy, white-coated Darphung was panting heavily as it clung to the hem of Adrian’s trousers. Adrian casually reached out and patted the creature’s head. In response, the Darphung, clearly delighted, stuck out its tongue and wagged its tail wildly.
The merchant, who had been chatting with another customer, noticed the scene and called out to Adrian.
“Looks like it’s taken a liking to you.”
“Hm?”
Adrian looked up from stroking the Darphung’s head and turned to the merchant. Holding a warm magic device to his cheek, the man spoke again. With the sun setting early during the winter months, he had come out early in the morning and was just about ready to pack up for the day. If this customer bought the Darphung before he closed shop, it’d easily cover today’s earnings.
“Take it. I’ll sell it for cheap.”
The merchant waved his arm dismissively as he spoke.
Adrian blinked, eyes fixed on the Darphung.
“I know it looks a bit dopey, but once it chooses an owner, it’ll stay loyal to that person for life. It’s that kind of beast.”
The Darphung was circling around Adrian’s ankles, clumsily chasing its own tail like a fool.
Standing beside him, Mikhail silently scanned Adrian’s expressionless face. Despite the scrutiny, Adrian showed no reaction. Only after a moment did his lips finally part.
“Even so, it’ll only be a few years at most.”
His tone was sharper than the winter wind.
Figures.
Tch, the merchant clicked his tongue and gave a shrug. Guess he wasn’t a buyer, just another window shopper.
“Still… for a Darphung, that is a lifetime, isn’t it?”
Well, the man wasn’t wrong.
Adrian didn’t reply. He just gave a faint, bitter smile.15
