Dragonlord

Ep 170. I’m Always Right Here. (3)

Ep 170. I’m Always Right Here. (3)

“…And it wasn’t long after when Raizel found us in the forest. Things…didn’t exactly go well afterwards.”

What began as a simple answer soon turned to a full tale of the professor and his meeting with Rien.

Light quietly nodded her head, her eyes gleaming in fascination of who she’d supposedly once been.

“Haha, wow! Sounds like you never would’ve come out of that forest if it weren’t for me!”

“…Most likely, yes. I would’ve continued to live there as a wild monster.”

Karas glanced at his student to see her bobbing her head in silence. Even though it wasn’t actually her, she seemed proud of Rien’s actions just the same.

And eventually, Light also turned to meet her teacher’s gaze.

“So tell me, then. How was your life outside?”

“…”

Life outside.

At times, it was difficult; grueling, even. The academic had long struggled to keep his past a secret, and there were times where his appearance alone was reason for discrimination.

But even so, life outside was…

“…Pleasant.”

Whenever Karas would close his eyes, he could still vividly recall the years since his departure from the forest.

He’d found a home; he’d found bonds to cherish. He’d found reasons to live as a person instead of the monster he once were.

Now, there were others who accepted him, regardless of what he used to be.

People no longer sought him out as the Monster of Mire. Instead, he was sought out as a professor and a friend.

And because he’d chose to step outside of the fog, he’d even been able to reforge the bond he’d lost.

As Karas closed his eyes to reflect on his bittersweet memories, Light studied her professor with a pleased, relieved expression.

“I’m glad.”

“Hm? About what, exactly?”

“You don’t seem so lonely anymore.”

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“…Uh?”

As Karas momentarily lost his voice, an ever-familiar laughter slipped out of his student.

It was similar to her usual laughter, and yet, Karas could tease the difference: a pleased, unfeigned laughter, as if in reaction to a student’s accomplishment.

But before the academic could say much, his student spoke once more, her smile wider than before.

“Hmm, I guess I was more selfish than I thought…I should be happy for you, but I’m actually a little sad too. I guess I wanted you to feel a little lonely without me.”

There hadn’t been any visible changes – and yet, something had definitely changed.

The half that was sitting by Karas’ side was no longer his student.

And as his shock began to fade, his beak finally shuddered open.

“…Rien?”

“Yeah?”

“How…did you…?”

“Right? I wish I knew. How am I alive? That’s so weird, isn’t it?”

Karas’ body reacted before he could even begin to think of an answer.

Trembling arms embraced the half, desperate to hold onto her fleeting presence.

“Oh! Wow, you’re a lot bigger now…wait, I guess I’m just smaller. Haha, that’s so funny!”

“…Ry…”

“Mm? What did you say?”

There were lots of things he’d wanted to say. Lots he’d wanted to do.

During his days in Partivine, Karas had often spent his days imagining how their reunion would be like.

But despite all that, Karas only continued to parrot a single phrase.

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

Karas’ pleading voice continued to repeat the same phrase over and over again.

In response, Rien wrapped her own arms around the feathered figure, gently caressing her shaking lover with a reassuring grin.

“It’s okay.”

“But…because of me, you-“

“It’s okay. I didn’t have a lot of time anyways. I’m glad I got to use it for you.”

“…”

To protect her lover, she’d thrown herself before a towering dragon.

The half had chosen to sacrifice herself for his sake until the very end. Karas couldn’t help but feel sorry towards her.

But Rien herself begged to differ.

“You should be apologizing to Light instead, not me. She doesn’t show it, but she was really scared when you attacked her.”

“…”

As Light’s name was mentioned, Karas finally let go of the half in his arms.

But when the academic continued to drop his gaze in shame and guilt, Rien reached out to pet his feathered head.

“Aww, don’t pout. She doesn’t hate you! She was just scared she’d lose you too.”

“…I wouldn’t be surprised if she did hate me. She knows that I’m a monster now…a former Akeian commander. A murderer who attacked his own student.”

“Well, she has more reasons to like you than hate you. Pro-fe-ssor.”

After a small snicker, Rien finished her sentence with a light smack on the professor’s head.

Surprised by the sudden blow, Karas rubbed his own head, reflexively looking upwards to see the source of the attack.

And when he did, he could see his student smiling at him – at her own student.

“And besides…I told you, didn’t I? What did I say is the best remedy to regret?”

“…Do something nice for others, you said.”

“Mhm!”

Even though their student-teacher relationship had seemingly flipped around in a matter of minutes, neither of them seemed bothered by the sudden change.

Instead, the two merely stared at each other, noting the silly grin on each other.

“So be nice to her, Karas. She trusts you as much as I do. And just because you miss me doesn’t mean you should nag your own student!”

“…I’m…truly sorry about that. It will never happen again.”

“Good. That’s what I came here to say!”

With those words, the half rose to her feet to stretch herself awake.

But on the other hand, Karas showed no signs of getting up from his seat – or rather, he couldn’t.

The Historian himself had said that the change would be temporary when it happened.

So, as much as he wanted to get up and hold onto his returned lover, he now knew that their time was finite.

And he now knew how pointless it was to hold onto what was already gone.

“…”

“…”

In the silence that followed, Rien’s eyes fixed onto the glimmering night sky.

It was as if the sky itself was ridden with gems – a sky they could never see in the fogs of Mire.

“Look how beautiful the sky is! We couldn’t see sky like that in Mire Forest.”

“…Mhm. It is.”

“So don’t go back.”

“…Hm?”

With a quizzical expression, Karas raised his eyes to meet Rien’s.

And although the half seemed ever so proud of her student, her eyes now betrayed a hint of sadness.

“Even if your regret drowns you…even if you want to run away again…don’t go back. Stay here with me.”

“…Of course I will.”

“Promise?”

“…Mhm. I promise.”

There was no way to undo a past wrong.

But even so, he had no mind to run away anymore.

Running from the past couldn’t serve as a solution. And so, there was nothing but to continue trying.

He’d continue to live with others. He’d continue to form bonds with others.

He’d continue to live as a person – just as she’d taught him to.

So that I may right a past wrong, even if only a small bit…so that today does not become another regretful past.

Karas steeled his heart, putting his regrets behind. He wordlessly swore to never look back again.

But seeing the hints of disappointment in the professor’s expression, Rien looked down at Karas with a sorry, sheepish smile.

And soon, she leaned down once more, whispering to her beloved student and teacher.

“Don’t worry, Karas.”

For the last time, the two locked eyes with each other.

And for the last time, Rien beamed a bright smile at her partner.

“I’m always right here.”