'Did you return to make sure you kill me?'
Kyle thought that, amidst his fading memories.
Eventually, the galloping horse slowly slowed down.
Kyle forced his eyelids open.
The bluish moonlight poured in backward, making it impossible to see the face clearly. Kyle blinked slowly.
The sound of dirty snow being trampled was heard. It was clearly footsteps approaching Kyle.
"Huh?"
Just then, a thin female voice was heard. It was unmistakably a woman's voice.
The sound of footsteps grew closer, as if running. Not long after, someone checked Kyle's body.
“Oh, Dad!”
"...?"
Dad?
A voice he heard for the first time woke his fading consciousness. Kyle opened his eyes again.
Under the blue moonlight, a woman was looking at him.
A woman with silver hair. His vision was blurry, so he couldn't see her face clearly, but it was definitely a woman.
"Wake up! Why are you lying here!"
The woman who had been shouting something covered her mouth after seeing the blood flowing down.
"You crazy bastards! Who did you mess with? I'll kill them all!"
The harsh words he was hearing for the first time seeped into his fading mind.
Judging by the way she spoke, she seemed like someone who knew him.
'I need to see who it is...'
His body, pushed to its limit, dragged the mind he had been desperately holding onto into a deep sleep.
Kyle's eyes slowly closed.
"No! Snap out of it! Dad! Dad!"
The woman's voice faded into the distance. But Kyle closed his eyes, unable to answer.
***
Kyle slowly opened his eyes at the sound of something burning.
Looking around, he saw that it was a dilapidated house on the verge of collapse.
'Where am I?'
Kyle blinked blankly and recalled his memory.
'I was on my way to meet the leader of the wolves. And then...'
The knights who were guiding me tried to kill me.
Kyle's face slowly contorted as he recalled all his memories.
It was clear that the knights who attacked him were people sent by his older brother.
Because he had to disappear to cover up all the facts.
Kyle bit his lip.
'Just how broken has my brother become?'
No matter how blinded by power he was, to think he would kill his own younger brother.
Kyle was seething with anger at the thought of his older brother's face, who would be happy to hear the news that he was dead.
'I must go back no matter what.'
He had to reveal everything his older brother had done.
Only then could they end this war and this misunderstanding.
To do that, he had to get up.
Kyle sat up. Suddenly, tremendous pain pierced through his body.
Kyle's body slumped limply onto the floor.
Kyle frowned and lowered his gaze to look at his body.
A white cloth was tightly wrapped around his upper body.
'Who treated me?'
Kyle retold his memories.
Finally, he remembered a woman who was approaching him before he lost consciousness.
A silver-haired woman standing under the blue moonlight.
He's certain that someone said something shocking to him, but perhaps because he lost consciousness and collapsed, he doesn't remember it clearly.
She indeed saved him, so he should thank her... but he could not easily lift his body, which was drenched in pain.
To make matters worse, his eyes closed again. Kyle, who had intended to express his gratitude, eventually succumbed to the overwhelming fatigue and dozed off.
***
'Did you wake up?'
I heard a groan. I was about to poke my head out, but I recoiled again, just in case.
If only I hadn't called him Dad, I wouldn't even be having these worries!
It was all this brat's rash mouth that was the problem. I slapped my mouth hard again.
Just as my lips were starting to tingle, I lowered my hand again.
'I never thought I would even meet my Dad from a past life.'
He was younger than I remembered, but it was definitely Dad.
What would have happened if I hadn't seen him and just walked past?
I recalled the blood that had stained his eyes red.
The mere thought of it was terrible. I shook my head vigorously.
I was so shocked when Dad lost consciousness and collapsed.
I sobbed and picked up my dad.
The thought that I had to save my dad no matter what gave me strength I didn't have before.
I put Dad down on the horse and looked for a place to rest for a while.
Just then, an empty house came into view.
It seemed they had left in a hurry, as the room was full of luggage they hadn't been able to take with them.
After laying Dad down in the room, I immediately left the house. I was there to get medicinal herbs that would help with the treatment.
Fortunately, there were medicinal herbs that survived the sea of fire.
I returned and used ice magic to create clean water.
And then, I slowly wiped the affected area.
No matter how much I wiped, blood kept flowing out. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back.
I treated the wound on his back using the herbs I had gathered.
I wrapped the wound with a bandage that happened to be in an empty house.
Meanwhile, I checked from time to time to see if my dad was dead.
Fortunately, the medicinal herbs I obtained seemed to be effective.
I leaned my back against the wall and let out a sigh of relief.
How long was it like that?
No more groaning sounds were heard.
I cautiously peeked my head out, overwhelmed by anxiety washing over me once again.
I crept up and placed my hand under my nose.
Breathing continued.
I could finally catch my breath. I let out a sigh of relief and slumped into my seat.
I wonder if Mom and Noelier have met by now?
Not only did I give Mom the ice magic stone, but I even cast a blank slate spell on Noelier...
The anxiety in my mind did not go away.
'No. Let's not worry. They must have met well.'
I shook my head and erased the anxiety inside me.
'Now, there is only one thing left for me to do.'
Go back to find Lily and ask about the magic on the restraints.
In the memory related to the restraints, Noelier was meeting Lily.
'There must be some clue. Let's just find that out and go back.'
Next, I just need to unlock Noelier's restraints.
And, and...
I must stick close to his leaf to prevent the destruction that occurred in the original story.
Absolutely not. I cannot let Noel die.
'I won't covet things like marriage.'
Tears welled up and blurred my vision. I wiped them away with the back of my hand and let go again.
Space hadn't warped, and I was still here.
There was still a chance. I clenched my fist tightly, making that promise to myself.
Once I made that firm resolution, I felt the tension release.
I relaxed my upright posture and leaned my back against the wall.
I knelt down and sat, staring blankly at the black sky.
***
Coo!
A tremendous noise fell behind me.
If she had slowed down even a little, she might have been hit by that attack.
Lily ran forward, taking slowing steps.
“Don’t miss her!”
Someone shouted loudly at her.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut. The cloak she had been wearing had long since come off.
A flying arrow grazed Lily's face. Her fluttering hair was cut and scattered by the wind.
Gasp. Gasp. She was gasping for breath all the way to her throat. Her exhausted body craved immediate rest.
'I can't take it anymore.'
Lily's footsteps slowed little by little. She squeezed her eyes shut.
It was then.
Tremendous heat poured out into the surroundings.
Lily opened her eyes wide.
Under the dark sky where ash and snow were mingling.
A dragon with red wings spread its wings.
The startled humans grabbed the reins. The horses neighed and stopped in their tracks.
The red dragon glared at the humans and assumed a defensive stance. It was blatant murderous intent. It looked as if its breath would be unleashed at any moment.
It seemed like it was going to burst out.
The terrified humans clutched the swords they were holding.
Then, growling, the dragon approached them with a throat-rumbling sound.
Some of the startled humans dropped the swords they were holding to the floor.
They had to grip the sword again, but their whole bodies were consumed by fear, and they could not move.
"Phew, retreat. Retreat! Everyone run away!"
Someone barely managed to part their lips and shouted.
The humans, one after another, turned their heads and left the place.
The dragon, having watched until the figure disappeared, turned around and looked at Lily.
Lily flinched.
It was the Red Dragon of the South, which she had only heard about in rumors.
'They say you turn to ashes just by touching those flames.'
Why, why is a dragon here...
Lily's body began to tremble.
The dragon slowly approached Lily's side. She recoiled and stepped back.
Then the red dragon paused.
He couldn't understand why she was stepping down.
Is it because it feels unfamiliar since it's the first time seeing this side?
Right. Lily liked how he looked when he was human. After all, she had even complimented his face, saying it was pretty.
The dragon took a step back from Lily's side and changed its appearance.
The threatening dragon disappeared, and a human with black hair and red eyes appeared.
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