254 Best way to die.
“Of course, you are welcome to think that if you wish,
Whatever eases your mind~
Not like this is the last time this will happen~
Fufufufu~”
The Fox laughed.
“W-What are you talking about?”
Lavinia stuttered again. She did not like the Fox’s smile one bit. Vitaria wanted to tease the Princess a little more, but then,
“That is enough.”
Imperia spoke up.
The Ant looked right into Vitaria’s eyes and,
“Stop teasing her. She just woke up.”
“But it’s fun~~”
Vitaira complained, but seeing Imperia’s unamused eyes, she just looked away and snorted,
“Killjoy.”
And the Fox wasn’t done. With a pout, she buried her face into Kael’s chest and,
“Someone should tell her that she is younger than me. How can someone so young be so old at the same time? Something is definitely wrong with her. She needs to lighten up. She needs…”
She started mumbling silently till her words became incomprehensible.
Imperia, who could hear Vitaria’s complaints, stared at her for a while, but as the most sensible person here, she decided it was better to ignore the Fox for now and she glanced at her father instead,
“Father, now that she is awake, you should go train. It is already late; we should not waste more time. Cirri, you prepare as well.”
“Yes!”
Cirri nodded with a bright smile on her face. She could finally have her father all to herself for the next few hours. She was very excited.
Kael, who was patting the sulking Vitaria’s head, nodded as well. He glanced at Cirri, who was more than ready, and opened the portal. Igni took Vitaria in his arms, Imperia landed on Igni’s head as well.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“We wish you luck, Father.”
Igni spoke as the other two nodded. Kael nodded back with a smile, and with Cirri in his arms, he walked into the portal and the portal closed.
“…Where did he go?”
Lavinia questioned.
“To train.”
Igni answered.
“Train…?”
Lavinia tilted her head.
“Yes.”
Igni nodded, not saying much. The Dragon did not know how much he was supposed to reveal, so he decided to stay silent.
If Lavinia’s emotions weren’t a mess because of everything that happened, she would have noticed what Igni was trying to do. For now, however, her mind was more overwhelmed by the fact that she was literally talking to a Dragon.
“You will stay here till he returns. We will keep you safe.”
Igni instructed.
“Yes, L-Lord Dragon…”
Lavinia nodded, a little nervous.
She did not know what to say.
“I have said it before, you do not have to call me that. Igni is fine.”
“I-I…”
Again, Lavinia couldn’t bring herself to call a Dragon so… cutely.
“Brother, she is nervous. Give her some time.”
Imperia, who was sitting on Igni’s head, spoke lightly. Igni, however, shook his head.
“My Father named me, and I take great pride in my name.”
“I-I will call Lord Igni then.”
“That works too.”
Igni nodded. Lavinia nodded back. She then stared at Igni with an uncertain look on her face and,
“Lord Igni…
If you do not mind, can I ask you a question?”
“Ask.”
“Why did you choose Kael?”
At that question, Igni stared at Lavinia and narrowed his eyes—something that made the princess flinch.
But then,
“I did not choose my Father.”
Igni shook his head.
Lavinia frowned, but before she could ask anything, Igni continued,
“But if I had a choice in the matter, I would have never chosen anyone else.
Father can be my only Father.
No other being, human or not, can replace him.”
The Dragon spoke. His voice was filled with a ridiculous, almost blind faith that the little Dragon had in his father.
He still remembered the countless times Kael had jumped into situations that would lead to his certain death just so he could protect him. They were actions that filled Igni with an overwhelming sense of security and love.
A small smile appeared on Igni’s face when he thought about his Father, but before he lost himself in his thoughts, he glanced at Lavinia and,
“Human Girl, I know you doubt Father, and I do not blame you. My Father finds it difficult to trust other humans as well.
You humans are vile. Almost every single one of you is corrupted with vile thoughts of greed, selfishness, lust, and more. Your empires are made on top of a mountain of corpses. You destroy nature for your own advancement. You betray your own kind the moment you get the chance to.
There is almost nothing likable about Humans.”
Lavinia lowered her head.
Even though the Dragon was belittling her kind, she did not stand against those claims. After all, they were all true. She had experienced it herself.
Not to mention that, as someone who had read all there is about the Dragons, she knew Dragons did not like Humans.
“But there are exceptions.”
Igni, however, was not done yet.
The Princess raised her head with a frown, and the Fire Dragon continued,
“Even amongst you humans, there are a few who are different from the rest.
You are one of them.”
Lavinia blinked at those words, a little taken aback.
“Your heart is pure.”
Igni praised. Lavinia, however, just laughed at those words,
“My heart is anything but pure no—”
“Stop lying to yourself.”
Before Lavinia could even complete her sentence, Vitaria called out.
Lavinia stared at the Fox with a frown, and the Fox continued,
“You have closed your heart, but that does not mean it is no longer pure.”
“…”
Lavinia did not react to those words—not that the Fox cared,
“It does not mean you are perfect either.”
She spoke, looking into Lavinia’s eyes, and when she finally got her attention, she began,
“Living with a closed heart is difficult—impossible even. You will only suffocate yourself.”
“A better way to die than to be backstabbed, I say.”
“Best way to die is to die while holding the hands of the people you love.”
Vitaria answered. Her purple eyes flickered with a strange sense of… grief?
Of course, before anyone could notice it, her eyes returned to normal.
“Not everyone has that luxury.”
Lavinia laughed.
“You are right, not everyone does.”
Vitaria nodded, but then,
“It doesn’t mean you cannot.”
“…?”
Lavinia stared at the Fox with a frown.