Sigmund, who had been gazing at Romiya, asked in a low voice,
“Why?”
Romiya tensed up, her shoulders stiffening.
“Tell me the reason.”
“The reason is…!”
Romiya curled up as if she had crumbled, unable to finish her sentence. She trembled and gasped for breath, as if she were about to choke.
Sigmund frowned as he looked at Romiya’s heaving shoulders.
‘Humans are truly unpredictable. How can she be so fragile? Even a reed that bends in the wind is better than her.’
From the beginning, Sigmund had no intention of pressuring Romiya. He merely asked for a reason because she had asked him to kill her uncle.
Well, he didn’t feel particularly good about it. Count Shulmir was the first human Sigmund had regarded positively. He found Romiya’s attempt to disturb his peace unsettling, especially without a proper explanation.
‘Moreover, how does she have the nerve to come to me at this hour when she’s so weak? If it were any other transcendent, her head would have rolled by now. Does she even have a thought in her mind?’
Sigmund let out a faint sigh and closed his eyes.
‘Humans are insignificant; it can’t be helped.’
Even if he felt offended, he had to endure it. They were far too weak to bear the dragon’s irritation.
Sigmund pressed against his temples. It felt like his previously quiet headache was beginning anew.
‘Indeed, human affairs are far too complicated. There are too many unpredictable humans.’
To him, who disliked variables, humans resembled the sparks from a campfire; he couldn’t tell where they would jump next.
‘Was it this difficult for other transcendents with humans?’
He shook his head slightly as he recalled the transcendents who frequently visited the human realm. To other transcendents, the human world was merely an enjoyable playground. He had never seen a transcendent who struggled with humans like he did.
‘It’s probably due to my personality.’
Transcendents easily killed humans. They were nothing more than playthings. Even the elders, who seemed to care for humans, behaved similarly. They would cherish them as if they could give them anything, only to suddenly turn and kill them at any moment.
Sigmund had no intention of criticizing their actions. This world operated on the principle of the survival of the fittest. It was natural for the strong to overwhelm the weak.
However, Sigmund did not want to live that way. Great power came with responsibility.
Even if foolish humans never realized his efforts, he wanted to do what he could as a transcendent.
‘I think I understand why Kaiten sent me to the human realm.’
While lost in thought, Sigmund suddenly realized something and let out a small laugh.
He had thought he was chosen simply because he was the youngest among dragons, but looking back now, it wasn’t the case.
‘It was because of my obsession with cleanliness.’
Other transcendents would ignore the responsibilities of transcendents, but he would try to uphold them until the end. He would try to respect the insignificant humans until the very end.
‘Really, like a clever serpent.’
As his thoughts reached that point, his anger toward Kaiten fizzled out. His annoyance toward the elders remained, but it wasn’t as intense as before.
Perhaps because of that, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
‘Should I look for a guide?’
If there were a guide, it would certainly reduce the trial and error. He would be able to understand why Romiya was trembling in front of him.
At that moment, the real Romiya whispered very softly,
“If I tell you the reason, will you kill my uncle?”
Sigmund, awakened from his thoughts, looked at Romiya.
She remained curled up. Sigmund shook his head, realizing that Romiya couldn’t see him, and said,
“Are you asking me to kill your uncle right now?”
“Yes. If you give me the chance, I will tell you the reason immediately. My uncle brutally… killed his brother, who was my father, the former count…”
“Stop.”
Sigmund raised a hand to cut her off.
“No matter what the reason is, it’s impossible. I will not fulfill your request.”
After a brief pause, Romiya asked in a trembling voice,
“Impossible, no matter the reason?”
“Correct.”
Romiya fell silent for a moment. Her curled-up body trembled intermittently. He had seen a similar sight in the world of transcendents: herbivores about to be eaten by their natural enemies. Those caught in the jaws trembled like that before they died.
‘And then they quickly died.’
Pity flickered in Sigmund’s gaze as he looked at Romiya. The fate of that foolish human didn’t seem different. She wouldn’t die, but she would eventually crumble. She couldn’t be sane after disturbing a transcendent’s rest with such madness.
“Excuse me, may I ask you about the reason?”
“…?”
“Please tell me… the reason.”
Sigmund felt a moment of surprise. Contrary to his expectations, there was strength in Romiya’s voice. Though it was faintly soaked with emotion, it didn’t seem like she would break immediately.
“Understood.”
Sigmund composed himself and spoke.
“First of all, no matter what you say, I must check whether the reason you provide is valid.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I must relay your opinion to Count Shulmir and give him a chance to express his stance.”
“…!”
“Secondly, your uncle is the first human I’ve decided to help since coming to the human realm. The fact that I’m not killing you right now is also because of that. I have resolved to assist Shulmir and the humans under him for the time being. That is why I’m sparing you. Finally, I have no intention of actively intervening in the human realm. Especially if it’s something irreversible. I have a mission to fulfill in the human realm. Once I complete that mission, I will return to the world of transcendents.”
Despite knowing little about humans, Sigmund understood that the relationship between Count Shulmir and Romiya was not good. It must be dire if a niece came to threaten her uncle with death.
But regardless, Sigmund had no intention of getting involved. Humans were humans, and transcendent beings were transcendent beings.
However, he wasn’t sure if Romiya would fully grasp his explanation.
He had tried to explain as clearly and kindly as possible, but he had encountered so many narrow-minded humans in the past.
“…I understand.”
Surprisingly, Romiya agreed with his words. Sigmund’s eyes widened slightly as he watched her struggle to stand up.
‘She’s accepting it so readily?’
It was unexpected. Romiya clasped her pale hands together, then bowed deeply.
“Thank you for teaching this foolish human.”
Romiya continued to bow for a long time. Sigmund, bewildered by her posture, finally spoke.
“Step back.”
“Thank you.”
Romiya left the room quietly, just as she had entered. That was the end of it.
‘I feel strange.’
Sigmund furrowed his brow. It felt like he had missed something, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. It was like reading a book with the letters erased.
He should have felt satisfied that the foolish human understood his explanation, yet he felt uneasy instead.
‘Indeed, I need to find a guide.’
Sigmund made a resolution.
—
The next day, Sigmund immediately acted on his decision. He asked the count for a way to find a guide.
“You wish to find a guide to lead you through the human realm?”
The count still had a warm demeanor, as if he were about to offer his liver.
“If you’re looking for a guide, you should go to the guild. Fortunately, there’s a renowned mercenary guild nearby in the territory. If you could wait a moment, I will send someone to the guild to bring the guildmaster to you. I assure you, you will find the guide you need within half a day.”
“That’s enough.”
Sigmund raised a hand to stop Count Shulmir’s words.
“I will go to the guild myself. I will meet the guildmaster as well. However, I will need a token to guarantee my identity. A token that will convince the guildmaster of my identity without using my dragon powers.”
“I understand what you mean. I will prepare it right away.”
The perceptive count quickly grasped Sigmund’s words.
The document the count prepared, signed with his seal, detailed that Sigmund was the Black Dragon.
‘Perfect.’
Sigmund smiled with satisfaction as he tucked the document into his robe.
It was indeed a good decision to have the nobility as his subordinates.
—
The guildmaster of the mercenary guild stared at Sigmund in shock after checking the count’s document.
“Y-you are the Black Dragon?”
“Indeed. If you cannot believe it, I will demonstrate my dragon powers. However, I am very fatigued due to the doubts of humans regarding my identity. If I accidentally miscontrol my power while proving myself, I could kill you, so it would be best to set aside your doubts.”
At Sigmund’s kind explanation, the guildmaster gasped. Regaining his composure, he trembled as he picked up the count’s document with his rough hands. After reading the document several times, he finally spoke.
“W-w-who is this great being…”
“That’s enough with the formalities. Bring me a guide. You must bring the most competent one from the guild.”
“Of course! Please wait a moment!”
The guildmaster hurried out, seemingly burdened by being in the same room as Sigmund.
Sigmund felt pleased, expecting that it would take longer to persuade the guildmaster.
He had met rational humans in a row: Count Shulmir, Romiya, and now the guildmaster. He hoped the guide he would meet would also be someone who could understand him. Until he met the guide, that is.
“Quickly, prepare yourself! A great being has personally come to our guild. Sigmund, this is the guide I recommend. Though he may not look like much, he is very clever and bold. He is quick-witted and will be a great help to you, Sir Sigmund.”
The guildmaster recited the guide’s achievements in detail.
He had solved noble infidelity issues, found evidence in a series of disappearances, and located the entrance to a collapsed mine. It seemed he had brought someone quite capable. As Sigmund listened, he fixed his gaze intently on the guide.
‘What on earth is she trying to pull?’
The guide was a young woman with a petite build and a cropped hairstyle. Her appearance was so simple that it was hard to tell if she was a woman or a young boy. However, Sigmund immediately sensed that she was indeed a woman.
‘The count’s niece is a guide at the guild he introduced?’
To his surprise, the guide the guildmaster brought was none other than Romiya, the same Romiya who had knelt before him yesterday, begging him to kill her uncle.
With her blue eyes cast down, Romiya bowed deeply as she listened to the guildmaster’s explanation.
“It is an honor to meet you, Sir Sigmund.”
Just like when she had said her last goodbye to him yesterday.
“Please call me Miya. I will do my best to assist you with your mission, Sir Sigmund.”
“You’re going to help with my mission?”
Sigmund asked in disbelief. Romiya stood silently, still looking down.
‘And she’s calling herself Miya?’
Miya. Even Sigmund, who didn’t know much about humans, felt this was an insincere alias. It was clear she had no intention of hiding her identity. A headache began to throb again, and Sigmund pressed his temples.
‘Does she even realize how enormous a mistake she is making?’
To dare toy with a transcendent being! It was a far greater crime than her previous intrusion into his chamber.
If it had been another transcendent instead of him here, she would have been obliterated long ago.
“What about your hair…?”
Moreover, she had cut her hair overnight. Remembering the hair that had spilled from Romiya’s hood the day before, Sigmund opened his mouth to question her but then fell silent.
Despite committing such a reckless act, she was trembling once more. Her pale face had no trace of color. He wanted to question why she kept getting into trouble despite being so fearful.
“Miya, are you really the best guide in this guild?”
“Yes, indeed. I suppose I don’t make the best first impression, do I? However, I do my work thoroughly. Nine out of ten people who hire me come back to seek my help again.”
“Did Count Shulmir happen to be one of those clients?”
“W-what?”
“I mean, has the count ever hired this guide?”
Sigmund’s voice grew cold. The guildmaster shuddered as he met Sigmund’s gaze, and he quickly bowed his head, yet his trembling didn’t cease.
‘So he’s an accomplice. Has he even bribed the guildmaster?’
Regardless of the reason, it was unsettling to see a man as big as a bear turn pale and shake like that. Sigmund waved a hand to dismiss the guildmaster.
“Get out.”
“S-Sir Sigmund…”
“Get out… If you hesitate too long and I change my mind, I might just kill you. Consider yourself lucky, and if you meet another transcendent, never speak of such foolishness again.”
Though he explained it so kindly, the guildmaster didn’t listen. Sigmund stopped, chuckling in disbelief.
Upon closer inspection, he realized the guildmaster wasn’t ignoring him; he was unable to hear him. The guildmaster, standing upright, had collapsed, with bubbles frothing from his mouth. With a thud, his stiff body fell forward.
“Truly, this is ridiculous.”
Sigmund couldn’t help but mutter those words. In the midst of all this, he stood up steadily. He had no interest in watching a human die before his eyes.
“His pulse is fine. I can’t say the same for his head, though.”
After using his healing powers casually, Sigmund tossed the guildmaster out of the room. Everything had happened with just a flick of his hand. He then glanced at Romiya.
“Sit down for now. We need to finish the conversation we couldn’t have yesterday.”
As Sigmund said this, he pulled Romiya’s stiff arm—thankfully, she hadn’t fainted—and seated her in a chair. He sat opposite her and glanced down at his own hands.
‘My wrists feel like ice.’
At that moment, Romiya squeezed out her voice, still keeping her head lowered.
“I’m sorry.”
“So you do know how to apologize.”
“I will… I will accept my punishment someday.”
“Don’t worry. I keep my accounts clear. But why did you do something so foolish instead of saying what you needed to yesterday?”
“Because my uncle was there.”
“And?”
“I was afraid he would question the truth of my words directly.”
“Did you think I would just let it slide this time?”
“No. I didn’t think that would happen. I believe you, Sir Sigmund, are a fair person. You always try to uphold your principles.”
“Of course…”
Sigmund paused, intending to scold her for stating the obvious and asking why she had acted that way, but he hesitated.
How on earth did Romiya know this about him?
How could a mere human woman understand his character, which placed such importance on principles, to the point of behaving so recklessly?
At that moment, Romiya, who had been looking down, lifted her gaze. Sigmund stopped, meeting her eyes.
It was the first time their gazes had locked.
Nothing changed by their eyes meeting. She was still crushed by fear, teetering on the edge of collapse.
‘But why?’
Perhaps it was her pale face. Her blue eyes seemed unusually vivid.
Suddenly, a scene from the human realm he had witnessed long ago came to mind.
A place where the most powerful magical energy slumbered, with an endless horizon.
A deep blue sea.
The color of that sea was just like this.
A sea so beautiful that even he, who disregarded the human realm, had marveled at it…
‘What is this?’
Sigmund narrowed his eyes slightly. A strange feeling, one that defied explanation, brushed against his chest.
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