It was a quiet night.
After Flora closed the door and left, I slowly laid down on the bed.
Beyond the window, stars twinkled endlessly in the dark night sky.
It was as if those small lights were trying to find their way in the darkness.
However, in that silence, I felt a subtle tremor somewhere inside my chest.
At first, it was just a familiar discomfort, but it soon became clearer and turned into pain.
It was as if a beast hiding inside my heart had awakened and started to howl.
This familiar pain would never let me go.
The feeling as if a sharp blade was piercing my heart and hot flames were enveloping my insides.
It was a part of me, a curse that was destroying me.
Dragonheart.
The traces of that terrible experiment, and the proof that represented my existence.
My heart, beating violently as if it were not mine, surged through my veins, emitting magical power,
And tore and tore at my insides like a blade.
A vivid pain surged through me, as if a wound that had been forcibly sewn together was being torn apart again.
Every time I took a breath, my chest was crushed, and the hot heat spread to my fingertips, paralyzing my entire body.
I instinctively placed my trembling hand on my chest.
The heat transmitted to my palm was as hot as holding a lump of boiling iron.
It was hard to even move a single finger, but I barely managed to reach out and grab the cane on the bedside table.
The cane was the only thing that could make me forget my pain, even for a moment.
But just before my fingertips could touch it, a pain that seemed to pierce my entire body surged back.
I didn’t want Flora to find out.
I had always tried to hide this pain, but the pain grew stronger as if mocking my will.
Every time I breathed, my chest felt like it was going to tear, and my entire body’s muscles stiffened as if convulsing.
I bit my lips to try to hold back my voice, but the suppressed groan that was leaking out from deep within my chest broke my will.
That was when I heard urgent footsteps outside the door.
Soon after, the door slammed open, and Flora rushed into the room.
“Peridot!”
Flora’s trembling voice echoed through the room.
She ran to the bedside in one step and looked into my face, distorted in pain.
“What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
Her eyes were filled with worry and fear.
With no time to answer, Flora’s cold hand cupped my cheek.
Her hands were as cold as ice, as if she had rushed in at dawn, but that coldness temporarily soothed the burning pain.
The moment her fingertips touched, I felt my stiff muscles loosen up slightly.
However, the pain inside me was still burning like a gentle flame, not disappearing.
I didn’t want to worry her any more.
I tried hard to regain my composure, but Flora’s eyes seemed to have already caught everything.
Flora’s purple eyes were shaking like shining jewels in the deep darkness.
Without hesitation, she began to unbutton my top.
Her hands were urgent, but at the same time, she was careful not to hurt me.
I gasped for breath and forcefully spit out the words between my lips.
“Wand…”
My cracked voice barely managed to squeeze out that one word.
My vision was blurry and my consciousness seemed to be fading away, but I could clearly see the wand on the table.
That was my only hope to escape this hellish pain.
But my body didn’t have the strength to even reach out for it.
My earnest gaze landed on Flora, and she immediately followed that gaze to check the table.
Her eyes hardened, and she quickly picked up the wand.
The moment the cold sensation touched my palm, I felt a faint sense of relief, as if I had caught hold of life.
Like a hungry beast devouring its prey, the raging magic within me was quickly absorbed,
and the intense pain that had been weighing on my chest began to slowly subside.
The pain that had been tearing at me like a blade gradually disappeared,and I felt as if I had reached a calm island for a moment in the midst of a storm.
With a cold sweat I held the cane more tightly with my damp hands.
Flora was still looking at me with worried eyes.
Her purple eyes were filled with deep concern, but as my complexion improved a little, a slight sense of relief spread.
I raised my head and looked at her, struggling to catch my breath.
Flora’s gaze was fixed on my chest.
The reddened skin and the marks of burst blood vessels proved how serious my condition was.
Flora’s expression was filled with embarrassment and fear.
She took my hand with a trembling hand and leaned it against her cheek.
The coldness I felt on her cheek made me feel as if she was sharing the same pain and sorrow as I.
The pain that had been burning fiercely all night slowly subsided with the faint light of dawn.
The pressure that had been weighing on my body disappeared, but a sense of helplessness as if all my energy had been sucked away gripped me.
I smiled with difficulty and opened my mouth.
“In the end, I showed it.”
My voice was still rough and cracked,
but I tried to hide the heaviness inside me, even if it was forced.
But I knew better than anyone that those words would not ease my worries.
Flora held my hand even tighter without saying a word.
Her hand was still warm, but it contained complicated emotions.
Looking into her purple eyes, I tried to read the answer to the question I hadn’t asked.
“I didn’t want to show you how ugly I was.”
As I continued to speak with an awkward smile, Flora let out a soft sigh and covered my face with both hands.
The touch was gentle, but firm.
“Peridot..”
Flora’s voice was low, gentle, but firm.
The emotion I felt from her touch was not pain, but warm comfort.
I rested my head on her hand, losing the strength to resist her touch.
“You don’t have to hide it. What happened?”
Flora’s voice was not a pressing tone.
Her words contained her sincere concern for me.
I couldn’t ignore that earnestness.
I hesitated for a moment, but eventually I slowly opened my mouth.
“This happens periodically. Whenever Dragonheart’s magic runs wild…”
The voice trailing off was thin and weak, but Flora didn’t miss it.
A dark shadow fell over her purple eyes at my confession.
She stared at me silently.
In that silence, I could feel the confusion and worry she felt.
Even though she had learned the source of my suffering, she seemed to be at a loss.
Her helplessness actually hurt me more.
“That damn heart… is tormenting you.”
Flora quickly hugged me.
Her voice was quiet, but anger and regret were entangled within it.
Her warmth slowly seeped from my back, seeming to soothe the cold pain in my chest a little.
Flora carefully kissed my forehead.
The moment her breath touched my nose, the scent of roses faintly brushed my nose.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop you even though I was there.”
My heart ached at her self-reproachful voice.
I raised my hand with difficulty and cupped Flora’s cheek.
My fingertips trembled slightly as they touched her cold cheek.
That trembling seemed to reflect her heart, not my pain.
“It’s okay.”
The words I uttered might have been words of comfort to myself.
Am I really used to this pain, or have I given up?
That question scattered emptily in my mind.
“I’m used to this pain now.”
Flora hugged me tighter without saying anything.
In her arms, I felt a slight sense of relief.
There was still a lingering ember of pain in my chest, but I felt like I could endure it just by knowing that she was there.
For a while, we shared each other’s warmth in silence.
In the stillness of dawn, only our breathing could be faintly heard.
Suddenly, the staff in my hand caught my eye.
This familiar staff, which now felt like a part of my body, seemed like evidence of resignation and abandonment.
“After becoming a duke, I asked the sage of the kingdom for help to solve this tiresome problem.”
As I spoke in a calm voice, the helplessness that had built up over a long time was revealed.
“But even the old man shook his head. In the end, he said that this staff was the best he could do.”
I caressed the smooth surface of the staff in loneliness.
It was a trace of a long-standing hope shattered.
Despite my calm explanation, a deep shadow fell over Flora’s face.
Her purple eyes wavered and her lips were tightly shut.
The fact that even the sage could not solve it seemed to her despair.
After a long silence, Flora wrapped her trembling hand around my hand.
Her hands were cold, but I could feel her firm will within them.
“No, Peridot-sama.”
Her voice was low but strong.
“I… won’t give up. Even if that wise man couldn’t do it, I will do it.”
I looked into her eyes filled with firm will.
It sent a small but definite tremble through me, who had become accustomed to resignation.
“I… will definitely find a way.”
Flora held my hand and vowed in an earnest voice.
“I don’t want to see Peridot-sama suffer any longer.”
My grip tightened.
Her firm will was clearly conveyed to me through her fingertips.
I nodded without saying anything.
The determined voice seemed to echo for a long time in the dawn air.