Chapter 274

Chapter 274. A Bet (Contract) with a Dragon

She ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍spent more time alone now.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍extra time had come without her intending it, but for all that time, there was so little to do.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simply breathed, ate, and slept, over and over.

Pia, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Second Daughter, lay on her bed as though dead, both hands bound.

With ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍every curtain drawn over the windows, the room was dim even in broad daylight. Perhaps that was why she only wanted to lie there, whether it was night or day.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mages were creatures of thought, a people who reflected, explored, and uncovered the truth.

Their minds never stopped, thinking endlessly at every moment. Even if they wanted to stop, they could not.

They had simply been born that way.

Lately she had delved further into the problem lodged deepest in her mind. Its name was wrongdoing.

“…I'd really forgotten all about it.”

She murmured to herself in the dim room.

“After doing those things, I had the gall to forget.”

When she was young, four children of the bloodline had grown up together. At some point there had been only three, but she remembered four at the beginning.

No. At the very beginning, there had been two. Then a third had come from somewhere, and Ryan had become the fourth.

Yet Ryan had been named the Third Son, not the Fourth Son, and the third sibling had never been called the Third Daughter.

There was no respectful title for her. She had been a child born by mistake, and in pure magic, mistakes were meant to be excluded.

“Josephine…. I thought you'd just run away from the family, but you sought asylum with Millesdusk.”

It was a choice Pia understood in every respect.

Every part of the West was Wisdom's territory, and Josephine's distinct blue hair would draw attention one way or another.

Then there would have been no point in running away, and the family would surely have done something about it.

Better to drift east, where fugitives from all over the world gathered.

The one who had effectively driven Josephine east murmured in regret.

“I didn't have to be so cruel to you.”

The room was terribly quiet, silent as a dead mouse. It was a good place to repent.

It was a good place to recall and dredge up her past wrongs. Memories buried beyond her conscious mind sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain.

She had dragged the concubine's daughter out against her will when the girl sat dejected day after day.

Under the pretense of magic training, she had tormented her and injured her, then claimed the wounds had happened during training.

If asked why, she had only one answer.

“I saw you as nothing but someone to take my anger out on.”

Day after day, the Second Daughter lost to her older sister, suffered defeat, and knelt before her. Then she screamed.

The anger she cried out from a heart full of spite accumulated layer upon layer. In the midst of it, the concubine's daughter appeared.

No one held that girl dear. She was allowed to stay in Majia only because she carried blood from the direct line; she received none of the benefits given to its members.

Naturally, the Second Daughter came to treat her like an object.

Something to hit when she was angry. That was all.

Then, at some point, that something—Josephine—disappeared.

Her disappearance neither increased nor lessened the anger born of Pia's inferiority.

Time simply rushed on. Pia's body grew and matured. She was becoming an adult.

Looking back with the mind she had developed, every one of her wrongs seemed unbearably childish.

“I want to at least apologize, but even that would be selfish, wouldn't it?”

She sighed as she murmured. With the breath went her strength, and her body sank deeper into the bed.

After all, even these thoughts were only a refuge.

Unless she found things to regret and escaped into them, this damned mind of hers would begin a more painful round of self-reproach.

She would blame herself endlessly for the defeat and the great failure, turning her thoughts over the reasons she had failed.

“…!”

Her half-closed eyes flew wide open. The Binding Rope had cut off her own mana, but she could still sense someone else's.

That other person's mana tickled her Core and sent a signal.

The Second Daughter knew what it meant and felt a sudden chill, but she closed her eyes anyway.

Unlike her self-reproach, the dream could not be avoided.

***

Through his barely open bloodshot eyes, he saw long silver hair swaying, though his vision was blurred.

At the same time, the mind beneath his black-purple hair wondered, Who around me has silver hair?

No one.

Then who was standing beside the bed with their hands clasped behind their back, looking down at him?

The answer to that was simple, too.

“An intruder?”

“My name is Arasil.”

Cold mist stirred around her, and she had an air as mysterious and still as a lake in the woods.

He went on speaking without getting up.

“Have you come to kill me?”

At the blunt question, the silver-haired woman who had introduced herself as Arasil smiled gently.

“I cannot do that, child of the East. It would be excessive interference.”

“Then I'll stay lying down. Now that I'm here, it's comfortable.”

“I sent away the person who was with you for a little while. You will see her again when I leave.”

So this was Wisdom's guardian dragon, the representative of the many dragons settled in the West. She was a cross between a Water Dragon and an Ice Dragon, and the one who had made a contract with Wisdom's founding Family Head.

The Western guardian dragon had come to visit the Fifth Son, who had caused Wisdom's present troubles on such a grand scale.

Naturally, the situation called for caution, yet he had no intention of leaving his bed.

[…Hey. Where did this monster come from?]

―She's a dragon. Watch what you say.

[Damn it. She must have heard that, too.]

“I did, curious creature. No, perhaps I should call you a mental entity.”

[This is why I can't warm to dragons. They listen in on other people's conversations whenever they like. Tsk.]

The Magic Sword knew whom it was addressing, yet said whatever it pleased.

Arasil was a dragon with a powerful curiosity and a particular fondness for interesting things, so she let it pass with a laugh.

“Fifth Son of Millesdusk. You are a human full of even more fascinating things than I expected.”

As she spoke, she stretched a hand to the side. A nearby chair floated into the air and provided her with a place to sit.

“Why have you come here?”

“You have skipped a great many questions.”

Arasil opened a hand with skin as white as jade. The silver scales on its back caught the light.

“First you asked whether I had come to kill you. Then you asked why I came. Yet you have not asked who I am.”

“A dragon from the West. What else do I need to know?”

“I had imagined the Fifth Son would be as full of curiosity as I am. Or do you already know enough that you have no need to ask?”

“Perhaps.”

The silver-haired dragon pulled her chair closer to the Fifth Son as he lay there.

Those vertically slit blue eyes of hers could probably see things several kilometers away, yet she had drawn her chair nearer.

What she wanted to see up close, even at that distance, was his bloodshot eyes.

“How can they be so red…?”

Arasil examined every part of his eyes as though admiring a finely cut jewel.

“It is as though the world's darkest blood had been congealed and set inside them….”

Her face came closer and closer as she spoke. Soon their foreheads seemed about to collide.

“…Would you move back a little?”

“Ah. I am sorry. I lost myself for a moment.”

The dragon's and the human's faces drew apart again. Now it was the human's turn to be rude.

“Please answer me. Why are you here?”

“To see you.”

“Now that you've seen me, would you leave? Oh, I'd be grateful if you closed the curtains on your way out.”

“Ha ha ha!”

Arasil laughed aloud.

“You are certainly far more entertaining than the children of the West.”

“Am I?”

Still lying on the bed, the Fifth Son narrowed his eyes.

As a player for another faction, he had attacked the West countless times.

Each time, Arasil had appeared as Wisdom's last bastion and its greatest wall.

More than once, he had smashed every other part of the West but failed to take Majia, defended by the Family Head and Arasil.

‘Because of this dragon, I avoid the West as my first opponent in wars against the Great Families. But as I am now, couldn't I change something?’

Arasil had found an object of interest in the Fifth Son and come all the way to Sky Island.

Is this meeting, arranged so easily, an opportunity? If so, how can he seize it?

His thoughts grew complicated, but Arasil's eyes remained clear.

‘First, I have to do something about those eyes like an autumn sky.’

The weasel used his specialty to send deep ripples through his opponent's emotions.

“The West must be more entertaining to watch. I hear the family over there is so fractured it's practically scattered bean flour.”

“…….”

For the first time, the corners of her mouth, which had held a smile until then, went flat.

The Fifth Son went a step further.

“Talent above all else is conspicuous in our East, too. But I can't understand why the West, which denies and rejects everything about the East, does the same.”

“…I do not understand it either. But I will not pass judgment on it. The children who have been hurt will change so that they do not pass this on.”

The Fifth Son nodded.

“You have hopes for the next generation, then. I should apologize in advance. I have no intention of allowing Wisdom a next generation.”

“Child of the East. Is your aim in this war to exterminate Wisdom's bloodline?”

One of the questions he had been trying to draw out had come. He raised his upper body from the bed.

“No. Millesdusk is merely extending a blade toward Wisdom's waist.”

The wise dragon understood what the weasel meant.

“If Wisdom stands still, its body will be cut to pieces. If it merely kneels, its head will fall. It can live only by bowing its head.”

“Its forehead will have to touch the ground before I have grounds to suggest sparing the Wisdom blood relatives instead of killing them.”

“You lead the destruction more than anyone, yet care about peace more than anyone. How strange.”

After Arasil's observation, the Fifth Son changed the subject again.

“Our family has been adding a little bean flour for flavor lately. How is that family doing?”

“You ask for information from within the family so naturally.”

“Doesn't that make the conversation more interesting?”

As Arasil gave another small laugh, the Eastern blood relative pressed further.

“Wisdom's Family Head must have appeared in the Second Daughter's dreams by now. Perhaps several times already.”

“I am surprised you know even that.”

“Yes. I also know that Wisdom's Family Head would try to use dream magic to suppress the Second Daughter's mind and prevent information from leaking.”

The corners of Arasil's mouth sank again. The weasel spoke.

“Suppressing her mind like that would place an enormous strain on her brain. But I suppose a family scattered like bean flour could make such a decision.”

“He would do no such thing. However much he acts as if Pia were a stranger, she is the Family Head's child.”

Arasil denied it, but the Fifth Son believed the opposite. As a player, he would bet on his judgment a hundred times over, a thousand times over.

“Shall we wager on it? Whether Wisdom's Family Head will use dream magic or whether he will not.”

“…Child of the East. Dragons do not make wagers with humans.”

“Then shall we make a contract?”

“Do you know what that means?”

“I know rather more than you think, as you have seen so far.”

This time Arasil narrowed those blue eyes of hers.

“What will the terms of the contract be?”

The dragon had taken this baited hook. But because she was a dragon, she would escape if he pulled at once.

Before pulling, he gently jiggled the fishing rod.

“If I am wrong, I will withdraw from Sky Island at once and never set foot on Western land again.”

“You mean to end the war?”

“But if I am right…”

The Fifth Son threw off the covers and stood before the Western guardian dragon.

“Then keep the Western dragons out of this war.”

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