Chapter 326
Chapter 326
“It’s okay, don’t cry. Alright? Don’t cry….”
Kaichen nervously cupped my cheeks, wiped away the tears, and lightly kissed my forehead. But that doesn’t stop the tears.
His hands, whether stroking my back or cupping my cheek, are so careful and gentle, as if touching fragile glass. It makes my heart ache even more.
How can I not protect a man like this?
I can’t give him up. I can sympathize with the blue dragon being miserably lonely for thousands of years, but I can’t surrender what’s mine.
I don’t want to lose this wonderful man, even if he is the embodiment of a golden dragon meant for a blue dragon.
“Heuk… nghh… Master….”
“Yes, Dalia, I’m here, I’m here.”
“Black…I’m… sorry… ugh… sorry… nggh!”
My words were barely audible through ragged breathing. Kaichen gently kissed my trembling lips, not minding my sudden apology.
I don’t know what’s happening. I try to bite my lip out of habit, but his fingers slip between my lips, gently brushing them before kissing the corner of my eye again.
He understands my feelings right now. Clinging to him is the best I can do at the moment.
I can’t let go.
I know I should let go to protect him, but I also know that Exchetra wants to keep the blue dragon to sacrifice Kaichen.
Wouldn’t Kaichen be safer if he disappeared somewhere? Maybe he could vanish from Exchetra’s sight.
He knows he could, but the words won’t come out. Not because of the blue dragon’s loneliness.
But because I’m lonely. I’m alone without him.
Because I love him.
Because he is my everything.
“Dalia, I’m not going anywhere.”
“… ahh.”
“What are you so afraid of?”
Kaichen would have heard the myth of the blue dragon and known before I did. He’s smart. He knew more about magic than I did.
There’s no way he couldn’t have realized that if he opened a map of the Kalhai Empire and connected the places where time magic happened, it would form an equilateral triangle. Equilateral triangles are the basis for drawing magic circles.
He remained silent because he had already decided to stay by my side and protect Julius.
“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Heuk… ugh, sorry, ah… sorry, sorry…”
“Dalia.”
Kaichen gently lifted my head. His were eyes tender and sweet like honey. His eyes, holding the warmth of the sun, curved into a gentle smile.
“We will live together in the willow house.”
“… heuk… ”
“I like black cats.”
My face twisted into a messy sob. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more difficult.
“Master, we must have a cat someday,”
I recalled the words we had shared while dreaming about our future together. He must have remembered those words.
Kaichen held me tightly as I sobbed. His comforting touch stroked my hair and patted my back. He whispered in my ear, and I clutched the hem of his shirt, unwilling to let go.
It would be nice to have a flower garden in the yard. We could enjoy cool fruit on the patio when the weather is nice. Two cats would be lovely. Building a fence would be a nice touch. What should we plant in our garden?
As Kaichen stroked my back, he whispered plans for our future until I fell asleep from crying.
His words served as a balm, soothing me as he outlined our life together.
My frightened mind, lost in deep darkness, gradually warmed from the inside out, like standing in front of a bright sun. Relief washed over me, and my anxiety melted away.
I couldn’t tell if it was my heart or his that was pounding, but the erratic thumping assured me he was by my side and I wasn’t alone.
Gradually, my body warmed as if his warmth was melting into me. My body relaxed and eyes closed, but I held onto him.
“Sweet dreams, my dear Dalia.”
As if by magic, I dreamt of an overwhelming happiness I felt like I could die.
* * *
I thought I would wake up to a familiar ceiling and cozy sheets, or else I wouldn’t have had such a sweet dream.
However, upon opening my eyes, I saw something I’d seen many times before: smooth flesh. It didn’t take me long to realize that the brown, firm skin belonged to someone’s chest.
Feeling a bit stuffy and unable to move easily, I blinked repeatedly. I must have passed out in the study, and Kaichen must have carried me to my bedroom.
I quickly opened my eyes, still feeling a bit stiff, and then heard a chuckle overhead. Surprised, I raised my head and locked eyes with Kaichen, who was looking down at me.
“You’re being cute…“
What? Me?
I stared back, and the arm holding me tightly slid up to stroke my hair. An unnecessary rush of embarrassment washed over me as I realized I had slept in Kaichen’s arms. It’s not the first time, but for some reason, I felt so reassured.
“Master, why are you here?”
His voice sounded lower than usual. When I looked at him with bleary eyes, Kaichen answered, still stroking my hair.
“Because you don’t seem to want to be alone.”
“…I didn’t say that…”
“Because I don’t want to be alone.”
“…”
Nothing to say then.
The truth was, no matter how good a dream I had, waking up alone, staring at a familiar ceiling, would still bring strange thoughts. Waking up unexpectedly in Kaichen’s arms was more relieving than I expected.