Chapter 174
Alter slowly opened his eyes and looked around.
Though curtains hung over the window, they couldn't completely block out the dazzling light.
He seemed to have awakened later than usual.
'Brillie...'
Alter carefully turned his head to face Brillie.
Brillie was sleeping while holding his hand.
Since they had stayed up the night together, she must have been overtaken by fatigue.
'We did decide to rest today, after predicting this much.'
Alter only gazed quietly at Brillie, not waking her up.
It had been their first night together, but no particular thoughts occurred to him.
They had simply indulged in each other's bodies ceaselessly.
'Hmm... I'm not sure if it ended well.'
Making a subtle expression, Alter soon accepted it.
He had done his best in his own way and had tried to match Brillie's movements.
Maybe they should exchange opinions later and look for points to improve.
'No doubt, my small build made certain things a bit uncomfortable...'
"Did I wake up too late?"
"No. I just woke up as well."
Brillie shifted her body and looked at Alter.
The two of them were lying naked together on a single bed.
Now that they had at least completed their wedding in this way, he wondered if she didn't feel somewhat relieved.
"Aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine. How about you, Brillie?"
"Umm... I don't really feel like moving. Why don't we stay in a bit longer?"
"Yes. It's already late anyway, and didn't we decide to rest today?"
Alter had received permission for a vacation from Alraune.
Having defeated the Knight of True Flame, there were no longer any threatening monsters remaining.
With no more battles to fight, he had been granted an extended rest.
"Um... you know... how was it last night?"
Brillie gently asked, caressing Alter's hand.
Although she had taken the initiative, there must have been many things she lacked in various ways.
On top of that, she had made some slips of the tongue at times, so from Alter's point of view, it could have made him feel rather uncomfortable.
"Honestly... I was so preoccupied, I just moved busily. I didn't want to ruin the mood."
"It was the same for me. I don't think I had much composure."
"I was worried what to do if I couldn't measure up. So I think I focused even more."
"Still, it seemed you accepted things well. On the contrary, I was worried you'd dislike me for acting awkwardly."
"It's only natural to make mistakes the first time. I probably went astray a few times as well."
"That's true. You don't really know until you try."
With a sense of relief, Brillie drew a gentle smile.
Since it was a new experience for both of them, problems were bound to occur one way or another.
All the more reason to be conscious of each other, while still being considerate as spouses.
"And... I could feel your affection for me. That must have been Brillie showing her sincerity."
"I felt your affection too, Alter. Now, I feel like we've truly become a married couple."
"So many things have happened. It wasn't easy, but I think everything turned out all right in the end."
Reflecting on the past, Alter revealed a faintly bitter look.
He had dragged his frail body to finally reach this point.
He had endured long pain and seized his own future; it could only be called fate.
"Thanks to you, I was able to come this far too, Alter. From now on, we'll be able to live in comfort, right?"
"... Yes. Now, there's nothing to worry about."
Alter recalled those things he had momentarily forgotten.
Tiksa the Frostbane and Ru the Luminescent still remained.
They were not treated as enemies, but he couldn't erase the fact that they were dragons.
What choices would the surviving dragons now make?
"Um... just out of curiosity... how many children do you want?"
"I think even having one would be enough... but everyone around us will probably say we should have at least two."
"Then let's try having one, and think about it again after?"
"Since you'll be inheriting the position of head of house... um..."
Suddenly put on the spot, Alter looked at Brillie.
Brillie, with passionate eyes, began to approach him slowly.
Could she possibly be burning with affection for him even though morning had broken?
"A little more time should be fine, right?"
"I suppose so... but at this hour..."
"Don't think about that. Just look at me right now. We're married, aren't we?"
Brillie caressed Alter's cheek and then suddenly embraced him fiercely.
Swept up in the moment, Alter obliged Brillie.
No doubt, since the time had stretched so long, her longing for her companion had deepened.
'Is this really okay? If we don't go out soon, people might think it strange...'
* * *
It wasn't until afternoon that Alter was finally able to have some tea.
Continuing from the previous night past the morning, he'd endured an intense ordeal.
He felt a bit tired, but now, even that just felt like part of his daily life.
'So nothing passes by unnoticed, after all.'
Alter sensed perfectly the looks from the maids and servants.
Since he hadn't left his room after skipping breakfast, suspicions must have arisen.
On top of that, since it was the first time such a situation had occurred, they could hardly avoid attention.
'Indeed, up until now we'd only ever slept side by side...'
Resigned, Alter took a sip from his teacup.
He had always been mentally prepared, but had never put it into action.
Now that true peace had come, perhaps it was all right to be a little more relaxed.
'Though it's all over, I can't ignore what remains.'
Tiksa the Frostbane was his ancestor, and Ru the Luminescent continued to remain neutral.
There had been no mention of them even in the fortune-teller's prophecy, and not a single hint of them so far.
Nevertheless, Alter continued brooding, wrapped in a mysterious mood.
'Something feels suspicious...'
At that moment, Alter flinched, caught by a familiar sensation.
There was no one else around, yet the flow of time had changed.
In other words, time had been frozen, which could only mean someone was intervening.
"Do you have some business with me?"
"It was only for a moment, but you've grown that strong already. I don't have to call you a rookie anymore."
Tiksa the Frostbane spoke calmly.
Though belatedly, Alter set down his teacup and sensed that mana.
He felt a clear sense of kinship, but fundamentally there was a subtle difference.
"So only Ru the Luminescent survived... I expected as much."
"Did you arrange to be sealed deliberately?"
"I did. Time was necessary, after all..."
"And now, you're planning to undo the seal?"
"I can't undo it alone. I'll have to get your help."
"... You froze your own body, didn't you?"
"You figured that out too?"
"I thought it was theoretically possible, but I didn't expect you to actually use it."
"It was a reckless choice. If my descendants didn't grow properly, I'd have to remain frozen forever..."
"Have to ask—why did you freeze your body?"
"To extend my companion's lifespan. If they were to die, I wanted to die together."
"..."
Alter slowly began to accept it, enshrouded in silence.
Tiksa the Frostbane had loved a human, and that's why he himself was born.
Perhaps to avoid conflicts with humans, he had secluded himself in the northern territory.
"How much do you know about my mother?"
"Uriel Astille... She sacrificed herself to restore the power I left behind. I wanted to wait a little longer, but she said there wasn't enough time."
"So that's why you used the Frost Witch's curse?"
"She must've thought it was the fastest method. It was actually proven, so I can't help but accept it."
Although Alter still had many questions, he didn't press further.
Even Tiksa the Frostbane likely hadn't seen through all the secrets.
His mother could see the future, and had always acted on her own initiative.
"... So how can I help you?"
"It's a bit bothersome, but you'll have to come all the way here. You just need to undo the freezing."
"What do you intend to do from now on?"
"I'm leaving this world."
"Is that possible?"
"Didn't I say? Time is needed. I won't be tied down by anything anymore."
Tiksa the Frostbane released the freezing and vanished without a trace.
Sensing instinctively the location of the sealed place, Alter picked up his teacup.
"Looks like I have to go to the northern territory."
* * *
After telling Brillie the truth, Alter visited Castle Goranmoche together with her.
However, Brillie didn't trust the dragon and armed herself with sword and armor in preparation for battle.
Since this matter needed to be kept secret, they could not request help from anyone.
"Even if Tiksa the Frostbane is your ancestor, a dragon is still a dragon. If they become an enemy, we'll have to fight."
"But we have received help. Would he really go out of his way to harm me?"
"You never know. He might be using you just to undo the seal."
"So you think I needed to survive?"
"That's right. By your own admission, only you can break the seal, right? If you died, he'd be trapped forever."
"..."
In silence, Alter gazed out beyond the snowy plain.
Brillie's words were well founded.
There was certainly cause for suspicion, and depending on the circumstances, battle could erupt.
Yet, considering the terms Tiksa the Frostbane had laid out, perhaps he should place at least a little trust.
"Doesn't it all seem too reckless? How could he seal himself up without knowing how things would turn out?"
"Yeah... it is reckless. He even once had his power taken by the Frost Witch, so it's not a good solution."
"And since he loved a human, he must have left behind descendants like me. If he just wanted to use humans, there'd be no need to go so far."
"I don't quite understand it, but if he truly loved her, he probably did have children."
"Tiksa the Frostbane drove out monsters when he came to the northern territory. The monument says he was sealed, but there's no mention of fighting humans. Maybe he orchestrated things so that would happen."
"So you mean he pretended to lose to the Emperor and the powerful?"
"If anyone could pull it off, it'd be a dragon."
"I suppose it's possible. I just don't know how much I can trust him."
With a sense of resolution, Brillie followed Alter.
Tiksa the Frostbane could be a threat to her companion.
As his wife, she could not abandon her husband, and her doubts remained unresolved.
If necessary, she would have to slay Tiksa the Frostbane herself to defend her husband's safety.
'... I've gotten stronger than before. As I am now, I can cut down a dragon.'