READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 748
“Really? Do you want to go buy some ice cream?”
Na-me and Luri climbed the stairs together toward the surface.
I followed Na-me, who was humming a little tune.
Suddenly, Luri grabbed the hem of her skirt tightly.
Could it be presumptuous to have asked to meet alone? Worry was flooding her thoughts.
For Luri, Na-me had always been a daunting presence.
No, simply saying it was ‘difficult’ didn’t quite capture it.
In her past life, she was on a completely different level.
A person who had devoted their entire life to martial arts faced another level of martial prowess.
An individual in the forefront of intelligence offered a new perspective to scholars.
Even people of virtue who practiced goodness were unable to reach the heights of self-sacrifice and martyrdom that she performed so nonchalantly.
At that time, Luri had thought it was only natural.
That realization created both reverence and distance.
The time she spent as a subordinate alongside Na-me was anything but ordinary.
In her past life, Na-me seemed perfect in every aspect, but that turned into an insurmountable wall for Luri.
Thud-
An ice-cold stick touched Luri’s smooth cheek.
“Luri, do you want to try grape-flavored ice cream? It tastes like that fruit from back in the day.”
“Anything’s fine. And I know what grapes taste like, I’ve had them before.”
“Oh really? Then let’s get one mango and one grape and split them!”
Na-me purchased two long ice cream bars.
Crunch-
She bit into the hard, icy mass with her permanent front teeth.
“Congratulations on your victory, Unni.”
“Hmm? Hehe, thanks, Luri. Weren’t you bored being alone at the evening gathering? I feel bad that I didn’t take care of you properly.”
“You don’t have to worry about it.”
“Honestly, compared to my past life, that fight was rather childish, right?”
“No, it was thrilling.”
Na-me paused for a moment at Luri’s answer.
The admission of excitement was unexpected.
Even in her past life and now, Luri had always approached Na-me with a calm and rational demeanor.
It might be the first time Luri was so openly expressing her feelings.
“Really? In what way?”
Na-me smiled at the corners of her mouth.
Luri hesitated for a second.
As she reflected on what she just said, her face slightly flushed.
“Um… It just felt that way. Seeing you as strong as you were in your past life…”
“As strong as in my past life? Was I really only at this level back then? I was underestimated, even if it seems relatively weak.”
“Well, certainly not comparable to your past life.”
“Really? Is it at a level of cuteness compared to my past life?”
“Um…”
“Hehe, sorry, I’m just joking. I just wanted to mess with you once.”
“I mean, you are cute.”
“?”
Fwaa-
The ice cream fell from Na-me’s mouth.
A thin line drew a bridge before it broke.
“Cute yet infinitely strong, our Na-me Unni. Since you are my lord this life.”
She only turned her head slightly to make that statement.
Na-me squinted an eye, carefully examining Luri’s expression.
“…”
“…”
“?”
Tremble-
Luri’s poker face began to crack little by little.
Na-me’s lips curled up in an ‘heh’ as her eyes narrowed.
“Ice cream.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s melting. The water is dripping.”
“Ah, whoops!”
“No, Luri, don’t take it all in one bite…! You should only suck on the end! We agreed to share half, didn’t we?!”
Luri stuffed the ice cream into her mouth whole.
The chance to taste grape-flavored ice cream vanished before her eyes.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. We can just buy more next time.”
Na-me let out a resigned laugh and sat on a nearby bench.
Clap clap-
She patted the bench with her palms, inviting Luri to sit next to her.
“Excuse me.”
Na-me gazed up at the sky.
In response, Luri’s head tilted upwards too.
The stars were nowhere to be seen.
But the black canvas was a giant theater in itself.
“Remember the first time you and I met? You were just a little baby that couldn’t even polymorph; you were so cute.”
“I think I was a bit scared of you from then.”
“Why? I’ve never gotten seriously angry at you.”
“Just a feeling… I thought if I betrayed you, I might end up as dragon stew.”
“Oh come on, that’s too far.”
“By the way, the darkness reminds me of the Demon King’s Castle skies.”
“Yeah, it does. It reminds me of that blue-horned guy who guarded the entrance.”
“Leximotan, right?”
“I don’t really know the name. He was quite unique. But thinking back, there were many peculiar persons in my past life. The 6th Knight Captain… the 14th Knight Captain…”
“The 6th Knight Captain… that disrespectful brat who opposed you.”
The conversation didn’t last long.
There was too little time to recount every incident from their past lives.
Na-me stopped reminiscing and prepared to head back to the dining room.
“So, I never got to ask why Luri called me here in the first place. Was there something specific you wanted?”
Na-me handed Luri the half-eaten ice cream.
After deep contemplation, Luri said,
“I was just glad to experience your grandeur in person today! My heart was racing, and I could hardly breathe!”
“Wow, just that much? Hehe, thanks!”
“And when you shared the joy of victory with everyone else, my heart swelled up without me realizing it. Like… what if I had been rewarded like this in my past life too… If only more lives could enhance your stature, it would make me so happy…”
Hug-
“Huuh?”
Na-me suddenly embraced Luri.
And she pressed her body tightly, nearly stealing Luri’s breath away.
“Luri.”
“Yes, Unni. What is it?”
“Do you remember the first thing we said when we met here?”
“Um…”
“You said you were happy to be born in the same world as me. That you liked that I seemed to have warmed up compared to before.”
“Yes, I did say that.”
“I’ve always kept that in mind. The past me and the present me might not be perfectly identical. The past me might have allergies the past person didn’t know about, and the things the past me disliked might be things I enjoy now.”
“Isn’t that still the same person?”
Na-me released Luri’s arms and patted her head.
“Right, I share the same memories and values as that person. But the me now, who has warmth and kindness due to having received love, is definitely much more loving compared to the cold and regretful past her.”
“Is… is that so?”
“I’m sorry for being cold to you in the past. Forgive me for leaving you behind without responsibility when you were a loyal subordinate. I didn’t know how precious you were to me back then.”
“…”
“Lastly, thank you for considering me the same person as her, Luri. I genuinely felt anxious and restless about what would happen if you didn’t recognize me as Esha.”
“Of course. It’s only natural. Being a bit chatty in unexpected situations is just characteristic of all mothers…”
“Oh, is that so? Anyway, while we might be the same, there are differences. The body and environment we’ve been given have changed. So, Luri, you don’t have to hide your jealousy too much, okay?”
In that moment, Luri froze.
‘Jealous? Me, a being of high status like a dragon?’
It must be a misunderstanding from her mother.
Luri tried to open her mouth to clarify, but for some reason, she couldn’t find the words.
“I’ve lived so long as a human, and now I’m almost like a human myself, so it’s only natural.”
“I’m not jealous. That’s something only lowly creatures do.”
“Then does that mean I’m just as foolish if I sometimes feel jealous?”
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
“Luri, your voice is shaking a lot even now as you speak. Were you really happy when I partied with friends?”
“… No.”
“Would you like it if everyone in this world worshipped me? Would you mind if that meant you and I couldn’t see each other ever again?”
“Um, if it’s okay with you, Mother—”
“Luri.”
Na-me’s eyes glimmered with golden light.
Breath, pulse, even the temperature at the tip of her nose and the quivering of her pupils were all dissected within her Aura Heart.
It was definitely a question she could have answered easily in her past life.
That’s why she had willingly sacrificed herself too, without a hint of doubt.
‘But why…’
Luri knew better than anyone that deceiving the present Na-me was nearly impossible.
“I absolutely reject that.”
She would rather die than have Na-me taken away from her again.
“I’m saying this in advance, so you don’t get too confused later. Just because Luri feels jealous doesn’t make your status lower in my eyes. Instead, just remember one thing: even if I mingle with other people for a while, the time I spent with you is irreplaceable.”
The Black Dragon is a race that follows hierarchy.
However, at some point, she lost this sense of hierarchy.
When reborn, she mistakenly thought Na-me to be a lesser being and treated her harshly.
If her horns and tail grew back, she might regain that sense of status.
‘But… would that be right?’
To elevate the status of one being, should she prepare to be cast aside by her mother once again?
Luri didn’t even want to imagine herself becoming that way in the future. It was horrifying.
“If I give up being a dragon, could I be with you forever, Mother?”
“Don’t give up.”
“Then?”
“Do both. Whether human or dragon. Is it so wrong to have pride as a dragon while feeling jealousy like a human? I don’t think so.”
Squeeze-
Na-me pressed her fingers against Luri’s cheeks.
“We’ve strayed too far off the topic. From now on, if you feel sad, just say you’re sad honestly. Don’t try to suppress it with a choked voice. Got it? I’ll recognize you, Luri, as the greatest dragon in the world—boom, boom, boom. Since I’m the top dog in this world, my word is absolutely right, got it?”
Drrrr—
Na-me’s phone rang.
“Oops, I think we’ve been out for too long. Let’s get back inside quickly. Hey, you haven’t finished your ice cream yet?”
“Ah. I have a little left.”
“You’re going to spill it. Bring it here. I’ll take a bite.”
Swiftly biting into the ice cream and chewing, Na-me said.
“That’s from my mouth—”
*Cough…! Ah right…!*
As Na-me coughed, the purple syrup splattered onto the ground.
Seeing that scene, Luri grinned.
“Why are you spitting it out, Unni? Is my saliva dirty?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Isn’t it okay to eat even saliva when it’s family? You said so last time, right? Besides, tasting the spit of a great dragon like me, even you should consider it an honor, Na-me Unni!”
Waaahh—Na-me turned flustered, panicking.
“Hehe, you’re so cute.”
For some reason, Luri felt inexplicably refreshed.