* * *

“I worry that I may have added some personal interpretation. We’ll reach the Duchy of Soznian soon, so it might be helpful to examine the texts in their temple. I’m sorry if I couldn’t be of more help.”

“No, you were a great help. Could you assist me in locating those texts at the duchy’s temple? After the audit is finished.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Gisel.”

Seo Woohyun bowed his head sincerely.

He genuinely appreciated it.

After all, he had essentially asked Giselle to recount his superior’s tragic family history.

If the past had been pleasant, it wouldn’t have bothered him, but knowing about the broken family now made him feel uncomfortable.

He resolved that once he settled in here, he’d do everything he could to help Giselle, Sihero, and all his companions on this journey.

As he exited the carriage, he saw blue hair fluttering toward him.

Only one person would rush up to him so fearlessly.

“Hyung! My house is nearby! Do you want to come over?”

It was none other than the runaway hatchling, Malrang. A dragon’s home.

Seo Woohyun briefly pictured the type of lair commonly described in fantasy novels, filled with piles of gold and jewels.

“Did you get your parents’ permission?”

“Uh, no… but if I tell them it’s you, Hyung, they’ll be happy!”

Malrang’s innocent conviction was as pure and simple as a child’s.

He was sure his parents would like someone he liked.

Seo Woohyun patted Malrang’s head and refrained from answering.

They were close to the Duchy of Soznian, where he was eager to peruse certain books—records of his prospective romantic interest’s tumultuous past.

‘If they’re openly published, Erdian’s chaotic family history must be practically public property. I need to get my hands on those books. The first Saint’s story also keeps bothering me….’

Inwardly, Seo Woohyun’s perception of the term “Saint” had shifted multiple times.

‘When I was suddenly told, without any prior knowledge, that I’d be living as a saint, I couldn’t help but be curious about what this role entailed. After spending a week with Sihero, cramming as much knowledge as possible, I could only conclude that it was a symbolic position that felt intimidating, one I was clueless about. But after Giselle’s explanation and seeing a shift in Erdian’s demeanor, I began to harbor doubts.’

“Erdian’s half-sibling killed one of his closest friends, someone he deeply trusted and relied upon back then. After that friend passed, Erdian honored him by posthumously making him a saint…”

Erdian had lost a friend at the hands of his own blood relative and had personally brought ruin to his own country.

And he made that deceased friend a saint.

“Woohyun-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Just in case…if you ever come to know everything.”

A casual conversation we had once had crossed my mind. In the carriage, Erdian had started to say something with the phrase “if you ever come to know everything” before going silent.

At that moment, he was struck by an inexplicable certainty.

“Could it be that what Erdian can’t say is connected to his past…?”

Seo Woohyun hoped it was just speculation, but considering the circumstances thus far, there were too many unsettling points. Woohyun looked seriously at the beauty in front of him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Erdian’s voice was as gentle as always.

Not that he disliked Erdian’s gentleness, but there was something strangely out of place.

Yet, instead of bringing up what was on his mind, Woohyun chose a different topic, his thoughts too tangled to voice it directly.

“El-nim, I heard the Flang residence is nearby.”

“Really?”

“Yes! My house is near here, too. If we go a little further, we’ll reach it. It’s where my mom and dad live.”

Malrang excitedly chimed in, and Woohyun forcefully set aside his uncertain assumptions.

Since they weren’t yet confirmed, there was no point in stirring things up.

Everything still felt hazy, even what exactly he was doubting.

“I thought maybe we could stop by if it’s on our way.”

Woohyun decided to hold off on his unformed questions for now.

Soon, they would arrive at the place where a book containing Erdian’s past was said to be kept.

After finding more clues from that book, he would have time to ask Erdian.

Woohyun knew better than anyone that acting hastily only ruined things.

“This whole journey is already overwhelming…just to fit in here.”

He was silently struggling through the aftereffects that were hitting him late.

As he lifted his head, he saw the beauty who had evolved from being his superior to someone he was almost romantically involved with.

No matter how often he saw that face, it always took his breath away, though today, it felt as if unspoken words were on the verge of spilling out.

“We have time in the schedule, so it’s fine if you want to. But the real concern is that rascal, Malrang.”

“What? Why me?”

“You say it’s an outing, but isn’t it more like you ran away? A few spanks won’t be enough to cover this, will it?”

Malrang’s eyes widened, taken aback, though he quickly retorted with a hint of defiance.

“It’s fine. They don’t spank me these days. My mom and dad don’t do that anymore.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“It’s not bragging.”

Erdian chuckled at the cheeky response before whispering directly to Woohyun.

[But, Woohyun-ah.]

Woohyun, surprised at the sudden mental whisper, instinctively grasped his hand.

“Yes? Is there something you wanted to say…?”

[Wouldn’t it be better to visit Malrang’s family on the way back?]

“Why?”

[The prince doesn’t know Malrang’s true nature, does he?]

“Ah!”

Woohyun had been so engrossed in Erdian’s past that he’d forgotten another complicating factor — Prince Habios.

Regardless of the prince’s intentions, he could ignore them for now, and the matter felt comparatively less urgent.

“Hey, so will you visit my house?” Malrang asked eagerly, looking up at him.

“Your house is around here, right?”

“Yes!”

“Why don’t we go after reaching our destination and finishing our task first, then we can stop by on the way back?”

After all, their journey with the prince was only up to the Principality of Soznian.

He hoped the prince would safely return to the Empire, but Woohyun had no intention of voluntarily taking on such a troublesome task.

That responsibility belonged to Habios’s grandfather, not a passing saint.

‘Wait, what about the thief? Do we need to release him in the principality, like we would with Prince Habios? But is it safe to let go of a thief wanted there? What if they find out we released him?’

One more person in their group was unaware of Malrang’s true nature: Marvin, a thief caught trying to rob their carriage.

For now, he was acting as a makeshift porter, but he was a known thief with a reward on his head.

[Don’t worry about the thief. Giselle or Laullet can handle his silence. The prince is only a hassle because I have a prior agreement with him.]

Woohyun took a deep breath as Erdian’s voice naturally flowed into his mind.

He knew why Erdian had reached out to him mentally.

“Ah, I didn’t realize I was still holding your hand…”

[Anyway, you don’t need to worry about that insolent thief.]

Erdian’s chuckle echoed softly, meant only for Woohyun.

As Woohyun mulled it over, Malrang glanced at him, pouting slightly.

“You don’t want to go now? Are you too busy, hyung?”

“It’s not that… but the prince doesn’t know… about what you are.”

Woohyun whispered so only the child could hear.

Unfortunately, the prince was standing right in front of him, making it a little uncomfortable.

Not quite hearing him, Malrang tilted his head.

“Huh? I didn’t catch that.”

Woohyun leaned down, mouthing, “The prince doesn’t know you’re a hatchling.”

As he silently mouthed the words, Habios’s eyes grew wide.

The sixth prince, infamous for his harsh life in the royal family, had learned lip-reading to survive.

His gaze, locked on the saint’s lips, had initially been admiring — until he gleaned unexpected information.

‘That kid…is a dragon?’

Every royal family member knew the stories of dragons who were once close to the first emperor.

Habios, stunned at seeing a dragon in real life, stepped closer to the child.

“Plancis, you’re a hatchling, aren’t you?”

Malrang whipped around, a shriek escaping as he demanded, “What! Why! And how did you even find out?”

“I happened to read Ciel’s lips.”

“That’s spying! That’s a bad thing to do!”

A growling sound escaped from Malrang’s throat, and scales peeked out on his chubby cheeks.

Just as his pupils started to elongate, a large hand landed on his blue head, calmly petting him.

Erdian’s hand, as if to soothe the child.

“Who knew the prince would shamelessly steal glances at Ciel’s lips…”

“Ah.”

Habios’s face flushed as he glanced over at Woohyun.

The thrill of meeting a dragon had made him overlook the saint’s feelings.

Ignoring his vow to curb his jealousy, Erdian didn’t miss a chance to tease. Leaning close to Woohyun’s ear, he whispered, eyes fixed on Habios.

“He’s even more shameless than we thought, isn’t he?”

Habios gritted his teeth, his jaw muscles bulging as he glared fiercely.

‘Why does that priest keep talking to the Saint like that? It’s like he’s a jealous rival… If only Lord Erdian knew about this, he wouldn’t stand idly by.’

The young prince, still too green to realize that the priest El was indeed Erdian, fumed inwardly once again.

* * *