What a beautiful sky.

On a day like this, of all days, such a thought came to Lutiya.

It was a boring life.

The adults always mocked him by making comments such as,“What an impudent child.”  

He, in turn, wanted to ask them,

“Does continuing to live and growing older really change your life that much?  Do people really change that easily?  Do you get the power to change anything?
“Will you be able to resist the script written by someone with a strong influence— right now, right at the very moment?”

The hallway was unnaturally dark despite the strong sunlight entering through the window.  Lutiya, chained at his wrists, could only blink as the guards collapsed without a sound.

He couldn’t believe he was being rescued, for the man’s figure was hidden within the darkness beyond the sunlight.  He couldn’t see him save for his shining, golden eyes.

“Hello, Lutiya Theos Rave, I presume?”

The man, despite single handedly incapacitating the soldiers who were escorting Lutiya to the interrogation site, in truth his execution grounds, remained calm.  This unnerved Lutiya, but he refused to let it show.

“This should be our first time meeting.  I’m Hades.  I came because there is something I want to ask you.”
“There is nothing I want to say to you.”

The Dragon Emperor, glared at by Lutiya, seemed to be taken aback.

“Well, I think I came to help you but… Eh?  Impossible, don’t you understand what’s happening?  Are you also one of those people who want to believe in that guy called Maynard?  The interrogation is just for appearances.  If this keeps going, you will be executed.”
“What of it?  That was the plan.  Lacia and Rave can both be destroyed.  That’s what I’ve always wanted.”
“Even though there are people trying to save you?  Such as your friends and teacher?”
“You call her my teacher, but isn’t she the Dragon Empress?  Saving me— isn’t her intention!!”

That’s right.  She is just like all the others.  That’s why I’m here.

Maybe it was because Lutiya shouted with all his strength, but the sound of his heartbeat was loud.  More guards should have been coming.  That there weren’t frustrated him.  He was being brought to his interrogation, so someone should have noticed something was wrong by now.  He just wanted to end this farce already.

He didn’t know why, but this man before him, he didn’t want him to see him like this.

“—Ah, it’s like that.  You… just want Jill’s attention, don’t you?”

As if having figured it out, he stated that without a second thought.  Within Lutiya’s widening eyes, the man laughed as if amused.

“Saying you don’t want to be saved even though everyone wants to come help you, I thought you were indulging yourself, but instead it was this.  You are clinging to Jill.  You really are a child.”

Heat rushed to his cheeks.  Whether from shame or anger, he didn’t know, but he shouted back.

“—Th- That’s not true! I… something like that—!”
“In that case, why don’t you destroy Lacia and Rave yourself?  Why are you waiting to be saved?”
“I’m not waiting!  I already exposed their plan, none of them can do anything now!  Not even Jill-sensei… There’s no way she’d come… and save me!”
“Do you really believe that?”

Lutiya lifted his head to snap back, but his throat dried up the moment he saw the man’s smile.

“Jill can’t save you?  Really?  —That’s a lie, and you know it.  Jill will come to save you.  Hence you are throwing a tantrum to feel better.  That’s the attitude of a child who knows he’ll be forgiven, who knows he will be rescued.  I envy you.  You can act like this because you know you will be saved.”

A large palm pressed down on his head.  The Dragon Emperor asked him a question with a faint smile while crouched down.

“Say, if I abandoned you, do you think Jill would be angry at me?  Would she hate me?”
“—Ha…?  In- In that case… if it’s Jill-sensei…”

She would absolutely be angry.  Or saddened.  Either way she’d lose faith in the Dragon Emperor.  Thinking that gave Lutiya a sense of relief.  That feeling of superiority, however, quickly vanished.

It vanished because that man, he was laughing.

“Exactly, maybe this time she’ll finally abandon me?  Perhaps that’s all I’m worth!  Or, I might be forgiven?  As to be expected of my fiancé!  Which do you think?  Ah, right, this is one of my bad habits.  I’m trying to fix that, since it makes Jill angry.  But— how about a small test?”

Those golden eyes looking at him from the side sent a chill down his spine.  Not because he might die, no— he didn’t think he would die.  He believed he would be saved.  Deep down, he truly felt that.

The Dragon Emperor’s eyes narrowed, almost as if he saw through his expression.

“It’s childish, your way of doing thing.”

However, right now, he was frightened of this man’s eyes.  They were the eyes of a man who neither expected nor hoped fpr help from anyone.

“What happened to the Black Dragon’s cry?  Was the dragon controlling flute completed?  What are Maynard’s objectives?  Answer me.”
“…”
“You refuse to answer unless its to the kind Jill-sensei?  You want to be told ‘Well done,’ while being patted on the head?”

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