Chapter 11

“It’s a pretty good use of the word misunderstanding.”

A cynicism flowed out of his mouth.  Cold eyes and a heart firmly closed.

Jayna was able to realize at that moment. The fact that Diamide has a solid wall around him.

A wall that won’t be persuaded nor moved by anyone, and no one to cherish.

She could figure it out without saying anything.

Whatever she is going to say now, he’s not going to listen.

“….”

Jayna closed her mouth. Talking to someone who didn’t want to listen was useless.

Whatever she says now, will only sound like an excuse to Diamide. It’ll only hurt her feelings.

‘The only thing I heard from the Dragons was that I would be protected under her “father’s” hands.’

Jayna was falsely accused. On the other hand, it was funny that she had a touch of courage in front of this man.

Well, even that young Taylor knew that ‘that human being is ruthless and arrogant’, but what did he want?

Jayna decided not to explain anymore and instead to plainly apologize.

“I’m sorry I came in without permission. I’m just here to pick some flowers in the garden. I won’t come in again.”

As she bowed her head courteously, Diamide was silent for a moment. It was obvious that he has nothing to say.

However, his gaze at Jayna was still upright.

“How can I believe in what you say? How would I know if you aren’t like your mother, a shameless crook and liar.”

Diamide took a step closer to Jayna. As he leaned over and reached out, Jayna’s small face came into one of his hands.

At the distance, two pairs of blue eyes faced each other.

“I thought her daughter would be a little emotional, but I didn’t feel anything.”

The cold air that flows through the garden, which seems to be freezing, is the only physical distance between the two people.

The Haan Garden, which used to look like a paradise, now looked cold as if all the color has run out.

“Even if you were my real daughter, nothing would change. Don’t ever come to me again, nor expect anything from me.”

Diamide took his hand off and turned immediately. It was a firm, cold walk, without any trace of regret.

Diamide thought, while walking straight ahead.

‘She doesn’t look like a kid her age.’

There were very few people who could handle the pressure of Diamide. Furthermore, there was nothing strange about a child to faint on the spot after facing him.

But the child in front of him didn’t care. Though he made provocations, she did not lose her breath, let alone cry.

Diamide thought Jayna was very strange and interesting. To the extent that he glanced back without even knowing.

‘It was strangely quiet when we first met.’

It’s unique. Strangely, his eyes fell upon her one more time.

But that was the end for today.

It was because when he saw his face reflected in her excessively calm eyes, he began to recall the old memories he had forgotten.

Happy, pleasant, exciting….

And painful memories.

‘You really do look like your mother.’

Diamide didn’t want to face the scarred past again.

That child, like her (Bezriche), was a dragon.

Dragons are not serious against humans.

It was clear that she was trying to gain advantage by moving herself as educated by her relatives. In an extremely selfish way like her mother.

Will she really be my real daughter?

Age may be correct, but there is no evidence that point out that she’s my daughter except for black hair and blue eyes.

And most of all… Bezriche could not have had his child.

‘A dragon can only give birth to a loved one’s child. So dragons are all fruits of love.’

In the past, there was no hint of falsehood in Bezriche’s eyes when she said that.

***

That evening, Michael, who met Jayna, received an unexpected gift.

“It’s no big deal, but please take it.”

“Oh?”

“It’s a bouquet of flowers.”

Michael received the bouquet that was presented to him in a daze.

Even though he was in his late teens, he had a bigger physique than most adults. But the bouquet of flowers he received had a size of an armful

The scent from the Leshanne flower made Michael closed his eyes for a moment without knowing it, then opened it.

“It’s a token of gratitude. I don’t think I’ve given you anything.”

“….did you make it yourself?”

“Yes, you recognize it at a glance. It’s certainly in a crude state.”

Michael began to observe the bouquet in detail.

A shape in which flowers are arranged harmoniously with delicate craftsmanship and tied with pretty strings.

How long did it take for a little girl to make such a big bouquet of flowers?

“Uh… What’s with your hand?”

“It’s nothing.”

But with Michael’s keen eye, he has already seen what Jayna was trying to hide.

She tried to quickly hid it behind her back, but Michael still saw it.

There is a distinct scratch on the little hand that is less than half of Michael’s hand.

She couldn’t help but get hurt when she touched the flowers with her weak little hands.

Originally, he would have say that she was stupid to be cut by flowers, but somehow he was speechless.

‘It’s because of me.’

When Michael couldn’t easily drop words from his mouth, he scratched his red cheeks and spat out bluntly.

“Well, its’s pretty good. It’s definitely my first gift.”

“Was it your first gift?””

As Jayna laughed abashedly, Michael held his breath for a moment.

His big clear eyes contained only Jayna who is laughing in front of him.

‘Isn’t it the first time this kid smiles?’

An ivory, white face paired with clear blue eyes and with her eyes gently bent and mouths curved with laughter showing a dimple on her left cheek.

‘She knew how to laugh like this?’

He thought she didn’t know how to make a different expression because she was always an insensitive and unemotional child. And she also doesn’t respond when he teased her.

‘But why does it change into something like this?’

It was ridiculous to say that I would not let her cry in front of someone else.

But I don’t know why I felt that it wasn’t too bad for the little kid to laugh like this. No, rather…

‘But what are you laughing about? Does the bouquet of flowers looks so good?’

He can’t understand his own thoughts. Even though he tried hard, he still can’t figure it out.

Well, this kid was a weird one from the start.

“You, it would be better to receive the approval of the Towerlord as soon as possible and be protected by him.”

Michael’s words of advice popped out of his mouth.

“You’re not a full member of the tower. Even if you suddenly disappear one day, I can’t officially find you. Towerlord distaste trouble, that’s why everyone is restraining. But…”

Jayna stared silently at Michael’s strange face.

Has his eyes ever been this heavy?

Michael was silently looking at her without laughing, or having a mischievous or sarcastic remarks.

“In the absence of your mother, your dad should be the one to take care of you.”

“I am not affirming all of the dragon culture, but there is one thing I like.”

Michael felt at the moment that Jayna’s eyes were so cold that it was clear.

“The dragon tribe does not have the concept of a father.”

“What? Why don’t you have a concept of a father? There is no child without a father.”

“In that sense, the land that I’m on, the food and water that I’ve eaten so far were the things that made me exist. It does not need a father who had not held me for 10 months, so there’s no reason to call him special.”

Jayna recalled her former life when she was  Minbo Bae.

Born in Korea, where filial piety was valued, she was surprised to learn about the culture of the Dragon Family for the first time.

But soon she began to think about whether her father was really special.

For she was killed by her own father.

“I don’t care if I don’t have a father. Because in the first place, I never have a father to begin with.”

Jayna calmly finished her speech.

“It is only through my efforts and mine alone that I’m alive right now.”

Michael, who had been listening to her for a moment, turned around, frowning.

“….. I don’t know such a belief or philosophy. But this is the end of what I can tell you.”

Michael turned quickly and moved on.

However, Jayna only glanced at his back and did not follow him.

Nothing changes.

It will continue to happen.

Seven years from now, when she turns 17, she’ll be killed by a dragon of her own kind.

At that time, Diamide would say this as described by the book.

[Your death means nothing to me, just as your births hold any importance to me.]

Diamide Bellaphanian, the world’s final boss in the novel, with blood that’s cold enough not to be phased by his own daughter death.

Jayna, the illegitimate child of the final boss and a girl born of mixed blood between the dragon and the human race, was rejected and killed.

That’s how her fate will end.

Therefore, the room in the corner of the warehouse, and the lack of nutrition caused by eating only one kind of food, were not big problems.

‘It’s something that people who has a short lifespan don’t care about anymore.’

She’ll die at the age of seventeen.

And it was a time when Michael disappeared completely….

“Hmm, it’s amazing that Michael-nim is receiving things like bouquets.”

A sudden voice gave her goose bumps. An ominous premonition came down along her spine. Jayna turned her body to the direction where the source of the voice came from.

A familiar face.

Jayna, who is not familiar with the people of the tower, has only one person on the tower she knows except for Michael and Hilvenzia.

“It’s been a long time. But since when have you been there?” (Jayna)

“You remember me. It’s an honor. I thought I was only a little person to you.”

“……”

“I really missed you. I wanted to talk to you, but you’re always surrounded by people.”

A chilling feeling can be felt down from her spine.

“But you’re finally alone, aren’t you?”

A place she wasn’t aware of, there stood Moben.