Chapter 40 Devious Dragonheart

“That’s pretty much how it went,” Julius finished his story.

For a moment, he was totally silent as he looked up at his father in awe. Amidst the recollection of the journey from Julius, he was so engrossed that he could visualize it for himself.

He wanted to experience it for himself; the mystery of an unknown land, traversing its obstacles, and overcoming trials.

“I want to go there someday,” he said, looking at the fireplace.

Julius laughed a bit then stopped, looking at him, “Wait, you’re serious, kid? I just told ya’ how terrible that region is!”

“…It sounded more to me like you were recalling how amazing it was,” he said.

Those words made his father silent for a moment before the man held a genuine smile across his lips, staring into the flame with his son sitting beside him.

“Yeah…you’re right. I’m sure you’ll visit a lot of places like that soon enough,” Julius said quietly, “That was only a land within Milligarde. Just imagine it, Emilio–there’s so much out there: cities in the sky, lands ruled by beasts, kingdoms of giants, dwarves, elves, and even demons–it’s all there–waiting. Are you excited? You’re almost that age.”

The way Julius spoke was partly almost as if he was goading himself into stepping out of that door and setting on an adventurer, but he settled for the next best thing: Emilio living that journey he had yearned for.

“Excited? I’m so thrilled that I can barely contain myself,” He smiled as well, looking down at his own hands that shivered with excitement.

Irene was quiet from the talk of the young boy’s prospect of becoming an adventurer.

–

After somehow managing to skin the white-furred deer, Celly, along with Treyna, finished up their winter-time dinner:

“…Woah…”

He looked down at the bowl that exuded steam along with an aroma that enticed his stomach into a dance within his body.

It was a stew made using deer meat as the key ingredient, with a variety of vegetables thrown in and some spices that were certainly not cheap.

But, it was worth it as he brought that spoon to his lips, allowing the savory spoonful to slide across his tongue and down his throat.

“–” Celly looked around the table for the reactions of those trying the stew.

He wasn’t the first one to compliment it though, as across the table, his boisterous father roared out in delight–

“This is amazing!” Julius said.

Celly’s expression lit up for a moment in surprise; everybody seemed delighted with the result of the stew.

“It’s pretty yummy,” he added, looking up at Celly.

He was sitting right beside the silver-haired young woman, swinging his legs playfully under the table as he had yet to grow tall enough for his feet to reach the ground from those chairs.

Irene was already halfway done with her bowl, “…Delicious.”

“…I’m glad…” Celly said quietly with a smile.

A warm meal was always a good way to bring people together, but what aided in that was the winds of winter that swirled around the walls, keeping everybody close in the toasty home.

After a hearty meal with Julius and Treyna sharing old adventuring stories that somehow turned into stories of their romance, Irene and Treyna handled the dishes before it was time to check-in for the night.

Though this time, he had a secret plan.

Over the course of Celly’s time staying at the Dragonheart residence, he had been studying the schedule in which one aspect of the house was used by the young woman: the bath.

…This is my perfect chance! Usually everybody else is still somewhat awake by the time she goes to the bathing room, but tonight…they’re asleep! He thought.

The amount of effort and thought that had gone into this would’ve surely landed him on a list in his previous life, but with a new lease on life, in a new world–he was making sure to take full advantage of his “kid privilege.”

As he snuck up the staircase after making sure everybody else in the house was checked in for bed, he saw it–the bathroom door closed.

He nonchalantly tip-toed across the floorboards, moving to the door as he pressed his ear against it to double-check:

The sound of water dripping onto the floor met his ears with delight as he smiled without any innocence there. He reached up to the door handle, slowly and silently turning it as he made sure to only open the door but a few hairs.

“–!”

Come on! Let’s see it! He thought.

As he peeked a single eye through the crack of the door leading to the bathroom, he saw it–

Celly was getting undressed in the bathing room, having already taken her robes off as she unbuttoned her pale-white vest.

Each second crawled by like an eternity as he watched the silver-haired young woman slide her clothes down, unveiling her pale, smooth skin that was free from any blemish. It was like a slate from heaven; pure and untouched.

From his small preview he had between the cracks of the door, all he could see was her backside as she faced away, but that definitely had its own merits as his eyes lingered lower.

“–!”

Immediately, his blood ran hot as he saw her rear; perfectly shaped–not too big, but not quite small, either–a perfect “heart” shape.

As he concentrated on peeking through that door that showed him a glimpse of heaven itself, he was caught off-guard by a creak resounding as if a step had pressed down on the wooden floorboards.

“–!”

His blood ran cold as he slowly looked to the side, seeing none other than his father standing at the other end of the hallway.

Before he could part his lips to try and make an excuse for himself, he stopped as Julius gave him just one gesture: a thumbs-up.

Just then, he remembered:

My father is an even bigger degenerate than me! He thought.

It was his father’s own “seal of approval” giving him a lecherous smile and a nod as if telling him “go get ’em, tiger!”

He smiled and gave a thumbs-up as well, watching as his father returned to his room as he himself brought his attention back to the cracked door.

As he peeked through again, he scolded himself for looking away as he realized he missed his opportunity for a front view, seeing as Celly had already entered the bath itself.

But then, for some reason, a certain confidence burned itself up inside of him–it was spurred from the gesture from his father.

I’ve got Dragonheart blood running through my veins! This is my intended path! He resolved.