“You…”

I sat up. The red streak across his black eyes gleamed with a chill light. His appearance resembled young Yuhyun, but those eyes were unmistakably…

“…Black Dragon?”

“Once, yes. Though the memories continued, being newly born means we’re not entirely the same.”

His tone reminded me of Yuhyun as a child—until about age eight he often spoke like this, as if observing the world from a detached distance. He still showed glimpses of that now and then.

So much of Yuhyun’s blood influenced him. Gyeol unexpectedly bore Seong Hyunjae’s mark, too—do I simply take after those I care about?

“Hm, this doesn’t seem to be reality.”

I couldn’t see Gyeol. Was this within my consciousness? The space around was empty void.

“Name me. And my brother.”

“…Huh? Brother?”

Brother? Did he mean that little rabbit–chinchilla–looking creature in his arms? Its fur was more of a pale wheat color—hardly the black of Kkumdong-i. Yet no other monster sibling existed, so perhaps the SS-rank beast used in their combination once had that form. Though its attributes faded over time, its shape may have influenced the result. And it had been far higher rank.

The small, pale-furred beast wagged its long tail.

“Name us, now?”

Honestly, I wasn’t confident. Naming monsters I’d created felt weighty, and deciding alone felt…wrong.

“Name us.”

But the Black Dragon was resolute. Well…um…wrong. Only “Blackie” came to mind… Since it could turn human, maybe a human name? They said not to use “Hyun” in the name, but it isn’t human… And “dragon” wasn’t quite right either.

“Do I really have to name you now? Absolutely?”

“You must receive your names to depart.”

“What?”

The Black Dragon looked at me icily.

“We’ll leave together, brother and I.”

“Wait, wait!”

“Don’t worry about the Overlord’s Sword. As I grow, the sword will grow too. We needn’t stay nearby.”

“It’s not the sword—I mean, where would you even go? This world is new to you. You have no money, and you’re just children!”

“If I grow, I’m still inexperienced. Even if we reach S-rank, we’re newborns.”

“I acknowledge you as our father. But don’t try to act as our guardian.”

“No, but—”

“You’re unqualified to guard us.”

…Hearing those words from someone bearing Yuhyun’s face made my heart drop. My throat stung and I couldn’t retort.

“…I still… I’ve done my best.”

“I know you care for us and will try your hardest. But a guardian who might vanish at any moment is better not to exist from the start.”

“Vanish?”

“You care for your wards too much. They’re strong now, so it’s fine. But truly weak, ordinary beings can’t survive losing their guardian. Even if caring for the young is a guardian’s duty, in the end the guardian must save themselves first—so they can protect the survivors.”

“That’s—”

“A guardian must live for the children to live.”

It was true. In modern society, children lose so much when they lose parents. In the wild, a guardian’s absence meant certain death. Doing one’s best for a child is good, but if the guardian sacrifices themselves, both suffer.

“But I… how could I stay safe and just watch?”

How could I save myself first?

“If someone dear to me is in danger, I must rush in.”

“So you’ll go. Father lives that way, but we don’t want to be dragged into it.”

There was no reproach in that tone. It was calm. I studied the Black Dragon. Would Yuhyun, never giving his heart, have spoken like this? Coldly weighing a guardian’s usefulness and acting with pure logic.

“…At least take what you need and go.”

Unlike before, I now had something to offer.

“You’ll need status, a home, money in human form. If you awaken young, I can sponsor you through Dodam or Haeyeon. No need to be tied to me—”

My chest tightened. This was right: if I couldn’t fully shoulder responsibility, I shouldn’t hold them back. Just as Yuhyun had to leave me, I didn’t know my own fate. No matter how I struggled, the outcome was uncertain.

So I had no right to keep the Black Dragon who chose to leave. Still, my eyes burned. Because he looked like Yuhyun.

“I’ll do everything I can for you. That’s not too little, right?”

—Pfuit!

Kkumdong-i, once black but now pale-furred, wriggled free from the Black Dragon’s arms and leapt to me. It hopped around, tail thumping, glancing between us. The Black Dragon frowned.

“Now?”

—Pi, peep!

“…All right. Here—follow me, and move your mana.”

With a gentle touch, the Black Dragon stroked the curled Kkumdong-i. The little beast transformed into a child.

“Well done, brother! Practice a few more times and you’ll master it.”

His pale beige hair and blue eyes weren’t typical Korean, but his face resembled my own childhood. Or rather—

“How…?”

“I taught him. Although my brother is a monster, he took much of my influence. So I could guide him into a human form. Being human has many advantages.”

“Dad!”

Kkumdong-i nestled against me. Like that brief time before, he rubbed my hair. I gently patted him and he beamed. Smaller than the Black Dragon, he looked younger mentally too. Kkumdong-i had once been simple and naive.

“Come here, brother. We must go.”

The Black Dragon said, and Kkumdong-i shook his head.

“No. I don’t want to go. Don’t go either, brother.”

“…You’re siblings now? Created around the same time?”

“No.”

The Black Dragon soothed the whimpering Kkumdong-i.

“By our reckoning, you’re twin younger sister.”

“What? But you just called him brother.”

“That’s the word he hears most.”

Ah…no wonder Yuhyun always heard “brother” from him. Youngest siblings sometimes use sister or brother regardless of gender.

“And I have no fixed gender.”

“…Huh?”

“Unique being, influenced by my blood toward masculinity, but not strictly male.”

Reaching for Kkumdong-i, the Black Dragon said:

“Let’s go. Good child, come now.”

“No. I like it with Dad. I wanted to come out quickly…”

Kkumdong-i’s voice trailed off into a whimper. Oh dear. As tears welled, the Black Dragon panicked.

“No, it’s because being beside Dad is dangerous. You can’t handle mana properly yet, you’re too weak.”

“Dad gave me tasty things…”

“Brother did too. I’ll give you lots, okay?”

“…I like brother too.”

Then tears fell. The Black Dragon looked at me, helpless.

“I’ve always been alone.”

His startled eyes darted like any frightened child. He truly loved his sibling. I swallowed a smile and patted Kkumdong-i’s back.

“It’s hard forcing a child to choose. It’s okay—stay with Dad. Brother won’t go either.”

A child holding treats in both hands, forced to give one away, often cries. Some hold firm, but how could he choose between father and brother?

“As you said, I can’t promise to take full responsibility for him.”

I soothed Kkumdong-i and spoke softly.

“But I’ll do everything I can. That’s what guardians do—parents simply do their best.”

Perfect responsibility is nearly impossible for any person. We’re flawed. Many fail to care for themselves, let alone others. I had been one of them. Even my efforts might end poorly.

Yet Yuhyun loved me to the end, and I loved him. Despite our shortcomings, we earned the title of perfect guardians. Not flawless, but our hearts never wavered.

“Let’s go home. If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll prepare a separate room on the first floor. Let’s live together until your sister grows up. What’s the harm? You’ll have to adapt to a new place, and I need money to buy you toys, clothes, treats.”

“This place anyway—”

The Black Dragon sighed mid-sentence.

“It’s because of the blood. Otherwise I wouldn’t call you father. The blood’s master loves you so much it affects me.”

Thanks to Yuhyun, he couldn’t treat me cruelly.

“Is that why you care for this child?”

“No. The blood’s master only looks to you. It doesn’t matter to him. He’s simply my only sibling.”

Recalling his uniqueness: Kkumdong-i truly was the Black Dragon’s sole kin. Even as father, I was different—a lone family.

Kkumdong-i, dozing in my arms, soon reverted to his beast form. Small, soft, warm—curled into a ball, he fell completely asleep.

“I’ll name you both when we get home. I’m not confident yet. And a pretty ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) name suits a sister, doesn’t it?”

He was a girl, after all, which shook my confidence further. Gyeol’s name came easily. But naming a daughter like me…she’d only grow more different.

“All right. I’ll name you as soon as I can. You can’t function outside without names. You clung to me saying you had to help me—”

“Oh…by the way.”

I looked at the scar on my palm, remembering the burning heat from wielding the Overlord’s Sword. So the Black Dragon helped because of Kkumdong-i’s plea.

“Thank you.”

“…We had to live too.”

“Just that,” the Black Dragon replied indifferently.

“And Father—though the fairy-dragon didn’t say, be careful.”

“Huh?”

“You’re better off not knowing.”

Before I could ask, the Black Dragon and sleeping Kkumdong-i vanished. My eyes opened again.

“…Oh.”

An unfamiliar ceiling loomed. My limbs felt immobile. I didn’t know where I’d fallen, but it didn’t seem benevolent. Well, as long as I was on Earth, it’d be okay.

“Chatterbox kept his promise!”

A woman with long bright blonde hair exclaimed happily.

“Though he seems dead, what of it? Preparation must be perfect.”

“Traps are set, S-ranks stand by. But is it enough? The target is the Sesung Guild Master.”

Park Hayul lowered her voice anxiously.

“I’m out. He might kill me on sight!”

“Coward.”

“Besides, it’s nothing to do with me. I just need to get back Brother Yujin.”

Hayul’s expression softened as she gazed into the air and spoke earnestly:

“I really like Brother Yujin! He’s so cool and so tragic! Because of the party, I like him more than ever!”

“Well, you wouldn’t remember.”

The woman looked at Hayul with a hint of disdain.

“I found Han Yujin annoying. I like him even less.”

“Why on earth? How could you dislike him? If it were Han Yuhyun, maybe! Brother, just wait a little longer. I will save you!”

Tears glistening, Hayul called for Brother Yujin as the woman strode down the hall. He must be in the room at the end of the corridor—her future husband.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep