Chapter 6
Strolling casually through the city as if sightseeing, the two slipped into hiding when no one was watching.
Viretta’s secret hideout turned out to be the Philos Merchant Guild.
The guildmaster of the local branch welcomed her personally and led them to a private room.
“I’ve secured everything you’ll need. You can leave whenever you wish. Do you need a carriage?”
“I couldn’t possibly ask for that. My father would trace it back in an instant.”
“Always the cautious one, I see. You’re planning to sell that dress and those jewels too, right?”
“Yes. These were heirlooms from my grandmother—so make sure you charge extra. My grandfather will probably buy them back at twice the price.”
Viretta jingled a ruby necklace between her fingers, the jewel flashing like captured firelight. It had been a gift for her engagement, and yet she sold it off without hesitation.
“So that’s why you came dressed so uncomfortably—you meant to sell everything.”
Iola, impressed, began removing his own jewelry one piece at a time, placing his bracelets and brooches onto a silver tray. Viretta had already stripped off her dangling earrings and anklets.
“The money I saved won’t be enough. The mines are far, and who knows what could happen on the way.”
“You brought your savings too?”
“Of course. This is a challenge worth spending every coin I own.”
Iola trembled slightly, overwhelmed. Dressed now in travel clothes, he turned away for modesty’s sake—only for Viretta to scold him.
“You’re not done changing yet!”
“My apologies. But… why were you facing this way?”
“B-because you might accidentally turn around!”
Half concern, half… curiosity. But she’d never admit which was stronger.
Once she’d swapped her ornate gown for a simple outfit, Viretta yanked away his cloak, revealing a faintly blushing Iola.
He caught her hand. “I owe you an apology. For a moment, I doubted your resolve.”
“You doubted me?”
“Yes. Seeing you prepare for the ceremony, I wondered if your talk of slaying a dragon was just a figure of speech. Or if you’d given up.”
“Absolutely not!”
“I see. Then please, punish me as you see fit for my lack of faith.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. Anyone who meets me for the first time is bound to make at least one mistake like that.”
Viretta forgave him magnanimously. She didn’t want him to think poorly of her—especially when his suspicion had been half-right.
“How could anyone doubt you? To see you prepare, without hesitation, to face a dragon—it’s humbling. I think… I came to Phillion just to meet someone like you.”
“Slay a dragon?!”
The guildmaster outside squawked like a startled bird, but neither Viretta nor Iola paid him any mind.
“Thanks to you,” Iola continued solemnly, “I no longer dream of a peaceful, ordinary marriage. I’m ready to embrace a life of peril and purpose.”
“If that makes you happy, then I’m happy too… but are you sure it should?”
His face looked serene, devoted—like a man speaking to the love of his life—yet every word he said stabbed straight through her.
“Yes,” he said simply.
“Well then,” she sighed, “I suppose that’s settled.”
And just like that, Viretta graciously accepted his joy.
“Wait, Viretta!” the guildmaster burst in. “Did I just hear that right? You’re taking Lord Nagin’s fiancé with you to… to hunt a dragon?”
Viretta plucked the coin pouch from his hands and smiled brightly. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ah, good. For a second I thought—”
“There’ll be three of us! We can’t leave Rankin behind, can we?”
At that name, the guildmaster’s face twisted with dread. The mention of Rankin didn’t calm him—it made things worse.
He’d hoped she’d at least deny the “dragon-hunting” part. But no—Viretta Medlit had no intention of correcting that misunderstanding.
Instead, she turned cheerfully to Iola and jabbed him lightly in the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Iola. I’ve got a loyal knight who’ll follow me to the ends of the earth.”
To repeat: Viretta Medlit was a hopeless braggart.
While Viretta and Iola were quietly robbing their own households to fund their runaway quest, Kadlen and Monain were toasting each other over fine wine.
“How fortunate that the two get along so well,” Kadlen said.
“Indeed! Your daughter’s cheerful spirit perfectly complements my son’s gentle nature.”
“And your son’s kindness balances her energy. They make a fine pair.”
“Quite so. They haven’t returned yet—perhaps they’re already discussing their future together.”
“Ah, youth. Always dreaming big.”
At that very moment, the “perfect couple” were plotting the most ambitious breakup in history.
Rankin was dreaming.
He and his siblings were gathered around a cozy meal when suddenly, a giant smashed through the roof.
Debris rained down from the heavens as his younger siblings screamed and scattered, but Rankin clung desperately to the pot on the stove—because without it, there’d be no dinner.
Even as the chaos unfolded, he reached for his sword—his father’s sword. The giant’s sword.
He lifted it high and thought, Wait. Father never gave me a sword.
The blade in his hand was just a cheap weapon, hastily forged when he was sold to a mercenary band.
And with that realization, the giant changed shape—becoming his mother, towering and fierce.
“If you don’t behave,” she roared, “you’ll never see your mother again!”
Even when I behave, you’re never here anyway, he thought bitterly, but still he bit his lip and shrank under her voice.
What a cursed dream, he thought—until someone shouted behind him.
“No! Don’t give up! Defeat the giant, and we’ll go slay a dragon together!”
What?! That was worse! Now it was a nightmare.
Why in the world would he need to go dragon-hunting after this?
“I refuse!” he shouted.
“But you can! You’re a brave knight who’s defeated a giant! Come, join me as my vassal, and we’ll slay the dragon together!”
He had no idea where the voice was coming from, but it was deafening. He swung his sword wildly in protest.
“Stop talking! I said no! What dragon?! I thought we were getting married!”
“Oh, how naïve! Did you think I’d just marry you so easily? If I disappear from your life, you’ll be lonely!”
The nightmare only worsened. Lonely?! Where did she even get that kind of confidence?
He wanted to curse the entire Medlit family and their ridiculous upbringing.
“Please, just listen to your father!”
“Never! My greatest pride is that I, Viretta, never bow to external pressure!”
“That’s not pressure—that’s your father!”
“He’s still someone else!”
Okay, technically, she wasn’t wrong—but still! How dare she say that while living off his allowance?!
Before he could finish that thought, the mother-giant morphed again—into a dragon.
He wasn’t sure if the creature before him was a dragon or a giant, red-scaled lizard. He’d seen lizards before, but never dragons.
Still, he knew instinctively—it was the dragon. The one Viretta wanted to slay.
But why? Why a dragon? What for?
As he stumbled through the fog in search of an answer, the world spun—and pain twisted in his gut.
“Ah—ah!”
He gasped and opened his eyes. Something heavy was pressing down on his stomach.
“Finally awake? You really do sleep like a log. I called you so many times! Come on, hurry up—we have to pack!”
In the dead of night, Viretta Medlit was sitting on his bed.
“Wh—what… what’s going on?”
Still half-asleep, he glanced around. The room was dark except for a strip of moonlight cutting through the curtains.
This was his house. His bedroom.
And Viretta—fully dressed for travel—was pressing down on his stomach.
In my room. At night.
“Is this… another nightmare?”
He rubbed his eyes.
“A nightmare? Please. When I appear, it’s a good omen! Now hurry, Rankin—we have to leave before anyone catches us. We’re going dragon hunting!”
“Wait—what?! Dragon? Again with the dragon?!”
“It’s quite simple,” said another voice.
A tall man stepped into view—tidy hair, pleasant smile, calm demeanor.
There’s another one?! Rankin jolted upright, suddenly wide awake.
His father and brothers were asleep in the next room, completely unaware that strangers—two strangers—had broken into their house.
“What in the—what are you both doing in my room?!”
On cue, Viretta and Iola leaned in from either side of the bed and declared in perfect unison:
“Because we need to break off our engagement!”
“…Am I still dreaming?”
Or was this some kind of joke?
Before he could decide, Viretta and Iola each grabbed an arm and yanked him out of bed.
“Let’s go, Rankin! You’re going to officiate and witness our glorious breakup!”
“What—WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!”
His scream echoed through the quiet streets, loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood.
