Chapter 17
“I’ve heard they’re a race that serves dragons, but still… aren’t they a bit too unconditionally on the dragon’s side?”
From my perspective, it was a mindset I truly couldn’t understand.
“Well, still…”
How could others possibly be the same as me?
Different people can have slightly different perspectives. Yes, yes.
I simply laughed it off lightly.
Kateri, perhaps not noticing my reaction, continued speaking.
“Actually, this was the first time we’ve ever experienced a dragon being sealed. In all our records, dragons either die of old age or don’t die at all—there was no such thing as being sealed.”
“I see.”
“Normally, when a dragon passes away, the nymphs who served them are freed and scatter in different directions. After that, they live out their natural lifespans and eventually die.”
As she spoke, her expression turned slightly serious.
“So we thought the Evening Glow nymphs would be the same. It wasn’t that Lord Radon had died, but we thought it wouldn’t be much different. Besides, the village was already in chaos, and there were very few survivors to begin with.”
“…But was there a problem?”
Why is her expression getting more and more serious?
At my question, Kateri made that peculiar expression again—something between sympathy and confusion.
“Aigle…”
She took a deep breath and then spoke slowly.
“Shortly after Lord Radon was sealed, the Evening Glow nymphs began to die one by one.”
“Pardon?”
“We didn’t know at first either, but while tracking the Evening Glow nymphs for unrelated reasons, we discovered it. They were dying one by one, each succumbing to an unknown fever.”
“A fever…?”
I couldn’t even blink at her words.
Kateri couldn’t meet my gaze and lowered her eyes slightly.
“Yes. Just before they died, it was as if they were burning with fire in their chests.”
Suddenly, I remembered when my mother collapsed.
My mother, who had always been weak to begin with.
Even she, before her death, had a body drained of color—but her chest area had burned with an intense heat.
“My mother was like that too.”
I spoke as I recalled that moment.
“Right before she passed away, she said her chest felt burning hot.”
“I see. Perhaps your mother also suffered the side effects of suddenly losing the dragon she served.”
Kateri let out a deep sigh.
“We tried everything we could to save the Evening Glow nymphs, but we couldn’t stop it. And so… they all died. At least, as far as I know, they were completely wiped out.”
“Wiped out?”
Wait. Then that means the remaining Evening Glow nymph is…
‘Just me?’
Until now, I hadn’t even properly realized I was a nymph.
But hearing that I might be the only one left made my head feel strangely empty.
Noticing my state, Kateri asked cautiously.
“Are you alright, Aigle?”
At her words, I refocused my blank gaze on her.
Seeing her worried eyes, my frozen thoughts began to slowly move again.
“Of course.”
I smiled lightly as I spoke.
“I’m fine. It’s a bit shocking that the Evening Glow nymphs were wiped out… but I’ve been living in the Empire all this time without even thinking of myself as a nymph, so I’m okay!”
“Aigle…”
Kateri’s voice was full of pity.
At that, I gave an awkward smile.
‘I really am fine!’
Of course, when I first heard it, I was a little stunned.
But I quickly regained my usual poker face.
I’ve always been the type who stays calm unless the sky is falling—no, even then I’d probably stay calm.
‘But if I explain too much, I’ll just look even more pitiful.’
I knew this well from years of receiving other people’s sympathy.
In situations like this, it’s best to just laugh it off.
I simply laughed—“Heh heh heh”—without saying anything else.
Seeing me like that, Kateri spoke again.
“If you don’t mind me asking… when did your mother pass away?”
“Hmm, about nine years ago.”
“Nine years… I see. Then those eyes…”
Kateri stared directly at my eyes.
“Was your mother’s name Nix? And she had orange eyes?”
“Eh? Yes, that’s right.”
“And before she passed, she passed those eyes on to you?”
“That’s correct too!”
“I see… as I thought.”
Her expression turned complicated.
I tilted my head.
“Do you know something about these eyes, Kateri?”
“Yes. They are a symbol of power, usually held by the elders of the nymphs.”
“Is it the same for the Silver Moon tribe?”
I asked while looking at her green eyes.
She nodded.
“Yes. In our case, those with strong magic eventually have their eye color turn gray. By the way…”
Kateri sighed repeatedly.
She looked at my eyes—sigh.
Looked into the air—sigh.
Back at my eyes—sigh.
Back into the air—sigh.
Watching her, I laughed awkwardly and asked,
“Um… is there something wrong with my eyes?”
At my words, she started to shake her head, then paused—and instead nodded vigorously.
She grabbed both of my hands tightly.
“Aigle. I don’t even know how to explain this properly… but your eyes are tied to something very important.”
“Something important?”
I asked nervously.
“Something complicated… and tragic.”
“Tragic? Does it involve dragons?”
“Yes, Aigle.”
I was internally shocked.
‘Again with dragons?’
“Actually… it also involves the Duke of Lapman.”
‘Wait, what? The Duke of Lapman?’
Now that I thought about it, the Duke of Lapman—the one who can regress through time—was looking for a woman with orange eyes. And I have orange eyes.
So of course Kateri, who knows about these eyes, would mention him.
‘So they know each other?’
At that moment, my long-dormant instincts began to predict something unpleasant.
‘This is 100% going to be troublesome.’
If I get involved, something annoying will definitely happen.
Isn’t that exactly why I’ve been avoiding the Duke of Lapman all this time?
‘Because I don’t want to lose my peaceful life to some troublesome incident!’
Just as Kateri was about to speak again—
I calmly covered her mouth with my hand.
“Mmph?”
“Kateri.”
I smiled peacefully.
“It’s better not to hear the details right now.”
“Mmph?”
I lied smoothly.
“Honestly, just what I’ve heard today is already enough to make my head spin and my heart race. To think I might be the only remaining Evening Glow nymph…”
Her eyes immediately filled with emotion.
Fortunately, she seemed to believe me.
In truth, my heart was perfectly calm—but I continued acting anyway.
“I said I was fine earlier, but I guess I wasn’t. So I don’t think I can hear any more about this today.”
My mind had become extremely simple.
One thought filled it completely:
‘I must not hear anything more from Kateri.’
If I hear more, there’s no turning back.
So I will hear nothing. I will know nothing.
With that firm resolve, Kateri gently pulled my hand away from her mouth and nodded.
“I understand, Aigle. I completely understand how you feel.”
Her empathy was surprisingly helpful.
She even patted my hand to comfort me.
Watching her sympathetic expression, I briefly considered forcing out tears.
I quickly gave up.
‘If I were that good at acting, I’d already be living a luxurious life somewhere.’
All I could do was keep my poker face and laugh.
Fortunately, that seemed enough for Kateri.
She spoke again.
“Still… is there anything you want to ask me?”
“No!”
I answered immediately.
Kateri looked slightly startled.
“R-really nothing?”
“Yes!”
She paused, then asked carefully,
“Aren’t you curious why only you survived among the Evening Glow nymphs?”
“Ah…”
Now that she mentioned it…
Even though I’m a half-blood, I am still an Evening Glow nymph.
This bright orange hair is proof of that.
So why am I the only one fine?
‘Is it because I was young?’
“Do you know the reason?”
“Not exactly, but I think it might be because of those eyes.”
At that, I gently covered Kateri’s mouth again.
I felt that if I heard any more, I would inevitably get dragged into something troublesome again.
‘Then let’s stop here.’
Understanding my signal, Kateri nodded and lowered my hand.
“Alright, Aigle. Let’s stop talking about this.”
The moment she finished speaking, a quest window suddenly popped up in front of me.
This quest has no time limit.
There is one sub-quest for smooth progression of the main quest.
First Sub-Quest: ~Help the Silver Moon Nymph!~
As if reminding me not to forget its existence.
I waved my hand dismissively and made the window disappear.
‘How does it even know I forgot…’
As expected, the Divine Messenger is watching everything I do.
With that thought, I turned to Kateri.
“Um, Kateri. Thank you for telling me so much today. I’d like to repay you—can I help you with anything?”
“Huh? Oh, no. This is something I should naturally explain. Besides, you’re a guest. Please just relax.”
“Ah…”
No, that’s not what I meant…
How do I even say this?
Should I just say it outright? “The Divine Messenger gave me a quest to help you!”
Now that I’ve already revealed I’m a nymph, maybe I could?
‘No, wait. What if this quest also has some hidden complicated secret?’
Why am I getting entangled in so many things?
I want to run away.
I don’t want to be involved in anything mysterious or complicated anymore.
‘Wait… this quest has no time limit, right?’
Then… should I just ignore it?
