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Debens sternly scolded him, raising one eyebrow askew.
"When did you snatch that up? Put it back right now."
"...Do I have to put it back?"
"Yes. The fish will be sad if it's forced to leave its home."
Piyo puffed out his cheeks and remained silent for a while. Seeing this, Ayla wore a worried expression.
'What if Piyo acts spoiled?'
Stubborn Piyo had a tendency not to listen to others.
But soon, something amazing happened.
As soon as Debens gently placed the boy he had tucked under his arm on the ground, Piyo walked towards the pond with the fish in his hands.
Soon, the child was seen carefully releasing the fish into the water with both hands.
A moment later, Piyo turned around and said proudly.
"I did well, didn't I, Debens?"
Debens smiled softly and nodded.
"Yes, have you been well?"
"Yes, Ayla and Felix have been good to me."
The man placed his hand on the child's head with an affectation of affection.
"That's a relief. You've found your place well."
Watching this, Ayla froze, seemingly flustered.
'Those two... it's like they've known each other for a long time.'
Piyo and Debens were clearly meeting for the first time today, but their conversation was surprisingly natural and intimate.
'Is there something that connects those of the same race? This is the first time Piyo has listened to someone so well.'
Ayla, with a puzzled heart, carefully opened her mouth.
"But Debens, why are you here? I thought you would be staying at the ruins."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Debens strode towards her, his long red hair flying.
Then, a sense of oppression that she hadn't been able to feel until just now washed over her all at once. Ayla swallowed hard.
"I thought you would be coming soon. It would be troublesome in many ways to stop by the ruins."
"You knew... I was coming?"
Ayla was startled and widened her eyes. Debens looked up and stared intently at one side of the mansion, as if it were nothing.
"The Duke told me your news. That you were revealed to be the real Princess Consort of the Blanche Noble house. I thought it was about time you came."
"Then, do you know why I came too?"
"I can guess to some extent."
The man's red eyes moved smoothly and turned back to her.
Ayla shuddered involuntarily at the strange feeling.
She couldn't even begin to guess how much that Dragon saw through.
'If it's him, he might be able to tell me what I'm curious about.'
As if sensing her thoughts, Debens said in a relaxed tone.
"Well, shall we move to another place?"
At Ayla's request to have an intimate conversation, Piyo, Debens, and Ayla soon sat facing each other in the drawing room of the mansion.
Debens was the first to speak.
"Now, tell me. What are you curious about?"
Ayla swallowed hard and opened her mouth hesitantly.
"You once told me that you distanced yourself from humans because of those who coveted the Dragon's power."
"I did."
"And you said that I was also harmed by them. Right?"
"Yes. You have a good memory."
Ayla took a breath and continued cautiously.
"After hearing those words, I kept thinking. Why was I their target? And soon... I realized."
The one unchanging fact in the original story, and even now.
"They coveted the Blessing of the Gold Dragon flowing in my body. Right?"
Debens smiled slightly at her sharp question.
"Yes. And now they covet the power of the Black Dragon as well."
"I knew it."
With a short sigh, Ayla lowered her gaze.
"I told Rosia... no, that con artist, what I just said. She was very surprised."
"They fear the exposure of their identities the most. The fact that you noticed will have been a great shock to them."
"Yes... that's why the interrogation wasn't easy. In fact, I got almost nothing."
Ayla frowned.
"But I made my own guesses. Maybe that group is related to the Magic Tower or the Imperial Palace."
At those words, Debens' eyes changed sharply.
"Why did you come to that conclusion?"
Ayla raised her head, met his gaze, and continued cautiously.
"First of all, Rosia is a Mage from the Magic Tower. Her Magic skills were considerable. But on the day she died, someone broke through the Duke's Noble house's strict security and killed her."
Debens listened to her words silently with his arms crossed.
"Anyone who can break through that level of security and carry out an assassination wouldn't be an ordinary Mage. I thought it was highly likely that they were a skilled member of the Magic Tower."
Ayla shrugged and continued.
"Besides, traces of Mages from the Magic Tower visiting were also confirmed just before Rosia died."
"That makes sense. Then why did you come to suspect the Imperial Palace?"
Ayla answered without hesitation.
"Rosia tried to trap me several times. But when I thought about it, the Imperial Palace was strangely involved every time. You may not know this, Debens-."
She glanced down at Piyo and continued.
"I heard that Piyo was once mistaken for a Monsters' egg and investigated, and that Rosia tried to take the egg with the Imperial Palace's investigation team at that time."
"Hmm."
"And it was the same when I was attacked during the Subjugation Contest. At the time, I thought the culprit would be caught soon, but suddenly the investigation was blocked by higher-ups. That means someone from the Imperial Palace intervened."
Debens stroked Piyo's head with a stiff face. Even in the midst of the serious atmosphere, Piyo smiled brightly as if he felt good.
"Your guess is correct. You managed to figure that out."
Debens then stared at Ayla with complicated eyes.
"You may not know it, but the reason Piyo was born is also because of them. Originally, this child was not destined to exist at this time."
"...What? What do you mean?"
Debens was silent for a moment before opening his mouth.
"Think about it. Hasn't Piyo helped you a lot so far?"
"......"
Ayla frowned silently.
Listening to his words and looking back, Piyo had helped her countless times.
'Rosia mistook Piyo for a Monsters' egg, but ended up getting into trouble herself.'
Thanks to that, public opinion turned around faster than expected, and academy life became much easier.
'Since Piyo hatched, I've been in a much wider position, being noticed as the owner of the Dragon.'
As a result, Rosia was unable to spread her influence as much as she did in the original story. Besides...
'Piyo played a decisive role in uncovering the manipulation principle of the paternity test magic tool.'
If Piyo hadn't been there, it would have taken much longer to reveal Rosia's identity.
"...Thinking about it, I really have received a lot of help from Piyo without realizing it."
While Ayla was lost in thought, Debens quietly got up from his seat.
He slowly moved and stood with his back to the window where the sunlight poured in.
The man, backlit, looked unfamiliar and alien, as if he didn't belong in this world.
"Ayla, I know that you remember the past or the future."
Ayla widened her eyes in surprise.
"Did Felix... tell you that, Debens?"
At those words, Debens chuckled softly.
"No, I know because I am in the same situation as you."
"If you're in the same situation..."
"That's not important now. Think about it. Have you ever seen Piyo even once in those memories?"
"......"
Ayla's expression became serious at once.
She slowly searched her memories. And she realized that Debens was right.
Soon, she slowly shook her head.
"...He wasn't there."
There was a vague mention of Drakes or the egg, but the Black Dragon never appeared as an important being.
Why?
Why was Piyo only born and existed in this timeline?
"Then let me put it the other way around. Why do you think I'm showing you all this kindness?"
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