32. Aira's Farewell

Reet returned home to pack his belongings, then headed straight to the knight order’s dragon nursery—a facility that kept dragons for knights on extended missions.

“Oh, a ‘newbie,’ are we? Just recently bonded with a dragon?” the caretaker asked, eyeing him with curiosity.

“Yes, ma’am. I was chosen just the day before yesterday.”

“I see, I see.”

“I’ll be away on a mission for about five days starting today. Would you mind looking after her?”

The caretaker replied cheerfully, “Of course, no problem.”

But the issue was—

“Kyuu!?”

Aira let out a sharp cry.

The little dragon had finally understood that Reet was about to leave her behind. With surprising force, she launched herself at his chest, wrapping around him with her small front and back legs, clinging to him with all her might.

It was as if he could hear her unspoken plea: Don’t leave me.

“Oh my, how unusual. A dragon refusing to part with its master?” the caretaker said, looking genuinely surprised. She must have cared for dragons for many years.

“Yes, it does seem quite unusual,” Reet replied, gently stroking Aira’s head.

“Ryuu…”

Aira gazed up at him with her round, gleaming eyes.

“I… I can’t look at you like that… I really can’t bring you on this mission,” Reet said helplessly.

He’d learned at the Dragon’s Sanctuary that dragons were only strong in their transformed state. Without cultivating their mana, they were defenseless—no more durable than a common cat. Until Aira could transform, he couldn’t take her on missions.

“Um, what do most people do in situations like this?” Reet asked the caretaker, still cradling Aira and gently rubbing her back.

“Well… it’s pretty rare for a dragon to feel lonely without its master,” the caretaker answered awkwardly.

“…I see. This is troublesome.”

But whether Aira cried or shrieked, Reet had to go on his mission. He racked his brain for a solution, and then, though he doubted it would work, he thought of something.

“…Croissant.”

He whispered the word.

And sure enough—

Aira’s eyebrows twitched.

“If I buy you croissants every day, what do you say? Remember the ones you ate earlier? Didn’t they taste good?” Reet made his proposal with the same hopeful feeling as buying a lottery ticket.

There’s no way a dragon who’s spent seven hundred years judging knights could be swayed by food.

Or so he thought—

“Ryuu!”

Aira released his chest, flew in a small circle, and squeaked with delight.

“…Wait, are you serious?”

Aira’s desire to stay with Reet had been defeated by the temptation of food.

“…This is complicated,” Reet sighed.