Chapter 4

It has been nearly ten years since Maro began living in the town of the wind.

She has grown accustomed to the climate of the mountains and has been accepted by the townspeople, continuing to heal Finnel with her bright smile.

As she went around tending to the host trees of the temple, the bell signaling noon rang, indicating the right time.

“Dad!”

Finnel turned at the sound of a voice darting through the trees, the small body leaping into his arms. He effortlessly caught the child and lifted him up to look into his face.

“Lindel, have you finished preparing the tea leaves?”

“Yeah! It went well.”

“That’s good.”

Finnel smiled and nodded as Lindel, his golden eyes shining with pride, puffed out his chest.

Carrying Lindel in his arms, Finnel stepped out onto the temple’s corridor, left the altar, and descended the white stone steps. It was their daily routine to return home at noon to enjoy Maro’s cooking.

This routine hasn’t changed even after Maro started helping at the inn and since Lindel was born.

Dragons are long-lived and have strong survival abilities, which is why they have the characteristic of being less likely to have children. Yet, Maro, as if keeping the promise from the day they met, conceived Lindel and now they live together as a family of three.

“If you pray at dusk, you’ll be able to levitate. Wait until then, okay?”

“You’ve been learning well from the elder.”

Finnel recalled the days when he used to pick young buds, prepare the tea leaves, and offer prayers. The nostalgia and the fact that Lindel was carrying on the same tradition softened his expression.

Lindel, who has inherited a strong dragon bloodline, possesses high magical power. Although he is still young, he generally follows Finnel to the temple. Finnel and Maro decided that it was necessary for Lindel to learn how to use magic and pray to the spirits. For now, he is involved in the process of making tea leaves.

Lindel jumped out of Finnel’s arms at the bottom of the stairs and ran toward the house, urging Finnel to hurry. Finnel quickened his pace and saw the small back disappear into the house.

“Mom!”

“Welcome—Oh!”

Without slowing down, Lindel kicked off the ground and launched himself at Maro. Finnel, who had rushed in, tried to catch him, but Lindel flew into Maro, who was setting the table, causing her to fall to the floor.

“Maro!”

The sound of breaking dishes, falling, and colliding filled the air. Finnel helped Maro up, who was lying on the floor with Lindel in her arms, and she winced but managed a smile.

“I was surprised. Welcome back.”

“It’s bleeding. Lindel, are you okay? Step back.”

Finnel lifted the frozen Lindel and used magic to heal Maro. With the help of the spirits, he closed the wound and healed her bruised waist and arm.

“Lindel—”

Maro called out to Lindel, who was standing stiffly, but Finnel interrupted and carried him to the bedroom. Even though the wound was healed, Lindel’s body needed time to adjust to the sudden change. He needed to rest.

Finnel frowned and was poked in the forehead by Maro, who was lying down. She smiled at him, and Finnel, with a stern expression, told her to rest.

“…Dad, is Mom okay?”

Behind the door, Lindel’s small body seemed even smaller.

Finnel knelt down and ruffled his chestnut hair, nodding.

“Yes, she’s already healed.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Ask Maro.”

Even though Lindel was looking down, Finnel could see his pouting lips and teary eyes.

Gripping the hem of his clothes tightly, Lindel spoke in a small voice.

“…Why does Mom always get hurt?”

Lindel has only been alive for four years.

It’s hard for a young child to understand why his mother, who is human, gets hurt when his father, who is a dragon, doesn’t. This has happened before, and Lindel needs to learn to control his strength and senses.

Finnel lowered his arm from Lindel’s soft hair and looked down at him.

“It’s because you don’t have dragon blood like Lindel.”

“Dragon blood?”

“Many different races live here—beasts, elves, humans. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Dragons have strong bodies and great strength. However, Maro is human. She is strong in spirit, but her body and strength are weak. Therefore, it’s important to adapt to each other to live together harmoniously.”

Lindel’s bright amber eyes looked up at him intently, and Finnel shook his head slowly.

“It’s not that hugging is bad. If you don’t use too much force, Maro won’t get hurt.”

Finnel’s words, which seemed to contradict his own past worries, seemed to give Lindel some hope. Lindel nodded vigorously, and Finnel opened the bedroom door, where Lindel rushed to Maro’s bedside.

“Mom, does it hurt?”

Lindel stopped and looked up at Maro, who smiled and nodded.

“Not at all. Dad healed me. Does it hurt for you, Lindel?”

“No.”

“You’re really strong.”

Maro, sounding impressed, ruffled Lindel’s hair. Encouraged by her touch, Lindel relaxed his lips and looked up at Maro with a question.

“Mom, does my hug hurt you?”

Lindel had taken in the earlier conversation, and Finnel, watching from the doorway, smiled faintly. Maro’s gaze turned to him, and he shrugged.

“Yeah, but it only hurts if you use too much force. —Did Dad teach you that?”

“Yeah.”

“I see, you’ve been thinking a lot. Thank you.”

Lindel closed his eyes, tickled by the touch on his forehead.

Lindel can only travel between home, the inn, the market, and the temple. As he grows and interacts more with the town and its people, his world will expand.

Finnel hopes that Lindel will come to understand that differences are normal. With Maro as his human mother, Lindel will inevitably face the differences between races.

Lindel’s small hand gripped Maro’s tightly.

“…Don’t get hurt, okay?”

Maro’s eyes softened.

“Yes, I’ll be careful. So, let’s learn together, Lindel. Not just about Mom, but about the town and the world. You don’t have to be friends with everyone, but it’s good to understand the differences and the people around you.”

Lindel’s golden eyes met Maro’s, listening intently to her words.

“If you make a mistake, just say sorry. If you don’t know something, just learn it.”

“Will everything be okay then?”

“Hmm, maybe not everything. Because how the other person feels is another matter.”

“If they hate you, is that the end?”

“If you don’t want it to be the end, you can try to reach out. But it’s not just up to you; it’s also about the other person’s feelings. Changing someone’s feelings is really hard.”

Maro seems to have a lot she wants to say and teach Lindel.

She is leaving them behind, but she must have her own thoughts, even if she doesn’t show it. Finnel hopes that Maro’s warm and bright words will stay with Lindel.

“You don’t have to do everything at once. One thing at a time is fine. And if you’re stuck, ask for help. Your mom and dad, and many others, love you.”

Lindel nodded vigorously, looked at Maro, then turned to Finnel, and nodded again, making a decision.

Blinking, Maro listened as Lindel spoke.

“I’ll work hard and learn magic like Dad. That way, I can heal Mom if she gets hurt, and help others a little too.”

“Wow, Lindel, you’re so kind. Thank you, many people will rely on you.”

Lindel’s face, glowing with satisfaction, was a sight to behold.

Finnel and Maro exchanged glances and smiled.

“Let’s have lunch, even though it’s a bit late.”

“I’ll get the water!”

As Maro slowly got out of bed, Lindel ran straight to the door, even passing Finnel, and the sound of the front door opening echoed through the corridor.

Silence suddenly filled the room. Maro, standing next to Finnel, broke the silence.

“Are all dragons so wise? I’m not sure I would have understood such things when I was that young.”

Maro’s expression was a mix of amazement and exasperation. Finnel shrugged, trying to recall his own childhood, but the memories were hazy.

Taking Maro’s arm, they headed to the living room. They needed to clean up the broken dishes before Lindel returned.

“Dad! Hurry, let’s eat!”

“Hurry up and eat, then teach me magic!”

Lindel’s voice from outside the house made Maro laugh.

“Finnel, we’re going to be busy.”

“Yeah.”

Finnel isn’t sure how Lindel will navigate the future, but he can’t afford to slack off in guiding him.

He needs to think about how to teach Lindel about magic and magical power, and consult with the priests and elders. It’s earlier than he expected, but it seems the time has come.

After eating Maro’s cooking and making tea with the water Lindel fetched, they will have to keep encouraging him.

Finnel said goodbye to Maro, who was heading to the inn, at the front of the house.

By dinnertime, the table will be lively with new topics that weren’t there yesterday. Watching Lindel’s bouncing steps toward the temple, Finnel squinted.

As the soft wind caressed Lindel’s chestnut hair, Finnel savored the unique and precious day.

Thank you so much for reading.

I appreciate your reviews, bookmarks, and warm words.