Lucius wasn't in the mood to talk.
Then again, he rarely was these days. Especially after waking up in a new world, in a new body, only to be told that his mana was dormant and that his life now included raising a child-shaped beastkin and possibly babysitting a dragon.
Things were moving fast. He didn't like that.
The sound of something heavy stepping softly behind him made his brow twitch.
That "something" was a dragon.
Black-scaled. Golden eyes. Sharp, quiet, and for some reason, still following him.
Lucius didn't understand why. He hadn't offered friendship, protection, or even a reason. He'd simply cut the chains and left the cave, fully expecting the creature to stay behind or fly off into the horizon.
Instead, it decided to tail him like a shadow with attitude.
"…Why?"
Lucius didn't look back. The voice was quiet, gravelly, but not aggressive. Still, it was loud enough to be heard.
The dragon continued.
"Why did you help me? What do you want from me?"
Lucius let out a breath. There it was.
The question.
They always asked that one.
"Nothing," Lucius replied flatly.
He meant it. If he wanted to use the dragon, he would've already said so. If he wanted a favor, he would've demanded it. But instead—
"I just didn't feel like stepping over your corpse."
Silence.
No gasp. No dramatic pause. Just rustling leaves and the occasional chirp of a bird somewhere far too cheerful for Lucius's taste.
"…Then why didn't you say anything? When I followed you?" the dragon asked again, this time sounding more curious than suspicious.
Lucius clicked his tongue.
"If I told you to leave, would you have listened?"
"…No."
"Exactly. So why waste the effort?"
There was a strange huff behind him. It almost sounded like a laugh, but dragons didn't laugh. Not proper ones, anyway.
Then the creature spoke again.
"You gave me freedom, but not even a name. You humans are strange."
Lucius slowed his steps and finally glanced over his shoulder. The golden eyes met his, gleaming with an intelligence that couldn't be ignored.
"You want a name?" he asked, turning fully now.
The dragon tilted its head.
Lucius stared at the massive beast—who for some reason hadn't flown off or incinerated half the continent yet—and shrugged.
"Fine. Kael."
"…Kael?"
"You don't like it?" Lucius raised a brow.
There was a pause.
"…I didn't say that."
"Good." Lucius turned back around and resumed walking. "Because I wasn't planning to change it."
Another huff. Louder this time.
"Do you always act like this?"
"Like what?"
"Like a king without a throne."
Lucius didn't answer immediately. His eyes stayed forward, his hand lightly gripping the satchel slung across his back—where a certain sleeping beastkin child was curled up, still in her cat form.
Finally, he answered.
"I don't need a throne to act like one."
Kael was silent after that.
But he kept following.
Just like a cat