For a moment, silence reigned over the clearing.
Then the scarred leader gave a slow, cautious nod, trying to mask the nervous tension still in his shoulders.
"Kael, huh...?" He muttered, glancing at the others.
The dragon—Kael—remained still, watching them. His golden eyes were unblinking.
Although it seemed like his mere presence threatened them, he wasn't intimidating them.
He was just... watching them.
Kael was trying to show them that he meant what he said. He wanted to show them he didn't want to harm them, and looking at their postures relaxing, he nodded inwardly.
'It's working.'
One of the younger soldiers finally exhaled. "If he wanted to kill us, he'd have done it already."
Another nodded quickly. "Yeah... he's huge. And scary. But maybe he meant it when he said he won't harm us."
Their shoulders began to ease, breaths came slower. The threat level in their minds dropped—not entirely, but enough.
"Maybe it's like those dungeon guardians," a third said, sheathing his sword slowly. "Intelligent, dangerous-looking... but passive unless provoked."
Kael didn't speak. He watched.
After all, he didn't care what they thought of him. He didn't want them to run away, that was all.
The leader, staring into his eyes for a second longer, cleared his throat and stepped forward. "You don't intend to harm us. That's what you said."
Kael blinked, then gave a slow nod. "That is correct."
The tension dropped further.
Even the bunny girl—Lyra—looked surprised. Her red eyes darted between him and the humans, disbelief clouding her gaze.
"I see." The leader gave a forced chuckle. "Guess we panicked for nothing. Sorry about that, big guy."
"No offense taken," Kael replied smoothly.
He even sounded friendly and relaxed—like an ancient king enjoying the company of guests. And the humans found it dangerously interesting, chuckling uneasily.
"Honestly, you looked like the kind of beast that would breathe fire and turn us to ash."
"I never tried, but maybe I can," Kael said without missing a beat.
Their smiles froze.
"But I won't," he added, as if that explained everything.
The humans slowly began to laugh again—nervous and awkward chuckles that grew into a relaxed mood.
They started talking more freely, even asking Kael about his wings, his size, and where he came from.
Their way of talking was extremely friendly, making it hard for Kael to decline to answer any question, so he answered the ones he could.
And slowly... the humans realized something.
'He's a dud bomb.'
Scary? Absolutely. But clearly harmless.
A myth that looked dangerous on the surface but didn't bite.
The leader eventually clapped his hands together. "Well then... we'd love to chat more, but we have duties. That rabbit beastkin there"—he pointed to Lyra—"is a fugitive. She broke into a noble's property and helped a group of slaves escape."
Kael's massive head tilted slightly.
He glanced at Lyra, who still knelt in the grass, trembling and silent.
"She's fast," one soldier said with a smirk. "Gave us quite the run."
"We'll take her back now," the leader continued, stepping closer. "She needs to be punished for the wrong she'd done."
Kael's gaze remained steady, studying them for a second longer before he nodded. "Very well."
That answer shocked Lyra more than anything else.
"No—wait!" She cried out, voice raw. "Please... please help me!"
'Wasn't he supposed to help me?! Why isn't he doing that?!'
She couldn't believe how easily he gave her up.
He didn't even ask if the human words were true.
The humans, on the other hand, turned to her with sneers or silence, but Kael just stared at her.
"I'm not a criminal," Lyra said, crawling forward. "I... I only came here because my little siblings were captured. Sold into slavery by a local merchant. I just wanted to get them out... that's all!"
'Please... please...' She kept muttering inwardly.
Clutching at the grass, her small hands shook as she continued. "I came here to rescue them... and I did! I got them out of the estate, but they're hiding now."
Staring desperately into his eyes for the first time, she added, "I came here intending to die if I could take those humans down with me, so please, I'll give myself up if I must, but don't let my siblings get caught again—!"
Kael didn't move. He didn't even blink. It was as if her words were echoes bouncing off a wall of indifference—and Lyra noticed that.
[The host should help her.]
His instincts told him that he should, but...
'Why? What would I gain from it?'
He stared at Lyra for a minute longer, but he couldn't find a way she could be of help, so his voice was finally heard, as calm as water. "I don't care."
Lyra had already realized that, but her eyes still widened.
"I don't know you. I don't know them. Your story, whether true or false, means nothing to me," he said. "Because, unlike you, they"—he nodded toward the humans—"spoke to me. You did not."
The words struck deeper than any blade.
"I... I tried to—" She stammered.
"No, you kept trembling. You never said a word to me, and when you finally did speak... it was to beg."
Lyra collapsed fully to the ground, shoulders heaving with quiet sobs.
'What was I even expecting?' She smiled wistfully, tears flowing down her pale cheeks.
'Why would a dragon help me when I couldn't even muster enough courage to speak to him?'
The human leader snorted. "See? Even the dragon knows which side is right."
He turned back to Kael, offering a short bow. "Thank you, Kael. For not interfering."
"We'll come back soon, maybe bring a few offerings," one soldier added with a chuckle. "You know, dragon etiquette and all."
Kael said nothing.
But something in his gaze flickered. As if weighing their words—testing them.
"You will return?" He asked.
"Yes, of course," the leader said quickly. "We wouldn't want to offend a being like you. We'll bring food, wine, even gold if you want it. So, don't burn down the forest, yeah?"
Kael nodded slowly.
He didn't know if they would truly return. But then...
[The statement of the humans isn't false.]
His instincts spoke, telling him that they weren't lying.
That meant they would return.
"I will wait, then," he said.
"Much appreciated, Kael."
And with that, they began to leave, dragging Lyra by the arms.
The bunny didn't struggle. She couldn't. She wasn't strong enough to.
She tried to be as obedient as she could, hoping this would please the humans, making them show mercy to her siblings, at least.
She, for the last time, glanced back at the black dragon lying under the tree.
Their eyes met, but the dragon's expression remained passive as he closed his eyes.
His perception, however, kept an eye on the humans, but after a while, he frowned.
'Why did they stop?' He wondered, half-opening his eyes.
He could sense the humans tying Lyra to a tree before standing in a circle as if discussing something.
He was curious, but not wanting to appear desperate to talk, he stayed in his place, silently observing everything, thinking of helping them if they were to face trouble.
'Well, the animals here are harmless, but still, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out.'
............................
Meanwhile, the humans, some distance from Kael, remained oblivious that their moves were observed.
Gathered in a circle, they were planning something.
"What do you guys think?" The leader asked. "Should we take our chance?"
"It's an A-ranked beast, maybe higher... don't you think it's a bit risky?" One of them asked, his expression thoughtful.
"It is risky, but think about the profits. The nobles would kill for the head of that guy," the leader quickly replied, rubbing his hands greedily. "After all, that bastard looks just like a dragon."
"... but he isn't a dragon, right?" A soldier asked, his expression hesitant, making the leader grit his teeth.
"He isn't," He exhaled, "There are no dragons in this world."
"But—" The soldier tried to speak again, only to have the leader grip his shoulder tightly.
"Shut up," the leader growled. "If you are so scared, just run away, you bastard. But you better not come running to us when we are swimming in money."
The soldier looked at the others, but from the look in their eyes, he was sure they were with the leader, so he sighed, walking away with a shake of his head.
But then, he paused, making the leader raise a brow. "What? Changed your mind already?"
The soldier, however, shook his head, pointing at the bunny girl. "Do you want me to take her with me?"
Lyra, who had been observing everything, flinched as soon as the soldier mentioned her, timidly lowering her head to look submissive.
The leader, on the other hand, had veins appearing on his forehead.
"No, you fucker!" He barked in anger. "I will bring her myself. Along with that dumb chimera's head. Now fuck off!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" The soldier scrambled away, fearing his death, not by the hand of the dragon, but by his boss.
Soon, he vanished into the woods, running like a scared rabbit.
"Hah..." The leader let out a huge sigh, calming his nerves before he turned toward the rest of the soldiers.
"Are you guys ready?" His question met with serious nods from the soldiers, making him smile.
"Good. Let's go kill that dumb chimera and get rich—"
But before he could complete his words, another voice was heard.
"Kill who?"
The atmosphere stilled, the forest going silent as the temperature dropped by degrees.
The humans' heads creaked upward like a rusted door, their bodies frozen still in fear, their breaths paused.
And then, they saw it.
The golden eyes that had looked at them with calmness, now cold, stared down at them.