Kael crouched slightly, preparing to take off. His massive wings extended halfway, catching the light like blades of night.
But before he could launch into the sky—
"Um—Kael? Just a moment… if you don't mind."
His wings paused mid-motion. He turned his head toward Lyra, one brow arched. "Yes?"
Lyra stepped forward carefully, her tone calm, hands clasped in front of her. "I... I was thinking. Perhaps... flying into the city in your current form might not be the best idea."
Kael stared at her. "Why?"
"Well…" She inhaled gently. "You are... quite large. And very noticeable. If you arrive like this, I believe the people inside might become... alarmed."
"Because I am a dragon."
"Yes," she said quietly. "Not all humans understand that you're peaceful. They'll likely think you're attacking, and… well, some may panic. It could lead to misunderstandings."
Kael blinked slowly, then he shrugged. "I can kill them all. At least I won't have to look for food for some time after that."
Lyra hesitated. "I know. But don't you think that's wrong?"
He was confused now. "Do you not eat?"
"I-I do," replied the bunny.
He turned toward her completely. "Did you ever think that it's wrong?"
"...No," Lyra lowered her head.
Kale knew that he didn't need to say anything else.
Lyra understood what he was trying to explain here.
He wanted to tell her that no matter what she thought, for him, all those humans were food. He didn't care about good or bad.
No—it would be better to say that he didn't think he was doing anything bad.
There was a long silence as Kael observed Lyra, who kept fidgeting under his gaze until he finally growled. "Don't you hate them?"
His voice froze Lyra as her gaze met his, her nerves on edge. "W-What?"
"The humans," Kale leaned forward, his eyes locked into hers. "Don't you hate them? You said that they were evil."
Lyra's fists clenched to her sides as she held the hem of her dress.
"I do hate them," she nodded, but before the dragon could say anything, she added, "But not all of them."
"Hm?" Kael frowned.
The bunny tensed, but she didn't look away. "Even among the humans, there are some who aren't evil. I don't hate them."
Kael stared at her, his claw tapping the ground rhythmically. "Elaborate."
Lyra steadied herself, taking a deep breath. "Even in the city, there are people just like me who want to live a normal life. If there were no good in the city, I would've never left my siblings there."
Kael's eyes lingered on her for a long second. "You trust them."
"I don't trust them all. But I trust them enough to know that they don't deserve complete destruction."
Another silence followed Lyra's words as Kael seriously considered her words.
After all, he knew that he was looking at the world one-dimensionally. He only believed that whatever he saw was the right thing.
But that was not how he wanted it to be since he wanted to learn more about this world.
The wind stirred his wings slightly, but he slowly lowered them.
"So," he sat down on the ground, his tail coiled. "…You want me to hide what I am?"
His eyes were sharp as he stared at Lyra, who, realizing that her words were misunderstood, quickly waved her hand.
"No! Why would you have to hide who you are?" She shook her head violently. "I was thinking of something else."
Kael tilted his head.
"You speak like a man," Lyra said softly. "You have awareness, understanding. Above all, you are strong. So, you could transform into a human form—"
As she looked at Kael's clueless expression, her expression turned uncertain. "—You can't…?"
She had seen Kael handle the mana bombs like toys, so she thought that he was at least above rank A.
Above rank A was S, and it was said that S rank beasts could transform into human form.
'Maybe he's just a strong A-rank dragon—'
Her thoughts were cut short as Kael blinked. "…I've never tried."
Lyra paused before recalling how Kael had told those humans before that he doesn't have his memories.
Then, sighing in relief, she began.
"You've never needed to, I suppose," she spoke, giving a faint smile. "But if you're willing to try now, I believe it would help greatly."
Kael turned his gaze skyward, then slowly nodded. "Very well."
He stepped into the clearing, the ground darkening around his feet as if even the sun held its breath.
The air shifted.
Magic gathered, heavy and primordial, like a storm behind glass.
Kael's form shimmered, scales dissolving into mist and wings folding inward like collapsing stars.
Shadow spiraled around his body, drawing in toward a single point.
Then—
He stood there.
Human.
The shadows peeled away like layers of ancient silk, revealing skin unmarked by flaw or scar, as though carved by the very gods themselves in a moment of divine indulgence.
Kael's human form—tall and majestic—radiated a quiet, terrifying perfection.
His obsidian-black hair fell in soft, wind-tossed waves that barely touched his shoulders, and his eyes—still draconic in hue, molten gold and slit-pupiled—shimmered with quiet amusement and raw, unrefined power.
He was completely, utterly naked.
His had the kind of physique Lyra had only ever heard of in fairy tales and ridiculous romance books she pretended not to read.
His defined muscles flowed like the grace of rivers, each line of him too perfect to be real, like something the world had no right to house.
For a few seconds, Lyra forgot how to breathe.
Her eyes instinctively darted down, then shot back up as fast as a spell bolt.
Her cheeks flared red, her long ears twitching frantically atop her head as she turned to face the trees. "Ah… um… this is…"
Kael, meanwhile, was studying himself with a calm, analytical expression. He flexed his fingers, then rolled his shoulders. "This form feels... inconvenient."
Lyra blinked, peeking sideways despite herself. "I-Inconvenient?"
"I've lost the advantage of reach," Kael said, moving his arm experimentally. "The weight behind my strikes is also less."
He took a slow step forward, then nodded slightly. "But… my reflexes have sharpened. My center of gravity is more contained. This form… has its uses."
"O-Oh…" Lyra murmured, shifting awkwardly. "That's... good, then…"
Kael looked at her. "You are avoiding my eyes."
Lyra stiffened. "I-I'm not! I mean—I wasn't… well, maybe just a little."
She twiddled her fingers nervously. "It's just that, um… in this form, you're… not wearing anything. And, you see, humans—and beastkin, too—we usually wear clothes. It's sort of… expected."
Kael tilted his head, visibly trying to understand. "Expected. Why?"
Lyra swallowed, doing her best to keep her gaze above his collarbone. "Because… going into a city without them might cause, uh… reactions. People might stare. Or scream. Or… do worse."
She blushed. "Some women might… jump you. Or the guards might arrest you for public indecency."
"I see," Kael said thoughtfully, as if she'd just explained a battlefield tactic. He nodded once. "That would be inefficient."
"Y-Yes. Very."
"But I don't have clothes."
Lyra blinked. Her eyes betrayed her—just for a moment—as they flicked downward.
She made a squeaky sound in the back of her throat, then quickly looked up again, her voice much too high-pitched. "T-That's… that's fine! I-I mean, no, it's not fine! It's… well, it's fine that you don't have them yet—not that you shouldn't—Oh stars, I mean to say—!"
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly. "You said it was good."
"What?" Lyra paled.
"You said it was good that I do not have clothes."
"I—I didn't mean it like that!" She squeaked, flailing her hands. "I meant it's good that we're in a forest! Yes! B-Because no one else saw! Otherwise, it would've been… b-bad."
Kael raised a brow. "Then what should I do?"
"C-Can't you conjure clothes?" She blurted, desperate for the conversation to move anywhere else. "You know—magic! Like… poof! Something simple, or maybe not simple—I mean, whatever you want, really…"
He stroked his chin, considering.
"Conjure…" he muttered.
'Can I do it?' He wondered.
[Yes, you can do it.]
His instincts replied without delay, and his lips curved into a sharp smirk. "I can."
Then, with a casual snap of his fingers, Kael's shadow writhed at his feet, snaking upward like living ink.
The darkness slid across his body, weaving into rich cloth with supernatural grace.
Within seconds, he stood adorned in a fitted black coat that flared at the bottom, trimmed with silver thread.
Armor-like patterns pressed into the fabric hinted at draconic scales, and dark gloves formed seamlessly over his hands.
His pants matched, with a high-collared undershirt completing the ensemble.
He looked like a prince—no, a dark monarch.
Lyra's jaw dropped slightly.
"Is this fine?" He asked, turning slightly.
She opened her mouth. Closed it.
She stared at him for a while before whispering under her breath, "I think I just made things worse…"
Kael tilted his head. "Worse?"
"N-No! Not for me—I mean, yes! But not in a bad way—I mean—" She grabbed her ears in frustration. "I just meant—how are you real?!"
Kael smirked again. "You said I had to wear something."
"Yes, but not something that makes you look like… like that! You'll attract even more attention!"
"So this is also bad."
"…Let's just say you've become a different kind of dangerous," Lyra mumbled, still looking dazed.
Kael said nothing, but the amused glint in his eye sparkled like a predator who had discovered an entirely new way to hunt.
He hadn't even left the forest yet, but he was already enjoying it.
'What more surprises are waiting for me in this world?' He wondered, staring in the direction of the city.