The Dream of Eternity

Theodore was on his way back to his room after the lesson.

Even to himself, he thought he had spent a very fulfilling day today as well. His small face was filled with satisfaction.

He received a lot of praise from Master today, too.

Feeling the sensation of the large hand stroking his head, Theodore couldn’t help but smile radiantly.

To Theodore, all of this felt like a dream.

Someone was looking at him with loving eyes, speaking to him kindly, and teaching him everything he wanted to know.

The only person who cares about me. Theodore never dreamed that he would have such a person.

‘What if all of this is a dream?’

At that thought, he was so frightened that he froze. Theodore stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway and trembled.

In reality, he might still be alone in the large room. He might be dreaming alone because he was so lonely and sad.

The illusion that it was getting cold just from briefly recalling the old days made Theodore wrap his small arms around his shoulders.

No, that’s not it. This isn’t a dream. At last, I have someone who loves me. This is reality.

After repeating that several times, the trembling of his body finally stopped. Theodore let out a long sigh.

“Hey, human kid.”

“……!”

Just as he was about to return to his room, a sinister voice caught Theodore. Theodore frowned slightly and turned his head.

“……Why?”

“……”

Of course, not everyone here was as good as Master. Just as it had always been, people who hated Theodore existed everywhere.

Theodore stared at Kali, who was glaring at him with a stern face.

Kali looked down at Theodore with a crooked eye.

The human, who already gave off a very unpleasant aura, was especially well-behaved only towards himself.

As if he was a dog wagging his tail to Sian.

Kali opened his mouth, smirking through his nose.

“The fact that Sian-nim took you in is because he is very merciful. Don’t get too carried away.”

“……”

Theodore clenched his fists tightly at the sharp words.

It was a fact that Theodore knew better than anyone, even without hearing it from someone else.

Master was so kind and merciful that he readily took in a child like him.

“I know.”

Theodore answered with a stiff face. It felt like his throat was pricking and hurting as if a thorn had pierced it.

“Ha, what a conceited guy.”

Kali really didn’t like Theodore. He disliked humans in general, but he felt an instinctive awkwardness towards the human in front of him.

However, he couldn’t know the reason, so Kali felt even more uncomfortable and burdened by Theodore.

“How different you are from when you are fawning over Sian-nim. This sly bastard.”

“……”

Theodore’s face became even colder at the mocking words. His eyes, which shone quite sharply, glistened in the sunlight coming through the window.

In fact, Theodore was more familiar with people like Kali. Theodore knew that the pointed-eared Kali was not human but an elf, but he didn’t care much. Because those who hated him all looked the same to Theodore.

The glamorous imperial palace always looked like a black, dead cinder to Theodore.

And those who hated him all seemed to be moving paper dolls.

The same was true for Kali in front of him. In the world of young Theodore, there was only one person with a clear color.

“Because Master is the only person who loves me.”

“What?”

Kali scoffed at Theodore’s childish words. The uncomfortable human was more ignorant of his place than he had thought.

“Don’t be mistaken. That merciful person is only pitying you.”

“……!”

Theodore’s tightly clenched fists trembled. The face of Sian smiling gently flashed through his mind.

It was, unfortunately, as Kali said. The only person precious to Theodore was Sian. But Sian wasn’t.

He had too many precious things. For Theodore, Sian was the only one, but it wasn’t the same for Sian.

Theodore couldn’t live without Sian, but he certainly wouldn’t. Realizing that, his vision blurred instantly.

“Well, just know your place for a short time.”

“……?”

Looking down at Theodore, who was completely deflated, Kali raised the corners of his mouth.

However, Theodore raised his head with a question at what he had said.

“Short time, you say?”

“……”

Oops. Kali, who was caught off guard, frowned. Then, he glared at Theodore, who was unexpectedly sharp, as if he was annoying.

Sian was still thinking of entrusting Theodore to the Dane merchant group.

Because the Dane merchant group had unexpectedly crossed the desert, he was taking care of him for the time being.

He could get rid of that annoying little kid within a year at the earliest.

However, he had been firmly gagged, fearing that Theodore would be hurt again, never to tell that story.

If this little kid found out about it and ran to Sian to snitch on him, he would be in trouble.

So, he had to be vague with his words. Still, he hadn’t said anything entirely wrong.

For Sian, who had an infinite lifespan, the time he spent with a human was just a moment. Kali answered with a more triumphant tone.

“Of course, a short time. Sian-nim is a dragon. For him, who lives an eternity, the time he spends with a human kid like you will be very short. You, who will barely live a hundred years.”

“Ah…”

Theodore’s eyes wavered. Kali, who was feeling rather cheerful, made fun of Theodore.

“Master…”

Master Sian was a dragon. Not human. Even though he knew that with his head, he still found it hard to completely accept.

Because from the outside, Sian was no different from a human.

But he should never forget it. A worthless child like himself would grow up soon, and grow old, but Master wouldn’t.

He would live forever in that form. Until he was buried in the ground and only bones remained, forever.

Upon thinking about that, Theodore couldn’t bear it. His whole body trembled.

“Well, you might have a chance if you become a Transcendental being.”

“Transcendental being…?”

“Yes.”

Theodore raised his head abruptly at Kali’s words, which were full of ridicule.

He had heard the word Transcendental being somewhere. But he didn’t know the exact meaning. Theodore’s eyes shone seriously.

“It is said that in the distant mythological age, there were humans who possessed power comparable to that of gods.

They wielded power that surpassed that of dragons and never aged. But now, it’s just an old story that has passed its prime.”

“Never ages…”

“Why don’t you become a Transcendental being and stay by Sian-nim’s side forever?”

“……”

It was just a taunt intended to make fun of Theodore.

But he couldn’t imagine in his dreams what decision Theodore, who was still young and blind, made at this time.

Theodore stared at Kali’s back, moving away from him for a long time.

Even though he was ridiculed, he didn’t feel bad for some reason. Rather, his mind was becoming clearer and clearer.

Soon, Theodore’s eyes began to shine again.

***

My goodness. Sian opened his mouth wide.

Kali, what on earth have you done…? To provoke the young lion like this. Sian was secretly sweating with horror.

Transcendental beings. They were now so forgotten in the world that even the word felt unfamiliar, but the existence of them certainly remained in Drake’s mind.

It was because Drake had memories of talking with the Transcendental beings long ago.

Now, they were all no longer on the continent.

Perhaps they had departed to the divine realm along with the dragons around the time the mythological age ended.

Only Drake, with his eccentric personality, remained on the continent, tormenting people and making a name for himself as an evil dragon.

“So… do you want to become a Transcendental being?”

“Yes!”

“Haha…”

Sian smiled awkwardly, looking at the cheerful Theodore.

No matter how many armies were brought, humans couldn’t kill a dragon.

It was only possible if someone within them was strong enough to stand against a dragon.

And Theodore, the protagonist who was loved by the gods, was destined to become a Transcendental being later on.

It was 2nd Part of the novel in which Theodore, who had become a Transcendental being, killed Drake.

Sian’s neck felt cold even though it was not his own business.

It was because Drake, who had turned into his main body, was beheaded by Theodore in the 2nd Part’s ending.

“I want to become a Transcendental being and live with Master forever.”

“Is… is that so?”

Sian was surprised by the unexpected words, and then, he narrowed his eyes.

In the original work, Theodore certainly reached the realm of a Transcendental being, but he didn’t fully possess that power.

It was for the sake of living a normal life as a human with the female protagonist, Yurina.

So, he returns his power to the gods when he slays and confesses his love to Drake.

Perhaps the author wanted to express how noble their love was to that extent.

Anyway, the words of Theodore, who knew about the future, just sounded cute to him now.