I Couldn't Become a Knight, But for Some Reason, I'm Beloved by Dragons - Chapter 36: The Past

Chapter 36: The Past

“He’s a good person, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is. He took care of me for a long time.”

After introducing Runa to the old man, things became difficult. 

The old man couldn’t stop crying, and I comforted him. But then I ended up crying myself when I heard the reason why.

“I was happy when you said that. You and I aren’t blood-related and we haven’t known each other for that many years, but there were times when I thought of you as my son… You did well, Xeno.”

“…Old man.”

It was only natural that I cried when he said he thought of me as his son. 

In the end, Runa cheered me up, and we came to the spring, which was also a place of memories with her.

“Hey, Xeno.”

“What’s up?”

“…”

When I looked at Runa, she seemed to be hesitating about something. 

She seemed to be wondering whether to ask something or not. I tilted my head, wondering what was going on. 

But at the same time, I had an idea. Since my conversation with the old man mainly revolved around family matters, I thought it might be about that.

“Is it about my family, by any chance?”

“…”

It seemed that I was right. 

Come to think of it, I hadn’t talked about it before coming to this capital, and it wasn’t something I couldn’t talk about, so I decided to tell her.

“Um… it’s not a good story, but is it okay?”

“Will you tell me?”

“It’s fine. If it’s you, Runa… if you want to hear it, then I’ll tell you anything.”

“If that’s the case, I want to hear it. I want to know everything about you.”

We both leaned against the tree, and I put my hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer. Feeling her presence so close, I began to speak slowly.

“Well, it’s a common story.”

I started with that preface and began to tell her.

“Of course, I had parents too. They came to a village where a high-ranking adventurer lived, a few years ago.”

“Uh.”

“And well… my mother fell for a young, wealthy man. The man, regardless of his age, was attracted to my mother’s beauty. He persuaded her to leave my father and follow him.”

“…That’s despicable.”

“Yes, it is,” I replied, recalling the past.

“So, well… My father became sick and died after he gave up on everything. It would be a sad story if it ended there, but to begin with, my parents and I didn’t get along. Even though both of them were gone, there wasn’t anything particularly sad about it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. But I never thought I’d become a dragon handler, and now I’m enjoying life so much that I don’t even have time to think about the past. It’s not a happy story, but in a sense, it’s not really anything unusual, right?”

“I see. Well, it’s certainly true that being attracted to strong people with status is not uncommon.”

That’s right.

In the end, my mother chose an adventurer with money and status over the bonds of family… It’s been many years since then, and even if she were still alive, she would be old by now and probably abandoned, I thought vaguely.

“Even though I had forgotten about things like the warmth of family, I remembered them again thanks to the old man taking care of me, and that’s how I feel.”

“I see.”

To the old man, I must have seemed like a child back then.

Even now, at 19, I’m still a kid in some ways… But still, I was really happy that he thought of me as his son.

“He found me when I had just arrived in the capital, provided me with a room, and cooked delicious food for me every day… He’s really a good person.”

“Hehe, I can tell just from the way you talk about him. I also know he’s a kind person just by touching his hand. We should invite him to our wedding, shouldn’t we?”

“Of course, that’s the plan. Although I might cry again when that happens.”

I had a strong feeling that I would definitely cry.

If the old man declines the invitation, then there’s nothing I can do, but I think he won’t refuse.

“By the way… that mother of yours is a bit annoying, isn’t she?”

“…Runa-san?”

Runa’s demeanor changed a bit, and I moved away from her a little.

“Ordinary people wouldn’t think much of it. But I can’t forgive someone who treated my beloved this way. You said you had a bad relationship with your family, but betraying someone like that is the worst form of it, and as a woman, I can’t condone it.”

“…”

Well, I’m grateful that my mother gave birth to me. 

If I wasn’t born, I wouldn’t have met Runa, and I wouldn’t be walking on this path of happiness. 

She might be dead by now or still hanging on somewhere… so it might be a bit like harassment, but maybe I should remind her that the son she gave birth to is the happiest he’s ever been.

“Runa”

“Ah…”

I placed my hand on Runa’s head and stroked it. 

Runa had been building up anger towards my mother, who I didn’t even know if she was alive or not, but gradually, that anger subsided, and she snuggled up to me.

“Well, forget about family stuff. I’m thinking about the future. What I really want to focus on is the future. Since I’ve been with you… I want to build a family that everyone envies — a scene where smiles never cease with you.”

“Xeno… Yes! I feel the same way!”

With that, we gazed into each other’s eyes and exchanged a deep kiss. 

I told her a little about my past, but it’s really something I don’t care about anymore, and neither does Runa. We should focus on the future and move forward.

“By the way…”

“Hmm?”

“…How do our children actually get born?”

“Hmm… I wonder. There’s no precedent for humans and dragons… We’ll just have to create an example by trying it out!”

…I see, so we have to work hard, huh?