Chapter 22: Origin of the Curse
“Very sweet.”
Veles heard a hoarse voice spill from his own throat.
He stared greedily at the little mage in his arms, his throat so dry it burned.
The silver-eyed man felt dazed—something that should never have happened. After all, he was meant to be the most terrifying humanoid weapon on this continent, yet he was thrown into turmoil and distraction by the small human he was holding.
Alan was holding him very tightly. Veles could clearly feel Alan’s body heat, and it made the scales at the base of his tail emerge beyond his control. There was even a faint lingering fragrance on Alan—an intoxicating sweetness like that of fully ripened peaches.
A subtle sweetness spread at the root of Veles’s tongue, as though he had already tasted a heavy, juice-laden honey peach.
“Exceptionally sweet, Mr. Alan.”
He repeated it again, involuntarily.
Veles realized that he had already begun to go bad. He was lying.
The peaches Alan had given him were now resting inside a holy chalice forged of ancient dragon gold. That draconic treasure could perfectly preserve a god’s heart, the tears of a Lady of the Lake, the magical spring of a supreme archmage—and fresh countryside honey peaches.
Those peaches that still held the warmth of the sun, rich with fragrance, heavy, softly yielding, and sweet.
How could Veles ever bring himself to eat them? They were peaches given to him by Alan.
And if not for tonight’s accident, those peaches might well have been the only sweetness belonging to Alan that Veles could possess over the long years to come—assuming, of course, that the curse upon him remained properly restrained, in which case he would undoubtedly live for a very long time.
They would have been the last remaining keepsake between him and Alan.
Veles would rather gnaw out his own heart than swallow those peaches.
“So you really aren’t angry, are you?”
Alan stared straight at Veles.
He asked in a small voice.
For some reason, even though he had already seen that note on the mithril basket, he still wanted to hear the answer from Veles’s own lips.
“No, Mr. Alan—no, of course I’m not angry. I would never be angry with you,” Veles replied in a fluster.
“That’s good.”
Alan blinked in a daze and looked Veles over. Only after staring until Veles felt as though his heart was about to leap out of his throat did the human mage finally let out a long breath.
“I really thought I’d offended you last night—the magical labyrinth and the dragon vine. I mean, I misunderstood. I thought you were genuinely very upset.”
Alan muttered. With his tension eased, his voice grew light and soft, like freshly made cotton candy still giving off gentle warmth.
That was rather disastrous for Veles, because he realized that just hearing that voice made his throat even drier.
Even his tail began to disobey him—like one of those legendary, ferocious, powerful creatures of myth, he found himself wanting to use it to wrap Alan up completely.
His teeth began to itch as well.
“Mr. Alan, you can let go of me now.” Veles lowered his voice and pleaded.
“Huh? Oh—sorry!”
Only then did Alan realize that his arms were still entwined around Veles’s waist. His face flushed scarlet all at once, belated embarrassment making him clumsy like a doll. He hurriedly released Veles and nearly stumbled as he stepped back.
Veles’s tail darted out, quickly coiling around Alan’s waist to steady his balance.
“Thank you.”
“No need.”
Veles said it while shooting a vicious glare at his own tail, then swiftly retracted the damned thing.
The two of them fell silent for a brief moment.
Alan’s face grew even redder.
So did Veles’s.
They looked at each other, and the quiet night seemed to be tinged with something subtle and unspoken.
“It’s already very late. I’m sorry to have disturbed your sleep—I think it’s time for me to leave.”
Veles felt the hunger inside him growing ever more intense. Panic surged through him. He had a premonition that if he continued to stare at Alan like this, he might do something he would deeply regret.
He tried to make an excuse, shifting his body slightly, preparing to vanish into the shadows.
But before he could, his sleeve was gently grasped.
Alan lowered his head and carefully held onto Veles’s sleeve.
“Mr. Veles!”
He called out.
“Don’t go.”
Veles froze immediately.
“Mr. Alan…”
“Can you tell me what’s going on? I know you’re not angry with me, but I can feel that you’re avoiding me.” The country mage fixed his gaze on Veles, clearly not deceived by any pretense. “It makes me a little sad.” Alan bit his lip and spoke softly.
But upon hearing that last sentence, Veles’s face drained of all color.
He didn’t understand why such a calm, simple statement could sting him so sharply.
“I’m not avoiding you… I just—”
Veles hesitated for a long moment before murmuring, but his words soon faded at his lips.
He could deceive Alan about having eaten those sweet peaches, but he couldn’t continue his pale lies in front of someone whose expression was so steady.
Those jet-black eyes were so clear that Veles could even see his own reflection within them.
It was as if his very soul was being drawn into those eyes.
“I just… shouldn’t continue being with you.” Veles hoarsely spoke the cruel truth.
“I’m dangerous, Mr. Alan. Anyone living in the light should never come near someone like me, a being that defiles nature.”
“Mr. Veles?”
“I’m cursed.”
Veles forced himself to meet Alan’s gaze, even though with every word he spoke, he felt his heart crack a little more.
“Everyone knows that the founder of the Kingdom of Alfield, Victor the Dragon Slayer, was my ancestor. But do you know what truly drove Victor to kill the immortal silver dragon, Ognigen…”
The former dragon slayer Victor and the silver dragon Ognigen had once been the closest of friends.
Just as the bards sang, the handsome and clever young prince of an ancient kingdom, after his land had fallen and his family destroyed, met a silver-haired youth of immense power and long life. They became the most harmonious of partners—traveling the continent, slaying monsters, claiming treasures, and amassing strength…
However, the young Prince Victor overlooked the warnings of the old legends regarding dragons.
He believed that the tales of dragons’ evil and greed were mere exaggerations. After all, his friend Ognigen was gentle and kind. In the end, he fell hopelessly, irresistibly in love with that fearsome creature with silver scales.
His love for Ognigen burned so fiercely that it consumed all reason within him.
Without hesitation, he accepted the magical alterations that Ognigen imposed upon him. They not only defied the will of the gods and the laws of nature, but they also bound themselves together in ways unnatural. Victor even fathered a child with Ognigen.
A hybrid, part human and part dragon.
For this, he endured endless pain and despair. The gods, his friends, and even his own people abandoned him, unable to bear such an unthinkable union.
Yet he still embraced it willingly.
Until Ognigen, too, was moved by this “love,” and on a night of intimate closeness, lifted the enchantment that had twisted Victor’s mind. Yes, from the very beginning, Victor’s love for Ognigen had been born from the dragon’s manipulation.
Dragons are forever greedy. When they desire love, they will not hesitate—even if it means utterly warping another’s life and soul.
“…And then Victor finally woke up. He regained his sanity at last, and in a frenzy of revulsion and hatred, he killed Ognigen, the one who had deceived him.”
Veles’s voice became calm and numb, as though he were recounting someone else’s story as he continued,
“At the same time, he cursed the monster he had conceived from his union with the dragon with his own life. By then, the child had already grown up and had his own bloodline.”
Veles bared his teeth, revealing rows of fine, sharp fangs.
“From that day on, every few centuries a child with dragon blood would be born into the Alfield royal line. Each and every one of them inherited the most vicious curse left by Victor the Dragon Slayer—no matter how human they appeared at birth, one day they would inevitably grow scales, teeth, and claws, and become a monster through and through.”
“Mr. Alan, that is why I must keep my distance from you. One day, I too will lose my reason and turn into a wretched demonic dragon that knows only slaughter and consumption.”
“I will hurt you.”
**TN
🎄✨ Merry Christmas, guys! Wishing you a magical Christmas filled with joy, laughter, and all the warmth of the season! ❄💫
