Chapter 364: Ten Months II

Regis nodded, relieved. He looked down at the blanket, smoothing a fold beneath his thumb.

"We should stop taking quests for a while."

"All of them?"

"All of them."

Aurelia watched him for a moment before nodding. "I’ll let the Guild know. Until when?"

"I don’t know yet."

Saying it left him waiting for another question. Aurelia simply reached for the paper she had brought and began writing.

"Do you want to gather everyone?"

"No. We can tell them when we see them." His fingers went still. "And tell Perto he doesn’t need to decide anything because we’re home now. The same goes for Morgana."

"I will."

Regis leaned back. He had expected the conversation to take longer.

"Is that all?"

"For now." Aurelia looked up from the page. "Was there something else you wanted to do?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it.

Usually, there was always something.

"...No."

"Then rest."

***

By afternoon, Regis had made his way to the study.

He stood beside the window, watching people pass along the street below. Someone was calling after a friend. Further away, a loaded cart moved slowly through the crowd, its driver waving an apology at a man forced to step aside.

Regis watched until the cart disappeared.

He remembered counting the months here, with his desk covered in reports. He had read about everyone’s progress, imagining how much stronger they would become before it was time to leave.

"Only ten months left before I turn sixteen..."

The words sounded strange in the quiet room.

He had promised Doron that he would meet Dahlia in Grandella when he turned sixteen. He still intended to enter the Grandella Admission Tournament.

Dahlia would be there.

For a moment, he tried to imagine standing before her again. They had written so much to each other over the years, yet he wondered whether he would know what to say.

’Probably something stupid...’

His lips moved slightly before his gaze drifted towards the desk. There was a letter he needed to finish.

Regis sat down and took the folded paper from his ring. He had carried it all the way from Paradis, its last lines still telling Dahlia that he intended to come to Grandella.

He read the short letter twice before picking up a pen.

"We’ve made it back to Harmonia. Everyone is resting. We won’t be accepting quests for a while."

The nib paused above the page.

He could tell her about Greg and Lea. About the journey, or how the dragon had somehow made travelling in a wagon more troublesome than walking.

Instead, he found himself writing something else.

"I thought I’d feel better as soon as we got home. I’m glad we’re here, but I still don’t really know what to do with myself."

Regis stared at that sentence for a long time. His hand moved as though to cross it out, then stopped.

Dahlia had already read plenty of his complaints. She could probably endure one more.

"I hope you’ve been well. Write when you can. I’d like to hear what you’ve been doing."

He signed it before he could spend the rest of the afternoon reconsidering what he had written.

When the ink dried, he folded the letter and set it where he would remember to send it.

There were ten months left.

For today, he would have lunch.

***

Two days later, Pandora accompanied him to the Midas storeyard.

Regis had intended to check on the dragon the day before, but his leg had begun aching halfway through breakfast. Pandora had taken one look at his attempt to stand and pushed his chair back towards the table.

This time, he accepted the carriage Aurelia arranged.

Killian was already inside the yard when they arrived, trying to straighten a fold in the bedding. The dragon had one forefoot planted on the cloth.

"Move," Killian said patiently.

Its golden eyes followed the movement of his mouth.

"Just that foot."

The dragon lowered its head onto the bedding.

"...I see."

Regis stopped near the entrance, a faint laugh escaping him. Killian looked up immediately.

"Boss. Good. Tell it to move."

"What makes you think it’ll listen to me?"

"It keeps looking at you."

Indeed, the dragon had lifted its head again. Sunlight caught the silver scales along its neck, bringing out their black sheen as it watched Regis approach.

He lowered himself carefully onto a seat beside the bedding. Pandora remained close until he had stretched his injured leg out comfortably, then turned towards Killian.

"Have you tried letting go?"

"I was trying to fix that."

"You can fix it later."

Killian looked between her and the dragon before releasing the cloth.

The creature promptly pulled its foot away.

"..."

Regis covered his mouth, but Killian had already seen him.

"I’m glad someone’s enjoying this."

"Sorry..."

"You don’t sound sorry."

"I’m trying."

Pandora’s shoulders shook as she turned aside.

Regis stayed until the warmth of the afternoon made him sleepy. The dragon watched when he spoke, occasionally shifting close enough that he had to move his uninjured foot out of its way.

When Pandora asked whether he wanted to go home, he nodded and accepted the hand she offered.

***

Over the following days, Aurelia passed their decision to the Guild and the remaining members of the Order.

There would be no new quests for the time being.

Perto thanked her quietly. Morgana slept through most of the afternoon after hearing the news. Others came downstairs to sit with whoever happened to be there, sometimes talking, sometimes leaving without saying much at all.

Regis sent his letter.

Greg and Lea continued visiting after work. On some evenings, he joined their conversations easily. On others, he found himself staring at a doorway whenever footsteps approached.

He still woke during the night.

Once, Greg stayed until morning, complaining that Regis’s chairs were designed to punish people. Regis offered him a bed the next time.

Gradually, there were days when he could walk further without Pandora watching his every step. He began asking what they were having for dinner, and whether anyone wanted to come with him to the storeyard.

Whenever the subject of another quest arose, his answer remained the same.

"Not yet."

Just like that, a few months passed.