Chapter 102: What the hell…?

The old man smiled.

"You’re back."

Noir stood completely still.

For a few seconds, neither of them said a word. The young dragon watched the man, trying to find some sign that would explain his words.

...But he found none.

The old man continued to smile calmly, leaning on his wooden cane, as if he had just run into an old acquaintance in the middle of the street.

Noir tilted his head.

"Do we know each other?"

The man didn’t answer right away. His eyes slowly scanned Noir’s body. First his black wings; then his claws; the scales covering his body; and finally his red eyes.

Surprise flashed briefly across his face.

"So it’s you."

Noir narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn’t answer my question."

The old man let out a small chuckle.

"You still ask too many questions."

Noir opened his eyes wide.

"You still do?"

Arlene, who was standing a few steps away, also stared at the man. Her expression had changed since he approached. She no longer seemed merely curious. Something about the way that old man spoke made her uncomfortable.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

The old man slowly turned his head toward her.

"No."

Arlene frowned.

"Then..."

"But... it’s been a long time since I saw you, my friend. How have you been?"

Noir frowned even more because that old man was speaking to her so familiarly. Did he have some vision of the future? Where are she and the old man friends? Or is he just too old and mistaking her for a magical creature?

"What do you mean, ’a long time’?"

The old man nodded.

"A long time."

Noir looked at Arlene.

Then he looked back at the man.

"Do you really know me?"

The older man’s smile slowly faded.

"Yes."

He said it so naturally that Noir felt something inside him tense up.

Arlene also seemed surprised.

"Have you ever seen anyone like him?"

The old man watched her for a few seconds.

"I’ve seen many things."

"That’s not what I asked."

The old man let out a small chuckle.

"Then yes."

Noir took a step toward him.

"When?"

"That was a long time ago."

"How long?"

The old man looked up at the sky.

"Longer than I should remember."

Noir remained silent; he didn’t like that answer. It was too much like Aster’s answers.

"Why did you say you’d come back?"

The old man looked down again.

"Because I thought I’d never see him again."

"Who?"

The man slowly pointed at Noir with his cane.

"You."

Noir stood completely still.

"But I’ve never been here."

The old man smiled.

"That’s what you say."

Noir frowned.

"I’m pretty sure."

Arlene stepped forward.

"Excuse me, but I think there’s a misunderstanding."

The old man looked at her.

"It’s possible."

"Then why are you so sure he’s been here before?"

"Because some things never change."

Noir sighed.

"That doesn’t explain anything either."

"I know."

The dragon closed his eyes for a moment.

’Great.’

He had expected that entering a city would mean finding information about the world, learning new things, and perhaps discovering something interesting. He hadn’t expected to run into an older man who claimed to know him even though Noir had never been there.

And the worst part was that the man didn’t seem confused. He seemed completely certain.

Noir opened his eyes.

"I want an explanation."

The old man smiled.

"Then you’ll have to come with me."

Arlene immediately stepped forward.

"No."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn’t talking to you."

"That’s exactly why."

Noir looked at Arlene.

"What?"

"You’re not going anywhere with a stranger who shows up out of nowhere and claims to know you."

"But I want to know what’s going on."

"I know."

"So..."

"And that’s exactly why you’re not going alone."

Noir fell silent.

The demon princess appeared beside them and gently tugged at Arlene’s clothes.

"Who is he?"

Arlene looked down.

"I don’t know."

The girl stared at the older man for a few seconds.

"He’s old."

The old man burst out laughing.

"That’s true."

Noir looked at the girl.

"Was that necessary?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he’s old."

Noir fell deep in thought.

"Good point."

Arlene pressed a hand to her forehead.

"You two are impossible."

The old man kept smiling.

Noir raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know they’re my companions?"

The man pointed at the carriage.

"They’re traveling with you."

Noir stared at him.

"That doesn’t mean they’re my companions."

Arlene crossed her arms.

"No?"

"No."

The demon princess looked at him.

"Then what are we?"

Noir opened his mouth. He fell silent, looking at Arlene, then at Uki, who was still resting near the fountain, and finally at the little princess.

"...I’m not sure. All I know is that you belong to me."

The girl puffed out her cheeks.

"We’re friends!"

Noir looked away.

"That sounds too sentimental."

Arlene smiled.

"But it’s true."

Noir sighed.

"All right."

The old man watched the scene with an amused expression.

"It’s definitely you."

Noir looked back at him.

"What does that mean?"

"That you’re still the same."

Noir fell silent. For some reason, those words gave him a strange feeling. It was more like hearing a description of someone he didn’t know, but who, strangely enough, fit him perfectly.

"I want to know what’s going on."

The old man nodded.

"Then come."

Arlene opened her mouth to protest, but Noir raised a claw.

"Relax."

The woman looked at him in disbelief.

"Relax?"

"Yes."

"Noir, this man just said he knows you, even though you don’t know him."

"I know."

"And yet you still want to follow him."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Noir pointed to the city around them.

"Because we’re in a city where houses are upside down, fountains make water rise, and the residents act as if everything were completely normal."

He paused.

"At this point, an old man who claims to know me is probably the least strange thing that’s happened today."

Arlene opened her mouth.

"...I hate to admit it, but you’re right."

Noir smiled.

"I knew it."

The old man began walking slowly across the square.

Noir followed him.

Arlene walked behind them alongside the demon princess. Uki looked up as she saw the group walking away, then stood to follow them.

"Where are we going?" Noir asked.

"Somewhere we can talk."

"That sounds suspicious."

"It is."

Noir blinked.

"At least you’re honest."

The old man kept walking.

They crossed the square and turned onto a narrower street. Unlike the main avenue, there were fewer people here. The houses were still strange, but some looked much older.

Noir looked at each one. Some had slanted walls. Others seemed built around huge blocks of stone. One had a tree growing straight out of the roof, while another seemed partially buried in the ground.

"Is the whole city like this?"

"For the most part."

"Why?"

"Because Veyra is Veyra."

Noir frowned.

"I’m starting to hate that answer."

The old man laughed.

"You’ll get used to it."

"I don’t want to get used to it."

"You said that last time, too."

Noir stopped.

"What?"

The old man kept walking.

Noir sped up to catch up.

"What did you mean by that?"

The man didn’t answer.

"When was I here?"

Silence. The old man didn’t answer.

"Who are you mistaking me for? How do you know me?"

The old man finally stopped. He turned his head and looked directly into Noir’s eyes.

"I don’t know you."

Noir frowned.

"Then why are you talking as if you do?"

"Because you’re the first."

"The first what?"

"The first friend I’ve reunited with after so long, so don’t worry: when we get there, I’ll tell you."

Noir felt a slight chill.

"What are you talking about?"

The old man smiled.

"That depends on how much you want to know."

Noir stared at him.

"I want to know everything."

"Then you’ll need patience."

Noir sighed.

"Everyone tells me that."

The old man continued on his way.

Finally, they came to a small building that looked completely normal.

For the first time since they’d entered Veyra, Noir saw a building that wasn’t upside down, tilted, floating, or attached to a tree. She stared at it for a few seconds.

"What a letdown."

Arlene burst out laughing.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The old man opened the door.

"Come in."

Noir stood still. He looked inside, then at the older man.

"Is it safe?"

"Probably."

Noir narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn’t reassure me either."

Arlene sighed.

"I’m coming with you."

Noir nodded.

The demon princess tried to go in first, but Arlene held her back.

"You’re staying with me."

"But I want to see!"

"Later."

The girl pouted slightly.

Uki sat down by the door.

Noir went inside with Arlene.

The interior was much simpler than she’d expected. Several bookshelves were filled with books, rolled-up maps, and antique objects. Drawings and paintings of places Noir didn’t recognize hung on the walls.

But then he saw something.

He stopped. On one wall was a huge painting.

It depicted a city very different from the Veyra they had just passed through. The houses were smaller, and the streets looked normal.

And hovering over the city... there was a dragon.

Noir approached slowly. It was black. It had enormous outstretched wings and red eyes.

Arlene looked at it, too.

"Is that you?"

Noir slowly shook his head.

"No."

He moved a little closer.

The painting was old. The lines were worn, and some of the colors had faded over time. But he couldn’t ignore something. The dragon in the painting had the same eyes as he did—red.

"What the hell...?"