Chapter 189: Cleenah’s thoughts 3

Julian looked at the pair of eyes now plainly visible before him.

They had red irises with extremely fine golden lines. The pupils were shaped like stars, making them look so unique and beautiful, especially in the glow of the garden lanterns.

But that beauty now came with a rather sorrowful state.

Both of Cleenah’s eyes were red, and tears still ran down her cheeks. Even now, the girl was still trying to control her breathing, which hadn’t fully returned to normal.

’...Her eyes are truly beautiful.’

Julian was a little awestruck.

But before he could say anything, Cleenah finally noticed that the cloth covering her eyes was no longer in place.

"Ah...!"

The girl flinched. Her hands moved by reflex to cover her eyes, but after a few moments, the movement stopped.

After all, Julian had already seen everything.

"...Lord Julian."

"Yes?"

Cleenah lowered her head slightly.

"...Do my eyes look strange?"

Julian paused for a moment.

"Strange?"

"Umm... I mean, their shape is a little different from the eyes of most Dragons. So I thought maybe you would feel uncomfortable seeing them."

Her voice was quiet, and her fingers kept moving restlessly near her face.

Julian finally understood her worry.

"No. I think your eyes are very beautiful."

"...Eh?"

Cleenah raised her head slightly.

"Beautiful...?"

"Yes."

Julian’s answer sounded so simple.

Cleenah fell silent for a few moments, then slowly touched the area beneath her eyes, which was still wet.

"...I see."

For some reason, the girl looked a little calmer.

But when she looked at Julian again, doubt rose within her.

"...Lord Julian."

"Yes?"

"Actually, these eyes aren’t ones I was born with."

Julian was a little surprised.

’...Hm?’

What did she mean?

Cleenah gripped the white cloth that had fallen earlier, then continued in a voice that was still a little hoarse.

"These are Lady Clyne’s eyes."

"...Clyne?"

"Umm. She gave them to me before she died."

’...Wait, so they’re literally her eyes?’

He had thought Cleenah was talking about an ability inherited from the previous leader. But from how the girl explained it, that didn’t seem to be what she meant.

The two eyes now on Cleenah’s face really were Clyne’s eyes.

’...Incredible.’

Julian hadn’t imagined something like that could be done.

But considering that he was in the Dragon World, perhaps he shouldn’t be too surprised.

"...They’re called the Eyes of Essence," Cleenah spoke again. "These eyes have a special ability. I can tell when someone is lying, even when they try to hide it."

"...Oh?"

Julian began to understand something.

The ability to know lies?

Wasn’t that extremely useful?

All the more so for a Clan Leader who had to deal with so many Dragons.

But when he saw Cleenah rub her eyes again, Julian remembered the condition of the girl’s body.

"...Are those eyes also the reason your body is the way it is now?"

Cleenah paused for a moment, then nodded.

"...Yes. My body doesn’t suit them very well."

Her answer sounded so simple, as if she were speaking of something ordinary.

But Julian had already seen for himself how the girl suffered when she tried to use Mana.

’...No wonder.’

Cleenah then looked again at the white cloth in her hands.

"...But I don’t regret it."

She said it in a small voice.

"After all, these eyes are something very precious from Lady Clyne."

Julian didn’t respond right away.

He didn’t know the whole relationship between Cleenah and Clyne. But after hearing Garph’s story earlier, Julian understood well enough how important that person was to the little girl before him.

So he had no intention of questioning Cleenah’s decision to keep those eyes.

"...I see."

Julian nodded.

"In that case, take good care of them."

Cleenah was taken aback.

Then, slowly, a small smile appeared on her lips.

"...Umm. Of course."

A few moments later, Julian and Cleenah were already seated on one of the garden benches.

The white cloth once again wrapped around Cleenah’s eyes, while Felicya was still sleeping comfortably in Julian’s arms.

The atmosphere between them had also improved a little.

Although Cleenah still occasionally wiped her cheeks, at the very least the girl could now speak without constantly holding back tears.

And after gathering her courage, she finally began to tell him about the matter she had been hiding.

It wasn’t about the whole plan she had made, but the real situation the Qiezhuran was facing.

It turned out that Cleenah already knew an attack would almost certainly happen during the Primordial Legacy Festival.

The timing couldn’t be determined precisely, but the attack would likely occur on one of the days of the celebration, when various Dragon Clans would be gathered in the Qiezhuran.

And what was worse, it wasn’t only the Drazhuel who were involved.

Several other Clans also intended to betray the Qiezhuran. They planned to use that opportunity to subdue the Clan that had long held a different view on the future of the Dragon race.

Cleenah had reached that conclusion from the many pieces of information and lies she had uncovered through the Eyes of Essence.

Even Julian and Lumi’s presence was now beginning to be used as an excuse to corner the Qiezhuran.

That was the explanation Cleenah gave.

And after hearing it...

’...Huh?’

Julian was truly shocked.

"...Wait a moment, Lady Cleenah."

"...Yes?"

"So you’re saying that the Dragons coming to attend the festival actually intend to attack the Qiezhuran?"

Cleenah lowered her head slightly.

"...Not all of them. But there are indeed some Clans with that intention."

"...Seriously?"

"Umm."

Julian fell silent.

’...What the hell?’

He had already known that relations between the Qiezhuran and the Drazhuel were worsening.

But knowing about a dispute was clearly different from hearing that several Clans were already preparing an attack.

What’s more, they intended to do it while the festival was taking place.

’...Aren’t they coming to celebrate something?’

Julian truly didn’t understand.

If they wanted to fight, why wait until the festival? Wouldn’t that ruin a celebration that had been prepared for so long?

But after thinking it over, Julian began to understand the reason for that choice.

When the festival took place, a great many Dragons would gather in the Qiezhuran. Under those circumstances, the side intending to attack could enter the Clan’s territory without drawing too much attention.

And what was even more troublesome, the Qiezhuran Dragons themselves had to welcome them as guests.

’...How sly.’

Julian felt irritated.

Earlier, he had even considered using the festival as a chance to search for the Breach-creating Tool.

But who would have thought that the Dragons were also using the festival for their own purposes?

’...I haven’t even done anything yet!’

Julian almost wanted to complain.

He only wanted to return to his original world.

Was that too much to ask?

But every time he began to find a little possibility of going home, another problem always appeared and made everything more complicated.

And now, he was trapped in a Clan that might be attacked in the near future.

’...Damn it.’

Julian looked again at Felicya.

The little girl was still sleeping comfortably, completely unaware that the place where they lived might soon turn into a battlefield.

Monk and Lumi were also still at Cleenah’s residence.

If the attack truly happened, Julian would naturally have to think about their safety.

The problem was that he didn’t even know how great the attacking side’s strength was.

And considering that the Drazhuel were led by Mercer Cravel, Julian had no desire to underestimate the worst-case possibility.

But he also didn’t want to find out through firsthand experience.

’...I’m still Rank-B, you know. How am I supposed to fight a Rank-SS Dragon?’

Truly, if he were much stronger, perhaps he wouldn’t have to worry so much about this kind of matter.

Unfortunately, strength couldn’t be gained just by wishing for it.

And even though Julian had several fairly powerful Skills, he still had to consider the difference in strength between himself and those Dragons.

All the more so if the enemy turned out to be very numerous.

"...Lord Julian?"

Cleenah’s voice made Julian turn his attention back.

"Yes?"

"...Am I troubling you?"

Julian paused.

Cleenah was watching him with her head tilted slightly. Both hands held her cane in her lap, and her expression looked a little worried.

"...What do you mean?"

"Umm... Because I suddenly said something like this. Perhaps you didn’t actually want to hear it."

Julian barely knew how to answer.

’...Lady, isn’t it a bit late for that?’

Of course, he hadn’t wanted to hear that an attack would happen.

But that didn’t mean he would rather know nothing until the Dragons actually began attacking.

"...No, Lady Cleenah. I’m actually grateful that you told me."

"...Really?"

"Yes. At the very least, I won’t be shocked if some Dragon suddenly tries to destroy this place."

"...Ah."

Cleenah opened her mouth slightly.

Then she lowered her head.

"...I hope something like that doesn’t truly happen."

Julian nodded.

"...Me too."

For a moment, the two of them fell silent.

Julian then thought again about the information he had just received.

Cleenah already knew an attack would happen. She even had the Eyes of Essence, which let her tell the lies of the Dragons around her.

Yet even knowing all that, she still carried out her duties as usual.

And now Julian began to understand why the girl had looked so distressed earlier.

’...No wonder she was crying.’

If he had to welcome Dragons who might attack his own Clan, while still being responsible for all the festival preparations, Julian wasn’t sure he could stay composed either.

All the more so with Cleenah’s terrible physical condition.

But there was something that still made him curious.

Cleenah had known about the threat for some time.

In that case, shouldn’t she have prepared something already?

At the very least, Julian hoped the girl wasn’t simply waiting until the attack really came.

"...Lady Cleenah."

"Yes, Lord Julian?"

"I’d like to ask you something."

"Um, sure, please go ahead."

Julian thought carefully about his words.

He actually wanted to ask so many things, but there was one matter he considered far more important than all the others.

"If you already know they’re going to attack, what will you do?"

Cleenah fell silent.

But this time, she didn’t look confused.

The girl slowly tightened her grip on her cane, then lifted her head toward Julian.

"...Actually, Lord Julian."

Her voice was gentle.

"I already have a plan."