“..... I, no, I'm not sleepy…”

She looked down, “It’s been a while since I slept at night anyway, I sometimes forget what it feels like.” 

“Is that so? Well then, I know you spent your night always working, but how about a night stroll?” 

As he spoke, he walked down from Engawa, the wooden veranda. and he slowly morphed into a creature that was awfully familiar to Lisbeth the night before.

The horn on his head scaled and turned into a crowned shape, nails sharpened to form a talon. His eyes were lit in green and yellow color, resembling a gemstone called Peridot.

His wings were spread evenly to the wide fields of the garden. A gust of wind was blown, the golden strands of her hair followed suit. 

Lisbeth then follows and she steps closer to his snout, gently caressing the part that was visibly filled with scars, similar to his human counterpart. She noticed one of his legs was also replaced with a wooden prosthetic.

Out of habit, Shin nudged Lisbeth by her head out of affection. But he then finally let out his voice, echoing through her ears.

“Apologies, It felt comfortable.” His tails moved, seeing the man before her became slightly childish, she just snickered and continued caressing him.

“Well, aside from that… Are you sure you’re going to fly like this? I thought your kind rather kept itself discreet, despite the public secret?” She asked.

“The place we are going to is secluded, mostly private properties with no people living there, I can assure you.” He nudged her so she would hop on his back, despite not saying it directly, Lisbeth understood and board the dragon.

“.... Then what happened that night?” She looked to her side, but Shin didn’t reply to her remarks, either from not listening nor ignoring her on purpose.

Without any sign, his wings began to wave at a rapid speed and the surroundings were blown away by the wind. Lucky for them, it was just the pebbles and giant tree that was hit. It just registered to her that the garden was also built as his landing zone, hence the widespread area.

Lisbeth gripped onto the Dragon with zero hesitation, his horns were the only thing she could use as a handle and Shin didn’t feel anything at all. Her heart rate increases and as they ascend higher and higher, she decided it would be smarter if she didn't look down.

But as they flew further, there was a telepathy received inside her mind. Like a telephone call to the ear.

“Are you okay up there? We're getting close to our destination.” The voice echoed, it was Shin’s own voice. “You can reply, just focus on the hairpin I gave you and channel your reply there.”

As per his instructions and the adrenaline rush, she tries to concentrate on his voice. “I… I’m okay! It’s scary, but okay!” she replied, hoping it would reach through him.

“Very good, now keep steady and talk to me like this.” The Dragon replied back, and she just nodded rapidly despite Shin unable to see. She tries to pick a topic on her mind that was hopefully distracting enough from the flight, then a light flashed through her mind.

“Hey, so… I’ve been curious, sorry if it’s rude, but what happened to your arm?” She asked, still focusing.

The Dragon took a moment to reply, his movement slowed down as to lower their heights from the sky. He mouthed a grunt, but not because he was angry, but rather trying to find the right word to explain.

“I… lost it during a challenge I did with a fellow dragon.” He smiles, but a somber expression was explicitly visible to no one. “The challenge was for… Something important, but I didn't invest myself enough in it, so they thought I didn't deserve to work with my own hands, and that’s where I am now.” He said, feeling nostalgic.

Lisbeth, who was listening intently, looked to the sky and pondered. “I’m… Sorry that it happened to you.”

“Ah, don’t be. If they call it a shame, I call it a lesson.” He said, proudly. “If I didn't lose this arm, perhaps I won't be where I am now.”

Lisbeth was amazed by his wisdom. Despite being unable to see, she lowered her body to resemble an embrace by his large neck. His eyes widened, surprised by the gesture from the lady above him.

Without any other word, they continued, three minutes elapsed with her eyes closed and they finally arrived at an abandoned clocktower, it was placed on a cliff that was actually familiar to Lisbeth.

“I present to you” He landed on a flat, dry ground with no grass to touch. “My hiding spot.”

She opened her eyes to a familiar scene, the entire city was visible and the towering building of Lectorus Academy, along with the broad Palace of Alicestaria, the monarch who governed this land, was the highlight of this view.

“.... Oh wow, i ....” She slowly descends from his back and walked just safe enough to see the view for her eyes. There were many lights that shone from the building, even her eyes reflected those lights and she unintentionally smiled at the view.

“I missed this, I used to go on a picnic with Gale and Vincent, the three of us…” her face warmed, “Gale would use his vehicle to ride us there, Vincent wouldn’t stop nagging at how he drives… It's as if I had two big brothers for myself.”

She turned around, “Well just like with my father, we didn’t have time to bond much, but I know Gale is protective at times. I wonder how he would feel if he knew what I was up to…” She giggles.

Shin, who had morphed himself to his human form, walks up to be by her side and just replies, “If you want to test that, then best prepare for the upcoming Entrance Exam.” He looked to her side.

The moment he mentioned that, her mind felt heavy again.

“Everything has been burned under the bridge, you have no choice but to do so.” He took a leaf and a flimsy branch, randomly woven something while he spoke, “But it won’t be any harder, I'm sure you can pass the test with flying colours.” 

“..... I appreciate the confidence you have in me.” She said, with her face turning pale, “I’m only good at Alchemy, Study of Flora and Fauna… And maybe a little bit of combat prowess. I used my fist most of the time.” 

“Have you ever taken any adventuring license?" He asked, his hands were still busy.

Lisbeth shook her head, “Not that my father approved of it when I was young, but I think he changed his mind a bit after… I was busy never being at home.” 

“So not in school, never gotten both of your alchemist and adventuring license… So you ended up working in a tavern that was owned by your aunt. I have to admit, you are both resilient and lucky.” He finished twiddling his hand.

“Is that a compliment or…” She narrows her eyes.

“Take everything into positivity, my dear.” He crowned her with his finished wreath of leaves, woven in branches. “If you do so, people will start to see you in a positive light as well, luck may not always be on your side if you don’t do that.” 

She then touched the wreath on her head and sighed, “You know, from start to finish, despite not being in a class right now… You never stopped teaching, did you?” She smiled wryly. 

“Good, you caught on.” He nodded. “Well, not on purpose, I guess it’s just in my nature, but did it help you along the way?”

“I can’t tell.” She looked away, hiding the embarrassment from her face.

“........ But, I'll make sure to reply properly, in a few years.” She replied, but this time, not looking at him. The implications of her answer was enough to make Shin beamed with joy.

“I’ll wait for however long it takes then.” He replied, staring into the same scenery as she does.

And with that, their night to dusk ended as the moon was looming over the sky of greys and blues, soon the violet followed. And they both make their way back to the mansion, where Lisbeth surely tries to learn her way into her new second home.