「... Tadi itu lumayan menyeramkan ya.」
Liliana gemetar tanpa henti di dalam pelukannya.
Angin menderu di kedua telinganya. Jauh di atas sana, berayun di punggung seekor naga, angin malam yang sangat dingin menusuk kulitnya. Namun, begitu pria itu mengucapkan sebuah mantra, sebuah penghalang tak kasat mata terbentuk dan melindungi mereka dari terjangan angin.
Di bawah sana, kerlip lampu kota dan desa muncul satu per satu, sebelum akhirnya hanyut tertinggal di kejauhan.
Tadi, saat pertama kalinya ia melihat Kastel Raja Iblis—Liliana mengenalinya sebagai tempat itu—sebuah dorongan kuat melonjak di dalam dirinya, mendesak bahwa ia "harus pergi ke sana".
Ada juga pemikiran lain yang berbisik, "Ini belum waktunya." Meskipun begitu, Liliana sendiri sama sekali tidak mengerti apa arti kata-kata itu, dan ia tidak bisa duduk tenang, dihantui rasa gelisah.
Tanpa mengerti apa yang sedang terjadi, didorong oleh rasa urgensi dan kegelisahan, ia meronta... Dan sebelum ia menyadarinya, ia mendapati dirinya sudah terlempar ke udara.
Di tengah amukan angin malam yang dingin, ia melayang di udara, hanya dihubungkan oleh seutas tali penyelamat.
(— Gawat.)
Jika ia tidak pergi ke kamar mandi sebelum keberangkatan, ia mungkin sudah mengompol sekarang. Liliana memang seekor anjing, tetapi ia juga anjing yang cerdas, jadi ia tidak pernah membuat kekacauan seperti mengompol di celananya sampai sekarang.
... Mungkin juga tidak akan pernah di masa depan.
「Gong~g...」
Ketika ia bersandar pada pria itu, mencari kehangatan, pria itu dengan lembut mengelus kepalanya.
(— Begitu hangat.)
Ia merasa begitu tenang sekarang.
Ia merasa bahwa berada di sisi pria ini adalah tempat terbaik baginya...
Ia merasakan hal itu.
Namun, ada secarik rasa bersalah yang menusuk di dadanya.
Ia tidak mengerti mengapa atau apa alasan di balik rasa bersalah yang menusuk itu.
Ia menatap pemandangan malam sejenak saat mereka terbang di langit malam.
Saat Liliana, yang merasa sangat nyaman, mulai tertidur pulas, ia perlahan-lahan menyadari bahwa ketinggian mereka mulai menurun.
Ketika ia membuka matanya yang mengantuk, ia melihat sebuah bangunan batu kecil yang diterangi cahaya bulan, bertengger di atas tebing curam.
「Jadi itu Benteng Aurora...」
Setelah turun dari naga, pria itu mendongak menatap menara tersebut dengan ekspresi agak kesal.
「Bentuk aslinya sama sekali tidak tersisa. Alih-alih menyebutnya renovasi... ini praktis pembangunan ulang total.」
Ia bergumam 【Concreta (Kutukan Manipulasi Batu)】 sambil mengetuk dinding benteng dengan ekspresi kecewa di wajahnya. Bagi Liliana, bangunan itu tampak sangat kokoh secara fisik maupun sihir, tetapi apa yang sekiranya tidak ia sukai dari tempat ini?
Mungkin desain suram dan hambar itulah yang mengganggunya. Liliana juga tidak terlalu menyukai desain seperti itu.
(— Aku lebih suka kayu dan hutan daripada batu.)
Pada saat itu—sebuah hutan megah yang dipenuhi pohon-pohon menjulang tinggi. Sebuah kota kayu yang ramah dan penuh nostalgia dibangun di antara pucuk-pucuk pohon. Sinar matahari hangat yang menyaring melalui dedaunan pohon, suara musik yang bergema, tawa para roh, dan angin sepoi-sepoi yang membawa aroma bunga—pemandangan itu melintas di benak Liliana.
(Ah...)
Akan tetapi, ia tidak tahu persis apa itu. Liliana kan hanya seekor anjing.
「Yah, jika dibandingkan antara benteng manusia yang hampir runtuh dengan benteng demon yang hampir baru... kurasa yang baru jauh lebih baik. Lagipula aku adalah seorang pangeran demon.」
Sementara Liliana melamun, Jilbagias melepaskan tawa mencemooh diri sendiri dan menyentuh pintu kasar yang terbuat dari tulang.
Menggunakan sihir, pintu tulang itu terbuka dengan sendirinya.
「Pintu ini punya mekanisme yang menarik.」
Dan kemudian, ia bisa merasakan kehadiran naga yang perkasa di belakang mereka melemah secara drastis.
「Ya, demon apa pun bisa membuka gerbang ini dengan mudah, dan secara fisik, tempat ini cukup tangguh sehingga buas atau makhluk serupa tidak bisa masuk.」
Ia berbalik untuk menjawab, namun dengan cepat mengalihkan pandangannya karena malu. Wujud manusia Lyla berpendar samar dalam kegelapan malam, nyaris tanpa sehelai benang pun, hanya mengenakan sesuatu yang mirip sabuk kulit melintang di dadanya untuk menutupi bagian itu.
(— Lyla... Sayang.)
Liliana sekarang sudah sering mengenakan pakaian, tetapi Lyla sering melepas pakaiannya saat berada di luar, yang justru memberikan rasa persahabatan tersendiri bagi Liliana.
Meskipun tubuh Lyla dibalut bulu yang nyaman, ia tidak bisa menahan diri untuk bertanya-tanya apakah Lyla tidak merasa kedinginan saat hanya mengenakan sabuk kulit itu. Liliana memiringkan kepalanya kebingungan, namun seperti yang diduga, Lyla langsung bersin setelahnya.
「Ups, kau bisa masuk angin jika berpakaian seperti itu dalam wujud manusia.」
Secara insting, pria itu meraih jubahnya, namun kemudian menambahkan, "Bukankah lebih baik kau tetap dalam wujud nagamu untuk saat ini?"
「Tentu saja. Mungkin aku harus membawakan pakaian ganti lain kali...」
Lyla mengendus malu-malu, namun kemudian wujudnya berguncang.
Saat berikutnya, kehadirannya membesar, dan ia berubah menjadi naga perak yang indah lagi.
「Aku akan melihat-lihat ke dalam sebentar, tunggulah di sini.」
「Baiklah, aku akan memantau area sekitar kalau begitu.」
Lyla berbicara dengan suara yang terdengar sedikit lebih mirip logam dari biasanya, mengepakkan sayapnya, lalu terbang membubung ke langit.
(— Cantik sekali.)
Liliana sangat suka melihat sisik perak Lyla di langit malam. Dan sejak ia ikut terbang ke langit, ia semakin menyukai Lyla dibanding sebelumnya.
「Mari kita lihat ke dalam, Liliana.」
「Gong!」
Liliana dengan ceria mengikuti ketika Jilbagias memanggilnya.
Begitu mereka memasuki benteng, mereka mendapati diri mereka berada di aula yang luas. Lantai batu yang mulus dan rata membentang di depan. Di kedua sisi, terdapat dua pintu, dan lebih jauh ke dalam, sebuah tangga mengarah ke lantai atas.
「Sekitar 30 langkah di kedua arah. Langit-langitnya juga cukup tinggi, jadi Lyla seharusnya bisa masuk bahkan dalam wujud naganya.」
Ia mengamati dengan cermat, tampak terkesan, namun tetap menjaga kewaspadaannya.
「... Liliana, bisakah kau menggunakan mantra cahaya penyucian? Jika ada sihir atau kutukan jahat—atau apa pun yang terasa tidak menyenangkan—aku ingin kau melenyapkannya.」
Liliana berkata,
「… That was pretty scary」
Liliana was trembling nonstop in his arms.
The wind howled in her ears. High above, swaying on the back of a dragon, the biting cold night wind bit into her skin. But as soon as he cast a spell, an invisible barrier formed, protecting them from the wind.
Below, the lights of towns and villages appeared one by one, only to drift away into the distance behind us.
Earlier, the moment she laid eyes on the Demon King’s Castle――Liliana recognized it as such―― A strong impulse surged within her, urging her that she "must go".
There was also another thought that said, "It isn't the right time.". However, Liliana herself had no idea what those words meant, and she couldn’t sit still, unable to stay calm.
Without understanding what was happening, driven by a sense of urgency and restlessness, she struggled… And before she knew it, she found herself thrown into the air.
Amidst the howling cold wind, she was suspended in the air, tethered by a single lifeline.
（―― Oh no.）
If she hadn't gone to the bathroom before departure, she might have ended up leaking right now. Liliana was a dog, but she was also a smart dog, so she’s never made a mess like leaking on her pants until now.
… Neither would she in the future, maybe.
「Woo~f…」
When she leaned onto him, seeking affection, he gently stroked her head.
（――So warm.）
She felt so reassured right now.
She felt that his side was the best place for her…
She felt that way.
However, she felt a pang of guilt in her chest.
She didn’t understand why or what the reason for that pang of guilt was.
She gazed at the night view for a while as they flew in the night sky.
As Liliana, completely at ease, started to doze off, she gradually noticed that the altitude was dropping.
When she opened her sleepy eyes, she saw a small stone building illuminated by moonlight, perched on a steep cliff.
「So that's Aurora fortress…」
After dismounting from the dragon, he looked up at the tower with a somewhat exasperated expression.
「It doesn’t retain its original form at all. Rather than calling it a renovation… it’s practically a complete rebuild.」
He muttered 【Concreta(Stone Manipulation Curse)】 while tapping the wall of the fortress with a disappointed look on his face. To Liliana, the building seemed incredibly sturdy both physically and magically, but what could he possibly dislike about it? ŖÅΝo͍βƐṦ
Perhaps it was the eerie, bland design that bothered him. Liliana, too, wasn't particularly fond of such design.
（―― I prefer wood and forest over stone.）
At that moment―― a majestic forest filled with towering trees. A gentle, nostalgic wooden town built among the treetops. The warm sunlight filtering through the foliage of the trees, the sound of music echoing, the laughter of spirits, and the breeze carrying the scent of flowers―― Scenery flashed in Liliana's mind.
（Ah…）
However, she didn't know what it was exactly. Liliana was a dog after all.
「Well, if it's a crumbling human fortress versus a nearly brand-new demon fortress… I guess the new one is better. I'm a demon prince after all.」
While Liliana spaced out, Jilbagias let out a self-deprecating laugh and touched the rough door made of bones.
Using magic, the door of bones opened up on its own.
「This door has such an interesting mechanism.」
And then, she could feel the mighty presence of the dragon behind them weakened a lot.
「Yeah, any demon can open the gate easily, and physically, it’s tough enough that beasts or similar creatures can’t get in.」
He turned around to answer, but then quickly averted his gaze in embarrassment. The humanized form of Lyla glowed faintly in the darkness of the night, almost in her birthday suit, with what looked like a leather belt wrapped around her chest to keep it in place.
（――Lyla… Love.）
Liliana often wears clothes nowadays, but Lyla often takes off her clothes when outside, which gives her a sense of camaraderie.
However, even though she was wrapped in cozy fur, she couldn’t help but wonder if Lyla wasn’t feeling cold when she was only wearing those leather belts. Liliana cocked her head in confusion, but as expected, Lyla sneezed right after.
「Woops, you're going to catch a cold if you're dressed like that in your human form.」
He instinctively reached for his cloak, but then added, “Wouldn’t it be better to stay in your dragon form for the time being?”
「Sure enough. Maybe I should bring a change of clothes next time…」
Lyla sniffled bashfully, but then her figure swayed.
The next moment, her presence swelled up, and she turned into a beautiful silver dragon again.
「I'll take a quick look inside, wait here for a bit.」
「Okay, I'll scout the area in the meantime.」
Lyla spoke in a voice a bit more metallic-sounding than usual, spread her wings and took off into the sky.
（――So pretty.）
Liliana loves to see when Lyla's silver scales in the night sky. And ever since she had taken to the skies, she liked Lyla even more than before.
「Let's take a look inside, Liliana.」
「Woof!」
Liliana cheerfully followed along when Jilbagias was beckoning to her.
As soon as they entered the fortress, they found themselves in a spacious hall. The seamless, flat rock floor stretched ahead. On either side, there were two doors, and further in, a staircase led to the upper floor.
「About 30 paces in both directions. The ceiling is pretty high as well, so Lyla should be able to fit in even in her dragon form.」
He observed carefully, seemingly impressed, yet still maintained his vigilance.
「…Liliana, can you use the light of purification spell? If there's any evil magic or curses— Or anything that seems to be unpleasant- I want you to dispel it.」
「Woof!」
"Leave it to me." That was what Liliana said, then she gathered her energy, mumbling "Mmm…" along the way.
「WOOF!」
She released the "warmth" swirling within her. A wave of light spread across the floor and walls of the fortress, gently washing over them.
「Woof?」
There was no reaction to speak of, and Liliana cocked her head slightly in confusion.
「There's nothing strange hidden in this fortress, eh. Thank you Liliana.」
Liliana puffed her chest proudly when she was patted on the head.
「Ma~n. You really are soft and squishy, Liliana.」
On top of that, her cheeks were squished and pinched, causing Liliana to reveal a huge grin on her face. However, she suddenly noticed that he had also started paying attention to her long, pointed ears, which were twitching slightly.
His fingers, still touching her cheek, smoothly slid over to gently stroke her ear.
「Wo~of」
A sweet, tingling sensation similar to a tickle ran through her, and she ended up making a strange sound, almost like a dog, despite not being one.
「Woah… M-My bad.」
Both of them stared at each other in surprise, but he quickly ruffled her hair playfully, to cover up the awkwardness.
「Woof! Wooof!」
Liliana playfully nuzzled and licked his hand. liliana is a dog after all..
「Let's check the other room.」
「Woof!」
She opened the doors on either side of the hall. Like the main entrance, they were made of bone, and it seemed that the demons could easily open them.
「Defending against demons is the real issue… Well, this is the study. Fortunately, they're prepared bookshelves too.」
A part of the wall was sunk in, making it usable as a cupboard or desk.
「What's this bone plate? ,,, Ah, Basement room!」
And then, in one corner of the room, there was a part of the floor made of bone. When he used magic to change its shape, a staircase appeared.
「Woof.」
Liliana blew lightly as she cast a light spell. A glowing orb floated forward, illuminating the basement.
「Thanks Liliana.」
「Woof.」
Even demons, surely, can’t see anything in total darkness— The basement was more spacious than expected and built just as solidly as the outer walls of the fortress.
「This basement wasn’t here from the very beginning, was it? Was it added during the renovation? No, maybe they pulled the materials for the outer wall from this space and turned it into a basement at the same time.」
He muttered to himself as he ran his hand along the wall.
「Look like I can use this basement for various purposes.」
After confirming its sturdiness, he left the basement and headed to the room on the opposite side.
「Ooh, they prepared a water well as well.」
This room was more spacious than the study, but the presence of things like a hearth and a water well made it feel a bit cramped. It seemed to double as a kitchen.
「It’s a good thing we can secure drinking water from this water well. There’s only so much we can ask Lyla to carry after all.」
He then drew water from the water well and took a sip to wet his throat. Liliana had also taken a sip, and she liked it so much. The water was-cold and refreshing, but it felt clearer and tastier than the water they usually drank at the Demon King’s castle.
Finally, he decided to climb the stairs at the back. It seemed to lead to a watchtower.
「Woof?」
Upon arriving at the top of the watch tower, he held Liliana in his arms, looking at the scenery outside of the window.
The scenery of a desolate mountain range bathed under the moonlight stretched out before them.
It seems there were no human settlements nearby, as there wasn't a single artificial light in sight.
「…Apparently, this is originally a mountain castle built to monitor the border of an ancient human kingdom.」
He whispered in Liliana's ears as if it was a mere after thought.
「Apparently, there used to be a small village at the bottom of the cliff… But it was already gone at this point.」
The land was ill-suited for farming, and the mountainous terrain made it a real struggle to traverse normally by foot.
「…Someday, I want to help you to escape. To the alliance's territories.」
「…」
Liliana didn't say anything.
She had no idea what he was talking about. Liliana is a dog after all.
Instead, she licked his face.
He was smiling lightly and caressed Liliana's hair.
「Liliana」
Despite hearing him calling out for her, Liliana just buried her face on his chest.
（I don't want… To leave Alex behind.）
She felt that way.
However, no words came out from her mouth.
「Woo~f…」
Since Liliana was a dog, all she could do was whine woefully.
===
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The tamer who "ABUSED" his tamed monster.
Similar to Chirem
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