24 years ago.
Dylan's mother, the 7th concubine, was from the Shan Kingdom.
The 7th concubine was almost the last devout believer in Ehyrit.
The Shan Kingdom did not believe in Ehyrit. This was all the more so because God died and even the sacred power of the priests who followed him ran out.
In such a culture, the 7th concubine believed in Ehyrit since she was a princess.
'The last saint of the Shan.'
Some people called the 7th concubines that way.
Because she has a kind and benevolent personality and cannot hate others. Even if she suffered something unfair, she had to blame herself.
After losing the war against the Blade Empire, she became the 7th concubine of Emperor Dietrich.
What she went through after becoming the concubine of the imperial emperor was disastrous.
'If there is a God, you can't do this to me.'
So the 7th concubine finally erased all of her past and abandoned God.
By three months after she arrived at the empire, she conceived Dylan.
There was a culture called conception dream in the Shan kingdom, and the 7th concubine also dreamed of Dylan's conception dream.
'The temple of Ehyrit?'
The temple was spread out in the dream.
It was a temple of Ehyrit with a white marble floor and pale pink pillars.
The 7th concubine, who had broken her devotion, walked through the temple with a strange face.
It was a vast and endless temple.
After walking for a long time, she could already see a fountain in the middle of the temple. Amid the pouring rainbow of water, Ehyrit's statue glistened in the sunlight.
"…?"
A white lion approached the 7th concubine, who looked at the fountain as if possessed.
The white lion, also called the symbol of Ehyrit, had a black hawk in its mouth.
When the 7th concubine tilted her head, the white lion put the hawk under her feet.
The hawk was dead.
"…Who is it?"
The white lion was very large.
But she wasn't afraid. For some reason, she had a feeling that it wouldn't do any harm.
The white lion rubbed its face on the cheek of the 7th concubine, as if acting cute.
The ticklish sensation was soft and she felt strange.
The lion stared at the 7th concubine with a devoted and blind gaze.
"Is it a gift?"
The 7th concubine hesitated and reached out to the dead hawk on the floor.
However, when the 7th concubine's hand reached it, the hawk revived and flapped its wings. What happened next was a bit shocking.
The hawk pecked the white lion's heart to death.
The 7th concubine, waking up from her dream, placed her hands on her stomach in the dark.
The child grew up to the point where the fetus could be felt, and her stomach was as full as Namsan Mountain.
The 7th concubine was scared.
She couldn't understand what the dream was, but she thought she knew it. However, she was absent-minded because there was no sense of reality.
"I don't hate you even if you're an unwanted child."
The 7th concubine whispered, looking down at her belly.
"But, child, who are you?"
Strangely, it felt like the child in her stomach understood what she was saying.
Because the child kicks her stomach in response.
The 7th concubine had a strong sense of responsibility and basically had a high level of trust in people.
The level of intensity of liking people was also stronger than that of ordinary people. So even if it was a child created by Dietrich, the 7th concubine loved it.
Three months later, the 7th concubine gave birth and she named him 'Dylan'.
Dylan grew up well. And the 7th concubine soon realized.
'This child is no ordinary person.'
He was outstanding.
Whatever it was, once he saw it, he memorized it all and did everything well.
The 7th concubine finally realized the meaning of the conception dream.
Even if it wasn't perfect, she vaguely knew it. That Dylan possessed something of Ehyrit.
The white lion is the symbol animal of Ehyrit.
And the hawk, the animal symbolizing Ehyrit's enemy.
In ancient myths, Ehyrit were said to have enemies and die when others found out. As it is a myth expressed so vaguely, the interpretation differs from scholar to scholar.
'If Dylan reveals his presence and stands out to something, he will die.'
So, the 7th concubine hid Dylan's presence until the end.
Dylan just won't be threatened by people. It was because she thought that if he caught sight of something beyond the human level, it would be very dangerous.
***
And now.
"My mother told me about her conception dream and said that I should never live noticeably."
It's probably because he's a real piece of Ehyrit.
Dylan added and said.
"…How old were you when you heard that?"
"When I was 5 years old."
He has been extraordinary since childhood. Anyway, even if the 7th concubine did not tell him, he had a rough guess. The 7th concubine, which had been watching Dylan, told the whole story.
That's when he found out. Why he's different from others. What he is.
"But that's not what matters."
Dylan stopped.
Charlize was quiet. Because she was still in the lingering mood of the conversation.
After eating, Charlize parted with Dylan for a while and took a quick shower. Now they were talking and walking outside together.
Charlize's feelings are very dry now. Although she might have turned a little sentimental in front of the story of the 7th concubine she had not heard in a long time.
'You must not be swayed by your emotions.'
If you leave yourself to emotions. If you lose your temper.
She felt like she couldn't suppress the murderous intent toward the real piece, the essence of the evil spirit.
Charlize was silent for a moment. It was because of the 7th concubine who thought that if Dylan caught sight of a being who had surpassed the realm of human beings, he might die.
'That's why she wrote a will like that before the return.'
The contents of the will changed when Charlize took over as Dylan's Master.
'But the 7th concubine was right in the end.'
The biggest threat for Dylan is Charlize Ronan. Because the evil god Kiera was right.
"Did it hurt a lot?"
"…"
Charlize raised her head. Dylan was asking.
"Did you suffer a lot?"
Even if the white drawing paper was dyed black and turned blackened, Dylan's essence reached Charlize.
"How was it when you were Kiera?"
Charlize sighed and asked back.
"How did you know about the future?"
"I knew because of Kahu."
She knew that.
Did she have to kill Kahu to silence him?
'No, the debt should have been paid back.'
Dylan asked, as if reading Charlize's mind.
"Are you in debt to the young duke or something? For example, after Kiera was born, only Kahu went to find Master."
"That's right."
He noticed that Charlize was Kiera, so it wouldn't be difficult to guess a few things about the past.
"So, is the real piece of Ehyrit destined to be killed by Kiera? So did you leave?"
Charlize nodded her head in affirmation calmly.
And she was prepared.
She predicted situations in which Dylan was angry with a sense of betrayal or said she should have taken him.
She abandons her partner because she loves him. Is there any more cruel excuse than that?
However, Dylan slowly held hands with Charlize, who turned her head.
Charlize looked at Dylan.
"…"
And she was speechless.
Because the emperor laughed over the transparent tears.
"I'm happy."
Charlize was surprised by the unexpected reaction.
'Why are you crying?'
"Thank you. I'm just glad you've been protecting me."
Dylan said affectionately and sweetly, putting strength in his hand as if he were tying Charlize. She said the words he wanted to hear the most, so that she would never be able to resist.
Charlize finally realized.
'He's serious.'
The pain of becoming a sword.
She thought no one would ever understand. She didn't think anyone would understand. The secret that she always hugged alone.
Even if she wanted to tell them, she didn't even know where to start and how to explain it.
Because it was clear that anyone would think it was absurd to hear it.
But Dylan looked like that all the time. Something she never expected. Being sympathetic. Even though Charlize left Dylan behind. That's so embarrassing.
"Ah."
For a moment, she wondered if Dylan felt like this at the funeral in the past.
Like Dylan who lost the 7th concubine. Charlize also lost the Grand Duchess when she was very young. She could sympathize with the pain of losing his mother, and she comforted him by being by his side.
At that time, Dylan.
As he looked at Charlize who was guarding the funeral home, did he feel the pain in his chest like this?
A gentle warm breeze blew. An unusually bitter winter was over and a new season was coming. Early spring.
'Now I know for sure.'
Dylan thought, looking at the silent Charlize.
'Master is strong against the strong and weak against the weak.'
Until now, Charlize would not have thought that Dylan was weak.
Clumsy and weak pretending doesn't work.
So Dylan smiled thoroughly at the risk of everything. With sad eyes.
"I'm happy that you exist."
His tear-soaked cheeks glistened white.
Dylan was a genius. It's easy to smile beautifully while shedding tears.
He also knows that if he brings up the story of the 7th concubine, he can soften Charlize.
Any memories of the past could be used as long as he could get Charlize's tender attention.
Dylan turned his head to Charlize.
And he waited for a while, making eye contact in the air.
"…"
Charlize was half shaken and half confused.
Dylan drew Charlize's attention and lowered his head deeper.
Even though the two lips were close, they had not yet touched. If Charlize dodged, she could dodge any distance and time.
However, after a few seconds, their lips met and they kissed, and Charlize couldn't avoid it.
'It's hot.'
To the point where it's embarrassing.
Charlize hesitated for a long time because she could not find an appropriate expression of emotion.
The kiss was very soft. It was very stimulating.
Why are you doing this?
Isn't this the usual kiss?
'It's strange, it feels good.'
It was good when Charlize took the lead first, but this feeling was a little more strangely good.
'No matter how genius he is, he doesn't have to be so good at kissing.'
It's someone else's lips. It's someone else's hand. Why to this extent?
Their lips parted for a moment. Dylan exhales slowly, stifling, with their foreheads pressed against each other. His breath tickled the tip of her nose.
Charlize swallowed involuntarily.
'This feeling.'
Wouldn't it be most appropriate to call it deep emotion?
'Deep emotion.'
How many times has she received that in her life?
However, she couldn't figure out how to describe the sensation of being so heavy on her chest other than being moved. It was just thrilling. The word to describe this feeling.
"Charlize."
"Yes."
"Can I kiss you deeper?"
"…Yes."
Dylan asked for permission and kissed Charlize again.
This time is deeper and more explicit.
It was like a kiss reminiscent of the night.
Dylan hugged Charlize by the waist.
Charlize was falling to the gentle Dylan, but Dylan's gaze was thorough where Charlize couldn't see him.
"Smile."
"Focus on me."
Charlize was in Dylan's arms.
Dylan lifted Charlize's chin and began to kiss her more violently.
The tyrant's hand snuggled.