6-3-5/7 (13)Chapter 6: The Land of the WindsEpisode 3: The Bonds of Royal BloodPart 5/7: The Gentle Brother, Kalan Silencium

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Scene 13: The Second Step Toward the Heart

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The present step must be taken with firm confidence.

Right now, Draco—the boy still inexperienced in matters of relationships—was stepping forward with a little more certainty. His steps, though modest, were leading him straight… to a chair at the dining table.

Since he was the last to arrive, Draco naturally had to take whichever seat was left.

There were two nearby tables.

At the first table sat Kalan, Keela, Zaria, and Kaelum on one side, while Yue, Akira, and Mirelle occupied the opposite side.

Technically, there was still one seat left at that table, but… Draco preferred to sit closer to Elina.

At the second table sat Garret, Magnus, and Gwenna on one side.

Though, frankly, the two large men alone already took up the space of three.

On the other side sat Osiris and Elina, with two empty chairs still available.

Draco slid into the seat beside Elina as naturally as he could.

Elina was still visibly upset, but she didn't object to him sitting beside her.

In truth, she even felt a faint warmth blooming in her chest…

Yet the source of her frustration was sitting at the same table—young Gwenna, the girl with strength that rivaled an elephant.

Meanwhile, a young woman stood behind them, taking orders.

Kalan deftly ordered a variety of dishes like a true regular of the place, but noticeably… there was no sign of the crispy cactus Yue had so eagerly anticipated.

Yue puffed her cheeks.

  "Aw, there's nothing crispy? Like… cactus-y?"

Zaria smiled warmly.

  "Sweets come after the main meal, little one."

Yue made a disappointed face but decided to endure it.

However, Ailin, who was taking their orders, raised an apologetic eyebrow.

  "I'm terribly sorry. We do have crispy cactus… but the frozen version has sold out.

  And right now, we're short-staffed in the kitchen, so we can't prepare it fast enough."

Mirelle immediately offered,

  "I can freeze it for you. I'm a mage, after all!"

Keela chimed in,

  "If you're short on kitchen staff, I'll lend a hand too!"

Yue raised her hand timidly.

  "Then I'll help serve food!"

Osiris stood up as well.

  "I'll help take orders. Could I have a menu, please?"

Ailin looked flustered.

  "Oh no, there's no need for that! We can't possibly let customers help!"

Kalan smiled lightly.

  "It's alright, Ailin.

  She's a master-ranked mage, you know.

  And you know my little sister well enough—you should already be familiar with how skilled Thunderwill cooking can be."

Ailin looked caught between joy and guilt.

  "I… if Lord Kalan himself says so, and they're volunteering like this, I guess I can't really refuse…"

Elina stood up.

  "Then I'll help too."

Osiris quickly held her back.

  "Please don't, sis.

  We need someone from our side to stay and converse with Lord Kalan.

  Akira, you, and Draco are all leaders of our group—you need to stay here.

  Leave the odd jobs to us younger ones."

Elina glanced around the tables.

Once again, she found herself unable to argue against Osiris's calm logic.

She quietly sat down, resigning herself to the role she needed to play.

The two tables then resumed their conversations—

The first table diving deep into matters of policy and negotiations,

while the second table happily lost themselves in lively chatter about battles and training.

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Kalan began the policy-side conversation.

  "Akira, mind if I ask something? You said you wanted to educate the locals—teach them skills to make a living. But as you can see, this land is barren. How are they supposed to make a living out here?"

Akira looked around, his gaze thoughtful. After a brief pause, he responded.

  "We don't necessarily have to focus on making a living through food, per se. What we should focus on is helping them earn an income. If they have income, they'll be able to buy food themselves. And once that happens, merchants will catch the scent of money. They'll find a way to bring food here for the locals."

Zaria fanned herself softly.

  "Such a kind intention… yet the way you put it sounded rather wicked."

Kaelum tilted his head, doubtful.

  "But how would we get them any money to begin with? This place has nothing. Just sand, cacti, strong winds, plants that barely survive the harshest climate—and starving vultures circling overhead."

Akira smiled and raised a finger.

He paused long enough that the others at Kalan's table could hardly contain their curiosity. Then he lifted his brow and said,

  "That's the thing. I don't need to come up with the answer… because you already know it."

The policy table blinked in confusion—everyone except for Zaria, who seemed to catch on.

  "You're saying… we should use what we already have to generate income? I get the concept. But how, exactly? Care to share your idea?"

Kalan furrowed his brow—not in anger, but contemplation.

  "Exactly. If Zaria, the smartest among us, can't figure out a way yet… we might really be at a loss. Do you know how long it took to recruit her? We practically begged. But once she joined, everything skyrocketed. She's the real deal. If even she's stumped… then I'm truly out of ideas."

Akira lifted an eyebrow.

  "Zaria must be quite the invaluable person. But I doubt my idea's anything impressive. Probably just a plain, ordinary one. I'm still just a regular kid, after all."

Zaria smiled warmly.

  "That's alright. Whether the idea works or not doesn't matter. In the world of research, multiple perspectives and new hypotheses often lead to extraordinary discoveries—even if they come from simple thoughts. So if you've got something to say, I'm all ears."

Encouraged, Akira began.

  "Well, first… there's the sand, right? It's super fine around here. Maybe it has unique properties—like being usable for glassmaking or something like that."

Zaria tapped her fan thoughtfully.

  "Glass from sand, hmm? I've heard that Augarest built their desert city using glass made from sand. But it takes extreme heat. And here, we only have wind and lightning magic. If we need fire, we'd have to seek help from Draken."

Akira looked upward, clearly deep in thought.

  "Maybe we should. For example, we could buy Eternal Flame Leaves and combine them with wind and lightning. Wind amplifies flame, especially when compressed—it creates high pressure and heat. And lightning… actually gives off a crazy amount of heat. The only downside is it doesn't last long, unlike fire magic."

Kaelum narrowed his eyes.

  "Wait, didn't I hear you came from a world without magic? How are you this well-versed in elemental synergy? Even we—who've trained in magic all our lives—never thought of that."

Akira offered a modest smile.

  "I'm not sure either. I guess I've just absorbed a lot of ideas from different places and stitched them together in my head."

Zaria tilted her fan toward him politely.

  "Your creativity is remarkable. Now I really want to hear more. Please—tell me everything you've got."

Akira continued, a little more animated now.

  "Well, we were talking about cactus earlier, right? If it's really that tasty, maybe we can turn it into an export product. If it's that addictive… I bet people from other places would love it too."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

It was clear: the taste was impossible to deny.

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Akira continued with his ideas.

  "As for the strong winds… well, the simplest solution would be to install wind turbines, right? They're pretty common nowadays. We could use them to generate power for ourselves—or even sell some. But even just using it locally would already be a huge help. If we want high-quality turbines, we might need support from Draft. I think Zekhtau could help."

Kalan's voice wavered slightly.

  "Uh… wasn't he one of the Guardian-level enemies you fought?"

Akira chuckled softly.

  "Well, yeah. But it felt more like a test than a real fight. Once it was over, he actually stepped forward to support us officially—and even granted us titles out of nowhere. Honestly, I still don't get it. I ended up with a rank just like that… It makes me wonder if other soldiers who've worked hard for years must be furious seeing someone like me skip ahead."

Kalan reached out and placed a hand on Akira's shoulder.

  "Don't blame yourself for that. A commander always knows the weight of his decisions—and he bears the consequences of every order given. What that means is, Lord Zekhtau must trust you deeply. As for the soldiers, I believe Zekhtau will make sure they see with their own eyes why you deserve that rank."

Akira went quiet for a moment, then spoke softly.

  "You mean… when he announced it in front of the crowd and showed the footage of our battle?"

Kalan simply smiled, saying nothing.

Akira fell silent again, so Kaelum spoke up to ease the mood.

  "What about your other ideas? You mentioned the plants… and the vultures?"

Akira gave a faint, sheepish smile. He looked down and took a breath before continuing.

  "Well, for the plants—ones that can survive in conditions this harsh—maybe they have some kind of special properties. Like… being able to find underground water. If we could cultivate and spread them, maybe they could help villagers locate water sources. Or maybe… they're some kind of valuable medicinal herbs."

He glanced at everyone listening, then added,

  "As for the vultures… if we could train them, maybe they could help us with something they're already good at—like scouting for certain targets. Or maybe even…"

The policy group continued discussing ways to support the local people, their conversation filled with sparks of possibility and the warmth of shared purpose.

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A little while earlier, just as Osiris had gone to study the menu, the atmosphere had begun to grow tense. Gwenna broke the silence with a soft, sweet voice.

  "Big brother Draco… you're so strong…"

Her ears flushed red, but she still bravely kept her eyes on Draco.

Draco, clearly flustered, acted as if one wrong move would have him digging himself deeper into trouble.

  "Uh, well, not really… Actually, Gwenna, you're the strong one. You're so small, but your body's really tough."

Gwenna beamed with a pink, apple-like blush.

  "My father trained me since I was little! But where did you train, big brother? They even taught you gravity magic, right?"

At the mention of his master, Draco's guard began to drop.

  "I'm not sure if you've heard of him… he's pretty old now."

Garret leaned forward with his elbow on the table.

  "So who's your master? Sounds like someone who made a name for himself back in the day."

Draco sat up straighter, puffing out his chest proudly.

  "My master is Seryndragon."

Gwenna tilted her head with a curious smile.

  "Dragon? There's someone actually using 'dragon' as their name? Does that mean… he's really a dragon?"

While Garret froze at the name he heard, Magnus, being the calmer of the two, stroked his beard with a faint chuckle.

  "What a nostalgic name. Heh. Gwenna, yes, he's called Dragon… and he really is a dragon."

  "Wow! So big brother Draco is a real dragon's disciple? That's amazing!"

Gwenna's eyes sparkled with admiration, while Elina glanced aside with a slightly sour expression.

Garret finally spoke up, his voice a little shaky.

  "Seryndragon… one of the Primordial Six Elements? Just hearing the name gives me goosebumps."

Draco scratched his head sheepishly.

  "Um, did Master do something? Why is everyone acting so weird when they hear his name?"

Garret made a rumbling noise in his throat.

  "Hmph. Kid, you're the disciple of someone that legendary, and you don't even know his history?"

Draco muttered awkwardly.

  "I only ever heard people say he's incredibly strong… I just wanted to spar with someone powerful to improve myself. When I realized how overwhelmingly strong he was, I begged him to take me as a student."

Garret pointed a finger dramatically.

  "That's exactly it. He's so strong that just standing there with his wings spread could make an entire army surrender without a fight. That's where the phrase 'winning without battle' comes from."

Draco's eyes widened in awe, while Elina seemed to drift off, no longer really paying attention. The conversation continued without her.

Draco hung his head, speaking in a small, sad voice.

  "But Master always said I wasn't suited for his teachings. In the end, though, he said I passed his trials and sent me off on a journey."

Magnus narrowed his eyes, thoughtfully stroking his beard faster.

  "Do you know what your master's ultimate teaching is?"

Draco shook his head.

  "Master barely taught me anything directly. He just kept giving me tasks. Whenever I succeeded, he'd give me another one. He didn't praise, criticize, or scold me."

Gwenna furrowed her brow.

  "That's so mean… It's like he didn't even try to teach you."

Draco's voice trembled with sadness.

  "Lately… I started thinking the same thing. More and more people said it, and I couldn't help but believe it. Maybe… maybe he just got tired of me."

Gwenna gently grabbed one of Draco's hands.

  "There, there… I'm sure that's not true."

Even though she comforted him, Draco still looked deeply sad. Magnus gazed out toward the horizon and spoke quietly.

  "If that's what you think… then why did that 'grumpy old master' bother accepting you as a disciple at all? Wouldn't it have been easier to chase you off… or just turn you into ashes?"

He paused deliberately. Draco turned to listen, sensing the weight behind his words. Even Elina, despite feeling stung seeing Gwenna hold Draco's hand, said nothing and began paying attention.

Magnus saw the young man listening intently and continued.

  "Think about fathers. If I, or Garret, or Kaelum, or Lord Kalan became fathers, each of us would raise our children differently, wouldn't we? But one thing would always be the same — we would all love our children, do everything for them, and never push them away. Maybe… Seryndragon's coldness is just his way of expressing that. I think he just… doesn't know how to show it."

Hearing those words, a faint sense of relief began to bud in Draco's heart. Yet somewhere deep inside, there remained a heavy anchor of doubt and sorrow.

Then Elina quietly reached out her left hand and placed it over Draco's right. Without a word, she gently pulled him to his feet, giving a small nod to ask permission. The adults at the table didn't mind — only Gwenna seemed a bit unhappy about it.

Elina led Draco to a corner by the railing.

Here, the wind howled fiercely, creating powerful updrafts that sent the mist from the waterfall spiraling up and away into the endless sky.

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Elina gently took something out from her pocket—

It was a Flying Griffon flower.

She spoke softly,

  "Did you know? This flower has a special ability."

Draco turned to her, fully attentive. Elina continued with a gentle smile,

  "It can carry away the sadness of the one holding it. And for anyone who sees it, it's said to bring good luck too.

  And this one… is for you."

Draco accepted the flower carefully.

  "I gave you one before, didn't I? And now you're giving it back to me… at a time like this? Heh."

Elina smiled warmly.

  "That's good. You're smiling again."

The moment she pointed it out, Draco froze, his face flushing deep red. He muttered so softly that the wind nearly drowned out his voice,

  "Mm."

Elina's smile brightened even more.

  "So go on… Let your sadness fly away."

Draco looked at the flower, then at Elina,

closed his eyes for a moment,

and when he opened them again, he gently blew on the Flying Griffon flower, letting it drift away on the breeze.

The two of them watched the flower float and spin into the distance,

unaware that many customers in the restaurant had quietly turned to watch too—

for this was the prime time of the evening,

when the setting sun cast its final golden rays.

The light struck the mist from the floating island's waterfall at just the right angle,

scattering into countless shimmering rainbows that shifted and danced across the sky.

It was a breathtaking sight—

but for these two, it was something even more precious:

a moment of shared memories, of smiles woven together,

with a backdrop so unique it could only exist on a floating island.

They stood together for a while,

until Elina turned back toward the restaurant and said,

  "All right, now that you've let your sadness go… it's time to go hunt for happiness."

Draco chuckled lightly,

  "Hunt for it, huh?"

Elina laughed softly,

  "Yep! Because right now… the food's being served! Come on, let's go!"

She started walking back with light steps.

Draco tilted his head slightly, smiling to himself,

then lowered his gaze briefly before looking up again with newfound joy.

  "Heh… I think I finally understand how I feel about you, Elina.

  Just you wait… One day, I'll become someone truly worthy."

With that silent promise in his heart, he stepped away from the scenic overlook,

leaving the shifting rainbow mist behind him.

And that step—

was yet another important one on his journey.

Because no matter how distant the destination may seem,

no matter how much courage it takes to take the first step,

a second step is always needed to move forward.

And only by walking—one foot after the other—

can we finally reach the place we dream of someday.

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