Reincarnated as a Dragon and Raised by a Demon

The train had come to a stop, but the actions of the other travelers seemed calm.

Looking outside, people were getting on and off at a small station.

“Why did you take out the sword?”

“I thought we might be attacked.”

“They say we’ll stop here for about an hour.”

“I see.”

The train conductor, who had been operating the train for three nights, would also be replaced here.

This was a station where the conductor and crew changed shifts.

At that moment, a security guard blocked the entrance to the car we were in as someone tried to come in.

However, after a brief conversation, the guards quickly let the person in.

“Hello.”

He approached Aila, ignoring the others.

“Ugh.”

Aila’s expression twisted seriously for the first time.

“It’s been a while, Miss.”

“Yeah.”

He naturally sat on Aila’s bed, wearing a kind smile.

“How have you been lately?”

“Just, you know.”

Aila responded quickly and tersely to his question.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

“Do I have to?”

“You’re still cold. You used to be so….”

“Sh, shush!”

It was apparent that the usually composed Aila was flustered.

He took off his hat and stood up, bowing politely to us in greeting.

“I’ll formally introduce myself. I am Daniel, who served the Carlos family.”

Even after Daniel finished introducing himself, a cold silence lingered.

“It seems I’m not very welcome.”

“Exactly. Now go back.”

“Hah. A few years ago, you were so adorable. And now you’ve become so cold. Just like my daughter.”

“But you only have two sons.”

“Hahaha. I forget things as I get older. In that case, make yourself comfortable. My seat is in the next car, so feel free to call for me whenever you need.”

Though he claimed to be getting older, he seemed to have just entered middle age.

After Daniel politely greeted us, he moved to the adjacent car.

Aila chatted briefly with the guards at the door before returning to her bed.

“Haah….”

Sighing, Aila opened a book she always carried around, but it seemed she couldn’t concentrate much.

Before long, the train began moving again toward its destination, the capital.

“Was he a member of that man’s family?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Aila cut off any further questions, unwilling to discuss the topic.

To our eyes, he appeared very courteous and gentlemanly.

“Your face is all red; are you unwell?”

“No, I’m just hot.”

Even when the meal was served, Aila barely ate.

While continuing to look out the window, Aila glanced at me for a moment.

“Ririan, could you do me a favor?”

“What kind of favor?”

“Don’t open this, and please hand it to Daniel in the back car.”

What Aila handed me was a book she usually carried a few copies of.

As I instinctively reached to open it, she stopped me.

“I told you, don’t open it.”

“Oh, I unconsciously did it.”

With the book in hand, I headed to the back car, and the guards opened the door for me.

The rear car of the first-class section was spacious and comfortably arranged, with seats set one on each side.

Having already seen his face once, it wasn’t difficult to find Daniel.

“Um, Aila asked me to give this to you.”

“The Miss?”

Daniel took the book and quietly stared at the cover.

“Do you have some relationship with the Miss?”

“I’m just receiving help from her.”

“Help?”

I briefly explained how I had gotten to know Aila.

“Hmm. I see.”

As I tried to return to my car, Daniel stopped me for a moment.

“Do you have a moment to talk?”

“Talking is fine.”

Daniel unfolded a folding seat next to the regular seat and invited me to sit.

As I settled down, Daniel opened the book and started reading.

He asked to talk but then sat there reading—what a situation.

“I worked for the Carlos family for about 15 years.”

The past tense indicated that he no longer worked there.

“May I ask why you quit?”

“I couldn’t respond to the Miss’s feelings.”

I felt instinctively that it was a personal story I shouldn’t know.

“Is it alright to say such things?”

“It’s an old story.”

Daniel closed the book and gently closed his eyes.

“Ten years ago, the Miss confessed her feelings to me.”

This was about Aila, who is currently 17, when she was just 7 years old.

I thought it was something a young child might say to a grown man they liked.

“I politely declined.”

“Because it was the words of a child?”

“It’s a bit different. I made an irresponsible promise that I would accept her when she grew up.”

Earlier, Aila had mentioned to Daniel that he had two sons.

Since Aila was not married, it seemed he had not fulfilled that promise.

“I got married five years ago, right after the Miss enrolled in military school.”

Daniel took out a pendant from his pocket and showed me a photo.

It was a picture taken with his family.

“Your wife is a half-elf.”

“Yes. That’s why the Miss is still angry with me. She wonders why I didn’t choose her.”

“That’s a sad story.”

It was probably his first love.

Though it was a long-ago memory, I had experienced something similar. Of course, in my case, I liked someone without any interaction with the person.

“The Miss only learned of my marriage after graduating from school. She left home afterwards. I naturally quit my job since I had no one to serve.”

After that, Daniel returned the book to me.

“You can take it. And please tell the Miss I am sorry.”

I nodded and took the book, standing up.

When I returned to the first-class section, I handed the book back to Aila.

“Why did you bring this back?”

“I don’t know. And he said to tell you he’s sorry.”

“I see.”

Aila’s response was a bit weak.

The two of them didn’t write anything in the book.

It seemed they communicated through something only they knew.

“Oh, and I’m sorry. I heard a bit of a story from Daniel.”

“That’s why I sent you.”

Leaving behind only those cryptic words, Aila covered herself with the blanket up to her head.

I couldn’t return to my seat and was caught by Jema.

“What did you talk about?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can share this carelessly.”

Jema had a very curious expression, but it wasn’t something I could speak about in public here.

It was a sensitive topic about someone else’s feelings.

“I can’t help it. But can you tell me a bit later, just the two of us?”

Jema looked around before lowering her voice to whisper in my ear.

I only nodded slightly without answering.

In the middle of the night, I woke up from sleep. Everyone was asleep, but there was one person who was awake.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“I just got up.”

Aila was leaning against the window with the blanket still covering her, gazing at the sky.

“You heard everything, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“When I was young, I wanted to grow up quickly. But I still haven’t become an adult. I think I can somewhat understand Nive’s feelings.”

The Demon King, frozen in the guise of a child.

“Actually, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I knew the news, but we never met.”

He must not have been able to meet her.

“Then maybe even now?”

“No, not anymore.”

Aila lifted the book, using it as her answer.

I couldn’t discern the meaning, but I guessed that the return of that book must hold significant importance.

“Ririan, could you come here for a moment?”

I walked over to the front of Aila’s bed.

Swoosh.

She gently pulled me into her bed.

“Will you stay quietly just for today?”

“….”

I closed my eyes, thinking about how to change my demeanor when I saw Jema’s face in the morning.

Ding ding~

I woke up to the sound of bells.

“We will arrive at the station shortly.”

A young man, who appeared to be a subordinate of the conductor, came to the first-class section.

The excuses I had thought of the night before became irrelevant.

This was because I had woken up in my bed.

Looking at Aila’s bed, it was neatly arranged and empty.

A sense of unease washed over me—could it be that she left without saying a word?

I didn’t see the guards at the door.

I got up from my seat and moved to the adjacent car.

It seemed people had gotten off at the station we passed, as there were empty seats scattered about.

Aila was sitting in the seat where Daniel had been, gazing out the window.

“What? You’re awake?”

“Why are you here…?”

“I thought it would be the last time, so I just came to say goodbye.”

Aila stood up, took my hand, and led me back to our car.

“By the way, this is your first time in the capital, right?”

“Yes.”

I had never even known the name of Roran’s capital until now.

When I asked why, Aila said she couldn’t tell me.

“Those affiliated with the Imperial Court shouldn’t mention it.”

“Why is that?”

“You’ll know the reason when we arrive.”

As the speed of the train significantly slowed, I could leisurely gaze at the scenery outside.

The ambiance of both urban and natural landscapes reminded me of the olive tree village.

“That’s not a city; it’s the slums.”

As I marveled at the scenery, Dahlia reminded me of the reality beside me.

I thought it had its own charm, but upon hearing it was a slum, my interest instantly waned.

“There’s no need to tell me such things.”

“It’s better to know in advance.”

The train gradually began to increase its speed again, and an announcement came through.

“Passengers, please make sure you are seated.”

Following the conductor’s announcement, Dahlia and Aila also sat in their seats instead of on the bed.

As I settled into my seat, a metal seatbelt secured me at the waist.

As the train’s speed increased, the surrounding scenery blurred, moving past too quickly to see properly.

It was as if we were flying.

The train left the ground and was traveling through the air.

Like a ride at an amusement park, the train twisted and turned in strange directions.

As it slowed down, the next announcement came through.

“The train is about to enter the station.”

We had arrived at Roran’s capital.

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