“You…even if you really want to go, say goodbye to me first before you leave! Of course I’ve tried to send you, uh, five times, but…I’ve had a lot of affection for you!” 

Park Noah gasped for breath as she talked; she couldn’t tell whether her voice trembled because she exerted too much energy looking for him or because of the relief that the child was found okay.

The dragon flapped its wings harder and harder. Eventually, as the creature relaxed in the witch’s arms, the dragon transformed into a curly-haired boy.

“Why didn’t you answer?” Park Noah asked, looking at the child who began to sob quietly, bowing his head low.

“I didn’t hear you…”

“You didn’t hear me calling you?”

“I was sleeping…then there was a sound of someone walking around.”

“So?”

“I thought it was Uncle Kyle…” The red-eyed child mumbled faintly, fumbling his tiny fingers.

“What’s wrong with him?” Park Noah was surprised to hear what the child had just said.

“Noah… I’m scared he’ll make me leave if he sees me in a dragon form…”

“What?” At loss for words, Park Noah held the boy tightly in her arms. “Then you just have to stay this way, why did you change into a dragon?”

The child didn’t answer, looking away from Park Noah’s gaze. Suddenly, as if to answer her question, Park Noah felt the mana being drawn out from her body, which stopped in an instant. At the same moment, the child changed back into the shape of a black dragon. 

“What…” Park Noah stuttered, realizing her stupid mistake.

The baby dragon broke free from Park Noah’s embrace and slowly backed away, and hid behind the mountain of junk. He stuck his head out and looked at Park Noah with his big round red eyes. 

“Oh, come on.” She groaned softly. 

After all, it was only possible for the dragon to humanize by drawing out her mana. Therefore, as the child spent less time with Park Noah, it was harder for him to maintain the human form as he did not have enough mana. A young dragon, which was practically depending on the witch’s mana because of an incomplete imprint, to suddenly become malnourished is only natural.

Yet, the child remains distanced from Park Noah despite the urgent pleas of his body to imprint. 

Is it because he doesn’t want me to get sick?

In an instant, tears brimmed Park Noah’s eyes, her sight beginning to look blurry. She mutters in a weak voice, “Hey, what do you like about me so much? You won’t even imprint on me…”

The continent was inhabited by humans who qualified to become owners of dragons, even if not necessarily the heroine Lenia. Even Kyle Leonard alone was capable of taking full responsibility for the dragon child.

On the other hand, Park Noah was not the powerful witch every living man feared. She was merely an unfortunate soul who transmigrated into Eleonora’s body. She does not wield the same power as the original witch. Park Noah is merely not strong enough to sustain him.

The dragon flapped its wings, having seen Park Noah’s somber expression, and lowered his head. 

“….”

Park Noah stared at the dragon intensely for a long time when suddenly, the most absurd thought crossed her mind.

I can’t organize my thoughts. I know I shouldn’t decide something crucial in this state. I’m still not prepared for anything. I don’t know when I’ll die if I lose all my mana to him in the first place…

Yet the words flowed out of her mouth smoothly.

“Do you really want to live with me?”

You’re crazy, Park Noah.