Chapter 103

"...Yes. I'd like to ride Kazen."

"Understood. I'll go prepare him right away."

My answer came a beat late, but it seemed the Duke really did have business with me. His eyes wavered slightly, but otherwise he seemed no different from before I'd drawn the line between us, which gave me a small measure of relief.

"I'll bring the dragon steeds."

I led out two of the dragon steeds that were always kept in the pen for getting around the estate. The steeds took turns carrying people day by day, so no single one of them ever did all the work.

Oh, except for the leader. That one threw off anyone it hadn't personally approved of, so there was no asking it to carry just anybody.

We rode the dragon steeds side by side toward Kazen's pen. If we'd walked, we'd have been crushed under the awkward air between us,…