Unfortunately, Bachmann didn’t have any Redblood fruit.

But the caravan in Lesha’s dream had had it. Maybe the problem was that they didn’t have it yet. With tears streaking his cheeks, Bachmann swore that he would find it.

His arrogance was gone. No matter how Leah tried to reassure him, Bachmann pleaded with Ishakan not to kill him because he could keep this promise.

Tears streamed down his face.

“……”

After several failed attempts at reassurance, Leah turned back to Ishakan, who only lifted his eyebrows. He was smoking, an innocent expression on his face.

His eyes had become bright again as his true nature revealed himself. Since he was an exceptional Kurkan, the concealment spell did not work well. His nature was too wild for even a blood-crafted potion to contain.

It would have been impossible for humans or even a Kurkan to defeat so many robbers alone, and Ishakan had only been able to save the caravan because of his superior abilities

He had killed many people, and it lent cruel cast to his face, so inhuman that Bachmann was frightened.

But it could be helped. Leah decided to give up on reasoning with him for now. She would try again later, once he had calmed down.

“Dad has no mercy,” said Lesha lifting a clenched fist toward the caravan. His father’s feat had impressed him greatly. “I want to be like Dad.”

Ishakan laughed and extinguished his pipe, picking his son up.

“You wish to be like your father?”

“Yes!” Lesha said excitedly.

“In that case, you should go to sleep early.”

“…Hmm.” Lesha was disappointed, and Leah laughed at his tragic face.

As the caravan prepared to move out, they set out a simple tent for their deliverer and his family. After Lesha went to sleep, Leah went to sit with Ishakan, looking up at the stars in the night sky. The Milky Way was not so clear in the desert.

Leah looked at Ishakan. He had changed his clothes, but she could still smell the blood on him. It seemed that his feral instincts were slow to subside; she could still see his eyes glowing and carefully laid her hand on his forearm.

“Are you all right?”

Ishakan blew out a stream of smoke and then deliberately bared his fangs.

“Why? Are you scared?” He pretended to bite her. Sometimes he behaved like a child. Leah simply kissed him in response, tasting the lingering flavor of his tobacco on her lips.

“I’m just worried because the potion’s almost worn off.”

Leah lifted her hand to touch below his eyes, her fingertips tingling as his lashes brushed them. His golden eyes looked down at her.

“I like your real eyes.”

She liked everything about Ishakan, but his golden eyes were her favorite feature. His eyes were everything she loved of the desert.

“I think about it every time I see them,” she whispered, admiring.

It had been such a pity he’d had to hide them.