Help! I'm in Another World and the Dragon Man Want Me To Get Pregnant!
Chapter 144: Side Story: Morin in the Republic of Mara (Part 8)

Chapter 144: Side Story: Morin in the Republic of Mara (Part 8)

No one was stopping him.

No one had yelled at him.

But he didn’t know what to do.

He knew he couldn’t stay like this.

If he did... he wouldn’t be able to move forward.

Not ever.

After days of thinking and hesitating, Morin finally made a move on the third day, in the early afternoon.

Slipping out of his room, he made his way to a room on the fourth floor.

The person who answered the door looked at him with half-lidded, sleepy eyes—lavender tinged with pink, slanted down slightly, giving them a languid, sultry look.

He smiled slyly.

"Well, you’ve got more courage than I thought."

"I came because I need a favor," Morin said, voice firm despite the nervous knot in his stomach.

"Oh? Why don’t you come in first?"

That gaze—those tempting eyes—still frightened him.

He was weak; he knew he could be swallowed up by them too easily.

But today... he had come knowing that.

Surprisingly, the room was quite clean.

Tidy, cozy, and inviting.

A long, cream-colored rug softened the floor, and matching cream-toned sofas sat elegantly in the center.

The atmosphere was open and warm.

"Want something to drink?" the man asked.

"No, thank you," Morin replied, voice tight with tension.

Noel approached, clearly amused, a teasing smile dancing on his lips.

"So... what’s the favor?"

"...Please sleep with me," Morin said quietly.

He knew Noel wouldn’t be surprised.

The moment Morin showed up at his door, Noel had probably sensed why he was there.

"What’s the reason?" Noel asked.

"Eh?"

"Mind telling me why?"

"...There’s someone I loved," Morin said, words spilling out like loose beads.

"I’ve had feelings for him for over a hundred years. But when I met him, he already had a wife and children... Still, I couldn’t stop how I felt. It’s not against the rules to have multiple partners. I thought maybe I could still be of use, so I confessed. But... he turned me down."

"Of course he did," Noel said flatly.

Morin looked up, startled by the tone.

Noel’s gaze—though seductive as ever—felt cold.

It hurt.

It scared him.

Don’t look at me like that, he thought.

"So now you want to forget the pain with sex? Think you’ll bury your sadness in lust?" Noel asked coolly.

"I thought maybe... holding on to some illusion of purity is what’s keeping me from moving forward. If I threw away my chastity, maybe something would break free."

"Hmm..."

Noel stared at him, like peering straight into his soul.

But unlike before, Morin didn’t feel that dangerous pull to give in.

Suddenly, Noel laughed and turned toward the kitchen.

He poured a drink and set it down in front of Morin.

"Even when throwing something away, where you throw it matters, kid."

"...Where I throw it away?"

"You’re not meant to throw it away on me, are you?"

His playful eyes sparkled mischievously.

Morin sipped the drink and thought.

The first face that came to mind was Malvis’s.

But he quickly pushed it away.

Malvis rejected me, he reminded himself.

They hadn’t even seen each other since.

Malvis hadn’t reached out, hadn’t come looking.

"It’s fine to sulk or be reckless," Noel said, "but you do realize—he’s kind of scary. I wouldn’t be able to take responsibility for you if he came after me."

"Malvis’s not scary," Morin murmured. "He’s always kind."

"That’s only because it’s you. Trust me, he’s scary."

No, he’s not, Morin wanted to say.

But the truth was, he didn’t know Malvis all that well.

Before he realized it, the glass was empty.

He’d said a lot.

That alone had helped calm him down.

"You’re so cute," Noel said with a sigh, "so why do you always fall into these painful kinds of love?"

Morin gave a sad smile. "Because I’m jealous," he said softly.

"Hm?"

"I’m jealous of being loved."

Once he started, the words poured out—too many to stop.

It was like something had broken open inside him.

"My mother adored my father. My father loved my mother. Kaelion and Vaelrik—my older brothers—they both have someone they love. Seraphina and Nyx—my sisters—they have things they’re passionate about. I love them all. I love them so much. But I’m never anyone’s number one. People love me, but no one ever puts me first."

Just one person... That’s all he wanted.

Don’t say it’s too much.

Don’t say he’s too clingy.

Just—please—don’t leave him behind.

If he could be useful, then let him stay by someone’s side...

Tears flowed uncontrollably, as if he had forgotten how to stop them.

"I’m useless," Morin said, voice trembling. "I haven’t done anything useful for the country. They can’t trust me with anything."

"You’re 160 years old, right? Normally, you wouldn’t need to be working at your age," came the reply.

"But my brother Kaelion worked since Young ages! Even my sister Seraphina found something she wanted to do! I... I can’t do anything."

"You’re so self-deprecating."

Morin couldn’t deny it.

He knew he was being self-pitying.

"That’s why I get called ’burden’..."

"That’s true..."

"I hate this! If no one cares about me, then who cares what happens to me?"

"Are you throwing a tantrum?"

"Noel... please, hold me."

"No thanks. I’m not going to make an enemy of Malvis. Besides, his mother was my old partner. You think I, of all people, would pick a fight with Qi Yu?" Noel’s tone was light, but his words were firm.

"...I don’t think you would."

"Good. At least you understand. You’re an idiot, but you get it."

Noel chuckled, as if to tease him, before handing him the same drink as before.

The faintly sweet, watery drink was delicious.

"So, what about Malvis?" Noel asked.

"...I don’t know. I don’t hate him. He’s been kind, but... he rejected me. He turned his back on me... and now, I think I’ve stopped liking him."

The tears threatened to come again.

His emotions had been swinging up and down for a while now.