His Breeding Obsession

Grecan was at a loss for words, pouting, angry, sad, and all sorts of other emotions, but Mirania’s nonchalance, which she deflected like a shield of steel, finally shut him up.

 

Mirania thought it would be better to be quiet now.

 

About ten minutes later.

 “Are you angry?” “…” “Are you angry, or upset, or mad?” 

He was teasing her by now.

 

Mirania kept one ear closed and one ear open, paying attention to Grecan, but in the end, the words she wanted didn’t come out.

 

It made her furious.

 “You never say you’re sorry.” “I’m sorry.” “Not for me, for them.” “…I’m not sorry.” 

Dumbfounded, Mirania looked back at him.

 

Grecan, his ears drooping like a wolf cub, caught her gaze and smiled approvingly. 

 

‘Now was not the time to laugh.’

 

Mirania’s cold stare made him stop smiling.

 “I’m sorry, to them, too.” 

He spits it out with a grudging expression.

 

Mirania stared at him hard, wondering what the hell she was supposed to do. He apologized, but she could see it was forced. There was no way he meant it.

 

‘But how could she force remorse on someone who wasn’t sorry?’

 

That’s not how the heart works.

 “This is so frustrating. How could a hundred years change you like this?” 

Frowning, she glanced over at Grecan. When their eyes met, he smirked.

 “Mirania can fix that.” “…” “ I did it when Mirania wasn’t around, so now Mirania fixes it.” “What a lame and impudent thing to say.” “…” “Because of what went through your head.” “I was hurt.” 

Grecan’s eyes widened, and he blurted out.

 “What?” “I’ve been in pain.” “…” “When Mirania wasn’t around, I was so sick.” 

Mirania was speechless, staring into Grecan’s smiling face.

 

A smile was slowly forming on his face, as if he was enjoying having this conversation with her, no matter how much she hurt him.

 “That’s amazing. What’s so great?” 

To the subject who did such a thing.

 

It was an accusatory question, not a genuinely curious one.

 “Uh, yeah. I like Mirania.” 

The classic response.

 “I’m back.” “Yeah. Mira…” “Stop.” 

Grecan’s mouth clenches, but he’s still smiling.

 

Anything goes.

 “I still need Mirania.” “…” “No, I should be with Mirania, thank heavens. I’m glad I didn’t die then. For holding, it together, even when I wanted to die so badly.” 

She wondered, a little, what Grecan’s hundred years had been like.

 

Everyone she’d ever met’s centuries had been rough, so why not Grecan’s?

 

Milania swallowed a sigh.

 

‘I don’t see why I should feel responsible.’

 

No matter how difficult Grecan had been, what he had done was unforgivable.

 

Mirania turned her head away. They had reached the end of the forest path on the first continent, and the inky blue sea had come into view.

 

Across this blue and beautiful sea, the second continent would still be in ruins.

 

A desolate place, a shadow of its former self, with only a few stately buildings left standing from Grecan’s wrath.

 

The once-free humans are treated like slaves, wasting away day after day with no motivation to live.

 

‘The punishment for the sins of their ancestors is too harsh.’

 “Mirania.” “…” “Mirania?” 

Mirania ignored the repeated call, the thought of the second continent making her nervous again, and Grecan’s reluctance.

 

Realizing it was a different ignoring than before, Grecan fidgeted again.

 

Mirania’s golden eyes, fixed on the sea, were distant and impassive, as if she had no interest in him at all.

 

Grecan’s emotions flooded through him again.

 

The surrounding air grew thick with a mixture of joy, anger, and fear.

 Swoosh— 

Mirania glanced to the side. The black eyes of the horse carrying Grecan were fluttering frantically, unlike Grecan’s pure black eyes.

 

Mirania’s brow furrowed slightly, sensing the horse’s fear.

 “Stop it.” “…” “Your horse is afraid.” 

A white, slender hand fell gently on the horse’s head.

 

The touch was soothing, and the horse’s trembling calmed with the ferocity of the beast.

 

Grecan’s mouth gaped open. He grabbed Mirania’s hand in his big, thick grip and lifted it above his head.

 “What are you doing?” “Me too.” “…” “I’m scared too, so pet me.” 

Mirania let out a laugh that sounded like a leaky wind.

 “Is there something about you that frightens everyone?” 

Again, sarcasm, but the other person was only half serious.

 “Yes. I’m scared. What if Mirania does something like this again? I’m scared, I want to kill them all, it makes me sad, and angry, and I don’t know what to do. It’s been so hard to hold it together for the few days that Mirania’s been gone, and then I feel so glad that I’m with you, and I forget that I’m angry, and I feel like I shouldn’t be, and I shouldn’t let you leave my side again…” “…” “I don’t know what to do. It scares me to think about it.” 

It was a long list, but the point was the same.

 

‘My absence is what frightens him.’

 

Mirania could only stare at him wordlessly, wondering if she had wasted her time, for he spoke more smoothly than before, but once again sounded awkwardly like the old Grecan.

 

He held up his hand in front of Mirania’s eyes, sadness shining in his dark eyes.

 “Look, I’m shaking because I’m scared.” 

Mirania was about to laugh and say,

‘You’re acting like a child,’

but when she saw how sweetly his hand was trembling, she shut up.

 

Sighing, she turned and walked forward, Grecan leading his calm horse to Mirania’s side.

 

Their horses came within inches of colliding.

 “…Tell me the truth.” “I’ll tell you anything.” “From what I’ve heard around here, Grecan, you’ve changed a lot from what I remember, so how could you not have realized I was leaving?” 

A nagging doubt, a doubt that had been nagging at me all along, growing in size and intensity.

 

She escaped the palace unharmed and made it to the mainland, where she was reunited with those she knew.

 

It seemed impossible, considering Grecan’s persistence, especially with her powers diminished.

 

At the very least, the happenings in the magic workshop should have reached his ears.

 

Still, Grecan made no move until she had finished her business on the First Continent.

 

Just in case…

 

Like, just maybe.

 

‘Considerate?’ 

 

If so, Grecan’s heart would not be completely lost.

 

If anything, it would make her feel better, Mirania muttered inwardly.

 “How long have you known?” 

Mirania’s tone was so sincere that Grecan answered obediently.

 “Since the beginning. I saw Mirania climb the walls of the palace. I thought she was a stray cat. She was good at it, but she was weak.” 

Mirania’s heart sank as she realized she couldn’t get out the front door.

 “I pretended not to notice so she could escape.” 

Grecan’s impatience grew.

 “…I told you it was disgusting.  “…” “I didn’t like being called that, I really didn’t, so I pretended not to notice.” “…” “Mirania wanted to do it, she said she needed to finish her work, and I know that meant going to see those little buggers, and I hated it, but…” “What do you mean, the buggers?” 

‘Was that a reference to Chera and Leverianz and Malandor?’

 

Grecan shrugged at her quizzical look.

 “…Of course, what you really want is death, but you can’t have that. You can call me disgusting a hundred times, but you can’t. There’s no way, and there shouldn’t be.” “…” “But everything else is fine, isn’t it? I’ve made sure they’re all living well.” “They’re living well?” “…They’re alive.” 

Grecan muttered disgruntled.

 

Mirania’s expression turned grave, and he reached out and took her finger.

 

With a snap, she swatted his hand away.

 “…Ouch.” “You’ve been following me so well.” “Mirania wouldn’t like it if I showed up in the middle, and I couldn’t stand it, and I almost jumped out of my mind when Malandor knocked you out, so I had a hard time holding it together, and also… I was curious about Mirania’s reaction. What does she value right now, I wanted to know.” “…” 

As if that was enough of an answer, Grecan’s dark eyes glowed.

 

A wolf would have wagged its tail vigorously.

 

Mirania didn’t want to praise Grecan, but she felt goosebumps rise.

 

‘What am I going to do with that?’

 

The young wolf had grown from an innocent pup to a vicious wolf pup. It was the next thing she realized.

 

Suddenly, Mirania was riding the same horse as Grecan.

 

A heavyweight jolted her head back, and she blinked innocently at him as if to ask what was happening.

 “Get back on your horse.” “Well, it’s hard, my horse is afraid of me.” 

Shifting my gaze to the side, the horse away from Grecan was whinnying excitedly.

 

It’s uncomfortable to be so close. But it’s not like he’d listen to her, so Mirania shrugs it off and turns her head back to the ground.

 

The saddle rattled with every movement of the horse.