My Tamed Beast Returned with a Dragon

Author: Asternkm

Belquior recalled the ingredients and recipe he’d prepared, then began to work.
He sifted soft flour and almond powder, then mixed softened butter with sugar, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt.

Once everything was well blended, he used magic to let the dough rest. After it had risen, he rolled it out, placed it in a mold, and put it into the preheated oven at 180 degrees. While it baked, Belquior began making banana ice cream.

He whisked together sugar, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla bean for the base, then added bananas and blended it all smoothly.

“It’s ready. Eat.”

“It’s so pretty… and it smells amazing. It’s almost too nice to eat.”

Even as she said that, Eunsae didn’t stop moving her spoon. The banana ice cream was sweet and fragrant, and the pie Belquior took out of the oven was buttery and rich, its sweetness melting in her mouth.

Her spirits had completely lifted now—she smiled brightly the whole time she ate dessert.

“Ah, that was so good. I’ll do the dishes!”

“It’s fine.”

Belquior spoke firmly and snapped his fingers. In an instant, all the empty plates on the table disappeared, perfectly clean.

Eunsae’s hands froze midair, her enthusiasm fading like a raccoon who’d just been denied its chance to wash cotton candy.

She hadn’t done a single thing—she’d only eaten. That made her feel a little guilty.

“You always take such good care of me, but I don’t have anything to give back…”

“…”

Glancing at her downcast expression, Belquior gently reached out and patted her head. Eunsae’s eyes widened.

“All you need to do is eat well.”

“Oh…”

“Byeol is a picky eater.”

“Huh? Oh… right, so that’s why?”

He meant that. Of course—that’s what he was talking about.
She had, for a moment, thought he was worried about her.

Realizing her own silly assumption, Eun-sae’s face turned bright red. She ducked her head, embarrassed. Belquior gave her a puzzled look.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“N-no! Uh—just a second! I’ll go check if Byeol and Bomi are sleeping well!”

Eunsae chose flight over explanation. She could feel Belquior’s curious gaze on her back, but she ignored it and hurried to the children’s room.

Inside, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Dangerous.

When she had first met him, he’d been distant and quiet. But ever since he’d opened up, Belquior had been as gentle with her as he was with the children.

Does he even realize it?

What his actions might look like to someone else? What she was starting to feel because of them?

Probably not.

Eunsae’s shoulders slumped. She felt foolish for letting her heart race over every small kindness.

What exactly are we?

She brushed Byeol and Bomi’s hair softly, just as Belquior had done for her.

“We eat together, sleep under the same roof, take care of the kids together, talk when something’s wrong…”

A sudden thought struck her. Right. That’s what this relationship was.

Clenching her fists, she whispered her resolve.

“Family shouldn’t be like this!”

If Belquior had heard her, he would’ve been speechless. Family? How does that make any sense?
But Eunsae had no idea what he truly thought.

“I just have to get my feelings under control.”

It wouldn’t be right to start something when the other person had no such intentions—especially when they weren’t even the same species.

To someone like Belquior, humans were fleeting beings, brief moments in an endless life.

“Belquior-nim is just… too kind.”

The children’s soft breathing calmed her gloomy thoughts. The room was so warm and peaceful that Eunsae’s eyes slowly closed.

When Belquior quietly entered the room a little later, he found her fast asleep beside the children.

“Sleep well.”

He pulled the blanket up over her shoulders and stood there for a long moment, watching silently.

****

“Is this… Korea?”

The question came out in Chinese, tinged with a regional accent. A man and a woman with striking looks glanced around the airport.

Though they looked like ordinary tourists, they were actually Wang Hoyeon and Yang Xue, agents sent by Guildmaster Yu Gilseon of the Qinghua Guild.

Wang Hoyeon, wearing sunglasses, grabbed Yang Xue by the arm just as she was wandering toward a local specialty shop. Her cute face twisted in irritation.

“What are you doing? We’ve got plenty of time—let me look around.”

“Do you think we came here for fun?”

“We just have to do our job, right? We can spend the rest of the time however we want.”

“You’re awfully relaxed for someone on a major mission…”

Wang Hoyeon licked his dry lips. Seeing his nervous face, Yang Xue clicked her tongue.

“You coward. With you and me here, how could we possibly fail? Stop being so uptight.”

She flicked his forehead—hard. The spot she hit instantly turned red.

“Ow! Yang Xue!”

“Heh, didn’t crack your skull, did it?”

“That’s it. I’m confiscating your room key. Sleep outside on a cardboard box.”

“Are you crazy? This lady only sleeps in a royal suite, got it? Hey!”

Ignoring her protests, Wang Hoyeon pulled his suitcase and left the airport. Yang Xue hurried after him.

Once they’d checked into their hotel and dropped off their luggage, they stepped outside. The Seoul sky was dull gray, and the streets were choked with cars, the air thick and unpleasant.

Even though the world’s energy source had shifted to mana stones after the Dungeons appeared, this much hadn’t changed.

“There’s not much difference between here and China,” Wang Hoyeon muttered.

“True. But there are some interesting things here.”

Yang Xue grinned, eyes sparkling with curiosity. That mischievous look made Wang Hoyeon uneasy.

“Let’s look around a bit?”

“This is preliminary reconnaissance. Got it?”

He tried to remind her that they weren’t here for sightseeing—they were on a mission.

“Right, right. Reconnaissance.”

But Yang Xue clearly didn’t take it seriously. Her long braid swayed as she eagerly darted around, looking at everything.

Wang Hoyeon trudged behind her, exhausted.

“Oh! That looks delicious!”

“You just ate thirty minutes ago!”

“I smell something familiar…”

Sniffing, Yang Xue stopped in front of a malatang restaurant. She beamed proudly at the sight of her homeland’s cuisine thriving even here in Korea.

Just as she was about to go inside, Wang Hoyeon grabbed her and pulled her back. She pouted up at him in disappointment.

By the time they left the storefront, she was munching on a Korean-style chicken skewer instead.

Once he finally managed to calm her down, they got to work on their actual reconnaissance—observing local hunters on the streets, their weapons, and the items they carried.

What they saw surprised them.

“The level here is… impressive,” said Yang Xue.

“Korea adapted quickly after the Great Change. Their hunters are strong,” Wang Hoyeon replied.

“But we’re still stronger.”

Her voice brimmed with pride. As top members of China’s renowned Qinghua Guild, both of them were treated as elite assets—especially thanks to their rare special abilities.

This time, they’d been entrusted with an extraordinary mission, and Yang Xue’s confidence soared sky-high.

“Wow, it’s gotten late already,” Wang Hoyeon murmured, frowning at the darkening sky. When they’d left the hotel, the sun had still been high.

Yang Xue, a smear of ice cream at the corner of her mouth, clapped her hands.

“All right! Time to start investigating Yu Eunsae.”

Wang Hoyeon nodded grimly. Together, they slipped into a narrow alleyway, leaving the busy street behind.

“Hunter Yoo Eunsae’s here!”

Someone shouted as Eunsae entered the Docheon Guild building. She looked toward the voice, smiling awkwardly and waving back.

“Kyaa! Hunter Yoo Eunsae, you look amazing today!”

“Unnie, where’s Haneul? Byeol and Bomi are so cute!”

“Thanks.”

Eunsae smiled warmly. Hearing compliments about Byeol and Bomi always made her happy, and the children, nestled in her arms, giggled as if they understood.

From across the lobby, Kim Yoo-bin, a B-rank hunter from the Guild’s Support Team, watched the scene with a frown.

“Seriously? What’s wrong with them? Don’t they have any self-respect?”

She noisily sucked the last of her iced coffee through a straw—slurp—then tossed the empty cup in the trash, still scowling.

Leaning against the wall, she followed Eunsae with narrowed eyes, muttering bitterly.

“Must be nice being an S-rank hunter. Some people are born S-rank, others get stuck as B-rank forever.”

Yoo-bin had once been on an active combat team, until a dungeon beast left her with injuries too severe to recover from. She’d been forced into early retirement.

That experience had left her with a deep resentment toward monsters—and by extension, toward Eunsae, who commanded them. Even if Eunsae’s creatures were tamed, Yoo-bin couldn’t see them as safe.

“What’s so great about Yoo Eunsae, anyway? Why’s everyone obsessed with her?”

A mix of jealousy and disbelief colored her words. It wasn’t that she hated Eunsa personally—just that the constant adoration felt excessive, almost ridiculous.

“Yoo-bin, you’re thinking something snarky again, aren’t you?”

A cheerful voice spoke beside her. Startled, Yoo-bin turned—and scowled when she saw who it was.

“Seo Hyunjin.”

“Hunter Yoo Eunsae just came in. Think the Guildmaster called her?”

“How should I know?” Yoo-bin grumbled, stomping down the hall. Hyunjin followed, sighing softly.

“Eunsae didn’t do anything wrong. Why are you always so hostile toward her?”

“When am I ever?”

“Always. Just now, too.”

“…Did you just use your ability on me?”

Hyunjin smirked. Her ability let her read nearby people’s thoughts. “Didn’t need to. It’s written all over your face.”

Yoo-bin glared and snapped her head away, quickening her pace so Hyunjin couldn’t catch up.

“Hey! Don’t ditch me. We’ve been called to the team leader’s office!”