Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 18: Oath (3)

Dragon Raja 3

“Feeling a bit cold? I have a solution!” Zero said with a proud expression.

He pulled Renata down next to the cross and opened an iron vent door covered in snow. A rush of heat rose up from the furnace below, banishing the coldness in Renata’s heart.

“This is the only chimney in Black Swan Bay. We’re sitting right above it, so it won’t be cold.” Zero sat next to Renata, naturally leaning against her, humming an unknown tune.

“How do you know so much?” Renata asked.

“Reading,” Zero said. “I read books in the library.”

Black Swan Bay had a large library, but it was only for the researchers, not even the nurses were allowed in. Renata had sneaked in on the night the black snake appeared. Since Zero was the snake’s master, it wasn’t surprising that he could enter the library. In Renata’s eyes, Zero could do anything; nothing seemed impossible for him.

“I have something for you.” Renata unzipped Zorro’s back and took out the tin box where she had planted the Arctic poppy. The flower had withered, but the white tin box was still nice. It was the best gift she could come up with. She had hidden the flower inside Zorro to avoid the nurses during their inspections, as they didn’t allow strange items in the rooms.

“Papaver radicatum?” Zero said.

“What?” Renata didn’t understand.

“This,” Zero pointed at the Arctic poppy. “The book says it’s called Papaver radicatum.”

Renata didn’t know that was the scientific name for the Arctic poppy in English. It was listed as “Papaver radicatum” in the botanical guide in the library. Zero had indeed gained his knowledge from the library, since hardly anyone spoke to him.

“The flower has withered,” Renata said. “It was beautiful when it bloomed. You could plant a new one next year when it blooms again.”

She couldn’t bear to pull out the withered flower; it was like snapping off a life. But she figured boys weren’t that careful; they always ended up breaking their toys.

Zero carefully took the white tin box. “No need to plant a new one. Papaver radicatum won’t die; it will bloom again.” He paused and said something strange, “There is always a kind of life in this world, one that dies only to return.”

“Thank you for the gift, Renata Evgenievna Chicherina,” Zero said with a grin. “I don’t have anything to give in return, but I could kiss you.”

“You called me what?” Renata was stunned. She only knew her name was Renata; she didn’t think she had a full name or surname.

“You, Renata Evgenievna Chicherina. I saw your file, you know, in the second drawer from the bottom in the archive room, locked with three locks. But that can’t stop me.” Zero smiled.

“I didn’t even know that,” Renata lowered her head. “I was brought here when I was very young. I don’t remember what my parents look like. When I try to think of them, they’re just blurry figures.”

“They abandoned you, so why would you still miss them?” Zero huffed.

“I remember my dad smelled of alcohol, and he used to poke me with his beard. My mom was beautiful. Even though they abandoned me, I still miss them because they’re my parents.”

“Now you have a good friend, so you can forget about them. I’ll treat you better than they did!” Zero said confidently.

Renata glanced at him, thinking it wasn’t the same. She lowered her head and stayed silent, and the atmosphere became a bit cold.

“Woof! Woof!” Suddenly, Zero started imitating a dog’s bark.

Renata was startled, but when she looked up, she saw Zero sticking his tongue out at her. She instantly understood that Zero was trying to cheer her up. He could read her feelings like they were his own belongings—and she couldn’t help but fall for it. She giggled, forgetting the sad topic they were just discussing.

“If you think ‘Zero’ is not a nice name, you can call me ‘Little Loser Dog,’” Zero said.

Renata thought to herself, “You really do act like a little dog when you’re trying to please someone,” but instead, she said aloud, “That’s rude.”

“When I was begging you to be friends, the way you looked at me was just like how you’d look at a little loser dog.” Zero smiled crookedly.

“That’s not right.”

Zero was stunned.

“It was like a little seal,” Renata said softly, smiling involuntarily. She reached out and patted Zero on the head. Zero probably didn’t understand what Renata meant, but he let her pat his head obediently. “If you don’t want my kiss, is there something else you want? I could try to get it for you,” Zero said.

Renata trusted the boy’s abilities; even the black snake was his pet. Was there anything he couldn’t do? But after thinking for a long time, she shook her head. “There’s nothing I want.”

“A wish, maybe?”

“I want to go home, or… let me die.”

Zero scratched his head. “Why die? If you die, I’ll be left without a friend here.”

“But why should I live here?” Renata whispered. “Day after day, with no meaning at all. Eventually, dying doesn’t seem so scary anymore—it’s just like falling asleep. If I died, my mom and dad wouldn’t know, and nobody would be sad. Nobody would cry for me… Would you cry for me, Little Seal?”

Zero wasn’t quite used to the new nickname and awkwardly bared his teeth. “I wouldn’t cry. I used to cry too much; I don’t have the ability to cry anymore.”

Renata didn’t understand what that meant. She thought Zero probably wouldn’t have any reason to cry for her anyway. After all, they were just newly-made friends. Someone as capable as Zero would surely have other friends in the future.

“Don’t die, Renata.” Zero gently stroked her hair. “I’m telling you, this world is amazing, and there are still so many things you haven’t seen or experienced yet. So don’t die… live on… and only those who stand in your way deserve to die.” He spoke these words of menace so gently that Renata felt a shiver in her heart.

“When’s your birthday?” Zero asked.