Chapter 422: Human life II

"So you move every few years?" Asked Immy with clear interest on her face.

"Yes, being a wandering bard helps with that as well. So I don't usually stay in one place for long," Syra replied with a nod before taking a sip of alcohol from her mug.

"I like this thing called wine!" Ynos interrupted them from the side as he continued to chug wine from a barrel.

"Slow down, the drink isn't going anywhere," Syra reprimanded him with a frown, causing him to mutter something begrudgingly under his breath.

"So how long have you been doing that?" Immy asked again, ignoring her brother's shenanigans.

Essie was laying down on the sofa with her feet up in the sky, a bored expression on her face, while Sidus was sitting next to her, examining his hands and figures and occasionally taking a sip from his drink.

Breta, on the other hand, was next to Immy, listening to Syra's story with curiosity.

"Oh dear, it's been too long I've already lost count of the years," Syra chuckled.

"Aren't you tired of it?" Breta suddenly asked.

Her question made Syra raise her brow in surprise. "Tired of what exactly?" She asked with a gentle smile.

"Everything, the travels, the nomadic life— don't you miss… home?" Breta's tone was soft as she asked.

A loud burp interrupted them as Ynos effortlessly raised his empty barrel and shouted, "More!"

Letting out a sigh, Sidus summoned a hand made out of darkness and flicked Ynos's head.

"Control yourself, you are acting as if you were a beast."

"Ouch, damn it why did you hit me!"

"I'll do it again if you don't calm down," Sidus rolled his eyes with a sigh before he resummoned his hand made out of darkness.

It looked strangely akin to a human hand, and he continued to study it alongside his own hand and compared the both.

Ynos grumbled once more under his breath and stood up before he made his way to an empty sofa and lay down. His massive frame was large enough that the 'bed' didn't fit and his legs were on the ground as he lay, but he didn't seem to care. He closed his eyes, and almost right after, soft snoring could be heard.

Watching over the ordeal, Syra's face never quite lost the gentle smile. She turned to glance at Breta who was still waiting for her answer.

A light sigh escaped her mouth. "Well, of course, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss home…"

"But?" Breta asked.

A somewhat awkward expression made its way across Syra's face as she avoided looking at the Goddess. "But—"

She took a deep breath before continuing, "But I don't feel like I deserve to go back."

Hearing her words, Sidus raised his gaze from his shadowy hand, and Essie who was aimlessly staring at the ceiling turned her eyes to the old Dragoness.

Another light laugh escaped Syra's mouth as she looked at everyone, "Oh don't give me that look."

Shaking her head she continued, "It's something I've come to terms with a long time ago."

"W-Why?" Essie hesitated before asking.

"Well—"

"Because you ran away," It was Breta who surprisingly answered.

Her reply earned her a disapproving glare from Sidus, but Syra didn't seem to mind, quite the opposite her smile flashed brighter.

"Indeed. I ran away."

"B-But you don't have to fight! So you can't say you ran away!" Essie jumped from the sofa and argued.

"While it is true that every Dragon has the right to decide what they want to do by themselves," Syra shrugged lightly and continued, "I feel like I've run away from certain responsibilities."

Turning his attention back to his shadowy appendage, Sidus calmly replied, "You can always go back."

His blunt answer earned him a chuckle from Syra.

"It's not that simple," Breta was the one to reply in her stead once more.

Sidus spared her a glance before shrugging. While Syra nodded lightly.

"Indeed, it is not."

Essie didn't seem satisfied with the replies, but didn't know what to add so she sat back down with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Are you happy? I mean, here wandering in the mortal realm," Immy asked.

"I am," the old Dragoness replied with a confident and satisfied smile.

"Then isn't that all that matters?" Immy asked.

"Well, it depends on who you ask my dear. Some prefer to serve a higher purpose. Make use of their powers, others prefer to simply live each day as it comes. For me, I am satisfied with where I am."

Hearing her reply, Immy nodded in understanding. "The mortal realm is fun. The politics between the Kingdoms is quite interesting as well! But the mortals can be quite petty at times."

"Haha, you'd be surprised dear. It's not only the mortals. Even Dragons and Deities can be petty. Some even more so."

Sidus harrumphed and rolled his eyes at that, but otherwise said nothing.

A serene silence fell in the living room right after that, with each person busy doing their own thing, and lost in their own thoughts.

Sidus was happy testing and modifying his shadowy appendage, though his right hand was subconsciously stroking Essie's head who had somehow moved and had it on his lap.

Ynos was already fast asleep with no care in the world, the sound of his rhythmic snoring was strangely calming.

Immy had her hand on her chin while still sitting on the table, her eyes were glazed as she stared out of the window.

Breta, sitting next to her, seemed more interested in the cup between her hands. While Syra had her usual warm smile as she continued to sip her drink while looking over all of them with a satisfied expression.

After finishing up her drink, she stood up and clapped her hands turning everyone's attention toward her.

"Okay then, come along, I'll show you you're rooms."

"Rooms?"Sidus muttered to himself.

Saying that she made her way toward the staircase at the end of the living room.

"And someone, please wake up your brother."

"I'll do it!" Essie happily said as she jumped off the bed and used her wind magic to raise Ynos to his feet.

Confused his eyes opened widely in shock, "W-What! What? What?"

He barely managed to retain his balance as Essie chuckled by his side, "Come on, Granny Syra is showing us our rooms."

Scratching his head, Ynos fought back a yawn and mumbled, "Rooms? What's that?"