Volume 5 Chapter 127
by Need_More_SleepVolume 5 + Chapter 127: The Butterfly And The Dragon
“Father, Mother, I’m back.”
Lyle returned home from outside. He took off his snow-dusted coat and hung it neatly on the rack.
Many years had passed since he had been reunited with his parents.
He was no longer the frail, starving street child he once was, he had grown into a refined and elegant young man.
Not only had his appearance become handsome, but his posture was tall and confident. Under his father’s guidance and his mother’s care, Lyle had become a promising young businessman.
In just two short years, he had already helped expand the family business, earning a modest reputation throughout the Rhine Kingdom.
“Lyle, welcome back.”
His father held a pipe in his hand, smiling warmly.
“How did the business negotiations go?”
“Very smoothly, Father. They’ve already agreed to cooperate with us,” Lyle replied. “Of course, the cost we’ll need to pay remains the same as before.”
“Lyle truly is outstanding. Even deals your father struggled with, you’ve managed to secure. You’ve surpassed your predecessor,” his mother praised.
“In a few years, I might even retire and entrust the entire business to you,” his father said with emotion.
“Father, I still have much to learn from you,” Lyle replied modestly, a bit embarrassed.
His parents both laughed.
“Lyle, do you have any plans tonight?” his mother asked.
“No.”
“Today is your birthday. Let’s go out and celebrate with a meal. I’ve also reserved tickets at the grand theater, the lead performer is your favorite star,” she said.
“Really? Thank you, Mother, that’s so thoughtful of you!” Lyle said, pleasantly surprised.
…
…
Lyle went with his parents to the finest restaurant in the city, enjoying a specially prepared luxurious dinner.
To make their son happy, his father did not use the occasion to host a social banquet. Instead, he chose to spend quiet, intimate time together as a family, free from interruption.
This deeply moved Lyle.
Over the years, his parents had always cared for him like this, giving him endless warmth.
Just like the wish he had once made, he now had a happy, loving family. He cherished this bond deeply, it had become the most important thing in his life.
After dinner, they went to the city’s grand theater. Seated in the VIP section, Lyle watched the performance together with his parents.
“How foolish of these humans to dare challenge Her Majesty the Queen?”
On stage, a dragon guard mocked the battered dragon slayer.
It was a play about a brave dragon slayer.
Despite the ridicule, the dragon slayer did not retreat. Slowly, he stood up and raised the holy sword in his hand.
“I will not give up! Even if I am weaker than you evil dragons, I will fight for humanity and defeat you!!”
Seeing this scene, Lyle’s body trembled.
It felt as though he glimpsed memories that did not belong to him.
He saw himself as a dragon-slaying sword saint, heading to the Dragon Realm, attempting to challenge…
“Ah…!”
Lyle suddenly stood up, his face filled with terror.
“Lyle, what’s wrong?” his father asked with concern.
“I…”
Images flashed endlessly before his eyes. He remembered someone, a silver dragon queen. Her name was…
Lyle clutched his head, letting out a cry of agony.
“I can’t remember, I can’t remember! No, that’s not right! I… I am…?!”
“Lyle, we’re right here, don’t panic!” his mother quickly embraced him. “You are Lyle. You’re not anyone else!”
“…”
Darkness overtook his vision, and he collapsed.
…
…
His parents believed he had overworked himself, causing mental strain. They forced him to rest and invited a renowned physician to examine his mental condition.
But Lyle didn’t think that was the case. Recently, strange memories have been surfacing more and more.
For example, he saw himself not as a human, but as a dragon, living even within a dragon palace.
Unable to suppress it any longer, he confided everything to the doctor.
“You’re saying… you dreamt of becoming a dragon?” the psychiatrist asked.
“I think… it might not be a dream. It might be real,” Lyle lowered his head.
“I see.”
“Doctor… Do you think I’ve gone mad? When I told my parents, they thought something was wrong with me.”
“No. On the contrary, I believe what you’re saying might not be imaginary, it might be true.”
“Really, doctor?!” Lyle was surprised the doctor would take him seriously.
“Have you ever heard a story?”
The doctor paused, then sketched something on paper, a butterfly.
“Long ago, a famous philosopher once dreamed he had become a butterfly. In that dream, he was happy, so happy that he forgot his life as a human. But when he awoke, he became confused. He asked his disciples, which is the real self? The human, or the butterfly? Could it be that the human world is merely the butterfly’s dream?”
“…”
Lyle fell silent.
“Lyle, perhaps both sides are real,” the doctor said, gazing at him. “But don’t forget, here, you have parents who love you. They searched for you and found you. On the other side… your parents may have spent a lifetime searching for you. You know what they’re like. Go, embrace your parents. They care deeply about you.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
Lyle stood up.
The doctor simply smiled and watched him leave.
Lyle walked toward his parents’ room.
With his head lowered, memories surfaced along the way, memories from the other side.
The turning point had been on the way to Spring Breeze Orphanage. In that version, he never met his parents. He reached the orphanage, grew up there, was chosen by the Schubert family, became the human sword saint Wright Schubert, fought endlessly for the family, only to be abandoned in the end, never even knowing his true name…
Perhaps, in that world, his parents had been searching for him all along.
“Do you think Lyle will be alright? He’s been acting strange lately.”
“Don’t worry. Lyle is a good child, he loves us deeply. You know his personality.”
“Yes… he’s always been thoughtful and filial.”
Before he knew it, Lyle had reached the door, hearing their conversation.
Their words cut into his heart like knives.
He didn’t dare imagine what would happen if he suddenly disappeared.
Perhaps they would begin searching for him again… for a lifetime.
Was it that he dreamed of being a dragon, or that the dragon dreamed of being him?
Reality or illusion?
Perhaps it didn’t matter.
What mattered… was his choice, what he believed to be real.
Lyle raised his hand to open the door, just as the doctor had said, to go in and embrace his parents.
But his hand froze midair. Tears fell heavily onto the floor.
Then… What about Xia Lulu?
She was still waiting for him.
“I’m sorry…”
Lyle vanished.
In his place stood a silver-haired dragon girl.
Xia Yi lowered her hand without opening the door. Her heart was filled with guilt as she turned and walked away.
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