LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 107.1
Knowing The Truth Won’t Change Anything, You Know?
One quiet afternoon.
In the nearly empty hideout, Yuuri was silently folding laundry. Personal laundry was distributed to its owners, but shared items like cloths used as towels were always folded by Yuuri. It wasn’t a chore for him; in fact, he happily folded the soft, fluffy cloths that had just been washed. Once again, he was thoroughly enjoying his relaxed girly boy lifestyle.
In the living room with him was Brook, the designated house-sitter for the day. The apprentices and trainees were busy completing their assigned tasks or missions and wouldn’t return until dinnertime. In this peaceful hideout, Brook was diligently polishing his armor and weapons. For a top-tier adventurer, maintaining one’s equipment was an essential task. Maintenance was crucial.
As Brook tended to his beloved sword—a type known as a scimitar with a curved blade—Yuuri blinked repeatedly. Brook’s reflection appeared on the polished blade. That part was fine. That wasn’t the issue. The reflection simply proved how thoroughly the weapon had been cleaned.
What caught Yuuri’s attention was something else entirely.
“Brook-san,”
“What is it?”
“Your eyes look reptilian.”
“…”
Yuuri’s blunt remark made Brook turn around sharply. His black eyes were different from usual. Just as Yuuri had said, they resembled reptilian eyes. The irises were slitted vertically, cutting through the black pupils in a way that seemed out of place on Brook’s familiar face.
In what would normally be a shocking situation, Yuuri tilted his head curiously at the now-silent Brook, maintaining his usual calm demeanor.
“Aren’t you going to fix your eyes?”
“…You knew?”
“Huh?”
Brook’s quiet yet intense question left Yuuri looking puzzled. Realizing the intent behind the question, Yuuri nodded. His response was so ordinary, so casual, that Brook let out a long breath. Closing his eyes for a moment, Brook reopened them to reveal the familiar human-like black pupils. The reptilian eyes had completely vanished.
After carefully putting away his weapons to avoid accidents, Brook moved to stand beside Yuuri, who was still battling the pile of laundry, specifically the shared cloths used as towels. Yuuri only looked up at him, his expression asking, Is something wrong? His face was as calm as ever, completely unaware of the peculiarity of his earlier comment or the rarity of continuing a normal conversation afterward. Truly, Yuuri was as naturally laid-back as they came.
“When did you find out?”
“When?… Hmm, maybe not long after I arrived here? It was when Ali-san was teaching me how to use [Appraisal].”
“Ali told you?”
“No, I accidentally appraised you.”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry.”
Yuuri bowed his head in apology. He understood that checking someone’s status without their permission was wrong. Hence, the apology. Brook, in turn, lightly patted Yuuri’s head.
Brook’s hands, despite looking slender, were large and slightly rough—a testament to his life as a swordsman. However, the way he patted Yuuri’s head was gentle, causing no discomfort.
Yuuri’s description of Brook’s eyes as “reptilian” wasn’t inaccurate. In some ways, Brook was a reptile. He belonged to a species known as Bahamoon, beings with both human and dragon-like forms. They were said to have branched off from pure dragonkind, combining human and dragon traits. Known as a warrior race, Bahamoon boasted overwhelming combat prowess in both their human and dragon forms.
That strength was precisely why Brook rarely needed a weapon—though his scimitar and honed skills were more than enough on their own.
However, there was a reason Brook lived among humans, concealing his true nature.
Bahamoon were part dragon, and as such, they could transform parts of their bodies into dragon features. Because both forms were intrinsic to them, this was natural. Dragons, however, weren’t just known for their combat abilities; they were also infamous for the valuable materials their bodies provided.
While Bahamoon were treated as people and not monsters, some ignored this distinction, hunting them for their materials. To avoid such trouble, most Bahamoons hid their dragon traits and lived disguised as humans.
“Doesn’t it bother you?”
“What does?”
“The fact that I’m essentially deceiving everyone.”
“You’re not doing anything wrong. Brook-san is still Brook-san, aren’t you?”
“…What did Ali say?”
Yuuri tilted his head thoughtfully, recalling Ali’s words when he had accidentally recognized Brook’s species. For the record, Ali had also been exasperated when Yuuri casually asked, “Brook-san is a Bahamoon, isn’t he?” with an innocent expression.
“‘He has his reasons for staying quiet, so you should stay quiet too.’ That’s all he said.”
“…Ali…”
Brook muttered under his breath, lamenting Ali’s lack of finesse. Still, he couldn’t deny that his blunt approach had worked. For Yuuri, with his unique values and perspective, a straightforward instruction like “stay quiet because it’s his problem” was far more effective than a lengthy explanation.
In truth, Yuuri didn’t care that Brook was a Bahamoon. He simply acknowledged the fact and kept it in mind. His earlier comment about Brook’s “reptilian eyes” stemmed from the concern: that others who didn’t know might react poorly if they saw it.
Noticing this, Brook sighed. Yuuri’s natural airheadedness could sometimes be surprisingly perceptive, even if in unrelated matters, he remained blissfully oblivious.
“Is it really a problem, though?”
“What?”
“I understand why you’re keeping quiet, but does hiding that you’re a Bahamoon really matter?”
“…Have you seen another Bahamoon before?”
“You’re the first.”
“What’s their reputation where you’re from?”
“…A rare species?”
After a moment’s pause, Yuuri answered hesitantly. He refrained from saying, “We don’t have Bahamoon where I’m from.”, or “I only learned about Bahamoon after meeting you.” Instead, he rationalized based on his home world’s norms: a race blending human and dragon traits must be considered rare.
To Yuuri, Brook was just Brook—nothing more, nothing less. He was a dependable big brother figure with a sweet tooth. Brook’s true nature as a Bahamoon didn’t change that at all.