Chapter 14

His Box 

When that familiar presence reappeared, Juan looked up from his book. 

Fortunately, he had enough common sense to know that no one—human or dragon—would appreciate a visitor at two in the morning. So, he buried himself back in the book, which was captivating enough to suppress his desire to read the magic book for the time being. 

But the next morning, precisely at 7:30, he arrived at the “learning center” on time. 

The same female researcher from yesterday greeted him. Seeing his enthusiasm, she glanced at her watch and complimented his dedication. 

“Can I attend class today?” Juan asked eagerly. 

“Uh…” The researcher hesitated. “Well… maybe tomorrow—” 

Before she could finish, someone walked out of the office behind her, cutting her off. 

“Yes, you can attend class today,” the newcomer said. 

It was another woman, dressed in a black turtleneck beneath her lab coat, with black stockings and high heels. She even wore thin black gloves. 

Juan wasn’t skilled at judging the age of human women, but her face looked young, while her demeanor seemed mature. 

As a dragon, Juan didn’t really grasp human standards of beauty, but he found her appearance striking—mainly because her eyes were two different colors. One was black, and the other was green. 

After he stared at her for a long time, the woman smiled. “What are you looking at?” 

“Your eyes,” Juan answered directly. “They’re beautiful.” 

The woman blinked in surprise, then smiled again. 

Seeing her reaction, the female researcher beside her—out of Juan’s view—let out a small sigh of relief. 

“It’s still early. Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?” the woman invited.

“I don’t drink coffee,” Juan declined decisively.

“Fair enough. Not everyone likes the taste of coffee.” The woman shrugged, unbothered. She poured herself a cup and began drinking, then asked Juan about his lessons over the past few days. When she heard that they had been reading poetry, she curiously inquired which poems they had covered. 

Juan recited a few for her on the spot. 

Both researchers were stunned. Though well-versed in many fields, it was clear that neither had much familiarity with poetry. 

“It sounds beautiful,” the woman concluded.

Juan nodded. “Poetry is the pinnacle of human romantic expression—definitely worth reading.” 

The woman slowly sipped her coffee, then mused, “Is that so? I wouldn’t know. I only understand the things I research.” 

“Different combinations of genes produce different outcomes. Some can become something beautiful, while others result in failure. Genes can also mutate on their own. When a mutation creates something beautiful, that, to me, is the ultimate form of romance.” 

Now it was Juan’s turn to be confused. His expression plainly revealed that he didn’t understand. Seeing this, the woman chuckled and gave him a light pat on the shoulder. 

“Get along with S11, okay? He’s a good kid.” 

A near-perfect child. At least from a genetic standpoint. 

With a smile, the woman escorted Juan to the door, held it open, and saw him inside. 

After Juan disappeared into the room, the female researcher—who had been standing in the distance—hurried over. In a low voice, she asked, “Dr. Maria, S11’s wounds haven’t fully healed yet. Is it really okay to send someone in right now?” 

Still smiling, Maria turned to her subordinate. Her mismatched eyes—a black one and a green one—locked onto the researcher’s gaze. “Are you worried about S11 or the boy who just went in?” 

The researcher shrank under her gaze, and Maria gently stroked her hair with her gloved hand, speaking in a soothing tone. “Good girl. Today is the perfect day for this.”

“S11’s wounds haven’t healed—not the ones on his body, nor the ones in his heart. Anyone, even an animal, is at their most volatile and vulnerable when hurt.” 

“The person who approaches him during this time might get hurt. But there’s also a chance they could reach his heart. It’s unlikely, of course—our S11 isn’t an easy kid to win over. But we have to believe in that possibility.” 

“Just like in experiments, you have to try. If this material doesn’t work, we can always try the next one.” 

“Right?” 

“As researchers, we need to have both the spirit of exploration and patience.” Maria lowered her head, her heterochromatic eyes meeting the green eyes of her subordinate. The researcher finally gave a reluctant nod, and Maria smiled before walking away. 

The young researcher stood frozen for a long time. After regaining her senses, she slapped her pale cheeks to bring some color back into them. How could anyone think those eyes are beautiful? 

They’re terrifying!

Just the thought of how Maria’s eyes had come to be made her nauseous. Stop thinking about it, she warned herself. Or you won’t be able to eat lunch.

After standing there blankly for a bit longer, she collected herself and returned to her post as if nothing had happened. 

—

As for Juan, when he said Maria’s eyes were beautiful, it was because he genuinely thought so. 

They must’ve looked even better on their original owner, he mused. 

He couldn’t help but wonder how she had attached those eyes so seamlessly to herself. Her craftsmanship was far superior to his. 

Thinking about it, Juan glanced at the little finger of his left hand. Even though he had carefully stitched it with matching-colored thread, the seam was still visible. On a living person, the wound would have healed over time. But for him, that wasn’t an option. 

Maybe I should take a hint from her and wear gloves, he thought. 

Lost in thought, Juan found himself back in the forest-like room. His attention quickly shifted as he started to sense the presence of the magic book. 

In an instant, the dense trees around him vanished from his mind, leaving only a pinpoint of light to the southeast. 

That light was where the magic book—and S11—were located. 

Juan began walking toward the source at his usual pace. 

When he arrived, he found a cardboard box. 

The box was a bit large, tattered, and covered in taped-up patches. In fact, it had been taped so many times that it looked more like a structure made of tape than cardboard. 

Juan approached the box, bent down, and reached for the top— 

“Ha!” 

With a sudden shout, a boy in black clothing jumped out of the box, arms spread wide in a classic attempt to scare him. 

Unfortunately for the boy, Juan’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. 

“Did I scare you? Not even a little?” S11 asked, still standing in the box with his arms raised. 

The boy stepped out of the box, shaking his head as he did. “I must’ve startled you, but you’re just too expressionless to show it.” 

As he continued to chatter, he noticed Juan’s gaze fixed on the box. Feeling a bit embarrassed, S11 gave the box a kick and muttered, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I was just hiding in there to scare you.” 

Wrong idea? Juan wondered. *Does he think I’d assume this is where he sleeps—his bed?

He eyed the boy’s “carefully” kicked box. The worn-out cardboard box looked entirely out of place in the room. Everything else here was either new or bore signs of deliberate wear and tear. 

This was the only old object with visible repairs. 

And given the faint sound of snoring Juan had heard earlier— 

“You were just sleeping.” 

“You were startled,” Juan stated firmly. 

Now it was S11’s turn to be speechless.

Without saying much more, Juan pouted and after a while said, “How boring. Isn’t there anything in this world that can scare you?” 

“There is.” 

“Ha?” The boy was taken aback, not expecting the response at all. 

“Magic,” Juan continued. 

“I was startled the first time I saw magic.” A rare expression crossed Juan’s face, reminiscent of the day he first encountered magic. 

There was a sense of longing, nostalgia, and even a hint of anticipation. 

Staring at his face, the boy fell silent for a moment, allowing Juan to continue reminiscing. He picked up the cardboard box he had kicked aside earlier, dusted it off, and, noticing a tear he had made, quickly reinforced it with tape. 

Once he finished, Juan’s gaze returned to the boy, and he suddenly noticed something strange about his skin. 

Although it was generally smooth, the color was different from before. Upon closer inspection, he realized… 

“Hey! Don’t look at my face!” The boy grabbed a book nearby to cover his face. 

It was a poetry collection. 

Juan nodded. “Do you want to read this poetry book today?” 

Already accustomed to the daily routine, he reached out to take the book from the boy’s hands. However— 

The boy tossed that book aside and, in the next moment, held up another one. The familiar cover and familiar aura revealed it to be Pedro’s magic book. 

“We’re reading this book today.” The boy shook the book in his hand.