Leon arrived in the restricted area bordering dragon territories.
The area was still guarded by the elite forces of various dragon clans, keeping a vigilant eye on the powerful and unpredictable Constantine. However, compared to the initial deployment, the number of guards had significantly decreased.
Leon approached the sector watched over by the Silver Dragon Clan, blending in discreetly, thanks to his status as a Silver Dragon, to reach Constantine once again.
"Your Highness, you're here," greeted Shirley, the captain of the stationed Silver Dragon guards, as she noticed Leon approaching.
Leon nodded, "Thanks for your hard work, Shirley. Any unusual movements from Constantine lately?"
"None. Since his last passage through our station, he hasn't made any further moves," Shirley reported, referencing the time Constantine had assisted Leon in overthrowing Kanter's regime. It had been Leon and Rossweise who arranged for Constantine's covert movements through the Silver Dragon territory, warning Shirley in advance.
"Good. Keep up the surveillance."
Leon then turned, heading toward the forest that separated him from Constantine's dwelling.
Shirley's eyes followed him as he disappeared among the trees, her expression unreadable.
"Your Highness is acting strange...." one of the younger Silver Dragon guards murmured, stepping up beside her. "Isn't this his third time sneaking off to see Constantine?"
Shirley remained silent, her eyes never leaving the path Leon had taken.
Leon's previous visits had allowed Constantine to slip through their area undetected, only to return days later. The specifics of his travels remained a mystery.
"Wasn't it Constantine who attacked the Silver Dragon Sanctuary on the day Her Majesty was giving birth?" the guard asked. "Why are we so lenient with him now?"
Shirley's voice was firm, "Questions that need not be asked should remain unanswered. If the queen or His Highness has given no further orders, we simply follow their will. Understood?"
Shirley's unshakable loyalty to Rossweise and Leon had not gone unnoticed; she fully trusted their judgment.
"A worthy king will never betray her followers," she continued, "and every decision they make has its purpose."
The young guard scratched his head, "I do trust them too... it's just that I'm curious."
Curiosity was natural, and Shirley understood. She, too, felt the same.
"If you really want to know the answer, I'll give you some advice."
"What advice, Captain?"
"Wait for the results."
The young guard blinked. "Wait... for the results?"
"A king's mind works in ways we might not understand, shaped by strategy and foresight. Each of us only glimpses a fragment of the greater plan," Shirley explained. "So instead of obsessing over countless questions, store them away, keep your curiosity contained. And when the time is right, perhaps you'll witness the full picture."
The young guard nodded, enlightened by her words. "Understood, Captain."
"You're welcome. Now, back to your post."
.
.
.
Leon moved swiftly through the forest, taking nearly an hour to reach the perimeter, where he encountered several Crimson Dragon patrols. Recognizing him, the dragon guards opened a path, letting him pass without interference.
One of the younger guards hesitated. "Captain, isn't he technically trespassing? Shouldn't we stop him?"
"Stop him?" The captain chuckled, "Even if we wanted to, what chance do you think we'd have?"
"Really? He doesn't look all that special to me."
"Trust me. If you knew, he'd redefine the meaning of 'ordinary' for you."
Leon continued on, hands in his pockets, his expression calm, as he walked toward the gate of Constantine's sanctuary, nodding to the bewildered guards who watched him go inside.
Crossing the stone paths and stepping up the grand stairs, Leon entered Constantine's throne room.
The doors opened slowly, and there sat the Crimson Flame Dragon King himself, lounging on his throne, watching Leon with a lofty gaze. The hall was empty—no guards, no attendants.
It was clear that Leon was no stranger here, and Constantine was already accustomed to his unannounced visits.
"Long time no see, Constantine," Leon greeted.
"What do you want this time?"
"Hey, can't I just come see an old friend without a hidden agenda? A friendly visit, maybe?"
"Don't flatter yourself. We're not 'friends.'"
"Oh, come on! We've been through life and death together!"
"Life and death, sure. Yours and mine—twice. That's what you call friendship?"
"Relax," Leon laughed, but Constantine raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I don't have time for your nonsense. Out with it. What brings you here?"
Seeing Constantine's usual calm demeanor reassured Leon.
"Some time ago, I received a list from your former second-in-command, containing the names of Dragon Kings who collaborated with the enemy."
Constantine's eyes narrowed. "Your second-in-command? You mean... Duke?"
"Yep."
"But he's dead, Leon."
Constantine's voice turned somber, laced with restrained anger.
Leon shrugged, spreading his hands. "He handed over the list and chose to self-destruct afterward."
Duke had finished writing the list, spat out a few "Cosmodeous; Dragon Clan will not stop until you're dead!" insults, and then ended it all in a deadly explosion, decimating his surroundings and ensuring his clan's defeat. With no one left to lead them, the clan dissolved soon after.
Constantine closed his eyes, a slow sigh escaping him.
"Duke was loyal—a skilled second. I've never fully come to terms with his death, but there's no use in dredging up old grievances between us. It would settle nothing."
That much was true.
Their history had been full of battles and betrayals—Constantine attacking the Silver Dragon Sanctuary, Leon retaliating, then Constantine being turned into a zombified creature by the Empire, only to attack Isha's Red Dragon territory, with Leon forced to defeat him once again. Revisiting these old conflicts would lead nowhere—they'd be better off just fighting it out.
Constantine, however, knew the importance of a reliable ally in these times of shifting power, so any final reckoning with Leon could wait.
"I half-expected you to come down here ready to fight," Leon joked.
Constantine snorted, "Enough banter. You got the list. What then?"
"Not long ago, the dragons and humans reached a truce. The negotiations went smoothly, and those Dragon Kings who'd betrayed us were appropriately punished."
"Yes, I heard. And I also heard... you represented the dragons in those negotiations, didn't you?"
Leon smiled, "Indeed, I did."
"No wonder it went 'smoothly.' I'd be more surprised if it hadn't."
Leon returned to the point, "While going over history and comparing it with Duke's list, I realized that out of all the Dragon Kings who sided with the enemy, only Adam remains unpunished."
At the mention of this name, Constantine's expression darkened, his brows furrowing. "Who?"
"Warhammer Dragon King, Adam."
Hearing this, Constantine's faint smile vanished, his face becoming rigid.
He paused, then slowly stood from his throne, descending the steps one by one.
"I despise that name. And I despise that dark-hearted creature."
"Oh? Dark-hearted? I don't know much about Adam. Care to share?"
"In my generation of Dragon Kings, Adam's reputation is infamous. Given your sheltered Silver Dragon upbringing, it's no surprise you haven't heard much."
Constantine reached the foot of the steps, stopping just in front of Leon.
"My sources only know he has no tribe and works as a mercenary, taking on any job that pays well," Leon said.
"That's right," Constantine replied. "But Adam is ruthless in pursuit of his goals, using vile, despicable methods without a second thought."
After a pause, Constantine's voice grew colder, practically dripping with disdain, "The 'Fallen Dragon King'—that's his title."
Leon knew that for Constantine, a Dragon King with a deep respect for honor, the title of "Fallen Dragon King" carried the utmost disgrace.
Just as Constantine had once refused to use Noah as leverage in a personal feud with Leon, so too did he hold his honor high, never dragging others into his conflicts.
This was why Leon trusted Constantine, knowing he wouldn't betray him.
"You must really despise Adam, huh?" Leon commented.
"Trust me, Leon, if you ever cross paths with him, you'll understand why."
"Alright, if I get the chance, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson on your behalf."
Constantine scoffed, "So, is that what you came here for? To ask where that scoundrel might be hiding?"
Leon grinned, "If I knew where he was, I'd be the first to take him down."
A hint of curiosity stirred in Leon's mind. Just what had Adam done to earn such deep-seated hatred?
Leon watched as Constantine hesitated, seeming to weigh his words carefully. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Follow me."
Constantine led Leon down the hall, turning into a secluded passage behind the throne room. They passed towering columns, crossed a corridor, and descended a set of stone stairs into a hidden chamber.
After about five minutes, they arrived at a heavy stone door. Constantine pressed his hand to a recessed part in the center, infusing it with his magic.
With a low rumble, the door opened.
"Come in."
Leon stepped inside, his gaze sweeping
over the room. There was nothing remarkable at first glance—until Constantine moved aside, allowing Leon to see an ice bed at the center.
Mist rose gently from the ice bed, and suspended above it was a crystal.
Inside the crystal was a small, crimson-tailed dragon hatchling.
The tiny creature lay curled up, fists clenched, eyes lightly closed, her small body still, as though she were simply sleeping.
Leon's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly approached, noting her young, fragile form, barely older than a newborn.
The crystal, protecting her in this suspended state, reminded Leon of the one that had once kept Rossweise safe when she'd nearly exhausted herself in the harsh future. Veronica, her grandmother, had sealed her within a similar crystal to save her.
But this little dragon... why was she—
"Thirty years ago, Adam accepted a task from a Dragon King, seeking to steal magical resources from me. To do that, he used her as leverage," Constantine said, his voice trembling with barely contained fury as he looked at the tiny dragon.
"But he failed his mission, leaving her injured."
Leon's heart sank. "So this child is..."
"Her name is Heifi Constantine. She is my daughter."
Constantine gazed at his daughter, his face softening with the smallest trace of a smile.
But then his voice turned sharp, laced with bitterness and a chilling resolve, "The only reason I ever cooperated with the Empire was because Adam was among their ranks."
"Every day, I prayed for the chance to find him."
"To tear him apart, piece by piece."