The morning brightened slowly with the sun's rays, and a soft mist drifted over the forest. However, this tranquility did little to diminish the cold feeling inside Noa.
Inside the hut, Noa woke up. He sat up, put his hand on his forehead, and thought:
"This is the first time I've slept like this in days..."
Inside, the calm voice of X was heard:
"It's natural. Too much has happened in a short time."
Noa stood up but suddenly felt a strange heaviness in himself.
"Why do I feel so exhausted?"
X replied:
"Who knows, Noa... you should go to Sara instead. She should have made up her mind by now."
Noa walked toward the door, thinking:
"If Sara helps us, it will be a great victory."
As soon as he stepped outside, he noticed two goblins standing by the door. His senses within a five-meter radius were working well.
Noa turned his head toward them:
"Take me to the cage."
The goblins were surprised:
"Ye-yes, Second Master," they said, taking Noa's hand and leading the way.
By the cage, Sara was looking at Noa with suspicion.
Noa began speaking in a commanding tone:
"I think you've made your decision."
Sara's lips trembled as she replied:
"I can't trust you. I need a guarantee for you to set me free."
Noa placed his hand on the iron bars. The coldness of the iron seemed to further chill his tone.
"A guarantee? I told you yesterday—you have no choice but to trust me, little girl. If you refuse... twenty goblins will enter your cage today. How many children do you think you'd manage to give birth to?"
Sara, scared and anxious, stammered:
"O-okay... I'll tell you..."
Noa crouched down by the cage:
"You shouldn't just tell me—you have to show me."
Sara bowed her head.
"Fine... that place is not far from here."
Noa smiled faintly and stood up:
"Now that's more like it, little girl."
He turned to the goblins behind him:
"Take this woman out of the cage and bind her hands. Prepare ten more warriors as well."
The two goblins looked at each other in surprise, then obediently replied:
"Yes, Second Master!"
Meanwhile, in the snowy fortress in the north, where Noa had previously fled.
In a cold hall, a red dragon sat in his human form on a chair. In front of him, a servant in black knelt, delivering news:
"Lord... there is news."
He whispered in a low voice.
The Lord's eyes widened.
"Good, you may leave," he said in a cold tone.
The Lord stood up and walked down the corridor, his thoughts disturbed:
"If this news is true... damn it..."
When he entered another room, Lilya was sitting by the window. Her red layered hair and empty eyes... her appearance was icy.
Sensing the door open, she turned her head and said:
"Is there any news?"
The Lord approached her and knelt down:
"My Lady... our soldiers searched for the former prince—Noa—and your brother Rion for several days, but the last trace ended near the old teleportation gate... and that place collapsed after they left."
Lilya took a deep breath:
"I heard that... you ordered my brother's assassination, is that true?"
The Lord bowed his head:
"Yes, My Lady. I was given such an order."
"From whom?" Lilya's voice turned icy.
The Lord trembled:
"I apologize... but I cannot say..."
Lilya turned in anger and slapped him:
"So, my brother eating rat meat is also YOUR fault! YOU forced him! YOU disgraced your own prince! My brother Rion considered him a friend! And I saw him as MY OWN BROTHER! You knew this, didn't you?!"
The Lord paused for a moment:
"I merely obeyed orders, My Lady... that is my only fault."
Lilya turned her face away in fury:
"Get out of my sight."
The Lord was about to leave, but Lilya controlled her anger:
"Stop. What else are you hiding?"
The Lord remained silent for a breath:
"I apologize, My Lady... you were not ready for this."
Lilya approached the fortress Lord and looked him in the eyes:
"If you don't tell me now, don't expect kindness from me. You are from the Jogan tribe. I am your Lady, and I command you to answer."
The Lord yielded:
"My Lady... news came from the palace. The new Emperor... the new patriarch of the S-Dragon Clan... killed his own brother."
Lilya froze.
"Who?... Who killed whom?" Her voice was trembling.
The Lord continued:
"It is said that Noa... and Rion, who was with him, have been declared traitors to the state. Emperor Azel told your father this."
Fire erupted from within Lilya. The entire room was filled with crimson flames. She punched the wall—the wall cracked.
"I will kill him! I will personally destroy that Azel! He took both of my brothers! BASTARD!"
She shot toward the door like an arrow, but—
The Lord raised both his hands:
"Barrier."
A luminous shield appeared, enveloping Lilya. She punched it several times, but the shield did not budge.
"LET ME GO! I COMMAND YOU!!"
The Lord's voice was cold:
"I apologize, My Lady. This is your father's order. Your departure is forbidden."
Lilya spewed fire, but tears also streamed from her eyes.
"LET ME OUT!!!"
The Lord placed his palm on the floor:
"Dragon Seal: Sleeping Dragon."
A red circle appeared on the floor, and the fire emanating from Lilya's body instantly extinguished. She weakened and sat down on the floor.
The Lord removed the barrier, carried Lilya to the bed, and extinguished the low burning flame in the room with one palm:
"You are not ready for this yet, My Lady, as I said."
As he walked toward the door, he whispered:
"You would have found out anyway. At least I calmed you down."
He left.
In the palace of the Nuxtar Empire, Azel sat on the enormous throne.
In front of him was the First Elder—Marius.
Azel leaned back on the throne and asked in a commanding voice:
"How are things going? What is the status of our dragons?"
Marius replied in a calm voice:
"Just as you wished, Patriarch. We are avoiding minor battles, and the dragons in our clan are not traveling alone—they are moving in groups of two or three. We are also proceeding with the training of elite warriors."
Azel rested his elbow on the throne, held his hand in a half-fist, and supported his face:
"Yes... good. What about casualties? What about the petty attacks of those accursed Light Dragons, are they still continuing?"
Marius looked at the floor:
"Yes, they are continuing. After your father's death, they are increasing the pressure. And the Jogan tribe under our command... relations have become somewhat tense after you killed the Patriarch's son. They are dissatisfied. But after we spread the rumor that your brother was a state traitor and Rion was his accomplice... they became silent."
Azel sighed coldly:
"Good. They cannot openly resist."
At that moment, a sound of something breaking near Azel's waist was heard.
Marius became alert and looked at Azel's waist.
Azel saw that some amulet on his belt had shattered.
He picked up the amulet, staring at the broken pieces for a moment.
Marius asked, surprised:
"Is that... your brother's amulet?"
Azel flicked the amulet away.
The amulet flew across the hall with an echo and stopped in the corner.
Azel leaned back on the throne and said:
"Yes. It was an amulet given to indicate whether Noa was alive or dead."
Marius's tone changed:
"Grandson Azel... These amulets, specially commissioned for Royal families, indicate whether the owner is alive or dead. And now Noa's is broken... does that mean Noa is truly dead?"
Azel looked up:
"Apparently so. He is dead. The amulet just broke—the place I sent him to was far in terms of distance. So... he must have died yesterday."
Marius put his hand on Azel's shoulder:
"I'm sorry for your brother," he said calmly.
Azel pushed his hand away, stood up, and smiled:
"Don't be sorry, grandfather? He is not my brother. You don't know how long I've waited for this amulet to break."
After that, he left the hall.
Marius, staring at the door, whispered to himself:
"Azel... are you playing a role or are you truly happy about his death? You are incomprehensible..."
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