"..."
The Dromas were trembling, their thick, giant legs shaking.
The warhorses whinnied, their four hooves constantly backing away.
Gazing at the hundred-meter-tall dragon body, burning with a purplish-black, wild flame in the distance, Cerydra desperately pulled on the reins, barely managing to calm the Dromas.
"Stop—!"
The Empress raised her scepter.
A chess piece fell, and the Law dispelled the legion's terror.
However, the legion could only stop a thousand meters away.
One step further, and her authority of Law would fail.
At that point, not only the Dromas and warhorses, but even the battle-hardened soldiers would likely soil their pants.
Reluctantly, she and Hysilens dismounted and proceeded on foot.
"What is that?"
"Is it Pollux, the giant dragon of Styxia? No, it's already dead."
Hysilens craned her neck, and up close, it looked even more massive.
"Pollux?"
"Hello, I am Castorice, the former Overseer Saintess of Aidonia."
Castorice, who was carefully observing Ryuga's physical condition, heard the familiar name, raised her eyes, and looked towards Hysilens.
This was her favorite story from the bards.
The Elegy
The princess who became a dead dragon—the story Castorice loved to hear most.
"My homeland, the Elegy.""Monsters perched in the palace, the noble heir became a vile seed, all because of the giant dragon that broke into the tower, seduced my King, and devoured my Princess.""...""Only the princess's devoured, skeletal remains could barely be pieced together from the dragon's belly.""The silver-tongued alchemist claimed he could resurrect the princess from the dragon's flesh and blood.""The ritual was finally completed. However... Princess! She was refined into the image of the evil dragon, devouring the alchemist, the brave centurion, and the muddle-headed King.""A bloody feast summoned the shadow of death, and the old city-state was thus annihilated."
"Castorice? The former Overseer Saintess of Aidonia. I've heard your story. It seems you must have some connection with Styxia."
Hysilens looked up at Castorice.
"Connection?"
Castorice was stunned.
"Yes, the downfall of Styxia is indeed related to the dead dragon Pollux."
Ryuga sighed softly.
He remembered that after entering Styxia in the game's plot, one would encounter an alchemist, and there would be a dialogue between the Queen and Castorice's adoptive mother.
"Souls who could not find death swept over Styxia like a tide. My city-state, my people, are now gone... That infant girl is the only survivor I could save."
When meeting Polyxia in the Underworld, she also said: "Since then, the Titans have also ceased to exist in the world. The cycle of life and death was severed, and souls could not meet the Exalted, only to be stranded in the dead's river of 'rising without falling'."
The river of "rising without falling," carrying the souls of the dead, washed over Styxia.
The entire city-state was filled with stranded souls.
"But the root cause of the world's disaster is still the Black Tide."
Ryuga stood up helplessly, raised his hand, and gently patted Castorice's shoulder.
Once, twice, and again.
You are all my wings.
Sakura: "..."
Boss, you have a great appetite.
"Lord Demon God, do you know my true identity regarding Styxia?"
Castorice raised her head, looking intently at Ryuga.
"Castorice."
"Do you like hearing the story of the dead dragon turning into a princess?"
Ryuga held Castorice's small hand and asked softly.
You are a 'princess', and Hysilens is a princess too.
"Mm."
Castorice nodded, her eyes lowered, looking at their overlapping hands, feeling the burning warmth on the back of her hand. A blush spread across her delicate cheeks.
She didn't dare to look up, nor did she pull her hand away from Ryuga's.
Holding hands.
"I originally planned to tell you after slaughtering the city-state of Olenos ,but telling you now is fine too." (Previously translated as Aidona, but it is Olenos. It is a city introduced by the author like how he introduced those different names for Tribbies)
Ryuga paused, seemingly organizing his words.
After all, when they go to find the Death Titan, this past event will be mentioned.
"In the bard's story, Styxia was invaded by an evil dragon, which you call 'Pollux'."
"The final outcome was that the prosperous Styxia was washed away by the River Styx."
Saying this, Ryuga sighed and shook his head regretfully.
"The last part is correct, but the beginning is just poetic embellishment added by the bards."
"Pollux died the moment she passed the River Styx and descended upon Styxia. Her remains blocked the River Styx, preventing the dead from reaching the Underworld."
"As the River Styx was blocked, the water only rose without falling, and the souls who could not find death accumulated, eventually causing the river to wash over Styxia."
One could say the Black Tide was the root cause.
But the dead dragon's blockage, the washing of the River Styx, and the burden of the dead souls accelerated the process.
"The Queen of Styxia took the 'Princess' from the dead dragon's belly. She believed that the cursed infant was a chance for salvation granted by the gods, so she entrusted the infant to the Elder and Chief Executioner of Aidonia..."
After speaking, Ryuga looked at Castorice.
He saw her eyes trembling. Clearly, she had already guessed something.
"Amunet!"
"That is, your adoptive mother. Inspired by the phrase 'like a butterfly landing on the branch of Death,' she named the infant—Castorice."
"That is you."
Ryuga sighed and shook his head.
"So, I am the 'princess' from the dead dragon's belly? Is that why I have Thanatos's curse? But why..."
Castorice was stunned.
Ryuga nodded, appearing very composed.
World-Ender: Σ(@△@|||) No wonder she smells like 'dragon'.
"Very curious, aren't you?"
"Then let me tell you another story."
"You and your sister, Polyxia, were the twin sisters prophesied in a previous life to become the demigods of 'Death'."
"According to the prophecy, the trial for the demigod of 'Death' was to take the life of a loved one. But Polyxia was never ready to lose her closest kin."
"When the eleven Embers were returned, and only the 'Death' Ember was missing, you prepared to sacrifice yourself. You asked your sister to cut out your heart to bring life to the new world."
"But Polyxia, who became the Death Titan Thanatos, was determined to resurrect you. She used the authority of 'Death' and alchemy to recreate your life."
"She then descended upon the twins' homeland, Styxia, in the form of the giant dragon Pollux."
"Unfortunately, the principle of equivalent exchange cannot be violated."
"The authority of 'Death' was split in two. Pollux bore the curse of 'rejecting death' and died the moment she descended, her roar blocking the River Styx."
"And you, in her belly, were burdened with the curse of 'bestowing death'."
"That is the reason."
Everyone was dumbfounded.
The trial of the Death Titan was to kill a loved one?
How cruel.
Hysilens shook her head. No one was much more pitiful than anyone else.
Castorice's pupils trembled. After a long while, she finally let out a breath, and then, uncharacteristically, she smiled: "I wish it weren't true."
Her sister died suddenly.
Her home was shattered.
It was too tragic.
Thinking of her sister, who was watching over her alone in the Underworld, a pang of pain shot through Castorice's heart.
"Alright. After we slaughter the city-state of Olenos, I will take you to reclaim your authority."
Ryuga slowly raised his hand, his fingertips gently stroking Castorice's soft hair.
"Mm."
To be continued…