Chapter 118

Countless rooms existed in the dragon's palace. Though most were ordinary, some special places could only be accessed by the dragon, the palace's master. The dragon's treasure vault full of rare treasures was the most representative of these, and the room at the palace's highest level was another.

The door to that place, which had been firmly sealed for years, had opened just days ago. The room's scenery resembled a majestic library. Bookshelves reaching almost to the ceiling filled the walls densely, and thousands, tens of thousands of books occupied those shelves. The sunlight pouring in through the large windows was gentle and warm, making it difficult to imagine the tragic atrocity that had occurred here before.

Books were piled like towers in front of the silver-haired man sitting in a leather chair. While pages turned rapidly in his hands, books flying from the shelves by themselves steadily added to the tower's height.

When the endlessly stacking books finally lost balance and collapsed with a crash.

"Nothing useful."

Whoosh! Asad threw the book irritably. The ancient text worth more than gold tumbled pitifully on the floor.

"Isn't there anything different? Like food that extends lifespan by 100 years each time you eat it, or wine that prevents aging and death forever?"

As his fierce golden eyes swept across the bookshelves, the books trembled. Though it was a reaction to his search magic, it looked as if the inanimate books were terrified before the dragon.

"What's the use of just piling up books? When there's nothing useful. Never been any help anyway."

Unable to find what he wanted, Asad furrowed his brow and cursed the room's original owner.

This room had belonged to the previous dragon, Basar. And it was also where he had lost his life to Asad.

Asad sank deeply into the chair. Suddenly, a memory came to him.

Years ago, when Asad realized he was a dragon, the first thing he did was invade the dragon's palace.

The previous dragon Basar had sealed the dragon palace so no one could enter or leave. Only Asad, being a dragon himself, could break through Basar's magic and reach him on the highest floor.

'Liliana... your body is too cold. Have some warm tea. That will help.'

The silver-haired man, like Asad, was holding a woman in his arms and pressing a teacup to her lips. However, the tea merely trickled down her chin. Of course it would.

'Fool, that woman is dead.'

The palace's master, who hadn't spared a glance at the intruder's appearance, immediately glared at Asad with wide eyes at those words. His bloodshot eyes and clouded gaze were clearly not those of someone in their right mind.

'Don't speak carelessly. Liliana is not dead. Her body is intact, so I just need to retrieve her soul. With the dragon's first wish, it's entirely possible.'

'What, they said you'd gone mad, but you speak quite sanely?'

'You're the one who doesn't seem to be in your right mind.'

Basar no longer looked at Asad. As if he weren't worth it.

He kissed his mate's round forehead and carefully wiped her tea-wet chin with his sleeve.

'Wouldn't it be strange if I were sane? Thanks to someone abandoning me in the human realm, I only recently realized who I am.'

Despite the mocking words, Basar didn't anger. He only reacted to matters concerning Liliana.

'My Liliana headed to the human realm carrying you. To meet the exiled winged tribe leader... And there, she gave birth to you and took her own life. Liliana's letter said she couldn't bear the despair of bearing a child of someone she didn't love.'

'Over just that? How weak.'

Even hearing the tragedy of his birth, Asad remained indifferent. Dragons were originally a species without blood ties, and Asad, abandoned at birth, even more so.

'Anyway, you should have taken me when you collected that woman's corpse. Then I wouldn't have had to go through such hellish things.'

'I couldn't know where you were. If I had known, you wouldn't be standing here now. Because I would have surely killed you.'

Though his face was indifferent, deep hatred permeated Basar's voice. Asad's eyes flashed aggressively.

'Then why not try now?'

'I cannot.'

'Why, are you scared?'

'If I were to eliminate what made Liliana like this, I should be the first to disappear.'

The self-deprecating words deflated Asad.

'...How boring. If you won't fight, stop this useless act and get lost to the divine realm. Stop taking up space.'

'I will stay here until Liliana awakens.'

'Ha.'

Asad sneered. Because he was reminded that the dragon before him wasn't in his right mind. Otherwise, Basar couldn't not know what even he knew.

'That woman can never come back to life. You actually know that better, don't you?'

'With the first wish...'

'The dragon's first wish fulfills what the mate wishes for, not what the dragon wants. She's already dead, so how will you make her wish for anything?'

At that moment, a crack formed in the air that had been quiet as if time had stopped.

'Ah...'

Finally, Basar's consistently emotionless expression crumbled.

'Liliana...'

Transparent tears flowed from his eyes. Like blood flowing from a wound.

In truth, Basar had known too. That his mate was dead and could never be brought back. Neither in the knowledge inherited from previous generations nor in tens of thousands of books was there a way to revive the dead. Not wanting to accept this fact, he had turned away from the world and imprisoned himself here.

But an unwelcome guest had appeared and shattered his happy dream at will. Now he could never return to the time he had forgotten.

Basar embraced his cold mate's body. A terrible cry burst from his parted lips.

'Liliana, why did you make me have a heart? It would have been better not to know such things...'

Asad listened to the dragon's cries with a furrowed brow.

'It's deafeningly noisy.'

For a being with abilities worthy of everyone's admiration to be so disgustingly broken over just one person.

'If you want a mate so badly, just make another one. Go to the divine realm and make a new mate.'

'...You know nothing.'

Finally, Basar turned his head to look at Asad. He was still crying.

'I can't bear this anymore. Free me from this terrible heart. Then I'll tell you one thing, ignorant one.'

'Just one thing? Doesn't seem worth it, but...'

Even while saying this, Asad granted his wish. Basar didn't resist. He met his death while embracing his mate.

Leaving only one final word for Asad.

'You too will surely come to hate yourself because of your mate.'

Besides that curse-like statement, Basar left nothing for Asad. He must have been the first dragon in long history to hate his successor so much.

"Damn, remembered something unpleasant. This is why I didn't want to come here. Anyway, just need to find a way. Once he's healthy..."

I'll make him pay back this debt with his body. After being irritated briefly, Asad's lips curved up as if pulled by thread while thinking of the future.

"Ha, what if he cries from being too moved? What if he says he wants to stay by my side forever since only Lord Asad can do such things for him? How troublesome..."

But contrary to his words, Asad didn't look troubled at all. Though he didn't realize it himself, his eyes had already taken on a honey-sweet color.

Just then, there was a commotion outside.

"L-Lord Asad!"

Jet and Targan came running breathlessly. Not only Jet, but even Targan, who was usually always composed, couldn't hide his agitation.

"Why the commotion?"

Asad saw it then. Jet and Targan exchanging glances.

"What is it?"

"...Perhaps, where is Lord Nine right now?"

"Nine?"

At the sudden mention of the name, his nape grew cold. As if finally facing head-on something he had been forcibly ignoring.

Without asking further, Asad immediately gestured toward a large mirror hanging on one side of the room. The mirror's surface, which had been reflecting the room's scenery, rippled like water and showed the scene of a beautiful garden.

"He said he was going there for a walk..."

However, the mirror showed only a young servant collapsed asleep in the middle of the flower bed; Kinaine was nowhere to be seen.

Crash! The mirror that had instantly cracked shattered with a loud noise.

It was a sound of breaking that seemed to foretell what was to come.