Chapter 8 Part 3

Rahil exchanged a glance with Emilio before charging at the dragon. The sword energy he unleashed slashed toward the base of the dragon’s wings as if it would tear them apart.

 

 

 

Kwaaaaa!

 

 

 

A deafening sound echoed through the chamber, but the space itself didn’t tremble. It was odd, considering how sound typically causes vibrations.

 

 

 

As soon as the sword energy collided with the dragon, its form vanished, leaving the knights and mages so stunned, that they lowered their weapons in confusion.

 

 

 

“What the hell…?”

 

 

 

“Was that an illusion?”

 

 

 

One of the knights asked a nearby mage, who slowly nodded. Where the dragon had once been, only a massive, white-dusted skeleton remained.

 

 

 

It was the dragon’s bones.

 

 

 

“…Was it calling out with only its lingering will?”

 

 

 

Emilio approached and muttered as he used magic to examine the bones. Even without the examination, it was clear they belonged to a dragon, but he wanted to be thorough.

 

 

 

“So does this mean the magic that was trying to lure Anais here has vanished?”

 

 

 

“Most likely.”

 

 

 

Emilio replied as he reached into the skeletal remains, pulling out something wrapped in what looked like withered, leathery skin. Without hesitation, he tore through the membranous covering and extracted a crystallized, fist-sized object.

 

 

 

“It’s the dragon’s heart. May I keep it?”

 

 

 

“As long as you’re willing to share all the magic grimoires from this palace with the empire.”

 

 

 

“Ugh.”

 

 

 

“Even if its you who gifted the dragon’s ring, but it was Anais who activated the magic that brought us here….”

 

 

 

“I know, I know. You’re trying to say that the ownership of this place should go to Her Majesty the Empress, right? Hmm….”

 

 

 

Emilio knew the stakes. While he didn’t mind giving the empire treasures hidden within the palace, the dragon’s research and magical knowledge were a different matter. As a mage, he naturally wanted to keep that information for himself.

 

 

 

He wanted to argue that since the wedding gift he provided had triggered this entire event, he had some rights to the findings. But he couldn’t deny the truth.

 

 

 

Nothing had happened when he wore the ring.

 

 

 

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t used both rings, but he couldn’t shake the thought that it was Anais’s use of the ring that had set all of this in motion.

 

 

 

“Can’t we settle this with Her Majesty later? We haven’t even found anything significant yet.”

 

 

 

Rahil looked displeased, but since he intended to give the palace to Anais, he slowly nodded in agreement. For now, the priority was to search the area thoroughly.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The search yielded little of significance. Besides the initial room they entered, there were eight more identical spaces, but no entrances to a lower level or hidden passages. The entire palace consisted of empty, lavishly decorated rooms adorned with magic stones, but there was nothing more.

 

 

 

The magical records Emilio had hoped for, or any of the dragon’s vast treasures, were nowhere to be found. Despite the inscription on the fountain statue that read “For Radiel,” the entire place seemed solely dedicated to the dragon.

 

 

 

‘Was Radiel not a human but a dragon? But then why would it try to lure Her Majesty?’

 

 

 

Although the questions were numerous, they couldn’t linger there any longer. The emperor’s subordinates were likely waiting anxiously for their return in the imperial palace.

 

 

 

Emilio marked the palace with Arken’s disciples so they could find it again later, and then decided to return with Rahil. They planned to assemble a team to properly investigate the area on their next visit, confident that something must be hidden there.

 

 

 

After five hours, Anais was relieved to see Rahil return, and she embraced him tightly. Emilio, along with the mages and the commander of the knights, explained what had transpired in the dragon’s palace while Rahil reassured Anais.

 

 

 

“…You haven’t heard the voice anymore?”

 

 

 

“No. Ever since Your Majesty entered that space, I haven’t heard it.”

 

 

 

It was a relief, but something still didn’t sit right with Rahil. The rings were still on both his and Anais’s fingers.

 

 

 

‘Is this really the end of it?’

 

 

 

Discussions about who would own the dragon’s palace were already heating up, so Rahil ordered everyone out of the meeting room. They could continue their discussions, but not in the Empress’s quarters, especially since it was nearing midnight. Moreover, he needed Emilio nearby.

 

 

 

“Wait…! Why me?!”

 

 

 

Emilio grumbled as Rahil dragged him along. Even if he wanted to shake off Rahil’s hand, he couldn’t overpower him.

 

 

 

“It’s not certain yet. You’ll stay in the room next to ours.”

 

 

 

“Ugh.”

 

 

 

Though Emilio disliked the situation, Rahil had a point. Emilio requested a brief moment to send another mage from the tower to attend the meeting in his place.

 

 

 

“Sion, I’ll leave the deployment of the investigation team and the matter of the palace’s ownership to you.”

 

 

 

As Sion bowed, Rahil motioned for him to approach. He pulled Sion close and whispered into his ear.

 

 

 

“…Don’t reach a conclusion on ownership just yet. Prioritize the investigation.”

 

 

 

“Understood.”

 

 

 

After sending Sion away, Rahil faced Anais. When their eyes met, Rahil immediately sensed that her mood had soured. Though she had softened upon his safe return, she was now slowly growing irritated.

 

 

 

‘What’s going on? What did I do wrong?’

 

 

 

On the surface, Anais didn’t appear particularly angry, but her gaze was gradually becoming colder.

 

 

 

Feeling suddenly deflated, Rahil accompanied Anais to her bedchamber. Since the rings were still on their fingers, the magic would likely activate again tonight.

 

 

 

That meant they would have to share the bed. Although he would hold her again tonight, Rahil couldn’t shake his unease—he felt extremely self-conscious.

 

 

 

“Uh,um…. did I do something wrong?”

 

 

 

“Let’s just go inside first.”

 

 

 

Anais replied as she stepped through the door opened by a servant. Rahil followed, casting a quick glance behind him. Emilio was waving at him encouragingly, which only served to annoy him further.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Rahil thought he wasn’t too nervous, but the sweat on his brow suggested otherwise. He considered taking a quick shower before midnight, but he kept watching Anais for any sign of what she might say next.

 

 

 

“Your Majesty, you are the emperor, after all.”

 

 

 

Even before she continued, Rahil could guess what she was about to say.

 

 

 

He knew it well. No matter how urgent things seemed, he shouldn’t have acted so rashly. He should have sent everyone away, calmly removed the ring, and then handed it over to Emilio and the other mages.