Haru's mind flickered with confusion. I thought Seraphina said her father was bedridden, slowly dying… then why is this happening?
Darius: "Both of you, follow me."
Without another word, Duke Darius lifted into the air, his flight magic glimmering faintly in the sunlight. Haru and Yezlyn followed silently, the air around them heavy with anticipation. Each of their movements was precise, controlled, and tense, as if the very atmosphere was aware of the power they carried.
They landed in a small, enclosed room. Only Duke Darius, Seraphina, Owen, Yezlyn, and Haru remained. The space felt heavier than the rest of the mansion, weighted with past events and unspoken truths.
Darius: "Tell me everything. What truly happened four years ago?"
Yezlyn's eyes darkened. She drew in a deep breath before speaking, her tone calm yet edged with gravity. Haru's gaze sharpened, every sense alert, drinking in every word.
Yezlyn: "Four years ago, three mages applied to Myrren Academy: Riku, Sora, and Minji. Their skill was undeniable, even though they couldn't afford the tuition. Scholarships were granted because their talent was impossible to ignore."
Yezlyn: "Minji, in particular, displayed an aptitude beyond comprehension. Even at her age, she could cast complex spells with precision and speed that rivaled senior students. Riku and Sora grew at a similar pace. Within six months, they had become known across the academy, even among nobles, as prodigies."
Yezlyn: "When the noble students realized they were not of noble blood and had no backing, they began to harass them. Riku and Sora endured, but Minji refused to submit. Her defiance… enraged the nobility. Many sought to force her to bend, to break her spirit."
Haru's hands clenched at his sides, but he did not move. His face remained an emotionless mask, though inside, the storm was gathering.
Yezlyn: "Despite the harassment, their talent was unstoppable. Their grades and abilities left no room for doubt. Within a year, they had grown into prodigies. Professors and nobles alike sought to teach them. Riku and Sora accepted offers from the Zarneth family in the Azarin Empire, but Minji refused. That decision made her a target once more."
Haru's chest tightened as her words sank in. So Minji survived all this… but how much did she endure?
Yezlyn: "I became her disciple to protect her. To ensure that no one could harm her for her talent. She is extraordinary, even by the academy's high standards, but without guidance, she would have been destroyed. I could not let that happen."
Haru's eyes softened slightly, just enough to betray a flicker of concern. He had witnessed countless deaths, countless battles—but the injustice of targeting someone for simply being strong cut differently.
Yezlyn's expression grew darker, her voice taking on the weight of memory as the room grew silent once more.
Yezlyn: "After that, they met someone. His name was Hyunwoo. He enrolled in one of the three great academies within the Azarin Empire. At first, it was nothing unusual—three talented students, another worlder among them. But everything changed the day they discovered something… something buried in history."
Haru leaned forward slightly, his eyes sharp and unreadable.
Yezlyn: "They found records about a dragon—an ancient being we had imprisoned fifty years ago. We dismissed their findings at first. The seal was said to last a thousand years. But… the impossible happened."
She clenched her hands, her tone trembling with restrained anger.
Yezlyn: "The seal broke. The dragon awoke."
The room fell deathly still. Even Duke Darius' stoic composure wavered slightly.
Yezlyn: "It descended upon the empire with fury unlike anything we had seen. Cities burned. Thousands perished. Mages and professors from every corner of the continent gathered to stop it—but it was hopeless. The dragon's power was beyond our understanding. And then… we learned the truth."
Her eyes flicked toward Haru, her voice lowering.
Yezlyn: "One of the Eight Seats of Paradox was there—Meriam, the Seat of Gluttony. She devours all things connected to magic itself. Spells, mana, even enchantments—nothing escapes her hunger. She was the one guarding the dragon."
A sharp intake of breath echoed from Owen. Darius' aura pulsed faintly, the crimson light from before flickering along his frame.
Yezlyn: she wasn't after destruction alone. She was searching for one of the Six Birthstones—artifacts from the age before the Great War. According to the ancient records in Myrren Academy, the Birthstones are fragments of an ancient gate—a portal that once allowed the Demon King to descend upon our world. One was sealed with that dragon. When the dragon broke free, she came to claim it."
Haru's eyes narrowed. So that's what this is about…
Yezlyn: "We fought with everything we had. The dragon's rampage lasted for days. Armies fell. Magic barriers shattered like glass. Adventurers, knights, and scholars all perished one after another. It was… chaos."
Her voice softened slightly, almost reverent.
Yezlyn: "But then… salvation came from the ones we least expected."
She smiled faintly, a glimmer of pride breaking through her composure.
Yezlyn: "A group of another worlders—led by Hyunwoo and Samuel—stood at the frontlines. They united the broken mages and soldiers, wielding strange power we could barely comprehend. Hyunwoo fought like a man possessed. Samuel commanded with the precision of a general. Under their lead, we finally brought the dragon down."
The firelight in the chamber flickered, reflecting in Haru's calm eyes.
Yezlyn: "The battle ended with victory… but not without loss. Meriam escaped. She devoured dozens of archmages before vanishing into the abyss. We don't know where she is now—but the moment she returns, it will be to finish what she started."
A silence lingered, heavy with unspoken fear and awe.
Darius: "So… the rumors were true. The Paradox Seats are moving again. And if Gluttony is searching for the Birthstones—then the others will not be far behind."
Haru remained still, his gaze distant but coldly resolute.
Haru (thinking): Hyunwoo… Samuel… Minji… all tied to this chaos.
Haru exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. But deep within, the quiet storm stirred once more—rage, purpose, and something else… something he hadn't felt in years.