The market buzzed with its usual chaos.
Merchants shouting prices. Children running between stalls. The scent of grilled meat, fresh bread, spices, and fruit mixing into one giant cloud of distraction.
Mia walked beside Leo quietly, hood pulled up loosely over her head.
Not because she needed to hide.
Mostly because if people realized a massive black dragon was casually shopping for snacks, the market would probably explode.
Leo, meanwhile, was carrying three bags already.
And complaining dramatically about all of them.
"Why do you eat so much?"
Mia pointed at herself.
"…Dragon."
"Fair argument."
A vendor handed Leo another wrapped skewer while Mia stared at it with immediate interest.
Leo sighed like a tired parent.
"You just ate."
"And yet," Mia replied calmly, already reaching for it, "I remain hungry."
"That's horrifying."
Still—
he paid for it.
Again.
Mia took the food and walked beside him quietly for a moment.
Watching him.
The way he casually handled everything. The way he bought food without even thinking about it. The way he naturally stayed beside her.
Normal.
Comfortably normal.
"…Leo."
"Hm?"
Mia looked ahead as they walked.
"…Thanks."
Leo blinked.
"For what?"
"You know…"
She gestured vaguely at the bags.
"The food."
Another pause.
"…And everything else."
Leo looked at her for a second, surprised by how genuine her voice sounded.
Mia scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"You kind of act like…"
She stopped.
"…a big brother."
Leo froze slightly.
Then slowly smiled.
"…Well."
He bumped her shoulder lightly.
"You are basically my little sister."
Mia immediately frowned.
"…I'm bigger than you."
"Not in human form."
"That's cheating."
"It's accurate."
Mia clicked her tongue but didn't argue further.
Because honestly?
The title didn't feel wrong.
Not anymore.
Leo grinned and handed her another snack.
"Here."
"…You're spoiling me."
"Correct."
"You know dragons can become greedy, right?"
Leo stared at her flatly.
"Mia."
"…Yeah?"
"You already stole the barn."
"…Fair point."
And just like that, they kept walking through the noisy market together—
The sun had already raising up when they returned to the estate.
Mia stepped into the yard, stretched once—
then her body shimmered, black scales spreading across her skin as she returned to dragon form.
Leo paused mid-step.
"…Where are you going?"
Mia flexed her wings slightly.
"To Ebruhan's place."
A small pause.
"Just checking on him."
Leo's expression changed immediately.
Not angry.
Just… worried.
"…Last time I let you go somewhere alone, you got kidnapped by the Abyss."
"…Technically I was abducted by my possible father."
"That is NOT helping your case."
Mia let out a snort,
Then, more quietly—
"Don't worry."
She looked at him directly.
"I promise this time."
A beat.
"Dragon promise."
Leo froze slightly.
That phrase again.
Dragon's word.
Dragon promise.
Ebruhan had said almost the same thing before flying into literal hell.
And he kept it.
Against all logic.
Against all odds.
Leo looked at Mia for a long second.
Then sighed.
"…Fine."
He pointed at her warningly.
"But don't get lost like before."
Mia's tail flicked once.
"…I won't."
Softer this time.
More certain.
Because now?
She had somewhere to return to.
Leo stepped back as Mia spread her wings fully.
Wind swept across the yard.
Then—
WHOOMPH.
The black dragon launched into the evening sky, climbing higher above the estate.
Leo watched her disappear into the clouds, arms crossed tightly.
"…Dragon promise, huh…"
A small smile tugged at his face.
"…Guess those things actually mean something."
And far above—
Mia flew forward through the palace
toward a tired blue dragon who was probably sleeping like a collapsed mountain after fighting an Abyss for eighteen straight days.
Mia descended from the clouds, black wings cutting through the evening air before she landed smoothly near the outer courtyard.
The guards stiffened instantly—
then relaxed the moment they recognized her.
"Lady Dark Flame!"
"Welcome back!"
A few even bowed slightly.
The title still felt strange in her ears.
Mia gave a small nod as she walked past them, claws clicking softly against stone.
The palace grounds were lively despite the late hour. Knights trained across the courtyards, servants moved between halls, and distant laughter echoed faintly through the evening breeze.
Then—
CLANG!
A sharp metallic impact rang out nearby.
Mia turned toward the training grounds.
The king stood there in light armor, trading blows with the crown prince. Sparks burst each time their blades met, both moving with practiced skill.
Nearby, the queen sat beneath a shaded pavilion, calmly watching while sipping tea like this was perfectly normal family entertainment.
The prince lunged forward.
The king sidestepped smoothly and smacked the flat of his blade against the boy's shoulder.
"Too slow."
"I almost had you!"
"You almost tripped over your own foot."
The queen sighed softly into her tea.
"Just like his father."
"Hey."
The king looked offended for exactly one second before noticing Mia approaching.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Well now."
He lowered his sword.
"Lady Dark Flame."
A grin spread across his face.
"Welcome back."
The prince immediately perked up.
"Lady Mia?!"
Mia gave an awkward little wave.
"…Hello."
The king rested his sword over one shoulder.
"What brings you here?"
"Nothing important, Your Majesty."
Mia glanced around slightly.
"I just wanted to check on Ebruhan."
The king immediately snorted.
"Hah. That dragon?"
He pointed lazily toward the inner gardens.
"Near the lake.Sleeping."
Mia blinked.
"…Sleeping?"
"He said," the king replied with obvious amusement, "'I need a break before my body sends a complaint file against me.'"
The queen nearly laughed into her tea.
The king shook his head.
"Frankly, I'm surprised he's still alive."
Mia muttered quietly—
"…Same."
The king noticed the exhaustion in her eyes then, and his expression softened slightly.
"…Still."
He gave her a small nod.
"It's good to see you back safely."
Mia paused.
Then nodded once in return.
"…Thanks."
Without wasting more time, she turned and headed toward the gardens—
toward one extremely overworked blue dragon who had apparently decided the royal lake was now his emergency recovery bed.
Mia followed the stone path toward the royal gardens quietly.
The evening air carried the scent of water and flowers, calm and cool beneath the fading sunlight.
Then she saw him.
Near the lake.
Under a large tree.
Ebruhan.
The massive blue dragon was completely sprawled across the grass, one wing half-open like he collapsed there and simply decided life could continue without him for a few hours.
Sleeping.
Deeply.
Peacefully.
A few small birds had apparently declared him public property.
One hopped across his horn.
Another perched on his tail.
A particularly brave one bounced directly on his head.
Ebruhan didn't react at all.
Not even a twitch.
Mia stopped walking.
And just… stared for a second.
It felt strange seeing him like this.
Not fighting.
Not stubbornly charging toward death.
Just sleeping.
Actually resting.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
"…Yeah."
Soft.
Almost relieved.
"You earned that."
One of the birds chirped loudly.
Ebruhan snorted in his sleep, causing all of them to flap away in panic before slowly returning again two seconds later.
Mia quietly laughed under her breath.
Then she turned around.
No need to wake him.
Not after everything.
When she returned to the training grounds, the king was already seated beside the queen now, while the prince enthusiastically reenacted parts of their sparring match to absolutely nobody's request.
The king noticed her approaching.
"Oh?"
He raised a brow.
"Leaving already?"
Mia nodded.
"He's asleep."
The queen smiled knowingly.
"As he should be."
The prince looked dramatically offended.
"I tried talking to him earlier. He answered me while asleep."
"…What did he say?" Mia asked.
The prince crossed his arms.
"'Five more days.'"
The king burst out laughing instantly.
"That sounds exactly like him."
As Mia turned to leave, the queen's eyes briefly caught the dark mark on Mia's wing.
Her expression shifted slightly.
"…That symbol."
The king noticed it too now.
"The royal crest is gone."
Mia's steps slowed.
For a brief moment, the air grew quieter.
Then she answered honestly.
"…My possible father replaced it."
The prince blinked.
"The Abyss Sovereign did that?"
"…Yeah."
The king studied the mark carefully.
Ancient mana lingered around it, heavy and unmistakable.
Not evil.
But undeniably powerful.
"…Do you mind it?" the queen asked gently.
Mia hesitated.
"…I'm still figuring that out."
The queen smiled softly at that answer.
Fair.
Human, strangely enough.
The king leaned back slightly.
"Well."
He waved a hand casually.
"Mark or no mark, you're still welcome here."
Simple words.
But sincere.
Mia looked at them quietly for a second.
Then nodded once.
"…Thanks."
With that, Mia stepped back into the open courtyard, shifted once more into her dragon form—
and launched into the evening sky.
Far below, the palace lights glowed warmly.
Far behind, beneath a tree near the lake, one exhausted blue dragon continued sleeping through bird-related harassment completely unaware of everything.
Far beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Lumeris—
past mountain ranges, frozen rivers, and nations already swallowed by war—
stood another power.
The Kingdom of Norvoss.
A kingdom feared across the continent not for its culture…
but for its hunger.
Towering black walls surrounded the capital like the jaws of a beast, while countless crimson banners fluttered above them, each embroidered with the golden crowned tiger of Norvoss.
A symbol of domination.
Of conquest.
And lately—
victory.
Inside the royal war hall, the atmosphere smelled of steel, parchment, and ambition.
A massive map stretched across the center table, covered in troop movements, supply routes, siege reports, and border lines stained red by expansion.
Another kingdom had fallen today.
A general stepped forward silently.
Without a word,
he removed it from the map.
Then planted the crimson tiger banner of Norvoss in its place.
THUD.
Several nobles smirked immediately.
"One less problem."
"They surrendered faster than expected."
"As they should."
Laughter followed.
Only seven foreign flags remained on the map now.
Seven kingdoms unconquered.
And among them—
Lumeris.
At the head of the table sat Princess Selene.
Young.
Elegant.
Beautiful enough to distract kingdoms.
Dangerous enough to destroy them.
Golden eyes scanned the battlefield map lazily while one leg crossed over the other with practiced nobility.
She looked less like someone discussing war—
and more like someone mildly entertained by a game.
"Another kingdom falls," she mused softly.
Her fingers traced the newly conquered territory.
"Honestly, I expected them to resist longer."
One noble laughed immediately.
"They never stood a chance against Your Highness' strategies."
General Aerys bowed respectfully.
"Your tactical predictions were flawless once again, Princess."
Selene smiled faintly.
"My father trained me well."
At the far end of the hall sat the King of Norvoss.
Silent.
Watching.
Unlike his daughter, he rarely smiled.
Which somehow made him more terrifying.
The entire room unconsciously straightened whenever his gaze shifted.
Selene leaned back slightly.
"How many losses?"
Aerys answered immediately.
"Minimal."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Define minimal."
"Less than three hundred dead. Most casualties came during siege resistance."
A noble scoffed while swirling wine in his cup.
"Idiots should've surrendered earlier."
Another smirked coldly.
"Fear saves more lives than courage ever will."
Selene hummed softly.
"…True."
Then—
her gaze drifted again.
Stopping at one particular flag.
Lumeris.
Closest among the remaining unconquered kingdoms.
Her fingers tapped the table once.
"…General Aerys."
"Yes, Princess?"
"What do we know about Lumeris in last 6 years?"
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
The amusement faded.
Aerys' expression grew more serious.
"…Compared to the remaining kingdoms…"
He paused carefully.
"…Lumeris is troublesome."
One noble frowned immediately.
"Troublesome? It's barely mid-sized."
"Mid-sized," Aerys corrected calmly, "with unusually strong military coordination."
His hand moved across nearby territories.
"They spent the last decade building defensive ties with surrounding nations. If attacked, nearby kingdoms are likely to reinforce them."
Another general crossed his arms.
"And their terrain heavily favors defense. Forest lines, elevated terrain, river chokepoints…"
Aerys nodded once.
"Their standing army is also above continental average in quality."
Selene listened quietly.
Then noticed something.
"…That isn't all, is it?"
Aerys hesitated briefly.
"…No, Princess."
He reached for a separate report beside the map.
"There are… powerful individuals within Lumeris."
The King finally spoke.
"Speak clearly."
The room instantly stiffened.
Even the nobles lowered their heads slightly.
Aerys bowed immediately.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He took a slow breath.
"There is a blue dragon residing within the kingdom."
Several nobles visibly reacted.
"A dragon?"
"I've heard rumors…"
"The one from the eastern campaigns?"
Aerys nodded.
"His name is Ebruhan."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Combat capability is said to be....extremely high."
One older noble scoffed dismissively.
"A single dragon changes nothing."
Aerys looked directly at him.
"With respect…"
His tone sharpened.
"…that belief is exactly how armies disappear."
Silence.
Aerys continued.
"Ebruhan has repeatedly demonstrated large-scale destructive capability. Direct confrontation without preparation would be costly."
Another report was placed onto the table.
"And recently…"
He paused.
"…a black dragon has appeared."
The room went quiet.
Even Selene's relaxed expression faded slightly.
"…A black dragon?"
"Yes."
Aerys' eyes darkened.
"The reports are inconsistent. Some mention dark-purple mana. Others describe attacks capable of piercing magical defenses directly."
A noble frowned.
"That's impossible."
"Apparently not."
Selene spoke immediately.
"Age?"
"Young. Still within developmental stage."
That should have eased the tension.
Instead—
the atmosphere worsened.
Because older dragons were predictable.
Young dragons?
They evolved.
Fast.
Aerys continued carefully.
"There is another concern."
Selene rested her chin against her fingers.
"Go on."
"Dragons do not kneel easily."
A noble scoffed loudly.
"Then we kill them."
Aerys' eyes immediately hardened.
"No."
The noble frowned.
"…No?"
"You underestimate dragons."
Another scoff.
"They're beasts."
Aerys stared at him directly now.
"They are far more than beasts."
The temperature in the room felt colder suddenly.
"If a dragon is provoked carelessly…"
Aerys tapped the map once.
"…an entire army can disappear in hours."
That shut the room up.
Even the arrogant nobles avoided speaking further.
A small silence followed.
Then—
Selene smiled.
Slowly.
Coldly.
"Everything kneels eventually."
Several nobles immediately nodded.
"Exactly."
"No creature is beyond conquest."
The King remained silent.
Watching his daughter carefully.
Thinking.
Selene stood from her seat gracefully and walked around the massive war table.
Her fingers brushed across conquered territories one by one.
A trail of victories.
Burned kingdoms.
Collapsed crowns.
Until finally—
she stopped at the flag of Lumeris.
She picked it up between two fingers.
Spinning it lazily.
"…Continue observing them."
Golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"I may pay Lumeris a personal visit."
General Aerys immediately straightened.
"Shall I prepare the army, Princess?"
Selene laughed softly.
A dangerous sound.
"I never said I intended to attack."
From the table, she lifted another item.
An elegant invitation letter bearing the royal seal of Lumeris.
Originally intended for a kingdom Norvoss had already conquered.
Now it rested in her hand instead.
The royal ball invitation.
Selene smiled faintly while reading it.
"…How convenient."
One noble blinked.
"You intend to attend?"
Selene folded the letter calmly.
"If Lumeris truly possesses dragons…"
Her golden eyes gleamed with interest.
"…then I would prefer to see them personally before deciding whether they become allies…"
A pause.
"…or prey."
The hall fell silent again.
Then slowly—
the Princess of Norvoss placed the invitation against the map directly over Lumeris.
And smiled.