Vol. 4 Ch. 43

To be honest, Leon found it hard to believe what he’d just learned.

Discovering that Konstantin had a daughter was surprising enough, but learning that this daughter had been severely injured by Adam over thirty years ago—forcing Konstantin to seal her in a crystal to preserve her life—was staggering. Konstantin’s initial choice to cooperate with the Empire had been driven by the knowledge that Adam was among the allied Dragon Kings. The partnership with the Empire was his way of tracking Adam down, to avenge his daughter.

Yet, through all their interactions, whether as enemies or allies, Konstantin had never once mentioned any of this.

Leon had always assumed Konstantin was simply the “battle fanatic” he claimed to be, someone driven by nothing more than a thirst for combat. But now he realized that Konstantin’s unrelenting pursuit of battle was fueled by something far deeper and more personal.

Who would have imagined that the infamous, battle-scarred Red Flame Dragon King would turn out to be a father with a heart full of vengeance?

Konstantin’s voice carried a trace of sorrow as he recounted the memory. “She was so small in his hands, so fragile… He could have crushed her with just a little pressure. If I’d hesitated even for a second in making my decision to save her, I might have lost her entirely.” His gaze fixed on the crystal, the memory replaying in his mind. “Even so, Adam took the opportunity to wound her. In the end, I had no choice but to seal her in this crystal to keep her alive temporarily.”

But the crystal had a time limit—a lifespan of about thirty-five years.

Thirty-five years…

Leon recalled that, in the future timeline, Rosvisser had been preserved in a similar crystal for twenty years, which had bought enough time for her daughters to research reversal magic.

For dragons, thirty-five years was nothing more than a blink of an eye.

Konstantin placed his hand gently on the crystal, as if trying to feel his daughter’s faint heartbeat and pulse through its thick surface.

“But I’d rather these years pass slowly, so much slower… until I find a way to save Leifi.”

If Konstantin had held this grudge for any other reason, Leon might not have felt the depth of his emotions. But because it was for his daughter, it struck Leon deeply.

Leon paused, gathering his thoughts. “Have you tried using primordial power?”

“Since it’s a mystical force left by our dragon ancestors, maybe it could help heal a young dragon.”

Konstantin offered a faint smile. “I tried awakening her with primordial power right after returning from the Far North, but it had no effect.”

“Our best healer says that the only thing that can save Leifi is a rare herb called ‘Ghost Lotus Grass.’”

“Unfortunately, it’s nearly extinct on Samael Continent. I’ve searched every possible corner over the past thirty years, but haven’t found a single plant.”

Ghost Lotus Grass…

Leon felt a vague familiarity with the name. Not enough to say it was something he remembered well, but… he was sure he’d heard it mentioned somewhere before.

He just couldn’t place where or from whom.

“There are less than two years left before the crystal loses its effectiveness. I swear, I’ll find a way to save Leifi in that time,” Konstantin vowed. “And, if you find that bastard Adam, I’m going to cut off his head and preserve it.”

Leon didn’t doubt for a moment that Konstantin meant every word of it.

In some strange way, their goals aligned once again. They had both wanted to bring down the Empire, and now they both wanted to find Adam.

In both cases, Leon sought answers, while Konstantin pursued vengeance. They were like a dragon and human version of the “headstrong and dissatisfied” duo.

Konstantin took a deep breath, regaining his composure as the resolute and solemn Red Flame Dragon King.

“Let’s head back.”

“Alright.”

The two exited the underground chamber and returned to the throne room.

“If you do find a lead on Adam, let me know immediately,” Konstantin instructed.

“Of course. But before you turn him into a keepsake, I need to get some information out of him first.”

Konstantin nodded in agreement.

Leon sighed, feeling a sense of relief. Although he hadn’t uncovered any clues about Adam’s whereabouts, he had learned an important part of Konstantin’s past. It was an unexpected gain.

This revelation also solidified Leon’s view of Konstantin—beneath the crazed exterior was a dragon with principles, someone who could be trusted. After all, how far could a “daughter-obsessed” dragon king go wrong?

Konstantin settled back onto his throne, and as Leon prepared to leave, the dragon king spoke up.

“Oh, there’s one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“When are you planning to deliver that roomful of primordial power tomes you owe me?”

…

An awkward silence filled the room. Leon could almost hear the sound of a crow cawing over his head.

Damn it! In his hurry to get on Adam’s trail, he’d completely forgotten about those tomes!

Leon wiped his brow and stammered, “Oh, uh… you know, gathering that many ancient tomes takes time. I still need to verify and catalog them.”

Konstantin raised an eyebrow. “Verify and catalog? These are ancient tomes, not…?”

“Oh, well, you know… Even ancient scholars made mistakes in their writings. My wife and I are just double-checking for errors. Once we’re done, I’ll bring them over.”

That excuse was so flimsy that even Leon didn’t believe it.

He silently prayed that Konstantin would let it slide.

This time, however, Konstantin wasn’t so easily fooled. He leaned back against his throne, his left arm propping up his head, his crimson dragon eyes studying Leon with a skeptical gleam.

After a pause, Konstantin spoke with cold certainty, “You don’t have any tomes, do you?”

“Of course, I do—”

“No, you don’t.” Konstantin was firm.

Caught red-handed, Leon could only admit, “Fine. I don’t.”

“Hmph.”

Konstantin scoffed, clearly expecting this. He seemed more annoyed than anything.

Leon, realizing that he’d asked for Konstantin’s help with nothing but empty promises, felt a twinge of guilt. True, Konstantin had his own reasons for opposing the Empire, but he had still been instrumental in their shared efforts.

Sure, Leon liked to joke, but he didn’t want Konstantin to think he was all talk and no action. A little goodwill could go a long way in future collaborations.

“I exaggerated a bit with the ‘roomful of tomes’ line. But I can definitely get you something worthwhile.”

“You’re not just making empty promises again, are you?”

“…I’ll do my best. And if I can’t, I’ll find another way to repay you for your help.”

Leon silently hoped that Claudia still had some reserves he could tap into.

“Fine. I’ll wait for your news, Cosmod.”

Leon blinked, quickly changing the subject, “Speaking of good news, I noticed the guards keeping an eye on you have scaled back. Did you know?”

Konstantin nodded. “After the war ended, the external garrisons gradually withdrew. By now, only a couple of small squads remain.”

“Looks like Alrais finally accepted that he’s not getting any primordial power from you, so he decided not to waste any more resources. And once Alrais pulled back, the other Dragon King elders didn’t see the need to keep watching either.”

Konstantin said, “The relationships between dragon clans can be as simple or as complex as they come. In the end, it’s all about self-interest.”

“Alrais wanted my primordial power from the beginning. Thankfully, you were sharp enough to call him out at the Dragon King Council and get the Red Flame territories protected.”

“Though the war between humans and dragons has ended, internal dragon clan conflicts haven’t ceased. I suspect Alrais will shift his attention toward manipulating other clans now.”

“So, the primordial power stays with me.”

Leon chuckled. “Are you really confident in handling so much primordial power?”

“When the day comes that we face each other in battle, you’ll find out,” Konstantin replied.

After a pause, he added, “Speaking of which, when will you have time for our duel?”

“No time in the near future. And I actually have a duel scheduled before you.”

“You really have a full calendar, don’t you, human?” Konstantin said, somewhat exasperated. “Who’s the challenger?”

“Thunder Dragon King Odin.”

Leon shrugged, “Not sure why he insists on a sparring match, but he backed me strongly at the Dragon King Council, so I felt obliged to accept.”

Konstantin nodded thoughtfully. “That old man has always been a bit eccentric. Nothing he does should surprise you.”

Leon put his hands in his pockets, “If that’s all, I’ll be off.”

“No need for formal goodbyes—you treat my Red Flame Sanctuary as if it were your own.”

Leon grinned at Konstantin’s sarcastic remark. “Hey, I have manners! Maybe next time I’ll knock?”

By “knock,” he meant having the Red Dragon guards crash open the gates.

Konstantin closed his eyes, choosing to ignore him.

Leon took the hint and left the sanctuary.

After making his way back through the forest, he returned to the Silver Dragon outpost.

“Sherry.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Arrange for someone to take me to the Sea Dragon Clan. And send a message to Her Majesty; let her know I’ll be a day late getting back.”