At the seal, Garen confirmed cracks in the sealing stone and reported it to Kaisiel. He also wrote that Fazel complained of pain from the cold while checking the seal.

“The Zieten ducal family has felt cold for generations when leaving for monster hunts.”

The symptoms were especially severe when going to the demon dragon’s seal.

“Fazel is the same.”

It would be harder since two curses had been placed on Fazel.

“What will Louelle do?”

He’d told Louelle the secret of the Zieten ducal family that only emperors knew through generations. They said the Zieten ducal family’s power came down after defeating the demon dragon and receiving the Dragon Lord’s blessing.

But that was only a story created for later generations. Because the demon dragon’s seal was breaking, the Emperor had to move.

Kaisiel headed to the conference room to discuss this matter.

* * *

Returning to the Zieten ducal house, Fazel felt cold energy and looked at his hands. The room was still warm, but the cold energy wouldn’t fade.

He understood why past Dukes sought women.

‘Louelle.’

He missed her embrace. His body seemed to tell him to quickly bring her and hold her. At the same time, it told him to torment her.

It seemed to want to destroy this relationship. An impulse arose to do things he didn’t want.

‘This isn’t my will!’

Fazel gritted his teeth. He didn’t want to do unwanted things anymore.

Especially things that hurt Louelle! 

He drank hot tea.

But the cold energy remained. Fazel finished organizing all his documents and lay on the bed.

‘Phew.’

Still, compared to the cold energy felt at the demon dragon’s seal, he felt livable now. When he went to the seal with Garen after clearing up monsters, the cold struck.

Others were making a fuss about the heat, but only he shivered. But strangely, his heart felt cold when he went to the demon dragon’s seal.

Without realizing it, he almost touched the demon dragon’s seal. He’d approached it in a daze.

“Phew.”

He’d subjugated monsters as Louelle wanted. What should he do now?

Esran said to wait. 

“Anyway, I can’t figure her out.”

What thoughts were in Louelle’s head? It was a day he spent wondering about that.

* * *

Liliet’s household wasn’t simply a merchant family. They were owners of a multinational trading company that dealt with various other races.

Originally a family grand enough to receive a title, but they’d kept distance from politics and refused titles through generations. I sent a letter to Liliet a few days ago. Liliet gladly welcomed my visit.

It was the last winter break of the Academy, and I said I’d visit, so I’d keep my promise. And to ask a favor.

The Liliet family was far from Asnel territory, but using warp, I could arrive in three days.

Liliet Cesaren. The city Cesaren was named after the Liliet family’s surname. Cesaren had done trade business here for a long time and was the ruler of this place.

Fair and just, they donated much for the public good and had high prestige. As soon as I arrived in Cesaren, I went straight to Liliet’s main house.

Since I rode in a carriage bearing the Asnel family crest, they simply checked at the entrance and let me inside.

‘They said Caslan and Liliet would marry right after graduation.’

I could have married first. A bit regrettable, but still, I could do it someday.

I felt anxious these days too. Because fate could flow differently from what I thought.

But I steadied my heart. When I opened the carriage door and got out, Liliet was waiting for me in pretty clothes.

“Louelle!”

“Liliet, it’s been a while.”

Liliet, who first approached me for my sake. But the female protagonist was truly a good friend. Now I also sincerely considered her a friend.

“Have you been well?”

Liliet nodded.

“I’ve been well.”

Liliet smiled brightly and led me inside. The house interior was very spacious. Since it rivaled the Asnel main house, I looked around curiously.

“The house is amazing.”

“Well, we do trade business. We have to show something too.”

I knew what Liliet meant. I nodded and followed her.

We arrived at her room.

“Not many friends have entered my room.”

Liliet spoke shyly.

“But listen, Louelle! Something big happened.”

Liliet sat on the sofa and spoke with a serious face. I pretended not to know and asked.

“What happened?”

“Actually, our family will probably go as an envoy representing the Empire.”

When the demon dragon’s seal broke, the world would become chaotic. So they had to visit the Dragon and find out how to seal it again.

100 years ago too, the Empire’s representative visited the Dragon Lord and learned the method.

“I want to go too.”

I told Liliet.

“I want to go there and break the curse placed on the Zieten family.”

Liliet nodded.

“So there was something with Fazel after all.”

“Right.”

Liliet and Caslan hadn’t asked the reason Fazel and I parted. But they seemed to have guessed something between themselves.

They waited until I spoke myself. This was why they were good friends.

“I want to ask the Dragon Lord how to break Fazel’s curse.”

“Alright, let’s go together.”

Liliet readily said she’d take me. Hearing those words, tears came.

It seemed a way to change fate had finally appeared.

“Don’t cry.”

Liliet hugged me. Fazel must be feeling cold energy.

He’d be struggling alone.

‘Fazel. Hang on just a little longer!’

I’ll save you soon. 

Him being devoured by sad fate must never happen.

* * *

Caslan clicked his tongue looking at the Zieten ducal house. The ducal house’s prestige was impressive, but there was something unsettling about getting close.

“It doesn’t suit Fazel.”

He just felt that way. When Caslan entered the Zieten ducal house, Ollos guided him to the reception room as though he’d been waiting.

The envoy going to the Dragon Lord would depart soon. Caslan took charge of their overall escort.

Becoming a Sword Master slightly later than Fazel, he ended up going directly as Liliet participated in this envoy.

“Phew.”

He waited for Fazel in the reception room. After a while, Fazel entered wearing thick clothes despite it being spring.

“Fazel, aren’t you hot?”

He’d heard the Duke Zieten suffered from cold energy, and it was true.

“I’m cold.”

Fazel smiled and sat in the opposite seat. He was glad Caslan treated him the same even after he became Duke.

“You heard the story?”

Fazel nodded.

“About Liliet going to the envoy? Louelle is going along too.”

“Right. She said she’d ask the Dragon Lord about your family’s curse.”

Dragon Lord. Fazel clenched his fist.

He saw the picture Louelle drew.

“Please take care of Louelle.”

“Of course. She’s a friend, so I have to protect her.”

“Thank you.”

Fazel wanted to go along too. But he couldn’t go because of the curse.

Fazel told Caslan.

“If I approach, Louelle gets hurt.”

Fazel had sad eyes.

“The curse is like that?”

“Right. It’s a sad curse.”

Fazel smiled bitterly. He opened up about the reason he couldn’t talk about the curse for a long time.

“That’s sad.”

Caslan also agreed with Fazel’s words. Because the most terrible curse was giving pain to loved ones.

Fazel closed his eyes. He hoped Louelle would meet the Dragon Lord and obtain even a small clue to break the curse.

* * *

The forest where the Dragon Lord lived was far from the Empire in distance. However, there was a warp heading directly there, so it didn’t take much time.

There was a route the Cesaren family used through generations when dealing with the Dragon Lord. Our party arrived at the forest where the Dragon Lord lived in a few days.

‘I braced for a long journey.’

Normally it would be a place requiring a ship, but thanks to warp, we could travel only by carriage. Grateful for that, I swept back my hair.

Wind gently entered through the window. Monsters didn’t live in the forest where the Dragon Lord lived. From the forest entrance, only people the Dragon Lord permitted could enter with her magical power.

Before leaving, Liliet sent correspondence to the Dragon Lord. Around Liliet’s neck hung proof the Dragon Lord permitted. We naturally passed through the barrier at the forest entrance and moved slowly.

“The place where the Dragon Lord lives is at the forest’s end. About one more hour.”

I nodded.

‘What should I say when I meet the Lord?’

Though I didn’t know if the Dragon Lord knew how to break the curse. What if even that being said they didn’t know?

I tightly grasped my hands anxiously.

‘No.’

The result hadn’t come out yet. So let’s not judge hastily.

I comforted myself and waited for the forest to end. As Liliet said, after an hour passed, a path without trees appeared. Running along the mountain path, a huge cave appeared in the distance.

They said Dragons built houses inside caves and lived there. Since it was a house built with magic, only permitted people could enter there too.

Getting out of the carriage, I saw the mansion faintly visible inside the cave and my eyes sparkled. Coming here, I finally realized I could meet the Dragon Lord.

“Who is it?”

Suddenly a voice was heard from the air. Liliet grasped her necklace and quickly shouted.

“An envoy from the Empire. I came as the human representative!”

Light appeared in the air and gathered in one place. A human form began forming where the light gathered, and soon a person stood beneath the subsiding light.

When describing the Dragon Lord, people usually attached all kinds of flowery words.

‘Wow.’

The Dragon Lord was truly beautiful. An elegant and pretty face seemed like it would rule the world.

“It’s been a while, Liliet.”

The Dragon Lord immediately recognized Liliet of the Cesaren household. Liliet bowed her head and approached the Dragon Lord.

“When I saw you then, you were a small child, but human time flows too quickly.”

The Dragon Lord lamented.

“Next time I see you, you’ll be an adult.”

“I’ve already passed adulthood.”

Liliet informed the Dragon Lord of one fact they didn’t know. Then the Dragon Lord smiled and pulled Liliet into an embrace.

“You’ve already grown that much.”

“Yes!”

“Well done.”

“I brought my fiancé too.”

The Dragon Lord showed interest.

“Who is it?”

“Dragon Lord, it’s my first time meeting you.”

When Liliet sent a signal with her eyes, Caslan quickly stepped forward. After seeing Caslan, the Dragon Lord nodded.

“They said two Sword Masters appeared in the human world, and you’re one of them. Liliet’s companion, welcome.”

The Dragon Lord smiled brightly. After greeting the knights and others with eye gestures, they let the party inside.

We entered the mansion receiving the Dragon Lord’s guidance. The others were experts who had to seal it in preparation for the demon dragon’s seal breaking. Or escorts.

But since I was neither, I couldn’t rashly intervene and speak.

“To think the demon dragon’s seal broke.”

The Dragon Lord’s face was full of worry. She couldn’t speak for a moment and fell into thought.

“The only way to subdue the demon dragon is with strong magical power. It must be sealed with a magical power stronger than the previous magical power.”

Everyone showed difficulty at the Dragon Lord’s words.

“Then I prepared a jewel to seal magical power. It’s no different from the demon dragon being sealed with my magical power.”

Who in the world besides the Dragon Lord had stronger magical power? The human representatives’ complexions paled. They’d believed the Dragon Lord could solve this, but couldn’t.

“How long will it take for the seal to break?”