It was a mistake to lower the security just because the dragon had weakened. The Crown Prince touched the dragon with trembling hands. The great beast, facing death, barely managed to open and close its eyes.

‘There’s not much time left.’

Archaik realized.

There wasn’t much time left to fulfill their pact.

‘Humans must have exterminated our kind in this way. I will make your human species extinct too.’

To the young dragon’s venomous words, the young prince who had come bleeding, smiled brightly.

‘That’s what I want.’

‘…’

‘So let’s make a contract with our souls at stake.’

The young Prince Archaik wished for the empire to fall. The nameless young dragon wished for humans to become extinct.

Archaik Oken.

Born as the first prince of the empire, the young prince had long been treated like livestock, supplying blood to dragon eggs.

He thought the experiments would end when the dragon hatched from the egg. However, the emperor and imperial magic scholars wanted to conduct more experiments with the royal blood.

Hatred grew in the young prince’s heart. Pain and resignation fueled that hatred even more.

‘I was going to kill myself rather than live like this. But I came here because I felt wronged.’

The young prince’s eyes looked straight at the young dragon.

‘You’re just like me. Captured here, constantly having your blood drawn, being experimented on. You’ll be locked up until you die.’

‘…So what do you want me to do?’

‘Take over my body.’

The young prince’s black eyes shone with madness.

‘Switch bodies with me, and you destroy the empire for me.’

It was an insane proposal. Because if they switched bodies, the prince would be left with a life confined in a cage as an experimental subject.

Seemingly reading that thought, the prince sneered.

‘Nothing will change if we stay like this anyway. We’re both just experimental subjects.’

‘…’

‘But it would be different if you took over my body. I’ve heard that a dragon’s power comes from the soul, not the body. If you become me, if you become Prince Archaik… you would be a capable prince. Perhaps you could even become the Crown Prince, or the Emperor.’

The young prince, who had been muttering dreamily, smiled.

‘But you wouldn’t be able to be a good emperor, would you? Right? Because you hate humans.’

‘…And you hate the imperial family.’

‘Yes. So let’s switch bodies and make a soul pact. I’ll be locked up in your place and bear this pain alone. In return, you…’

The prince said quietly.

‘Destroy this cursed thousand-year magical empire built with my blood and pain.’

The young dragon nodded.

Discovered by the empire while still an egg, forcibly awakened with royal blood, and abused, the dragon had always wanted to eliminate the humans who abused him. He thought humans were also responsible for the extinction of other dragons.

To him, the prince’s offer was too sweet. The wishes of the two contractors mirrored each other.

The prince was right. Once the dragon’s soul took over the prince’s body, everything became too easy. Humans, already subdued by the soul’s energy, obeyed him. The Snake Knights, who gained magical abilities through his mana, instinctively followed his will like his limbs.

‘I quickly claimed the position of Crown Prince, and with just a little more, I could have fulfilled our pact…’

If the real Archaik died inside the dragon’s body, the soul pact would remain unfulfilled, constricting the dragon’s soul and driving it mad.

‘…I need to move up the plan.’

The Crown Prince’s eyes sank deeply.

***

Meanwhile, at the Piert ducal mansion.

“Chirp!”

The hatchling Chirpy kept circling around Leah. Janet, who was finishing Leah’s preparations, laughed brightly.

“My lady, it seems Chirpy knows beauty when he sees it.”

“Chirp chirp.”

Chirpy, who had been proudly holding his snout high suggesting this was obvious, looked at Leah with shining eyes. His expression revealed enchantment.

Janet tied the last ribbon and stepped back, feeling satisfied.

‘Of course even a dragon would fall for her.’

Today, Leah was dazzling.

A diamond and platinum tiara that highlighted her long platinum hair, a ruby necklace that glowed bright red at her neck.

Jewels sparkled like stars on the sleeves and hem of her dark blue velvet dress.

Dressed in a different style than usual, Leah exuded the dignity of a queen from an ancient empire. Janet clapped her hands.

“My lady, you look truly beautiful!”

“I need more than just beauty.”

Leah asked, turning to examine herself in the mirror from different angles.

“Janet, how do I look? Do I appear majestic enough that people would think they’d get hit with a fireball if they mess with me?”

“Um… you look so beautiful that people would consider it an honor to be hit by your fireball?”

“Chirp!”

Chirpy nodded his large head vigorously, strongly agreeing.

“…Well, I guess that’ll do?”

Her face clouded with worry as she muttered.

‘In the end, Helix didn’t come back.’

After they parted in the desert that time, he never appeared before Leah again.

Even though the Oken delegation didn’t withdraw their marriage proposal and persisted in the capital of Peiren throughout early winter. Even though the people of Peiren had resigned themselves to the idea that Peirlily would eventually marry Crown Prince Archaik.

‘It’s almost the new year.’

He must know that she would have to answer this proposal when the new year came, yet there had been no contact from that stubborn and rigid man.

Leah could only anxiously check and recheck the contractor’s mana stone.

‘Helix, are you at least safe?’

***

The square and bridge near the capital’s river were packed with people.

Today marked the beginning of the Winter Festival, the Festival of the Sun, which concluded the year. This spot was perfect for watching the opening fireworks and inaugural performance of the festival.

The gathered crowd started chattering as they stamped their feet in the cold.

“Did you hear? They say the Piert ducal family prepared something this year?”

“Really? Hmm… I’d think they’d be too busy for that?”

“I know. With the trial in autumn, and the Oken Crown Prince’s proposal all winter… Peirlily even fell ill and hasn’t appeared in social circles.”

Yet people still had expectations as they talked.

“But if it’s prepared by the Piert ducal family, it should be worth seeing, right?”

“They’re not the type to skimp on expenses at times like this. Whatever they’re thinking…”

“Maybe they want to win over public opinion since Peirlily will be going to Oken anyway?”

As they whispered among themselves, the surroundings began to darken.

It was time for the fireworks announcing the start of the festival. Even the people who had been chatting excitedly fell silent and waited for the signal with sparkling eyes.

Just as people’s expectations reached their peak:

Bang!

People forgot to cheer and just stared at the sky.

A massive firework, shining like the sun, had risen in the night sky. It was a firework brighter than anyone could have imagined.

“…Gasp!”

The surprised audience held their breath. A young couple who had brought their baby unconsciously tightened their arms.

Just as the surprise was about to turn into fear at this unprecedented sight:

BANG!

The fireworks in the sky changed.

“D-dragon!”

It was a firework in the shape of a dragon, the symbol of the Oken Empire.

It resembled the dragon fluttering on the flags of the imperial delegation that was stubbornly staying in the capital. People unconsciously clenched their fists.

Bang!

The next firework was launched.

The firework that spread its form in the night sky was a phoenix, the symbol of the Kingdom of Peiren.

“It’s Peiren’s phoenix!”

“Phoenix, teach that dragon a lesson!”

The spectators shouted in excitement.

However, the situation unfolded differently. The dragon pecked, tormented, and attacked the phoenix mercilessly.

“That evil dragon! Just like the Oken Empire!”

“Phoenix! Hang in there!”

Despite the anxious cheers and shouts, the phoenix fell helplessly.

“Ah…!”

Just as the spectators sighed in dismay:

The falling phoenix picked something up and flew upward. People narrowed their eyes, trying to see what the phoenix had in its beak.

“A flower?”

“Isn’t that a lily?”

At that moment, the lily transformed into a large fireball and began attacking the dragon.

“Wooooah!”

The spectators cheered.

From the phoenix’s beak and wings, fireballs were relentlessly shot toward the dragon. Each time it was hit, the dragon firework writhed realistically. Excited people shouted:

“Give it a taste of heat!”

“That dragon was showing off its strength, now it’s getting what it deserves!”

The people of Peiren Kingdom already had to be mindful of the neighboring empire. The Oken Empire’s delegation, staying in the capital for a marriage proposal, was a significant stress for the capital’s citizens.

The suppressed frustration of the people erupted.

“Yes! Keep hitting it!”

“Well done, fireball! Beat that dragon!”

People who were excitedly cheering for the phoenix and the fireball gradually became puzzled. The fireball looked different from the fireworks display that had been unfolding before their eyes.

It looked like a real ball of fire.

“Isn’t that real fire?”

“Fire keeps rising into the sky!”

People turned their gaze to follow the source of the fireballs.

On the stage where the festival performance was to take place stood a beautiful mage with a majestic presence.

With her white arms stretched toward the sky, powerful fireballs shooting from her fingertips.

It was Leah Piert.

***

People stared at the stage in astonishment.

One who regained his senses early gaped.

“That, that fire!”

He unconsciously pointed at Leah on the stage.

“That fire is from Peirlily!”

Leah looked down at the audience with a fireball dangling from her fingertips.

Under the moonlight of early winter, her white and beautiful face was accentuated by the light of the fire she held. A noble gaze looking down. Fire flickering from her raised hand.

The audience was stunned by Leah’s unexpected appearance and her overwhelming presence.

“It’s real fire…”

Someone muttered.

“Magic! A mage!”

The murmur soon spread into whispers.

“Peirlily was a mage!”

“My goodness, a mage!”

It wasn’t just the spectators below the stage who were shocked. The royal attendees who had come to watch the event also stood up in surprise.

“Th-that!”

As Grand Duke Calosi failed to continue his words and gaped, his sons chirped beside him.