"Ah, Azrael is here? Great."

Lucian's eyes lit up. This news brought him a rare sense of satisfaction. Until now, he had been unwillingly caught up in political intrigues, whereas in his previous life, he had been nothing more than a brilliant businessman and engineer—Xavier Lancaster.

A radiant smile spread across his face as he allowed himself to drift into his thoughts, lost in them for a long moment. Then, he ordered the guards to have Azrael immediately escorted to the meeting hall.

A heavy silence settled in until Lucian finally broke it. This time, his gaze was sharp, his expression unreadable.

"Chris, you still haven't answered me."

Standing straight like a soldier, hands clasped behind his back, Chris let out a quiet sigh before replying.

"Your Majesty..."

"..."

"I am indeed a dragon of the Dragon Clan. I am around a century old… And like all my kin, I am a descendant of the Dragon God, Kael. In a way, he is our father."

Lucian instinctively swallowed.

Wow... Am I… at war with such an entity?

He had already realized that the figure he had seen in the crimson mist the previous night was anything but ordinary. After all, that individual had spoken of the world's destruction with eerie nonchalance and a mocking smile.

But learning that dragons truly existed… and that Kael Drazhar was the creator of all these mythical beings…

He finally grasped the extent of the storm he had been caught in.

What's done is done. Either way, it changes nothing for me…

Chris continued, his voice calmer:

**"But I never particularly liked my clan. In the Divine Kingdom, everything was stagnant, monotonous. Each day was the same, and I was endlessly bored… Yet none of my elders seemed to mind.

My older sister, who is 500 years old, was the only one who understood my desire to leave. She was the one who helped me escape so I could discover the outside world… I can't go into details, but during that journey, I met Sir Adrian Voldreck… your father."**

At the mention of that name, a nostalgic glimmer flickered in Chris's eyes. Adrian Voldreck had been his first true friend… and perhaps his last.

"Once again, I can't tell you everything. But a long time ago, I made a vow—to watch over the imperial family for generations to come… and to keep a special eye on you."

"About me?" Lucian asked, intrigued.

"Yes… about you."

Chris paused, lost in thought.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like he knew…

That TENEBROS was sealed inside Lucian…

Lucian frowned slightly.

Why would he specifically assign a dragon to watch over me? As far as I know, this boy was nothing special…

Then, another thought crossed his mind.

Now that I think about it… Adrian wasn't reckless enough to name a kid like Lucian as emperor—overlooking all his far more talented brothers—without a valid reason.

Unless…

Unless…

A faint shiver ran down his spine.

Hmmm… maybe this has something to do with my reincarnation…

Lucian silently vowed to dig deeper into Adrian, the father of this body's former owner. He might find a clue—something that would help him understand.

But now was not the time.

Chris suddenly broke the silence, cutting through his thoughts.

"Regardless, a dragon's promises are sacred. So much so that breaking one is utterly impossible. I am bound to watch over you."

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"Hmmm… So you're staying only to honor your promise to my father?"

"That is correct, Your Majesty." Chris replied without a hint of hesitation.

Look at this bastard… Lucian thought.

He slowly stood up, gathering the documents on the table before heading for the office door, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"I have no intention of keeping a servant whose allegiance lies with another."

"…"

Lucian stopped at the threshold, casting a glance over his shoulder, an unreadable gleam in his eyes.

"Then I'll make sure you swear allegiance… to me, and me alone."

Arrogant employee…

Without another word, he left the room to meet Azrael Itharion.

Chris, on the other hand, gave a slight bow before departing to carry out the emperor's orders.

Today, once again, was going to be a long day.

—

In the grand reception hall of the palace, Azrael Itharion sat in silence, draped in his white robe—a symbol of his ascension to the rank of Archmage.

Beside him, three disciples—Julie, Marc, and Ruben—wore visibly irritated and annoyed expressions.

The International Magic Association, at the express request of the druid administrators, had sent an invitation to the greatest mages on the continent. Archmages like Azrael had even received special summons.

The objective? To discuss the recent catastrophe and find an appropriate solution.

Given this organization's immense political influence, it was crucial for any ambitious magician to stay in their good graces. Of course, for a transcendent like Azrael, it mattered little. But for his disciples—who were still walking the path of transcendence—it was a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves.

And yet…

Not only had Azrael completely ignored the invitation, but he had also halted all their magical research—projects they were supposed to submit to the Association in six months for their official mage certification.

And for what?

To come here, to the last of the empires.

It was utterly incomprehensible.

As they were lost in their thoughts, a voice echoed through the grand hall:

"Emperor Lucian Voldrek enters!"

One of the guards stationed outside had just announced his arrival, pushing open the heavy doors.

At once, Azrael and his disciples turned their attention to the entrance.

And then, they saw him.

A man… or rather, a small man.

Dressed in a short navy-blue jacket adorned with golden buttons connected by fine cords, he almost looked like a naval officer.

With a confident stride, he entered the room.

The disciples, however, could hardly believe it.

That's him…?

Emperor Lucian?

They had to muster every ounce of self-control not to burst into laughter.

Wow…

Pffft…

Julie, a young woman with violet hair, immediately raised a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles.

Ruben and Marc, on the other hand, puffed up their cheeks, struggling to hold back their amusement.

They had been warned.

They had heard tales of the "Dwarf Emperor."

But seeing him in person… that was a whole different story.

Regardless, etiquette came first.

As soon as Lucian entered, they rose in greeting while the doors shut behind him.

---

Look at these bastards…

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

I can tell they're mocking me…

Honestly, I get it. Even I find this appearance ridiculous enough to laugh at.

"Good day, Your Majesty."

Azrael gave a slight nod in greeting. Behind him, his disciples immediately followed suit.

"GOOD DAY, YOUR MAJESTY!"

With a simple gesture of my right hand, I motioned for them to sit. My left hand, meanwhile, still held the documents I had retrieved from my office.

Mmh… at least they're staying polite.

I made my way to my seat, the one that was unmistakably mine among all the others.

The one with those damn steps.

And of course, as soon as I started climbing up to take my seat, I caught those three bastards squirming in their chairs, trying not to burst into laughter.

Tsk!

"Welcome to my humble abode, Azrael, and…"

I trailed off, locking eyes with the three disciples.

They held my gaze, their expressions unreadable.

Azrael cleared his throat before introducing them.

"Your Majesty, this is Julie, Marc, and Ruben. They are my disciples. I thought they might be of great assistance if…"

He stopped.

His eyes studied me intently. Then, after a few seconds, his brows furrowed, and a long sigh escaped his lips.

"Ah…"

They're looking down on me, huh…

Azrael continued, his face now devoid of any emotion.

"…if your project is truly worth it."

If it's worth it, huh?

My smile widened—professional, flawless.

"Azrael, I get the feeling that you and your disciples are looking down on me."

Azrael responded with arrogance, much to the delight of his three disciples, who clearly had little regard for me.

"You must be seeing things, Your Majesty. How could I possibly look down on you?"

"Very well, if you say so…"

My tone was light, almost amused.

"But trust me, I always return the favor."

Without another word, I immediately stepped down from the throne, placed the documents at the center of the table, and made my way toward the exit.

"See for yourselves if it's worth it."

Still smiling, I took another step forward.

Behind me, Azrael furrowed his brows.

"Your Majesty, is this how you treat your guests?"

Without looking back, I replied nonchalantly:

"You lost that status. So read, and get lost if you feel like it. I've got work to do."

I could feel their dagger-like glares stabbing into my back.

And just as I was leaving the room, a murmured phrase caught my attention.

"Cre…a…tion of el…electricity…?"

"What the hell is this?"

A sly smirk stretched across my lips.

This… is what's going to change your miserable, outdated lives.

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