The Emperor's office.

"Hahaha! Your head is truly amazing no matter when I see it."

"You flatter me, Your Majesty."

Grad Luclire, the Emperor of Arant, seemed to be in a very good mood.

"It's not flattery. How did you come up with such an idea... khaha!! Thanks to you, those troublesome immigrants have been cleaned up in one go."

"Hoho... if my small talent has made Your Majesty's troubles disappear, what could be more joyful than that..."

The Mage Tower Master standing before the Emperor. Alberto Nimrode.

"I can't win against you with words. Now, open it."

The Emperor, who seemed to be quite pleased with his flattery, had a smile that did not leave his lips.

"T-this is!"

Alberto's eyes widened as he opened the small box the Emperor had handed him.

"How is it, do you like it?"

"Are you serious? You're really giving this to me..."

"Yes, put it away quickly before I change my mind. I cherished it quite a bit myself. But don't all things have their own owners? You take it and use it well."

Alberto's face was filled with emotion as he received the box. And for good reason, the item in the box was the 'Tear of the Sun'.

A legendary artifact that not only had the breath of a dwarf craftsman but was also said to have been directly imbued with magic by a dragon.

But no one had yet figured out the true ability of this artifact.

What was known so far was only an unextinguishable flame and light magic that manifested without mana, but it was recognized for its high value just for the potential magic power hidden within and its beautiful appearance.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Not at all. If this matter is concluded well... something like this will be nothing. Khahaha!"

***

"So, is Hasel doing well?"

"Well, he's probably doing well."

Aman, who answered Lucas's question nonchalantly, picked up a cookie from the plate in front of him.

-Crunch

"More importantly, that appearance now... what should I call it?"

"...You could say it's very pathetic."

"Is it reincarnation?"

"...You could say that."

Aman's eyes, who was munching on the cookie, began to sparkle.

"Then you're really just a human?"

"..."

"If I just kill you here..."

Aman's expression, whose eyes were shining with interest, was quite murderous.

'Is this bastard really trying to kill me now?'

Lucas's brow narrowed.

"...If you kill me?"

"Eh, how could I kill you! Hahaha!"

"You cheerful bastard..."

"But Lord, no, you're not the Lord anymore... umm..."

Aman scratched his head once.

"Just call me Lucas."

"Then Lucas-nim. You've reincarnated, but you have all your memories, is that it?"

"That's right. Very pathetically so."

"Then it really seems like life would be tough. Hahaha! A human!"

"...Don't you have any intention of shutting that mouth of yours?"

After figuring out Lucas's identity, Aman had taken him to his lair. He had dragged him in, saying he had many questions.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't worried that this cheerful dragon might harm him.

But what more could happen than dying? After he died, he would become a god, so it wouldn't be too late to take revenge then.

Because there was more than enough time to punish the pathetic dragon who had ruined his last excursion before becoming a god.

"Ah, so that's why you were in front of the Lord's lair!"

"You just figured that out now? You too..."

In fact, when he was first caught in front of his lair, he thought his identity would be revealed for sure.

But Aman, whose thoughts hadn't reached that far, had been digging in the air for a long time. It was quite enjoyable to watch.

"Then why did you go there?"

"..."

He was careless. He was so happy imagining the foolish lizard that he had become careless.

The Aman in front of him was not just someone who followed him and tracked his traces, but the very person who had actually revealed his identity.

To think he hadn't even thought of a proper excuse with him in front of him!

"There must be something there. Right? Something really good?"

"..."

Lucas's mouth was like a mute who had eaten honey and wouldn't open.

"No, didn't you leave that lair to my father? But to be loitering in front of it... is there some kind of secret warehouse..."

"..."

Damn it. I thought he was a fool!

"That's right, there is! There is! There's a secret warehouse!!!"

Aman, who was watching Lucas sipping his tea without answering, got up from his seat and started jumping up and down.

"Ah! If there was something like that, you should have given it to me!!!"

"Why would I give it to you?"

"You only gave it to my dad!!!"

Aman, who stomped his foot and puffed out his cheeks, glared at Lucas.

"...Alright. When this life ends, I'll be sure to give it to you."

He could give it. What was the point of holding on to it when he wouldn't need it when he became a god? But there was a problem.

'I want to give it to you too, you bastard...!'

That he hadn't found the warehouse yet.

"Promise me."

"A promise?"

"Do it. A promise. If it's something good enough for the Lord to hide in a secret warehouse, it must be amazing. So promise me."

Aman's expression as he held out his pinky finger was serious.

"Haha. Alright. I promise. But, you have to make a promise too."

"Of course!"

Dragons were a race that valued promises. A race that always kept their word, even if they had just blurted it out.

Keeping a promise was no different from an extension of a dragon's pride.

"Until this life ends, never tell anyone my identity."

"What if someone finds out on their own?"

Aman's trick was obvious. Lucas, who had also lived as a dragon for a long time, was not unaware of the tricks dragons played.

They would do anything to keep a promise, but they were also a race that would twist that promise to their own liking and do as they pleased...

"...That can't be helped, but don't give any hints either."

"Kh... what a shame."

There was no way he would give a trick to a pathetic dragon who hadn't even lived for a thousand years.

"And."

"And?"

"You have to help me with my life."

"Sure, why not. It's only a hundred years, isn't it? Haha!!!"

Aman, who laughed heartily as if he thought it was a great deal, drew a magic circle with a satisfied face.

Lucas, who knew what that magic circle was, also had a smile on his lips.

'Right, this is how it should be.'

A blood oath. An oath made with strong magic that even a dragon could not break.

Dragons were a race of promises, so they would try to keep their promises no matter what, but making a blood oath in case things went wrong was a good thing for Lucas.

"Now, we're making a promise, right?"

"Yes. I promise."

As Aman's large hand was placed on top of the small hand, the magic circle shone brightly and then disappeared.

***

The Rodrigo County estate located in Citata.

"Are you awake?"

"Yes. Come in."

As Blaine, who had just woken up, answered, Aileen, who had been Lucas's nanny, opened the door and came in.

"Good morning."

"Yes, good morning, Aileen."

Blaine, who was looking at the back of Aileen who was drawing the curtains, asked.

"Is the child okay?"

"Yes. She's still sleeping. It seems she went through a lot."

"...I'm sure she did."

Blaine's brow narrowed slightly as she thought of the child.

"I should go and see her."

As Blaine, who had arrived at the guest room where the child was, opened the door slightly and entered, a young girl who was still in a deep sleep on the bed came into view.

A gaunt body. The scratches on her face and body, no matter how much medicine was applied, seemed like they would leave scars everywhere.

The image of the child walking barefoot in the forest, a long way from the city, did not leave her mind.

'How... hard it must have been.'

When she first entered the county estate with the child, everyone, including the servants, was surprised.

First, at the bloodstains and appearance on the small child's body, and second, at the fact that Countess Blaine had personally held the child and gotten out of the carriage.

There was a reason why Blaine had personally held the child and gotten out.

When the maid Laila had held the child, the child had been startled and trembled. But when Blaine held her again, the child had calmed down noticeably.

Because of that, Blaine had not let the child out of her arms even once on the way back to the county estate.

"How is the child's condition?"

"She's much better. But it seems she had a nightmare all night. Everyone was surprised because the child's screams echoed through the corridor."

The nanny's eyes became moist as she spoke as if the girl was pitiful.

"I see... if the child wakes up, please let me know at any time."

"Yes. I will."

Pain was etched on the face of the sleeping child, as if she was still having a bad dream.

"Poor thing..."

After taking another look at the sleeping child, Blaine and the nanny left the room.

***

The magic ingredient warehouse inside the academy.

"You fool. It's not too late now. Let's go back quickly. Huh?"

"If you want to go back, go back alone. I have to do this."

The ones who had snuck into the ingredient warehouse were none other than Pola and Skir.

Pola lowered her voice and urged Skir to go back, saying it wasn't too late.

But despite Pola's dissuasion, Skir just shook his head firmly.

"No, are you really crazy?"

"I... I have to pass this test."

"You can pass without this!"

Pola grabbed the arm of Skir, who was busily looking for something.

"You go. I'll find it and go back... huh? Here it is!"

Skir quickly shook off the arm that was holding his sleeve.

What he had found was none other than the red leaf of Runelon. Runelon was a plant that grew in the northern region.

There were red Runelon and blue Runelon, and what he had found was none other than the red Runelon. And it was the leaf.

From the flower to the root, there was no part of Runelon that was not used.

The red Runelon leaf he had found, in small amounts, helped with the combination in magic potions, and when combined with medicinal herbs, it made the medicinal effect more effective.

"You really!"

Pola's hand, who was trying to stop Skir who was carefully holding the bottle, began to become urgent.

"With just this...!"

But despite Pola's dissuasion, Skir seemed to have no intention of letting go of the bottle in his arms.

"You really...! What's so great about a potion test!"

"If I fail this test too, I... I...!"

That's right. Skir had failed the last potion test, and in his haste, he had come to steal the red leaf of Runelon, which would help with the combination.

"Don't you know that if you get caught doing this, it won't just end with a failure!?"

Pola pulled his arm even harder.

"Uh... uh-oh!"

Skir's body, who was on the ladder, swayed greatly.

-Thud!

"Kir!!!"

Skir eventually fell from the ladder. Because of that, the large bottle in his hand, with its lid open, poured directly onto his face.

"Cough! Cough! Gak! Gak!"

Skir, who couldn't even feel the pain in his buttocks, stumbled and got up from his seat, feeling the pain in his neck and face.

"Oh... oh no! You...!"

"Gak! Gaaak!!! Gak!!!"

The red leaf of Runelon. When used in small amounts and appropriately, it was a leaf that helped with combination and enhanced the medicinal effect, but when it came into direct contact with the skin or entered the respiratory tract, it was a plant that caused great pain and rashes and hives all over the body.

"I-I think I'm going to die... khak! Gak!!!"

"Kir!!!"

In the end, he fainted from the pain he had never felt before, which was spreading all over his body.

(End of Chapter)