#009

There is one story in the Larkan Empire that even those who cannot read know. It is a very famous founding myth, known even by barbarians.

A long, long time ago, there lived a Dragon.

From the moment the Dragon opened its eyes, it was utterly alone. There were no parents to celebrate its birth. Only the darkness of a deep cave welcomed the Dragon. Upon opening its eyes and shedding its skin, the Dragon knew what it had to do as naturally as breathing.

Leaving the cave, the Dragon learned to fly on its own, without anyone to teach it. With every blink of its eyes, the world’s knowledge flowed into its mind. The Dragon flew through the sky, observing the world. Many lives lived in the world.

There were orcs with heads disproportionately large for their bodies, elves who seemed to break if you so much as tapped them, and humans, who boasted the largest population.

Among them were wyverns with wings similar to the Dragon’s, but there were no others of its kind among these many lives. They all either feared the Dragon’s immense shadow or burned with hostility.

Soon, it became the most powerful being in the world. All living things feared the Dragon. As human kingdoms repeatedly perished and were reborn, the Dragon realized it could not find a being like itself in the world.

The Dragon was always alone.

Overwhelmed by the solitude that grew with the passage of time, the Dragon one day encountered a human. The human possessed the most beautiful appearance the Dragon had ever seen, and simultaneously, eyes it had never encountered before.

The human, with purple eyes that seemed to embody life itself, proposed a deal to the Dragon. Standing at the entrance of a vast cave where no one ever came, with the light behind them, the human spoke.

‘I have seen other Dragons besides you.’

The Dragon quietly denied the human’s words. For it had explored every corner of the world. It had never found any trace of another Dragon.

‘How dare you attempt to lie to me.’

The emotionless Dragon’s voice was quiet but clear enough to shake mountains. However, the human was not afraid and continued speaking. The Dragon, having never witnessed such a being in its life, became interested in the human.

‘It’s true. My ancestors were not ordinary humans. I know how to meet other Dragons.’

A faint thread of hope began to sprout in the Dragon’s heart. The desire it had given up on grew rapidly, beginning to ensnare the Dragon.

‘Then teach me the way.’

The human offered the Dragon a deal. Extending a hand, he said,

‘If you grant my wish, I will grant yours in return.’

The Dragon, blinded by its long solitude, accepted the wish without hesitation. The Dragon agreed to the deal. The moment the Dragon agreed, its words became a binding tie, chaining its soul.

‘I will grant you one wish.’

‘Then, Dragon, please protect me and my descendants until you die. In return, I will tell you how to find a companion.’

This is the founding myth of the Larkan Empire, known to the world. However, the story does not end here. It was sealed underground at some point, unknown even to the Larkan royalty, and has now become a story known only to a single being.

Kihelene informed Cullen about a total of three libraries and archives. While one cannot grasp a person’s entire being upon first meeting, Kihelene seemed fair and flexible.

Her only flaw, perhaps, was that she seemed utterly unaware of the world’s malice. Of course, who would dare show malice to a Prince? It was only natural.

Cullen did not have time to build a good relationship through worthy competition, as Kihelene naively wished. He decided to learn as much as possible about the Imperial family before the meeting.

The Imperial family had archives sealed by Magic accessible only to royalty, a library open even to nobles, and record rooms where historical materials were preserved and accumulated.

First, Cullen briefly reviewed the history of the Imperial family. The dynasty, originating from the first ancestor Carias Larkan, as Emperor Zigmund had said, died prematurely on average after the age of 40. They bore only two children, and the eldest, regardless of gender, became Emperor.

One thing he learned about Dragons was that they lived for at least 1500 years. It was a dizzying span of time.

Cullen felt no trace of age on his appearance. It was a timeless beauty befitting a being of Immortality.

Why am I thinking this?

He felt annoyed by his own tendency to recall the Dragon’s appearance. There was nothing more foolish than being captivated by outward appearance. He despised such types. He shook his head and refocused on reviewing the materials.

The next thing he learned was that the Dragon had likely killed at least tens of thousands of people. Cullen unconsciously furrowed his brow.

The incidents that constituted massacres began around the 200th year after the dynasty’s founding. Though not frequently, the Emperor would summon the Dragon whenever there were signs of rebellion.

Could all of this have been unwanted bloodshed?

Cullen was confused. The image of the Dragon pushing him aside for a life not yet hatched lingered in his mind. It was hard to believe he was the violent being he vaguely imagined, though his space was quiet yet full of life, peaceful and serene.

But if he hates humans, it’s possible. He certainly hated humans.

Cullen blocked the unnecessary emotions that threatened to surface. He decided to focus on facts. That was all he could learn about Dragons from the record room. As it was a place that only recorded brief historical facts, information about Dragons was virtually nonexistent.

However, he did discover one important thing.

In the old Larkan dynasty, no one died in childhood before their mother.

Even more peculiar was that after the mother’s death (presumed) due to a landslide, another death followed. It was Dikrit Larkan, who was supposed to be the current Prince. Dikrit died of illness at the age of 17. It was an unprecedented death of an eldest son.

As a result, Kihelene became the sole heir and Prince at the age of thirteen. She had truly been preparing to become Emperor for 16 years as Prince.

And Cullen understood why the oracle had been delivered.

They were the same age.

It was bad news. Cullen knew his birthday was on the earlier side. An ominous feeling washed over him. The position of Prince would not be of much help, and would only hinder his revenge. Furthermore, he did not want a position that would make him responsible for someone else’s life.

Putting aside the problems that hadn’t yet arrived, Cullen left the record room and spent several days in the Imperial library. No one sought out the stray Prince, let alone the actual Prince.

That was good. He occasionally ate meals and skimmed through every book that seemed relevant.

There were books on etiquette, politics, strategy, literature that held no interest, and very rarely, books on Magic or swordsmanship. However, there wasn’t a single book that mentioned Dragons.

How could there be such a lack of information in a vast Imperial library? Considering the Dragon’s lifespan, it was bizarre. Didn’t it seem as if it had been deliberately erased? Cullen’s doubts deepened.

Finally, two days before the meeting was convened, Cullen set foot in the royal archives for the first time.

The archives were located beneath the central palace where only royalty resided. The entrance, resembling a secret passage, was concealed by a Magic barrier that made it invisible except to the eyes of royalty, to whom Magic was ineffective. As his hand touched the narrow wooden door, light naturally spread.

Bending his upper body to enter, he saw a staircase made of stone, illuminated by shimmering amber ore. Whether due to the Magic, it emitted light as bright as torches. After descending for over 20 minutes along the stairs, Cullen arrived at a small archive.

The archive was quite small for a royal-exclusive space and smelled musty. The scent of old wood, rustling dust, and the dim crimson light shimmered on the ceiling. With its small interior, there weren’t many books.

Passing by rare books on ancient languages, Cullen discovered an intriguing title.

If it were the memoir of the first ancestor, it would surely contain stories about Dragons. Cullen picked up the book. The book did not open at once. As Cullen held it open with both hands, a chilling sensation spread through his fingers.

Damn Magic.

It was irritating. The book soon recognized him as a Larkan and then opened like a normal book.

Cullen sat on the floor and turned the pages. And there, he found a section detailing the legend of the Dragon he had heard so much about. Squinting slightly as he turned the pages, Cullen stopped his finger.

There was a story after the Dragon accepted Carias’s proposal.

“……?”

This was something he didn’t know. Cullen pulled the book closer.

Human lives were as short as mayflies compared to the Dragon’s lifespan, so the Dragon did not think it was a significantly disadvantageous condition. However, the Dragon did not know how complex and selfish humans were in comparison.

What the human wanted was not simple protection. The human wanted to become King. He had a conviction. He wanted to defeat the tyrant who neglected his starving people and usher in a new world.

The Dragon helped the human. It was because he could not let the human die on the battlefield. At the same time, he did not dislike the human who kept him close without fear. It felt as if the emptiness he felt wandering the world alone was being filled. It was a new emotion.

The human was an excellent warrior and leader. He possessed a charisma that drew people in. With the news that the rebel leader was under the Dragon’s protection, battles always ended in victory. In the most dangerous final battle, the Dragon melted the beings on the ground with fire to protect the human.

The human conquered the tyrant’s castle and soon became King. Wearing the crown he had made himself and ascending the throne, the human placed a hand on the Dragon’s shoulder and said,

‘Since you helped me, I will now tell you how to find another Dragon. I will release you from my promise.’

Just as the crucial part of the story was about to be revealed, the back pages were all torn out. There were clear signs that someone had deliberately ripped them. Cullen searched the book thoroughly and shook it, but nothing came out.

As expected.

He had thought it was too easy. Cullen returned the book to its place and began to open every book next to it, one by one. This time, it was a different book. It had no title. It seemed to have been made much later than the book about Carias Larkan.

All Larkans must thoroughly educate young royalty in the following. This rule applies regardless of age.

First, no one should become close to a Dragon.

Second, never make a contract with it.

Third, do not harbor any emotions towards it. It directly leads to the Empire’s downfall.

Fourth, Dragons unconditionally obey commands related to threats to the Larkan lineage. Anything can be ordered of it. The methods are endless.

Cullen’s finger stopped at the last part.

Fifth, Dragons are the property of the Larkans. Never forget the ancestor’s wish to use the dangerous creature for the world’s benefit. Do not let it go.

The moment he read that, a sense of displeasure surged.