Blood Relation

"Amazing," commented Juverin.

"Right. What an undeniable talent," commented Orcen.

The two of them were admiring the magic wall design Roxus had created. Orcen quickly admits that he won't even be able to pierce it alone, and Juverin says that he might be able to penetrate it, but not in a single blow. They agreed that the one designed this must be a bonafide magus, the one that received a title or two.

Behind the two of them, stood a man who had just gotten married. Right now he should have enjoyed his first night with his new wife, but these two insensitive old men even called him to go to the capital gate. Samael held back his annoyed expression, but he thought, it makes sense that they would call him. Orcen called him to greet Juverin, the elder brother of Samael's grandfather. It allows Samael to call him Grand Uncle as well.

"Oh, Samael. You have to introduce them to me, one who made this magic wall," said Juverin, and Orcen nodded in agreement.

Samael smiled. "The name of the creator of this wall is Archmage Roxus Croix. She is a close friend of my wife, Cecilia. They are like siblings," replied Samael.

"Archmage?" asked Orcen, suddenly reaching realization. A new Archmage has been born.

"Roxus... Croix?" asked Juverin.

Samael and Orcen turned to Juverin. "Does Grand Uncle know of Lady Croix?"

Juverin shook his head. "That Roxus name, she is the woman that human loves, right?" he asked softly.

Orcen and Samael tilted their faces in confusion, as a young man appeared near them and bowed deeply. "Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor, Orcen Rotund, Imperial Prince Samael Rotund, and our guest, Lord Juverin," said the young man, Ernacht Croix.

Instantly, his figure made Orcen and Samael blink. Ernacht's black hair reminded them of themselves, and the familiar facial expression also made them feel strange. Juverin is silent. He was also aware of it, but he did not comment.

"Ayunda Roxus has regained consciousness, and she heard that Sir Lucius brought a guest with him when he returned. Ayunda wants to meet our guest, Lord Juverin," explained Ernacht in polite words and voice. He didn't sound rushed or nervous despite being in the presence of the Dragon Emperor and his son, and that made Orcen and Samael very interested.

"So the person who made this wall is the same person Lucius loved?" asked Juverin. "And that person is your older sister?"

"Right, Milord. If you wish, let us go to the palace to visit Ayunda now," replied Ernacht, although his words did not exalt Juverin much, he said it with such high respect.

"Of course. Orcen, Samael, are you guys willing to come with me?" asked Juverin.

Ernacht stared at the father and son who were silent on the spot looking at him with eyes full of interest. Ernacht didn't care, and to be honest, he didn't want anything to do with the imperial family. But he had to attach importance to modesty right now, for he was Croix County's eldest son.

"Ahem, I thought my wife was waiting for me right now, so unfortunately I have to refuse, Grand Uncle," replied Samael. Ernacht raised his eyebrows. So Juverin is the Grand Uncle of Samael? Does that mean...

"Uncle can go alone. Your nephew is tired after the long journey and the long wedding that had to be attended earlier," explained Orcen.

Oh, so Juverin is the uncle of the Dragon Emperor? Wait a minute. Why did Sir Lucius bring the uncle of the Dragon Emperor here? Ernacht briefly furrowed his brows but returned his expression to its original flat as Juverin nodded quickly.

"Then I will go with this young dragon," he said later.

Young Dragon?

Samael and Orcen flinched. Ernacht furrowed his brows deeply but said nothing. "Please come," he asked.

Juverin is certainly a dragon, and Ernacht should have realized that Juverin certainly knows about this fact. Avoiding trouble, Ernacht walked quickly to send Juverin away. He didn't turn his head towards Samael and Orcen after saying goodbye to them—

But Samael and Orcen then looked at each other. The awkwardness was seen between them.

"Ahem."

"Good night, Father," said Samael, bowing and leaving.

Meanwhile, Ernacht let out a deep sigh in his heart. He stepped on a landmine. He thinks he should tell all this to his mother later. But so be it.

In a horse-drawn carriage with Juverin, he tries hard not to open up meaningless conversations. Juverin also said nothing. He knew that Ernacht was a half-dragon half-human. He felt so attracted to the young man in front of him who acted as if nothing was wrong.

In the palace, a pavilion had been set aside for the Croix Family's residence. At the gate, Ernacht and Juverin got down the horse-drawn carriage. They walked along the path and came to the door, where the servants were waiting for them, and a husband and wife were standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, Ernacht. You're back," said Amaranth, who quickly stole a glance at Juverin.

"Mother, Father," Ernacht called out to the two humans in front of him with a loving and respectful call, causing Juverin to raise his eyebrows. Ernacht is half-dragon half-human, but his parents are both humans?

"Welcome to the Bertia Royal Palace, Lord Juverin," said Eoin respectfully.

The night was getting late. About nine o'clock in the evening when Juverin arrives. Upstairs, in Roxus's room, the girl is still talking privately with Lucifer. Ernacht was called in, but it turned out that Lucifer gave him the task of picking up Juverin at the capital gate. Ernacht was confused because Lucifer said as if he wanted him to pick up a cat by the side of the road. But Roxus then warned him to treat Juverin as an honoured guest.

"We will introduce ourselves. My name is Eoin Croix, and this is my wife, Amaranth Croix. The one who brought you here is Ernacht Croix, my youngest child," explained Eoin.

He certainly looks like a man who loves his family, but to Juverin's eyes, he looks strange. Ernacht was not his flesh and blood, and his wife had given birth to someone else's son, but Eoin's eyes were sincere on them.

"Greetings to the Croix Family. My name is Juverin. I am a Blue Dragon who lives in the southern part of this continent. I cut off the hand of a human named Lucius because he killed my son, Lashet. Unexpectedly, then the human invited me to come here. From here on, I would be grateful if the Croix family accepted me as a guest," explained Juverin later.

Eoin almost choked on his breath at Juverin's story. Was he the Ancient Dragon that Roxus and Lucius had mentioned earlier?

Amaranth blinks and is unable to respond. She had met dragons before, but Juverin was different from ordinary dragons. Dragons are rare figures in this world, but according to her judgment, Juverin is one of the strongest.

"Of course, we welcome Lord Juverin as our guest with great pleasure," said Ernacht, waking Eoin and Amaranth from their amazement for Juverin.

"Then, I want to see her right away, that woman who needs three Calamity Dragon Hearts. Now that my son's heart has become one of the beating hearts in her body, I think I feel like meeting her soon," said Juverin.

"O-of course," Eoin led Juverin up the stairs. Eoin himself led Juverin's steps to escort him to Roxus's room. In front of the room which had the door half-open, they heard Roxus coughing. Roxus cough somehow couldn't stop as if she had just choked on something.

On the side of the bed, a man quickly poured drinking water into a glass and handed it over to Roxus's hand still holding it so Roxus wouldn't spill it. "Slow down, My Love," he said softly. Roxus slowly drank the water Lucifer left to her and rubbed her chest.

"Mm," Roxus muttered softly, and the man gently pulled back the glass she was holding, and took it from Roxus' hand.

Only then did Eoin enter the room with Juverin with Ernacht and Amaranth in tow.