Chapter 4 (behind the veil of exile)

Drake pounds on the massive gate, his

fist echoing in the chilling air, "Hey, open

up; this is unfair. Why did you have to

treat me this way after doing what you

asked for?" He tries again and again, but

the gate remains stubbornly closed.

Drake finally gives up and turns away,

frustration etched on his face.

He begins to walk, unsure of his

direction.

Meanwhile, on the high wall of the

kingdom, Anna, who has been observing

Drake, turns and walks away, heading to

the ice palace to report to her highness.

Drake muttering to him. "Which direction

should I turn to in order not to get lost?" 

He stops, searching for a landmark, then

remembers something. "Wait, Lena

gave me a bag. I think she said there was

a map and a navigation compass

inside." He reaches into his bag and pulls

out a rolled-up map and a small

compass. Drake unfolds the map,

examining it closely. "Where I am right

now is the frozen expanse... where the

water dragons are located. It is at the

extreme north of the Thralia continent,

marked as the Northeast continent on

the map."

"Apart from the Frozen Expanse, there's

another kingdom called 'kaldris.' It also

boasts a frigid climate, but unlike the

Frozen Expanse, it's not located at the

extreme north. but instead, share

boundaries with Frozen Expanse." He

folded the map and returned it to his bag.

"I've decided to travel to the Kaldris

kingdom." Turning towards the southern

edge of Frozen Expanse, he continued

his journey.

Three days later, at the Frozen Expanse

Kingdom, inside the ice palace, at the

Hut Villa section. Lena sits inside a villa,

a round table before her with two

additional chairs around the table. Three

maid water dragons massage her legs

and arms. Anna approaches the villa,

"I'm back your highness." She prostrates

respectively behind Lena. "So how was

it? I bet he gave you all a tough time."

Lena, waving her hands at the maids to

leave.

"To execute your command is our wish."

Lena walks towards her, pulling

her up.

"You don't need to be formal with

me; no one else is here; just talk to me

like we used to back in the day." She

pulls Anna into the villa and draws out a

chair for her to sit in. They both sit

opposite each other.

"Your highness," Lena says instantly,

looking at Anna with disappointment.

Quickly, Anna changes her words,

"I mean, Lena, I have been curious to ask

you about something." Lena stretching

both her hands across the table, holding

Anna's hands, "don't hold back your

question."

Anna raising her head and locking eyes

with Lena, "Why did you have to go to

such length? Why sending outside? He

could have just died from the poison, and

everything would have ended within the

palace. But now he's out of our kingdom.

"If our enemies get a glimpse of what

happened, it might put you at risk,

especially since you haven't fully

recovered." Anna looks at Lena with a

thoughtful and worried expression.

"You don't need to worry," Lena said,

rubbing her hands around Anna's hands.

"If he's going to die, it won't be as a

result of poison."

"Your... Lena, what do you mean by that

statement?" Anna instantly raised her

voice, curiously lacing her tone.

"What if I tell you that after transferring

the poison into his body, it got nullified?

Not only that, but my reverse scale has

also integrated into his heart, becoming

one with him." 

"That even more reason to keep him in

check. It's dangerous if the news

spreads out." Anna stands up, slamming

down the table.

"That's not all; when we dragon lose our

reverse scale, we lose 70% of strength,

making us no different from the typical

'two-horned thunder snake.' And not only

that, we get angry and go on a rampage,

losing our sanity upon not having the

reverse scale, but this time, the reverse

is the case. Not only did I not lose my

rationality and strength, but I gained a lot

from the divine ritual. I was able to form

my eighth circle, and my dragon

bloodline has also been straightened."

Meanwhile, at the border of frozen

expanse. Drake unfurls the map; its

edges fray from countless journeys. the

compass needle quiver, pointing north,

towards the distance spires of Kaldris

"Five days," he muttered, "just five more

days." He carefully folded the map,

tucking it back into his bag. 

He was about to resume his trek when a

guttural, low and menacing, ripped

through the frigid air. Drake spun around,

heart pounding, to face the source of the

sound. Three massive Frost Lions, with

fur color of freshly fallen snow, stood

before him.

The formidable beasts, with eyes like

burning ice, let out another growl.

Drake cursed under his breath. "They

didn't warn me about this." Drake bolted,

his boots crunching on the frozen

ground. The Frost beasts roared in

pursuit, their powerful strides quickly

closing the gap. 

He's feet slip on a patch of ice, sending

him sprawling onto the frozen ground.

He scrambled to his feet and knees, his

heart pounding heavily. The Frost Lions

halted, their heavy paws crunching on

the ice as they approached him

cautiously.

Back at the villa, "'Your reverse scale, not

only that, but benefits from the divine

ritual. Don't you think all this points to

one thing?" Lena rises from her seat,

with her gaze distant. "There's

something I haven't told you about him.

After the reverse scale completely

merged with his heart, it formed a white

crystal inside, enveloped by a spherical

mana. It was my mana, licking out of my

body, that formed the sphere." She

pauses, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"And outside his heart, a sky blue ring

formed around it."' Anna, who has been

listening intently, leaps to her feet, her

eyes wide with understanding.

"You mean he developed an affinity for

water mana?" Lena turns to Anna, a

gentle nod confirming her suspicions.

"that's correct. and there's something

strange about it. Within the sky blue ring,

there are three subrings spinning. These

represent the number of circles formed.

It's now a third circle, water mage." Anna

raised her hands, interrupting Lena's

explanation.

"Wait a minute. You mean the skyblue

circle around his heart represents his

affinity for water, and the subrings

represent his tier level, right?" She walks

over to Lena, grabbing her shoulders.

Lena nods, "Yes, you're right, so you

don't need to worry about him much."

Despite her words, Lena shivers, her

body betraying the calmness of her

voice.

"Wait, Lena, are you already in love with

him? Is it related to the reverse scale?

No, that's not it. You were already in love

since he was summoned; that is why you

insisted on continuing with the divine

ritual, and you were also teaching him

those spells when you pretended to

attack him. But you should just have

been sincere with yourself." Anna shakes

Lena, urging her to think rationally.

Lena's voice is trembling slightly. "Anna,

this choice might look rough, but it's the

best plan for him to survive and grow."