"Why are you here?" Kaelith's voice was sharp, a faint frown on her face as she looked at the woman before her.

Artemis—the Sage—let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm hurt, Kaly. Is that how you greet your senior?"

Hades raised a brow, intrigued. "Now that's a story I'd like to hear." He turned toward the Sage. "You know my mother?"

Artemis gave a lazy shrug. "I'm as old as Argon, boy. So yes, Kaelith is practically a child to me."

Kaelith grumbled under her breath. "Your arrival always means trouble. That's why I asked."

Artemis nodded lightly. "Well, you're not wrong. I came with news—something that might not concern you much, but your son… that's another story."

Hades's expression tightened. "Wait, give me a minute." He quickly left the room, carrying the last cup of tea to Luna.

As silence filled the space, Peri slowly stood up. "Is it about the human realm?"

Artemis nodded. "Yes. I'm still the one tasked with guarding that realm." Her gaze drifted toward the blonde woman lying on the bed. "You look quite battered. So, Xelrath really broke the contract, huh?"

Kaelith scoffed. "Don't act like you just learned that. You're probably watching everything from some hidden corner."

Artemis chuckled. "You give these old bones too much credit, Kaly."

Her laughter faded when Peri spoke again. "Can I ask you something?" she said softly. "Something you probably won't answer."

The Sage tilted her head, curious.

Peri hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What *are* you? And why do you stand with humans?"

She might not have dared to ask this if Hades or Luna were present. Both had deep ties with the human race, and Peri didn't want to seem disrespectful. But her curiosity had lingered for too long.

No one truly knew what race the Sage belonged to. She had lived for ages, forged pacts with dragons, and single-handedly watched over the human realm. With power enough to rival nations, why had she chosen *them*—the weakest of all?

Even Kaelith seemed interested in her answer.

Artemis looked between the two and sighed. "I'll be gone in a few years," she said calmly. "When my death comes, ask me again. Maybe then I'll tell you where I came from."

She paused, her tone shifting to something softer. "As for why I stand with humans…" A faint smile formed behind her veil. "I love challenges. Humans were the weakest, the most despised race in this world. Standing with them meant betraying everything you were born as. And that's exactly what made it worth doing."

Her words carried weight—a quiet defiance that spoke of centuries of choice.

Among all the races—elves, beasts, dwarves—none were scorned as deeply as humans. They were fragile, flawed, and often hated without reason. Without the Sage's protection, they might have vanished long ago.

Peri frowned slightly. "But why such hatred? Sure, there are cruel humans, like that prince who hurt my husband, but there are kind ones too."

She could never understand it. Even when she asked the castle's maids why dragons loathed humans, all they said was, *'Because our ancestors did.'*

Fortunately, the Aethernox lineage had always been too caught up in their own wars to bother with human grudges. That was why the new generation—Kaelith included—no longer carried that same bitterness.

And perhaps, Peri thought, that was exactly what the Sage had hoped for all along.

"I am curious too," came a soft, feminine voice from the doorway. All heads turned to see Luna entering, Hades supporting her gently.

Kaelith's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here, Marilyn? And does Avalin know about this?"

The black-haired girl flinched and lowered her gaze. "I apologize for not greeting you sooner, My Queen. I was worried about the young master, so I flew straight to Torseque. And yes, Sister knows I'm here."

Kaelith's voice sharpened. "But did she *allow* it?" Her eyes glimmered with a fiery intensity.

Marilyn remained silent, bowing her head in quiet deference. Kaelith exhaled with exasperation, shaking her head. "Like it would have made any difference if you came earlier. You need to rest your body, you stubborn girl."

Marilyn stayed silent, ready to accept whatever reprimand the Matriarch deemed fit. And truthfully, she deserved a scolding from her elder sister too.

But then Hades reached out, taking her hand gently. "Whatever punishment you're thinking of, we'll face it together, Mom."

The room fell into stunned silence. Kaelith's eyes softened as she looked at her son, seeing the unwavering support he gave his wife.

A warmth mixed with a twinge of jealousy stirred within her. She let out a small pout. "Look at you… taking your wife's side and defying your mother."

Hades gave a sheepish smile, while Marilyn kept her gaze fixed on the floor, too embarrassed to even glance up.

It was such a small, yet memorable moment, but her shyness rooted her in place.

Luna giggled softly, taking the seat across from the bed. "How are you feeling now, Beatrice?"

The elven Queen still struggled with the fact that Hades already had a third wife. Then, Peri spoke up beside her. "Mama… she's a dragon, in case you're wondering how things moved so fast."

"Oh." The Queen's expression shifted as she understood. Core awakening required Hades to form a bond with a female dragon—this explained it perfectly.

She turned toward Luna and nodded. "Ah… yes. I'm better now."

*Sip.*

Finishing her tea, Artemis leaned back slightly. "Now that everyone is gathered, I'll share the news I came here to deliver."

Every eye turned toward her.

Hades gently urged Marilyn to take the chair Peri had been occupying earlier.

After a moment of silence, the Sage finally spoke. "The kings of all nations recently held an unofficial meeting. They didn't invite me, but I know what decision they reached."

Peri muttered under her breath, "I smell foolishness."

Artemis continued, her voice calm but heavy with weight. "They plan to challenge the Dragon Kings to a death duel."

A stunned silence filled the room.

Beatrice spoke hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Am I understanding this correctly? They really intend to challenge the Dragons?"

The Sage chuckled softly. "Yes… that's exactly it." She folded her arms and added with a hint of disbelief, "Apparently, they've been raising a warrior capable of slaying a Duke-ranked dragon."

Another long pause followed, as disbelief hung thick in the air.

"What?" Kaelith finally burst out. "A human… slaying a Duke-ranked dragon? Are you sure he's fully human, not some mixed blood?"

Artemis shrugged. "From what I've observed, he has a human family and grew up among them. So yes, he's most likely human… though his abilities are exceptionally rare."

Hades hummed thoughtfully. "Before awakening, I might have been one of the strongest humans… yet even I barely held my ground against a Duke-ranked dragon."

The Sage nodded. "It's not only raw strength or magic. Experience makes the greatest difference between humans and the other races. The longer you live, the wiser—and deadlier—you become."

A quiet tension settled over the room as everyone absorbed the enormity of her words.

Luna frowned, her voice tinged with disbelief. "This human… was he hidden from you as well?"

The Sage nodded calmly, which made Luna scoff. "So they didn't even trust you enough to let you know?"

Hades's hands clenched at his sides, a low growl escaping him. "Those bastards… you risked everything for them, and yet…"

Artemis let out a quiet chuckle. "I don't mind. I never considered them my true allies. They are merely pawns I chose to protect… mostly because I was bored."

Luna's frown deepened. "That still doesn't explain their behavior."

A weight hung in the air. One person, bearing the responsibility for a whole race, yet never allowed insight into their plans or preparations… It was no wonder dragons harbored such hostility toward humans.

Artemis exhaled a sigh, "Well, forget about that. The matter of fact is, if they challenge the Dragon Kings, they would be breaching the contract from their side and then, nothing would stop the Dragon Kings from running havoc."

"I don't understand," Beatrice mumbled, "A contract which wasn't broken by those strong Dragon Kings until now can be breached by humans?"

The Sage nodded, "The contract was made like that…I and Argon never assumed that humans would be that foolish to mutually decide to break the pact that provides them protection."

Peri wryly smiled, "Didn't I say it…I smell foolishness."

A long deep silence fell in the room.

There were still a few months left for the contract to lose its effectiveness but if the humans themselves go the other side, Artemis would be able to do nothing.

After a brief pause, the Sage turned towards Hades and said, "Now…tell me, what do you have in mind?"

Hades frowned, as all eyes turned towards him.

°°°°°°°

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