The Second Duke, Black Dragon Gawain.
Olivia speculated cautiously: perhaps Ruina had come to confront him.
One oddity lingered in her mind—Ruina’s disguise as a prophet, a Saint even.
While surprising, Olivia could reason it out: Ruina might have chosen such a guise to offer her support discreetly, without revealing her true strength.
Dragons, after all, were known to shy away from displaying themselves openly.
Ruina’s collapse during the earlier incident? Likely an act, a performance to maintain her façade.
Though her efforts had failed to deceive Olivia’s keen perception.
For Olivia, the question wasn’t whether Ruina was a dragon, but what she should do about it.
Should I reveal her identity?
Olivia quickly dismissed the idea. It was both unwise and dangerous.
Ruina clearly wished to keep her identity a secret, though the reasons remained unknown.
To expose her now could provoke unpredictable reactions—silencing spells, memory erasure, or, in the worst case, outright elimination.
With those risks in mind, Olivia chose silence, unsure how Ruina might act.
Yet, this silence bred another problem.
Ruina’s every action fascinated Olivia.
She found herself watching Ruina involuntarily, especially during interactions with Agnes.
The recent meeting had been excruciating.
Agnes had spoken to Ruina in a casual, almost dismissive tone—as though addressing a subordinate.
It had driven Olivia mad.
Of course, Agnes was unaware of Ruina’s true identity.
But Olivia knew, and knowing made it unbearable.
‘How dare you speak like that to someone on par with your ancestors?!’
Though Olivia wanted to voice her frustration, Ruina’s neutral, observing gaze had stopped her mid-thought.
In that moment, she realized Ruina was already suspicious of her.
Meanwhile, under the moonlit night, another figure pondered Ruina’s identity in a different setting.
Agnes Magnolia, the Dragonoid.
In the training grounds of a noble estate, Agnes practiced her swordsmanship under the pale moonlight.
Her long, black hair swayed like a dancing shadow with every swing of her sword. Her golden eyes shone, focused, and intense, as her precise and disciplined movements painted a picture of elegance under the moonlight.
The sweat dripping from her body betrayed the exertion of her rigorous training.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Agnes sheathed her sword and muttered to herself with conviction.
“It’s unmistakable. It’s exactly the same.”
She had been thinking about one person.
Ruina, the Saint of Prophecy.
Since Ruina’s sudden arrival, Agnes had found herself captivated.
Ruina was a peculiar figure—a prophet who seemed fragile at first glance but carried herself with startling strength and confidence.
She wielded both sword and magic with skill far beyond what Agnes expected from someone of her supposed background.
But what truly captured Agnes’s attention was Ruina’s swordsmanship.
‘It’s the same as Father’s.’
Ruina’s swordsmanship bore a striking resemblance to a style Agnes knew intimately—a style belonging to the Dragonoid lineage.
More specifically, Ruina’s movements mirrored the Wind Dragon’s Sword, one of the legendary Dragon King Styles.
The Dragon King Styles.
These were the martial arts of the ancient Dragonoid kingdom of Draken, a realm that had fallen long ago.
Draken’s history spanned thousands of years, and its rulers—the Dragon Kings—had developed five elemental sword styles: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning.
These styles, known collectively as the Dragon King Styles, were symbols of both unparalleled skill and royal authority.
Only two groups were ever allowed to learn them:
- The royal heirs of Draken.
- Their sworn bodyguards.
The Wind Dragon’s Sword, which Ruina wielded with precision, was one of these styles.
But that raised an unsettling question:
If Ruina truly knew this style, who was she?
Agnes knew all surviving heirs of Draken’s royal lineage. After the kingdom’s fall, most had perished, with only Agnes and her younger brother left alive.
Ruina’s name didn’t match any records of their family, which meant she wasn’t a royal heir.
Could she have been a bodyguard or their descendant?
Even that seemed unlikely.
On the day Draken fell, nearly all Dragonoids who wielded the Dragon King Styles had either died or vanished.
Those who survived had scattered and hidden, making it almost impossible for such knowledge to survive among humans.
Only two Dragonoids were known to still carry the Dragon King Styles: Agnes herself, who had inherited the Fire Dragon’s Sword, and her brother, who bore the Water Dragon’s Sword.
Ruina’s use of the Wind Dragon’s Sword was a mystery.
Agnes couldn’t have been mistaken. She was certain of what she had seen.
‘That’s Father’s style.’
Her father, the last Dragon King of Draken, had mastered the Wind Dragon’s Sword.
Agnes had seen it countless times, etched into her memory.
If Ruina truly wielded the Wind Dragon’s Sword, her identity plunged further into mystery.
Who had taught her this style?
If it had been one of the scattered Dragonoids who had sided with humans, Ruina’s presence might not be a cause for concern.
But if her teacher had come from elsewhere…
‘We might have to deal with her sooner rather than later.’
Because they are not on humanity’s side.
After the fall of Draken, the Dragonoids chose one of three paths:
- The path of coexistence with humanity.
- The path of disappearing into obscurity.
- The path of vengeance against humanity.
Among the inheritors of the Dragon King Styles, all but Agnes and her brother walked the third path.
These Dragonoids, consumed by vengeance, had joined the Demon King’s army.
Their names were:
- Gareth, the Fire Dragon Knight.
- Diane, the Earth Dragon Knight.
- Layla, the Water Dragon Knight.
- Valxia, the Wind Dragon Knight.
- Jord, the Lightning Dragon Knight.
- Snow Magnolia, the Princess of the Fallen Kingdom.
- Redros Arkindas, the First Duke.
Their purpose was singular: revenge on the humans who brought about Draken’s downfall.
Standing opposite them was Agnes, who had chosen to protect humanity.
This is why Agnes needed to confirm something: who had taught Ruina the Wind Dragon’s Sword?
She had arranged for a private meeting with Ruina, and the Saint had agreed.
Soon, Agnes would have the chance to ask her directly.
“Who could it be?”
After Draken’s fall, there had been five inheritors of the Wind Dragon’s Sword.
As time passed, three had vanished, leaving only two known inheritors active today.
Unless they had taken their own lives, all five were likely still alive. None of them were the type to be defeated so easily.
Who among them had taught Ruina the Wind Dragon’s Sword?
Had one of the vanished Dragonoids resurfaced to train her?
Or was it someone else?
“Sir Redros Gladius! I will bring victory for Lady Agnes!”
“No, it wouldn’t be him,” Agnes muttered to herself.
Redros had risen far above a position where he would waste time on training another Dragonoid.
Shaking her head, Agnes dismissed the thought.
“How unsettling.”
She let out a deep sigh and gazed at the night sky.
Ruina—the enigmatic woman who had suddenly appeared—was stirring the calm Agnes had fought to maintain.
“Am I being impatient? Even after all these years, this part of me hasn’t changed,” Agnes said, her voice laced with frustration.
She clenched her fists and took a deep breath, centering herself.
Focus. Act in accordance with the weight I bear.
The truth would soon come to light. She would ask Ruina directly: who had taught her the Wind Dragon’s Sword?
Once she heard Ruina’s answer, Agnes would decide what to do next.
If Ruina’s teacher turned out to be one of the vanished inheritors, Agnes would celebrate the rise of another hero.
If not…
Then she would once again stain her hands with the blood of her kin.
“Please, let it not come to that,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her hope.
“Ruina… who are you, truly?”
Agnes’s voice wavered as she stared at the night sky, her words dissipating into the silence of the night.