The palace illusion began to tremble.
Aside from Enya and Pandrak, everything else started to blur.
The outlines and edges frayed severely, jagged like they were about to collapse.
However, everything stabilized again as Pandrak’s expression returned to calm.
This place was a phantom constructed from her soul power—its stability was tied to her emotions.
The earlier tremor indirectly proved that Pandrak’s fear of that blonde woman was very real.
Pandrak lowered her crimson vertical pupils.
After a moment of silence, she rose from her chair and walked to the edge of the balcony.
As she walked, she asked Enya:
“How much do you know about this world?”
“Uh… only bits and pieces.”
Enya scratched her head awkwardly.
She got up from her small stool and walked over to stand beside Pandrak.
After glancing up at her, she turned her gaze to the illusory scene crafted from Pandrak’s memories.
Even though Enya had lived in this world for over twenty years—traveling far and wide—her understanding of the world wasn’t deep.
Especially when it came to ancient history.
All she had glimpsed were fragments buried in ruins, and those might not reflect the truth.
Only those who had lived through it could truly describe what happened.
Pandrak, as a massive dragon and one of the mythical-tier black dragons, had likely existed since the dawn of humanity.
She was a living witness to human history.
Enya was reminded of one of her dearest friends and mentors—a petite girl with black hair, often called a “living history book.”
She was a witch from the First Era who had survived all the way into the Third.
Despite everything, she was still that same tiny size, having personally witnessed humanity’s entire history.
After hearing Enya’s answer, Pandrak chuckled softly.
“You’d challenge a dragon with only half-baked knowledge? You’re quite the reckless one.”
“I don’t really follow the plot…”
“Strange explanation.”
“If you’ve got something to say, just say it. If I don’t get it, I’ll ask someone else.”
At that snappy reply, Enya frowned in mild annoyance.
Pandrak reined in her smile and began to explain one of the most basic—and most hidden—truths of this world.
“You already know that bloodlines can be bestowed, right? Like your current situation.”
A common trick among cultists—their gods granted “bloodlines” as rewards to their most devout followers.
All it took was offering up one’s soul.
“Dragon bloodlines are the same… but with one key difference. Do you know what that is?”
“Because they’re rare? I remember there are only four dragons in the world.”
“Correct… but also not. Because originally, there were nine. Now, there are five!”
A drop from nine to four was understandable.
Enya killed Pandrak and inherited her essence, so that should cancel out—minus one, plus one equals no change.
But Pandrak was now saying there were five.
That meant there was an extra dragon.
Which one?
Suddenly, Enya’s heart clenched.
A thought struck her, and her hands curled into fists.
She turned and stared at Pandrak’s profile.
“You mean…?”
Pandrak turned to meet her gaze directly and confirmed in a calm, resolute voice:
“You. And your daughter.”
“That can’t be…”
Enya was in disbelief.
Her daughter, a dragon?
That didn’t make sense.
She only had a single dragon bloodline in her—at most, Rosily should be a half-dragon hybrid.
But Pandrak was convinced Rosily was a true dragon, a mythic species.
“Do you know why there were originally nine, and now only five?”
“Because the original nine dragons each held a single Authority. Since bloodlines can be bestowed, they can also be taken. So conflict among dragons was inevitable.”
“Where there are losers, there are victors. The losers lose everything. The victors gain new Authorities and grow stronger. The dragon bloodlines are inevitably converging.”
“I… as the victor of one such battle, now possess two Authorities. One is my own Black Dragon Authority. The other belonged to the Silver Dragon.”
“Now, Enya—you only possess the Black Dragon’s blood. The Silver Dragon’s… is in your daughter!”
“They will come looking for you…”
Upon hearing that, Enya’s expression darkened completely.
Now, there were seven dragon Authorities in the world—held by only three dragons.
Which meant each of them held at least two… And one held three.
That was the only way balance could be maintained.
With the death of the Black Dragon Pandrak, two dragon bloodlines were released—one black, one silver.
Which meant Enya and Rosily had now become targets for those world-ending dragons.
What a headache.
Still, Enya didn’t feel particularly afraid.
At worst, she’d just call in backup.
A little humiliation was a small price to pay.
She turned her gaze back to Pandrak.
This time, she didn’t need to ask—Pandrak answered the original question directly.
“Who is she? No… You should be asking, what is She?”
“…”
“I cannot speak Her name. I can’t even refer to Her by any substitute or title.”
“I see.”
Enya already understood who that terrifying woman was.
When all dragon bloodlines are united as one… That is the day She descends.
Which meant—She is the Dragon God: Archetya.
At that moment, Pandrak’s voice echoed again in Enya’s ears.
“I suggest you stop resisting. Just clean yourself up and lie down obediently to await Her descent. It won’t change anything. Frankly, anyone else would’ve gladly offered their body just for the chance to be touched by Her grace.”
“Heh…”
Give up just because the enemy is too powerful?
If she were the type to surrender, there would be no Enya today.
Enya lightly bit her lower lip, then exhaled softly.
“Pandrak. Whether it’s her or Her—they’re all the same to me.”
“You really are something else.”
Pandrak was a little surprised—but quickly understood.
During their battle, she had already come to understand Enya’s nature.
Even in the face of overwhelming power, she had the courage to resist.
Pandrak felt that maybe—just maybe—Enya really could pull it off.
After all, Enya was far too special.
Otherwise… why would She have set her sights on her in the first place?
Enya didn’t make any grand declarations.
She just said one simple sentence.
“Help me train. Let’s take Her down.”
Pandrak burst into laughter—not mocking this time, but bright, full-throated laughter from deep within.
A laugh born of relief and catharsis.
She reached out and grasped Enya’s hand.
“Truth is, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. But my bloodline—it was both the source of my strength, and the shackle that bound my limbs. Now that you have the courage and resolve… I’ll risk everything to help you.”
“Let’s take Her down together!”
Back in the real world, Enya opened her eyes.
The connection was severed.
She rose to her feet and glanced toward the corner of the window—where a sliver of sunlight had begun to shine through.
It was morning.
Time to make breakfast for Rosily.
Just the thought of her soft, sweet, adorable daughter brightened Enya’s mood considerably.
Is it possible?, to beat him?