Chapter 502: The Silver Dragon's Gaze
Jennyhis stood by the window, her silver eyes fixed on the sky beyond. Below, a black plume of smoke curled from the chimney of the Industrial Zone, thick and unyielding, like a wound on the horizon. Her expression was grave.
Her lips parted slightly. “The Empire of Ashen…”
From the south, she had witnessed it all with her own eyes. She had felt the profound transformation in the lives of Anzeta’s people—their existence now shaped by a new, unfamiliar way of life. It was undeniable: the once-starving, shivering populace had been lifted from hardship. Their lives had improved.
Yet Jennyhis had also uncovered the danger lurking beneath the surface of these seemingly benevolent changes—War.
This nation was a machine forged for war, and every person was but a cog in its vast, merciless mechanism. She had seen the horrors of war firsthand in the south—rifle fire, cannon fire—those weapons that turned mortal conflict into something beyond hellish. The thought chilled her to the bone.
She could not imagine what would happen if this war machine were ever fully awakened. Forests once filled with birdsong and blossoms would be reduced to smoldering ruins by artillery fire. Humans, elves, half-breeds—all pierced by relentless bullets. The earth itself would be torn apart, scarred and charred by relentless shells.
And worse—after centuries among humanity, Jennyhis could see clearly: the empire’s structure was no accident. It had been meticulously designed by some hidden force—by the Emperor of the Ashen Flame, Kai Xiusu.
She harbored deep animosity toward him. To her, that red dragon was a clear threat to the world. He had wounded her father, destroyed a human kingdom, and built this monstrous war machine. Though Oszedro had already instructed her not to dwell on old grudges, not to let past wounds interfere with the greater mission—to assist the empire in repelling the Demon invasion—she could not let go of her distrust.
The Mervold Clan were guardians of the Feanso Order. How could they stand by while such a force, so clearly destined to disrupt peace and destroy order, grew stronger?
Kai Xiusu, she thought fiercely in her heart, no matter how powerful you are, I will not give up.
She crossed her arms before her, letting her long silver hair cascade like a waterfall over her shoulders. Her eyes—piercing, blue-gray, and sharp—burned with unwavering resolve. Even if her father disagreed, she would not abandon her duty.
She would not only resist the demons’ invasion. She would gather intelligence on the empire, uncover the red dragon’s weaknesses, and do everything in her power to crush this threat before it could spread.
Olivia was too naive.
The young silver dragon had been blinded by the empire’s shining façade, corrupted by the red dragon’s words. But Jennyhis knew better. She would not make that mistake.
Suddenly, an urgent bell rang.
Olivia pulled out her communicator, her face lighting up in surprise as she read the message.
“Kai Xiusu has awakened!” she said, her voice bright with excitement.
She turned to Jennyhis. “And, Auntie, Lord Lanpu says he’s eager to meet with you.”
“Now?” Jennyhis asked.
“Yes. Right now.”
But then Olivia hesitated, her expression softening into concern. After a moment, she whispered, “Auntie… please, for the sake of the greater good, try to set aside your prejudice. Especially during the audience.”
She stared into Jennyhis’s eyes—eyes just like her own, the same shade of blue-gray—and her tone grew serious.
“Whatever you think of the empire, now is not the time to provoke conflict with Kai Xiusu. Demons are Melward’s greatest enemy. Grandfather has spent nearly a millennium keeping them locked beyond the Prime Material Plane. That is his mission.”
“I know,” Jennyhis sighed softly, cutting her off. “Olivia, you’re still too innocent. My view remains unchanged: the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. Fighting demons won’t erase the empire’s brutal essence. That said… I’ll carry out Father’s mission. I’m not foolish enough to clash with that red dragon head-on—not now.”
She was known in the Good Alignment circles by another name—Silverlight Scale. As the daughter of Oszedro, she was widely regarded as the silver dragon most like the legendary Silver Wings: stubborn, fiercely just, and wise.
Olivia knew she couldn’t change her aunt’s mind. She only nodded. “Alright. Then I’ll lead the way.”
She moved ahead, guiding the way toward the Imperial Council Hall—the portal there led directly to Northwind Keep.
Jennyhis watched Olivia’s back, her brow furrowed slightly.
Just moments ago, when she’d learned of Kai Xiusu’s awakening, she’d sensed something odd in Olivia’s emotions. Was it genuine joy? Or something deeper? Had she truly surrendered to that red dragon?
The elders of her clan had largely approved of Olivia’s role as a “councilor” in the empire—believing she could help steer it toward justice. But now… it seemed uncertain.
Olivia was the one her father had placed the greatest hope in. Only eighty years old, she had already risen to the rank of high-level mage, destined to become the next successor of the Mervold Clan in a thousand years.
Young dragons made mistakes. Perhaps… she was wrong to doubt her.
The air shimmered. In an instant, Olivia and Jennyhis appeared in the administrative hall of Northwind Keep.
“Good morning, Lady Olivia.”
“And you,” the half-dragon guard captain said, stepping forward with respectful bow, “are the envoy to meet His Majesty. Please follow me.”
Jennyhis gave a slight nod, a polite smile on her lips. But her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. The guard’s presence radiated unmistakable Red Dragon traits—fringed ears, crimson scales, the acrid stench of sulfur clinging to his breath.
Her gaze flickered with instinctive disdain.
Half-Red Dragon.
In Feanso, such beings were rarely anything but mercenaries of hell, dragon cultists, or high-ranking members of the Tiamat Church. Ordinary red dragons couldn’t bestow such a concentrated infusion of dragon blood. Only the most devout followers of Tiamat could receive such a gift.
For centuries, Jennyhis had fought these monstrous beings. And now, here in Anzeta, she was expected to stand alongside them as an ally?
The contradiction was almost unbearable.
Father’s orders… she thought, forcing calm. This is all for the mission.
Olivia, on the other hand, had long since grown accustomed to these “evil races.” A year as a councilor in the empire had taught her to coexist—even if only outwardly.
Soon, under the guard’s escort, they reached the foot of the Dragon Mountain—the location of the royal palace.
Jennyhis looked up, her gaze fixed on the colossal fortress—its form a fusion of steel and stone, seamlessly merged with the mountain itself. Her expression remained solemn.
She saw at once: this palace was not built by human hands. It had been conjured—shaped by some kind of spell, a feat of magic so advanced, even her father, a legendary mage, would have struggled to replicate it.
And yet… it was flawless. Exquisitely detailed. A masterpiece of power and precision.
“This is His Majesty’s residence?” she murmured.
“Should be,” Olivia replied, her own expression tinged with surprise. A year had passed since she’d last seen this palace. Yet now, the scale had grown beyond recognition. Though its appearance remained familiar, the size was now vast—nearly devouring half the mountain.
Boom—
The massive front doors groaned open.
Olivia and Jennyhis stepped inside.
They walked down the endless corridor, and finally, they reached the main palace—the grand hall, its entrance guarded by hundreds of stone steps.
We’re meeting him again…
He must be stronger now.
For some reason, Olivia felt a knot tighten in her chest. The palace had grown even more imposing than in her memory, yet the air still carried the unmistakable scent of sulfur—familiar, oppressive, and utterly unmistakable.
She was certain. This was Kai Xiusu’s domain.
And Jennyhis felt it too—the overwhelming presence. The dragon aura.
A presence so powerful it made even an adult silver dragon tremble with fear. Even her father, a legendary being, could not match it. Not even the previous elder, an ancient silver dragon over two thousand years old, had radiated such power.
This red dragon… was far stronger than she had imagined.
Her vigilance sharpened. She took a deep breath. Cold sweat trickled down her pale skin. Her silver-gray eyes narrowed, filled with grim determination.
Boom—
The palace’s front doors creaked open once more.
(End of Chapter)
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