(Author POV)
Those are definitely my parents.
Elira looked at Maria and Cain, a small spark of hope blooming inside her, fragile but undeniable as it flickered quietly in her chest.
"So… where are they?" she asked, her voice softer than before. "Are we going to meet them?"
The moment the question left her lips, everything changed.
Both Maria and Cain stopped laughing.
The warmth in the room faded almost instantly, replaced by something heavy… something tense that settled in the air like an unspoken truth waiting to break.
Elira noticed it immediately.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked between them. "What?"
Maria slowly stood up, and Elira's eyes followed her every movement, searching for answers before they were even spoken.
Maria let out a quiet sigh. "We… don't know."
For a second, Elira didn't react.
Then it hit.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" she snapped, her voice rising before she could stop it.
Both Maria and Cain looked at her, slightly taken aback.
Elira froze, realizing what she had done. She turned her face away, forcing herself to breathe. "Sorry… I didn't mean to shout. It's just…"
Her words trailed off, her shoulders lifting in a helpless shrug, like she didn't even know how to finish that sentence.
Cain stepped forward, his expression softening. "It's okay. We understand."
Maria nodded gently, her gaze filled with quiet empathy.
After a moment, Elira looked back at them, her eyes silently asking for the truth she deserved.
Maria glanced at Cain, giving him a small nod.
He exhaled.
"The truth is… after Charlotte decided to join the war, no one objected. She was known as the Goddess of War, and with the Royal Dragon fighting alongside her, victory seemed certain."
He paused, his gaze drifting slightly as if replaying those moments in his mind.
"Kral led the troops. And soon… we started hearing that the demons were weakening."
Maria stepped forward, her expression turning serious, her voice quieter now. "But along with that news… something else came."
Elira's breath caught.
"There was an explosion on the battlefield," Maria said. "It wasn't strong enough to kill them… but somehow…"
She hesitated, as if the words themselves were difficult to say.
"They all vanished."
Silence filled the room.
"No trace," Cain added quietly. "No bodies. Nothing."
Elira slowly sat down, her movements almost mechanical, like her body was reacting before her mind could catch up.
Maria sat beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "There was no time to search. The war wasn't over yet. The remaining rulers decided to finish it first."
Elira stared ahead, unmoving, her thoughts spiraling somewhere far away.
"After we defeated the demons," Maria continued, "we received news that a group of them had secretly infiltrated Kraelion's royal palace."
Elira's head snapped toward her.
"They were planning to attack you," Maria said. "If Carla hadn't warned us… and if we hadn't reached in time…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
"We don't know what would have happened."
"Carla?" Elira asked, her voice quieter now.
Maria nodded. "A siren. She had a vision about you. That's how we found out."
Her gaze drifted toward the window, her expression softening with something deeper—something personal.
"After the war ended… everything just felt empty. We searched for them, but we couldn't find anything."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"Many people lost their loved ones."
She placed a hand over her stomach, her fingers curling slightly. "I did too."
Elira's eyes widened, understanding settling in slowly.
Now she knew why Maria had reacted the way she did earlier.
"I… I'm sorry," Elira said quietly.
Maria shook her head gently. "It's okay."
Cain stepped closer, taking Maria's hand in his, his gaze steady and warm. "It doesn't hurt as much… when you're not alone."
Elira watched them for a moment, something shifting inside her—something unfamiliar, something quiet.
Then she stood up and walked toward the window, her reflection faintly visible against the glass.
"So… no one knows where they are," she said slowly. "Or worse… they might be dead."
Maria stepped forward quickly. "No, Elira—"
"It's okay," Elira interrupted gently, turning back toward them with a small, controlled smile. "I understand."
Maria and Cain exchanged a look.
"It's… okay?" Maria asked carefully.
Elira nodded once, her expression calm in a way that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Then she clasped her hands together, her brows knitting slightly. "But I still don't understand one thing… why was I sent to Earth?"
Cain answered this time. "There was no Royal Dragon to take the throne. And the throne and crown… they have their own rules. They only accept the true heir."
Elira frowned. "The throne and crown choose the heir?"
Cain nodded. "They both possess ancient spirits. When someone sits on the throne, it reacts. If the person is the true heir, it shines. If not…"
He paused briefly.
"It can burn them."
Elira blinked, processing that.
"Unless it's a temporary ruler from the royal family," he added. "But in your case… there was no one left."
Maria continued, her tone steady. "You were just a child. And some of the ministers in the dragon realm… they might have tried to harm you to claim the throne themselves."
Elira's frown deepened. "But how would they prove they're worthy?"
Cain replied, "When no rightful heir is present, the throne and crown initiate a trial—a kind of selection. A 'game' to choose the next ruler."
He looked directly at her.
"But you… are the last true heir of the Crimson bloodline."
Maria nodded. "That's why the other rulers decided to send you to Earth—to protect you until you turned sixteen."
Elira looked between them, absorbing everything, every word settling heavily inside her.
Then she spoke slowly—
"So… you brought me back… to make me sit on the throne?"