The Crimson Dragon Mansion felt colder as night descended.
Beyond the volcanic-glass windows, crimson skies slowly darkened into deeper shades of burning black-red while distant rivers of magma illuminated the mountains beneath like flowing veins of fire. Ancient dragon statues stood motionless across the estate courtyards, their cracked eyes silently watching the dying bloodline struggle against fate itself.
Inside Velor's chamber—
The atmosphere remained heavy.
The scent of medicine still lingered softly through the room while crimson lanterns flickered against ancient stone walls. Kel calmly finished wrapping the final medicinal bandage around Velor's shoulder before stepping back slightly.
The treatment was complete.
Already—
The bruising around Velor's body had visibly stabilized.
The mana turbulence within his draconic veins had calmed significantly too.
Even Velor himself looked slightly stunned internally.
Because no physician inside the Crimson Mansion had ever treated him this effectively before.
The crimson-haired heir quietly flexed his fingers once.
The earlier trembling pain had lessened drastically.
"…Your medicine…"
Velor slowly looked toward Kel.
"…what exactly are you?"
Kel calmly cleaned remaining medicinal paste from his hands using a dark cloth.
"Someone from the borders."
Sairen immediately sighed through the soul-link.
"…You are fully committed to this fake backstory now."
Kel ignored her.
Meanwhile—
Before Velor could continue questioning further—
A loud angry voice suddenly echoed from outside the chamber corridor.
"Impossible!"
The roar carried frustration.
Exhaustion.
Defeat.
Several hurried footsteps followed afterward.
"I already told you people!"
An elderly draconic physician stormed through the nearby corridor angrily while several mansion servants followed behind him nervously.
The old physician's robes looked disordered while sweat covered his forehead beneath trembling silver horns.
"This illness cannot be cured!"
His voice echoed harshly through the mansion halls.
"She's already dying!"
The atmosphere instantly darkened.
Velor's expression changed immediately.
The earlier calmness vanished completely.
Those burning crimson eyes sharpened violently.
The future Dragon Emperor slowly clenched his fists beneath the flickering crimson lantern light.
"…My sister."
Kel quietly observed the change in him.
Pain.
Real pain.
Not rage.
Not hatred.
Fear.
The physician continued shouting angrily somewhere beyond the chamber entrance.
"You people refuse reality!"
"I've treated mana diseases for three centuries!"
"That illness already consumed her internal dragon heart veins!"
"She should have died years ago!"
The old physician's voice gradually faded as he continued walking away furiously through the mansion corridors.
Silence followed afterward.
Heavy silence.
Velor lowered his head slightly.
Those crimson eyes dimmed faintly for the first time since Kel met him.
Because despite all his hatred toward the Dragon Realm—
Despite his anger toward noble bloodlines—
One person still mattered deeply to him.
His elder sister.
The original heir of the Crimson Bloodline.
The woman who should have inherited the throne candidacy before illness destroyed her future.
Kel quietly looked toward the chamber door.
And internally—
He already knew the truth.
The illness was curable.
Not easy.
Not simple.
But curable.
Because during one of his previous Destiny playthroughs, the Crimson Princess storyline existed as hidden lore connected to Velor's descent into becoming the Dragon Slayer Emperor.
Her illness was not natural.
It was poisoning.
Ancient slow-burning dragon curse poison designed specifically to destroy royal bloodline mana circuits gradually over time.
Cruel.
Political.
Effective.
And eventually—
Her death became one of the final things that shattered Velor completely.
Kel quietly narrowed his eyes slightly.
Because if he cured her now—
Too early—
The political consequences would become dangerous immediately.
He still lacked enough influence inside the Dragon Realm.
Still lacked stable positioning around Velor.
Still lacked leverage.
Timing mattered.
Sairen softly whispered through the soul-link.
"…You know how to save her."
Kel calmly answered internally.
"Yes."
The guardian remained silent briefly.
Then quietly asked—
"…And you're waiting?"
Kel's eyes shifted toward Velor.
The crimson-haired heir now sat silently near the obsidian table while volcanic light reflected across his tired expression.
For the first time—
He looked his age.
Not like a future emperor.
Not like a monster forged by hatred.
Just a young dragon watching helplessly as the last remaining family member slowly died.
Kel quietly exhaled.
"Yes."
The answer carried weight.
Because sometimes—
The value of salvation depended entirely upon timing.
Several moments later—
A group of senior retainers finally entered the chamber carefully.
Old dragons.
Experienced politicians.
Survivors of fallen glory.
Their robes carried ancient Crimson Dragon insignias while age and caution filled their eyes.
The moment they entered—
They immediately bowed respectfully toward Velor first.
Then toward Kel.
The lead retainer stepped forward slowly.
An elderly crimson-scaled dragon with sharp intelligent eyes beneath fading age.
"Young Lord Velor."
Then his gaze shifted carefully toward Kel.
"And to you as well…"
A faint pause followed.
"…Mister Vael."
Clearly—
The name already spread throughout the mansion.
The old retainer slightly lowered his head respectfully.
"We sincerely thank you for aiding the young lord."
Several other retainers nodded immediately afterward.
Some genuinely grateful.
Some politically calculating.
Because regardless of intentions—
Kel had publicly protected the Crimson heir.
And power always carried value.
Velor remained silent while observing them carefully.
He already understood that expression in their eyes.
Politics.
The old retainer eventually continued carefully.
"However…"
The atmosphere subtly shifted.
"…there is a problem."
Kel calmly looked toward him.
The elderly dragon folded his hands behind his back.
"The Crimson Dragon Household remains a royal bloodline."
His sharp eyes carefully examined Kel.
"Not just anyone may freely enter or remain within the mansion."
Sairen immediately whispered through the soul-link.
"…Here it comes."
Kel already understood.
Politics always demanded explanations.
Especially inside noble societies.
Why would a mysterious black dragon outsider suddenly aid the Crimson heir publicly?
Why would the Crimson Bloodline allow him inside their estate afterward?
Rumors alone could spiral uncontrollably.
The senior retainers clearly understood this too.
Then slowly—
The elderly dragon spoke words that shifted the entire atmosphere inside the chamber.
"There may be…"
A brief careful pause followed.
"…one solution."
Velor's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
The old retainer calmly continued.
"A strategic marriage."
Silence.
Even the volcanic winds beyond the windows seemed quieter afterward.
The elderly dragon's voice remained composed.
"If Mister Vael became connected to the Crimson Bloodline through marriage…"
His eyes shifted briefly toward the upper mansion floors.
"…then his involvement with the young lord becomes politically understandable."
Kel quietly stared at him.
Already knowing where this conversation headed.
And then—
The old retainer finished calmly.
"The elder Crimson Princess remains unmarried."