The chamber fell silent after the words "strategic marriage" were spoken.
Outside the volcanic-glass windows, the burning skies of the Dragon Realm darkened further into deep crimson-black while rivers of magma illuminated the distant mountains beneath like veins flowing through the corpse of a dying world.
Inside the Crimson Mansion—
The atmosphere became suffocating.
The senior retainers stood quietly beneath the flickering lantern light while tension spread invisibly across the chamber walls. Their expressions remained careful, political, desperate.
Because to them—
This proposal made sense.
A mysterious black dragon powerful enough to defeat succession candidates.
A man capable of publicly protecting Velor.
Someone skilled in medicine.
Combat.
Control.
If such a dragon joined the Crimson Bloodline through marriage—
Then perhaps the fallen royal house could stabilize again.
At least—
That was their calculation.
But calculations often ignored pride.
And the moment those words settled into the air—
Kel's expression changed.
Not dramatically.
Not loudly.
Which somehow made it worse.
The black-haired man slowly turned his gaze toward the elderly retainer.
The crimson lantern light reflected faintly across his illusionary black scales while silence spread unnaturally through the chamber.
Then calmly—
Kel spoke.
"I helped Velor because I believed it was right."
His voice remained steady.
Cold.
"Not to marry his sister."
The atmosphere instantly tightened.
Several retainers visibly stiffened afterward.
Because suddenly—
They realized their mistake.
The black dragon standing before them was not some desperate outsider seeking noble connection.
He possessed pride.
Dangerous pride.
Kel slowly stepped away from the obsidian table afterward.
The volcanic winds outside seemed quieter somehow while his dark eyes reflected neither anger nor emotion.
And yet—
Everyone inside the room instinctively felt pressure rising.
Aura.
Not fully released.
Not intentionally aggressive.
But leaking naturally.
The room itself seemed heavier.
The senior retainers unconsciously stepped backward slightly.
Their instincts screamed.
Danger.
Because for the first time—
They truly realized something terrifying.
This black dragon…
Was not beneath them politically.
If anything—
He stood above them entirely.
Sairen softly whispered through the soul-link.
"…You're scaring them accidentally again."
Kel ignored her.
The black-haired man calmly walked toward the chamber exit while the pressure surrounding him subtly intensified.
Not mana.
Not killing intent.
Presence.
The kind of presence only born from standing repeatedly at the edge of death itself.
Several lantern flames flickered violently as Kel passed beside them.
The retainers lowered their gazes instinctively now.
Not out of respect.
Fear.
The elderly retainer who proposed the marriage visibly swallowed.
Because suddenly—
His political calculation felt foolish.
He had treated Kel like an opportunity.
But the aura leaking from the black dragon now made something painfully clear.
This was not a man seeking shelter inside the Crimson Bloodline.
This was a monster walking voluntarily beside it.
Meanwhile—
Velor quietly watched everything unfold from near the obsidian table.
And strangely—
The pressure filling the room did not frighten him.
Instead—
It reminded him of something ancient.
Something overwhelming.
Like standing near a sleeping dragon whose claws remained hidden beneath calmness.
The crimson-haired heir suddenly understood why those four nobles collapsed so easily earlier.
Because this man…
Was holding himself back constantly.
Kel finally reached the chamber doors.
Then—
Behind him—
Velor spoke.
"…Wait."
The black-haired man paused slightly.
Silence lingered briefly afterward.
Then Velor slowly stood despite lingering injuries.
Those burning crimson eyes remained fixed upon Kel while volcanic lantern light reflected softly across his battered scales.
"…Sorry."
The chamber froze slightly.
Several retainers looked genuinely shocked hearing that word leave Velor's mouth.
Because the Crimson heir almost never apologized.
Not because of arrogance.
Because life never gave him opportunities gentle enough to require apology.
Yet now—
He spoke it naturally.
Velor quietly lowered his gaze slightly afterward.
"Our retainers…"
A faint pause followed.
"…are desperate."
The volcanic winds howled softly beyond the mansion windows.
"They want someone strong enough to revive the Crimson Dragon Household."
His voice remained calm.
Yet beneath that calmness—
Exhaustion existed.
Years of exhaustion.
Then quietly—
Velor added something softer.
"And…"
A small hesitation followed.
"…someone who can take care of my sister."
Silence spread through the chamber afterward.
Because everyone inside knew the truth.
The Crimson Princess was dying.
Slowly.
Powerlessly.
And Velor—
For all his future monstrousness—
Could do nothing to save her.
Kel quietly stood near the chamber doors without turning around immediately.
The earlier pressure gradually settled afterward.
Then finally—
The black-haired man slowly looked back toward Velor.
And calmly—
He spoke words that froze the entire chamber.
"Your sister can be cured."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every retainer froze instantly.
Even the lantern flames seemed motionless.
Velor's crimson eyes widened faintly for the first time.
"…What?"
The senior retainers stared toward Kel with visible disbelief.
One elderly dragon immediately stepped forward.
"Mister Vael…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"…what did you just say?"
Kel's expression remained calm.
"I said…"
His dark eyes shifted toward them quietly.
"…your princess can be healed."
Shock spread across the chamber like wildfire.
Because countless physicians had already failed.
Ancient healers.
Mana specialists.
Royal doctors.
And now—
This mysterious black dragon casually declared the illness curable.
The retainers looked torn between hope and fear.
Because hope hurt the most when false.
Meanwhile—
Velor remained staring silently at Kel.
Those burning crimson eyes trembled faintly now.
Not from rage.
From possibility.
Kel calmly continued afterward.
"As for our relationship…"
The black-haired man slowly folded his arms beneath the crimson lantern light.
"…there are better options than marriage."
The chamber listened carefully now.
No one dared interrupt.
Then quietly—
Kel finished.
"We can establish a master-disciple relationship."
Silence lingered again afterward.
Because suddenly—
Everything changed.
A master-disciple bond among dragons carried enormous meaning.
Not political marriage.
Not transactional alliance.
Trust.
Inheritance.
Guidance.
And strangely—
The moment those words were spoken—
Velor's gaze toward Kel changed slightly.
Because for the first time in years—
Someone had looked at him not as a burden.
Not as a political tool.
Not as a cursed heir.
But as someone worth teaching.