The deepest chamber of the Crimson Dragon Mansion remained wrapped in silence.
Outside the volcanic-glass windows, the skies of the Dragon Realm burned endlessly beneath rivers of crimson clouds while distant thunder echoed through the mountains like ancient dragons growling in their sleep. The entire mansion felt unnaturally still tonight.
As though even the estate itself waited.
Inside the royal chamber—
Death lingered quietly.
The Crimson Princess slept upon a massive bed carved from ancient crimson crystal, her pale figure barely illuminated beneath flickering mana lanterns hanging from the ceiling above. Long crimson hair spread softly across silk sheets like flowing blood while countless curse markings crawled faintly beneath the skin of her neck and arms.
Dark.
Ancient.
Layered.
Even unconscious—
She looked exhausted.
Like someone slowly drowning inside endless darkness.
Several senior retainers stood around the chamber nervously while Velor remained near the bedside, his crimson eyes locked upon his elder sister silently.
Hope terrified him more than despair now.
Because despair eventually became familiar.
But hope—
Hope could still shatter someone completely.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly stood near the center of the chamber while ancient ritual tools, herbs, and mana ingredients covered the obsidian floor around him in carefully organized patterns.
His expression remained calm.
Focused.
Sairen softly whispered through the soul-link.
"…You're seriously going through with this."
Kel quietly crushed another medicinal root beneath a volcanic stone mortar.
"Yes."
The guardian remained silent briefly before softly asking—
"…You know this changes everything, right?"
Kel's eyes slowly lifted toward the sleeping Crimson Princess.
"I know."
Because curing her meant far more than saving a dying dragon noble.
It meant altering destiny itself.
The death of the Crimson Princess had originally been one of the final emotional chains breaking Velor completely.
Her death deepened his hatred.
Strengthened his isolation.
Accelerated the rise of the Dragon Slayer Emperor.
And now—
Kel intended cutting that fate apart.
The chamber doors suddenly opened afterward.
Several retainers entered quickly carrying ancient storage containers filled with rare ingredients.
"We brought everything available within the Crimson treasury."
Kel calmly nodded.
Then slowly examined the gathered materials one by one.
Ancient mana herbs.
Dragon bone powders.
Curse suppression leaves.
Elemental stabilizers.
Useful.
But insufficient.
Because multi-layered draconic curse poisoning required specific counteragents.
Not ordinary medicine.
Then finally—
Kel spoke quietly.
"I need three main ingredients."
The chamber immediately fell attentive.
"One…"
He lifted a glowing silver-white flower carefully.
"…White Lily."
The retainers immediately recognized it.
The sacred flower from Blue Valley.
Rare.
Expensive.
Almost impossible to obtain in large quantities.
Fortunately—
Kel already possessed plenty.
"Second…"
The black-haired man calmly looked toward the senior retainers.
"…Green Root from the Draconic Swamps."
One elderly retainer immediately nodded.
"The Crimson treasury still possesses some preserved roots."
Kel answered simply.
"Bring them."
The retainers hurried immediately afterward.
Meanwhile—
Velor quietly watched everything from beside the bed.
Those burning crimson eyes remained fixed entirely upon Kel now.
Not with suspicion anymore.
With expectation.
Then finally—
Kel mentioned the third ingredient.
"And lastly…"
A faint pause followed.
"…Condensed Essence of All Elements."
Silence.
The chamber fell completely still.
Several retainers frowned immediately.
"…What?"
One elderly dragon looked genuinely confused.
"There is no such ingredient in existence."
Another retainer shook his head slowly.
"I've never heard of it either."
Even Velor narrowed his crimson eyes slightly.
"…Where would something like that even exist?"
Kel calmly looked toward him.
Then quietly answered.
"You already have it."
Confusion spread instantly throughout the chamber.
Velor frowned visibly now.
"…We do?"
The black-haired man slowly stepped toward the ritual circle forming across the obsidian floor.
Then—
Without another word—
Kel raised one hand calmly.
Mana surged softly around his palm.
And suddenly—
Flames appeared.
Crimson fire danced quietly above his skin.
Several retainers stiffened immediately.
Then—
Water followed.
Silver-blue liquid mana spiraled around the fire without extinguishing it.
Earth.
Wind.
Lightning.
Ice.
Shadow.
Light.
One after another—
Different elemental energies manifested above Kel's hand simultaneously.
Perfectly balanced.
Perfectly controlled.
The chamber froze.
Even Velor's eyes widened faintly now.
Because dragons specialized naturally toward one or two elemental affinities depending on bloodline.
Maybe three for geniuses.
But this…
This was impossible.
Kel calmly merged the elemental energies together slowly while standing beneath flickering crimson lantern light.
The room itself trembled faintly from the pressure.
Sairen softly sighed inside the soul-link.
"…And there goes your attempt at looking normal."
Kel ignored her completely.
The elemental energies continued spiraling together violently above his palm before gradually condensing into shimmering silver-black mana.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Then calmly—
Kel looked toward Velor.
"The Essence of All Elements."
Silence consumed the chamber entirely afterward.
Several retainers stared toward him with visible disbelief.
Fear.
Reverence.
Because what stood before them now no longer resembled an ordinary dragon.
It resembled something ancient.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly extended his opposite hand afterward.
Then—
Without hesitation—
He cut his own palm open.
CRACK.
Blood dripped slowly downward.
Dark crimson beneath the lantern light.
But unlike ordinary blood—
Mana flowed inside it visibly.
Elemental energy shimmered faintly beneath each droplet.
Kel calmly allowed the condensed elemental essence to merge directly into his blood.
The process looked unstable.
Dangerous.
Even the surrounding air distorted faintly.
One elderly retainer whispered unconsciously—
"…Monster…"
Not insult.
Not fear.
A realization.
Kel quietly gathered enough blood to fill a small ritual cup afterward.
Then slowly approached the sleeping Crimson Princess.
Velor instinctively stiffened slightly watching him.
Because despite everything—
This moment still terrified him.
If this failed—
His sister would die.
Kel calmly poured the elemental blood mixture across the curse markings spreading beneath her neck and chest.
Instantly—
The chamber darkened.
BOOM.
Ancient curse energy erupted violently from her body.
Black symbols spread rapidly across the bed while freezing mana filled the chamber like poison.
Several retainers staggered backward immediately.
And for the first time—
The true scale of the curse became visible.
Layer after layer after layer.
Not one curse.
Multiple.
Interwoven.
Carefully hidden.
Political assassination disguised as illness.
Velor's crimson eyes widened with horror.
"…How many…"
Kel's expression sharpened slightly beneath the violent curse pressure.
"Seven."
Silence.
Seven layered draconic curses.
Enough to slowly kill even royal bloodlines.
Then—
Kel knelt calmly beside the bed.
And began drawing a massive magic circle using his blood across the obsidian floor itself.
Complex symbols formed one after another beneath crimson lantern light while elemental mana spiraled violently around the chamber.
The ritual had begun.
And one by one—
Kel intended destroying every curse tied around the Crimson Princess like chains forged by hatred itself.