"I didn't ask, but couldn't you have just told me voluntarily!?"
"Why would I? You shouldn't know about such complicated matters; there's no benefit in it."
Melina froze, processing the words for a moment, and her face instantly flushed red.
"You dare call me stupid!"
"I certainly didn't. That's something you said yourself."
Melina gritted her teeth. Even though this man had just changed her fate, his infuriating personality remained unchanged. Like a tigress, she pounced on him.
"You're asking for a beating!"
"Stop messing around. What if we fall off later?"
"If you fall to your death, you deserve it!"
"So you're not going to jump down and die with me this time?"
"Don't even think about it. I'd rather kick you twice."
The two of them started scuffling on Lansseax's back, causing the Ancient Dragon to shake her body and turn her head back.
"Do you two have no manners? Flirting on someone else's back... Hey, hey, hey, little girl, what kind of look is that? Are you really glaring at your savior like that?"
Melina ground her teeth. She was embarrassed and angry, but because she was an honest person, she felt compelled to thank Lansseax for saving her life. However, her relationship with the Ancient Dragon was terrible, and she couldn't bring herself to say the words, making her feel incredibly stifled. She had just been on the verge of being used as firewood, and at this moment, her heart was filled with swelling rage.
She couldn't take it anymore. She glared at Throne one last time and then vanished completely.
"Sigh, this Melina is just weak. When she can't win an argument, she just plays the disappearing act."
Throne shook his head, looking disdainful, but a smile played on the corners of his mouth. It was just like this; it was better if Melina remained unchanged. It actually made things easier.
"Isn't that exactly what you want? If she always felt she owed you something, how boring would that be?"
The Dragon woman's voice was filled with amusement, as if she saw through everything.
"Truly, nothing can be hidden from you." Throne laughed, then instantly nodded solemnly.
"Thank you for this time."
If Lansseax hadn't come, he had a backup plan, but the risks and costs were high. Her arrival was the best possible outcome.
"When the Lunar Princess came to find me, I didn't want to come to this godforsaken place. But then I thought, if you died, The Lands Between would be much less fun."
The Dragon woman was not humble at all, narrowing her massive eyes slightly.
"Remember, you owe me two favors."
"Understood. I will repay them."
"Straightforward. Precisely because you repay kindness, helping you isn't a loss for me. Sit tight!"
Lansseax dived sharply. Throne had no choice but to grip her dragon scales. Remembering the Dragon woman's words just now, he couldn't help but nod with satisfaction. This is what they call 'those who walk the path of virtue find many allies, while those who don't find few.' I never just talk big; the things I've done are the best proof. Even this peculiar Ancient Dragon would come to help from a thousand miles away.
The Ancient Dragon lowered her altitude and headed west, breaking through the clouds and weaving elegantly between the mountains. Only then did Throne understand the meaning of the words 'Overlord of the Sky.' Her massive body was incredibly agile; she flew right against the mountain ranges without colliding with them. Her immense form whipped up fierce winds, making the branches below rustle loudly. Even while the trees were still swaying, the Ancient Dragon had already darted a hundred meters away.
Mountains and rivers streaked by beneath her wings. The speed was at least over five hundred kilometers per hour. The distance that would take Throne several days of arduous trekking to cover could be crossed by Lansseax in just a few hours. As the light dimmed, the mountain ranges were left behind. Looking down, it had turned into an endless snowfield.
"Huh, we arrived at the Consecrated Snowfield so quickly???"
Throne was somewhat incredulous. He had only looked at the scenery and dozed off for a while.
"Hmph, who do you think I am? Even among Ancient Dragons, I am the fastest!" Lansseax arrogantly raised her head and roared happily.
"The feeling of riding me isn't bad, is it?"
This sounded strange, but Throne still nodded gently.
"It's quite good—fast and stable, with no fear of interception by enemies."
"Who in The Lands Between would dare stop me? I told you to ride me long ago; the matters in the north would have been solved ages ago. By the way, are you still going to Elphael?"
"No. You just flew too fast. I still need to wait for my teacher. Let's find a place to land."
Throne covered his forehead. The original plan was to meet up with Sellen, but it seemed he would have to wait a while now. Teacher? Oh, that Primeval Sorceress. Lansseax was also somewhat curious about Throne's legendary teacher. She slowed down, landed on a mountain peak, and then flew up again.
"Are you returning to Caelid?"
Throne was surprised for a moment, not expecting this difficult Dragon woman to have changed her ways.
"Nope."
"Then why are you flying away?"
"To take human form, of course. What's the matter? Are you interested? Let me tell you beforehand, after I turn human, I won't be wearing any clothes. Do you want to take a close look?"
Retract previous statement; this Ancient Dragon is still just as eccentric. Throne waved his hand, indicating that he had no interest in the Dragon woman's body.
"Tsk, afraid that Melina will pop out again, huh? Humans, sometimes you are truly boring. Why not follow your own desires?"
The Dragon woman huffed unhappily and flew away, flapping her wings.
I am already sufficiently overwhelmed; there is no need for you to worry about me. Throne sighed. Seeing the massive Ancient Dragon disappear into the canyon, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked around. There were still traces of a large army passing through the snow. There was no need to guess; this was the retreating Erdtree Army.
Just as he had said at the Crucible, he hadn't killed many people on this trip, but the impact it had on The Lands Between was greater than all his previous journeys combined.
"Completely safe now. However, is this just the final calm before the storm?"
Throne cast his personal troubles to the back of his mind and completely calmed down. From now on, acting would no longer be useful, and what he would face would no longer be a fractured Erdtree. Then let it come, the new Golden conquest. I am waiting to see the sharpness of your blades.
"Hmm, even knowing you are about to face the Erdtree head-on, you are still full of fighting spirit."
Lansseax walked over from a distance with her hands behind her back. Despite the icy, snowy conditions, she was still wearing that midriff-baring, gold-trimmed black robe. Her pace was not fast, but every step covered dozens of meters. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Throne.
Aren't you cold? Throne looked her up and down, feeling that he was worrying for nothing. With an Ancient Dragon's physical constitution, how could she possibly feel cold?
"Your speed in taking human form is very fast."
"Just a special incantation. How much time did you think it would take?"
The Dragon woman waved her hand nonchalantly, then suddenly remembered something else.
"Didn't you say before that you wanted me to teach this incantation to a horse?"
Throne had only said it casually at the time, but he had already consulted Torrent's opinion on the way. Combined with the Dragon woman's actions, she could now be trusted absolutely, so he didn't hesitate and blew a whistle. The Spirit Steed appeared, sticking out her long tongue and licking Throne's face repeatedly. Finally, he had to hold down her head to stop the frantic licking. He broke free, and just as he was about to speak, he saw Lansseax staring at him with a meaningful look.
"Uh, no—what's that look in your eyes?"
"I didn't expect you to have such a… fetish. Not bad, not bad. We've found common ground again."
The Dragon woman smirked, her tone dripping with amusement. She seemed to have pieced together why Throne wanted Torrent to take human form.
"Who has common ground with you?"
Throne's veins bulged, his face flushing with fury. Why did this insufferable old pervert always view people through such a twisted lens? What were Torrent and him? Comrades-in-arms who had ridden thousands of miles together—that's what they were! The Dragon woman's smile widened, clearly unconvinced. Under Throne's murderous glare, she circled Torrent, patting her flank and nodding approvingly.
"Not bad. Quite sturdy. Let me take a closer look later."
"Is your incantation even useful? If not, forget it."
Throne stepped in front of Torrent, shielding her from the Dragon woman's probing hands.
"Don't underestimate me. It's just that this horse is a spirit entity. I need to study her properly."
Lansseax spread her hands, signaling for Throne to hand over the ring. He hesitated, then placed it in her palm. It wasn't suspicion that made him pause—just a firm warning.
"You're not allowed to pass on any strange, twisted knowledge to Torrent."
"Look at you, so distrustful. I won't mess around."
The Dragon woman chuckled sheepishly before replying with sudden solemnity.
"I'll give you the results as soon as possible. Look forward to it."
Throne nodded. He was looking forward to it. What would Torrent become? With that settled, he wasn't sure what to do next. The cold wind howled across the snowfield, and Sellen hadn't arrived yet. Stuck in an awkward staring contest with the Dragon woman, he gestured toward a distant cave and walked alongside Lansseax.
Halfway there, Throne stopped abruptly, his expression grave.
"Was what you said earlier true?"
"Which words?"
Lansseax stared at him, confused. Trying to fool me again, are you?
Throne took a deep breath of the icy air and spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
"Does the Dragon race truly intend to change its stance?"
The wheels of history rolled forward. Thousands of years after the establishment of the Golden Order, The Lands Between stood at another crossroads. Caria was rising; the Erdtree was declining. An all-out war that would determine the future loomed on the horizon. Throne, firmly aligned with Caria, had rarely traveled for his own sake recently.
Coming to the north wasn't just about reuniting with Sellen. A crucial reason was to prevent the Haligtree's power from falling into the hands of the Golden Order. On paper, the Golden Order remained the undisputed strongest force in The Lands Between. Severing their left arm in the north was a significant blow.
Once Throne fulfilled his promise to Radahn, their right arm would be severed too. The Golden Order would be left crippled. But this was just an amputation—far from enough. To truly upend The Lands Between, Throne needed to find allies for Ranni. Among the ancient powers still lingering, the Dragon race held pivotal strength.
Their choice could tip the scales of victory. When Throne first made contact with Lansseax, he'd hoped to use her as a bridge to reach the legendary Crumbling Farum Azula.
Throne's expression was deadly serious, his eyes burning with anticipation—so intense that Lansseax couldn't meet his gaze. Her evasion dimmed the fire in his eyes.
"So you were just scaring those Crucible Knights. By the way, stating your stance so casually—aren't you afraid of causing trouble for the Dragon race?"
"Hmph. Their lives or deaths have nothing to do with me. This wasn't all just to help you?"
The Dragon woman pouted.
"Do you think Godfrey's a fool? Just because of your words, he'll start a second Dragon War? He's got enough trouble as it is."
Throne's smile twisted into something bitter, his teeth clenched tight.
"So if the Ancient Dragons won't dare mess with Godfrey but have no problem coming after me—thinking I'm using their name to scare people—what do I do when they show up to make my life hell?"
"They're lazy. Unless you go to Crumbling Farum Azula."
"But I will go."
"Then beat them into submission. Cut off their horns. Step on their heads. Only the strong get to talk about cooperation."
The Dragon woman's fist clenched, a raw, tyrannical energy radiating from her.
Throne eyed her suspiciously.
"Do you have some kind of grudge against your own kind? Why are you always pushing me to fight them?"
She didn't look like the type to be bullied, but her words weren't wrong either. After so many years in The Lands Between, Throne had learned one thing: power makes kings. Power lets you carve your own path. Cooperation isn't won with pretty words about righteousness. It was the same in Nokstella. Only overwhelming strength made them listen.
Crumbling Farum Azula, huh? Throne's gaze drifted to the eastern sky. That city, suspended in the rift of time and space, was a nest of monsters. Dragons, the Erdtree's guards, even the Black Blade. A literal den of dragons and tigers.
"I'll go."
"Then I'll have to trouble you to lead the way."
"Leave it to me. I'll cheer for you."
"Just cheering?" Throne laughed dryly, crawling into the cave. He lit a campfire and settled into a corner, cross-legged. He needed to recover his strength, to gather his focus. His head dipped as he slipped into a semi-conscious state. Time was already running out.
Godfrey could seize Leyndell at any moment, rallying an army to march south. Ranni was marshaling her forces for war. He couldn't afford to waste too much time on Mohg.
Once Sellen returns, I'll destroy the Mohgwyn Dynasty, rescue Miquella, and send her back to the Haligtree. That would solve Malenia and Millicent's problems. The Haligtree's iron cavalry would be mine, tipping the scales in my favor.
Throne mapped out the path ahead in his mind. Lansseax stirred, about to interrupt, but Melina appeared suddenly, blocking her.
The young girl didn't speak. She just stared, wide-eyed, making the Dragon woman squirm.
"Hey, hey, hey, is this how you treat your savior?"
"Hmm. Thank you."
Melina nodded, her face blank.
"Throne is thinking about important things. You're not allowed to disturb him."
"If it's so important, he should say it out loud. We can all discuss it."
Lansseax giggled, pointing at herself.
"Don't look at me like that. I've seen storms and waves you can't imagine."
"So?"
"I can help. Unlike you."
She braced for Melina's retort, but the girl didn't rise to it.
"Oh. I see."
Her calm indifference left Lansseax feeling like she'd punched cotton. It gnawed at her.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've regained your memories, haven't you?"
"Yes. I know why I came to The Lands Between. I know what I am."
Melina glanced at Throne, who was snoring softly. Dreaming was his best state for thinking.
"Marika is your mother. She's been plotting against the Golden Order for a long time. That's why she created you."
Lansseax leaned in, her curiosity piqued. She loved uncovering secrets, hoarding them like treasures.
Melina didn't react. She just nodded, her expression distant.
"Yes. Yes, Queen Marika the Eternal is my mother."
The words tasted like ashes.
"My purpose is to burn the Erdtree, send the contractor to Crumbling Farum Azula, kill the 'Black Blade,' and unleash Destined Death."
"And then you'll become kindling and die."
The Dragon woman's laugh was a blade drawn slow.
"What a pitiful existence. Living and dying for another's ambition—don't speak to me of righteousness. You were never more than a tool."
The air froze. Then she shattered it with another laugh, bright and cruel.
"But you're lucky. This man could've used you as the perfect tool—saved himself the trouble. Instead, he chose the hardest path. Doesn't that deserve... gratitude?"
Her gaze dropped to Melina's body.
"Or more?"
"What business is it of yours?"
Melina's voice stayed soft, but her fingers curled.
"Throne doesn't want repayment. He'd rather I forget the debt entirely. That's why—" She looked at him, and her whole face changed.
"That's why I'm grateful."
The Dragon woman snorted.
"Men cling to pride like drowning rats. You're naive."
"Explain."
"You haven't seen through this man. He says no with his mouth, but his body is honest. Why don't you test him?"