She took a trembling breath. "Merging isn't just about power. It's about the soul. When a divine beast is merged, it binds to the host's spirit completely. That means… if Esme ever dies, or if she ever loses all connection—all attachment—to this world… the Black Dragon will consume her soul entirely."
Her voice cracked.
"That day, the Black Dragon vanished from this world. And not long after… Esme woke up."
A breath passed.
"From that moment on… Esme became nearly invincible. She didn't get sick. Even when she suffered terrible injuries, her body healed. But slowly… that dragon began to take something else from her—her emotions."
She looked away for a second, steadying herself.
"As decided, Beom was connected to Esme later on. But…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"There's a cost. A divine beast lives off its owner's life force. That's how Divine Wish functions. And under normal conditions, it would never accept a second owner while the original one lives."
