"The Black Dragon?" I asked.
Each of the twelve dragons had its own master. The Black Dragon was a powerful entity that Temud had controlled as his divine beast.
"The statue of the Black Dragon is in Vidente..."
"It was the divine beast of the first lord of Arhan. The only human who could defy the emperor."
"I'm surprised it's the Black Dragon out of all twelve."
"This statue was erected 500 years ago. It marks the last place the Black Dragon appeared."
"So, the statue was built for that reason."
"Yes, dragons are mystical creatures, and the Black Dragon is the most superior among them."
I felt an inexplicable pull towards the statue. At its base, the date of creation and a brief inscription were engraved:
"Imperial Year 511, December 13th, the Black Dragon passed through this place."
"Hmm... If the records are correct, the Black Dragon should have died with Temud, which means it should have been 950 years ago, not 500."
Silia seemed to anticipate my reaction and responded immediately.
"That's right. According to records, the Black Dragon died 950 years ago, but it appeared here 500 years ago. That's why we believe the Black Dragon is alive. We make wishes because of that belief. It's the only living divine beast."
"Wait... Does that mean history was recorded incorrectly?"
"History is what someone wrote down, but the beliefs of those who saw it firsthand are stronger than any written record."
Silia's words seemed somewhat fanciful.
Temud and the Black Dragon died in the empire's first Great Magic War. This was the starting point of the empire's history and the world's lore in my memory, so there was no chance of confusion.
"By someone...?" I pondered Silia's words.
We believe history as recorded by someone. And history is often called the record of the victors.
If that's the case...
"The victors of the time, and those who have maintained those records until now."
The emperor.
Did that mean the empire's history was recorded by the emperor?
My head began to spin with confusion.
"Actually, I wanted to show you this because you're from Arhan's lineage."
"One thing puzzles me. This statue contradicts the empire's history directly. Why don't others know about it?"
"They haven't seen it. They dismiss it as Vidente's publicity stunt. The fact that the Black Dragon visited this city would be a huge promotional effect."
Silia's explanation made sense.
A city chosen by the Black Dragon.
That alone would elevate Vidente's reputation to the sky.
It was natural for other cities to be skeptical.
"So, they downplay it as a publicity stunt and don't believe it."
I asked Silia, "Do you believe this is real?"
"Our family records detail the situation at the time. It can't be false."
"Don't you suspect that even those records might be part of the publicity stunt?"
"You doubt Arhan's history? And the Black Dragon is not Martin's divine beast but Arhan's. Building a statue of the Black Dragon would benefit Arhan, not Martin. It would only foster jealousy in Martin."
Listening to her, it made sense.
In the past, Martin's divine beast was the Blue Dragon. If they were going to stage a publicity stunt, they would have said the Blue Dragon visited, not the Black Dragon of their rival family, Arhan.
--------
"I understand why you're not suspicious," I said.
"Ah, I see... That's quite surprising," Silvia replied.
"The black dragon is alive. As a divine beast, it's an immortal entity like the emperor. What do you think, Lord Jed?"
"I'm still skeptical. The black dragon hasn't been seen in over 500 years. If it were alive, it would have appeared by now," I said.
Silvia nodded, acknowledging my point, and then looked at me intently.
"I think it's waiting for a new master, someone worthy of controlling it. Perhaps it's hiding its presence, enduring an eternity. This is just my personal opinion," she said.
"Hmm..."
"However, one thing is certain: if a new master appears, it will be someone from the Arhan lineage, like you, Lord Jed."
I looked up at the black dragon statue, its massive size requiring me to strain my neck to see it fully. Upon closer inspection, I noticed some peculiarities.
"There are scars on the wing joints, and one eye is missing. Is this due to erosion over time?"
"No, the statue was made to reflect the dragon's true appearance. Would you like to see the records from Martin?"
"May I?"
"Ha ha, that's for Lord Jed to see. My father must give permission," Silvia replied.
The idea that the black dragon might be alive still left me skeptical, but Silvia's points lingered in my mind. It wouldn't hurt to verify.
If the dragon truly existed, it might react to me, given that Temud's soul resides within me.
"Let's go to Martin. We now have another reason to visit," I said.
"Alright," Silvia agreed with a smile.
Lumard sat in the highest chair in the reception hall, his demeanor different from before, clearly showing his discomfort.
Jed and Silvia, his eldest daughter, stood beside him. The scene was as Lumard had imagined, but his emotions were different.
"You have a thick face, deceiving me and thinking you could come here. Do you think Martin is a joke?"
His cold voice was laced with anger and a hint of desperation, knowing he was powerless despite their presence.
Jed knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
"I came to apologize for yesterday's events," he said.
"Hah! I don't want to hear excuses. Leave immediately!"
"Please allow me to sincerely apologize for deceiving the head of Martin and for the incidents in Arhan," Jed continued.
"I don't want to hear it!"
A slight vibration occurred, and Silvia flinched at her father's unusual behavior. Jed had expected this reaction.
"I will gladly accept any punishment," he said.
"Punishment? You dare mention punishment?"
"From now on, I am not the heir of Arhan but just a magician equal to your lordship. Any punishment you give me will not involve Arhan," Jed explained.
"Preposterous! Do you think I'll let it go that easily? Cutting off your limbs wouldn't be enough!"
Lumard's anger seemed to stem from Jed's mention of his lineage, implying that he couldn't punish him lightly.
Silvia watched, worried that things might escalate further. She had never seen her father so enraged.
"I will remove the name of Arhan and follow Martin's laws. Please give me the appropriate punishment for my wrongdoing," Jed said calmly.
"This man is relentless!"
Even apologizing seemed to provoke Lumard further, at least in Silvia's eyes. The situation felt precarious, like walking on thin ice.
"What is he thinking?"
Before coming to the manor, I had asked if everything would be alright, but Jed only replied:
"Don't interfere, no matter what happens... Is it really going to be okay?"
My heart was filled with anxiety and fear. If he continued to provoke Lumard, anything could happen.
Jed seemed sincere, but his father would see it differently.
"I swear on my honor that my words are true," Jed said.
"You arrogant fool! You think you can remove the name of Arhan and follow Martin's laws? Your audacity is also because of the Arhan background, isn't it?"
"My oath is based on my personal honor and integrity, not Arhan's," Jed replied.
"Honor and integrity? Does Arhan have such things?"
"It's not me who can't remove the name of Arhan; it's you, Lord. Please see me as just a magician apologizing for my mistakes," Jed said.
"Preposterous!"
Lumard was clearly impressed by Jed's boldness, though his words left him speechless.
"Any punishment you give, I will accept gladly," Jed repeated.
"Very well. We will follow Martin's laws and give you a fitting punishment. You can either appeal to the lord or seek revenge; it doesn't matter to me. Since you've come to Martin, we'll do things our way," Lumard said.
-------
"As you wish."
"Hmph! We'll see how long that arrogance lasts."
-Clink!
Rumad tossed an object to the ground. Jed stared intently at the mana-binding device now resting before him.
"Wear that and climb the Guardian Tower. This is your punishment under Martin's laws."
"Father! But that's—!" Silia interjected, her voice trembling.
"Stay out of this, Silia. He brought this upon himself."
The Guardian Tower climb—a severe disciplinary ritual reserved for Martin clan members. The 50-meter monolith stood as an insurmountable challenge for mages stripped of mana. For most, it meant endless days of futile struggle until the clan leader relented.
But Jed merely tilted his head.
"If I ascend it once, will my debt be repaid?"
"...What?" Rumad's disbelief hung thick in the air.
"Does this mean my transgression will be forgiven upon completion?"
Rumad's laugh held no mirth. "You think this some child's game? What if you fail?"
"I'll endure harsher punishments without complaint."
"Amusing. Very well—entertain me."
"Then I'll take my leave briefly."
-Snap-
Jed fastened the mana-binding device around his wrists and exited the hall with unnerving calm. Rumad shook his head at the retreating figure.
"Foolish brat. Clearly Arahant's never taught him real discipline."
"Father, the Guardian Tower climb could take weeks! What if Lord Arahant—"
"Let him grovel! I won't stop until that cocky demeanor breaks!"
Silia's nails dug into her palms. Having endured the climb herself once, she understood its cruelty—a battle of wills where only surrender ended the torment. Her gaze drifted to the tower's silhouette through the window... then widened.
"That's... impossible."
Beyond the glass, an inconceivable spectacle unfolded.