Lixuan looked absentminded throughout Lanling's explanation. In the end, it was Mainu who had to take over the questioning, though even he could barely keep himself together.
The curse was still in place. None of them remembered Haruki from before the war, but the knowledge of the dragon remained—distant yet undeniable.
"Y-Your Highness," Mainu asked, voice shaking slightly, "does this mean… you were the bride the dragon had been waiting for all this time?"
The answer was obvious—Haruki's burning gaze left no room for doubt—but Mainu still felt the question needed to be voiced, if only to stabilize everyone's fragile understanding.
That stirred Lixuan awake. His ears twitched, his shoulders straightened slightly.
"Yes," Lanling said without hesitation.
Though his tone was calm, the confirmation caused those present to stiffen. Some eyes widened. Others dropped to the floor, overwhelmed by what it meant.
