Alex sat beside the man.
"You're the traveler my father mentioned? The one with five affinities?"
Alex nodded. "You could say that."
"So, it's true, huh?" The man leaned back, studying him. "Why do you want to learn about our dragon ways and culture, traveler?"
"Simply out of curiosity," Alex replied.
"Oh, I see. Then let me get straight to the point—" The man's lips curled into a sly grin. "What's the real reason?"
Alex sighed internally. A snake. He knew this type well—the kind that slithered, bit, and schemed. But he had long since learned how to deal with their sneering tongues.
"I already told you my reason, didn't I?" Alex's voice was calm, yet it carried an unmistakable sharpness. "And if you think there's another, then it's simple—you're not worthy of knowing."
The man's grin faded, his expression turning neutral. "So that's the truth, then."
A brief silence followed before he spoke again.
"By the way, traveler… do you have anyone with you? A friend? Family?"
"I don't," Alex said flatly.
The man sighed. "That's heartbreaking… A lonely traveler, huh?"
"Lonely?" Alex chuckled, his laughter cold and mocking. "You think I'm lonely? You're funny. But how do I even explain this to an insignificant being who clings to petty attachments and calls it happiness?" His gaze darkened. "Let me put it plainly—don't bare your little fangs at me, or I'll rip them out myself, King's son."
The man stiffened, his tongue held still.
"…You have a temper, don't you, traveler?" He let out a nervous chuckle. "Let me apologize for my previous behavior."
Alex observed him silently.
Apologies…
A mere person without a true purpose could never understand the weight of a single destination. Bonds? Fleeting illusions. Even if he formed them, he would eventually abandon them. And he would not regret it.
even if I did try once or twice.
she had left him. Left him alone in this world with nothing but these feelings of revenge.
I will take revenge for her death. That is something I must do— only then will this agony inside me finally be silenced.
"Fine," Alex said at last. "Apology accepted. Now tell me—what do you want from me? What can my five affinities do that you need me for?"
The man stood up, stretching slightly. "I'll answer you, but first—promise me one thing."
Alex's gaze remained unreadable.
A promise?
Alex had fulfilled every promise in his past life, even those made to dying enemies. Not because of some great law or sense of honor—but simply because he only kept the promises of those whose hearts carried neither greed nor lingering regrets.
"…A promise, huh?" Alex smirked. "Let's hear it."
"Let me give you a brief summary of our church's motive," the man began. "I don't like my father's authority. And I want our kingdom to become a part of the rest of the world."
Alex remained silent, listening.
"As for your five affinities… They can be used to kill the Calamities."
The man leaned in slightly. "Let me tell you a little history of our kingdom. As you already know, our first ancestor was the Dragon God—we are his bloodline. But do you know why Goddess Uxil provided us with a divine artifact?"
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Because of the Dragon God?"
"Exactly. She had a deal with him… That's all we know. But when it comes to Calamities—no one knows their true origin. What we do know is this: whenever someone in our kingdom develops hatred toward their own kind or rejects their species, they are considered a potential Calamity."
The man's voice lowered.
"You could be one. I could be one."
He shook his head. "But that alone doesn't make someone a true Calamity. What defines a Calamity is one who holds both power and hatred in equal measure. That is the balance that births a true Calamity."
Alex absorbed the information carefully.
"They only appear once every century. The human kingdom, in comparison, has almost none. But they have Dungeons… and a Tower."
Alex's fist clenched. "How do you know about the Tower?" His voice was quiet, yet the weight behind it was enough to send a chill through the air. "Tell me. Or you die."
The man flinched, raising his hands. "Wait, wait, traveler! Let me explain." He sighed. "The King of Humans is a friend of my father—or you could say he's like an uncle to me. He and my father were the heroes who fought against the Tower."
Alex's eyes darkened. So, my prediction was right. The Tower… it's not a dungeon.
"Alright," Alex muttered. "Go on."
The man hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"Calamities… can only be killed easily by those who possess both Uxil's and the Dragon God's affinities. But here's the problem—us dragons? We barely have any of the Dragon God's affinity left. We only have Uxil's affinity, and even that is rare. So we combine our magic to kill Calamities. But…"
He exhaled. "Lately, the Calamities' power has been growing beyond our control."
The air grew heavy between them.
"…And what do you want from me?" Alex finally asked.
The man gave a small smile. "I want you to teach at our academy. Teach the students the ways of humans and other species. If you do that, we can prove to the King that we can coexist with the outside world. And in return, he may finally allow some dragons to live beyond the kingdom's borders."
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
"If that happens, those dragons can assist humans in conquering dungeons faster and also will be able to help in killing the calamties."
Alex stared at him, silent. Then, after a long pause, he smirked.
"…Interesting."
"Alright," Alex said. "I'll train these lizards if that's what you want." His gaze sharpened. "But can you give me more information about the Tower?"
The man's eyes squinted slightly. "…Can you make me another promise?"
Alex clicked his tongue. "Tch. Do you know? I'm not fond of people like you." He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Still… I'll think about it."
The man exhaled in relief, but Alex wasn't done yet.
"But know this." His tone turned razor-sharp. "If you try to deceive me…" His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"I'll rip the truth from you myself."