"I've never heard of such a proposal. Is this a trend in the human world these days?"

Lodbrok’s amused laughter echoed through the cavern.

"It seems my charm remains unaffected by the passage of time. Regardless of species, it seems I’ll forever be a heartbreaker…"

She chuckled lightly, seemingly taking Theo’s words as a joke.

But Theo shook his head with a smirk.

"There’s no such trend. And I’m not joking."

Lodbrok’s laughter abruptly ceased. Her gaze settled on Theo with a heavy seriousness.

A chill ran down Theo’s spine.

*As expected, a dragon is a dragon. Her Dragon Fear is overwhelming.*

Theo tried to counter her fierce aura by releasing a small amount of Lesser Drake Fear, but it was a feeble attempt. Dragons instinctively compelled lower beings to submit to their presence.

*But I can’t back down here.*

He steeled himself and resisted the urge to look away.

*Drip*

A bead of sweat slid down his cheek and fell to the ground.

"Do you truly desire me?"

"Yes."

"Are you attempting to seize all the treasures here and gain access to my knowledge with mere wordplay?"

Theo only smiled in response, saying nothing. This was a moment when it was best to let her reach her own conclusion.

"No."

Lodbrok stared at him for a long time before finally shaking her head.

"No? But you said any treasure here in the nest was up for grabs."

"But I am not included in that."

"If the Guardian Dragon of Ragnar isn’t considered a treasure, then what would you call it?"

"I am a dragon. I am the gatekeeper of this place and the guardian of the Winter Mountains. I am not some trinket..."

"You never specified a definition of treasure beforehand, did you?"

"…!"

For a moment, Lodbrok was at a loss for words.

"Therefore, the decision of what counts as a treasure falls to the one receiving the reward."

"…"

"Give me Lodbrok. You made this promise with your words of power."

A low growl rumbled as Lodbrok’s eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Her once-friendly gaze was now filled with irritation.

*It seems I’ve really angered her.*

Theo swallowed hard.

He knew ancient dragons were beings of immense pride, so his request must have come across as an insult.

Ancient dragons were known to view humans as insignificant insects.

At this moment, she could easily incinerate him with her flames, and it wouldn’t be surprising.

*Still, I need to take this gamble.*

Theo held his ground, knowing that if he backed down now, he’d never get what he wanted.

He knew he was making a bold, even absurd, demand.

However, he was aware that the dragon was bound by her own words of power.

*If she offers to let me off, perhaps I can leverage this to negotiate for something greater.*

Theo wasn’t naive enough to think he could actually possess Lodbrok as a reward.

She wouldn’t leave the nest, bound as she was to protect the Winter Mountains from the darkness. And even as a descendant of Sigurd, Theo knew an ancient dragon would never "submit" to him.

Pride alone would prevent it.

So Theo was certain Lodbrok would suggest an alternative.

She would offer him a treasure of equal or greater value.

*I don’t have time to dig through each treasure. Forcing Lodbrok to bring out the most valuable one herself is the best option.*

Theo bit his tongue to keep himself steady.

Then—

*Woosh*

The fierce aura around Lodbrok dissipated.

"So, you’re trying to be clever, aren’t you?"

She laughed with a hint of disbelief.

*She saw right through me.*

Theo simply inclined his head without a word, maintaining his steady gaze.

"Very well."

"Yes. Very… wait, what?"

Theo looked up quickly, momentarily unsure if he’d heard correctly.

He saw Lodbrok’s eyes filled with mischief.

*Could she really mean it…?*

"What are you so surprised about? I am bound by my words of power, unable to break the promise. Thus, I will honor it."

Her eyes curved mischievously.

"My new companion."

"...!"

*Whoosh*

A powerful gust of wind spiraled around Lodbrok, nearly blinding Theo.

He squinted through the fierce wind, and just as he glimpsed a dazzling light filling the cavern—

*Flash!*

Where the ancient dragon had once stood, a woman now appeared.

She was tall, about 175 centimeters, with short, dark blue hair that barely brushed her shoulders. Her eyes, sharp yet playful, sparkled like golden mirrors. She wore luxurious, vibrant silk draped around her shoulders like a shawl.

Theo’s eyes widened in shock.

He hadn’t expected Lodbrok to possess the ability to polymorph into human form.

But more than that, it was the exposed area near her collar that caught his attention.

"Ha! You’re completely entranced by my human form. But don’t get any ideas. I may look like this, but I’m over two thousand years old. To me, you’re no more than a newborn child."

Her joke barely registered in Theo’s ears.

"Guardian Dragon… your chest."

"Oh, this?"

Lodbrok nonchalantly lifted her shawl.

A large, gaping hole, roughly the size of a human head, lay over her left chest.

She had no heart.

"This wound is from long ago. It’s been slowly killing me."

Theo felt a chill run through him.

"You mean…?"

"Why are you so surprised? Is it the fact that I’m dying?"

She laughed softly.

"It’s true. I lost my dragon heart, the most vital organ for a dragon, fifty years ago. Since then, I’ve been surviving with minimal power and magic."

"…!"

"I’m managing now, but it won’t be long before I return to nature, just like my kin who left this world ages ago. Maybe two or three more years, at most."

"…"

"That’s why I asked if you wanted to reconsider your choice."

Theo clenched his lips tightly.

"Even knowing this, do you still want me as your reward?"

She was smiling, a gentle expression of understanding.

Theo couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sadness he saw in her gaze.

It reminded him of his last moments in his previous life—the look he’d had beneath the downpour of arrows.

Despair.

Defeat.

Gloom.

Grief.

"…How did this happen to you?"

"Hm? I thought I already answered your three questions."

"…"

"Alright, I’ll answer since you look so serious. It’s no fun being so stiff with my last chosen one."

She murmured, then threw out a name that made Theo’s heart skip a beat.

"Kyle."

The name struck him like a hammer to the back of the head.

"I suppose he would be your grandfather or great-grandfather? Correct?"

"He… he’s my father."

"What? Hah! That old man fathered another child at seventy? He used to say he’d have as many offspring as possible to restore the clan. Typical male, huh… as long as he can cross the doorstep, he’ll…"

Theo barely registered her words.

All he heard was a ringing in his ears.

*Father did this?*

But why?

Why would he do something like this to their Guardian Dragon?

Theo remembered Kyle as a man full of pride in the Ragnar family, someone who strove for power and produced many heirs to ensure the clan’s golden age.

He had made many enemies along the way but didn’t care about the consequences.

Kyle’s ambition always lay at the pinnacle, leaving no room to worry about those beneath him.

If he had met the Guardian Dragon, he would have certainly tried to enlist her as a clan asset.

But why would he harm her?

For what reason?

"Was my father also a chosen one?"

"Him? Not a chance."

*Not a chance?*

Theo was stunned by her response.

"Are you asking if he hurt me to hoard the relics for himself?"

"Yes."

"Wrong. Your father wasn’t eligible to be a chosen one. He lacked the talent."

Talent.

The word struck a chord with Theo.

It didn’t make sense.

How could his father lack talent?

"Despite that, he’s one of the few who shattered every boundary and rose to become the family head. For all his wickedness, his capability and determination were admirable."

"…"

"So you could be proud of him as a man. Your father… yes. He’s a human in form but not in spirit, a monster in pursuit of divinity."

A human unfit to wield a relic.

A lack of talent.

And yet he became the family head.

The one who defeated the Guardian Dragon and sought to reach the realm of the gods.

*A monster hiding behind a human facade.*

Theo remembered that his father had overthrown his own father to claim his position. Could that be related?

At this moment, Theo felt the immense weight of his father’s legacy.

"So, I’ll ask you again. Do you still wish to take me?"

Lodbrok’s question cut through Theo’s thoughts.

Lowering her shawl to cover her heartless chest, she stared at him directly.

Theo swallowed.

How much help could she really provide, considering she only had a few years to live?

And there was a risk. If Kyle found out, his own life could be in danger.

Kyle was not the type to leave a threat unchecked.

This was what Lodbrok was really asking.

Did Theo think he could handle her presence?

Her suggestion that he should just choose a suitable treasure was her final kindness.

Several

 thoughts raced through Theo’s mind.

"I…"

Just as he was about to give his answer—

*Boom!*

The cavern suddenly shook violently as if struck by a powerful force.

*Rumble…!*

Both Theo and Lodbrok turned toward the entrance.