chapter 49
At his answer, she giggled and folded down one finger.
“One: Do not ask about me, and do not try to find out anything about me.”
Just like last time, she seemed unwilling for her existence to surface into the light.
He quietly nodded.
Satisfied, she folded down another finger.
“Two: Cooperate so that ‘Zoe Blanche’ does not notice my existence.”
Lucian lowered his head, recalling the last time he asked about her.
Zoe truly seemed to have no clue about his current situation.
So, rather than letting her frown due to some reckless action, he decided it was better to remain silent.
“…Understood. I’ll do as you wish.”
“Good. I’ll tell you the final condition after answering your questions.”
Saying this, Zoe sat down, placing her hips against the back of Ruby, who was lying on the floor.
“Oh, what’s this? It’s so soft! Hey, puppy. Are you useful at all?”
“Kyuu… Could you please return to your original Zoe…? I beg of you…”
Ruby’s whole body trembled under her energy. The sight was pitiful, yet somehow it also angered her.
“Hah, seriously. Even when praised, all she wants is her master. Don’t worry, your master will come back soon.”
“Really? Kyuu?!”
Seeing the little thing, which had just been trembling all over, instantly light up at the mention of her master, Zoe felt an inexplicable urge to tease her.
“Hah, yes. But if you ever tell your master about me… you know what happens, right? You might never see your master again. Though, merciful me could personally take care of a puppy like you.”
“Ah, understood! Kyuu! I’ll keep my mouth shut around Zoe! Kyuu!”
As she glared at Ruby threateningly, Ruby vigorously nodded and mimicked zipping her mouth shut.
“Good, that’s what a useful puppy does.”
With that, Zoe’s expression softened as she began stroking Ruby’s soft fur.
“Now then… Lucian.”
Her transparent, water-colored eyes fixed on him.
Her gentle, youthful voice calling his real name, along with her straight hair damp with the morning dew, accentuated Zoe’s unique, mysterious aura even more.
Even knowing she wasn’t truly Zoe, Lucian instinctively flinched.
“You have an idea of the source of your power, don’t you?”
“The Imperial curse… you mean?”
“Yes, that’s right. That damn dragon’s ‘curse.’ You’re surprisingly intriguing for a human in this world.”
Her faint smile seemed pleased with his words.
When he was young, he had heard from his father that the dragon who ruled the continent of Verheim had sealed the chimera’s power within the body of the first emperor, who was born with holy power.
The emperors of Valterga used the mighty power of the chimera to strengthen the empire, seeing it as a blessing and worshiping the dragons for generations.
However, his father, a member of the royal family, once said to young Lucian with a lamenting tone:
“Lucian, do you really think that’s a blessing? I think the dragons just passed their dangerous chimera power onto the royal family.”
“Passed it on? Then it’s not a blessing?”
“Yes. It’s not a blessing—it’s a curse.”
His father’s expression had been so firm that Lucian naturally believed the chimera’s power was a curse.
“As you suspected, the power inside you is indeed the chimera’s power—a curse of the royal family. Though, it’s only a fragment.”
“…A fragment?”
“Yes. The power you have is just a tiny piece. The greatest power belongs to the royal family.”
The chimera’s power, bestowed by the great dragon ruling Verheim, was a blessing in the form of a curse, passed only to the Valterga bloodline.
Because of this curse, the heir could maintain human form only half the day and would transform into a chimera at midnight.
This was precisely why the small territory of Valterga could grow so rapidly. The emperors, called “Lords of the Night,” would unleash the destructive chimera power each night, expanding their territory and turning Valterga into a powerful nation.
Hence, the royal family called it the dragon’s blessing, building temples across the empire to honor the great dragon.
However, unlike the first emperor who was born with holy power, the successors could not fully control the chimera power, leading to tragedies of slaughtering citizens or losing their own lives due to uncontrolled power.
To prevent this, the third emperor collaborated with mages to develop magical restraints to suppress the chimera’s power.
Yet, even this was not a perfect solution. The chimera, a collection of corrupted souls, slowly began to devour the host’s soul.
After several heirs lost their lives in vain, the sixth emperor finally heard the chimera’s voice:
“Foolish emperor of Valterga, I crave your desire. What is your desire?”
“From then on, the emperors fed their desires to control the chimera’s power.”
Rather than being consumed by the power, they willingly used the sweet whispers as guidance.
“Can a mere human really control such a monster? Is that even possible?”
“Yes. It’s not entirely wrong. The chimera is a creature with only the instinct to destroy. Especially Michael, the emperor-to-be, grasped the principle instantly and used his desires to wield the chimera’s power freely.”
She seemed to acknowledge Michael’s ability.
Indeed, compared to the current emperor, obsessed with repetitive wars and territorial greed, Michael was far better—at least, he was not reckless or foolish enough to wage war on weaker nations without reason.
Still, Lucian’s curiosity about her deep knowledge of these matters—something only someone in the royal family could know—grew even stronger.
“…Then how can I remove the fragment of the chimera’s power inside me?”
“A way to remove the power? There’s no such thing.”
Her firm answer filled his violet eyes with despair.
It was like a bolt from the blue.
“What… that can’t be. Someone who knows all the royal secrets can’t possibly not know how to remove it. Am I wrong?”
Her eyes narrowed at his emotional plea.
“Lucian Fenrister. I only said I would tell you about your power. I never said I would tell you how to remove it.”
It was a sharp blind spot—an irrefutable statement.
Yet, even so, he had no choice but to cling desperately to the cold Zoe.
Lucian dropped to his knees before her, speaking as if begging.
“…Please, I beg you. There’s no one else but you.”
To stand proudly by Zoe’s side, he couldn’t be this monster.
He had to be just Lucian Fenrister, an ordinary human.
“Look, young noble. I said there’s nothing. Stop acting like you’ve entrusted it to someone else.”
“Even the tiniest clue would be enough. I can do anything you ask. So please… if you know anything, I beg of you…”
His head crashed to the ground, a testament to his desperation.
For a moment, her eyes blazed.
“Anything I ask?”
“Yes, anything within my ability.”
Lucian raised his head slightly, affirming his words.
Zoe carefully studied his pupils, gauging if he was truthful or bluffing.
Despite his submissive demeanor, his pupils shone with a newfound hope—a life-filled gaze.
“Hmph, seems you’re not lying. Humans are not a trustworthy race, but…”
Zoe tilted her head mockingly, and Lucian stepped closer to her.
“…Hey, what are you doing right now?”
