Chapter 48
Hale stopped walking when he reached the room where Vivian sat, half-reclined on a red velvet sofa.
Her tousled hair and loose clothing showed she had only just woken up.
“What?”
When Hale, looking completely unfazed, sat across from her and asked, Vivian let out a dry laugh.
“How rude can you be?”
“Is that so.”
“Yeah. I figured that out the moment you started talking behind my back to your daughter.”
“Then let’s just move past this like before.”
“What?”
Vivian blinked, taken aback by Hale’s brazen attitude.
He had barged into her home uninvited and still looked as composed as ever.
Her surprised expression lasted only a second. Regaining her calm, she folded her arms and asked,
“So, what brings you here at this hour?”
“I need the Black Dragon Clan’s help.”
“Help? From you?”
“I need a dragon of Elder rank or higher to come to my clan.”
At the words ‘Elder rank’, Vivian’s expression darkened.
It was already strange enough that the head of the White Dragon Clan had come personally to ask for help.
But requesting an Elder-level dragon? That was no trivial matter.
Vivian instantly realized something serious had happened in the White Dragon Clan.
“And why should I help you?”
“……”
She knew whatever was going on, it had to be serious—so serious that Hale couldn’t easily explain it.
When she first heard the word help, she’d been ready to offer it out of old friendship.
But sending an Elder to another clan was dangerous—too dangerous to do blindly.
She needed to know exactly why Hale was asking this of her.
“If you won’t tell me, then leave.”
“I… can’t.”
“Hah.”
Her curiosity grew too strong to ignore.
Why would a proud clan leader humble himself like this?
“There’s a limit to shamelessness, Hale.”
Vivian decided to press harder.
If he was hiding something, she wanted it laid bare—and she needed justification to send her people.
“I’ll give you one more chance, for old times’ sake.”
“……”
“If you still refuse, then this conversation’s over.”
“……”
“Don’t forget—you’re the one who stands to lose here.”
Hale clenched his teeth.
He had expected things to go smoothly, but Vivian was blocking him completely.
His thoughts tangled. He knew well that Vivian wasn’t a patient woman.
He had to decide fast. Closing his eyes tightly for a moment, Hale exhaled and said,
“I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you, so…”
His pale blue eyes, once downcast, lifted and met her rose-colored gaze directly.
“This can never, ever leak outside.”
“I’ve already sealed this floor with my pheromones. No sound or scent leaves this space.”
He had felt that from the moment he entered—Vivian’s pheromones wrapped the entire floor in thick layers.
Still, he asked for confirmation, just to be sure.
Because Hale was terrified.
Now that Senika had become his weakness—his most precious thing—he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone finding out.
“Well then,” Vivian leaned back, crossing her legs, “let’s hear it.”
Hale brushed a lock of hair away from his face, straightened his posture, and spoke carefully.
“…Senika is sick.”
“She must be going through her adult growth, like my son did. So what about it?”
“……”
Vivian’s tone showed she didn’t understand why this was such a big deal.
And how could she? She didn’t know the full story.
“She’s half human. That’s the problem. Her pheromone color… it’s not like ours.”
“Wait—don’t tell me you came here because your daughter’s pheromones are black?”
“Not exactly black… darker. The color of pure darkness itself.”
“Hm.”
Vivian didn’t show it outwardly, but inside she was rattled.
She had just thrown out a random guess—and it turned out to be true.
Now that she understood, Hale’s urgency and his sudden late-night visit made perfect sense.
“So what do you plan to do with our people once you have them?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You came here without a plan?”
“That’s something I’ll have to discuss with whichever Elder you send.”
Vivian thought it over, then nodded slowly.
‘If he’s asking for another clan’s help, he probably can’t decide anything rashly on his own.’
After explaining everything, Hale looked visibly more at ease.
Perhaps confessing had lifted some of the weight from his shoulders.
Then, suddenly, Hale straightened and added,
“One thing’s certain—the Black Dragon Clan’s presence is essential for Senika.”
“……”
“You know how important pheromone color compatibility is.”
Of course Vivian knew.
If a dragon’s pheromone color didn’t match their clan’s, their body couldn’t maintain proper equilibrium.
It was one of the first lessons every dragon learned.
‘So the color mismatch is the key problem… Is it because she’s half human?’
The thought made her uneasy.
But prying further felt like crossing a line.
“I understand how serious this is. Sending one person won’t be hard.”
“Thank you, Vivian.”
The tension in Hale’s shoulders finally eased. He leaned back into the sofa, relief washing over him.
Seeing him like that, Vivian could easily imagine how anxious he’d been. His love for Senika was clear in his eyes.
“I’m helping you because of our history, nothing more.”
“I know you dislike Senika. That’s why I’m even more grateful.”
It was well-known that the Black Dragon Clan was not fond of humans.
Vivian’s mention of “old ties” was deliberate…
‘She didn’t have to spell it out like that, though.’
In truth, Vivian didn’t really dislike Senika.
If anything, she found herself strangely fond of her.
She might hate humans in general—but Senika felt… different.
Why, she couldn’t say. It just felt natural.
Vivian averted her gaze from Hale’s warm smile and muttered,
“Ahem. Don’t thank me too much. I’m not doing this for free.”
“Understood.”
“When things settle, I’ll collect a proper payment. So be ready.”
Vivian tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and rose from the sofa.
Time was short; she couldn’t afford to linger.
“You’ve had a long trip. Rest here. I’ll summon the Elders right away and send you the most capable one.”
She was walking briskly toward the portal when—
“Clan Head.”
Vivian stopped.
A few paces away, Jayus—who had been quietly listening with Rita—spoke up.
She turned halfway, meeting the red eyes identical to her own.
A chill ran down her spine.
Even though he was her son, she could never quite read him.
She silently prayed he wouldn’t say what she thought he would.
“I’ll go.”
“…What?”
“I’ll go to help the White Dragon Clan.”
Both Vivian and Hale turned.
Hale, resting his chin on his hand, watched with interest, while Vivian’s eyes narrowed.
Jayus’s crimson gaze burned with an unwavering fire.
Hale smiled faintly to himself, but Vivian rubbed her forehead, sighing.
“Jayus, I can’t approve this. We’re talking about the White Dragon Clan’s heir, not some minor issue—”
“That’s exactly why I must go.”
Vivian was thrown off balance.
Jayus had never insisted on anything before—never raised his voice, never defied her.
She didn’t know why he was being so stubborn now, but she couldn’t allow it.
Just as she was about to refuse again—
“And why do you think that?”
Hale cut in first.
“Hale,” Vivian growled his name warningly.
Her tone made it clear: Don’t interfere with my decision.
But Hale merely shrugged.
Then he said calmly,
“The successor of the Black Dragon Clan must have a reason for speaking so firmly. Let’s hear him out before deciding.”
“……”
He wasn’t wrong. Not exactly.
‘But for the heir of the Black Dragon Clan to leave during his own maturation… and to another clan at that?’
It was dangerous, scandalous even.
The gossips in their ranks would feast on it.
Vivian knew she should shut this down with force—but Jayus was her son before he was her heir.
And she knew how unyielding he could be once he’d decided something.
Using force on him… felt too much like reliving her own past.
“Haa…”
After a long sigh, Vivian finally nodded.
“Fine. Tell me your reason.”
“Clan Head Ivienne came here personally because she didn’t want this matter to leak, correct?”
“That’s right,” Hale said with a nod.
“Then why must the Black Dragon who goes to the White Dragon Clan be an Elder? You already have me here.”
“……”
“Elders blinded by power could sell secrets for gain. I, on the other hand, have no reason to.”
Jayus tilted his head slightly and smiled—just faintly.
Vivian froze, speechless.
It wasn’t just that he was speaking so much—
It was that he smiled.
“Jay… you know how to smile?” she muttered in disbelief.
“Please allow it, Mother.”
