Chapter 23

Chapter 23: I Want to See Her Again

“Just what in the world took place last night?”

The question came sharply from Jed. The brown-haired subordinate glared downward in pure bewilderment, his focus landing directly on Ferda, who lay utterly flat across the mattress.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Ferda replied.

“Nothing out of the ordinary? Then explain why a man claiming ‘nothing happened’ is stuck there completely paralyzed?”

Ferda could only manage slight twitches of his head; everything below his collar appeared thoroughly drained of strength. Because Ferda maintained a strict routine of morning inspections without ever missing a single dawn, his failure to show up was an immediate sign that a disaster had struck. And precisely as Jed had feared, Ferda was trapped in bed, incapable of taking a step.

“When I tell you nothing occurred, it means nothing occurred.”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

Seeing Ferda’s absolute refusal to budge on the matter, Jed decided against pressing him any harder.

There is no point in laying out the entire truth, Ferda mused to himself.

He had taken a violent blow from an overprotective servant, come within inches of his life at his bride-to-be’s hands, and then nearly perished anyway after pouring every drop of his internal energy reserves directly into her. In the shallow minds of the aristocracy, such an ordeal would merely be retold as the absurd antics of an absolute simpleton.

Because of that, Ferda chose silence, turning over the private memory in his thoughts alone.

It truly had been an overwhelming evening.

The lingering ache running through his arm remained sharp, yet the sight he had been granted served as an unparalleled reward.

The Dragon’s True Visage.

While that phrasing was normally reserved for an imperial monarch, here it described the literal face of an ancient dragon. Just as a lowly serf would consider catching a glimpse of their sovereign’s brow to be their greatest earthly blessing, Ferda viewed witnessing that majestic appearance as the pinnacle of his pride.

That marks the final moment I can recall.

Ferda reconstructed the image of Valdrova’s countenance from the edge of his fading awareness. The instant he had laid eyes upon her, his vision had gone completely dark, and his next waking moment was spent staring blankly up at his ceiling.

Along with Jed’s lingering face.

The young man was still lingering right by the bedside.

“There is one thing you can do for me.”

“Name it. What do you need?”

“Shift your face away from my view. You are ruining the atmosphere.”

Ferda had no desire to replace the radiant, lingering impression of the dragon with the mug of a pretty-faced retainer. Jed pulled back with an irritated grimace that silently screamed: Has this man completely lost his mind?

“How are things proceeding with Burnell’s research?”

“That project? He mentioned that he no longer has to deal with the sickening task of slicing open sinew and hacking through raw flesh. He is making quite steady progress.”

Jed had been closely monitoring Burnell to prevent any disruption to the scholar’s laboratory routine. He had put in enough personal effort that he felt entirely justified in taking personal credit for a large share of the advancement.

“Are you entirely positive about that?”

“It is probably certain.”

“Are you aware that pairing ‘probably’ with ‘certain’ makes no sense whatsoever?”

“I made sure that fellow Burnell didn’t get a wink of proper sleep. Under normal circumstances, depriving someone of rest for three days drives them mad enough to surrender, but that man possesses an absurd level of stubbornness. He wept and whined endlessly about wanting to sleep, yet he kept throwing himself back into his seat and gripping his research papers, insisting the work was far too critical to allow any shortcuts. Because of that, it is definitely certain.”

“Understood.”

Ferda felt not a single pang of sympathy regarding the harsh treatment Burnell had endured under Jed’s watch. Every monumental achievement demanded its fair share of agony. His focus rested entirely on the thrilling reality that their Magitech endeavors had taken a colossal step forward.

“In any case, how long will you remain pinned to this bed? Are you unable to handle tasks today?”

“That appears to be the case. I ought to recover naturally after roughly a full day’s rest.”

“Hmm… do you require me to attend to you?” Jed asked, his tone dripping with sheer reluctance.

“No need. I prefer solitude. There are matters I must reflect upon.”

“That is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Good grief. I am heading off to get some sleep, so make sure not to summon me for at least two days.”

“Very well.”

Shaking his head in lingering disbelief, Jed stepped out of the quarters.

Ferda allowed his eyelids to fall shut against the quiet of the room. It was not intended to lure him back into slumber, but rather to etch his recent memories even deeper into his mind.

It had been a truly magnificent yield.

Ferda drifted deep into his contemplation.

A truly splendid prize.

A vision of delicate, gleaming lips. A set of obsidian horns paired with cascading scarlet tresses. Set within those wide features were radiant, slit-pupiled feline eyes shimmering with faint moisture.

That stood as the transformed persona of the Red Dragon, Valdrova.

The reality held countless surprises.

When Ferda had first encountered her, she was encased in heavy armor and towered well beyond two meters. In truth, however, her natural transformed height matched that of an ordinary woman, standing roughly a head shorter than his own frame.

Furthermore… her expression carried nothing dreadful.

Embodying the Aspect of Power, Valdrova commanded the most terrifying form of all dragonkind. She was a sovereign so fearsome that none would ever dare to look down upon her authority. Legend held that whenever a dragon altered their shape, their outward persona shifted according to their innate temperament.

When she held still, she appeared as an unyielding matriarch, a stunning rose. She gave off the unmistakable aura that anyone attempting to pluck her would be viciously pierced by her thorns, left only to lament their foolish audacity.

…Yet the reality diverged entirely.

Her face held a delicate warmth rather unfitting of a ruthless ruler. A lady’s demeanor is frequently defined by the outer contours of her gaze, and her downward-sloping eyes granted her an innocent, gentle air. It seemed far more appropriate for a bright, youthful grin than for the chilling stare of a detached matriarch.

It aligns remarkably well with her timid disposition and deep unease around others.

An astonishing beauty where every detail was an unexpected deviation, yet somehow completely fitting. Ferda dwelled upon that lingering visage.

I truly wish to look upon her once more.

It marked the very first time such a desperate yearning had taken hold of him since he had adopted his habit of meticulously recording every passing detail. Despite the crystal-clear impression etched into his mind, an overwhelming physical desire urged him to stand in her presence again.

I want to see her again.

In that quiet span, Ferda could at last comprehend the agony of men trapped in the throes of lovesickness. He felt a sudden urge to grip his own hair in frustration or sprint toward her location without a second thought.

“You appear to be indulging in rather peculiar delusions.”

Out of nowhere, the sharp voice of the young attendant cut through the silence.

“I would prefer it if you ceased that line of thought immediately.”

Parting his lids, he saw the silver-eyed girl staring down toward his form. Her posture and expression were as cold and professional as they had ever been.

“How does your condition fare?” Ruri inquired.

“I believe I am gradually regaining strength.”

“That is only natural. I tended to your recovery personally, after all.”

“Your capabilities are truly remarkable. It must have proven quite challenging.”

“It proved more demanding than treating my Lady, but it remained within my capabilities.”

Ruri peered down at him with a slight furrow in her brow. Curiously, her demeanor held a distinct difference from the typical way she observed Ferda.

“You came dangerously close to perishing,” she stated, a subtle undercurrent of concern weaving through her words. “Forcing an active overload across your mana pathways… any standard mortal would have collapsed from the searing agony long before reaching that point.”

“It posed no real issue for me.”

“I am well aware. You happen to be the sort who relishes such extremes.”

Ruri murmured a string of barely audible words beneath her breath before carrying on.

“You have my gratitude.”

The sudden offering of thanks caught him off guard.

“For what reason?”

“It marked the very first occasion where my Master’s agony ceased completely.” Her features remained composed and flat. “And it was the singular time I have witnessed her drifting into a calm, undisturbed sleep. On that evening, you accomplished a great service for her, Lord Ferda.”

Yet, a subtle shadow of sorrow tinted her eyes.

“And for my part, I must apologize.”

Her attention drifted toward Ferda’s damaged right arm.

“Because you nearly tore my limb apart?”

She pressed her lips tightly together and gave a single nod. A Dragon Spawn lowering her pride to offer an apology to a human was an exceedingly uncommon occurrence.

“Think nothing of it. I have no intention of holding any resentment toward you over such an event.”

“…Are you genuinely unbothered after absorbing an impact of that magnitude?”

“My constitution has always been frail. Such occurrences are routine for me, so do not trouble yourself. I will regain full movement soon enough.”

“Are you able to sit up at present?”

“I shall rise when the appropriate moment arrives.”

For the time being, not a single part of him could move aside from his facial expressions.

“Have I not repeatedly mentioned it? I value your steadfast devotion immensely. Quite like—”

“Like a loyal hound?”

“Precisely.”

Ruri gave a straightforward nod to his statement.

“That is accurate. I am a complete bitch.”

“I certainly never intended to go to that extreme.”

Only then did Ferda realize how easily those words could be taken as an outright insult in ordinary conversation.

“Regardless, you applied your utmost efforts to what lay within your grasp. You refrained from ruining matters by reaching beyond your limits, did you not? That remains more than sufficient.”

“I am simply offering my appreciation for watching over her until the time came for me to arrive.”

“If you phrase it in such terms, then I accept your gratitude.”

A subtle lightness returned to Ruri’s face, breaking the suffocating tension that had hung between them.

“So, what is the current state of my betrothed?”

“I was just on the verge of addressing that…” Her demeanor instantly hardened once more. “Do not entertain any notions of requesting an audience with her for the foreseeable future.”

Ferda’s brow furrowed into a grim line. “Did you not just finish praising my intervention and the outcome?”

“That matter stands on its own, and this issue is separate.”

Ruri had instantly reverted to her role as the unyielding attendant. Ferda pressed her to elaborate.

“What is the underlying reason?”

“The complication stems directly from what occurred during your encounter.”

“What I did? Merely because our hands touched?”

Simply clasping hands hardly seemed significant enough to warrant such intense concern.

“I am referring to the transference of your mana.”

“Could that act possibly cause harm to your Master?”

“To put it accurately, it presents a dilemma for both individuals involved.” Her piercing gaze remained locked onto Ferda. Recognizing the weight behind her words, Ferda probed further. “Did some unforeseen issue arise with the Archduchess?”

“Ever since that physical interaction took place, Lord Ferda, she has begun emitting… feminine sounds.”

Total confusion washed over Ferda. “Feminine sounds?”

“They are utterings entirely unfitting for a mighty ruler. They are the exact noises she despises the most, surpassed only by her cries of torment.”

Ferda could not fully grasp the nature of those vocalizations. Yet he chose not to pry any deeper into the subject.

“And what issue pertains to me?”

“In order to preserve my Master, you strained your reserves to the absolute brink of death.”

“Well, seeing as I survived the ordeal, there is no real harm done.”

“Such short-sighted reasoning will not be tolerated. If you intend to carry yourself proudly as her betrothed, do not even utter the thought of a reunion until you have advanced to the 4th Circle at minimum.”

The 4th Circle. The boundary widely regarded as the true threshold of a master Mage. Ferda contemplated why she would demand such an exacting standard. He turned his focus inward, calculating the precise volume of energy he had expended during the event.

The mana poured out had indeed matched the scale of the 4th Circle.

Channeling such a quantity would have been utterly impossible without the aid of the Red Circle. Furthermore, without its intense rotational speed, the rate of energy replenishment could never have kept pace. Had his control slipped by even the barest fraction, Ferda would have ended up a lifeless husk or permanently crippled.

Yet simultaneously, such a feat could only be pulled off because it was me.

Channeling and surviving such a violent torrent was solely achievable because he was once a sorcerer who stood at the pinnacle of the 9th Circle.

However, due to expending everything so recklessly, operating the Red Circle properly will prove difficult for quite some time.

By Ferda’s calculations, reclaiming his standard baseline would require roughly thirty days.

“If your destiny is to become her groom, you must begin tending to your physical well-being. Cease taking reckless gambles.”

Ruri’s small hands carefully smoothed the creases across the duvet, pulling the fabric snugly against his shoulders. It was an attentive gesture she had never once displayed before.

“For today, your sole duty is to rest without entertaining unnecessary thoughts. Should you require assistance, summon me, and I shall attend. Do you understand?”

“Understood.”

Ferda offered a compliant nod.

“Furthermore, allow me to offer my congratulations.”

“For what reason?”

“Have you not managed to step into the 3rd Circle?”

Ferda had no concept of what she meant—until he turned his awareness inward toward his core Dantian.

…What is this?

Exactly as she had stated, a trio of energy rings was steadily cycling within Ferda’s vessel. He had indeed breached the threshold of the 3rd Circle.

The following day, having confirmed that his motor functions had returned, Ferda made his way back to the main study to confer with Burnell.

“Word has reached me that your research has advanced by leaps and bounds. You have my congratulations.”

“A-Ah, please, it is nothing. We have only managed to take the preliminary step…”

“A mere six weeks? The pace of your progress is nothing short of revolutionary.”

“I-I suppose that is true,” Burnell responded, his voice quivering slightly.

The speed was undeniably astonishing. The preceding month and a half had yielded far greater results than the entire seven years he had dedicated to his craft previously.

The facilities are superior, the setting is far better, and the raw subjects are far more refined, yet…

Above everything else, the relentless coercion driving him forward had served as the deciding factor.

Could it be that I only thrive when pushed to the absolute edge of madness?

He had felt on the verge of total collapse from the sheer lack of rest. Yet the outcome was undeniably fruitful; he had managed to uncover critical oversights he had long missed and patched up his structural theories. Through the intense labor born of absolute exhaustion, his theoretical models had hardened into actionable experiments.

“Moving forward, living subjects are no longer required. Instead, I shall need a massive collection of beast remains…”

“Beast remains?”

Such an item was as common as sand across an arid wasteland or foliage within a dense woodland. The Far East was practically overflowing with such creatures.

“Archduchess Valdrova remains engaged along the vanguard. Could we not simply claim the carcasses left in her wake?”

“Reports indicate she is slaying entities the size of entire manors. Attempting to conduct analysis on specimens of that scale… presents immense complications. They are simply far too massive…”

“Could you not simply expand your own stature to match? A spell of Giantification should suffice; I believe Echidna can cast such magic…?”

“Ah, the issue does not lie purely in physical dimensions. The most severe complication is that leaving such massive carcasses within the East for extended durations triggers profound environmental decay, potentially transforming the territory into blackened badlands akin to the Far East. I would rather avoid causing such ruin. Furthermore, the structural makeup of an entity that massive tends to diverge entirely.”

“In what way does the structural makeup diverge?”

“Indeed. Because their massive size is fueled by absorbing tainted, erratic mana, the biological material they produce takes on extreme density, does it not? If the density becomes overly compacted, the matter crystallizes completely, rendering it useless for my investigations.”

Sensing the explanation was rapidly veering into an overly technical dissertation, Ferda quickly grasped the core principle and steered the dialogue back on track.

“I understand the general premise. In essence, to make steady progress, you require smaller specimens first?”

“Precisely. My current experiments rely on beasts roughly comparable to or smaller than the entity you captured, Regent. Because such creatures are far more common, sourcing them should prove far simpler if we begin searching…”

“Then roughly how many hundreds of specimens are you requesting?”

“Regarding that…” Burnell offered a nervous, hesitant glance. “I estimate that I will need… no fewer than one thousand…?”

Ferda reflected silently upon hearing the staggering number.

The man is a bottomless pit for funds.

It was a staggering demand that would leave not just minor aristocrats, but even high-ranking ministers entirely flabbergasted. Had Ferda lacked foreknowledge of this scholar’s ultimate worth, he might well have ordered him thrown past the fortress gates on the spot. Yet Ferda was fully aware that the man’s pursuits would inevitably bear fruit.

“Very well. I shall address the Lords regarding the matter.”

“A-Ah, do you truly believe we can secure such a vast quantity?”

“Dozens of beasts are hunted every single day. You no longer hold any need for live captures, correct?”

“I-It would certainly be helpful, but managing their containment poses a heavy burden…”

“You need not fret. Jed has shown exceptional talent in managing living subjects, so I shall assign him to assist you.”

“No! There is absolutely no need for that! My research will not yield rapid, dramatic results like before! Truly! It is completely unnecessary! There is no reason to inform him, hahahaha! I beg of you! Spare me from that!”

Burnell pleaded desperately for the offer to be rescinded, pure dread painted across his expression.

“If you insist.”

“S-So, by what method do you intend to gather the remains? Will you be venturing out to hunt once more?”

“Hmm…”

Capturing a single entity alive had been entirely manageable, but Ferda could hardly spend his days continuously scouring the wilderness.

“The standard approach would involve issuing a public bounty, however…”

Given the heavy financial strain already incurred from expanding laboratory facilities and acquiring specialized apparatus, he was loath to inflate their expenses any further.

“For the immediate future, our best course is to have the primary stock delivered to us as an offering.”

“An offering…?”

Ferda offered a calm retort to the thoroughly perplexed scholar.

“The world is teeming with easily swayed fools.”

And Ferda possessed the exact knowledge required to draw those fools straight into his grasp.