Back in Acryon.
That evening, a grand banquet was held within the royal palace. The vast banquet hall was brilliantly illuminated by rows of crystal chandeliers hanging from the high vaulted ceiling.
Servants moved swiftly between the guests, carrying trays filled with roasted ats, exotic fruits, rich wines, and delicacies brought from every corner of the Empire.
The hall was filled with the Empire's most powerful figures. High nobles in elaborate garnts conversed with influential Magi, while mbers of the royal family greeted the honored guests who had arrived with the Dark King's army.
Despite the great war looming on the horizon, the atmosphere in the banquet hall remained warm and vibrant.
Everyone present knew the truth.
Many of the warriors seated in that very hall would never return from the campaign that lay ahead. And perhaps that was precisely why the night felt so alive.
The nobles laughed louder, the music seed brighter, and the wine flowed more freely. Conversations carried a rare sincerity, as if people wished to savor every fleeting mont before the storm arrived.
For the soldiers of the Dark King's army, this was not rely a feast.
It was a farewell to peace.
In one corner of the hall, Edward could be seen quietly sneaking away with several ladies in his arms, his carefree laughter disappearing behind the tall doors.
Elsewhere, the n of the Black Legion had gathered around a long table, loudly holding a drinking competition as tankards clashed and cheers erupted with every round.
In another section of the hall, Magi danced to the lively music, their robes swirling across the polished floor. And in yet another corner, groups of old comrades sat together, laughing jovially as they shared stories from the past.
In the outdoor seating area on the balcony adjoining the banquet hall, Anna sat gracefully with one leg crossed over the other.
She wore a flowing white gown, and beneath the pale moonlight, she looked srizing, almost ethereal.
On the table before her, Valerian sat happily stuffing one piece of food after another into his mouth, completely unconcerned with the world around him. From a distance, several noblen of high standing gathered the courage to approach her, hoping to ask her hand in a dance. Yet none of them actually stepped forward.
Whether it was the cold, aloof aura she carried, or the simple fact that she was the sister of the Dark King... sothing held them back.
But then, a middle-aged man approached.
He had gray hair at the temples and wore simple yet luxurious gray robes. Without greeting her or even asking her permission, he calmly pulled out a chair and took the seat directly across from her.
Anna's brows furrowed slightly.
Soone had just intruded upon her privacy, and she assud he was simply another noble trying to gather courage to speak with her.
But when she finally looked at him closely, she was startled.
The man appeared completely calm and unbothered, as if the grand banquet around them ant nothing to him. More importantly, from the aura radiating faintly from his body and the way he carried himself, she imdiately realized sothing shocking.
He was a Mana Core Magus!
And what surprised her even more was that he wasn't looking at her at all. Not
even once.
Instead, his dark eyes were fixed on Valerian, studying the small gray cat with a complicated expression that was difficult to read.
Anna quickly grew alert. After all, Valerian had openly revealed his identity as a mythical dragon to the world. Who knew how many people harbored ill intentions because of that?
Her posture subtly straightened, and the faint irritation on her face vanished, replaced by vigilance as she carefully studied the man sitting across from her. "Can I help you?" She asked cautiously as she grabbed Valerian by the scruff of his neck and pulled him back on her lap.
"Myu?" The little guy yelped. He was so engrossed in eating that he was totally unaware that soone else had just taken a seat at the table.
The newcor ignored Anna, his gaze still glued to the gray cat. His lips opened and closed several tis, as if he were hesitating... or rather, struggling
to say sothing.
At last, he said in a low voice:
"I... am here to apologize."
The mont Valerian heard that voice, his small fra shuddered, and the fur
on his back stood on end.
A trauma he had buried deep within his heart suddenly resurfaced, sending a tremor through his tiny body.
He slowly turned toward the newcor, his vertical pupils contracting sharply.
With a trembling voice, he murmured.
"Y-You... what are you doing here?!"
The man was none other than Blackfire Balthazar.
Hearing the young dragon's tone, he could tell that it was laced with fright.
Balthazar couldn't help but sigh helplessly, thinking that it would be very difficult for him to have the other party forgive him.
anwhile, Anna, who still had Valerian in her arms, could feel the little guy's constant trembling. Knowing sothing was wrong, she quickly rose to her feet and retreated a few steps.
"Val, what's the matter with you?" She asked with deep concern. "And who is
this person?"
Valerian's yellow eyes trembled as he gazed at the man responsible for his injuries. His wounds were so bad that it took him nearly forty years to recover from them. He had never expected to et Balthazar here at the banquet. For a few long monts, every inch of his body was gripped by terror, and all he saw was the black fire that had once consud him and nearly killed him.
But then...
Sothing ancient stirred within his blood.
Sothing primal. Sothing savage.
Valerian's pupils constricted, and his yellow eyes suddenly blazed with fierce,
predatory bloodlust. The trembling vanished from his body, replaced by a
violent surge of instinct.
"How dare you..." He growled coldly.
In the next instant, he shoved Anna aside - much to her surprise- and leapt
into the air.
His small form twisted and expanded mid-flight, transforming into a massive armored panther whose dark gray scales glead beneath the moonlight. With a deafening roar that shook the banquet hall, Valerian lunged straight at the stunned Balthazar, his razor-sharp claw tearing through the air in a vicious
swipe.
"DIE!!"
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