His youngest child—Crown Prince Jin Ha-Young—sat rigidly across from him, the gold-threaded phoenix on his indigo hanbok shimmering as he shifted. The monarch noted the boy’s white-knuckled grip on his own teacup. Still so tense. Still so unsure.
“Another letter from the Xianli Kingdom arrived this morning,” Ha-Young said, voice carefully neutral. He set a folded parchment stamped with crimson wax on the low table between them. The seal bore the snarling tiger crest of their northern neighbors. “They’ve… renewed their request to move the wedding date forward. To this December.”
Ha-Im didn’t touch the document. He already knew its contents—the same thinly veiled demands, the same honeyed threats about “regional stability.” His daughter’s betrothal to Xianli’s third prince had been a necessary evil, a treaty written in blood after the last border skirmish. But Ha-Yun’s meteoric rise at Waybound Academy had turned that political chess piece into an exploding spell.
“They fear her,” the monarch murmured, tracing the rim of his celadon cup. “A woman who could shatter their prince’s pride with a glance. A future queen consort stronger than their entire royal guard.”
Ha-Young’s jaw tightened. “They’re not wrong to fear her. Baek Seong-Jin’s report said she’s outpacing even Katheran’s early records. She might break all records and reach the Seventh Ascension before leaving the Academy. If that happens… then the marriage—”
“—Xianli will see it as an act of war.” Ha-Im’s chuckle held no mirth. “A wife eclipsing not even her husband, but the crown prince? Just an Ascension rank below their ruler? Unacceptable to those backward tigers. They’d sooner burn the treaty than let their court whisper about ‘emasculated’ princes. But at the same time, they don’t want to make a potential enemy of someone so strong.”
Silence pooled between them, thick with the unspoken. Ha-Young stared at his reflection in the tea’s amber surface. When he spoke again, his words came rushed, as if ripped from a wound:
“Father… what if we stopped pretending?”
The monarch stilled.
“The tutors… they say I’m adequate. Not exceptional. My Class is a glorified clerk’s.” Ha-Young’s laugh cracked. “Big sister's [Spirit Sakura Syndicate] Class is insane, for it can level cities. The Mountain Gods blessed her, and Lady Yueling even gave a personal blessing. She’s made for the throne. Why chain her to Xianli’s third whelp when she could rule here? Let me step aside. Traditions be damned.”
Ha-Im closed his eyes. He could understand his son’s logic. The traditions of there only being male rulers seemed idiotic now. He’d had this argument with himself a thousand times since Ha-Yun’s first letter from Waybound years ago, describing how her mana core was far superior to the students her age. Goryeo hadn’t had a ruling empress in forever. The noble clans would howl. The temples might revolt. And yet…
“Your sister,” he said slowly, lifting the teacup to his lips, “would burn the palace down herself if we upended the succession for her sake. You know how she hates—”
The teacup slipped from his hand, shattering against the floor.
Ha-Young jerked back as shards skittered across the floor, liquid pooling like blood between them. “Father?!”
But the monarch was already on his feet, the air around him warping with summoned energy. His [Heavenly Mandate] Class flared—8th Ascension golden aura making the very stones of the palace hum.
“To the bunkers. Now.”
“What’s—”
“MOVE!”
The crown prince stumbled toward the hidden panel behind the ancestral shrine as Ha-Im burst onto the veranda. Summer sunlight stabbed his eyes, but he didn’t need sight to feel it—the tsunami of primal mana cresting over the mountains. The farmers in the rice fields below froze as the shadow fell.
Ao’kai, the Green Scale King, glided over Goryeo’s capital with the lazy menace of a storm front. Jade-colored scales rippled along his serpentine body, each larger than a warhorse. His claws could have plucked the palace’s central spire like a weed.
Ha-Im’s knees nearly buckled under the weight of the dragon’s gaze. Despite being only an Ascension down, he could feel the difference between a 9th Ascension. A living calamity. And curled between the horns on the beast’s head—
“Ha-Yun?” The monarch’s breath left him.
His daughter waved from her perch, wearing an awkward smile, as the dragon began its descent.
****
The air crackled with the ozone sting of lingering dragon aura as we touched down in the palace courtyard. From my perch on Ao'kai's back, I kept my hands crossed, watching Monarch Ha-Im with curiosity.
[Jin Ha-Im, Level 165]
The Monarch's aura was flaring like a golden sun. He was ready to confront the Azure Dragon in the worst-case scenario. His presence was impressive—8th Ascension. But compared to the dragon we rode, it felt like comparing a campfire to a volcano.
He was aware of that, too. That was why his pulse thundered loud enough that even my ears caught it—rabbit-quick and frantic beneath the jade-green hanbok. His gaze kept darting between Ao'kai's retreating form and Ha-Yun's grass-stained boots like his daughter had suddenly morphed into a live grenade.
The palace courtyard emptied as servants scattered away. Guards formed ranks, spears trembling. The Monarch flew forward, robes billowing with mana, but before he could waste time with formal greetings, Ao'kai's rumbling voice cut through the tension.
“O’ Great Green-”
“No,” Ao'kai's rumbling voice cut through the monarch’s incoming formalities. "Rest easy with the formalities and cautiousness, Monarch. I didn’t come here to flatten your little mud huts." One massive claw tapped the courtyard tiles, sending hairline fractures spiderwebbing toward the ornamental koi pond. "Today my job was transportation.”
I felt Ha-Yun shift awkwardly beside me as her father's eyes widened at the casual dismissal. The formalities he'd probably rehearsed a thousand times for meeting legendary beings died on his lips.
Ao'kai lowered his serpentine neck, allowing us to slide down. My boots hit the polished stone first, followed by Lilian's graceful landing. Solara descended with unconscious elegance, her wings half-spread for balance. Ha-Yun practically bounced down, clearly relieved to be home despite the chaos.
Ha-Yun rushed to her father, who also landed back on the ground, and she began to whisper to him to calm down. My focus didn’t remain on them for long.
Ao’kai’s golden gaze tracked us as he hovered high, his massive form coiling in the sky and casting rippling shadows across the courtyard. "Are you satisfied now, daughter?" he asked Solara, his scaled lips curving slightly.
"Yes," she replied, smiling up at him.
"May I ask why you had this specific request?"
“Well…” Solara's fingers found mine, squeezing briefly. "When I was little," she said, voice soft but carrying, "my wings didn't work. I couldn't fly. So my father would often... carry me and show me the sky. I just wanted to experience something like that again."
Ao’kai’s face lit up in understanding. "So… did you?"
"Yes," she said simply as her lips parted into a smile. "Thank you."
A genuine smile mirrored Ao'kai's fearsome muzzle, softening his features. He hovered for a moment, and then, without another word, he wheeled around, his massive form cutting through clouds as he vanished toward the horizon.
I watched Monarch Ha-Im's shoulders relax as he saw the natural disaster leave his home. The golden aura of his power dimmed as he heaved a deep sigh. His gaze was fixed on his daughter. "I’m calm now, don’t worry. But what's going on here, daughter?"
Ha-Yun straightened her hanbok, brushing off imaginary dust. "Let's talk privately," she said. "There's a lot to discuss."
They first called for servants to attend to us, and a moment later, Ha-Yun and her father walked away, their footsteps echoing through the corridor.
The princess's hanbok swished softly with each step, while the Monarch's royal robes rustled with a heavier authority. Neither looked back, but I could sense the lingering tension in their shoulders.
Whatever conversation awaited them wouldn't be simple, not after everything that had happened today.
"Well that’s that. We received what we came here for, and also gained some additional benefits. The dragon dad’s gone, and now we have some space to ourselves. So," Lilian rested her hands on her waist and looked over at me and Solara. "How about we talk about whatever is going on between you two?"
****
The servants guided us to a gazebo that overlooked the palace gardens, where cherry blossoms floated gently in the afternoon breeze.
I was impressed. The structure was a stunning example of the usual Eastern traditional architecture mixed with the magic of this world, featuring intricately carved wooden beams that supported a curved roof topped with jade-green tiles.
Magical light gleamed overhead. Cherry blossoms shouldn't be blooming in this season, but it did here. Probably another magical thing at work. Lastly, cushions were placed around a low table, upon which fine porcelain cups emitted steam filled with fragrant tea.
"Can you leave us alone for a bit?" Lilian sat down and asked the hovering servants. They bowed and retreated, their silk robes sliding against the polished wooden floor.
I sat down opposite her and picked up one of the delicate cups, pretending to admire the way sunlight filtered through the steam while actually watching Lilian's expression. Her ruby eyes flickered to Solara who sat down beside me, and her silver tail twitched with barely contained questions.
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"Young master, are you really pretending to sight-see?" she finally said, her ears flattening a little. "What is going on between you two, tell me.”
I sipped my tea while Solara twirled a strand of crimson hair, eyes flickering away and whistling innocently. Lilian's eye twitched at our obvious deflection.
When I realized she was growing really bothered, I locked eyes with her. "Well. She was dying, the Phoenix Essence was destroying her. And I had to calm the energy through dual cultivation… but… the real deal, not the usual time stuff. Real intimacy. It helped a lot. She survived because of it. I did too. If she exploded to death, I'd have died too.”
"..."
"I am serious. Survivability aside, doing real dual cultivation gave me decades of extra lifespan, along with a ton of Qi. As in, Mana.” I pulled up my status page, whistling. "It's fifteen thousand now."
The translucent blue screen materialized, displaying my updated stats.
°°°°°°
Name: Iskandaar Romani
Age: 19 years
Race: Human
Qi: 15675/15675
Level: 68 | 23% EXP
°°°
Class: Myth Slayer
Class Level: [3/10]
Class Skills:
- Mythrend [Active]
- Void Step [Active]
- Soul Sever [Active]
- Legendbreaker [Passive]
- Veil of the Slayer [Passive]
- Astral Rend [Active]
- Fate Unraveled [Active]
°°°
General Skills:
- The Heavenly Demon Skill Tree [43.56%]
- Insight [Intermediate]
- Swordsmanship [Master]
- Kickboxing [Master]
- Inner Focus [Intermediate]
- Mana Manipulation [Master]
°°°°°°
The clash with the demigods had also given me some levels, though I failed to pinpoint exactly when. It made sense. After all, experience wasn't only gained through killing.
If clashing willpower with two gods didn't give experience points, what would?
Lilian crossed her arms. "So that's it. You two slept together because the situation forced you to… So what does this mean for you two's relationship now?"
She was asking if this was truly a one-time thing or not.
The playfulness drained from my face. I set down my cup, meeting her gaze steadily. "It's complicated. We did do that because of the situation, but… I don't think either of us can just pretend it never happened. It might be hard to understand since you weren't present at that moment, but we became intimate in more than just physical ways.”
“....”
“Solara isn't just another cult member or a convenient ally anymore... I care for her. Deeply. As she does for me. When I saw her cry out as she was dying, calling me for help, something in me..." I paused, searching for words.
Solara was staring at me, a soft look on her face. Lilian’s expression was hard to read.
I continued. "Solara has nobody looking out for her in the world, so when she called for me for help, with her voice full of emotion, I couldn't respond. I just wanted to help her, and I did. Then things just unfolded between us. Now that all that has happened, I don't think I can just pretend to go back to how we were before…. I want to remain by her side. For her to have me when she’d need someone to rely upon. In simpler words, I… want to be her family now. To give her back what was stolen from her."
Lilian remained silent, a frown on her face.
I watched emotions play across her face like clouds before a storm—first shock, then hurt, followed by understanding.
Her ears drooped slightly as she processed my words, but there was no anger in her expression. No, there had never been anger. If anything, she looked... sad.
Ancient wisdom seemed to settle in her eyes, reminding me of her grandmother.
Her frown melted away, and she sighed, moving toward Solara and pulling her into a tight hug. "I knew this would happen, I'm not surprised. I'm just sad you guys didn't tell me about it beforehand. But given the situation, it was unplanned. I understand.”
“Ah…” Solara was shocked as her face was embraced against Lilian's chest.
“You guys always forget I am the oldest person among you," she said softly. "It's just a few years, but still. Rely on me a little too, Solara, and not just on this man who's full of hesitation. Well, at least this time he's being direct and standing his spot. I support that.”
I scratched the back of my head when she shot me a look while saying that.
She returned her focus to Solara, ruffling her hair. “If we're in this together, then let us be a proper family. Not just for him, but for all of us. I don't know what that vampire wench will say, but I don't mind you here, Solara. No, I prefer you more than her. So…” her lips parted into a soft smile. “Stop being nervous. Welcome in."
Solara had frozen in Lilian's embrace, her wings trembling slightly. She'd remained quiet all this time because she didn't want to upset Lilian, unsure how she’d react, that was why she let me do the talking. Now she was shocked to see Lilian be so gentle with the topic.
Her eyes were wide now, glistening with unshed tears as the weight of Lilian's words sank in. Her hands, which had been twirling her hair nervously till now, slowly rose to return the hug.
"I... I’m surprised. Do you really mean that, Lilian?" Solara's voice cracked, barely above a whisper. The usually confident phoenix sounded like her true self. Young and vulnerable. “I thought you'd be angry, given your reaction last time towards Nebula.”
Lilian pulled back just enough to flick Solara's forehead. "Of course, you dummy. She's different. I don't like her bloodline, and then her attitude. You're different. Look at you – all that power and still so insecure." Her tail swished as she smiled. "Besides, you've proven yourself worthy of him. As long as he likes you… I don't have any say here. It might be my tribal origin speaking, but the leader of the pack. I do as he says.”
I watched the two of them hug, feeling my chest warm up at the scene.
The afternoon light streaming through the cherry blossoms cast dancing shadows across their faces. Solara's wings flickered with emotional flames, tiny sparks drifting like fireflies in the air between them.
"But..." Solara glanced at me, then back to Lilian. "Won't this complicate things? With the cult, with our plans, with-"
"With Nebula?" Lilian finished for her, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps. But we're not exactly a normal group anyway, are we? Also, are you really bringing that up now when things have already developed so far?” She raised an eyebrow. “Well, whatever. We're one peculiar group. A werewolf maid, a half-vampire noble, a phoenix, and whatever this idiot is."
She jerked her thumb at me, making me wave at her lazily. “Heavenly Demon at your service.”
Solara laughed wetly, wiping her eyes. "When you put it that way..."
"Besides," I said as I settled down my cup and moved closer to them, "being close to one another just means we can be stronger together. I like that. The cult… I have a big goal, but that can't just be about power—it has to be something more than that. About protecting each other. A growing family.”
"Family..." Solara repeated the word like it was something precious and fragile. Her wings curled around both Lilian and me, warm but not burning. "This trip has been really good to me."
It was the same for me. All in all, this trip was incredibly fruitful. Excluding my third goal, which I didn’t get to complete…
"I agree," Lilian said softly, reaching up to pat Solara's head. "You got a family now. Even a dragon god for a father. Actually, you should start calling me big sister Lilian from now on.”
"Nah, that's a little crazy. You wanna skip all the way to the sister wives situation already?" Solara's familiar spark returned to her eyes, though tears still tracked down her cheeks.
"You know, you weren't like this when we first met. What influenced you?" Lilian shot her a look, showing fangs. "Well, whatever. You're stuck with us."
Solara buried her face in Lilian's chest again, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. I placed my hand on her back, feeling the tremors run through her.
All that strength, all that phoenix power she gained, and still she could break like this – raw and honest and human.
"Thank you," she whispered through her trembling voice. "Thank you both."
****
A while later, the wind whistled as Ha-Yun and her father walked side by side toward the gazebo. Her posture had changed—straighter, more resolute—but the Monarch's eyes still flashed with lingering concern. His golden-threaded hanbok caught the lamplight as they entered, and the royal crest of Goryeo was prominently displayed.
I felt Solara and Lilian shift beside me, their earlier emotional moment giving way to alertness. Ha-Yun's gaze swept over us, relief evident in her features though tension still lined her mouth. Whatever conversation she'd had with her father, it had left things... delicate.
The Monarch stood tall as he stopped in front of us, his presence filling the room without effort. His eyes tracked over each of us in turn, pausing briefly on Solara's phoenix aura before moving to Lilian's silver hair – a clear mark of Vargathrian's bloodline that I was sure he recognized.
When his gaze reached me, it carried a different level of weight. I wonder how much Ha-Yun told him. Hopefully, she lived up to her promise. It’d be troublesome if a King learned that I hold a Demon King’s sword, doesn’t matter from what continent.
"Welcome to Goryeo, foreign guests," he said, his voice measured and firm. "I would have greeted you the first time you reached the capital, considering your backgrounds, but I chose to stay out of it since you came as friends of my daughter and not representing your families. There was no reason to involve politics in that. However, now I see that the stories of your bloodline’s abilities weren't exaggerated, and perhaps I should have met you earlier." He inclined his head slightly—not a bow, but a gesture of respect that didn't compromise his royal position and dignity.
“I actually prefer what you did, Your Highness,” I said. “As you can see, we’re pretty nervous right now, meeting a King.”
He burst out laughing, “Nonsense, you’re holding out pretty well. And please, you’re embarrassing me greatly by saying that given who your grandfather is.” He then looked at the girls beside me. “Not just you. The phoenix flames burn bright in you, young bird. And the blood of the First Apocalypse flows strong in your veins, Lunewolf girl.”
Lilian's tail twitched at the formal address, but she maintained her composure. She and Solara exchanged polite greetings, but it was clear the Monarch wanted to keep talking to me. “It puts me in a peculiar position seeing a living Hero’s descendant serving as a maid, but that only goes far to show how influential you’ll be in the future."
“The future remains to be written, Your Highness. We shall see,” I said, making him laugh again.
"Ah, you’re a humble one. That is rare. Regardless, I must thank you for ensuring my daughter's safe return," the Monarch said, though caution threaded through his tone. "Your achievements echo beyond the borders we humans put up, and I find myself... grateful, despite the unconventional nature of your arrival."
“I apologize,” Solara said. “It was my silly request to my… godfather. I was blind to see that it might frighten the common people of your nation.”
“Please, there’s no need for apology. In fact, this would elevate our nation’s position as the stories would spread.” His gaze then turned to me again, growing more piercing. "Iskandaar Romani. Could I speak to you in private?"
I hesitated, the silence stretching just long enough to feel the weight of it. Monarch Ha-Im’s expression was polite, but the sharpness in his eyes cut through the air like a blade. It was a question, but it didn’t feel like he was asking—he was measuring me.
The weight of his stare felt like a test in itself. Before either Solara or Lilian could protest, he raised a hand. "Just a conversation of course. Nothing more."
“...Sure thing,” I said a moment later. I didn’t see any reason not to.
He gestured to a servant. "Please, see to the comfort of our other guests."
Ha-Yun caught my eye, giving me a subtle nod that said everything was right. I squeezed Solara's hand once before following the Monarch out.
We walked through the silent courtyard, our footsteps echoing off the grass. Incense hung thick in the air, and I noticed intricate wards carved into the walls – subtle but powerful magical defense formations that spoke of centuries of refinement. Servants appeared and vanished like ghosts, bowing deeply before melting away.
The Monarch led me to a secluded courtyard where a koi pond reflected dancing lantern light. He waved off the guards, who retreated to a respectful distance. Water trickled somewhere nearby, and wind rustled through carefully tended plants.
He sighed, some of the regal steel falling from his shoulders as he gazed at the pond. "I don’t know where to begin, honestly. I’m used to dealing with old powerhouses, but a man as young as you? Your arrival stirred quite the commotion, you know?" he began, his voice lower now, more personal. "My daughter has a great impression of you, but… I’ve got to have this talk with you. You arrived riding a 9th Ascension dragon's back, so I must understand your intentions."
I kept my face neutral, a little confused about where he was getting at, unsure if this was heading toward gratitude or warning. Probably both.
“Tell me,” he said as glowing pink eyes seemed to penetrate through my thoughts, “what is your intention for my daughter?”
…Uh.
What?
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