The Ancestors' Final Request
The desolate mountain of death where the ancestors' friend lay, Desperino. True to its name as the Mountain of Death, the surroundings were barren and quiet. —Whooooosh……! Only the occasional fierce, cutting wind blew, soothing the silence. The scenery here was no different from ruins. Not even a single weed could be seen. All that was scattered about were massive rocks and snow piled softly atop them. It seemed impossible for life to take root on this dark, gravelly ground. At least near the center of the mountain peak stood a tall, pitch-black spire, with several temple-like structures around it.
'This structure... could it be...? It's exactly like what I saw in class!'
Sofia, drawn into Breeder's consciousness, looked around and exclaimed in admiration. As a current student of the academy, she couldn't fail to recognize the background and structures. It was a landscape she had seen countless times while learning the history of the Drango Continent.
Desperino Mountain was originally a place of outstanding natural beauty. But when Ditronos was sealed here, it had been devastated by his power. From the surrounding scenery, it was clear that the place depicted in Breeder's memories was the summit of Desperino Mountain. In particular, the tall black spire in the center seemed to be the structure where Ditronos had been sealed.
'I heard that due to some incident, Ditronos's seal was broken and the spire collapsed in half... But this place is completely intact? Could this be...?'
Sofia realized in an instant. That she was now witnessing an event from the distant past.
"Our long-time friend and ally, Breeder...! Please calm down and listen to us! We don't have much time left to seal Ditronos with our power......!"
As Sofia was looking around, a heavy voice came from below. Looking down, she saw several people gathered.
'Ah? That person is definitely...?!'
Sofia, who had been peering into Breeder's past from a free perspective, cried out in surprise. It was no wonder, for the founder of the clan and the other four ancestors were visible. And there was something even more surprising.
'Was Breeder really like that? He looked older, so I wondered, but what is this...?'
The five ancestors had Breeder, who looked slightly different from his current appearance, in the center, all focusing their gazes on him. The ancestors were all wearing white robes pulled up over their faces. Because of this, their exact faces weren't clearly visible, but at a glance, they gave off a rather aged impression. Changing position to look more closely, their genders could be sufficiently determined. Three men and two women. They all had whitish white hair as if they had lived for many years.
'This is the first time I've seen the faces of the other ancestors...! That aside, what exactly is Breeder's identity? How can he be from the same era as the ancestors?!'
The faces of the ancestors she had seen during the day were obscured by a hazy light, but now everything was clear and distinct. It was because she was directly looking into Breeder's memories.
"So why from the beginning...? Why give them to me, a mere human? Why give me the Dragon Hearts-?! Without you all, what am I supposed to do alone from now on......!?"
As Sofia was looking around in wonder, Breeder standing in the center suddenly burst out in an agitated voice.
'Breeder has a sad expression? And... receiving Dragon Hearts? From the ancestors......?!'
Everything was a series of surprises. There was nothing Sofia could do. All she could do was be surprised while listening to Breeder's past. Moreover, even if she shouted out loud, it wouldn't affect the memories of the past. All she could do was watch, drifting through Breeder's past memories like a ghost. Sofia was having trouble accepting the current situation right away. It wasn't easy to even understand what was going on. She could only roughly estimate from the surrounding background and people that it was right after the end of the First Dragon War. Everything else was hard to guess.
'......'
So she had no choice but to watch in silence. She calmed her surprise and listened attentively. Making a fuss wouldn't solve anything.
"Breeder? As you've noticed, you're no ordinary human. And even if you were human, what of it? Such things don't matter between us."
"That's not what I'm talking about right now! Why did you give me all the Dragon Hearts without any consultation-?! Don't you know that because of that, you're all dying right now-?!"
Breeder shouted at the five ancestors surrounding him. Despite being human, he was getting angry at the progenitor dragons without hesitation. Just as he had said at first, they really seemed like old friends.
"Our true friend, Breeder. It was an unavoidable choice for the peace of the Drango Continent that we all hoped for. Please understand."
"Even so...! My opinion doesn't matter at all? How can you force a pact like this-?! And not half the Dragon Hearts, but all of them......?!"
Breeder poured out his intense resentment. He said it was Dragon Hearts he didn't want. And he seemed afraid of losing his friends because of it.
"Please let me go-! I'm begging you......!!!"
Breeder continued to cry out in despair. Strangely, he didn't move an inch. As if controlled by some unknown external force.
"Please understand, our precious friend. As you know, our bodies have already reached their limits from the war with him. Even with Dragon Hearts, we can only live another year or two at most."
"Don't say such things! You said it every time! That you'd be lifelong friends even to my grandson's grandson...! But suddenly saying goodbye like this......?"
"I'm sorry, Breeder. We had no other choice. And we judged that you would be able to pass on our abilities and will with peace of mind. Will you please grant your friends' final request?"
The ancestor of the Dawn Clan, with white hair and a bushy white beard, asked Breeder. Kneeling in a posture of prayer.
"Hey, you selfish lizard bastards! Is this the posture for asking a friend?! Does just kneeling solve everything...! Untie me first and then talk!"
"That we cannot do. Given your personality, you'd forcibly vomit out the Dragon Hearts."
"Damn it...! So who asked for them?! And you can't go before me-!!! Where's the law for suddenly doing this...!"
Breeder couldn't calm down easily. He even cursed as he denied reality. They were friends he cherished more than anyone. At least, the feeling that he didn't want to part ways like this welled up.
'B, Breeder was friends with the ancestors? And he inherited all of the ancestors' Dragon Hearts......?'
Sofia wanted to maintain silence, but she could no longer hide her surprise. Unbelievable truths were being driven into her mind all at once.
'Ah...! Now I understand! Thanks to the ancestors' Hearts, he was able to stay alive until now despite having a human body?!'
At least this she could understand. But that was all. For a moment, Sofia's mind went blank. The situation was so unrealistic that it felt like she was dreaming. It was no wonder, as the unbelievable conversation continued afterward.
"Breeder, we understand your feelings well. But it was an unavoidable choice. If it's you, wiser than anyone, you'll understand, right?"
"Haa... Was that your intention from the beginning, approaching me like this, you guys......?"
He asked back with a resigned appearance. As if tired of struggling. Breeder was now only letting out deep sighs.
"No, that's not it. We've always been sincere with you. If not, we wouldn't have entrusted you with the Dragon Hearts."
"Yeah, I understand that. But I never agreed to accept them......"
"Really... We didn't want to do this either. I'm sorry, Breeder. Do you think it's happy for us to part with you either?"
The Dawn ancestor muttered in a small voice, bowing his head. As if ashamed. The other ancestors also bowed their heads with solemn faces.
"Don't make those faces. It'll only make me weak-hearted for no reason....... Well, fine. This is your last request, right?"
"So now you've decided to listen?"
"Yeah. But before I do, let me ask one thing. Were we really friends? It wasn't just me who was sincere, right?"
Breeder asked back with a detached face. Loosening his heavily furrowed expression. Even a faint smile hung on his face.
"Breeder...? Are you saying that now? You are an incomparable good friend! One who can truly commune with the dragon race......"
""Our eternal friend.""
At the end, all five ancestors answered in unison with serious voices. They were all looking at Breeder with earnest eyes.
"Hmph, yeah. That's enough."
"Breeder......"
"This is the first time you've sincerely asked me for something, isn't it? Except for food."
"That's right. Your skills are something we'll never forget......"
"Yeah, anyway...! What exactly is it that you want to ask me so much that you're doing this? Let's hear it."
Breeder asked in a voice as if he had completely let everything go. Meeting eyes with the Dawn Clan progenitor dragon who was looking at him with pitiful eyes.
"Breeder, listen carefully....... What we want to ask you one last time is......"