The Ancestors' Last Request
The ancestor of the Dawn Clan spoke, his voice trailing off. “Breeder, listen carefully…… The last thing we want to ask of you is……” Slowly, he rose from his knees. The posture of prayer dissolved as he stood.
—Thud…!
“Kuhk…? Khk-!”
Only then did Breeder’s body move, as though the stiffness had finally released its grip. It made sense—the ancestors of the Dawn Clan had been restraining him all this time. That was why he had remained frozen in that posture, hands clasped, pouring every ounce of his power into the ritual.
“……”
The ancestor shook his head as he rose, his expression heavy with reluctance. They had never wanted it to come to this. Originally, they had intended to pass their Dragon Hearts to Breeder naturally. But his resistance had been so fierce that they’d had no choice but to subdue him by force.
“Kuhk, kuhk…!”
Breeder coughed violently. Though the bindings had lifted, his body refused to obey. The sudden influx of so many Dragon Hearts had overwhelmed him. He could only gasp for breath, unable to form words. His lips moved soundlessly.
Instead of speaking, Breeder grimaced. His face alone screamed the plea: Take the Dragon Hearts back. Right now. It was his final act of defiance while his body still refused to move.
“B-Breeder? Are you all right…?!”
The Dawn Clan ancestor hurried forward. He had caused this, yet he had no desire to see Breeder suffer. He extended his palm, light gathering within it—a fragment of the Dawn Clan’s inherited power, Purification of Light.
“Kuhk…! You do this to me and then act worried…? Hah, hah…!!”
The moment the hand touched him, Breeder’s voice returned. The healing touch restored his speech, though his body remained unresponsive.
“Haa… You really are something else. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle the Dragon Hearts……”
“Cut the nonsense… Kuhk! Just tell me why—!!! Why make this choice?! I thought of you all as more than friends……!”
“……”
Faced with Breeder’s anguished cries, the ancestors could only watch in silent sorrow. Every one of them truly cared for him. Some even had tears glistening in their eyes. Their bond with him ran so deep that they had willingly offered the very essence of their lives—their Dragon Hearts.
“Very well. Time is short, so I’ll speak plainly. Secrets have no place between us.”
“Kuhk—! If you don’t speak……”
“Breeder? You must have guessed by now. We made this choice for the sake of the continent.”
“The Drango Continent……?”
“Yes. This continent we have fought so hard to protect! And… this was the only way to maintain Detronos’s seal.”
“Hah… So that’s what it was, all along……?”
“I’m sorry. It was the best choice we had……”
The Dawn Clan ancestor lowered his head, confessing the truth. They had done it for the continent’s peace. Yet Breeder’s face remained twisted with fury.
“Best choice, my ass…! You’re all just tired after fighting for so long……. You want me to stay here alone for the rest of my life, keeping that thing sealed?!”
“……”
The ancestor nodded silently. The others wore equally solemn expressions—an unspoken confirmation.
“Don’t make me laugh—! That’s a lie, right…? Tell me it’s a lie! Say it was just a bad joke! Come on……!!”
“……”
“Even if you only have one or two years left… You’re not ordinary dragons……. That time would be thousands of years for me……. You know that, don’t you? And you still want me to guard the seal alone for all those endless years……?”
Breeder muttered, shaking his head as though the very thought was unbearable. Losing friends he had grown so close to was painful enough. But for those same friends to ask him to shoulder such a lonely, desolate fate in their place—that was what made it truly unbearable.
‘Haa? Breeder’s true identity was that of a friend to the primordial ancestors? And he’s already received multiple Dragon Hearts from them?! No wonder my own Dragon Heart wouldn’t transfer……’
Sofia, who had been silently observing the ancient memories within Breeder’s consciousness, could not hide her shock. Everything she had been holding back came rushing out at once. She had thought he was merely a peculiar human, or perhaps just a kind one. His true nature was far more staggering than she could have imagined.
‘He was close friends with the primordial dragons since ancient times……?’ Sofia felt deeply unsettled. She had only just received his confession, yet now she had no idea how to face or accept him.
“Breeder? You’re not alone.”
“Shut up, Sotero—!!”
“Please, just listen to me.”
“What’s the point of talking now…! If I’d known I’d be left with this lonely fate, I never would have met any of you! Everything we went through together…! What am I supposed to do with all those feelings—?!”
The argument continued below. Breeder, still collapsed on the ground, cried out Sotero’s name in anguish.
“Breeder……”
“If it’s going to be like this, I’d rather die with you—!!”
—Crunch…!
“What are you doing……?!!!”
Overwhelmed by despair, Breeder suddenly bit down on his own tongue. Since the pact had not yet been completed, his weakened body could easily bleed out or choke to death.
—Don’t do anything foolish, Breeder…! You are never alone!!
—That’s right! Do you think parting with you is easy for us?!
—We have no one left to rely on but you, Breeder…!
—You know how much I care for you……. I never wanted to make this decision either! Sob, sob…!
As Breeder attempted to take his own life, all five primordial dragons rushed forward. Sotero managed to stop him just in time, shoving his fingers into Breeder’s mouth to prevent him from biting through his tongue.
“Breeder! Please, stop……!”
Every ancestor was genuinely worried for him. These beings revered as gods across the continent were grieving deeply for a single human.
“Kuhk, khek…! Then tell me! What exactly is this method—!! Convince me!”
Breeder shouted after being stopped by Sotero. At the very least, he wanted to understand.
“Of course we’ll tell you! This pact carries all of our wishes…! We will never leave you alone—! So please, calm down first…!!!”
“Huuu…! Fine, I’ll calm down. Tell me, Sotero. How do you expect me to endure all those endless years without any of you?”
After Sotero’s earnest plea, Breeder took a ragged breath and asked the question, his face full of disbelief.
‘Gulp…!’
Sofia, watching from within, pushed aside her shock at Breeder’s identity and focused on the story. She was desperate to know what kind of pact the ancestors had been willing to offer their Dragon Hearts for.
“Breeder? Listen well. We may disappear soon, but one day, those who carry on our will—”
[Sofia?!]
‘……??!!’
Just as Sofia was listening intently, a male voice suddenly echoed loudly inside her mind.
[…Sofia? Sofia…!]
‘Hah? What is this all of a sudden?!’
The familiar voice called her name—urgently, repeatedly, filled with worry.
“…Sotero? That doesn’t make any sense?! Even at your peak, you could barely hold him back. How am I supposed to……”
While Sofia was distracted by the voice, Breeder’s memories had already moved on. The Breeder of the past was reacting with confusion to Sotero’s words.
‘Hah? Who’s been calling my name this whole time…? If it weren’t for that, I would’ve heard everything properly—!’
Sofia grumbled, like someone who had missed the climax of a drama while checking their phone.
[Sofia…! Please open your eyes, I beg you…!!]
A low, calm male voice. Polite and gentle. The same person who always spoke so softly was now calling her name in desperation.
‘Huh? Wait, this voice…? Could it be Breeder?’
Only then did Sofia realize whose voice it was. Her consciousness had been hazy, like a dream, so it had taken time to recognize it.
—Flash!
At the sound of the voice from outside, Sofia awoke from Breeder’s consciousness and opened her eyes.
“Haaah? What just happened……?”
Sofia finally came to her senses. Her golden eyes blinked rapidly. She had finished drifting through the fragmented memories of the past and returned to reality.
“Sofia?! Th-thank goodness! You’re safe!”
“Ah…? Breeder?”
When Sofia opened her eyes, she saw Breeder. He was looking at her with anxious eyes, a mixture of worry and relief on his face. It was the complete opposite of the aged appearance from the past—a warm, youthful man gazing at her. Yet the features she had seen in those memories were unmistakably there.
‘This face…… It looks exactly like the sorrowful expression Breeder had in the memories.’
The image of his despairing face from the past overlapped with the one before her. And indeed, the same sadness was clearly visible on Breeder’s current expression.
“Haa, Breeder……?”
—Rustle…!
Perhaps because of what she had just witnessed, Sofia suddenly pulled Breeder into an embrace. She wrapped him in a warm, gentle hug.
“It must have been terrifying…? You must have felt so anxious…? And unbearably sad……?”
She didn’t know the full details, but she couldn’t bear to see him in such sorrow. Feeling nothing but pity, Sofia held him close and patted his back. Seeing the genuine concern on his face—worried that something had happened to her—she could no longer contain her emotions.
“S-Sofia?”
“Breeder? I…… I just saw your past.”
“Ah? That was actually possible? I thought something had gone wrong when you suddenly lost consciousness.”
“I’m fine. More importantly, Breeder? Have you really lost your memories of the past?”
“Miss? What do you mean……?”
—Grab!
Sofia pulled back slightly from the embrace and cupped his cheeks with both hands. Her golden eyes gleamed as she asked the question, demanding he look her straight in the eye.
“I won’t ask twice. Answer honestly.”
“Yes, I don’t remember anything from the past……”
“Then I’ll have to look again.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s something I couldn’t hear because of your voice earlier.”
“Wait a moment? Does that mean……?”
“Yes. I’ll have to be rude with your lips one more time……. No, this time, I want to learn a little more deeply about you, Breeder.”