The Dragon's Heir Awakens
Commander Serrian Sinus of the Northern 1st Knight Order arrived at the infirmary. Upon hearing that the lady had collapsed, he had dropped everything and rushed over. Seeing her lying on the infirmary bed with sweat staining her face, he widened his eyes.
"I have no face to show you, Commander."
"Explain at once."
"Yes."
Jade Mare, hands clasped behind his back, continued in a mechanical tone.
"Around 6 a.m., we began training with the lady as per the usual manual. Around 11 a.m., the lady struck the training dummy with a wooden sword. Right after the dummy was half-destroyed, she collapsed. It's abnormal."
"Were there no prior symptoms?"
"None. She was the same as always."
"Lady Abigail..."
Serrian approached the bed where Abigail lay. A medic was examining her nearby. In an urgent tone, Serrian asked,
"How is her condition?"
"She's showing signs of high fever, so it might be heatstroke."
"That can't be. She wouldn't falter in this level of heat."
"Well..."
The medic had no way of knowing. Knights who visited the infirmary came only for bruises or cuts from training. Having only ever applied painkillers or stitched wounds, the medic couldn't perform a proper examination.
"We should probably take her back to the mansion."
"Yes. Someone from the mansion will arrive soon."
Serrian had sent a messenger to the ducal residence before coming to the infirmary. It seemed far better for the family physician to examine her than this infirmary medic. The medic stepped back with an awkward expression.
That was when it happened.
"Ugh, urgh."
"Lady Abigail?"
Serrian and Jade looked down in surprise at Abigail, who lay groaning in agony. Sensing something ominous in the air, Serrian froze.
"...No way."
"Commander, this is..."
As Jade stared with a stiffened face, Serrian nodded.
"We need to clear everyone out of here."
"Understood."
Jade immediately escorted the medic out of the room. Serrian felt the mana surging wildly around Abigail. A chilling sensation crept over him—the same feeling he got from the duke. The power of the Carpoem family, said to be bestowed by a dragon. Vast magical power that only the heirs could wield dwelled within Abigail's body as well.
Before leaving, Serrian glanced back. Abigail lay there, feverish and moaning.
"May the dragon's blessing be upon you."
Click. The door shut.
* * *
Abigail Carpoem had been born as the duke's sole legitimate heir, yet she had no intention of succeeding the family. She hadn't learned swordsmanship, devoting herself solely to adorning herself to win the crown prince's heart. But was that truly a sin worthy of death? Even I, an outsider, thought it a foolish choice, but I didn't believe she deserved to die for it.
Yet the result was death, and having possessed her body, I had to make different choices. Things she hadn't done, words she hadn't spoken, actions she hadn't taken. I picked up the sword and approached a mage. I befriended the servants she had treated poorly and mended ties with the duke.
Still, a corner of my mind harbored doubts. Was I doing the right thing? Had I made the wrong choices? I lived as 'Abigail Carpoem' without full conviction.
"It's time to accept your fate."
"Urgh."
"Heir."
The dragon's voice echoed in my ears. Heir. Knight of blazing flames who inherited the black dragon's power and fought monsters. Black-red flames flickered around me. I knelt gasping for breath.
"If you don't accept it, this power will kill you."
The dragon whispered insidiously.
"So accept it now."
I lifted my head. Despite the skull-splitting pain, I glared straight at the dragon looking down on me. He seemed amused, as if gauging how long I could hold out.
"...Fine."
I spat the words.
"I'll... accept it."
In that instant, the flames attacking me burst outward. Boom! A massive roar echoed as the ground beneath me crumbled. The dragon before me faded away. His lips formed the words, 'Do well.'
I closed my eyes.
* * *
The moment they heard the lady had collapsed during sword training, the duke and Dominic bolted from the office. Passing the training grounds with some servants, they reached the infirmary building, where the duke encountered Serrian outside.
"Sir Serrian, where is Abi?"
"You've come, Your Grace."
Serrian faced the duke calmly. He had sent a messenger to the ducal residence but hadn't expected the duke himself. Still, it was for the best. In a steady tone, Serrian said,
"It seems the lady is awakening."
"Awakening?"
"Yes."
The duke's eyes widened in shock. Serrian wasn't one to lie, yet it was hard to believe. The Carpoem family were descendants of a dragon. Their blood was so potent that heirs across generations could inherit the dragon's power. With that immense strength, the Carpoem dukes had protected the empire from northern monsters.
The current duke, Adrian, had also awakened before his coming-of-age ceremony to become the heir. The conditions for the dragon's choice were unclear, but one thing was certain: only those with exceptional talent and effort received the power. Adrian had surpassed his two brothers to awaken proudly as heir.
"Abi awakening..."
"I sensed the dragon's mana, so it seems certain."
"Hmm."
The fact that the Carpoem family inherited the dragon's power was known only to a few: the duke himself, his adjutant Dominic, the knight order commanders, and a handful of senior knights. Even the imperial family was kept in the dark.
And the duke hadn't told his only daughter, Abigail. He hoped no heir would awaken in his generation. With his wife dead and no intention of remarrying, he planned to raise his sole daughter ordinarily. Since she fancied the crown prince, he would pass the title to her but have her become empress, hiring a proxy from the collateral line to manage the duchy.
Northern monsters had rampaged wildly in the past, but lately they were subdued, easily handled by the knight orders. Peace had finally arrived. The duke's monstrous power was no longer needed. Thus, he wished his daughter could live ignorant of battle.
Her sudden interest in swordsmanship seemed trivial at the time. Yet the dragon had chosen Abigail as heir.
"Damn that dragon."
Cursing, he glared at the infirmary building. He could feel the dragon's mana surging inside.
"Is anyone still inside?"
"No, everyone has been evacuated."
The damage from an heir's awakening varied; the amount of dragon mana inherited differed per person. When the duke had awakened, he had obliterated his bedroom while sleeping, leaving it in ruins. Most destroyed a single large room by fire. Stronger generations caused more devastation, but with diluted blood, it was milder now.
Still, for safety, Serrian had cleared the entire building. Young himself, he had never witnessed an awakening, but his predecessor had warned him earnestly.
"Commander, what's happening? The mana flow..."
"This is too much..."
Knight gathered around the building murmured. Serrian realized his mistake and looked at them. Most Carpoem knights were mana users, sensitive to the dragon's surging mana.
"Return to your posts. Do not leave your stations."
"C-Commander!"
Then, one knight pointed to a corner of the building. All eyes turned there. Crimson-black light leaked from the infirmary window.
Boom! In an instant, the building exploded in a massive blaze.
* * *
I stood amid the ruins, ashes underfoot. It felt like a dream, but the acrid smoke and hot wind confirmed reality.
Why was everything such a mess?
Dazed, I looked around.
"Lady, are you alright?"
"...Ren?"
Looking down, I saw Ren gazing at me anxiously. Embarrassingly, I was leaning on his small frame.
"What is this... ugh."
"Lady!"
I tried to stand, but pain stabbed near my heart, forcing me to slump again. Ren caught me in alarm.
"You mustn't strain yourself yet. Not until your mana settles."
"My mana?"
Oh, right—the dream with the dragon came back. Was it really a dragon, or just a strange dream? I couldn't say, but my body felt different.
"This is mana..."
Fascinated, I opened my hand. Black-red smoke-like energy enveloped me—the same force that had tormented me in the dream. But now it obeyed me.
"It's warm."
Smiling in satisfaction, I stood fully. Strength now surged through my body.
"I thought something terrible had happened to you, Lady..."
Ren's eyes welled up as he watched me rise. I laughed and patted his small head.
"I'm fine. But why is everything wrecked here?"
"You don't remember?"
Ren's eyes widened. I recalled collapsing during morning training, meeting the dragon in the dream. He demanded I become heir, tried to burn me, and I accepted his power. And then... With a sinking feeling, I muttered,
"Did I burn this?"
"...Yes."
What had been a sturdy building was now rubble. The whole structure had collapsed. Anxiously, I asked,
"What about the others? No one got hurt because of me, right?"
"No, everyone evacuated safely. Oh, but some people gathered outside."
"Really?"
Then, a voice called from afar.