Chương 8: The Aftermath

"Mom!"

"Elizabeth! I was so worried!" Mirai sighed in relief, catching her daughter as she flew toward her. She hugged her tightly and kissed her all over her cute little face.

"Are you okay?" Mirai asked.

"Y-You faced those Nightmares all on your own, right? To us it was only a few seconds before we broke the Domain, but…"

"Yeah…" Elizabeth sighed.

"A lot happened, but I'm fine now!"

"Well, not entirely fine, I'd say. You're going to get reprimanded," Elizabeth's father stepped forward with a gentle but forced smile.

"We'll be having a long talk about what happened today, understood, young lady? No buts."

"Eugh…" Elizabeth whimpered, already dreading it.

"Okay…"

"Then, dear, could you please fix the castle?" Mirai asked.

"I will." King Louis advanced. His aura surged with transparent energy that spread across the entire castle, lifting every piece of debris and reassembling it exactly as it had been.

"Oooh? Is that telekinesis?!" Elizabeth wondered aloud. She quickly recalled that her father was also an Esper, just like her grandfather—the scientist and Esper from Earth named Gustaf, who had married her grandmother, the "Holy Dragon Mother" Benladra. Her father had inherited and trained those powers through countless regressions until he fully awakened as an Esper. With this ability he could not only lift objects but also restore them particle by particle, fusing them anew.

It was incredible—almost like reversing time itself yet achieved purely through psychic might.

"I've reinforced the castle with even greater energy and power," he said with a firm nod.

"Next time something like this happens, it won't stand a chance. Now, first I need to address what happened with the rest of the people. There are already crowds outside asking questions. Let's go together. This seems like the right moment to introduce Elizabeth to our people." To the little dragon princess's surprise, she was met with celebration—people waving enthusiastically.

She stared in wonder at the vast diversity of races living in this kingdom: towering Ice Giants, elegant Elves, sturdy Dwarves, joyful Beastmen, Lizardmen, and even Sky People. Frostbane was far larger and more vibrant than she had ever imagined from the game. Her father delivered a speech explaining the incident and assuring everyone the capital was safe. He announced plans to strengthen security across the entire country and openly acknowledged some mistakes on his part.

When people asked if the Entities or Grievances had returned, he clarified that this was a separate threat but emphasized that he and the rest of the Royal Family would always protect them. Of course, some remained doubtful, but the King offered no further answers. After finishing his speech, he brought little Elizabeth forward.

"This is our beloved daughter," he announced.

"She has been growing up inside the castle this whole time. We had planned to introduce her to you when she turned six, but we've decided to present her now." Countless news reporters snapped photos of the King and the tiny new princess.

"She is this kingdom's young princess, Elizabeth," her mother added warmly.

"Come on, baby, say something."

"Um…" Elizabeth felt a wave of nerves, sweat prickling her skin.

"Hellow." The crowd fell silent for a heartbeat, then—"OOOOHHHHHHH!" They erupted in cheers, raising their arms high. Some even wept with joy; many began chanting her name. She was simply too adorable—she won their hearts instantly.

"Princess Elizabeth! Over here!"

"Hello!"

"Oh my gosh, she's so cute!"

"I can't even imagine how strong she'll become when she grows up!"

"All hail Princess Elizabeth!"

"Uuooohhh!" Hundreds of thousands celebrated, the sound rolling across the capital. Elizabeth swallowed hard, eyes wide as she took in the endless sea of faces stretching in every direction.

"W-Wow…" Her parents looked down at her and chuckled, patting her head and kissing her forehead.

"We will raise her well and protect this country together, everyone," her father declared.

"We have finally unified the world under one flag and eliminated the Dimensional Labyrinth through our collective efforts. Yggdrasil, Zipangu, and Spiritias are our greatest allies, and the Divine Dragon Family will always safeguard this world. Please rest assured—the catastrophe that once struck this land will never happen again." With those heartfelt words, King Louis departed with his wife and daughter, flying back toward the castle atop its small floating island high in the sky. A celebratory festival followed.

From above, Elizabeth watched people laughing, eating delicious food from stalls, playing games, and chatting happily. The atmosphere was so lively and warm that she longed to join them, but she was still too small, and her parents wouldn't allow it. After such an exhausting day, Elizabeth felt utterly drained. After receiving apologies from Haruto and Misaki, she fell asleep in her bed and didn't stir until the next morning. ♢♢♢♢ When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back in the same snowy expanse.

With a heavy sigh, I trudged through the deep snow, looking around. This time I didn't feel nearly as tired; instead I felt strong and brimming with energy.

"That fight was intense… I did a good job surviving until Dad arrived." I smiled, quietly proud of how things turned out. Yes, everything happened because of our mistake, and I definitely needed to be more cautious from now on. Still, no one died, and those who were affected had already been healed. No lasting harm. That didn't mean I'd try anything that reckless again—at least not anytime soon—but… it had felt good.

Fighting that terrifying Nightmare had been terrifying, especially when the Nightmare King appeared and I could no longer fight back. But when I pushed with everything I had, unleashing my power, it felt exhilarating—to battle, to put my life on the line… Ugh, don't tell me my dumb demon and dragon genes are turning me into some battle junkie? No way! I want a nice, relaxed, laid-back life—not constant fighting! … Or do I?

"Ugh, where am I now? Am I lost again?" As I wandered the snow, I spread my wings and kicked off the ground, soaring higher. I moved much faster now and could even fly properly. Was this because of the strength I gained battling the Nightmare King? It felt like the more I fought, the tougher I became. A strange sensation, but it seemed the growth had carried over to my soul.

"Ahh, this is much better." I finally broke free of the snowstorm and could admire the vast, snow-covered landscape. There were clearer patches with less snow: forests of azure trees, gardens of ice flowers, patches of dark blue grass, and large ice formations resembling buildings or castles. And above all, mountains—mountains everywhere.

"Hm, right. Hrymdra said I could call her using the Treasure." I closed my eyes, pictured touching the flower, and it materialized in my hand. When I infused it with mana, a blue thread appeared before me. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"She must be over there…!" With a single step, the thread carried me across the Dragon Realm's space until I landed—rather ungracefully—right atop Aunt Hrymdra's castle. CRASH!

"Ouch… I didn't stick the landing," I groaned, rubbing my head as I found myself inside a large chamber. Hrymdra was right there, resting near a massive ice coffin where I could see the faint silhouette of a man frozen inside.

"Hm? Elizabeth? What are you doing here?" She sounded genuinely surprised.

"Hi! I came to visit again, Auntie," I said, walking to her side.

"Um… I shouldn't have?"

"Ah, no, no, it's fine," she shook her head.

"You just caught me off guard, that's all. I've been quite bored… thinking a lot about our earlier talk. I'm glad you came. Would you like something to eat?"

"Ah, eat something? With my soul?" I asked curiously.

"One of your biggest weaknesses right now is your soul—it's still very small," she explained.

"If you consume the meat of Soul Beasts that appear in this realm, your soul will grow much larger and stronger."

"Okay, sounds good! When does the feast start?" I asked, already licking my lips.

"First we should hunt," she said.

"Come with me."

"Uwah?!" She scooped me up in her giant hand and lifted me off the ground, leaping out of her ice castle and striding into the snow-covered lands.

"Do you know what this area is called or how the Ice Dragon Realm is structured?" she asked.

"It may seem endless, but it has a beginning and an end. Right now we're in the Snow Mountain Region. There are five regions total: the Frozen Gardens, the Ice Forest, the Snow Mountains, the Winter Mausoleum, and the Ice Sea."

"Sounds fun! Are we adventuring?" I asked eagerly.

"Fufu, you're too hasty. This region is suitable for you, the others harbor far stronger monsters. If you went there your soul would be torn apart by some random creature and you'd die, haha," she chuckled.

"Eh?!" I gasped.

"I'm not that weak! Dad said I was Rank 9!"

"Rank 9, huh? I see!" she nodded.

"Well, a healthy Divine Dragon child is usually born around Rank 6, so you're exceptionally talented. I myself am Rank 14."

"14?!" I stared in disbelief.

"You're a Venerable?!"

"Dragons aren't usually classified that way because we don't ascend from mortality," she explained.

"We are born with divinity, so we exist in a different realm from Venerables—mortals who rose to or beyond our level through the refinement of Ascendancy Laws."

"Wow… and can't we do that too?" I asked.

"Technically yes, but a Divine Dragon's body is essentially an Ascendancy Law in itself," she said.

"As you grow naturally, you'll develop your Divinities, Divine Abilities, and even Authorities. That's the difference between us—the naturally gifted—and them, those who work tirelessly to reach our level. Mortals who ascend are honestly very admirable… and incredibly influential. Your father, Louis—he was once powerless, unable to awaken his dragon powers, lacking divinity. His family discriminated against him and treated him poorly because of it…

yet he grew stronger through relentless effort and reached a level far beyond the rest of us."

"Yeah, that's my dad," I nodded proudly.

"He's cool like that."

"Hahaha, you're quite proud of your father, aren't you? That's good," Hrymdra smiled, licking my face gently with her giant purple tongue.

"You're like the daughter I never had. I'm glad you came to visit, little Elizabeth. Shall we begin?"

"Ahahah— Eh? Begin what?" I asked.

"Right now!" she said.

"Look around—we've already attracted quite a sizable group of Soul Beasts."

"Wait…!" My eyes widened as I spotted them: Soul Beasts. They looked like massive golems of hard ice, snowmen, yetis, and white foxes with multiple ghostly tails.

"Ice Elementals, Snow Men, Abominable Yetis, and White Ghostly Foxes—these are generally the weaker Soul Beasts," she said warmly.

"They shouldn't be too difficult for you to hunt."

"Um… how weak exactly?" I asked nervously.

"They're all between Rank 8 and 10!" she smiled.

"That fox is tricky—be careful!" She set me gently on the ground. The dozens of Soul Beasts turned toward me, realizing the Dragon they feared wouldn't protect me.

"W-Wait…" I slowly turned back to her.

"Did you say Rank 10?!"

"What's wrong? It's not that hard— Oh! Be careful," she laughed.

"Ahh!" I gasped as a giant Ice Elemental—over ten meters tall—swung massive ice fists at me. I slid through the snow and leaped aside just in time.

"GROOH!" Three more appeared behind me. The whole group totaled four! Their fists came crashing down. I leaped away and rolled across the snow.

"Agh, this is a bit much! I just wanted to hunt a little rabbit or something!"

"Hm? You're joking, right? This is child's play!" Hrymdra apparently had extremely high standards—to the point I started questioning my life choices.

"Come on now, just play like any dragon child would."

"This is not a game!" I cried while running, only for five Snow Men to emerge. They glared at me with angry faces, scooping up huge piles of snow and hurling them.

"W-Wait— Gaaah!" I was buried under a giant mound of snow. I dug out quickly—only to find myself face-to-face with four Abominable Yetis sneering down at me.

"Um… hi?"

"GRAAAAH!" Their fists slammed into me with full force. My small body was hurled skyward, only to land right in the open maw of the White Ghostly Fox. It was only one, but larger than the rest. Its jaws stretched wide, ready to swallow me in a single bite.

"Ugh, this is the worst!" Frustration surged through me. I gathered energy from deep within and released it.

"Leave me alone!" With all my strength I unleashed a dragon breath—black and white light spiraling into a vortex of divine and demonic flames. BOOOM! The fox caught the beam in its open mouth. Its insides detonated, exploding into charred fragments.

"Woah…" As I fell back into the snow, the remaining Soul Beasts rushed me. Right. I'm not weak, am I? When I fought that powerful Nightmare alone, I was holding my own. I need to be more confident. But I also need to learn how to use my abilities better. I stood up, facing the Soul Beasts and clenching my tiny fists. I regulated my breathing. My aura flowed more gracefully than before. Slowly it took shape—a large dragon silhouette of white and black light.

"Okay, let's do this!"

"GROOOHHH!" The monsters roared and charged. The Yetis swung fists and legs with brutal strength. I dodged and gathered energy into my claws, slashing their limbs apart until they collapsed. They could regenerate as Soul Beasts, but it took time—enough for me to rush in and pierce their heads with my sharp little claws, killing them one by one.

The Snow Men summoned snow pillars and giant hands to trap me, but once I realized the attacks were weak, I pushed through with raw strength, shattered their cores, and watched their bodies crumble. The Ice Elementals were toughest, made of super-hard ice. They chased me relentlessly, firing endless icicle spikes and spears, trapping me in prisons, then turning the floors into impaling spikes. But I infused my newly learned Dragon Aura into my body, making myself tougher.

The ice that struck me shattered instantly, leaving the Elementals stunned.

"Heh, what's wrong, boys? Afraid of a little baby dragon?" I charged, tearing through the first one with my claws. The second punched my face, slamming me down while the third and fourth bombarded me with icicles and tried to freeze me solid.

"RAAAHHH!" With a furious roar I unleashed all my frustration. Their bodies shattered like glass, one after another. The last one backed away and tried to flee.

"Where are you going? You started this!" I gathered energy in my hand, remembering how my father had done it. I channeled white light until it materialized into Ashen Frost—a white-gray ice infused with pure light. SLASH! A wave of cutting, freezing light sliced through the air, cleaving the Ice Elemental in two and destroying its spirit core.

"Phew…" I collapsed into the snow, sighing in relief and closing my eyes for a moment. It had been exhausting, not my body, but my soul, so it felt heavier than usual.

"Excellently done!" Hrymdra clapped, walking over.

"You've earned a good meal. Let's cook something warm for you."

"Nice—I thought you were going to make me eat everything raw," I sighed.

"It's possible, but not necessary. Even we Ice Dragons enjoy a warm, cooked meal from time to time. We're living, breathing beings after all—not just creatures of ice," she said.

"We appreciate warmth too, even if we don't mind the cold."

"I see!" I nodded.

"Can you survive very hot places?"

"Yes, unless it's… like Muspelheim or the Fire Dragon Realm," she muttered.

"Those places are simply too infernal for us."

"Oh, got it," I said.

"I didn't use my Ice Magic because they seemed immune anyway."

"That was smart," she replied. She summoned a pot and conjured a bonfire. She melted half the Ice Elementals' bodies into boiling water on one side, then placed chunks of Yeti and Fox meat in another pot.

"I'll add some of my special ingredients." She tossed in blue lettuce, purple flowers, dark blue roots that resembled carrots, and large green-and-blue potatoes. Finally she scratched a massive rock of salt with her claws, seasoning the dish. She boiled everything in the water made from the Ice Elementals and Snow Men. Once the flavors melded, a strange blue stew emerged.

"Woah, what's with this color?" I asked.

"The roots have strong pigmentation," she explained.

"Don't worry—it's completely edible. Go ahead." She served me a huge portion on a plate of hard ice, complete with an ice spoon. I didn't hesitate. The flavors weren't overpowering, but they weren't bad either. The meat was especially delicious. The roots tasted remarkably like potatoes and carrots—perfect with the broth. I was unusually hungry and ended up eating almost the entire pot myself. She barely ate, saying she didn't need as much food as she once did.

"Thank you, Auntie—it was really good…" I murmured, feeling exhausted.

"But I didn't even know souls could eat…"

"Well, yes—in realms like this your soul can eat and fight more easily," Hrymdra explained.

"Tiamat, our Primordial Mother, designed this Dragon Realm as a special place where dragons can meet their deceased ancestors and grow stronger—especially their souls."

"I see… I do feel stronger," I said, sitting down. My aura had expanded and now flowed steadily through me.

"There's this black and white light moving constantly around my soul. It's even stronger now, and there's more of it."

"That's because of what you just ate. Soul Beasts nourish the soul and make it grow," she said.

"So far, it seems your soul is still unawakened."

"What does that mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow"I suppose you don't know," she replied.

"Souls can grow stronger just like your body or Dragon Heart. To develop a soul further, you usually need to forge a special core for it. Titans call it the Titan Soul Heart—they created this art, which then spread widely. Light Dragons are also masters of Soul Refinement and Soul Forging Cultivation Methods."

"Cultivation Methods?" I blinked. That definitely wasn't a game term.

"That's interesting… Do you think I can get one, Auntie?"

"Your soul is still developing, but it's already absorbing power from your body and Dragon Heart," she explained.

"Right now your soul is effectively Rank 0, yet it has the power of Rank 9 thanks to your Dragon Heart. To reach Rank 1 you'll need to eat more Soul Beasts… but their meat alone isn't enough. Here—consume these." She handed me the broken cores—large, colorful glass-like marbles radiating soul essence and spiritual energy.

"These are Soul Beast Cores. I wanted you to eat a proper meal first to build a small foundation," she said.

"That way you avoid Soul Exhaustion."

"So… I eat them?" I asked.

"Touch them with your Soul Hand and absorb them directly," she guided.

"Come on—it's not difficult."

"Okay!" I gently touched each core. They dissolved into particles of light that flowed into my hand and vanished. With every core absorbed, my soul grew noticeably larger—and not just figuratively. I became taller.

"Oohh!" When I finished, I was twice my original size. My soul felt powerful, energy coursing through it more intensely than ever.

"Auntie, I think I did it. What's next?" I asked.

"I see—it should be sufficient," she nodded.

"Now let me help you forge a Titan Soul Heart."

"T-Titan?! Can't it be a normal one first?" I asked nervously.

"I'm worried that might be too big for my little soul."

"Don't worry—it isn't," she assured me.

"It's just the name of the technique, created by Yggdrasil's Titan Family. Now, let's begin…"