The King had barely raised his glass, everyone else following suit, when a wave of frantic voices crashed through the main hall’s gate. Before anyone could even think to run, something heavy slammed through the wood, sending nobles sprawling like scattered chess pieces. Splinters rained down, smoke and fire curling through the air, and the hall filled with the raw, instinctive sound of people screaming. For a heartbeat, it felt like the world itself had cracked open, and all I could do was watch.
Janus was already in front of me, shielding me from whatever was coming, but none of us could move. The moment the gate shattered and flames licked at the air, something unseen pressed down on us all, heavy and suffocating. Everyone else seemed frozen by fear, but for me, it was different. I could feel the mana—so much of it that it made my own power feel like a candle next to a bonfire. Only the gods themselves could compare, and even then, this was just a pale shadow of their strength. Still, it was enough to make my heart pound in my chest, a reminder of how small I really was.
Whatever had crashed through the gate tumbled to a stop at Janus’s feet. Only then did I realize it wasn’t some weapon, but a palace guard—his armor crushed, skin burned and twisted with molten metal. He was barely clinging to life. I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands moving on their own.
In my rush, I completely forgot to hide my mana. Green light spilled from my fingers, and my dress flared up as the enchantment kicked in. I stopped as quickly as I could, but the damage was done—too many eyes had already seen. All I could do was hope that whatever chaos had just torn through the hall would be enough to make everyone forget about me.
For a few heartbeats, the world held its breath. Then, through the haze and fire, someone stepped out. I couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl—just young, maybe sixteen at most, with hair like living fire and skin as dark as polished ebony. They wore a red toga that flickered and shimmered like real flames, and their sandals matched, as if they’d stepped out of some fever dream. Their eyes, bright orange and reptilian, swept over the crowd and landed on the guard I’d just saved. A sly, almost smug smile curled on their lips, but it vanished when the burning gate behind them finally gave up and crashed to the floor, sending another wave of fire and splinters through the hall. For a moment, they just stood there, looking almost sheepish.
“Oops. My bad.”
With a careless flick of their hand, the stranger pulled all the fire into their palm, leaving only drifting smoke behind. The elven man who’d been watching me earlier opened a window, and the smoke seemed to slip away, replaced by a rush of cold, clean night air. For a moment, it almost felt peaceful, if not for the chaos still echoing in my chest.
As the smoke cleared and the last embers died, the damage became heartbreakingly clear. No one had died—at least not yet—but some were barely hanging on, their skin blistered and raw, others trapped beneath the heavy remains of the gate. The air was thick with pain and the sharp, metallic scent of blood.
For a moment, everyone was frozen, caught between fear and disbelief. Then the young prince’s wail shattered the silence, and panic swept through the hall. Nobles pressed themselves against the far walls, desperate to get away but unwilling to risk the burnt and shattered gate where they still stood. The elves moved toward the stranger, ready to confront them, but I was already slipping toward the wounded. Whoever this was, if they’d wanted us all dead, we’d be ashes by now. Janus didn’t agree—he blocked my path, the guards’ sword in hand, his eyes wild with worry. I was about to argue when a voice, smooth and elegant, drifted through the chaos like a cool breeze.
“Stop!”
It was only then that I noticed the king’s own personal guard, circling the newcomer with weapons drawn, their faces pale and uncertain.
“That fiery fool over there means no harm!”
At the elf’s command, the guards hesitated, but their swords stayed raised, hands trembling just enough to betray their nerves.
That’s when the King finally found his voice again.
“Kethryl! Who is this bastard?!”
Spit flew from his mouth as he shouted, his face so red I half expected his egg-shaped head to start steaming. I couldn’t really blame him. Months of planning, all ruined in a single, fiery moment by some stranger. I’d be furious too. But before I could dwell on it, the elf spoke again, and everything changed.
“This Hooligan…”
“Hey!”
“…is the Fire Dragon Calcifer, your majesty.”
Calcifer’s face fell at being called a hooligan, but no one seemed to notice or care. The mood in the hall shifted again, sharp and electric. The King’s eyes went wide, and so did most of the nobles’. Only the ivory King looked different—was I imagining things, or did he have the same hungry look Janus had when he sparred with his father? The Island Kings from the Dragon Isles reacted the most dramatically, dropping to their knees and mumbling prayers, as if that might save them.
A dragon. A real dragon. My heart skipped a beat. There wasn’t much information about them in the books back in Rosedorn, but at least dragons seemed to exist on every planet with enough mana. My old teachers in gods’ realm had told me plenty, though their stories always felt more like fairy tales than warnings.
Dragons are the highest form of spirits—beings made entirely of mana, their bodies shaped from their own element. Fire dragons are born from fire mana, water dragons from water mana, and so on. The only part of them that isn’t pure mana is their soul. With bodies like that, they can do whatever they want with their element, even take on a human shape if it suits them. The only real catch is that they’re stuck with their own attribute, unable to use anything else, not even non-attribute mana. But honestly, with the way they control their own power, it hardly matters.
I used to joke that even Benjamin might be able to stand up to a dragon one day. Now, seeing this, I’m not so sure. It feels like wishful thinking. I will have to increase his training once I’m back.
Dragons were known as keepers of balance and nature, but the second most well-known fact about them is that they are impossible to deal with. No one can stand up to them, which allows them to do whatever they want, with only other dragons holding them accountable. This has led to several cities and even some long-forgotten countries falling because they pissed off a dragon or because a young dragon felt like pulling a prank only they understood.
Honestly, I thought everyone would panic even more after that, but the opposite happened. People started to calm down, or at least pretend to. Even those who’d been hurt by Calcifer’s entrance forced smiles as they limped away, as if that might keep them safe.
When you’re faced with that kind of power, I guess pretending everything is fine is the only thing left to do.
With everyone busy pretending to be calm, I slipped past Janus, the dragon and elf who were busy bickering, and was finally able to reach the injured. My hands shook a little, but I tried not to let it show.
