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Chapter 224
Because they had.The hallway ended at a set of double doors. These were different from all the others they'd passed. Larger. Made of dark wood that looked ancient, with silver hinges and handles that gleamed even in the dim corridor light.A plaque beside the door read: EMPRESS - SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE DRAGON NATION.Kael stopped in front of the doors. He turned to face Asta and Jabber, his expression serious."Listen carefully." He said, his voice low. "Answer her questions honestly. Don't try to hide anything or make excuses. The Empress values truth above all else. Understood?"Both boys nodded."Good." Kael reached for the handles. "And for the love of all that's holy, try not to piss her off."He pulled the doors open.The office beyond was massive. Easily three times the size of any classroom Asta had ever been in. The ceiling soared overhead, painted with a mural of dragons flying through clouds. Bookshelves lined one wall from floor to ceiling, packed with volumes that lo
Chapter 223 THE SUMMONS
Old man Kael stood in the doorway like he'd materialized out of thin air. His white beard caught the afternoon light streaming through the windows, making him look almost ethereal for a moment.Then he spoke, and the illusion shattered."Oh. Good. You're both out of bed." His eyes swept over them,Asta standing beside Jabber's bed, Jabber sitting up with tears still wet on his cheeks. "So you two. Come with me."Neither of them moved for a second. Just stared at him."Now?" Asta asked."Yes, now." Kael's tone left no room for argument. "The Empress doesn't like to be kept waiting."That got them moving.Asta's hand fell from Jabber's shoulder. Jabber swung his legs over the side of his bed, his bare feet hitting the cold wooden floor. Both of them were still in the thin cotton clothes the healers had changed them into,simple pants and loose shirts that were easier to work with for medical treatment.They glanced at each other. Some unspoken communication passed between them in tha
Chapter 222
Jabber started.But Asta was already moving. One step. Two. Each one sent jolts of pain through his body, but he kept going. Crossed the space between their beds in five careful steps.He stopped beside Jabber's bed, standing there for a moment. Trying to find the right words. Trying to figure out how to say what needed to be said.Then he just gave up on words and reached out.His hand settled on Jabber's shoulder. Warm. Solid. Real.Jabber's eyes went wide. His whole body went rigid with surprise. Slowly,so slowly,his head turned. His gaze traveled up from the floor, past Asta's hand on his shoulder, up to his face.Asta was smiling.Not a forced smile. Not a pitying smile. Just... a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes."You're not weak." Asta said quietly.Jabber's breath hitched."You're one of the strongest people I know."The tears that had been building in Jabber's eyes finally spilled over. They ran down his cheeks in twin tracks, dripping off his jaw onto the blanket
Chapter 221
Asta's voice cut through the silence. Not loud, but firm enough to demand attention.Jabber didn't move. His eyes stayed locked on that same spot on the floor, his whole body rigid."Jabber." Asta repeated, leaning forward despite the pain shooting through his ribs. "Why did you take the talisman?"The question hung there. Waiting.Jabber's lips parted slightly. His throat worked like he was trying to swallow something too big to go down. His fingers dug deeper into the blanket covering his legs.‘Should I tell him the truth?’The thought whispered through Jabber's mind. His jaw clenched. Unclenched. Clenched again.‘He's going to think I'm weak. Pathetic. He's going to look at me differently.’But what was the alternative? Keep lying? Pretend it didn't happen? Act like the dragon had just randomly taken control for no reason?Jabber took a shaky breath.‘I don't need to lie.’ His hands stopped gripping the blanket quite so hard. ‘I just have to face his thoughts on what I did. W
Chapter 220
He gestured vaguely at his chest. Even that small movement made him wince.Flora's expression softened into something like relief. Then it shifted again, becoming more business-like. She straightened up, releasing her grip on the bed frame."Good." She said firmly. "Because that's actually what I came here to tell you two."Both Asta and Jabber looked at her,though Jabber's attention was clearly reluctant, his gaze still mostly on the floor."You two need to rest. Proper rest. While Mira and I…" She gestured to her companion."...go and train."Mira let out a groan that sounded more theatrical than genuine. "Do we have to? We just got here."Flora whipped around to face her, hands going to her hips. "Stop whining.""I'm not whining…""You are absolutely whining." Flora's tone was sharp but fond, the kind of exasperation that came from long familiarity. "And you know exactly why we need to train right now."She turned back to Asta, and there was something almost challenging in h
Chapter 219
Asta hesitated, his fingers gripping the edge of the blanket covering his legs. "She told you I awakened the flame.""She did." Kael's eyes hadn't left his face."The thing is..." Asta paused, choosing his words carefully. "The flame isn't actually mine, though."Old man Kael's eyebrow rose. Just one. The gesture somehow made him look even more intimidating despite his grandfatherly appearance."But you used it, didn't you?"The question wasn't accusatory. Just... direct. Matter-of-fact.Asta met his gaze. "Yeah. I did.""Then it's yours." Kael leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking under his weight. "Doesn't matter if it originally belonged to the Emperor Dragon sealed inside you. The moment you channeled it, controlled it, wielded it,it became yours too."He stroked his beard thoughtfully."That's how dragon flames work, kid. They don't just get borrowed. They bond. The fact that you could use the Emperor Dragon's salamander flame without burning yourself to ash from the
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