A beautiful woman appeared before Kael, formed from snow and glowing like frost under moonlight. Her long crystal-blue hair shimmered, flowing behind her like a cold waterfall.
Her draconic eyes were sharp and glowing, filled with a strange, ancient sadness. She looked human, but her aura, the sharpness of her nails, the faint scales near her neck, and the icy breath marked her as something far greater—something draconic.
Kael stared at her from head to toe, his body tensing.
"Leonard, it’s you, right?" the woman asked, her voice calm but firm.
"I’m not Leonard. I’m Kael," he said, frowning.
"Who? Who are you?" Kael shot back, his voice low with caution.
The woman tilted her head, confused, and then her face turned cold.
The world trembled, and giant ice crystals formed around her, aiming straight at Kael.
"You... why do you carry Leonard’s soul signature? Did you kill him? Was it your fault he fell?" she asked, voice now filled with rage.
"What is this bullshit?!" Kael screamed, stepping back. "First tell me—who the fuck are you? Even if I’m this Leonard, what does that have to do with you?"
Her eyes dimmed, and her voice grew bitter.
"I see. You aren’t him. He wouldn’t be that much of an idiot to let his soul occupied by others.
Ice spikes launched toward Kael, tearing through the frozen air.
"STOOOOOPPPP!" Kael yelled, his heart pounding as a spike nearly grazed his neck.
The woman froze, eyes narrowing as she studied his face.Her cold expression shifted as she smiled.
"What?Do you remember something now?"
Kael stood still, confused but thinking hard.
Something about her... the Ice Dragon, the blue hair... it all clicked.
His mind flashed with a memory from the past.
"Wait. I remember..." he whispered.
"Are you that Ice Girl... the one I saved?"
The world around him shattered like glass.
And in the next moment, the icy woman lunged forward and hugged him tightly.
"You remember me now, right? I knew it... I knew you couldn’t forget me forever, Brother Leonard... It’s me. Carol," she whispered, voice shaking.
"Carol..." Kael muttered, his eyes softening as he let her hug him.
And then it hit him,the memory, the truth, the pain.
Back then, dragons were hunted. Adult ones were too strong, so humans went after the young ones. A dragon’s heart held crazy power—enough to push even a weakling to SSS rank. He had found her, a tiny blue-haired dragon girl, chained up and wounded, ready to be slaughtered.
He had saved her, tore the group apart, and freed her.
She had clung to him, but he pushed her away, not wanting the burden. Now here she was, no longer a scared child but a powerful woman. He looked at her and smiled, a little broken.
"I can’t believe it... You were so small and cute back then. And now you’ve grown so... dazzling," Kael said, gently holding her arms.
His voice trembled, not from fear but something deeper.Something like guilt. Something like love.
Carol broke down, her crystal tears falling and freezing into ice as they slid down her cheeks. Her body trembled as she hugged Kael tightly, burying her face into his chest. She was cold, yet he felt her warmth through the pain. Her fingers clutched his robe like she was scared to lose him again.
Kael gently wiped her icy tears away, his hands shaking. He looked at her face, then gripped her shoulders and asked, "Carol, what’s going on? How did you die? And why are you here in this mine?"
Carol lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen. "After you died, I lost it... I was so angry, I attacked the Church and burned everything I could. I almost destroyed their headquarters," she said, crying harder. "But... I was wounded by the Pope."
"That bastard..." Kael’s eyes narrowed, veins popping on his forehead. "Tucker... That fake old bastard. Always smiling, acting nice... but he was filth."
Carol nodded slowly. "I was hurt badly. My body broke down. I even lost most of my lifespan. I knew I was dying, so I came here. I found a mana vein and made a dragon lair. I gave my life to my daughter... and stayed to protect her egg. But..."
She gave a bitter laugh.
"Alas even after my death, they came. They wanted my bones, my heart, my remains... They didn’t even let me rest. That’s the fate of a dragon, I guess. You die, and war breaks out over your corpse."
Kael stood there, eyes wide. He couldn’t say a word. His mind felt numb. "You... you were just a kid back then. And now you became a mother? It feels unreal."
Carol chuckled through her tears. "Brother, you saved me when you were in your twenties. But you lived over a hundred years, remember? Dragons grow fast after metamorphosis. I changed... I grew up quickly."
"I see..." Kael nodded slowly. Then his brows furrowed. "So... who’s the father?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the air turned cold. Very cold.
Kael felt a sharp chill run down his spine. He saw Carol’s murderous glare and instantly regretted it. He tried to smile, but sweat dripped down his forehead.
"You waited all your life, and this is what you ask me?" she growled.
"H-Hey, wait—" Kael didn’t get to finish. Carol stomped on his toes, hard.
"AHHH!" Kael screamed, hopping in pain. "Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Carol! I didn’t mean it that way!"
Carol shook her head and sighed. Her voice softened. "I understand. You’ve been through hell, I know. You lost your memories, your life, your everything. But that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who suffered."
She looked at him, eyes filled with something deeper. "Your woman also went through the same pain so don’t go on asking such stupid questions lest you end up getting beaten."
Kael’s eyes lit up, a flicker of emotion sparking within. "You... you know about them?"
Carol gave a sly smile and leaned close. "Of course I do. But..." she paused, teasing him with a wink.