The Dragon Slayer Who Regressed After 1,000 Years - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Dragon Slayer’s Return After 1000 Years — Episode 16
Alton Drake felt a creeping unease he could not name.
One of the gears was slipping out of place.
Yet it was no mere fancy.
―Lord Drake.
A voice flowed from the Crystal Orb.
It was the Valerian House of the Asel Kingdom.
“What is it?”
―Have you heard the news? The Antonio Duchy burned to the ground just moments ago.
“The Antonio Duchy burned……?”
Surprise flickered across Alton’s eyes.
The duchy consumed by flame.
It should have been impossible.
“Who did such a thing?”
―According to witnesses, it was a Red Dragon.
“A Red Dragon……?”
A dragon attacked the duchy without warning?
The Antonio Duchy—Black Dragon territory at that?
“What of the Antonio patriarch? What became of him?”
―His whereabouts are unknown. He may well have perished in the Breath.
Could the Antonio Duke—one of the Eight Great Houses, wielding immense power in the Belion Kingdom—truly be dead?
For Alton, it was troubling news.
He was losing capable hands.
―Yet something strange has come to light.
“What news is that?”
―Despite the duchy being laid to waste, not a single casualty has been reported.
“No casualties?”
Looking at a duchy reduced to ruin, there should be thousands dead.
It made no sense.
“Did they evacuate beforehand?”
―Indeed. We have gathered testimony that the Antonio Duke evacuated everyone before the Breath attack struck.
A puzzled expression crossed Alton’s face.
‘If he evacuated everyone beforehand, that means he knew the attack was coming……yet why didn’t Antonio report this to me?’
No matter how he turned it over in his mind, it refused to make sense.
‘Either way, I must find Antonio.’
If he could only locate Antonio, alive or dead, he might finally have a thread to pull.

* * *
Patriarch Lorenzo Antonio could not hide his shock at the sight before him.
“How can this be……? The, the duchy…….”
An entire plain turned into a sea of flame.
Black smoke rose from scattered places, while buildings stood with only their charred frames remaining, ready to collapse at any moment.
“Who……? Who could have done this?”
He had stood beside Cain when he gave orders to Camiloas, but having just been freed from Mind Control, Lorenzo could comprehend none of it.
His senses cleared to find his duchy transformed into an inferno.
He could only stand lost.
Thump—
Lorenzo fell to his knees, his hollow gaze fixed upon the scorched earth.
“It’s over……my house is finished…….”
He believed he had lost everything, but he did not know.
That there was still more left to lose.

* * *
“What? The Antonio Duchy?”
Adriel Asel, now called the King of Asel, repeated the question without hiding his astonishment.
“Who? Why would they do such a thing?”
“According to eyewitnesses, it was the work of a Red Dragon, Your Majesty.”
“A dragon? But why would a dragon……?”
“Even I do not know that much…….”
The retainer, having only relayed the message, lowered his head, unable to grasp the deeper truth.
“Well…… that’s quite the turn of events.”
For Adriel, it was not an unwelcome development.
The Antonio Duchy was part of Belion Kingdom’s territory.
Had he not just weakened an enemy nation’s strength?
“Whoever this dragon is, I owe it my thanks.”
“There is one more matter I must report, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“The princess has been suffering from poor health, it is said.”
“My sister?”
To Adriel, there was only one sister: Serena.
He had not yet had long to settle into his reign, and he kept his distance as much as duties allowed, yet she was his only blood relation—he could not help but be concerned.
“What ails her?”
“She has been experiencing tremors in her hands and feet, it is reported. However, after taking medicine concocted by Prince Cain, her condition has improved considerably.”
“Ah…… truly? By Prince Cain?”
This time, Adriel did not forget the name Cain.
Ever since he had helped expose Ragnar, he had even bestowed gifts upon the man—there was no reason he would not remember.
“So only a son knows how to care for his sister. And where did he learn such remedies?”
“It is believed he ventured outside recently in order to obtain such knowledge of medicinal arts.”
“A dutiful son indeed—a truly dutiful son.”
A warm satisfaction filled Adriel, and he found himself wanting to meet Cain once more.
“I should not delay. I must go at once.”
“Where do you intend to go, Your Majesty?”
“To see Prince Cain. I should also visit my sister. I must meet with him.”

* * *
At that very moment.
Cain had just finished his meditation in his chamber.
‘Whew, I’ve reached 5-Star with this.’
He had attained the same level as Walter, an intermediate Sword Expert.
To reach 5-Star by twenty was something akin to a miracle.
He would be hailed a prodigy in any knight’s order.
‘I can’t focus on just one heart. I must nurture the other as well.’
Only when both hearts developed in harmony could he truly harness the Demonic Swordmaster’s authentic power.
At 4-Circle now, he would need to advance to 5-Circle to properly manifest it.
The technique of channeling Mana into his Aura and unleashing it—the Demonic Swordmaster’s Secret Technique.
With that, even at 5-Star, he could wield a force rivaling 7-Star.
The reason he had failed to exert his full strength when one heart was pierced by Valenticius was precisely this imbalance.
‘If both hearts had remained whole, I would not have fallen so pathetically before Arcadion.’
At the very least, I could have taken one of his eyes.
But Cain was not one to rest content with such thoughts.
‘I must not only exceed what I achieved in my past life, but grow stronger by gathering all the relics.’
To that end, whenever he found a moment, Cain would cross his legs and draw in Mana.
This time, he sealed the circuits of his Aura and opened those of his Circle instead.
To not rely on the compensation from the Mana Amplification Necklace, he needed to reach 5-Circle.
‘By now, Belion Kingdom must be in an uproar.’
The Antonio Duchy had collapsed.
The culprit was clear.
Camiloas, the Red Dragon.
The Dragon Follower Faction would be searching for both Camiloas and Lorenzo Antonio to assess the situation.
But.
‘Even if they find Lorenzo, there’s nothing to be gained.’
Unless the man himself remembered, he would yield nothing useful.
Only confusion would deepen.
‘And that is exactly what I want. Chaos.’
If the plan unfolded as intended, he could reap considerable advantage with ease.
As Cain smiled, his acute ki-sense caught several presences approaching.
‘Who?’
Cain left his chamber to investigate.
And his eyes widened involuntarily.
A man attended by honor guards.
‘The First Prince, Adriel Asel.’
Now a king, he had come to this place in person.
‘I remember. What kind of king Adriel was.’
A king who put his people first, unlike his predecessor.
A king who struggled against the sway of the Dragon Follower Faction.
Yet he was also a tragic king, poisoned in the end by that very faction.
‘I won’t let him die like that this time.’
While Cain gathered his thoughts, Adriel spoke first.
“So you’re Prince Cain.”
Adriel recognized him the moment he saw him.
Twenty years ago, the child born after Serena fled the palace.
A royal of features resembling his mother Serena, and his own nephew.
“A pleasure to meet you.”
When the king extended his hand, Cain dropped to one knee and accepted it with a bow of respect.
In his past life, this was the king who had tried to care for his mother until the very end.
He remembered too how the king had reinforced the palace’s security, and bestowed upon him a fine sword.
How could he not be grateful?
“I am honored to meet the King of Asel.”
“Ha, even living in the countryside, you’ve learned proper etiquette.”
The king helped Cain to his feet and asked,
“I hear you’re the one who cured your mother’s ailment?”
“I was simply fortunate enough to obtain a remedy.”
“Humble words indeed. I like you.”
Adriel gazed at Cain with gentle eyes.
“Look after your mother well. I’m busy and don’t visit often, so I’m grateful you’re there for her.”
“You honor me too greatly with such words.”
“No. I mean it sincerely.”
Adriel, lost in thought for a moment, continued,
“Is there anything you need? As your king, if there’s something I can do for my nephew, tell me.”
‘It’s come.’
Cain weighed the opportunity in his heart.
But not yet.
“For now, simply being at my mother’s side is enough.”
“Ha, a dutiful son indeed.”
A satisfied smile played across Adriel’s lips.
“Good. But remember this: if you ever need anything, come to me. We share the same blood, after all.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“You may call me uncle.”
Cain hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head.
“…Very well, Uncle.”
“That sounds fine to my ears!”
Adriel turned toward Serena’s chambers with a contented expression.
Left alone, Cain’s eyes grew calm and steady.
‘He’s a good man.’
He had been in the past life too.
A righteous king until the end.
That was why he died.
‘This time, I’ll protect him.’
To protect his mother, he had to keep his uncle alive.
Fortunately, he knew who had poisoned the king.
‘The Valerian House of the Asel Kingdom. I must stop them.’
But the poisoning was still years away.
‘First, let me deal with what’s before me now.’
Cain’s gaze turned toward the window.
By now, the Belion Kingdom must be in chaos.
And so too the Dragon Follower Faction.
Because of Camiloas who burned down the duchy, and Lorenzo who lost his memory.
‘The rumors will spread now.’
The rumor that the Antonio House commands dragons.
Rifts would form among the allied factions.
‘Next is Camiloas.’
Cain’s lips curled upward.
Making dragons fight one another wasn’t as difficult as one might think.
All these proud creatures needed was a single thing.
‘A pretext.’
And that pretext had already been prepared.

* * *
The ruined Antonio Duchy.
A shadow fell across Lorenzo, who sat hunched in the ashes.
“Your Grace, I found you here.”
He was a servant of Drake House.
“Duke Drake has sent me. He wishes you to explain what happened.”
“I—I don’t know either. When I came to my senses, it was already like this.”
“You don’t know?”
The servant’s eyes sharpened.
“Witnesses speak of a Red Dragon. In your lands. I suggest you explain.”
“A Red Dragon, you say…”
Lorenzo’s gaze wavered.
In the haze of fragmented memory, crimson scales flickered past.
“It was… Camiloas.”
“What?”
The servant’s face hardened.
“Are you telling me Camiloas burned your lands?”
“That is… I’m not entirely certain—”
Lorenzo clutched at his head.
He couldn’t remember.
Why Camiloas had been angry.
Why the duchy had burned.
Nothing.
“You truly don’t remember?”
“I swear to you—my memory simply fails me.”
“What is the last thing you do recall?”
“My last memory is…”
That Dario had come with attendants.
Where was Dario now?
“Tell me—have you seen my son, Dario?”
“…”
“You’re saying you don’t know where my son went?”
The servant stared at Lorenzo in silence for a moment, then gestured.
“Come with me, Your Grace. It seems this is something Duke Drake must hear directly.”
“D-Duke Drake…?”
The color drained from his face.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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