All of this was making her extremely nauseous. Lily looked at the man's broad back, with faded tears flying in the wind. She opened her lips and asked, "What use am I to you?"
Lily immediately regretted saying that.
Hearing the question, Mikha just sighed. He seemed to have done that more in the last day than in a long time.
He knew that, at some point, this question would arise, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon.
"I know you may not believe me, but I want to protect you more than anything." His voice carried an unmistakable sincerity.
He truly needed this girl, just as she needed him. From the moment the draconic heart was placed in her chest, their lives became inseparable. Thus, he would make Lily strong enough to withstand all the adversities that would come with it.
That is, of course, if she didn't turn out to be a trap.
Lily was stunned by the response, even forgetting to ask why.
She lowered her head, lost. It was all too much for her.
"Thank you." At least, she wasn't completely helpless.
At least… her parents' sacrifice hadn't been in vain.
During the journey, Mikha explained some basics.
Leaving out the part about the pocket watch, he manipulated the details of how she had "survived," also explaining her change of laws.
"I sensed something very chaotic coming from you while I was waiting for you to recover. A conflict between two fundamental forces — the Law of Darkness and the Law of Psyche."
"But what are these laws?" As someone born in the countryside, Lily had never encountered such complex concepts.
"They're the rules or restrictions that govern the world and are responsible for characterizing matter and all energies," Mikha explained seriously, clearly an admirer of such sovereign powers.
"Oh, I see…" Lily pondered; these concepts were new to her.
Thinking she hadn't understood, Mikha simplified his explanation.
"In short, flames exist because of the Law of Fire. The ground we walk on, the stones, the precious metals — they exist because the Law of Earth characterized the matter. Understand?"
Lily nodded enthusiastically. Realizing he couldn't see her nodding, she added an embarrassed "Yes."
Taking advantage of his willingness to answer questions, Lily asked, "But what's inside my chest?"
After all, her heart had been torn out and left in the open.
"The draconic heart…" Mikha thought aloud.
"It's the heart of Celestine, the Dark Dragon. The Sovereign of Darkness, who helped shape the world alongside his counterpart, Andras, the Dragon of Light, and other dragons representing their respective laws.
For thousands of years, he's been present in mythologies, folklore, and even the reality of various parts of the world, especially in the central continent, where we are now. But his last appearance caused tremendous and lasting chaos, forever marked in history books. And now we know why he disappeared."
Hearing this, Lily was horrified. Celestine? Wasn't that the man who appeared in her mind?!
Suddenly, she understood why Celestine had demanded she keep… her shattered mind… a secret.
Who was he, really?
...
Their destination was the Imperial City, capital of the Sirius Empire. When they arrived at dusk, Lily saw a bustling movement she had never witnessed before. Streets filled with street vendors, people buying their goods, carriages and carts. The scene overwhelmed her.
After dismounting the wyvern, Mikha led Lily through the streets. After walking for a while, they passed a church where some apostles were feeding children. She was amazed, never having seen anything like it.
Free food?! She wanted some!
Breaking free from Mikha's grasp, she ran toward the apostles, joining the line of young ones.
Mikha clicked his tongue in irritation at the girl's naivety, following her reluctantly.
When he appeared behind her, the apostles grew agitated, recognizing Mikha's ragged face.
"Vessel of Sanctity!" they all cried in unison, bowing in reverence.
While Lily was stunned, Mikha was extremely uncomfortable. He forced a smile and spoke, completely shifting his aura: "Apostles, I wish you good tidings and charity. I must take my leave now."
The missionaries were in awe of Mikha's few words. Seizing the moment, he grabbed Lily's arm, saying, "Let's go."
Seeing his bad mood after the pretense, she dared not say anything but was secretly shocked.
As night fell, they finally arrived at Mikha's intended destination. Contrary to her expectations, what Lily saw was not a hotel.
It was more… like a brothel.
The establishment was lively, with vibrant colors out front and a sign identifying its purpose. Several couples kissed openly and discreetly, and women in provocative clothing stood at the door, awaiting their monetary partners.
Lily's face turned red as she stopped in her tracks. "W-we're going in there?"
Mikha laughed heartily. "What else would we come here for?"
"Come on, don't be afraid. We're not doing anything improper," he consoled her with a hint of double meaning.
"Hmm…"
They entered and went straight to the second floor, which was noticeably quieter. Mikha stopped at a specific door, knocking in an exact rhythm.
The door opened, revealing a woman in a low-cut dress with two fallen sleeves. She smiled seductively, greeting Mikha: "Hello, boss."
Lily, watching the entire scene, was confused. The apostles had greeted him with such fervor, yet now a "respectable lady" was calling him boss?!
Her world turned upside down.
"Oh, and hello, little girl." The woman turned her gaze back to Mikha. "Who's she?"
"I came to discuss that," Mikha replied.
...
After settling in, the woman served tea to Lily and Mikha, sitting across from them. The room resembled a normal bedroom, with no romantic decorations.
Mikha sipped his tea calmly. "Cielle, I brought her here to take the entrance test."
A look of surprise crossed Cielle's face, which she quickly concealed.
"Has she had any training in assassination?"
"No."
"Does she have any physical combat training?"
Mikha shook his head.
"Then how do you expect her to join the guild?!" Cielle's calm demeanor broke, and she spoke exasperatedly.
Mikha smiled gently, locking eyes with Cielle. "You'll see what she's capable of."
Cielle, unflinching, met his gaze.
Meanwhile, Lily was in shock. What was he talking about? Wasn't he supposed to protect her? Now he was throwing her to the lions?!
Ignoring Lily's changing expression, they continued their standoff. Finally, Cielle relented.
She sighed. "But the test will be of my choosing."
Mikha took another sip. "Of course."
"Wait!" Lily slammed the table, spilling her tea. "I didn't agree to any of this!"
"Ahhhh… You didn't even talk to the girl about this?" Cielle massaged her temple.
"It was all last-minute." Mikha remained calm. He looked at Lily, who was beside herself.
"I can't always be by your side. The best way for you to protect yourself is by learning to defend yourself. Besides, trust Cielle — she'll do her best to teach you everything."
"Right?" Mikha looked at her.
"Of course, of course." Cielle waved dismissively, not taking it seriously.
Mikha was satisfied with the arrangement. Not only would he avoid carrying a burden around, but he could also maximize her usefulness while ensuring her relative safety.
Most importantly, he could uncover part of the scheme behind her receiving the heart.
Mikha still didn't fully trust this blessing that fell from the sky, so despite the risks, he had to take a chance.
He stood, placing the teacup on the table. Turning to Lily, he said, "Take care of yourself."
And with that, their brief meeting ended.
When Lily looked at Cielle, lost, she saw her lighting incense.
Mikha's retreating figure was her last memory before waking up in a cell.