The weight of Siegfried's stare bore into me, his question hanging in the air like a sharpened blade. The entire guild had fallen silent, every adventurer holding their breath in anticipation of my response.
I met his gaze without flinching. "Just an adventurer," I answered, keeping my tone even.
Siegfried narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly unconvinced. "An adventurer, huh?" He slowly glanced at the people around me—Fafnir, Ingi, and Zarathorak—before returning his focus to me. "Then why do you smell different?"
A flicker of tension passed between us.
Fafnir's hand twitched slightly, ready to react. Zarathorak's fingers clenched against the table, though his expression remained eerily calm. Ingi exhaled quietly, his presence as steady as ever, but there was no denying the shift in the air.
Siegfried wasn't an ordinary adventurer. His instincts were sharp—razor-sharp.
I leaned back slightly, keeping my composure. "What exactly do you think I smell like?"
Siegfried tilted his head slightly, considering his next words. "Something… ancient." His fingers brushed against the hilt of Balmung, his expression unreadable. "Something… draconic."
The moment he said that, I felt Fafnir tense beside me. Zarathorak, still maintaining his chill demeanor, let out a low, quiet chuckle as if amused by the accusation.
The air between us grew heavier, the once lively guild now filled with an eerie silence. Siegfried's words had shifted the entire atmosphere.
I kept my expression calm, though inside, my mind raced. He had sensed something—something unnatural.
"Draconic?" I repeated, letting the word linger in the air. "That's a bold claim."
Siegfried's grip on Balmung tightened ever so slightly. "Not a claim," he corrected. "A fact." His voice was steady, unwavering. "I've hunted dragons before. I know the presence they leave behind, the way they move, the way they breathe. You may be hiding it well, but it's there."
Zarathorak exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the wooden table in a steady rhythm. His smirk remained, but his amusement had faded into something colder, more calculating.
Fafnir stayed silent, his gaze locked onto Siegfried like a predator evaluating its prey.
Ingi, ever the composed one, finally spoke, his voice even. "If you truly believe that, then what do you intend to do?"
Siegfried studied him for a moment before looking back at me. "That depends on you."
I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table. "What exactly do you want from me, Siegfried?"
He was silent for a few seconds, then finally spoke. "Answers."
The tension in the air shifted once more. The challenge was there, unspoken but clear.
But before I could reply, Chad, who had been watching the entire exchange with wide eyes, finally broke the silence. "Oi, oi, let's all relax for a second! We just sat down for drinks, and now we're talking about slaying dragons?" He laughed nervously, trying to break the unease. "Come on, Siegfried, can't you just leave the interrogation for another time?"
Siegfried didn't take his eyes off me, but after a long pause, he finally took a step back. "Maybe." He turned slightly, as if considering something. "But if you are what I think you are, we will meet again."
With that, he turned and walked toward the bar, leaving the tension lingering in his wake.
The moment he was gone, Fafnir exhaled sharply, muttering under his breath. "That bastard…"
Zarathorak finally chuckled again, his voice low and amused. "Looks like we've caught the attention of an interesting one."
I remained silent for a moment before speaking. "We need to be careful. If he suspects us now, it's only a matter of time before he starts digging deeper."
Ingi nodded. "Agreed. We should assume that he won't just let this go."
Chad leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair with an exaggerated sigh. "Man, that was intense. I thought for a second you guys were gonna start throwing punches."
Adrian crossed his arms, his usual composed expression slightly tense. "It's rare to see Siegfried get that interested in someone. Usually, he just does his job and doesn't bother with small talk."
Ronan chuckled dryly. "Yeah, well, that wasn't small talk. That was him sniffing out something that doesn't add up."
Cedrick, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "It's because of what we were talking about." His voice was low, cautious. "Umbaxis. Siegfried's killed a dragon before. If he knows anything about the one he killed, he might start connecting dots."
Chad frowned. "Yeah… but still, dragons? That's ancient history, right? I mean, sure, the Ruined Spine is dangerous, but the only dragon ever confirmed to live there was Umbaxis, and Siegfried took care of that."
Fafnir glanced at me before muttering, "Took care of, huh…?"
Zarathorak exhaled sharply, shaking his head but saying nothing.
I could feel the weight of their stares, but before I could respond, something caught my attention.
From across the guild, Eldrin stood in the shadows near the entrance, a mug in his hand. He wasn't drinking, though—he was watching.
I kept my gaze on Eldrin for a brief moment, gauging his expression. He was unreadable as ever, but I could tell he was thinking—processing. He wasn't the type to eavesdrop for no reason.
Meanwhile, Chad and the others continued discussing Siegfried.
"So, what do you guys think?" Adrian asked, swirling his drink absentmindedly. "He definitely seemed interested in you, and that's not normal for him. You guys know something we don't?"
I exchanged a glance with Fafnir, then with Ingi and Zarathorak. We couldn't just come out and say it—we were dragons, after all—but this situation was getting dangerous.
Before I could form a response, Cedrick leaned forward, his voice lowering. "Listen, if you're planning something that involves Siegfried, you better be careful. He's not just some random dragon slayer—he's killed a real dragon, not just wyverns like the rest of us. If you're thinking about heading to the Ruined Spine… you need to be prepared."
Chad scratched his head. "Yeah, but it's not like there are any dragons left there, right? Umbaxis was the last one. So unless…" His voice trailed off as he realized what he was implying.
I stayed quiet.
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "Wait… are you guys seriously thinking that Umbaxis is still alive?"
Ronan scoffed, shaking his head. "Come on, the guild keeps solid records. If Siegfried killed Umbaxis, then that dragon is dead. No way the guild would screw that up."
Fafnir, arms crossed, muttered, "Unless the guild was misled."
That silenced them.
Chad furrowed his brow. "You're not saying that Siegfried lied, are you?"
The table fell into silence as we all processed what had been said. The weight of the revelation loomed over us like a storm cloud, heavy and tense.
Zarathorak's fingers curled into a fist, his knuckles whitening as he leaned forward, his voice low but sharp. "If Siegfried really killed Umbaxis, then why do we still feel his presence? Why is his name still being spoken in whispers, even in a place like this?"
Fafnir let out a slow exhale, his golden eyes burning with contemplation. "That's exactly what doesn't add up. If he truly perished, there wouldn't be lingering rumors. Dragons do not simply vanish. Their deaths leave an impact."
I tapped the table lightly with my fingers, drawing their attention. "Whether Umbaxis is alive or not, we need answers. Siegfried might be the only person who can give them to us."
Cedrick shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "And if he refuses?"
Zarathorak scoffed. "Then we make him talk."
Chad raised a brow. "Yeah? And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Siegfried isn't just some random guy you can intimidate. He's a dragon slayer. If he gets even a hint that something is off about you four, he might just add more dragons to his kill count."
A tense silence followed. Chad was right. We had to tread carefully.
Adrian folded his arms. "We need information before we act. We can't just go up to him and ask, 'Hey, did you really kill Umbaxis, or are you hiding something?' He'd see right through us."
Fafnir nodded. "Then we watch him first. See what he does, who he talks to. If he knows anything, he won't keep it buried for long."
Ronan smirked slightly. "You want to stalk the most dangerous man in this place? Sounds fun."
I leaned back, my mind racing through possible approaches. "We'll keep our distance. We'll observe. And if the opportunity arises, I'll be the one to approach him."
Zarathorak frowned. "You?"
I met his gaze. "If he's truly a dragon slayer, then I need to be the one to look him in the eye and find out what kind of man he really is."