Chapter 7 : The Weight of Forbidden Knowledge
The red dragon narrowed his eyes. "Explain yourself, Silviana. What exactly have you done?"
Silviana, still composed, responded without hesitation. "Even if I explained, you wouldn't understand."
The other dragons exchanged glances, their confusion deepening. Silence filled the air, thick and heavy.
The blue dragon, unfazed as always, leaned in with a smirk. "Ooh, mysterious. Now I want to know even more."
Noah, still adjusting to the sensation of being able to speak freely, finally broke the silence. "Is it because… you were the one who saw my memories?"
Silviana turned to him, her expression shifting into one of satisfaction. She nodded. "Correct."
Then, with a calm yet firm voice, she continued. "You might not believe me, but he knows how this world ends. And… he also knows how it can be saved."
A wave of confusion washed over the other dragons. Their once composed expressions crumbled into disbelief. Even the red dragon, who had maintained his serious demeanor, stiffened.
Before anyone could question further, a single drop of blood fell from Silviana's nose.
She wiped it with her claw, inspecting the crimson stain. Then, looking at Noah with realization, she smirked slightly. "Oh… so this must be the same thing that was restricting you."
The other dragons were still frozen in stunned silence, their gazes shifting between her and Noah as if trying to make sense of what they had just heard.
The red dragon was the first to break the silence. His massive tail flicked against the ground, sending a small tremor through the ruined marble beneath them. "What nonsense are you spouting, Silviana?" His voice was laced with skepticism, yet a hint of unease lingered beneath his tone. "You claim this human knows the fate of our world? That he has both saved and failed it before?"
The green dragon furrowed his brows, crossing his arms. "That doesn't make sense. If he had that kind of knowledge, why would he be… like this?" He gestured toward Noah, clearly referring to his previous inability to even speak.
The black dragon, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His deep, almost whisper-like voice carried an eerie calm. "More importantly, how did you see such memories? And why does it seem like merely accessing them is affecting you?" His sharp gaze fell on the faint trail of blood she had wiped away.
Then, after a pause, he added, "Didn't you say he wasn't from this world?so, How does that make sense?"
Silviana pressed a clawed finger against her nose, feeling the warmth of her own blood trickling down once more. Her expression remained composed, but a flicker of frustration flashed through her golden eyes.
"It seems… I can't talk about it anymore," she murmured, her voice laced with irritation.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck her mind, like an invisible force crushing against her skull. She staggered slightly, gripping her forehead as if trying to steady herself. A deep, suffocating pressure wrapped around her thoughts, making it clear—something was actively preventing her from speaking further.
The other dragons tensed, watching her closely. The blue dragon, who had been treating the situation lightly until now, frowned. "Oi, old hag, what's wrong?" His usual teasing tone was gone, replaced by genuine concern.
Silviana exhaled slowly, forcing herself to regain control. "Something… or someone doesn't want me interfering."
Silviana collapsed onto her hands, her breaths ragged. A sharp pain still lingered in her skull, but she forced herself to focus.
The green dragon immediately stepped forward, his usual composed demeanor shifting into concern. "Stay still," he commanded, raising a claw that began to glow with a soft emerald light.
[Skill: Verdant Restoration] – a powerful healing ability exclusive to him, capable of mending wounds and even easing spiritual strain.
As the warm energy enveloped Silviana, the pain in her head lessened, and her strength slowly returned to her legs. The other dragons watched in tense silence, their earlier amusement gone. Even the blue dragon, who usually found joy in teasing, kept quiet.
Silviana took a steadying breath, but just as she regained her footing, a sudden realization struck her—Noah.
Her golden eyes snapped toward where he had been standing. Her heart clenched as her worst fear was confirmed.
Noah lay motionless on the ground, blood dripping from his nose and ears. His small human body, far weaker than hers, had suffered the backlash far worse.
Her throat tightened. "Noah—!"
Silviana quickly moved to Noah, kneeling beside his unconscious body. Her golden eyes scanned his face—his breathing was faint, his skin pale, and blood trailed from his nose and ears. A wave of relief washed over her when she confirmed he was still alive, but the tension in her chest didn't fade.
Whatever tried to harm us… it's dangerous.
She turned sharply toward the green dragon. "Heal him. Now."
The green dragon, already concerned, nodded without hesitation. He raised his claw, a vibrant emerald glow surrounding it as he activated his ability.
[Skill: Verdant Restoration]
A soft, soothing light enveloped Noah's body. His wounds should have begun closing instantly, his vitality restored. But something was wrong. The magic dispersed the moment it touched him, fading into nothing. The green dragon's eyes widened in disbelief.
"...What?" he muttered.
Silviana's gaze darkened. "What's wrong?"
The green dragon tried again, this time focusing more power into his spell. The green light flared even brighter, washing over Noah completely. But the result was the same. The magic simply wouldn't take effect, as if something was blocking it.
The green dragon's tail flicked in frustration. "This… doesn't make sense. My power can heal even fatal wounds, yet it won't work on him?"
The other dragons watched in growing concern. Even the red dragon, who had been more skeptical than the others, narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"
The green dragon clenched his jaw, his frustration evident. "It's like there's a wall between my power and him—an unbreakable barrier. No matter how much I try, I can't reach him."
Silviana's expression hardened. A wall? She had already suspected Noah's very existence defied the world's logic, but this was something far worse than she imagined.
She looked down at him, lying motionless beneath her.
"Then… what will happen to him?"
But the green dragon wasn't the type to give up. His emerald scales shimmered under the dim light as he stared at Noah's unconscious face for a moment, then let out a frustrated tch.
"Whatever happens, happens," he muttered.
Without waiting for anyone's approval, he lowered his claw and gently pressed it against Noah's forehead.
"I am Vaeloran. I request to form a soul contract with you," he spoke, his voice lacking his usual confidence. "Say yes."
The moment the words left his mouth, a golden glow erupted between them, enveloping Noah's body in its radiance. The energy crackled in the air, humming with ancient power.
Meanwhile, Noah remained completely still, unaware of what was happening—still trapped in unconsciousness.
To be continued -