There is nothing in this world that is eternal.
The passionate love that promised to never change eventually cools, as though it was never there. Even the mighty empire that once ruled the world, no matter how powerful, crumbles after a few centuries and fades into history.
Yet, ironically, this is inevitable.
Living creatures are inherently flawed beings, with death as their only eventuality. What they create cannot possibly last forever.
Tempest, who is often hailed as the pinnacle of life forms, knew this all too well. In fact, he could feel it deeply, having lived for such an incredibly long ti.
"Ugh, it feels like problems are piling up more and more every day. It seems like I can only stay awake for a bit longer..."
With wrinkles covering his face, Tempest stared quietly out the window, his expression filled with contemplation.
But what he was looking at wasn’t the view outside; it was his own past.
The reflection of Tempest in the glass showed an ancient dragon, having lived for thousands of years. He had once been called the Dragon King in another world.
He held a status that could only be described as one of the most powerful dragons to ever exist.
However, no matter how powerful Tempest was, he was still a living being. His lifespan had its limits.
And for him, those limits were nearing. He estimated he had perhaps only a few decades left. It might seem like a lot to soone else, but to an ancient species, it was but a fleeting mont.
Knowing this all too well, he furrowed his brow, clicked his tongue, and muttered with a touch of bitterness.
"Tch, maybe it’s ti for this old man to step aside..."
"Please don’t say such things. The Fixer Association would be terrifying to imagine without you. I don’t want to change the person I look up to," ca the voice of Yeresa, his secretary, cutting through his murmurs.
Tempest’s words were not ant to be answered, but from beside him, a voice that was incredibly familiar to him responded.
He naturally turned his head, and there stood Yeresa, his loyal secretary. She was a tall woman with a cool deanor and a distinct hi-cut, looking every bit the beauty she was.
When did she enter? Was she trying to sneak in like a ghost?
Tempest, shaking his head in disbelief, glanced at her in her formal attire with an expression that was as if to say, Really, you again?
"Yeresa, when did you co in? I’ve told you so many tis to make so noise when you enter..."
"I did knock. Twice, in fact. Don’t bla for your poor hearing," she replied confidently, standing tall as if she had done nothing wrong.
But Tempest, being able to detect lies with ease, imdiately knew she was lying.
Saying she knocked was a blatant lie. She had snuck in, quiet as a mouse, likely intending to surprise him.
‘She’s trying to surprise , huh? She’s got the appearance of a cold, calculating beauty, but she’s got a mischievous streak.’
Perhaps it was because he raised her after she lost her parents when she was young, but whenever it was just the two of them, Yeresa had a habit of letting her guard down.
He should have put a tighter rein on her when she was younger. After all, raising soone was never easy.
As Tempest shook his head, sighing at his secretary's behavior, Yeresa, perhaps tired of pretending, shifted the conversation.
"So, you suddenly asked to turn off the recorder and leave for a while. What’s the reason for your wistful thoughts, gazing at the distant mountains? Is it because the interview results didn’t satisfy you?" she asked with a teasing smile.
"No, that’s not it. Actually, I’m very pleased with the outco. I’ve managed to resolve so things that had been bothering . I couldn’t ask for better," he answered with a light laugh.
"Then why...?"
He let out a small, almost sinister chuckle.
It seed that Yeresa still wasn’t quite understanding the mood, so Tempest, with a sowhat weary but kind tone, spoke again.
"Well, it’s the thoughts of an old man. I’m worried about how things will go once I’m gone. Will everything continue to run smoothly after I’m gone?"
Yeresa hesitated, unsure how to respond, so Tempest continued.
"You know it too, don’t you? I’m not the sa as I used to be. Though I’m still active, I won’t be for much longer."
His concerns weren’t without rit.
Think about it. Tempest could defeat any being on Earth, and his existence alone prevented wars from breaking out. He was a perfect deterrent.
But, humans had beco too dependent on him. If he were to suddenly disappear, the balance of the world would shift dramatically.
That’s why Tempest was pouring so much energy into the Fixer Association—he was preparing for the future.
Without him, it would be like a sandcastle collapsing without anyone to maintain it.
‘In that sense, Yuria is quite lucky. A psychic who opposes Invaders... Though I can’t fully trust her yet, she’ll surely be at the center of the upcoming changes.’
As Tempest thought this, he recalled the image of the girl who had just left the interview room.
Yuria, the pure white girl with a fox mask.
Her every movent revealed a soul that couldn’t hide its emotions, no matter how hard she tried.
She was doing her best to keep it hidden, but before the sharp eyes of a dragon who had seen countless humans, she was no more than a cat trying to mimic a lion.
He could also distinguish between truth and lies from the aura of her soul, and he could see right through her conversation.
‘When she suddenly bared her belly, I was a little surprised... but those scars tell everything. Those weren’t made in a short ti. They are marks of abuse accumulated over a long period. If she tries to present that as evidence... I can’t just ignore it.’
Of course, Tempest was a shrewd, seasoned individual. He knew that Yuria was carefully avoiding any parts she felt uneasy about while answering the easier questions.
Still, he was certain that Yuria had beco a psychic through a dangerous experint. The scars on her body clearly proved it.
She must have endured great suffering. Usually, people couldn’t handle it and their minds would break, leading them to beco dangerous seeds of destruction under the Invaders’ influence.
But Yuria’s soul remained pure, guiding others with her charm. Tempest could tell that she was different from other psychics.
Was it beneficial or detrintal? It was clear he had to keep her close.
‘In that case, I need to look at this with a more open mind, not with narrow views.’
"That being said... I didn’t expect to be refused. Heh, I’m really curious to see what will happen next. Don’t you agree?"
"Huh? Suddenly, what... Ah, if you’re getting senile, would you mind adding my na to ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) your will?" Yeresa teased.
"Ha ha ha! You’re terrible! But if I die tomorrow, all my wealth will be donated to society, so don’t get greedy! Yeresa!" Tempest laughed heartily.
"Tch. I was hoping for a chance to turn my life around... but it seems it won’t happen."
Still, they would certainly cross paths again soon. Tempest, with this vague sense of certainty, closed his eyes and thought of the future.
In a world that was as unstable as a flickering candle, he imagined the pure white girl turning back, glancing over her shoulder.
I didn’t let out a sigh of relief until I was far away from the interview room.
The tension that had filled was finally beginning to subside.
‘Phew, being caught as a psychic really sses with your heart. I never want to go through that again.’
At least, I was lucky it was the kind-hearted Dragon Lord I had to face. If the person who found out I was a psychic hated or wanted to use for sothing...
I’d have had to use my powers to escape imdiately, making sure to leave a big impression and risk losing my peaceful life.
Ugh, just imagining it makes shiver.
At least my kind mayor promised to keep my secret. This situation, while unfortunate, could be considered the best-case scenario.
‘But, I never imagined I’d be offered protection from the Association... It’s not a bad offer at all, now that I think about it.’
The protection offered by the Association was, in terms of safety, the best offer I could have received.
There were powerful Fixers in the Association, besides Tempest. Having one of them assigned to guard would be a great asset.
Of course, I would have to cooperate when it ca to my psychic abilities, but it was still an appealing proposition to always have strong protection by my side.
If I had been offered this protection when I first arrived in Night Haven...
I would have accepted it without hesitation. At least I’d be safe from imdiate harm.
‘Well, I refused it, though.’
But receiving protection from the Association also ant being under constant surveillance. I’d have to abandon my na, Yuria, and part with my loved ones forever.
And I wouldn’t be able to recharge the Tesseract or Echo through the cracks in my hiding place. It would make changing the situation incredibly difficult.
That’s why I turned down Tempest’s offer. At least, I wanted to protect my loved ones by myself.
‘Well, I exchanged contact info with him. For now, that’ll be enough. ...I might need it for the 4th task, though.’
As I thought to myself, I walked on. How long had I been walking?
Suddenly, I spotted familiar pink hair at the edge of my vision.
It was Alice. As soon as I realized, I quickly raised my head.
Then, without realizing it, I blinked in surprise at the sight before .
"What... what are you doing! I told you, I don’t like you!" Alice yelled, her face contorted in disgust.
"So what? I like pretty, lively girls," ca the voice of Vespera.
"...?"
What I saw before was Vespera, who had moved way too close to Alice. Alice’s face twisted in disgust, while Vespera seed to be enjoying herself, licking her lips.
How did this happen? I was completely taken aback.
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