My connection with my master began shortly after I found myself in this world.
[Who are you? And why are you in my nest?]
To say we met by chance would be an understatement.
In truth, I had intentionally sought out my master’s nest.
“Master.”
“Yes, Louis. Can you tell me how you’re feeling?”
“I’m fine. But... isn’t this the Stormblast Dukedom?”
“Yes, I had Kunder bring you here.”
Kunder Stormblast.
In the original storyline, he was the reason behind the failure of the Demon King’s forces, led by figures like Mercadia, to invade the northern territories.
The reason was simple.
The entire Stormblast bloodline consists of dragons. Thus, within Kunder Stormblast’s domain in the north, monsters and demons fell like autumn leaves.
But what kind of being could my master be to command someone like Duke Kunder?
“I told him I’d take back the title of duke if he refused, so he went.”
“I see...”
“A son must obey his mother’s words, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I suppose so...”
Only a dragon stronger than another dragon can control them.
The two blue horns on my master’s head gleamed in the sunlight.
Yes, that’s right.
My master’s name is El.
More specifically, El Stormblast.
She is the previous Duke Stormblast and the mother of the current duke, Kunder Stormblast.
“Kunder has always done his best when it comes to matters related to you.”
Has he, really?
The Kunder that my master recalls is vastly different from the Kunder I remember.
[Human girl, leave. This is no place for one like you.]
[You’re small and weak, yet you’re stubborn beyond reason.]
[Facing monsters? Start by building the stamina to run away first.]
[How long do I have to clean up your mess?]
I recall nothing but a harsh, cold tone—like a snowstorm given form—and expressions that were even colder. Honestly, I still find it hard to believe that Kunder was the one who brought me here from Lacre.
“Louis.”
Master’s sky-blue eyes met mine.
“Yes, Master.”
Her calm tone and the way she gently closed her book told me all I needed to know.
‘...I guess it’s time for a lecture.’
“If there’s anywhere you’re hurt, tell me. You must take care of your body, especially as a young lady.”
But instead, Master embraced me, assuring me that she would always be there to support me.
“...Thank you, Master.”
I could only remain silent, content in her embrace.
I had many questions.
About the fortress, Mercadia, the hero party, and more...
But perhaps I was more exhausted than I thought from my time with the hero party.
I decided to set my questions aside for now and gradually drifted off to sleep in her warm embrace.
* * *
*Click.*
The Stormblast mansion.
In the quietest part of this already silent mansion, on the top floor, in the innermost room.
El Stormblast watched her slumbering disciple on the bed before closing the door and stepping out.
“Mother.”
A man with dark blue hair appeared, as if he’d been waiting for her.
His golden dragon eyes shone in the sunlight filtering through the frosty window.
“How is Louis?”
“Her body felt cold. You could’ve been more careful when you brought her here.”
“I thought she’d be fine with a robe, and I did wrap her in my cloak as well.”
“You know human bodies are frail. Louie’s even more so than most.”
“I’ll take care of it next time.”
*Tap, tap.*
The master of snowstorms. The lightning-bearer.
The guardian of the north. The apex of all dragons.
These are titles held by the Stormblast bloodline.
Because of these titles, even the empire regards them as equals—or perhaps even superiors—to the emperor. The Stormblast family commands such respect that even dragons occupying or guarding other lands do not dare to challenge them.
“Just now, a message arrived from the emperor’s courier.”
“That was quick.”
“It seems he had a bird posted at Lacre. After he confirmed my presence there, he sent it immediately. How should we reply?”
“Most likely, the Mage Tower will hear of this as well. Write simply that Louie has withdrawn from the hero party. Also, mention that she’ll be staying here to recuperate. They’ll likely come looking for her directly.”
“Yes, Mother.”
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
*Snap, snap!*
With a snap of Kunder’s fingers, words began to form on a letter suspended in the air, burned into the paper by lightning.
The letter was soon sealed and sent out, landing in the hands of a masked man waiting in the garden below.
The man bowed to the mansion in the imperial manner and then vanished.
“...Louis.”
“Kunder.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“If you’re that worried, go check on her yourself. I don’t understand why you act so timid whenever you’re involved with Louie.”
“...”
“Were you going to ask about her condition? If not, then speak your mind.”
Kunder hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“...Why did Louis join the hero party?”
“...Who knows? Why indeed.”
El pondered his question, though she, too, wanted an answer.
“That day, when Louis first created her unique magic, I made a decision. If a hero ever appeared, I would never let her join his party.”
“...”
The memory of that day surfaced in Kunder’s mind.
Not at the Stormblast mansion, but at the ice fortress where El Stormblast resides, perched on a mountainside.
There, in the middle of the castle, Louis had collapsed, transforming part of the fortress into a pure white space.
“But I didn’t warn her. Whenever the prophecy mentioned the hero, she showed no interest—or even seemed to avoid it.”
*Click.*
Opening a door at the end of the hallway, cold air wrapped around El and Kunder.
Below them stretched a vast expanse of land, dotted with the cities of people blessed by Stormblast.
“But had I known this would happen, I might have given her a word of caution.”
For the first time, regret filled the eyes of El, who had lived many times a human’s lifespan.
Was it because she had almost endangered the world?
No.
It was because she had allowed her first and only disciple to put herself in harm’s way.
She regretted not considering the potential of Louis’s boundless creativity, even for a moment.
“...Perhaps even this was destiny.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Just thinking. By the way, what’s the status of the hero party?”
“They’re leaving Lacre and heading north.”
“Of course they are. It’s only natural to want answers when a comrade is taken overnight.”
“Taken, you say.”
“Hehe, just a figure of speech. In any case, Kunder, when the hero party arrives, don’t push them away. They were her companions for half a year, so they deserve time for a proper farewell.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“And if you plan to check on Louis’s room, wait a little. She just fell asleep.”
“...I won’t go in.”
“Alright, alright. Then I’ll be off to the fortress. Don’t let Lati catch you worrying only about Louis.”
“...”
With a playful smile, El vanished in a flurry of snowflakes.
She was likely already at the fortress, beginning to work on a way to weaken her disciple’s magic.
“...”
Kunder turned and stood before the door where his mother had just exited.
Inside lay the disciple his mother cherished so much.
*Creak...*
[This is Louis. She will be my disciple from now on. Louis? This is my son, Kunder.]
[Pleased to meet you.]
She hadn’t changed much since that first meeting.
It was almost as if she had stopped growing entirely.
“...”
[The Emperor is concerned about “fate.”]
One day, the emperor had sent a handwritten letter to the mansion.
And soon after, that concern became a reality.
[A massive demon legion nearly descended on Alpares.]
He heard that she had drained her mana completely to prevent it.
And now, once again...
[The Blood Iron Duke Mercadia appeared in the mining city of Lacre.]
To stop her, Louis had used her unique magic—even though she should have sealed it away for her own sake.
Some might praise her for her “selflessness” and “sacrifice.”
But those in higher places saw things differently.
Because of “fate,” incidents had unfolded in both Alpares and Lacre.
The hero party probably didn’t know this.
They were unaware that more people than they imagined were closely watching their actions.
And among those watchers were people powerful enough to singlehandedly bring down the current hero party.
‘...The Mage Tower.’
Louis’s so-called “older sister.”
A mage even stronger than Louis, who had the power to twist fate itself.
El anticipated that the Mage Tower might come to the mansion soon, and Kunder agreed.
Though he hadn’t known about the Mage Tower until his mother left the fortress, his connection to her and the Stormblast family had deepened significantly.
“She will certainly come.”
It would be wise to prepare for such a guest.
The hero party and the Mage Tower.
Everyone was focused on one person.
And that person lay in the bed just before him.
“...Sleep well.”
With a brief word, Kunder turned and left the room.
Winter was approaching.