When the black orb fell in the middle of the Eastern Plains to dispel the power of immortality, the tripartite expedition troops started to fight against the weakened immortal troops, and Oliver had defeated the Bone Dragon alone, Ian had entered the space of the Dragons. In this violet non-dimension, Fran Page was sealed. This was the third time that he had entered here from the human world, and there was a high possibility that it might be the last.
[You came.]
Reseesee Radenju had come to greet Ian, and of course, it had not been only for him. Atar Haka, the observer, had also returned as it followed Ian. Those who could resist against Fran Page were now all gathered together.
“There’s not much time. Let’s save greetings for later and proceed with the plan.”
While Ian’s response was cold, he was not that wrong. There really was not much time. If something unexpected happened in the Eastern Plains, Fran’s metaphysical form would notice it immediately. They had to move before then.
[I understand. You may greet me later.]
While Ian was annoyed with Reseesee Radenju’s condescending tone, he ignored it. Dragons’ arrogance was a characteristic that even children’s books used often.
‘Even dragons are not that trustworthy…’
Reseesee Radenju spoke something unexpected when Ian’s dissatisfaction and stereotypical thoughts reached there.
[However, I have something to give you, Ian Page, as a symbol of firm alliance and for the success of this plan. Since I have no other intentions, please receive it as such.]
Something fell slowly in front of Ian with that explanation. It had a spell that slowed down its fall, and Ian saw an orb smaller than a baby’s fist.
“What is this?”
“It’s a dragon heart.”
“A dragon heart…?”
[It has been generated from my heart, and the young dragons here consume this right after birth.]
“Why are you giving this to me?”
[It’s strange. I heard that you humans are desperate to have this dragon heart, even when not having eaten it directly.]
The dragon leader was saying that the orb was a real heart from a live dragon and not the fake one used as the basis of the airship.
“While I would have gone to my knees a few years back, I find little use for it now.”
Ian’s words were true, as he would have desperately wanted the orb during his growth right after he returned time. However, things were different now. Swallowing a dragon heart would not make much difference at this point.
“Or does that dragon heart have something special in it? Can I let out a breath or…”
[It’s a present to an ally and had no other power or meaning.]
“Then, it’s not much use now.”
Ian grabbed the dragon heart that had fallen to his hand, and it was heavier than it looked.
“As you have said that it was a present.”
He did not swallow it, but there might be some use for it. Ian placed it in his dimension pocket.
“Thank you for this gift.”
[Umm….]
Reseesee Radenju may have wanted Ian to eat it, as she looked somewhat disappointed. There may be some traces of that playful being a thousand years back Ian had seen in the Memory Trove.
[…All right, so have you found a way to dispel Fran Page’s immortality?]
“Of course.”
Ian held a vial at Reseesee Radenju’s question. It was made by Douglas after absorbing Baion’s essence and was the key to dispelling Fran Page’s immortality.
[It has a similar aura to the draught that goes to the Time Trove.]
“It probably is.”
[Explain further what you’re going to do with that draught.]
“The method is actually very simple.”
Ian took off the potion’s cap, and a fantastical scent came out of the vial.
“I have to make him drink this.”
[Make him?]
“Directly to Fran Page.”
[……]
“If I succeed, I will enter Fran Page’s mind world, or my metaphysical form will. I’ll land a hit on that metaphysics loving guy.”
[And?]
“I’m going to remove all things that keep Fran Page immortal there.”
[You’re saying that what keeps Fran Page immortal is hidden in his mind world?]
“You understand fast.”
[Are you sure?]
“Yes.”
What Ian had said described the method since it really was simple.
“Not difficult, is it?”
The vial that led to that mind world was Douglas’s ambitious work and not at all ordinary. While the user would be affected after swallowing the draught, this one incorporated Ian’s metaphysical form during its preparation. So, Ian’s metaphysical form would enter Fran’s mind world when Fran drank the potion.
Reseesee Radenju asked again, and she looked surprised at the fact that the most important solution was missing.
“Why would I be talking tricks when we’re so busy? I could not reach there, no matter how hard I thought.”
[Then why…]
“Why did we ally if this was a problem I could solve alone?”
Ian spoke in dissatisfaction, and every word was true to him.
“Aren’t you dragons who have lived eternity? Shouldn’t you lend that wisdom of ages at a time like this? Why are you asking me, who does not even come to your feet, to do everything?”
The dragons here would have lived tens of thousands of years when added up. Their average intelligence went above and beyond human beings. How could such a superior race look at a mere human being? It was going too far.
[Hmm….!]
Reseesee Radenju fell into silence, and others did the same. Having Fran Page drink that after breaking the seal was the most difficult problem of all.
[Let’s think simple.]
Atar Haka broke the silence, and he spoke in his unique low and dark voice.
[Would not be incapacitating him to the extent the power of immortality will not work, solve the problem like when we first sealed him? I know that he only has immortality and was not an illusion without form]
While the suggestion was simple and full of holes, it seemed the only choice for now. Ian also smiled faintly and nodded.
“Was the flow the same when you had sealed him before? I mean, had you incapacitated him and sealed him in that condition?”
[Yes, it was a victory that sacrificed half of us, and only a half win at that.]
They would have sealed Fran in that sealing orb right after Fran was unable to move, which was similar to the current situation.
‘This confirms that.’
Ian first had thought of the same plan as Atar Haka’s from the beginning, but Fran’s immortality had been a problem. A power that made Fran unstoppable would make plans useless, but the dragons were saying that it had succeeded in the past.
[We might be unable to avoid that sacrifice again today.]
Ian shook his head at Reseesee Radenju’s sighed whisper.
“No, things will be different this time.”
Ian had a different viewpoint from Reseesee Radenju, and actually was more objective because he was not one of them.
“Hasn’t that fight started to remove him already started? That was before understanding his power of immortality. The war of attrition was too long, and there had to be many sacrifices.”
The dragons did not know Fran’s power of immortality at first when they sealed Fran Page since sacrifices were needed to know that.
“However, today will be different. We know that power, have a plan, and are focused on oppression rather than removal. While I cannot say that there will not be any sacrifices…”
The tragic memory of losing half of one’s race will not be repeated today. It had to be and had to be believed.
[Yes, that’s true.]
However, there will still be sacrifice, and Reseesee Radenju whispered her sentiments.
The dragon leader started speaking again.
[I had not believed you until before, and now. You may grow to be the biggest threat to us in the future.]
Ian quietly listened to Reseesee Radenju’s somewhat honest opinion.
[However, I am going to completely trust you at this moment, which means that I am going to consider you as one of us. So, please do your best.]
The alliance was a complicated and treacherous one. No one knew what would happen after Fran Page was gone. Therefore, it was difficult to give everything one had, as who knew when one would be betrayed? Reseesee Radenju was speaking of that point.
“Alright.”
Ian’s answer was not a pretense but also did not have much sincerity. That was enough.
[Now, then.]
Reseesee Radenju lifted her giant wings and started gathering the vital mana unique to dragons.
[I will begin breaking the seal.]
It became a command that was conveyed to all dragons.
[While I still am undecided whether taking out that monster again to this world is the right choice…]
All dragons started up waves of special mana, and they became a line to dive into the orb where Fran Page was sealed. It looked like the orb was stuck in thorns.
[Taking the opportunity when it comes is something a leader must do.]
The straight waves of the entire dragons must have stimulated the sealed orb, and the violet orb began to vibrate. The surface of the orb started irregularly contracting and expanding like it was going to burst at any moment.
The sealed orb’s restricting powers quickly evaporated, and a small crack caused irreparable damage. The deep magical aura from that crack infiltrated the entire space. The crack became louder, and a wider space emerged. The magic was enough to cause an ordinary individual to go crazy, and it was everywhere.
“In the end.”
The violet orb only left the shell, and now a man’s voice came from it.
“We see each other from opposite sides.”
It was a familiar and yet strange sound.
“Son.”
Fran Page, the evil incarnated, woke up in body and soul now.