Yes. Ryu did know.
Fortunately, during their last encounter, he had used Appraisal to inspect the slime-like Hollow before killing it, memorizing every detail.
Calmly, he replied, "Yes, Void Lord. His name is Mortar. I was bound to him by a summoning contract."
Azathoth's suspicion eased slightly, though the cold gleam in his eyes remained.
"Then tell me," the Void Lord pressed, his tone sharp, "where is that dragon spawn now? Why did it release you?"
Ryu lowered his heads just enough to appear submissive, letting his voice tremble with manufactured fear. "H-he… wished to give you a message before fleeing…"
"Oh?" Azathoth's eyes narrowed, the void within them deepening. "He fled already?"
The thought gnawed at him. Had he been lured here to waste his time? Could such a young dragon truly possess the strength to slip from his grasp? Yet when he recalled the anomaly—a dragon wielding both ice and fire—his jaw tightened in frustration.
