Lucian hadn't expected that there was such a story between the Ancient Dragons and the Drakes.
Especially about that dragon named Bayle—just from hearing the name, one could already sense his terrifying power.
Even though the Dragonlord Placidusax had already been gravely wounded at that time, the fact that the Ancient Dragons would use the word "grievously" to describe the damage Bayle inflicted upon their king spoke volumes. It seemed the Dragonlord had truly suffered a serious injury back then.
Selinsax had said that after returning, the Dragonlord had already lost two of his heads. But Lucian remembered that Placidusax had lost three heads in total.
In other words, if the Dragonlord hadn't gone through other battles afterward, then the remaining one must have been severed by Bayle as well.
That Bayle must have been monstrously powerful.
Lucian was already strong now—but he knew that, without relying on the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow, he couldn't hope to contend with the Dragonlord himself.
Within the system of the Elden Ring, Lords and Gods were beings beyond comprehension. Each one, even alone, was terrifying beyond measure—and those who had both divine and lordly authority were even more dreadful still.
After all, every age of order in the Lands Between was ruled by the might of a God or a Lord powerful enough to reign over the entire world.
As for Lucian, at best, he was capable of fighting on equal terms with the mightiest of the demigods. Against those who stood higher—the absolute beings, he still had a long way to go.
If he were to rank the powers of the Lands Between… then the highest tier, T0, would undoubtedly belong to entities like the Elden Beast and the Outer Gods themselves.
Slightly beneath them—T0.5—would be those who combined divinity and lordship.
Single deities or lords would fall under T1.
And Lucian himself? He estimated that he currently stood at T2.
That was the level of demigods who bore Great Runes—figures like General Radahn, Morgott, and Malenia.
That degree of strength was already formidable in today's Lands Between. Yet against those monstrous beings beyond, the gap was still enormous.
The Lands Between had a long and ancient history; countless beings of unimaginable power had once walked upon it.
It was only because this was now a time of decaying ages and fading kingships—when absolute powerhouses could be counted on one hand—that Lucian's current might seemed noteworthy at all.
This, too, was but one reflection of the Age of Waning Grace…
No, this was the very manifestation of it.
Lucian pondered Selinsax's words for a while before finally asking,
"So what you mean is, the Ancient Dragons and the Drakes are enemies now?"
Selinsax fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly—only to shake her head afterward.
"The Lesser Dragons [Drakes]… their kind is vast, countless in number."
"So not all of them follow Bayle's command."
"From a species' standpoint, differences in thought among individuals are only natural."
"At that time, some Drakes even chose to fight alongside the Ancient Dragons."
"Of course, there were also those among our kind who betrayed the Dragonlord and sided with Bayle's rebellion."
"Most of the dragons who rebelled alongside Bayle were executed on the spot."
"The rest were branded with unforgivable sin and subjected to the punishment of the Dragon Communion Ritual."
"Still, the relationship between the Ancient Dragons and the Drakes was never truly one of absolute enmity—otherwise, we would have long since begun slaughtering them across the Lands Between."
"How should I put it… it's a rather complicated matter."
"Whether hatred exists or not depends entirely on the individual."
Selinsax paused, reconsidering her own view of the lesser dragons.
"We despise Bayle because he led the rebellion and wounded our king."
"Though the Drakes joined his betrayal, the fall of our era—the end of the Age of the Ancient Dragons was not their doing. It was when the Elden Ring shattered that our time truly came to an end."
"I don't hate the Drakes that much. Many of my kin feel the same."
"For an Ancient Dragon, such deep hatred is a poison that warps the mind."
"Pain and anger… these negative emotions are always easier to recall than joy or peace."
"With our long lives, the Ancient Dragons have grown almost indifferent to emotion itself."
"I can understand the ways of humans, comprehend the meaning behind their words and acts, but to truly feel emotion as they do… that is impossible for us."
Then Selinsax suddenly turned to him and asked,
"Master… do you think there is any difference between me in my human form and an ordinary human?"
"This is something I've always wanted to ask."
Lucian thought back to his many interactions with her. She always seemed perfectly natural, nothing strange at all.
"I think there's no difference," he replied. "The emotions you show are no different from a human's."
But Selinsax shook her head.
"I once believed I had truly gained human emotion, but I was wrong."
"True feeling… true love, I know nothing of them."
"I only realized this after I was freed from my frozen slumber."
"If I truly possessed emotions, I would have been killed by them long ago, buried beneath that endless frost."
"I only learned how to mimic emotion, to act like a living being."
"I learned which words convey certain feelings, what expression to wear in certain moments… nothing more."
"To an Ancient Dragon, such emotions are a sweet poison—tempting, but deadly."
"Since you freed me, my longing for true emotion has only grown—grown to madness."
"But within me, as a dragon, I still cannot reach it…"
Lucian couldn't quite grasp her sudden sorrow.
To him, Selinsax didn't seem as she claimed.
If anything, her emotions felt strongly expressed.
From an outside perspective—being able to understand emotion, knowing how to express it, was that not already true emotion?
Even if it were an act… if one could sustain it for a lifetime, would it not already become real?
But such things were too abstract, too subjective.
If Selinsax herself believed she lacked emotion, then so be it.
For an immortal being, to either understand or fail to understand human emotion was a sorrow in its own right.
Then Lucian suddenly remembered Selinsax's earlier interest in the Dragon Communion, and asked,
"If you don't harbor deep hatred for the Drakes, why were you so curious about the Communion ritual before?"
Selinsax replied,
"I may not hate them, but that doesn't change anything."
"To me, if the chance arises to carry out the Communion ritual, I would still do so."
"Not out of hatred, but because it is part of my duty."
Lucian nodded. "I see."
"So you were thinking of spreading the Dragon Communion among the Drakeblood Legion?"
Selinsax smiled faintly.
"What do you think, Master? Would it not quickly strengthen your army?"
Lucian hesitated.
He hadn't yet decided how to deal with the Drakes.
But in the end, he shook his head.
"I'm not planning to enforce large-scale Communion in the army."
"I hold no hatred toward the Drakes, and I'm not yet desperate enough to seek power by any means."
If he wanted, he could easily rally the excuse of supporting the Ancient Dragons and wage war on the Drakes—slaughtering them all.
Doing so would grant him vast runes and greatly strengthen his forces.
But Lucian couldn't bring himself to do it.
After all, he held no personal enmity against them.
To him, the Drakes were simply another species inhabiting the Lands Between.
Individual battles were natural, he'd slain some before.
But to wage war on an entire race for gain, that was something else entirely.
Besides, he didn't intend for his soldiers to practice the Communion endlessly.
It was a dangerous path—at its end, those who pursued it would be consumed by their greed and transformed into Magma Wyrms.
And once they did, Lucian would have no choice but to slay them.
Even if it were their own choice, he couldn't stand by and let them all end up that way.
Having sorted his thoughts, Lucian no longer hesitated.
He could instead have his Drakeblood Knights learn the incantations of the Dragon Cult—mastering lightning.
That would still strengthen them, and without the same risk.
Seeing that Lucian had decided, Selinsax did not press the matter further.
"By the way," Lucian said, raising his right hand, "after our pact, this mark appeared here. Is this also a sacred seal?"
Once, this was where the mark of Dragon Communion had been.
Now, after bonding with Selinsax, the seal had changed—bearing the sigil of the Ancient Dragons instead.
He hadn't tried invoking its power yet, but he could feel the energy it contained.
Selinsax nodded.
"Yes, that is the Sacred Seal of our Ancient Dragon faith."
"When you use Ancient Dragon lightning, its power will be greatly enhanced."
"In truth, you can already wield some of that lightning."
Lucian glanced at the symbol on his hand and tried channeling its power—but nothing happened.
Selinsax reached out, placing her hand gently over his.
"Please, remember this feeling."
In an instant, a surge of red lightning burst from the seal under her guidance.
The crimson bolts wrapped around Lucian, covering his entire body.
He could feel the effect—his strikes now carried lightning, and his strength slightly increased.
Afterward, the two agreed that he would begin learning Ancient Dragon incantations from her the next day.
Lucian placed the wolf egg carefully in the corner, then lay down to rest.
A strange sensation on his face stirred him awake.
Something wet—and warm, and a bit sticky…
Drool? Or… something else?
Without opening his eyes, Lucian froze, debating internally whether to keep pretending to sleep.
He couldn't help but recall those odd game scenarios he'd once seen, his heart tensed.
If he opened his eyes and saw something bizarre, how should he even react?
Another drop of warm, viscous liquid fell onto his cheek.
Finally, Lucian decided to open his eyes.
And what greeted him was a small, furry ball curled up before him.
Its mouth hung open, a tiny tongue dangling out—drool dripping onto his face.
When it noticed him awaken, the strange little creature let out a delighted;
"Rua!"
—Wait, what kind of sound was that?
Lucian blinked awake, startled by the strange cry. He sat up and turned toward the source of the noise, only to find a tiny creature beside him.
When he saw its full form, he realized—it was a wolf pup.
The little wolf was covered in thick, fluffy fur that gleamed with a blueberry-blue sheen. Since it had just been born, the newborn fluff hadn't yet shed, giving its entire body a round, plump appearance.
It was… adorable.
So much so that Lucian couldn't resist the urge to reach out and squeeze it.
Perhaps after a few cycles of shedding, that soft fluff would become sleek fur.
Lucian's gaze drifted past the pup toward Melina, who was crouched beside him, smiling tenderly at the newborn creature.
As expected, girls truly had no resistance to anything small and fluffy.
Lucian grabbed the little ball of fur and lifted it up.
It hung in his hands, tongue lolling out as it panted softly, eyes blinking curiously at him.
He examined it carefully. The pup's bluish fur resembled that of its giant parent, though slightly lighter in color, perhaps it would darken as it grew.
Beneath its fur, Lucian noticed faint scales, still soft and flexible, likely not yet hardened after hatching.
Across its back and shoulders were tiny spiral-shaped horns—perhaps for defense.
The giant wolf that laid this egg had horns too, but not in the same places.
So the positions must differ between individuals rather than being inherited.
He turned his gaze toward where the egg had been placed earlier.
Only a thick, hollow eggshell remained.
He then looked to Melina.
"When did it hatch?"
Melina tilted her head, thinking for a moment.
"Just a few minutes ago, I think. It came out and went straight for you. Then you woke up."
Lucian rubbed his messy hair.
"Strange… I didn't even try to incubate it. Why did it suddenly hatch?"
Melina pondered for a moment before offering a theory.
"If what Selinsax said is true—that when one of these creatures is born, the older one dies—
then quick hatching must be an instinct. In the wild, no one would protect them otherwise."
"That would also mean their infancy must be short, to ensure survival."
Lucian nodded slightly, rubbing the pup's head and poking its nose.
It stuck out its long tongue and licked its nose with a soft "slurp".
"Alright then. From now on, your name will be Sif."
Sif barked twice, tail wagging, seemingly happy with its new name.
Then, it looked up at Lucian with pleading eyes.
Lucian blinked.
"…What is it now?"
The two stared at each other in silence for several seconds.
Then Melina chuckled softly and said, "Maybe… he's hungry?"
Lucian thought about it. That actually made sense.
Sif barked again, as if to confirm it.
Wait—hold on.
Could it seeMelina?
Lucian suddenly realized something.
When Melina spoke, Sif had responded.
"Melina, I think it can see you," Lucian said, surprised.
Melina's eyes widened slightly as she looked toward the pup.
Sure enough, Sif turned its little head toward her as well.
Melina waved her hand experimentally.
The pup immediately barked in delight, its head following her hand movements back and forth.
"…It really can see me," Melina murmured.
In her memory, besides Torrent, this was the first animal that had ever been able to see her.
Lucian recalled what Selinsax had said before, that this species was similar to ancestral spirits.
Perhaps that was why.
After all, ancestral spirits were deeply tied to life and death—souls that transcended the mortal plane.
The horns, too, were said to have a connection with souls.
Torrent appeared nearby, lowering his head to sniff at Sif.
The two creatures seemed to take to each other immediately.
But now came the real problem—what was Sif supposed to eat?
A newborn wolf pup… should drink milk, right?
But where was he supposed to find milk here?
The Drakeblood Legion hadn't brought any livestock down from above, and there weren't any animals nearby to provide milk.
Lucian sneaked a quick glance at Melina, who was gently petting Sif.
…No. No way.
She was a spirit. Even if she wasn't, that was absolutely not an option.
Besides, he hadn't even gotten to drink that kind of thing himself!
He glanced toward the tent next door—where Selinsax rested.
…No, that wouldn't work either.
Even if she looked human when transformed, she was still an ancient dragon at her core.
Could a being with a body of stone even produce milk?
He shook his head quickly. "No, stop thinking about that."
Instead, he grabbed a small dish from a nearby table and poured some Crimson Tear liquid from his flask into it.
He placed it before Sif. The pup licked it twice, then stopped, unsatisfied, staring up at him again.
Lucian sighed.
So that wasn't it either. What else could he feed it?
Sif waited for a bit, then began searching the area on its own.
Before long, it found something—its eggshell.
Trotting over, it began crunching it noisily, chewing through the shell until it was gone.
Even so, that didn't seem to be enough. Sif turned its head again, looking to Melina and Torrent.
As Lucian watched the pup's sharp teeth flash in the light, he got an idea.
"Maybe… meat?"
He rummaged through his Spatial Disk and soon pulled out an Exalted Flesh—a gift from Alexander the Living Jar after Lucian helped him out of that pit.
The moment he took it out, Sif's eyes locked onto it like magnets.
It dashed over, tail wagging wildly, tongue out and drooling slightly.
Lucian tore off a strip of meat and offered it to the pup.
Sif snapped it up instantly, chewing with vigor before swallowing it down whole.
"Looks like meat works," Lucian said, nodding approvingly.
"Guess it's got strong instincts for survival."
A while later, Selinsax entered the tent. She had come to ask when they would begin incantation training, but instead froze upon seeing the pup.
"Ara, already hatched? That was fast!"
She smiled, crouching down gracefully and brushing her skirt aside as she knelt to pet Sif's head.
The little wolf rubbed against her palm, tail wagging happily as it chewed the meat Lucian had given.
"Quite the adorable one, isn't he?" she said, amused.
"Though… is it alright for him to be eating meat so soon after hatching?"
Lucian shrugged.
"I'm not sure, but it seems fine. He's got all his teeth already, and he even ate his eggshell earlier."
Selinsax tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Hm, most wolves are mammals, but this one's egg-born… fascinating."
"I really can't make sense of creatures like this," she said, smiling helplessly.
Lucian tore another strip of meat and handed it to Sif.
"Then what about your kind? What did ancient dragons eat when they were newly born?"
Selinsax blinked, then thought back to her distant childhood—an age long forgotten.
"Ah… that's a difficult question. I don't remember ever needing to eat.
Maybe we gnawed on stones for amusement?"
Lucian sighed, expression deadpan.
"…You dragons are the ones who break all the rules, not anyone else."
Selinsax giggled softly. "You might be right."
"Sometimes even I forget how strange our existence really is."
Piece by piece, Lucian tore the meat into small bits, feeding Sif until the pup's belly bulged round and full.
It let out a long yawn, rolled onto its back, and fell asleep with its legs in the air—fast asleep and utterly content.