The conference hall, which had been thrown into chaos moments ago, slowly began to regain its composure.
Those who fainted—Elen among them—were carefully carried to the side chambers by attendants. Those who panicked and shouted over one another were soothed, though their voices still trembled with the aftershocks of fear. The clamor had been like a storm breaking against fragile walls.
I sat quietly at the head of the table, fingers interlaced, watching the panic play itself out.
As expected of Veldora.
The Storm Dragon's reputation was not without reason. Even when he restrained himself, his very presence screamed of calamity. To mortals, seeing him manifest suddenly must have been like watching a myth break into reality. Disaster-class monsters were spoken of only in fearful whispers. Now one stood before them, laughing like thunder at my side.
Yes—this confusion was inevitable. But it was better this way. If Veldora was to walk freely within Eterna and beyond, the world had to know the truth. Better to lay it bare here and now, rather than allow rumors to spread uncontrolled.
Still, I noticed how pale the humans were. Fuze sat stiff, his eyes darting like a cornered beast. Youm clutched the table as if steadying himself against invisible waves. Even Gazel's projection flickered faintly as though resisting pressure.
"Pathetic," Veldora muttered with a booming laugh, crossing his arms. "This is me restraining my aura! Do they mean to collapse at every breath I take? KUHAHAHAHA!"
I glanced at him sharply.
"Veldora. Enough."
He shrugged, grinning sheepishly—but I knew he was secretly enjoying this. His control had improved since his rebirth. With Faust, his evolved ability, he truly could suppress his aura to near silence when he wished. That he chose to let it leak this much… was deliberate.
I sighed inwardly. This dragon was incorrigible.
To prevent further accidents, I had quietly woven a barrier through the chamber myself, a refinement crafted from Solarys' calculations. It dampened the oppressive force that radiated from beings like Veldora—or myself. Without it, weaker beings wouldn't last a moment in this room.
Yet still, the panic had surged.
"Are you all right?" I asked aloud, turning toward the pale group of humans. My tone carried genuine weight, but it was clear they were not reassured.
Fuze rubbed his temples, glaring at me.
"…I… I've never heard of such a thing," he muttered, voice unsteady. "The Storm Dragon himself—your companion? Do you have any idea what you've just dropped on us?! And you didn't think to tell me beforehand?!"
I arched an eyebrow, my expression unmoving.
"Hm. Did I not? Perhaps I did. Perhaps I did not. Regardless, the present moment is what matters."
"'Regardless'—!?" Fuze snapped, his composure cracking. "I'm the guild master of Blumund, Atem! The guild master! If this doesn't go in my reports, what in the blazes am I even here for?!"
From across the hall, Duke Erald let out a cold chuckle.
"To think the Pharaoh of Eterna walks with the Storm Dragon at his side… I suspected you had power, but this… This changes everything."
Rigurd and the other hobgoblins still knelt prostrate, trembling in awe.
"Pharaoh Atem… to think your majesty walks hand in hand with the Storm Dragon… Truly, Eterna is blessed!"
I gestured dismissively.
"Rise. You debase yourselves unnecessarily. Veldora is no weapon for you to cower before. He is my comrade."
That seemed to soothe them, but the humans were less easy to calm.
Kabal slammed his hands on the table, sweat running down his temple.
"You can't just reveal that and then carry on like nothing happened!"
Beside him, Youm barked in disbelief.
"He's right! Atem, that was—what even was that?! You've been sitting there this whole time, silent, knowing you had a dragon sealed in your hand?! You're insane!"
Veldora threw his head back and roared with laughter.
"Insane? Perhaps! But Atem is no ordinary man. KUHAHAHA! He is my eternal partner!"
Their protests rose in a wave, a dozen voices clashing in the chamber. Questions, accusations, fear—it all tangled into a storm.
I let it wash over me for a moment, then raised my hand.
"Enough."
The word reverberated like stone grinding against stone. Conversation stopped at once. Even the dwarven king's projection stilled.
"You will compose yourselves," I said firmly. "The Storm Dragon's presence is not for your panic, but for your understanding. If we are to forge the future of this world, you must accept that powers greater than myth now sit at this table."
My eyes swept across them, unflinching, like a judge upon trembling mortals.
"If that truth unsettles you, then perhaps you do not belong here."
No one dared respond.
Fuze bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, then slowly sat back down. Erald closed his eyes, weighing the situation with care. The hobgoblins remained kneeling, though their trembling had lessened.
Only Veldora smirked, satisfied with the silence that followed.
I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms. My voice softened—but carried an edge of iron beneath it.
"Well, then. Enough wasted time. Let us begin the council properly."
It took nearly another hour to truly calm the shaken nerves of every representative. An hour of quiet words, stern reassurances, and Veldora's ill-timed bursts of laughter. Only then, at last, could the conference begin.
Much had happened already, but it was better to explain everything at once, here, before these witnesses. It would save time, and it would make clear to every representative the reality of the world they had stepped into.
So I stood before them, straight-backed, my cloak brushing the floor like a shadow, and began to speak.
"I will recount the truth. Some of you may already suspect fragments of it, but you will hear it now in full. From my own lips."
The room quieted, every gaze on me. Even Veldora, lounging at my side, gave a sharp glance as though eager to hear me recount our first meeting.
I told them of how I had first met the Storm Dragon, sealed deep in the cave, and how our fates became intertwined. A pact forged not in fear, but in recognition. His storm and my eternity had become bound together.
Gasps and nervous whispers rippled across the humans present. I ignored them.
"In passing," I continued, my tone calm but edged with iron, "I will tell you this as well—I am an 'otherworlder.'"
Murmurs erupted at once.
I raised a hand. Silence fell again.
"There is no reason to conceal this fact any longer. Whether leaked by spies or whispered across borders, it changes nothing. After all… the Demon Lord Leon Cromwell himself is an otherworlder. If it is true of him, why should it shock you to learn it of me?"
The logic struck them like hammer blows. Their faces stiffened, but they could not deny it.
I pressed on, voice unwavering. I explained the battle with the Orc Lord, how his endless hunger would have consumed the lands if left unchecked. I told them how Eterna had risen from that crucible—how we forged this nation, not through conquest, but through necessity and vision.
I did not linger on the daily lives of my people. That was not their concern. Instead, I moved quickly to the clash with Hinata Sakaguchi.
The memory burned in me still.
"That woman," I said, my eyes narrowing, "is dangerous. Her blade is merciless, her skill precise. Had any of my people stood against her, they would not have lived. But she is not on my level. It is no mere barrier. It is a weaponized domain—a zone crafted for slaying monsters, perfected over years."
I turned to my executives seated beside me.
"Remember that. Engrave it into your minds. If she ever stands before you, do not underestimate her."
They nodded solemnly.
At this, Fuze broke his silence. His expression was sharp, troubled, but his voice carried authority.
"Hinata Sakaguchi, eh… At first sight, she is cold-blooded, almost terrifying. But my information paints her differently. She will extend her hand to anyone who seeks her help. If you accept her guidance, she will fight to protect you. If you reject it, she turns away. That is her way. That is why I cannot believe she would ever harm children."
I regarded him for a moment, my gaze heavy. The guild master of Blumund's branch… clearly more resourceful than his rustic appearance suggested.
"…So you know her character well."
He nodded firmly. "I do. She cuts down those who refuse to listen, yes, but not out of cruelty. Out of pragmatism. There are too many in need. To waste time on the obstinate would mean death for others."
"Hmph."
A deep voice rumbled then. Gazel Dwargo, the dwarven king whose image was projected into the chamber, spoke. His bearing was as immovable as stone.
"As expected of the guild master who has made a name for himself in intelligence. Your report aligns with the knowledge of my covert agents. Hinata is no mindless killer. She is cold, but disciplined. Ruthless, but never without reason."
The weight of his words added gravity to Fuze's testimony.
My brow furrowed slightly.
"…Perhaps. And yet, when I faced her, she refused to hear me. No words. No negotiation."
Fuze leaned forward, eyes grave.
"That was likely not personal. The Holy Church has doctrines, Atem. Strict ones. One of them forbids negotiation with monsters. Hinata is a woman of discipline. She has never broken their laws, never once strayed from their path. That is why she holds her post as the Head of the Holy Emperor's Imperial Guard."
Gazel nodded in agreement.
"She is known as the Church's sword. A title she bears because she has never betrayed their code. That is the true root of her reputation."
Their words carried weight, and I could not dismiss them. Still, I remembered the cold steel of her gaze, the unyielding slaughter in her movements.
I folded my arms, considering.
Solarys, I called within. What do you see?
The voice of wisdom, clear and resonant, answered in my mind.
<< Calculation complete. The probability is high. The summoning of the children could not have been done without her knowledge. The one who orchestrated it had access to classified information and proximity to her authority. >>
My jaw tightened.
"…So it is as I suspected."
There was only one who fit that description. One who had stood behind Hinata. One whose name I did not wish to utter, not yet.
For a moment, silence stretched.
Then I raised my head, expression carved in stone.
"This issue… will remain unresolved for now. But do not mistake my silence for ignorance. When the truth reveals itself, I will act."
The chamber seemed to shiver under my words.
And with that, I carried on.