However, pitch-black darkness suddenly swirled around the silver-haired man's body, and the corrosive wound that had eaten through him vanished without leaving even a scar.
"Tch." (Mark)
"(Chain Dimension)," Limbo whispered, activating his technique.
An uncountable number of chains materialized in the air, wrapping around the sky and ground, their reach spanning every direction around the man.
But then — a third eye appeared on the man's forehead, and the entire dimension trembled violently.
Limbo and Mark collapsed to their knees, coughing up blood.
"Th-this power…! Who are you really?" Limbo, usually calm and composed, spoke with a trembling voice.
"Trash like you dares to lay a hand on the young master? Know your place."
It was the first time either of them had heard the man speak — his voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
The strange laughter they had heard earlier had not come from him but from the spider hanging on his shoulder.
That spider suddenly grew larger and transformed into a human.
A handsome man with black hair stood before them, staring coldly at the two assassins.
The situation had turned against Limbo and Mark. They had already been struggling against the silver-haired man, and now there was yet another enemy they would have to face.
"A-are… are you two bodyguards sent by Lord Levi?"
"Kukukuku…"
The black-haired man didn't answer Limbo's question. He only looked down at them with eyes full of contempt — as if they were nothing but garbage.
Zeref, unaware that assassins had been sent to kill him, was currently on a carriage headed toward the Gloria Kingdom.
As soon as the carriage stopped, I stepped off.
Right now, I was traveling with a mask covering my face. It had been a week since I left home. Traveling by carriage wasn't exactly pleasant. In the human realm, there were three main ways to travel.
The first was by using teleportation portals that connected different cities — but those were reserved for high-ranking nobles, not to mention the exorbitant cost.
The second option was through the Ferez Company, a relatively new organization offering air-based transportation services.
And the third was by land routes — the one I chose. I could have taken the first or second options, but that would attract my family's attention, and that's something I want to avoid at all costs for now.
I stretched my body and looked around the not-so-large city. Gloria Kingdom was entirely focused on magic — it was said that even commoners here knew basic spells.
Well, that certainly piqued my interest.
Then I began walking toward a certain area — the slums. That was my destination.
As I walked deeper in, the surroundings started to change. The once-clean streets disappeared, replaced by filth scattered everywhere. Poor people came into view. With my current appearance, I didn't attract too much attention — after all, shady things were common in the slums.
While walking through an area I had wandered into by accident, I found myself in a narrow alley… and there was someone standing in front of me — or rather, a boy.
His clothes were tattered, his body covered in filth and scars. No one would give him a second glance. He had silver-blue hair, and despite the harsh cruelty he had seen in this world, the fiery spirit of someone his age still burned in his eyes.
Name: Chelsea
Gender: Female
Age: 13
Species: Human / Dragon
Talent: 9/10
Power: –
Title: The Little Thief
Affection: 0%
Description: A girl who has no choice but to disguise herself as a boy. Despite all the hardships she's faced, she still believes in herself. She's deeply self-conscious about her body and believes she will never be beautiful.
Difficulty Level: A+ (Be cautious — if you're not careful, she may harm you in the future)
As I suspected, she was here in this city. The girl before me was also one of the heroines. She carried a tragic story — the only half-dragon in the world.
A half-dragon shouldn't even exist. Dragons are arrogant by nature, but their loyalty is unmatched.
If a dragon — male or female — chooses a mate, they will only ever have that one person for life. Even the most stubborn beings eventually surrender when a dragon falls in love. That's also why Velzard wants to kill me no matter what.
You could call it a curse — a trait that dooms them to fall in love only with other dragons. And honestly, who could stand watching the one they love grow old and die?
Dragons have lifespans far beyond any other race. Not only that, but their immense power makes it impossible for them to impregnate other species.
If they try, the fetus dies — unable to withstand that overwhelming power. That's why even if a dragon falls in love with someone from another species, they restrain themselves as much as possible.
Chelsea's father was a dragon who once fought another dragon, was gravely wounded, and lost consciousness. He was found by Chelsea's mother, who brought him home and nursed him back to health.
Over time, the two fell in love. But to protect Chelsea's mother, he had to sacrifice his feelings and disappear — never knowing that their love had borne fruit.
The game's developers gave a ridiculous explanation that Chelsea's mother had dragon lineage, which is why a child was born. But the truth? I don't know either.
In any case, according to the game's backstory, Chelsea grew up with a bedridden, sick mother, living in poverty. She devoted herself to caring for her and providing for all their needs.
The one thing she did have — even without awakening her dragon powers — was strength. She was at least five times stronger than an ordinary person.
To protect herself and her mother, she disguised herself as a boy and began stealing to survive.
If the story unfolds as in the original game, her mother will soon die. In her despair, she'll wander aimlessly and accidentally stumble upon the World of Chaos, abandoned by a dead Dragon God.
When she learns that she's a half-dragon, the guardian of the World of Chaos will offer her a chance to take a trial.
Once she successfully awakens her bloodline, her father will sense her presence and come to find her. After that, she will grow up among dragons and become close friends with the dragon princess.