Later, in his chambers, Ragon sat on the edge of his bed, the map spread across his lap. His silver eyes scanned every marking, his finger tracing the crude lines that hinted at hidden paths.
"I never imagined this small village could be hiding a ruin," he muttered.
He stood and carried the map to a nearby table, flattening it with his palm. The flicker of the lantern caught the deep lines of concentration on his face. He paced once, twice, then leaned forward, both hands pressed firmly on the wood as if anchoring his thoughts.
"This… this could be the key," he whispered, tapping one of the X marks.
Ragon straightened, rolling his shoulders as if shedding an invisible weight. He paced to the window, the moonlight tracing the sharp angles of his form. For a moment, he stood there, hands clasped behind his back, staring into the quiet village below. His jaw tightened.
Turning back to the table, he bent over the map again, his hand hovering over it as if daring himself to take the next step. He closed his fist and exhaled.
"If this ruin holds even one five-star manual, it could raise this kingdom's strength beyond recognition."
Knock. Knock.
Ragon straightened, the weight of authority sliding back into his posture. A small smile curved his lips. "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Thera entered. She balanced a bowl of water in her hands, a folded towel resting on top. Her cheeks carried a faint blush as she approached.
"Your Majesty, I'm happy that you're back," she said softly, setting the bowl gently on the table.
"Hahaha… Don't worry, Thera. I'm not planning on dying anytime soon," Ragon replied, his chuckle breaking the tension in the room.
She hesitated, her eyes flicking to the map but quickly pulling away. She dipped her head. "I'll take my leave now, Your Majesty."
She turned toward the door, but before she could touch the handle
"Thera. Wait."
Ragon's voice stopped her. He stepped away from the table as his boots pressed softly against the chamber floor as he closed the distance between them.
She turned, eyes wide. Ragon's hand pressed against the door beside her, pushing it closed with a quiet thud. His other arm braced the wood, his frame leaning just enough to make the space between them shrink.
His silver eyes locked onto hers, steady and intense. "I want you to stay."
"Keep me company," he added, his voice low yet certain, the faintest smile touching his lips.
Thera's heart pounded in her chest. She stood caught between the nearness of her king and the warmth in his gaze, unsure if she should flee or step closer.
Ragon and Thera were now in the inner chambers, where a private pool shimmered under the lantern light. The water reflected soft ripples across the carved stone walls, a quiet refuge fit for a king. Thera followed silently, uncertain why Ragon had brought her here.
"I need to tell you something," Ragon said, lowering himself to sit at the edge of the pool. He dipped his feet into the cool water and leaned back slightly, his calm gaze fixed on her.
Thera's heart fluttered nervously. Misunderstanding his intentions,
"Your Majesty, I… I will try my best to fulfill your heart's desire," she whispered, fingers tugging at the hem of her gown.
As she began to lower the fabric from her shoulders, Ragon instantly stood, crossing the space in two swift steps. He caught her hands firmly before the gown could slip further.
"No," he said, his tone sharp, almost pained. His silver eyes bore into hers. "Never. I would never take advantage of you."
Thera froze, startled.
"You're misunderstanding me," Ragon continued, his voice softening though his grip remained steady. "I brought you here only to speak with you, not to use you. You're not my puppet, Thera. You'll never be one."
For a moment, silence lingered between them. Then, Ragon let her hands go, exhaling deeply as if to settle both their nerves.
"What I wanted to tell you," he said, turning back toward the pool, "is that I'll be away for some time."
He sat again at the pool's edge, motioning for her to join him. Hesitant but curious, Thera moved closer, sitting a little distance away.
"We recovered a map from the orc leader," Ragon explained, brushing a hand through his silver hair as he stared at the water's reflection. "It points to a ruin that could hold great treasures—maybe even a five-star manual. Such a discovery could raise this kingdom's strength." His lips curved into a faint smile. "I intend to explore it myself. But while I'm gone… I want to leave Elenadrom in your care."
Thera's eyes widened. "Me? But… I've never governed anything. Surely you meant to choose someone else."
"I told you before," Ragon said gently, his eyes turning back to hers, "don't call me 'Your Majesty.' I'm Ragon to you."
Thera's throat tightened. "Still… my grandfather or my father would be more suited—"
"No," Ragon interrupted softly but firmly. "Your grandfather has wisdom, yes, but he carries the weight of the old ways. This kingdom needs someone who can grow with it. Someone I can trust without question. That person is you, Thera. And your father will guide you if you need counsel."
Thera lowered her gaze, struggling with the enormity of his words.
Ragon leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting. "Tell me… have you ever wanted more than this life of silence? More than being told what women can or cannot do?"
Thera blinked at him, startled. "…I always dreamed of learning to fight," she admitted quietly. "But my father forbade it. He says women must never hold swords that our only worth is in healing."
Ragon's jaw tightened as a memory flashed before his eyes.
"Who says you can't fight? That's a lie rooted in fear." His voice grew firm, almost defiant. "In Olympus, women fought beside men. Goddesses led armies. Those old rules don't bind us anymore. I am king here—I set the rules now."
Thera's eyes widened at the fire in his words. For the first time, she saw not just a ruler, but a man who truly believed in change.
"So," Ragon said more gently, taking her hands in his, "do you want to learn to defend yourself? If you say yes, you'll become my first disciple."
Thera's lips parted. Her heart raced. "…Yes. I want to learn."
"Good." Ragon smiled, releasing her hands. He raised his palm over the pool.
Ragon set his palms on the pool's edge. He closed his eyes and breathed slow. The surface of the water stilled.
For a full minute nothing happened. The room held its hush. Then the water in the center began to pull inward, like a small whirlpool. The motion was quiet at first a ripple that doubled, then quadrupled. Water climbed in a neat, tight column and hung there as if frozen.
The column condensed. Droplets knit together until the water took shape: a smooth, clear sphere no bigger than a man's fist. It hovered over the pool, wet and shining. Light ran through it in thin veins. The sphere felt heavy even though it floated, and the air near it smelled faintly of cold stone and metal.
Thera leaned forward, mouth open. She had not expected it to form so slowly, so real.
Thera gasped. "You're… a mage? But I thought you were a warrior."
"I'm both," Ragon said, as if it were the most ordinary truth.
"That's impossible," she whispered. "No one can follow two paths."
Ragon chuckled softly, shaking his head. "And yet, here I stand. Sometimes the impossible is just what no one has dared to believe in."
Ragon's divine soul within him, though unconscious, acted as both warrior and mage. By its very nature, divinity transcended the limits of ordinary paths. Where mortals were forced to choose one discipline and master it step by step, his divine soul instinctively carried both ..the might of a warrior and the channeling of a mage. This duality was not by effort, but by birthright.
"Quickly," Ragon said. "Place your hands on it. I don't know how long it will hold."
Thera's eyes widened as the glowing sphere floated above Ragon's palm.
"Wait… how did you even get a crystal ball? Our village doesn't even have a priest," she asked, her voice trembling.
Ragon glanced at her, a faint smile on his lips. "I didn't find it," he said calmly. "I created it."
Thera blinked in disbelief. "You… created it? That's impossible. Only priests or Core Realm-ranked mages can form one."
Ragon shook his head. "Nothing is impossible."
The crystal sphere was a tool used to test people's paths. When someone touched it, the sphere reacted to their inner soul and showed whether they were a warrior or a mage. Most villages needed priests or trained mages for this, but Elenadrom had neither. That was why the sphere was rare and valuable, it could reveal the truth without a priest.
She hesitated a heartbeat, then reached out. Her fingers touched the wet glass. The surface was cool and firm under her palms.
Ragon watched her. He set his hands behind his back and watched the sphere with the kind of attention he would give to a blade before a trial.
When Thera's hands rested on the sphere, Ragon's eyes changed. Gold light flashed from them, bright and quick. Energy moved along his arms like static. The sphere flared, and inside it the lines and swirls shifted: symbols of wind, water, and a thin line of light that pulsed like a heartbeat.
The symbols did not show swords or armor. They formed like a language made of elements. They settled around Thera's hands, slow and clear. The crystal hummed, then calmed.
Ragon's face softened. "You're a mage," he said. Plain and steady.
Thera stared, tears starting at the edge of her eyes. "I… I'm really a mage?"
"Yes." Ragon spoke like a man stating facts. "About one in ten people here ever awaken that path. More rare are those who can do both fight and cast. That's almost unheard of outside legends. I… I found out I could do both later. It surprised me, too."
He looked at the sphere for a moment, then back at her. "When I learned I could do both, I had to keep it quiet. People expect one road. Being both makes you useful and it makes you a target. You'll learn how to handle that. If you want, I'll train you myself for a week. Come back a week from now and you'll be stronger. At least a one-star mage before I leave."
Thera closed her fingers on the sphere, breathing hard. "Thank you," she whispered.
Ragon nodded once. The sphere dissolved. Water dropped back into the pool with a soft hiss,
"You don't have to thank me"