Draen already knew that the lingering traces of mana belonged to none other than Drakar.
There were very few dragons capable of concealing their presence so thoroughly while still leaving behind such distinct energy and unfortunately, Drakar happened to be one of the most troublesome among them.
A water dragon by nature, Drakar possessed abilities far more irritating than simple brute strength and concealment was one of them.
Unlike ordinary hiding techniques, Drakar’s concealment could distort mana itself, allowing him to erase his presence almost completely from the senses of others.
Even dragons found it difficult to trace him once he decided to disappear properly.
And that was exactly what infuriated Draen the most.
Because although he was fully confident that he would eventually find Drakar no matter how long it took, the true problem was not the search itself.
It was Lewis which made Draen’s expression darkened further at the thought.
Lewis was still human.
He’s fragile and vulnerable.
Far too weak against beings like dragons.
Though the dragon mark had already connected them together, Draen had not yet fully acclimated his mana into Lewis’ body.
The process required time and repeated exposure so Lewis’ body could slowly adapt without collapsing beneath the overwhelming energy of a dragon.
Had the acclimation been completed properly, Lewis would no longer remain as defenseless as an ordinary human.
Draen’s mana would continuously protect his body from within, allowing him to recover from injuries far faster than normal humans while also strengthening his resistance against external magic.
At the very least, it would have been enough to prevent most forms of mental interference, including brainwashing and manipulation spells.
But now…
Draen gritted his teeth tightly.
Lewis had yet to reach that stage which meant that if Drakar truly decided to harm him, manipulate or use magic against him, Lewis would have little means to resist on his own.
The mere thought alone caused the surrounding air to grow colder.
Though Draen trusted the dragon mark enough to know that Lewis was still alive, and despite still being able to faintly sense the existence of their bond even through the barrier disrupting their connection, being alive did not necessarily mean being safe.
And that single realization was enough to make the murderous intent within Draen rise all over again.
“Your Grace, please know that both the Vanguard and the Executioner Order remain prepared to move under your command at any moment. Should Your Grace decide to set out personally, they are only awaiting a single order.”
Alon lowered his head in deep respect as he spoke, though even he could not fully hide the slight flinch that escaped him every time Draen let out another heavy sigh.
It had already been two days since Lewis’ disappearance.
And ever since that day, the entire Silvaris Estate had fallen into a suffocating state of tension.
Servants spoke in hushed voices while knights moved with extreme caution, carefully avoiding anything that might provoke their master further.
Everyone within the estate felt as though they were walking across thin ice that could shatter beneath them at any second.
Because they all knew exactly what kind of being Draen truly was beneath his composed exterior. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
The calmness he currently displayed was not reassurance.
It was restraint and that frightened them far more.
The knights especially understood this better than anyone else.
Having served Draen for years, they knew the terrifying extent of his power once his composure finally broke apart completely.
If that moment truly came, the destruction would not simply stop at the estate itself.
Everything around him would crumble alongside it.
And unfortunately for them, luck had never been something reliable enough to save anyone standing near an enraged dragon.
At the same time, Lewis had locked himself inside a room.
Ever since Drakar had brought him there, the only thing the man had done was state his name and nothing more.
Aside from casually telling him he could stay in his estate, there had been no explanation, that eased his confusion.
Because of that, Lewis couldn’t even bring himself to sleep comfortably.
His stomach kept churning uncomfortably and the atmosphere inside Drakar’s residence felt suffocating, so heavy that it made him dizzy just sitting still.
Earlier, he had even tried to step outside to get some air, only to realize there was nothing but a vast rooftop view surrounded by towering walls.
The height alone was enough to make his breath hitch and if he were to fall, he was certain not even his bones would remain intact.
Beyond that, endless stretches of sea surrounded the estate, isolating it completely from the outside world.
“Hmm… you ugly human.”
Drakar’s voice suddenly cut through the silence as he kicked the door open without hesitation, despite it being locked from the inside.
He stepped in as if the door meant nothing.
“If you refuse to eat, I’ll force you myself. So, you’d better take the spoon willingly… or wait and see what happens instead.”
He tilted his head slightly with eyes narrowing in mild amusement as he looked down at Lewis.
“What do you think?” He added with a smirk while looking at Lewis’ covered body in blanket.
When Drakar only heard Lewis’ groan in refusal, something flickered across his expression.
For a brief moment, his usual smirk faltered and his eyes narrowed slightly in irritation.
Before he could say anything, his head butler quietly stepped forward.
“Please be mindful, My Lord. He is human. If you act too aggressively, he will only grow more afraid of you.”
Still, he said nothing further and instead stepped closer to Lewis’ bedside.
Without hesitation, he pulled the blanket away from him.
“Ugh…” Lewis groaned softly, frowning as he looked up at Drakar with visible discomfort.
“You haven’t eaten for two days,” Drakar said sharply as his tone immediately returning to its usual arrogance.
“Do you think you’re like me? Do you think you’re some kind of immortal being? You’re just an ugly, weak human, so eat.”
He clicked his tongue in irritation, leaning slightly forward.
“Why won’t you eat? I even asked people here what humans are supposed to eat. I’ve never gone to such lengths before, so you should be honored.”
His words were sharp and domineering yet there was something subtly off beneath his attitude.
Despite his harsh tone, Drakar’s attention lingered entirely on Lewis, less like he was truly angry and more like he simply wanted to keep hearing his voice, no matter how clumsy or stubborn the situation became.
“My Lord… sir… please send me back,” Lewis said weakly.
His voice was hoarse but there was still a quiet urgency in his tone.
“His Grace… he might be looking for me…”
The moment those words left his lips, something in the atmosphere shifted.
Drakar, who had only moments ago been strangely intent on hearing Lewis speak, abruptly snapped.
His expression darkened in an instant and the faint amusement in his eyes vanished completely.
Even the head butler instinctively flinched, stepping back from the room while bowing low, sensing the sudden drop in temperature.
“Fuck…” Drakar muttered under his breath.
Then, a while after, a surge of oppressive mana erupted from him.
The force alone made Lewis’ body tremble violently and pain immediately twisted through his stomach as he let out a faint, strained gasp.
The air itself felt like it had turned crushingly dense.
Even the head butler hesitated, clearly worried that his lord was about to go too far but he did not dare to intervene.
As Drakar slowly turned his head, he said.
“Lock this room,” he ordered in a low, dangerous tone.
Then, after a brief pause, he added without hesitation.
“And don’t feed that human. Let him starve. I couldn’t care less what happens to him.”
After saying that, he vanished from the room and in just a second, he reached his study.