Devouring Dragon Heir

The silence in the secluded chamber of Riverdale's palace was thick, and the air had become heavy to breathe for Caesar and Andrea.

The high-arched windows, draped with heavy crimson curtains, let in only faint traces of moonlight, giving the room a solemn atmosphere.

Klaus sat on a grand chair carved from dark oak, its frame studded with gemstones that reflected dim sparks in the low light.

Andrea, the newly crowned queen, was kneeling before him, her body trembling as though her very bones had frozen.

Her long robe of royal silk, embroidered with threads of gold, trailed across the floor. Yet the elegance of her attire did not mask the sheer terror in her heart.

She dared not lift her eyes to meet his, for the calm indifference on Klaus's face carried more weight than the edge of any blade.

Beside her, Caesar, the general of Riverdale's armies, knelt as well. His posture, though still disciplined, betrayed unease.

Sweat glistened on his brow. He had led soldiers into wars, faced countless enemies on battlefields, and had commanded tens of thousands with iron resolve, but before Klaus, he felt no different from a child trembling before the storm.

For more than ten minutes, the chamber had echoed only with their voices pleading for forgiveness, repeated apologies, and desperate words uttered without pause.

But their words had brought no change to Klaus's expression. His eyes remained fixed upon them as though dissecting their very souls.

Finally, Andrea's sobs broke the flow of empty excuses. Her tears fell upon the stone floor, leaving faint dark marks on the carpet beneath her. Her voice quivered, but she forced herself to speak.

"My lord… I will tell you everything."

Her words came haltingly, as though dragged from the depths of her being.

"The method to summon you… It was not something my father discovered by chance in a book or from any inheritance, as the people say.

Many years ago, when he was still a young king burdened by unstable lords and endless border disputes, he ventured deep into an ancient labyrinth.

It was an old ruin still unknown in our kingdom, carved with inscriptions that even the royal scholars could not decipher. It was there he uncovered… the ritual. The method of summoning the messenger"

Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly, though his face betrayed no strong emotion. His voice cut through the room's stillness.

"And he kept this secret from you all?"

Andrea lowered her head until her forehead touched the ground.

"Yes, my lord. For decades, he never revealed it, not even to his closest advisors, not even to my mother.

Only when the kingdom's downfall was certain, when rebellion threatened from within and a demon army pressed from outside, did he finally decide… to use it and tell us about it."

Caesar also added, his tone heavy, "We did not know of it until the very day the summoning began. Even I, who had served as his sword for years, was told nothing until the summoning circle was prepared."

The chamber grew still again, the only sound being Andrea's restrained sobs. Klaus leaned slightly forward, resting his chin upon his hand, his sharp gaze never leaving the two kneeling figures.

"He also sacrificed himself and Mother...to complete the summoning." Andrea's sobs amplified.

Klaus looked at her coldly. "Why don't we come to the point now? Tell me, what is the mission about?"

Andrea flinched as though the cold words were a lash upon her skin. She swallowed hard, forcing her tears to cease, and finally answered.

"The mission… was for the messenger to unify the human continent under the name of Riverdale. And when that was done, to place me, his daughter, as ruler over the unified land."

Her voice cracked as she spoke the last words, and silence once more consumed the chamber.

Klaus's eyes widened, not in fear but in disbelief. A sharp exhale escaped his lips, not quite laughter but laced with disdain.

"Unify the human continent?" His tone was incredulous and mocking. "Your father's dying wish was that I conquer a landmass stretching thousands of miles, filled with kingdoms, empires, and domains ruled by beings who have stood unchallenged for centuries? For the sake of leaving you with an unchallenged throne?"

Andrea did not respond. She dared not. She pressed her head lower to the ground, unable to endure the weight of his contempt.

Klaus leaned back in his chair, eyes lifting toward the ceiling as a grim premonition coiled in his heart.

He had been summoned with promises of great power and a mysterious gift. But this? This was madness.

The human continent was no small territory. It was a colossal stretch of land where dozens of nations had risen and fallen across history.

And within it lived not only mortals but beings who had transcended mortal limits.

According to his own calculations, at least twenty-five transcendents currently ruled, each a pillar of unshakable might in their respective domains.

system had already informed him that the feat of crossing several levels and fighting higher-ranked beings only worked in the mortal realm.

At transcendent rank the difference from a pseudo-transcendent is similar to the difference between a mortal and a god.

He thought of the duke he had recently messed with; he was also a transcendent himself, seated in power as a duke within the Falcon Empire.

Before, he was assured because dragon's might could still one-shot transcendents. But now in a dire scenario, if more than one transcendent decided to attack together, then he would be done for. He might get attacked from one side while he is dealing with the other transcendent.

If even such men came in numbers after him, then the king's request was not simply absurd. It was suicide.

Klaus clenched his hand, his knuckles whitening. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to crush Andrea's fragile skull and leave this palace behind, abandoning the foolish mission and returning to the blue planet.

But just as the desire surged within him, a voice echoed inside his mind; it was the voice of the system.

[Host: To assign such a grand mission, there must be a reward proportionate in value. Do not forget, every ritual carries a cost, and the greater the gift, the higher the price.

The king did not die in battle. He died during the summoning itself. He sacrificed his and his wife's life force to ensure an equivalent gift would be delivered. I am not compelling you to accept the mission, but at least hear of the gift before you decide.

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Far from Riverdale's troubled palace, in the gleaming halls of one of the duchies in the Falcon Empire, another storm was brewing.

The grand study of Duke Albrecht was a chamber that exuded authority.

The polished marble floor reflected the flicker of crystal lamps, and every surface seemed to proclaim wealth and dominion.

At the center, a large desk stood, piled with scrolls, ledgers, and maps.

On that desk now lay a small scroll, freshly delivered by a messenger bird. Its seal was broken, and the weight of information in that scroll was much more than its own.

"Godwin is dead," the duke said. His deep voice carried neither fear nor grief, but a grave acknowledgment of reality.

The words had shaken the butler, who for decades had served faithfully by his side.

Though trained to show no weakness, his eyes widened involuntarily at the news. He quickly composed himself, bowing respectfully, though his voice betrayed unease.

"My lord… Godwin was a peak transcendent. For him to fall… this is no ordinary matter."

Albrecht leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing briefly in thought. His broad frame radiated a power that needed no outward display.

"You are correct," he replied slowly, his tone thoughtful yet firm.

"If a variable strong enough to slay Godwin has appeared, then it is not a matter I can dismiss. Godwin was undefeated in his generation; if multiple peak pseudo-transcendents had not surrounded him, his death might not have been possible.

Since the Riverdale has barely any pseudo transcendents left, it can only mean that an outside force or person is helping them.

The balance of this continent trembles when even one powerhouse moves.

And this power cannot be left unchecked. Whether it's really a messenger or not, I will see for myself."

For several moments, silence lingered in the study.

The duke's mind raced, calculating, weighing possibilities.

Finally, Albrecht opened his eyes. "I will go personally," he declared to his butler.

The butler blinked, surprised once again. "My lord, do you mean to leave the duchy yourself?"

"Yes," Albrecht replied without hesitation. "I have ruled long enough to know when a storm approaches.

If I remain idle while such power grows unchecked, this will be the same as inviting ruin upon us all."

The butler, though loyal, could not help but voice his concern.

"But what of your people, my lord? If you depart, if you march your army, the duchy will be left vulnerable. Would it not be wiser to send only envoys, to watch from a distance?"

Albrecht shook his head slowly, his gaze hard.

"Envoys cannot measure the weight of power. Soldiers cannot discern the truth of what has risen. If this force, whoever or whatever it is, was able to slay Godwin, then words and reports will be but shadows."

"I must see it with my own eyes, feel it with my own strength. Only then will I know if this is a threat to my land or not."

The butler bowed deeply, recognizing that further persuasion would be useless.

"As you command, my lord. I shall prepare at once. Shall I inform the ministers as well?"

"Yes," Albrecht said. "Tell them about my plans. At dawn, we will march toward the Riverdale kingdom with half of our forces."

I will not bring the full force of the duchy, but enough to show strength. Let the continent know that the Albrecht duchy is not to be messed with; otherwise, the consequences are dire."

The butler inclined his head. "It shall be done."

As the servant departed, the duke remained seated for a time, gazing down at the broken seal of the letter.

His hand rested upon the parchment, fingers pressing lightly as if to draw the truth from the ink.

'Godwin is dead.'The words circled his mind like vultures.

He thought back to the last time he had seen the man.

Godwin had been arrogant and prideful in his position as a peak transcendent, dismissing threats as though nothing could ever touch him.

"Was it your arrogance that took you down?" The duke murmured with a lighter expression now.