Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot

The silence after Selena's words was brutal.

It wasn't the silence of awe—it was the kind that pressed against eardrums and made hearts misfire.

Graye's grin died first, while Jessy's lazy slouch straightened.

Even Siris, who normally treated danger like her second lover, tightened her grip on her daggers.

The only sound was the faint hiss of cooling glass where Raven's breath had melted the cavern floor.

"A… demon tyrant?" Rufus finally said, his voice low, like the words themselves might bite.

Jake's shadow curled tighter, black tendrils twitching with restrained panic, as he could still remember how he had to burn his life force all to stop a demon tyrant from crossing over.

Everyone knew that, and that was why the impact of Selena's words was greater—especially when Mistress, who knew more about demons, had specifically told them that this demon tyrant was stronger.

Alex opened his mouth, but before a single syllable escaped, a snap of air silenced everything.

Raven's hand was raised.

The crimson glow in his eyes was sharp enough to cut through the haze, his voice cold and measured.

"Calm down," he commanded, his voice carrying the weight of a blade.

Silence fell again, as even the restless echoes of the cavern seemed to obey.

Raven lowered his hand and spoke with the quiet certainty of someone who had already calculated every move.

"That old man is in the capital."

That mention alone shifted the air.

Even the others, hearing that, blinked—some in disbelief, some in relief.

Raven's gaze swept across them. "If there's anyone alive who can face a demon tyrant, it's him. He's my cheat code—the guy I call when things get too ugly even for me. And maybe…"

His eyes narrowed, a flicker of dry amusement breaking the tension. "…Maybe my Ex-Deadbeat father. If, and that's a mountain-sized if, he's reached Crisaius's level. But he's still locked in his little isolation game, so don't count on it."

Jessy's brows furrowed. "So what, we just… stay here? While a tyrant plays tag with the capital?"

"We stay," Raven said flatly. "Even if we rushed back, we wouldn't help. The best thing we can do is complete the job and not mess it up. Us failing here is the same as the capital's fall because the creature that's in the crater gives me a feeling worse than the demons."

"But the palace prison," Jessy countered, her tone sharpening. "Hundreds of demons are locked down there. If that thing attacks, they'll—"

"Lia's there," Raven interrupted, voice firm but calm. "She can't fight a tyrant or Crisaius, but she can handle a few hundred demons without breaking a sweat."

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Even Siris, who usually welcomed bloodshed, bit her lip.

They knew Lia was strong, but hundreds? Above all, it was Lia they were talking about—the same girl who would try to protect even a plant if possible.

Could she really face hundreds of demons while protecting everyone?

But as they looked at Raven, who didn't seem the least concerned, they calmed down, recalling how the guy always had a plan for everything.

They were sure that Raven wasn't bluffing or anything like that.

Raven, on the other hand, was merely pretending to be fine and relaxed.

Inside, his thoughts were anything but steady.

'She can handle it. I'm sure she can.'

He kept repeating the same thing, wanting to believe in it even though his mind said otherwise.

After all, he knew how she handled things and what kind of mindset she had.

'If something goes wrong… she'll try to save everyone. She'll stay behind. That's who she is. No one can change her quality, not even death.'

That was the truth, and Raven knew that, which scared him even though he didn't show it.

There was a reason she received the Evergarden Saint class—a class that required sacrifice to bring others to life.

It was then that Omni's voice slid through his head like velvet steel.

"Boss, you're lying to them."

'Shut up.'

"You're scared."

'I'm calculating.'

"Uh-huh. Calculating heart attacks, maybe." Omni's tone softened. "But still, you trust the old man, don't you?"

'That old man could survive a star collapsing.'

Raven's jaw tightened. 'It's Lia I'm worried about. She won't run. She never runs.'

Omni hummed, low and knowing. "So you fake the cool hero act while your chest is a war zone. Classic Raven."

Raven exhaled through his nose, a faint curl of smoke slipping past his teeth.

'That's because they don't need my fear. They need focus.'

Finally, he turned, crimson eyes locking on Selena. "Can you reach Mistress again? Ask her to keep an eye on the capital—or have one of her subordinates do it."

Selena shook her head, silver hair catching the faint glow of the molten stone.

"No. The connection's gone. I can't—"

Before she could complete her words, a silken laugh slipped through from her chest like perfume.

'Oh, darling, what do you mean I'm not here?'

Everyone stiffened.

Selena's eyes flared violet again as the teasing voice slid directly into all their minds.

'I'm still here,' Mistress purred, her tone playful and far too amused, like a demoness—which she was—watching a kingdom burn. 'Did you really think I'd leave before the fun begins?'

Selena exhaled sharply, half in relief and half in exasperation.

She blinked hard, her violet-lit eyes narrowing as if she could physically glare the voice back into silence.

"…You—" Her voice cracked between disbelief and irritation. "You were playing with me? Don't tell me that connection-drop stunt was just—"

Mistress giggled, a sound like glass bells tumbling through velvet.

'Oh, don't be so serious. The air was suffocating with doom and dread. I thought a tiny prank might loosen those tight shoulders of yours. Atmosphere needs a little joy, no?'

Selena's jaw tightened. "Joy? You think that's what we would feel when we are literally in a warzone, and you go silent after dropping a serious message!"

'That's exactly why I did it,' Mistress purred. 'The stakes are delicious. Why not season them with a pinch of fun?'

Behind Selena, Graye let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Of course. Demoness of Chaos pulls a comedy bit. Should've bet money on it."

Jessy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Great. We're in a death cave while Miss Sparkle laughs at her own jump scare. Totally fine. Totally normal."

Even Siris, who usually welcomed chaos, only muttered, "…She's worse than me."

Raven remained still, his crimson eyes reflecting the faint violet glow that shimmered off Selena's hair.

He waited until the echoes of Mistress's giggle faded before speaking, his tone flat but edged. "Can you keep an eye on the capital? If possible, have one of your subordinates watch for movement and update us if anything changes."

A soft hum of amusement slid through their minds.

'Possible? My dear Raven, why are you wounding me today? Of course it's possible. I'll have one of my prettiest shadows perch above your fragile little city and whisper every heartbeat to me. If anything happens, you'll know before the people can even scream.'

Selena exhaled, a mix of relief and lingering annoyance. "You could've just said that the first time."

'Where's the thrill in that?' Mistress teased, her voice a velvet purr. 'But since we're bound by a contract, consider this my… minimum courtesy. A girl must honor her bargains, after all.'

Raven inclined his head slightly, the faintest acknowledgment of gratitude. "Thank you."

'Don't thank me,' Mistress hummed. 'This is simply the least I can do for the man who had made a deal with me. We're tied together by an agreement, remember? I take care of my promises.'

The violet glow faded into the mist, leaving only the echo of her laughter—warm, mocking, and far too pleased with itself.

Jessy rubbed the back of her neck and muttered, "Remind me to never sign a deal with someone who thinks 'minimum courtesy' includes a heart attack."

Raven's crimson eyes narrowed on the cavern ahead. "Focus. We have a job to finish. Mistress will watch the capital. That's enough."

The group straightened, each heartbeat syncing again with Clara's sound-magic hush.

Around them, the Ashen Expanse seemed to throb with the unspoken promise, as the real game had only just begun.

It was then that the surrounding ground rumbled—low, grinding tremors that rolled up through their boots like the heartbeat of some buried giant. Then came the sound.

A roar ripped through the underground, raw and furious, carrying the weight of fire and stone.

It didn't echo so much as slam against the walls, shaking loose pebbles and dust from the cavern ceiling.

Another roar followed, deeper and angrier, and then came the thuds—slow, earth-cracking impacts like mountains learning how to walk.

The group above didn't flinch, not really.

Their shoulders tightened, weapons shifted in their hands, but none of them panicked. They had been waiting for this.

Rufus's eyes glowed faintly as his visor displayed the holographic image of the underground, his voice steady as he spoke. "The part-dragons are moving. Just as expected—they're coming up from the same gap we made."

Graye licked her lips, half-grinning again. "About time. Thought they'd let us grow old waiting."

Jessy rolled her neck, her expression sharpening as her slouch melted into poise. "I guess we'd better start charging our powers."

Even Siris let out a low chuckle, twirling one dagger as the roars grew louder. "I already know which one I'm going to fight."

Raven stood at the front, crimson eyes fixed on the cavern's yawning dark, his expression unreadable but calm.

"Good," he said, his voice quiet but carrying. "Let them come. The sooner they're out here, the sooner we can end this."

The floor split with another thunderous roar, dust spraying into the grey-lit air.

The main event was about to begin.