While Vaelen was looking for clues that could lead him to Kael, the dragon in question remained oblivious to that.

He was still in the village, but the late morning had now given way to afternoon.

The healthy sunlight had now turned hotter.

The room, once filled with lively chatter, had grown quieter—its air heavy with thought.

By now, Rue and Rina had returned, but seeing the serious discussion going on, they had gone back to their rooms, taking a small nap after the tireless playing.

Kael sat at the table still, his chair slightly leaned back, eyes closed as if lost between breaths.

Around him, the faint sound of crackling fire filled the silence, and every so often, the wooden beams of the house groaned softly.

Alenia sat opposite him, arms crossed, watching in silence. Selene, her wings folded neatly, gazed out the window.

Even Druvarn, for once, was quiet, lying belly-down on the table like an oversized plush ornament.

When Kael finally opened his eyes, their golden hue shimmered in the fading light—sharp, thoughtful, and impossibly calm.

"I've heard everything there is to hear about this world's power systems," he murmured. His voice was low and deliberate. "But there's still one thing I'm curious about."

He rested his chin on his palm, his gaze flicking between Alenia and Selene. "Do any of you know anything about the dragons' breathing techniques?"

Both women looked at each other, then back at him.

Alenia was the first to answer.

"No," she said softly. "At least, not anything solid."

Selene shook her head as well, her silvery hair catching the orange glow. "The dragons… they're supposed to be long gone. Just legends now. No one's seen one in hundreds of years."

Her tone carried a trace of wistfulness, the kind that came when speaking of something sacred yet unreachable.

"Legends, huh?" Kael murmured, glancing down at his hands. He turned them slowly, watching the faint shimmer of golden mana under his skin. "Then I suppose I'm a rather inconvenient contradiction."

That earned a quiet smile from Lyra, who was watching from the side, her tail twitching softly.

For a while, no one said anything, and then, Alenia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "There is one thing I remember about the dragons."

Kael's gaze lifted to her, curious. "Oh?"

She nodded, her tone steady and precise. "They were said to be the first beings of this world, the oldest. Before humans, mysterious elves, demons, demihumans, or beasts—there were dragons. They were the originators of magic itself."

Selene turned slightly, listening.

"It's said they didn't discover magic," Alenia continued, "they breathed it into existence. So if breathing techniques were built on the foundation of magic… It's possible that dragons were the ones who created them in the first place."

For a while, Kael said nothing.

He merely stared at his hands again, his expression unreadable, the golden light reflecting in his eyes like twin embers.

"…Makes sense," he finally said. "If they created magic, then the rhythm of mana—the foundation of breathing itself—would've come from them."

He leaned back again, his voice lowering into a murmur. "Which means I should have one."

That made everyone in the room straighten slightly.

Kael's gaze drifted toward Selene.

"I need to see someone using a breathing technique," he said quietly. "To understand its flow."

He didn't turn to Lyra, who didn't even have a breathing technique, nor did he turn toward Alenia, who, despite having a breathing technique, couldn't use it here.

From what she had told him, the demons who learn demonic breathing techniques could only use those techniques in a place with abundant demonic mana.

No matter how hard they tried, they wouldn't be able to circulate the normal mana.

Selene, on the other hand, blinked in surprise, then nodded slowly. "Very well."

She stood up, brushing off her robe as the others shifted their attention toward her.

Then—she inhaled.

A soft ripple of mana brushed the air, faint but rhythmic, flowing in waves around her body.

Her wings fluttered once as her breath steadied, and a faint glow began to outline her form—silver, delicate, and pulsing with life.

Kael's eyes gleamed brighter as he watched.

He didn't just see her breathing—he saw the mana, how it circulated, how it entered through her skin and spiraled inward, flowing like liquid light through her veins and gathering in her core.

But then—something changed. The flow wavered, faltered, broke apart like a disrupted current.

Kael's brow furrowed. "Why is it… breaking?"

Selene opened her eyes slowly, her voice quiet.

"That's the problem," she said. "My flow always collapses halfway through. It's why I can't cultivate anymore."

Her tone was calm, but her eyes betrayed the faint sadness that had lingered for years. "I told you before… since that incident in my childhood, my mana pathways never healed properly."

Kael nodded slowly. "Right."

He watched her for a moment longer, thoughtful and silent. Then, with a small exhale through his nose, he murmured, "This won't do."

Selene blinked. "Pardon?"

"I need to see a complete cycle," Kael muttered. "From start to finish. Only then can I understand how it works."

Before anyone could respond, a familiar grumbling voice broke the quiet.

"What's the point?" Druvarn said, rolling onto his back lazily. "Any breathing technique you would find here wouldn't be highly ranked. Above all, what about me? Breathing techniques don't even work for beasts like me."

Kael turned to him with a faint smile. "Patience, little bear. Let your evolution cooldown finish first. Then we'll talk about your 'power-up.' For now, let me do what I'm doing."

Druvarn blinked, suspicious. "What are you planning?"

Kael only chuckled, standing from his seat. "Something interesting."

As he walked toward the door and opened it, the sunlight made it look as if he were shrouded in a bright robe.

His tone was casual, but his eyes carried a quiet sharpness—the kind that hinted at purpose.

"Now," he said, pushing open the wooden door and stepping into the cool forest air, "I just need to find someone who can breathe properly."

But before he could walk out of the house, Evethra, who had been gone for some time, finally appeared.

"Master, the lunch is ready," she said, stopping Kael in his tracks.

He turned around with a raised brow, then, without a word, he came and sat back on his sofa.

"I guess I can wait until I finish my lunch," he shrugged, his eyes filled with expectation, as he had wanted to see what Evethra had been making for some time now.

The maid, on the other hand, clasped her hands lightly, her crimson eyes sweeping across the room.

"Before anything else—hands," she said firmly, her calm tone leaving no room for debate. "All of you."

Before anyone could move, Kael snapped his fingers, using Cleanse on everyone, making it so that they had bathed, not just washed their hands.

This would make them realize how convenient Kael's ability was.

Evethra, however, would turn toward Druvarn.

"And you," she called with a faint smile, "go fetch Rue and Rina from their rooms."

The bear puffed up his tiny chest. "Why me? I'm a mighty beast, not a—"

Before he could complete his words, Raven's gaze flicked toward him. One raised eyebrow. That was enough.

"…Fine, fine," Druvarn grumbled, hopping off the table with exaggerated sighs. "But only because I'm merciful."

As he stomped away, Evethra began arranging dishes on the long wooden table. The air filled with the aroma of seared fish and simmering broth.

Grilled river trout with lemon herbs, smoked eel stew, fried minnows, and even something resembling fish dumplings—each plate arranged with elegant precision.

Kael leaned back lazily in his chair, amused. "You really turned an entire lake into a feast."

"I make do with what the world provides," Evethra replied softly, setting down a bowl before him. "Besides, I know what pleases you, Master."

Alenia chuckled quietly. "She's frighteningly efficient."

Selene, peering curiously at a bowl of golden soup, nodded in agreement. "And creative. I didn't even know fish could be cooked like this."

When they finally began to eat, conversation flowed easily.

Kael hummed in approval after the first bite. "Tastes divine. Maybe I should start a diner in the forest. Our customers would be the beasts roaming around."

Evethra's lips curved faintly. "I'd be happy to help you with whatever you want, Master."

Laughter rippled across the table.

Then, the patter of light footsteps came—Rue's cheerful voice bursting in. "Something smells amazing!"

Rina followed shyly behind her, eyes sparkling as she climbed onto her chair.

Kael smiled, lifting his cup. "Perfect timing, little foxes. Let's eat."

Just like that, the quiet house filled once more with warmth, chatter, and the soft sound of laughter mixing with the clinking of dishes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.