The Castle of Dreams constructed from consciousness gradually crumbled into sand-like fragments after Shendu took the initiative to leave. The scene before her dissolved bit by bit.
After awakening, a faint smile curved at the corner of Shendu's lips. She had no idea how furious that witch might be over her sudden departure, but it did not matter. None of it was worth mentioning.
When Echidna calculated others' hearts, being calculated in return was rather fitting.
After leaving the ruins and retracing her steps, Shendu soon spotted the dragon carriage not far away. However, something about the scene felt discordant.
Rem had already stepped out of the carriage, gripping her morning star tightly. Her blue eyes were locked sharply on a strange man standing before her.
"Lady Shendu, there is a strange man here. I can sense hostility toward us."
Rem tightened her hold on the morning star, staring coldly at the rough-looking man.
"Hey, don't say it like that. It'll really piss me off."
As if aware that they were outsiders, the hostility in the man's eyes was unmistakable.
He looked fierce, with upright short golden hair reminiscent of a Saiyan, sharp emerald-green pupils, and a terrifying glare fixed on them. He wore tattered clothing.
At a glance, he was clearly the type who would rather fight than talk.
Judging by appearances, this blond man hostile toward them was most likely the person Frederica had mentioned they would need to make contact with.
"Enough talk. Take this!"
Seeing him rambling without pause, Rem's patience wore thin. She swung her morning star and hurled it forward.
But the blond man instantly dodged her attack. The iron ball slammed into the ground, blasting a large crater.
"Your luck is terrible. You could've taken any road, but you just had to pick this one. That's why you got spotted by me."
The blond man narrowed his eyes and grinned, revealing a full row of sharp teeth, brimming with confidence.
"Blame your bad luck. Now become punching bags charging left and right for me!"
Garfiel moved to attack without hesitation. A wild aura erupted from his body, yet Shendu remained completely calm.
"Great Ice Spear!"
As the feral Garfiel charged straight at her, Rem unleashed her full strength. Not only did she wield her morning star, but numerous ice spears condensed before her.
As Lady Shendu's maid, she absolutely could not retreat. Swinging her weapon and controlling magic simultaneously, she managed to exchange several blows with Garfiel.
"Useless. With such weak power, beating me is practically impossible."
Garfiel declared confidently. He dodged another swing of the morning star, then grabbed its chain and pulled hard.
Rem nearly stumbled. In terms of raw strength, Garfiel was undeniably formidable.
Seeing that Rem was no match, Shendu abandoned the idea of letting her continue fighting. She glanced at Rem, who was still casting spells, and gave her order.
"Stop, Rem. You are not his opponent. Withdraw."
"Yes!"
Though unwilling, Rem obeyed without hesitation.
As Rem's master, watching her little maid being bullied like this left Shendu mildly displeased with Garfiel.
Only then did Garfiel properly notice the slightly petite, silver-haired girl with crimson eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed his gaze.
He had not spared her a glance during the fight. He had not expected her to be so beautiful, with such an exceptional aura—far more stunning than any girl he had seen in over a decade.
"Hey, silver-haired woman over there. You're not a half-elf, are you? A human?"
"If you're willing to surrender, I might consider accepting it."
Sure enough, beauty was everything.
Upon seeing Shendu's appearance, Garfiel was visibly astonished, captivated by her peerless looks. A trace of chivalry stirred within him.
Shendu's exquisite beauty perfectly matched his aesthetic. He was inclined to show her a bit of leniency.
"Enough nonsense. You bullied my maid and think you can walk away? That's impossible."
Shendu stepped forward, her presence imposing as she regarded the demi-human calmly, a faint chill flickering across her serene expression.
Hearing the anger in her voice, Garfiel realized convincing them to surrender would not be easy.
"Fine then. I've already shown you enough courtesy. Now just faint for me!"
Deciding to act personally, Garfiel dashed forward, intending to knock them all unconscious.
His speed was astonishing—almost leaving afterimages. Yet in Shendu's eyes, it was as slow as a replayed motion, perfectly clear.
As his hand reached toward her, Shendu seized his wrist and kicked him in the abdomen.
This time, she did not use the Ox Talisman's power. Even so, the kick carried enough force to send the demi-human flying instantly.
Boom!
Unaware of just how powerful Shendu was, Garfiel's vision went black as he crashed to the ground like a falling meteor.
When the dust settled, Garfiel felt his body aching and his head spinning, as though his soul had not yet caught up with him.
"Damn it! How dare you look down on me, you damn woman!"
After being kicked away, Garfiel charged again, attempting to defeat her—only to be slapped flying once more.
He lunged two more times. Each time, he was sent flying with a single slap. Even Rem could clearly see the overwhelming gap in their strength.
It was like the difference between heaven and earth.
"Enough. Stop making a scene in front of me. Otherwise, I might truly get angry."
After swatting Garfiel aside again, Shendu's crimson eyes flashed with impatience. His wounded pride finally erupted into fury.
"Anyone who looks down on me doesn't exist!"
Feeling her contempt, Garfiel's temper exploded. A tiger's roar burst from his throat.
"Roar!"
His body expanded, transforming into a massive tiger nearly five meters tall. Terrifying and brutal, he prepared to bring his claw down upon Shendu to teach her a harsh lesson.
As the claw descended, Rem attempted to rush forward to protect Shendu—but she was too slow, forced to watch helplessly as the claw fell.
"Lady Shendu!"
Rem cried out in alarm.
"Raaagh!"
Just as Garfiel believed victory was assured, a dragon's roar erupted from Shendu. A golden dragon phantom manifested behind her, and an indescribably terrifying aura exploded outward.
The phantom dwarfed Garfiel's tiger form. Merely a trace of draconic might burst forth, blasting him away like a shockwave.
Another massive crater formed. Blood trickled from Garfiel's lips. Bearing Shendu's dragon's might filled the demi-human with fear.
"What exactly are you?"
Struggling to remain conscious, Garfiel demanded hoarsely.
"I am a dragon. A pure-blooded dragon."
Shendu approached with an ambiguous smile, her crimson eyes fixed upon him as she spoke unhurriedly.
"A dragon? That's impossible..."
After uttering those words, Garfiel's vision darkened completely. Unable to endure any longer, he collapsed into unconsciousness.
...
A few minutes later, within the Sanctuary forest.
After Shendu finished disciplining Garfiel, Rem roughly tossed the demi-human into a corner of the dragon carriage as punishment.
After all, Garfiel had shown blatant disrespect toward Lady Shendu from the very beginning, attacking without a word. Rem could not muster even the slightest goodwill toward him.
"Haa..."
After the carriage traveled for a while, perhaps due to the jolting motion, Emilia let out a soft breath and slowly opened her eyes.
"Oh? Emilia, you're awake. Not going to sleep a little longer?"
When Emilia sat up against the seat, still somewhat groggy, Shendu reached out and gently stroked the girl's face, smiling.
"I'm sorry, Sister Shendu. I don't know why I fainted. What just happened?"
Emilia blinked her amethyst-like eyes in confusion as she looked around. When her gaze landed on the corner, she noticed an unfamiliar man lying there.
"Who is that person?"
There was a faint trace of displeasure in her eyes.
Where she was together with Big Sister, she did not welcome outsiders intruding.
"That's the person Frederica mentioned."
Shendu explained casually. Even if he was related to the head maid, that did not mean she would forgive his disrespect.
"I see. But we still have many things to ask him. Can we wake him up?"
Emilia nodded thoughtfully and looked toward Shendu.
"Of course."
Shendu snapped her fingers. A water spell descended, drenching Garfiel from head to toe.
The icy chill jolted him awake. The moment he regained consciousness, he glared around violently and instinctively shouted,
"Who was it? Who dares sneak attack me?!"
His mind was still muddled, temporarily forgetting what had happened earlier. But when his gaze fell upon Shendu, a flicker of fear surfaced in his eyes.
"It was me. Do you have a problem with that?"
Though Shendu wore a smile, to Garfiel it felt colder than winter itself.
"N-No, Big Sis!"
The moment he saw her clearly, the memories rushed back. He shuddered.
As someone who carried the bloodline of the king of beasts, Garfiel had always been fearless. Aside from the old ladies in the Sanctuary, he showed no respect to anyone.
But after Shendu revealed herself as a dragon, a deep instinctive fear had taken root within him.
Before a far more terrifying existence, even a tiger would shrink into a kitten.
"Big Sis, hm? Not a bad title."
Shendu accepted the form of address without hesitation. Then she turned to Emilia with a smile.
"Emilia, ask whatever you want. He is related to Frederica after all."
Taking a deep breath, Emilia looked at Garfiel with confusion.
"Earlier, when I fell asleep, was it because we passed through the barrier?"
"Yeah. The barrier automatically checks your bloodline. And the magic stone around your neck is also an important tool for crossing it."
Garfiel pointed at the crystal hanging from Emilia's neck and explained casually.
His tone toward Emilia was not especially respectful, but far better than it would have been otherwise.
Without Shendu present, his attitude toward a half-elf like Emilia would likely be very different.
"I heard the Sanctuary is a place where demi-humans live. Then why is it protected like this?"
Shendu's crimson eyes fixed on the demi-human, seeking something useful from his answer.
"Because the demi-humans here aren't normal demi-humans. They're mixed blood—children of humans and ordinary demi-humans. Most aren't accepted by either side."
"So this place became a sort of sanctuary. The people here live without conflict."
"But once you enter, you can hardly leave. Unless the Sanctuary is liberated, we'll be trapped here forever."
"That explanation clear enough, Big Sis?"
Garfiel looked at Shendu ingratiatingly. When his gaze brushed over her exquisite face and hourglass figure, his heart stirred again.
He might not be able to beat her, but that did not diminish her beauty. After being beaten into submission, he had become considerably more honest.
"Clear enough. Very detailed."
Shendu waved her hand dismissively. Garfiel stood obediently to the side, not daring to speak or act recklessly.
Seeing the once-arrogant Garfiel behave like a docile kitten, Rem could not suppress a teasing smile.
"Hey, Gar-whatever-your-name-is, why are you suddenly so polite to Lady Shendu? Where did all that arrogance go?"
Rem asked playfully.
"Tch. I'm not an idiot. When facing someone stronger than me, how could I not know my place?"
Garfiel rolled his eyes. That blue-haired maid clearly wanted him dead.
Shendu's dragon's might earlier had nearly seriously injured him. Even now, his entire body still ached faintly.
After their slightly tense exchange ended, they passed through the long stretch of forest. Soon, something resembling a tribal settlement came into view.
At the entrance stood moss-covered stone towers. Stone dwellings dotted the distance, each overgrown with vines and moss, ancient in appearance.
Perhaps the mixed-blood demi-humans inside feared outsiders. When they first arrived, everyone had quietly hidden themselves.
The surroundings felt lifeless and aged.
After observing the scenery for a moment, Shendu turned her gaze toward Garfiel.
"How many years have you lived here? You're not even fifteen yet, are you?"
With her True Sight activated, she easily discerned his background and bloodline purity—approximately one-quarter demi-human.
"I'm fourteen. I've lived in the Sanctuary since I was little. Though calling it a Sanctuary is generous. It's just a witch's graveyard."
"The mixed-blood demi-humans who remain here—if you put it nicely, they're the product of love between humans and demi-humans. If you put it bluntly, this was that woman's experiment site."
Garfiel spoke bluntly, clear resentment hidden in his tone.
Most people praised their hometowns. Garfiel instead described it with disdain. It was obvious he did not love this place.
"It must have been hard, staying here. My eyes see through everything. You want to leave too—but you're afraid of the outside world. You have a secret, don't you?"
Shendu stepped closer, her crimson eyes sweeping over the young boy, her voice laced with subtle temptation.
Garfiel's eyes widened. He had not expected this silver-haired girl to know so much.
"My business is none of yours. I'm the strongest shield protecting the Sanctuary!"
He lifted his chin stubbornly, sounding almost tsundere.
"No. I admire you. You shouldn't remain trapped in such a small place. A brighter future is waiting for you."
Shendu skillfully pressed her verbal advantage, stirring something within him. But when thoughts of his mother surfaced, he shook his head and forcibly changed the subject.
"Whatever. Up ahead is where that clown lives. Funny, that famous count didn't even bring a single maid with him."
Snapping himself out of her persuasive words, Garfiel pointed toward a house in front of them and spoke seriously.