Chapter 13: Names With Meaning
Quiet filled the room once more.
The fire crackled softly.
Beyond the walls of the Midnight Exchange, the artificial night remained as peaceful as ever.
Inside, however, Fenrir's thoughts were anything but calm.
'That old man is definitely hiding something.'
The Master calmly took another sip of tea.
As though he hadn't just said something incredibly suspicious.
A faint smile rested on Lady Seraphina's lips as she continued to watch him.
Sebastian stood quietly nearby, pretending not to notice the strange atmosphere.
He was failing miserably.
Fenrir sighed.
"You've said that twice now."
The Master blinked.
"Said what?"
"'You truly are his descendant.'"
"Oh."
He took another slow sip of tea.
"Did I?"
"...Yes."
"I must be getting old."
Fenrir stared at him.
'That's a surprisingly convenient case of forgetfulness.'
A smile appeared on the old man's face.
"You have sharp instincts."
"You're avoiding the question."
"I am."
"...You're admitting it?"
"Of course."
A wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over Fenrir.
Very exhausted.
The Master gently placed his cup on the table.
"There are certain truths that cannot be told yet."
"Why?"
"Because knowing them now would do you more harm than good."
Fenrir frowned.
"That sounds suspicious."
"It usually does."
The old man smiled.
"But it doesn't make it any less true."
Silence followed.
The fireplace crackled softly.
Finally, Fenrir sighed.
"Fine."
The Master nodded.
"You learn quickly."
"I just realized arguing with you is pointless."
"That too."
A soft laugh escaped Lady Seraphina.
Fenrir glanced toward her.
For once, she remained quiet.
Actually...
Too quiet.
Ever since he entered the room, she had been watching him.
Constantly.
It was... unsettling.
Very unsettling.
'Why does she keep staring at me?'
As though sensing his thoughts, she smiled.
Fenrir immediately looked away.
'Somehow, that smile makes me even more nervous.'
The Master suddenly spoke.
"Tell me, Fenrir."
"What?"
"How much do you know about the God Devourers?"
Fenrir thought for a moment.
"Almost nothing."
"I know they can grow stronger by devouring powerful beings."
"I know everyone seems terrified of them."
"And apparently, I'm the last one."
The old man nodded.
"Then perhaps I can tell you a little."
Fenrir straightened.
'Finally... actual answers.'
A small smile appeared on the Master's face.
"The God Devourers were not merely powerful."
"They were extraordinary."
"Their race possessed limitless potential."
"They could adapt to almost anything."
"They could evolve endlessly."
"They could even grow stronger from things that should have killed them."
Fenrir's eyes narrowed.
That sounded familiar.
Very familiar.
Almost like...
'OBLIVION.'
The Master continued.
"Many believed your race to be monsters."
"Others called them calamities."
"But those who truly knew them gave them another title."
"What title?"
The old man's silver eyes became distant.
"The Children of Endless Evolution."
Silence filled the room.
Even Lady Seraphina's expression softened slightly.
The title felt...
Ancient.
Heavy.
As though countless years of history rested behind those words.
The Master looked at Fenrir.
"But despite their fearsome reputation, the God Devourers possessed one unusual trait."
"What?"
"They loved deeply."
Fenrir blinked.
"...What?"
The old man chuckled.
"Not the answer you expected?"
"No."
"Most people imagine monsters as cold creatures."
"But the God Devourers valued family more than almost any other race."
"They protected those they cared about with terrifying devotion."
A gentle smile appeared on his aged face.
"In many ways, they were quite simple."
Silence returned.
For some reason...
Those words stirred something deep inside Fenrir.
A strange warmth.
A sense of familiarity.
As though he had heard them somewhere before.
Lady Seraphina's golden eyes flickered.
A strange light appeared within them.
She looked at Fenrir for a long moment before lowering her gaze.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
The Master spoke again.
"Tell me, Fenrir."
"If someone threatened the people you cared about..."
His silver eyes sharpened.
"What would you do?"
The answer came immediately.
"I'd stop them."
"Even if it meant killing them?"
"...Yes."
The answer left his mouth before he could think.
Silence followed.
Then the old man smiled.
"I thought so."
Fenrir frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
'He keeps saying things like that and refusing to explain them.'
The Master leaned back slightly.
"Names possess power, you know."
Fenrir blinked.
"Names?"
"Indeed."
Steam slowly rose from his teacup.
"Among the supernatural races, names are important."
"They carry history."
"Identity."
"Fate."
He looked at Fenrir.
"And yours is especially interesting."
"Fenrir?"
The old man nodded.
"Do you know the meaning of that name?"
Fenrir slowly shook his head.
"My parents named me."
"I never asked why."
The Master smiled mysteriously.
"In ancient legends..."
"Fenrir was the wolf destined to bring about the end of gods."
Silence.
"...I'm sorry?"
He blinked twice.
"Did you just say I'm named after a wolf that destroys gods?"
Sebastian nearly coughed.
Lady Seraphina looked thoroughly amused.
The Master remained perfectly calm.
"In some worlds, names are more than coincidence."
"They are omens."
"They are promises."
"They are destiny."
He paused.
"Some names are inherited."
"Some are earned."
"And some..."
His silver eyes narrowed.
"Choose their owners."
Silence.
Fenrir suddenly didn't know whether to be concerned or not.
"You make it sound like my parents knew all of this."
The old man chuckled.
"Perhaps they did."
"Perhaps they didn't."
"Life is full of mysteries."
'Do people in this hidden world get paid to speak in riddles?'
Suddenly—
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
The room fell silent.
Sebastian immediately straightened.
The Master looked toward the door.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened.
A young woman entered.
She wore a dark uniform embroidered with a silver crescent moon.
She bowed respectfully.
"Master."
"What is it?"
The woman hesitated.
Then she looked toward Fenrir.
"There are... guests asking for the Young Sovereign."
Silence.
Fenrir blinked.
"Guests?"
The woman nodded.
"Yes."
"Who?"
Her expression became strange.
"...A vampire."
Silence.
"And?"
"...A fox spirit."
"...And?"
"...Three dwarves."
Fenrir frowned.
"What?"
The woman swallowed.
"And a dragon."
The room became completely silent.
Even the fire seemed to stop crackling.
Sebastian's eyes widened.
Lady Seraphina's smile disappeared.
For the first time that night, genuine surprise appeared on the Master's face.
"...A dragon?"
Even his silver eyes widened slightly.
That alone made the room's atmosphere turn heavy.
The woman nodded nervously.
"Yes, Master."
"They all claim to have come for him."
Silence.
Dragons rarely involved themselves in the affairs of lesser races.
They were ancient.
Proud.
Powerful beyond reason.
For one to appear here...
It meant something enormous had happened.
The Master slowly looked toward Fenrir.
His expression became unreadable.
"...Interesting."
Then his gaze drifted toward the window.
"It seems the hidden world is moving faster than I expected."
His silver eyes returned to Fenrir.
"Young Sovereign..."
"...what exactly are you?"
Fenrir blinked.
Then pointed at himself.
"Me?"
No one answered.
Because they were all wondering the exact same thing.
Fenrir looked from face to face.
Then sighed.
"I'm sitting right here..."
"...and I'd also like to know."
Silence.
A moment later—
Lady Seraphina covered her mouth.
Sebastian's lips twitched.
Even the Master chuckled softly.
Yet beneath the brief humor...
No one missed the truth.
A dragon had come looking for Fenrir Endarth.
And that could only mean one thing.
The storm surrounding the last God Devourer....
Had truly begun.