Chapter 15: Rumors of a Sovereign
Silence filled the Moonlit Tea Room.
Five pairs of eyes remained fixed on Fenrir.
Fenrir, meanwhile, was beginning to feel like a rare animal on display.
He looked at Elena.
Then at Lady Yuna.
Then at the three dwarves.
Finally, he looked at Lord Adrian.
"...Can someone please explain why everyone is greeting me like I'm royalty?"
Silence.
Then—
Lady Yuna tilted her head.
"You truly don't know?"
"No."
Lord Adrian frowned.
"You haven't been told?"
"No."
The three dwarves exchanged bewildered looks.
Even Elena seemed surprised.
Then—
All of them slowly turned toward the Master.
The old man calmly sipped his tea.
Fenrir followed their gazes.
Then he pointed at him.
"It's his fault."
The Master blinked.
"Oh?"
"Everyone keeps talking about Sovereigns and Young Sovereigns, and I still don't know what any of it means."
A soft laugh escaped Seraphina.
The old man coughed.
"I prefer the term carefully withholding information."
"That's just a fancy way of saying it's your fault."
Another laugh escaped Seraphina.
Even Sebastian's lips twitched.
The Master sighed.
"Perhaps."
The dragon woman crossed her arms.
"This is becoming more complicated than I expected."
She looked at Fenrir.
"Do you know what a Sovereign is?"
Fenrir shook his head.
"No."
Again, silence filled the room.
Finally, Lord Adrian spoke.
"In ancient times, a Sovereign was an individual who stood at the apex of an entire race."
"Their king."
"Their protector."
"Their leader."
"Their strongest warrior."
Lady Yuna continued.
"They weren't chosen."
"They were recognized."
Fenrir frowned.
"Recognized by who?"
Silence.
Then—
The Master gently placed his teacup down.
"By fate."
"...That sounds suspicious."
"It usually does."
Fenrir sighed.
Of course it did.
Elena spoke next.
"The rumors spreading throughout the hidden world claim that a new Sovereign has appeared."
She paused.
"And every sign points toward you."
Fenrir blinked.
"...I don't even know how to use mana properly."
"That has absolutely nothing to do with it."
"...Oh."
The oldest dwarf, Borin, stroked his beard.
"We came because our clan remembers the old stories."
"What stories?"
The dwarf smiled.
"The stories of the God Devourers."
The room grew quiet.
Fenrir straightened.
"The legends say that whenever the universe enters a great age of change..."
"...a Sovereign appears."
"And with them comes either salvation..."
"...or calamity."
Fenrir blinked.
"Those don't sound like the same thing."
"They usually aren't."
"...Great."
Lady Yuna giggled.
Borin's expression became serious.
"The old legends also say something else."
"What?"
The dwarf looked directly into Fenrir's eyes.
"A Sovereign never walks alone."
"Power gathers around them."
"Fate gathers around them."
"Friends."
"Enemies."
"Fortunes."
"Disasters."
"Everything changes because of their existence."
Silence followed.
For some reason...
Those words felt heavy.
Ancient.
As though they carried the weight of countless years.
Then Lord Adrian smiled.
"Actually..."
"I'm mostly here because I was curious."
Everyone looked at him.
He shrugged.
"When the Master of the Midnight Exchange personally acknowledges someone as a Young Sovereign, curiosity is only natural."
Lady Yuna raised her hand.
"I came for the same reason."
The three dwarves nodded.
"So did we."
Fenrir slowly looked toward Elena.
"...And you?"
The dragon woman's amber eyes met his.
Then she smiled.
"I wanted to see whether the rumors were true."
"And?"
Her smile deepened.
"I'm still deciding."
For some reason...
That answer made him nervous.
Then—
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Everyone turned toward the door.
The servant hurried inside.
She looked even more nervous than before.
"Master…"
"What is it?"
She swallowed.
"There are... more visitors."
The Master blinked.
"More?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
The servant hesitated.
Then—
"A representative from the Northern Werewolf Tribes."
Silence.
"A messenger from the Witch Council."
More silence.
"And…"
She looked at Fenrir.
"...an angel."
Dead silence.
Lord Adrian covered his face.
Lady Yuna's eyes widened.
The dwarves looked utterly stunned.
Even Seraphina appeared surprised.
Fenrir looked around.
"...Is this bad too?"
Sebastian sighed.
"Young Master..."
"Yes?"
"This is very bad."
"...Oh."
The Master, however, smiled.
A small, amused smile.
"It seems the hidden world moves faster than I expected."
Elena narrowed her eyes.
"They're already coming."
"Apparently."
The old man looked at Fenrir.
"You may wish to prepare yourself."
"For what?"
The Master's smile widened.
"For attention."
Fenrir frowned.
"What kind of attention?"
No one answered.
Because everyone already knew.
The Last God Devourer.
The Young Sovereign.
The being the Master himself had acknowledged.
News of his existence would spread like wildfire.
Some would seek friendship.
Some would seek alliances.
Some would seek his power.
And others—
would stop at nothing to erase him from existence.