Chapter 13 — The Mirror World
Mis, 20 Ves 910 Aven — 9:30
The dining room opened up in all its excess.
An endless table, capable of accommodating around fifty guests, sat in the center of the room. The large windows let in abundant light, so generous that the five chandeliers – one central and four arranged along the cardinal axes – remained unlit, useless.
At the end of the table stood Caesar, motionless, master of the place.
Aliss naturally sat on the third chair on the left.
—What do you have to offer, old man?
Caesar remained calm, almost amused.
"What a rude way to speak to an elder," he replied calmly.
Even more so in front of your great-grandfather.
Are you always this disrespectful?
"If you have nothing else to do, I'll let you think about it," she replied.
Maybe you will find the answer.
Time passed.
Words were spoken.
Lots of words.
Then Caesar frowned.
—…You didn't hear anything?
He stared at her, suddenly shocked.
- Mess.
Did you really not hear anything?
Aliss gave a quiet smile.
"Don't worry, old man.
I understood everything.
Don't worry about that.
- It's true ?
- Of course.
And then, I already had certain basics.
I am a hunter of knowledge, after all.
A sincere glow crossed Caesar's eyes.
- Impressive…
In that case, let's pick up where we left off.
He straightened up slightly.
—We come from another world.
A mirror world of this one.
In this world, dragons were almost entirely wiped out before humans were born.
Almost… but not all.
As in ours, there were wars:
between creatures, between lineages, between humans and non-humans.
- Yes. All right.
"This is why the dragons from our world present here hide among humans," he continued.
They live through their subordinates: wolves, vampires, or other creatures depending on the family.
Be careful.
The most powerful bloodlines—draconic or not—sometimes spend time in this world.
- Yes. All right.
"They don't hide out of fear," Caesar said.
They simply refuse to annihilate this world.
They found a peace there that they appreciated.
They are everywhere: politics, economics, industry.
For example…
your mother's dragon family.
Some of its members run a multinational specialized in fashion.
- Yes. All right.
Caesar stared at her for a long time.
—I can teach you the Breath of the Black Count.
But for that we will have to go to the other world.
There, one year is equivalent to twenty years here.
Rest assured…
you won't feel anything.
He snapped his fingers.
— Do you see?
You didn't feel anything.
The dining room was gone.
They were now standing in a circular room, perfectly round, with no windows.
Only one opening: the door.
Aliss blinked, unsettled.
- … How ?
"It's the house," Caesar replied.
My home follows me no matter where I go.
—Your mansion cannot exist in two places at once.
Explain.
— Of course not.
Where I am not, there is only an old abandoned shack.
This is what you saw when we met.
Aliss thought for a moment.
- All right…
Can I send a letter?
- Of course.
Caesar approached a wooden wall cabinet, opened it and took out an object resembling a USB stick.
He came back to her and handed it to her.
— This recording will help you master the other Breath:
Count White and Gold.
Aliss nodded.
- All right.
To thank someone is to owe them something.
And a debt involves honor.
A great dragon does not play with honor.
She inserted the recording and immediately recognized the images:
the Scarlet House, White's training center.
Surprise.
A brief, piercing look at Caesar.
Then she calmed down.
She took some paper, wrote a letter, and sent it into the flames.
---
Elsewhere — Dragon Eyes
Yin was inspecting a shelf when a circle of flames burst out in front of him.
A letter appeared.
He jumped, slipped from the stepladder, then struggled to his feet before reading:
> Sir,
I train in the overworld.
I found a trainer.
His name is Caesar.
He's my great-grandfather.
—Ale
Yin gritted his teeth.
His gaze became icy.
- I will protect you...
small.
---
Return — The Circular Chamber
Aliss and Caesar faced each other.
Combat stance.
Caesar tossed a times coin into the air.
— Training begins now.
I hope you have what it takes.
But whatever...
we have plenty of time.
The coin fell back.
She brushed against the ground.
Silently.
Without the slightest trace.
Caesar was already in front of Aliss.
His red-gloved fist stopped a few inches from his face.
"There will be no shortage of time," he declared calmly.
After all…
A discreet smile.
— We are in Speculornā Um.
---