[Empire of Qashmar — House Vaelric — The Next Day]

Far beyond Zahryssar’s burning deserts, deep within the mountain empire of Qashmar, the ancient estate of House Vaelric remained hidden between towering cliffs and endless cedar forests.

Waterfalls roared endlessly beyond the mountains. Clouds drifted low around the peaks, and unlike the serpent empire—the wolf lands breathed slowly and wildly, like nature itself still ruled there.

Inside one of the private healing chambers, Zeramet remained unconscious upon a large, luxurious cedarwood bed. Warm herbal smoke drifted softly throughout the chamber. Silver bowls filled with crushed mountain herbs rested nearby.

And outside the open carved windows, waterfalls echoed endlessly through the mountains below. Faint silver serpent markings beneath Zeramet’s bronze skin glowed from time to time like fire trapped beneath flesh.

Like something ancient sleeping unwillingly inside a mortal body, and despite remaining unconscious—his terrifying presence still filled the chamber heavily.

Then quietly one of the healers spoke while replacing the bandages around Zeramet’s chest, neck, and wounded arms carefully.

"...his wounds should have killed him already." Another healer frowned deeply afterward while crushing herbs into a silver bowl. "And yet his body continues healing itself."

Silence spread briefly afterward because everyone within House Vaelric already understood this outsider was no ordinary serpent.

Then heavy chamber doors opened.

THUDDD.

Immediately all the healers bowed deeply.

"My Lord." Entering beneath the golden torchlight was Lord Leor Vaelric, tall, sharp-eyed, and wrapped in dark wolf pelts and mountain leathers embroidered with silver threads.

Behind him stood several wolf knights guarding the chamber entrance silently. Lord Leor slowly approached the unconscious serpent afterward, studying him carefully and almost cautiously.

"...did he awaken again?"

One healer nodded respectfully. "For a brief moment, my lord."

Leor’s amber eyes narrowed slightly afterward. "...and?"

The older healer hesitated briefly, then quietly he answered, "He asked for his consort again."

Silence followed immediately afterward. Only distant waterfalls echoing through the mountains. Leor slowly looked back toward Zeramet. Toward the unconscious serpent emperor lying within his mountain manor.

And quietly and almost thoughtfully he murmured, "...so the rumors were true after all."

One nearby wolf knight frowned slightly afterward. "You believe he is truly the dead Malik of Zahryssar?"

Leor remained silent briefly, then slowly he nodded as his gaze darkened faintly afterward.

"A royal serpent does not carry such a terrifying aura accidentally, and no ordinary male whispers for his consort with such desperation even while unconscious."

The mountain winds moved softly through the chamber, then Leor looked carefully toward Zeramet’s face again.

Silver hair, bronze skin, and golden eyes hidden beneath trembling lashes, and quietly he continued, "He matches every description carried through the trade routes. Silver hair. Bronze skin. Golden eyes."

Meanwhile, the wolf knights exchanged tense glances afterward. Leor’s voice lowered thoughtfully. "He is indeed the tyrant emperor of Zahryssar."

Silence spread heavily through the chamber. Then quietly and almost suspiciously Leor murmured:

"I simply wonder..." His amber eyes narrowed slightly. "...how such a powerful emperor lies unconscious for this many days...and how Zahryssar already mourned his death so quickly."

No one answered him because the question itself sounded dangerous. Then suddenly another knight stepped forward respectfully.

"The Emperor’s orders remain unchanged, my lord."

Leor nodded once afterward; his gaze sharpened dangerously. "Until further command...house Vaelric shall continue protecting the outsider."

A dangerous silence followed afterward. Then slowly, Leor added, as his expression darkened faintly. "And as His Majesty commanded...the serpent emperor may yet prove useful to Qashmar."

The atmosphere inside the chamber shifted subtly afterward, colder and more political. Then Leor slowly turned away from the bed.

"So no one must learn he is here." His amber eyes narrowed. "Especially the consort whose name he continues whispering."

Immediately the wolf knights bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord."

And just like that the noble lord disappeared beyond the chamber doors alongside his guards.

THUDDD.

Upon the bed Zeramet’s fingers twitched faintly because beneath the fog of unconsciousness—he had heard fragments of their conversation.

Blurry and distant. Yet enough to disturb the restless emperor within.

"...better he remains asleep..." One healer muttered quietly afterward while checking Zeramet’s pulse. "...he becomes agitated whenever consciousness returns."

Another healer nodded slowly. Then carefully he reached toward a silver tray of mountain herbs. "I shall prepare Varesh’an root for him."

The older healer nodded in agreement afterward.

"Good."

The herb smoke slowly thickened throughout the chamber afterward, warm, heavy, and sleep-inducing.

And moments later Zeramet’s restless breathing gradually calmed again. His body sinking deeper into unconsciousness beneath the mountain silence.

While far away somewhere beneath another mountain sky, the consort he desperately searched for unknowingly moved closer toward him with every passing hour.

***

[Meanwhile—Sah’Rumeh Village—Same Time]

The warm afternoon winds moved gently across Sah’Rumeh. Unlike Zahryssar’s suffocating palace walls, life here breathed openly. Children laughed loudly through the village paths, smoke rose from clay ovens, and somewhere near the wooden water wells, wolf women argued loudly over bread prices while warriors sharpened blades nearby.

Across the open village grounds Asha sprinted wildly through the sand paths while children chased behind him screaming excitedly, and atop the tiger’s head, Lyresaph proudly roared tiny threatening noises at anyone trying to touch him.

"I CAUGHT THE DRAGON—!"

"NO FAIR—!"

"THE TIGER LIKES ME MORE—!"

And beneath one of the shaded cedar shelters Levin quietly sat beside Grandmother Hira, wrapped in warm village robes, still pale and still carrying exhaustion deep inside his eyes.

But somehow—less broken than before.

Nearby, Iru carefully helped several villagers sort mountain herbs and medicinal roots. The villagers surprisingly welcomed his help quickly.

Mostly because, Iru talked too much to remain suspicious.

Then quietly, while watching the children run, Grandmother Hira suddenly sighed. "...the children laugh now."

Levin slowly looked toward her afterward.

"But nights have become difficult again."

Several nearby villagers fell quieter afterward. The atmosphere is subtly shifting and heavier.

Levin noticed it immediately. "...because of the beast?"

Grandmother Hira nodded slowly, and one older villager nearby spat bitterly into the sand afterward.

"That cursed thing should have died months ago." Another villager gripped his prayer beads tightly afterward.

"It no longer hunts only villages." His voice trembled faintly. "It attacks entire territories now."

Silence spread beneath the shelter afterward. Even the children’s laughter suddenly felt distant.

Levin frowned slightly. "...what exactly is this beast?"

The villagers exchanged uneasy glances afterward. As though even speaking its name invited misfortune.

Then quietly one villager finally answered, "...the beast is called Ashkareth."

The name alone felt heavy, ancient, and wrong.

Grandmother Hira lowered her gaze afterward. "The Black Devourer."

Levin’s fingers twitched faintly. "Ashkareth first appeared near the southern mountain territories three years ago."

One villager spoke quietly.

"At first...we thought it was only another wild creature until entire patrol groups disappeared. Ashkareth does not behave like an ordinary beast."

One wolf warrior murmured darkly afterward.

"It destroys but it also thinks."

Levin’s expression slowly darkened afterward, and then another villager leaned closer quietly. "Some survivors claimed...it speaks. One village vanished in a single night."

Grandmother Hira whispered quietly afterward. "Not bodies, the entire village."

The atmosphere beneath the shelter became suffocating afterward. Levin could feel it now: genuine fear but the fear of something ancient hunting in darkness.

Then quietly Iru asked from nearby, "...surely the Emperor of Qashmar sent warriors against it?"

The villagers laughed bitterly afterward, hopelessly. "The Emperor himself fought Ashkareth once and barely survived."

Levin’s eyes widened faintly afterward.

Grandmother Hira slowly nodded. "The wolf clans possess no magical powers like serpents or mages; we survive with claws and strength, but even entire hunting groups struggle against Ashkareth. The only reason the villages still stand..."

Her eyes moved toward the protective wolf symbols carved around the village borders.

"...is because the Master of the Magic Tower placed shielding spells across the empire."

Levin slowly looked around afterward. Only now noticing faint silver markings hidden beneath the village gates and walls.

"But spells are not eternal; they weaken, they break, and nobody knows when Ashkareth will strike next."

Silence swallowed the shelter afterward, heavy and cold. Levin slowly looked toward the faint silver markings carved beneath the village gates again.

Protective spells, fragile spells, and temporary spells he didn’t notice until now.

And quietly his thoughts drifted in deep thought, and then he felt something strange near his abdomen. Something had started feeling wrong. Not painful, not yet, but strange and unstable like his body no longer moved according to the same rhythm as before.

Then suddenly a sharp twisting pain struck low inside his stomach. Levin visibly stiffened afterward, his fingers tightening instantly against the wooden seat beneath him.

"Ngh..."

Immediately Grandmother Hira turned toward him sharply. "...Levin?"

Meanwhile, nearby villagers looked over immediately afterward. Levin quickly forced himself upright slightly, trying to hide it and trying to breathe normally.

"Are you okay, child?" "Grandmother Hira asked.

"Yes...I only feel a little strange."

But even while speaking, another painful twist moved through his stomach, stronger this time. Levin’s expression slowly faltered afterward because suddenly he realized something horrifying.

Zeramet’s pheromones were weakening and vanishing rapidly. The warmth that had always remained faintly around him through the mate bond was becoming unstable and distant like smoke slowly disappearing into air.

And instantly fear gripped Levin’s chest violently.

"No..." He whispered unconsciously.

Iru’s and Grandmother Hira’s expressions changed immediately afterward. Years of healer instinct sharpening instantly.

"Levin." The old woman quickly moved closer, her weathered hands gently pressing against Levin’s stomach, and afterward, the moment she touched him, her expression froze completely.

Meanwhile Levin’s breathing became uneven, another sharp pain twisting through his body.

"Ngh—"

Immediately, Iru rushed forward afterward. "Malika?!"

But Grandmother Hira was no longer listening because beneath her hands she could feel it clearly now. And slowly and horrified, the old healer looked upward.

Levin’s trembling eyes met hers afterward. "...what is it?"

Grandmother Hira’s voice came quieter this time.

"You’re going into delivery."

Silence, a complete silence.

Levin’s face lost all color instantly as his fingers trembled violently against his stomach afterward.

"...what? No..." A sharp breath escaped him painfully. "...that’s impossible..."

Because they still had twenty-five nights remaining. Serpent eggs were never meant to come this early. Levin was already weak, and now...this...?

Then another painful cramp suddenly tore through Levin’s body, hard enough to force a broken groan from his throat.

"Ahh—!"

Immediately the villagers stood in alarm afterward.

Iru’s face turned completely pale.

"N-No... Malik is not here..." Panic flooded his voice afterward. "How...how are you going to lay the egg without your mate beside you?"

Levin curled slightly forward against the pain. One trembling hand clutching his stomach desperately. The other gripping the wooden chair hard enough for his knuckles to pale.

And for the very first time since escaping Zahryssar, genuine terror appeared across his face because now even his own body was beginning to betray him.