Solcarion- the Dragon God who had once been moved by the earnest prayer of the woman later revered as Saintess Miella- was the very being who had become the seal that restrained the Devil, the one feared across the world as the Demon King.

Ocean found it difficult to reconcile that truth.

The child he had been treating with such easy affection, the one he had scolded, protected, and indulged without a second thought... was the very Dragon God who had once answered his prayers. The same god who had granted him protection powerful enough to stand against even the authority of the system itself.

The realization refused to settle properly in his mind.

He did not know what he felt more strongly- shock or disappointment.

Sol had told him more than once that he was not a child, that Ocean should stop treating him like one. Yet Ocean had never been able to see past the small frame, the youthful face, and the way the boy lingered around him so naturally.

To Ocean, Sol had always looked like a child.

And so he had continued to treat him like one.

Now the truth sat heavily before him, forcing Ocean to reconsider every moment he had spent with the Dragon God he had unknowingly regarded as his own.

Ocean went to Eldarf after Sylvia contacted him again, insisting that he needed to come. Sol had left something for him.

Ocean had many things he wanted answers for. Sol had hidden his identity from him all this time, and yet he had disappeared without even a proper word. The questions had been gnawing at him ever since.

When he stepped inside the Eldarf manor, the teen Elves and Dwarves immediately perked up at the sight of him. A few of them straightened, others looked as if they were about to run up to him out of habit.

But the moment passed quickly.

Their faces were dull, their usual liveliness muted. It was obvious to anyone looking that the children were glum. Sol had left without telling anyone, and the absence had left a quiet weight hanging over the manor.

Ocean followed Sylvia up the stairs in silence. Their footsteps echoed softly along the corridor as they approached Sol’s room.

Since Sol was a Dragon and the youngest among them, at least in physical appearance, he had been given a separate room. The other children shared rooms like a dormitory, several beds arranged together, but Sol had been placed alone.

Sylvia stopped at the door while Ocean stepped inside.

The curtains had been drawn open, and bright sunlight streamed into the room, illuminating the quiet space. The air still carried Sol’s faint scent, lingering as if the boy had only just stepped out.

Ocean walked further in, his gaze slowly sweeping across the room.

He went to the wardrobe first.

When he opened it, he found the clothes still there, neatly arranged on their hangers just as Sol always kept them. It seemed Sol had only taken what was absolutely necessary before leaving.

A bitter feeling rose in Ocean’s chest for a moment.

But then he noticed something.

His hand moved through the hanging clothes as he searched for a particular item, the one he himself had given Sol.

When he looked more carefully, he realized it was gone.

Sol had taken the cloak Ocean had gifted him.

The cloak that bore the symbol of the Ryujin family.

The mark that meant Sol belonged to them.

Ocean’s eyes softened.

For a brief moment, the tightness in his chest eased as he turned away from the wardrobe. His gaze drifted across the room and landed on the small table near the window.

The fruit bowl was there, a few of the fruits were missing.

Ocean huffed quietly under his breath, a faint trace of reluctant amusement passing through him.

So Sol had taken something unnecessary after all.

He then made his way toward the bed.

The bed was neatly made, the sheets stretched smooth without a single crease. Sol had always been careful like that. Ocean reached out and placed his hand on the fabric.

Cold.

There was no lingering warmth left in the sheets.

Sol probably hadn’t slept here last night.

Which meant he had left much earlier, perhaps sometime around midnight.

Ocean withdrew his hand slowly.

That was when something else caught his attention.

Resting on the small bedside table was the communication brooch Ocean had given Sol. It was placed carefully over an envelope, as though it had been meant to be seen immediately.

Ocean picked up the brooch first.

He stared at it for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

He had explained to Sol how the brooch worked, how it would allow them to communicate no matter the distance between them and even allow Ocean to teleport to his location in case of emergency.

And yet...

Sol had left it behind.

Ocean placed the brooch aside and picked up the envelope. Sliding the letter out, he unfolded the paper.

The handwriting immediately caught his attention.

The lines were uneven, the letters small and cramped as if written by tiny fingers trying very hard to keep them neat. Several words and sentences had been scratched out, the ink layered where Sol had clearly hesitated.

Ocean’s eyes moved slowly across the page.

Dear Ocean,

I’m sorry that I am leaving without telling you. But that is how it is supposed to be.

I also apologise for not telling you about myself. I couldn’t help but feel ashamed of my weak and pathetic self.

I never planned to stay with you before, but your affection kept me bound. Even now, I feel reluctant to leave, but I must go.

̶I ̶w̶i̶s̶h ̶I ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d ̶s̶t̶a̶y ̶b̶y ̶y̶o̶u̶r ̶̶̶̶̶s̶̶̶̶̶i̶̶̶̶̶d̶̶̶e-

̶Y̶o̶u ̶s̶h̶o̶w̶e̶d ̶m̶e ̶̶h̶̶o̶̶w ̶i̶t ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶s ̶t̶o ̶b̶e ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶d, ̶s̶o ̶I ̶̶w̶̶a̶̶n̶̶t̶ ̶t̶o ̶̶s̶̶u̶̶p̶̶p̶̶o̶̶r̶̶t

̶I ̶h̶o̶p̶e ̶y̶o̶u ̶d̶o̶n’̶t ̶f̶a̶l̶l ̶s̶i̶c̶k ̶a̶g̶a̶i̶n ̶w̶o̶r̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t ̶̶e̶̶v̶̶e̶̶r̶̶y̶̶t̶̶h̶̶i̶̶n̶̶g. ̶Y̶o̶u ̶d̶o̶n’̶t ̶h̶a̶v̶e ̶t̶o ̶c̶a̶r̶r̶y ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g ̶o̶n ̶y̶o̶u̶r ̶o̶w̶n-

You have your own duty to fulfill, and I have mine. I cannot explain what it is, but I assure you that we will meet again.

Don’t come looking for me. You are needed there.

Caelthir will answer whatever questions you have.

Please apologise to the Kai and the others in my stead.

Yours,

Sol.

Ocean stared at the letter for a long moment after finishing it, he could clearly see the lines Sol had struck through.

The ink had been pressed harder there, the scratches uneven as if the words had been crossed out in hesitation. It was obvious those sentences had been written impulsively before Sol forced himself to erase them.

For a moment, Ocean felt an overwhelming urge to go after him.

To find wherever Sol had gone and drag him back.

The impulse rose so suddenly that his fingers tightened around the paper.

But Ocean restrained himself.

Slowly, he exhaled and forced the feeling down.

If Sol had gone to such lengths to leave quietly, then chasing after him now would only trample over the boy’s decision.

Ocean sighed softly.

As he glanced around the room one more time, something else caught his attention.

The pendant.

The small pendant he had given Sol, the one embedded with Ocean’s own mana stone, was not there.

Ocean paused for a second before a faint sense of relief settled in his chest.

So Sol had taken that with him.

The mana stone would help sustain him for a while. It carried Ocean’s mana after all, something far purer and stronger than most sources.

But even then, it wouldn’t be enough forever, Sol would still need healing and he would still need mana.

Ocean folded the letter carefully and slid it back into the envelope before placing it inside his vest pocket.

Just then, Sylvia’s voice came from the doorway.

"Master?"

Ocean turned toward her and offered a small smile.

"Don’t worry," he said gently. "He’s just gone on a journey. He’ll be back soon."

He walked toward her and lightly patted her head as he passed.

Sylvia looked up at him, but as Ocean brushed by, she caught something he had tried to hide.

There was a faint shadow of sadness in his eyes.

It made her chest tighten slightly.

She couldn’t understand why Sol had suddenly left.

Ocean continued down the stairs.

When he reached the lower floor, he noticed that everyone had gathered in the hall.

Not just the teenagers of Eldarf.

The Dark Elves were there as well, standing quietly along the sides, and even the elderly Dwarves had come out.

It seemed Sol’s sudden departure had unsettled the entire manor.

Ocean glanced around the hall.

Every pair of eyes was fixed on him- teenagers, Dark Elves, and the elderly Dwarves alike. The usually lively space felt unusually quiet, the tension thick enough to notice.

He drew a slow breath before speaking.

"Sol is gone for a while," Ocean said. "He had some work to do."

A murmur ran through the gathered group.

"But all of a sudden?" Warth asked, his brows knitting together in confusion.

Ocean nodded.

"It is sudden," he admitted calmly. "But it is what it is."

Then he offered them a reassuring smile.

"Don’t worry. He’ll be back soon."

The children still looked uneasy.

Cyrus stepped forward slightly, unable to hide his concern.

"Where did he go, Master?"

Ocean paused for a moment.

For the briefest second, his gaze lowered. Then he answered honestly, "I don’t know."

The moment those words left his mouth, the unease in the room deepened. Several of the children exchanged worried looks with each other.

Ocean quickly raised a hand.

"But," he continued firmly, "I trust that he will return safely."

His voice carried quiet certainty.

"So meanwhile, all of you should focus on your work."

He turned toward the door, intending to leave.

But after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped as something crossed his mind.

Ocean turned back toward them.

"And," he added.

The single word immediately drew everyone’s attention back to him.

"He apologized to everyone for leaving like this."

The room fell quiet again.

But the worry still lingered on their faces. Seeing that, Ocean’s expression softened.

"Hey," he called, drawing their attention once more.

"Sol is a strong dragon. Possibly even stronger than me." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "And he’s gone to help me."

He looked around at their anxious expressions.

"So don’t make faces like that."

His tone was gentle but reassuring.

"I know he’ll come back safe and sound."

The children slowly looked at one another, their tension easing little by little.

Just then Sylvia, who had followed Ocean downstairs, stepped forward and clapped her hands once.

"Of course," she said brightly. "Sol is a Dragon, after all. He’ll be back before we even realize it."

Her confidence helped settle the atmosphere.

The children gradually relaxed, some nodding to themselves as if convincing their own hearts.

Ocean glanced at Sylvia and gave her a small nod of gratitude.

Then he turned and left Eldarf.

There was still one more person who needed to hear the news.

Kai.