When Noel Last heard the words "Dragon King," his entire body went rigid. He lowered his gaze, refusing to meet Leon's eyes, a clear sign of hesitation that only confirmed Leon's growing suspicions.
A cold smirk touched Leon's lips. "I've always wondered why the Empire was so obsessed with collecting Heartguard Dragon Scales. Was it truly just to create hybrid abominations like the one they made from Constantine? No, that was merely one facet of a much larger, more insidious plan."
Leaning in until his face was mere inches from Noel's, Leon continued, his voice a low, dangerous murmur. "Let's theorize. You, and others like you, have lived far beyond any natural human lifespan. This unnatural longevity... it comes from the scales harvested from the Dragon Kings you betrayed and slaughtered, doesn't it?"
Leon's hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of Noel's ragged tunic and hauling the older man to his feet. Noel's legs dangled uselessly, his face a mask of defiant fear as he struggled weakly.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Noel spat, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
"You don't? That's fine," Leon said calmly, his free hand moving to hover directly over Noel's chest. "I'm going to guess the source of your extended life is right here. What do you suppose would happen if I simply reached in and pulled it out? Would you crumble to dust in seconds, finally paying the debt of all those stolen years?"
The brutal threat hung in the stale air of the cell. Outside, Rebecca and the others listened intently. Martin shook his head slightly, muttering, "The Captain's methods have... evolved. It's getting hard to tell who the interrogator is here."
Rebecca crossed her arms, a proud grin on her face. "He was never this direct back in the corps. Seems he's picked up a few new techniques over the years."
"Oh? I wonder from whom," Martin mused.
Rebecca chuckled. "My money's on the sister-in-law. She's always had that perfect balance of grace and terrifying resolve."
Inside the cell, Leon's fingers were now pressing lightly against Noel's sternum. The last of the old man's composure shattered. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the reality of his situation crashed down upon him.
"Alright! Alright! I'll talk!" Noel's voice was a ragged plea. "Just... put me down!"
Leon released his grip, and Noel collapsed to his knees, gasping for air, pathetically grateful for the cold stone floor beneath him.
After a moment to collect himself, Noel spoke, his voice hollow. "I can tell you about the Empire's dragon-scale project. But you must guarantee my safety."
Leon's gaze remained as cold as steel. "Talk. You are in no position to make demands."
Noel knew the legends of Leon Cosmodeous—a man of honor, a hero. But the man standing before him was stripped of those platitudes, revealing a core of ruthless determination that made Noel's blood run cold.
His defiance彻底 evaporated. With a resigned sigh, he began. "Thirty years ago, the Empire secretly allied with certain Dragon Kings to manipulate the war's duration and outcome. The plan was controversial within the royal court, with factions evenly split. But the King... the previous king... proposed that if we could harvest the Heartguard Scales from Dragon Kings slain in the conflict, we could harness their primordial vitality."
Leon frowned, scrutinizing Noel. "But you possess no such power. And if the scales granted that kind of strength, the Empire would never have fallen so completely."
Noel nodded slowly. "The first successful scale transplant did not bestow the raw power of a Dragon King. What it did grant was something else entirely: a drastically extended lifespan and a significant enhancement to physical resilience."
Leon connected the dots instantly. "But in exchange, the transplanted scale corrupts the host's magical pathways, rendering them unable to wield magic. Isn't that right?"
Noel nodded, a flicker of bitter regret in his eyes. "Yes... that is why some military commanders refused the procedure. They still needed magic for combat. To be without it was to be utterly vulnerable on the battlefield."
He continued, his voice gaining a desperate momentum. "But others, like myself... the temptation of near-immortality was too great. We chose to have the scales implanted."
It was as Leon had suspected. The Empire's manipulation of the dragon war was driven by more than mere greed for resources and power; it was fueled by a deeper, more primal avarice—the desire for eternal life.
"No wonder Claudia said a dragon who loses their Heartguard Scale sacrifices a significant portion of their natural lifespan..." Leon murmured, his own hand unconsciously moving to his chest, where Rossweise's scale beat in rhythm with his heart. She hadn't just saved his life that day; she had shared her very vitality with him, binding their fates together.
Noel cleared his throat, drawing Leon's attention back. "Of course, such long life brings its own complications. Eventually, we had to stage our deaths to avoid raising suspicion among the populace. It was the only way to operate from the shadows without questions being asked."
Leon absorbed this, the full, grotesque picture of the Empire's corruption becoming clear. Their greed had cost countless dragon and human lives, all to feed the immortality of a select few.
Noel's confession triggered another connection in Leon's mind. "So, the previous king... he never truly died, did he?"
Noel hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. "The former king also received a scale transplant. But we haven't seen him since Canter officially took the throne. It's as if he vanished into thin air."
Leon's voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "But he never truly relinquished control, did he? He's been the hand guiding the puppet from the shadows all along."
Noel bit his lip, the final secret tumbling out. "Yes... Canter was always a figurehead. The true power, the mastermind you call 'Shadow'... has always been the former king."
The pieces slammed into place. Leon now understood two monumental truths:
The true purpose of the Heartguard Scale project was to grant the royal elite functional immortality. King Canter was a pawn, and the true enemy, the elusive "Shadow," was the supposedly dead former king, still alive and pulling the strings.
Noel had divulged everything of value. There was nothing left to extract.
"Someone will be along shortly to take your formal statement," Leon said, his tone devoid of warmth. "Ensure you tell them everything. Do you understand?"
Noel clutched at his chest and nodded fervently. "Yes... I understand."
Leon turned to leave, the heavy cell door groaning as he pushed it open. Just as he was about to step through, Noel's voice, thin and reedy, stopped him.
"Wait..."
Leon paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "What is it?"
Noel's eyes held a flicker of morbid curiosity. "Tell me... how is it that you know so much about the nature of a Heartguard Scale?"
For a single, suspended moment, Leon's heart stuttered in his chest. He lowered his gaze, the memory of Rossweise's sacrifice washing over him. When he looked up, his eyes held a depth of emotion that Noel could not fathom.
"I don't know the scales," Leon replied, his voice quiet but resonant with conviction. "I know the dragon who gave me hers."
Without another word, he stepped out of the cell, the door clanging shut behind him, leaving Noel alone with the chilling weight of that revelation.
Outside, Rebecca immediately fell into step beside him. "So? What's the next move, Captain?"
Leon's stride was determined, his focus razor-sharp. "We find a portrait of the former king. It's time we put a face to our ghost."