"Why? The answer's simple — because I love you, Edea."
He didn't try to explain further or soften his words.
"So what if you think you're worthless? So what if you despise yourself? So what if you believe you're weak or repulsive?"
His voice rang firm and full of emotion as a golden aura began to radiate from him, spreading outward and cloaking his body.
Impossible!
Edea's eyes widened in shock. That aura—
Mana? And with an attribute?
Even Mars had only awakened early with attributeless mana. Humans weren't supposed to have elemental mana before forming a contract.
Then she saw it—Sol's sky-blue eyes shifting into slitted golden ones, and she immediately understood.
He's awakened his dragon blood.
Sol, about to continue speaking, paused as a new surge of energy coursed through him. Looking down, he saw golden scales sprouting on his hands. He clenched his fists, marveling at the sensation.
Then—
Damn.
The momentum he'd built up evaporated instantly.
Never thought I'd be disappointed about awakening.
He gave a bitter laugh and sighed, but a mischievous thought soon crossed his mind.
"Teacher, looks like I awakened earlier than expected."
Snapping out of her daze, Edea smiled and clapped lightly.
"Congratulations!"
Truth be told, early awakening didn't provide any real advantage. It merely indicated that his mana reserves were overflowing—proof of extraordinary potential. Still, as she applauded, a sigh of relief escaped her heart.
That boy really cornered me this time.
Her cheeks still burned from his earlier confession. It had hit her like a fireball to the face—direct, unguarded, impossible to deflect.
Next time, I'll have to be more careful—
"Teacher, my awakening—it's rare, isn't it? Other than my father's, I mean."
His question pulled her from her thoughts. She nodded absentmindedly, though an uneasy feeling stirred inside her.
Then came his sly grin.
"As my teacher, shouldn't you reward me for my success?"
"A reward?" she echoed, frowning slightly. For some reason, it felt like she was walking into a trap.
"Of course. You always say good work deserves a proper reward. So… I want one."
They locked eyes—Sol seated, wrapped in shimmering mana; Edea standing, hesitant but composed.
After a tense pause, she sighed and looked away, pouting. Sol's victorious smile widened.
"What do you want as a reward, then?"
But before she could blink—
Kiss.
Warmth pressed against her lips, an arm snaking tightly around her waist. Her eyes shot open to find Sol, no longer seated, kissing her deeply. She tried to raise her arm, but he caught her wrist easily.
My first kiss!
Panic flooded her mind. She could have broken free with a touch of mana, but her body refused to move.
"Mmm! Mmh!"
Her weak protests faded as his kiss deepened, his tongue teasing hers, the world around them dissolving. Sol, well-versed in intimacy, didn't waste a moment in overwhelming her senses.
But just as she was slipping into the haze, reality crashed back in. She pushed him away with a burst of mana, eyes wide with terror.
"Stop! The curse!"
Her voice trembled. Then, confusion replaced fear as she looked at her trembling hand.
"Impossible…"
Twice now, she'd been utterly shocked.
"Teacher?" Sol asked carefully. He didn't regret what he'd done—he knew she'd never have allowed it otherwise. Not because she didn't want to, but because a kiss was enough to trigger her curse.
Life Drain.
That was the witches' true curse. Unlike succubi, witches couldn't control how much life they absorbed. Even a kiss could rob a man of years. And sex? According to records, the longest any partner had survived was an elf from the Northern Pride Kingdom—he'd lasted just fifty minutes.
Edea trembled, covering her mouth.
"Sol… do you know? Even if we can't control the drain, we can sense exactly how much life we take." Her voice weakened. "That reckless kiss of yours should've cost you months—maybe a year of life. But… you only lost ten minutes."
"So the curse doesn't work on me?!" Sol's eyes lit up in disbelief and joy.
"Not exactly immune," she murmured, "but it's heavily diluted. Anything beyond a kiss would still be too dangerous."
Her mind spun. How could this be? Even with his vast mana, a divine curse shouldn't be resisted—yet somehow, he was barely affected.
Then it hit her.
"…You're a hybrid. More precisely—a half-dragon."
"Teacher?"
"Quiet!" she snapped, waving him to silence as her thoughts raced.
Dragons—creations of Tiamat, the Dragon of Pride, a divine being equal to Asmodeus. Blaze, Sol's mother, was one of Tiamat's favored children—born closest to her origin: chaos.
Chaos Dragons. Beings immune to all magic.
That same immunity had made Blaze and Mars an unstoppable duo.
And Sol…
Born from two entities immune to magic itself—how could he not inherit a fragment of that resistance?
Edea's heart pounded as she realized the implications. But it didn't stop there.
Dragons also have… that other trait.
Her face flushed hot as she recalled what the records said:
A lust without end. They say a dragon can impregnate anything capable of bearing life.
Her hand trembled as she touched her stomach—not from desire, but pure fear.
She was powerful, yes, one of the first witches—but far from the only one. If other witches, especially the cursed ones longing for love or children, discovered this truth…
She swallowed hard.
"Sol… we might have a bit of a problem."