“That’s where the legend comes from!” Miria gasped adorably.

  “Yes, it does. They then traveled together and he took her into his family as a mate to strengthen both of them. They discovered how their bond affects the magic and created that research we stumbled on. Red researched many schools of magic and visited multiple realms with her by his side, sending Kaguya out to grow and gain experience in some of them alone, like Umbra’s dimension for example. Naturally, he got to Bryn’s world too, somewhat healing himself with the miraculous treatment chamber. I don’t know everything he or they did but it’s certainly a lot.” Asterios kept playing with Miria’s ear while staring into the distance.

  “And at some point, they did each other without protection and made you.” Grea smirked.

  He chuckled. “Right. He finally relented under her constant begging. Turns out he shouldn’t have. Their union created a monstrosity most likely no one has ever seen, a True Dragon with two Dragon’s Hearts from opposing lineages.”

  “What about your first source, though?” Tina asked.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure. Maybe I don’t have access to the bits related to it, but there’s literally nothing about that one in my current knowledge or memories. It feels weird. I can be certain that it isn’t a third Heart, though. It’s too weak, even if I can’t say much about the emerald lineage,” Asterios replied with a shrug.

  “I don’t think it came from Kaguya either,” Selene added. “For one, it’s green instead of blue. It lacks the characteristics of our bloodline. I do sense a connection to you in relation to our shared ancestor but it’s not the spiritual essence of the Moonborn that is stored inside a source.”

  “There’s always another mystery.” Miria sighed a little bit dejectedly.

  “Thankfully, it doesn’t feel that major when compared to the other ones,” Silvia tried to cheer the panthergirl up. “Asterios has gained a lot of strength by fully discovering his lineages and reclaiming what has been taken away from him.”

  “I wonder. Why did Master’s parents keep running away so much with him? Did they really have to cripple Master so much?” Miria furrowed her brows cutely.

  “Well, that’s more or less obvious. They had to constantly be on the move so that Red’s enemies didn’t realize that he was alive. I was one of the traces that could lead them to him, so they sealed my memories and Dragon’s Heart. I was an abomination in draconic terms, and Red had no idea how strong I could get. I could technically take either of the sides of the conflict too so he decided to play it safe and remove any connection with Black before hiding me between humans,” Asterios answered.

  “So despicable.” Bryn shook her head. “I can’t imagine doing something like that to my children.”

  “I don’t think any of us can. But, that’s the reality of True Dragons,” Silvia agreed with her.

  A brief silence fell onto them, broken only by the noise of sloshing water.

  “Alright. Enough of this moody shit.” Grea threw her hands into the air and slammed them into the hot liquid, splashing everyone around. “We should be celebrating right now, screaming in joy that our amazing boyfriend has become his true self. We can worry about the things we are missing later. Are we understood or do I have to reach for more drastic measures to brighten the mood?”

  She leaned into Ast’s side and started running her palm over his chest and stomach with an impish grin. The way she angled her body gave no doubts about what kind of measures the lascivious demon lady had in mind.

  He chuckled and caught her hand before it wandered too far south, stealing a kiss from his frivolous mate. Grea hummed happily as he aggressively chased after her tongue, rubbing herself into his arm. Before things got too heated, though, Asterios drew his lips back and smirked at her.

  “Let’s wrap things up here and grab something to eat. They said there will be a party later, but I’m sure all of us could use some sustenance after storming the Spire for so long. We can continue our talks outside of the bath. Our bodies will surely be grateful for that,” he said with a wink.

  Everyone agreed and they refocused on finishing their bath to head out for a snack.

  Chapter 50

  The New Light

  Asterios and the girls spent a few more minutes in the bath to make sure that Miria’s fur was perfectly clean and cared for. Afterward, she withdrew her bloodline and showed up in her usual birth suit in front of them, with a timid blush finally visible on her cheeks. There were no traces or stains remaining on her fair skin so everyone agreed that their mission to wash the panthergirl up succeeded.

  They stepped out of the bath and got to drying themselves up. Grea received help from Aura, who surrounded her master’s entire figure with her heated gas form, gently evaporating all the water from the surface of the demon lady’s body. Tina let Ori out and allowed her little friend to use simple Wind Magic to do the same. Silvia naturally used her amber fire to somewhat mimic Grea while Miria and Selene worked together with towels. As for Asterios, he paired up with Bryn and they took a hold of a few pieces of fluffy material too.

  Everyone then jumped to Selene’s mansion so they could dress up. Of course, going in small groups just to be safe. Thanks to the size of the fox lady’s bedrooms, they used to store their spare clothes in her wardrobes, dressers, and drawers. Finished, they met up outside of their assigned residence and went toward the center of the ARK.

  As they strolled through the metal streets, most of the valkyrjas seemed to be talking about the mysterious Dragon that had been escorted by the sentinels not that long ago. The winged women were excited for the most part, brimming with curiosity and desire to know more about the unexpected guest. Asterios and the girls caught a bunch of speculations of rumors already circulating amongst the residents, with some making him smile wryly.

  Meanwhile, most of his companions had soft smirks and grins on their lips. The valkyrjas clearly had no idea that it had been Asterios earlier and the subject of their heated discussion was currently walking amongst them through the streets bathed in the rainbowy marks created by the crystal tower.

  Well, except for Miria. She proudly puffed her chest out and paraded with a happy smile, greatly enjoying the gossip about her beloved master.

  Before anyone knowledgeable enough connected the mysterious draconic figure with Asterios, he and the girls arrived at one of the diners and ordered a bunch of tasty dishes to fill up their bellies. Miria and Selene requested for their portions to be prepared twice or even thrice in amount when compared to the others. It looked like their transformations had burned a lot of energy out of the two beastgirls and they didn’t hide their increased appetite.

  “That reminds me, we haven’t really talked about those advancements of yours while we were in the bath. Is it only Miria and Selene who grew stronger in that brief moment while I was gone in the volcano realm?” Asterios pondered out loud while exchanging bites with Grea, who playfully acted as his caretaker or sweet girlfriend.

  “I’m sure you can sense it too but our bonds expanded by a lot,” Tina replied first and the others nodded. “Their change is the most noticeable due to the direct effect it had on their appearance and abilities.”

  “She is right. We all felt much stronger after you came back. I could tell how much more powerful my magic had become. I’m very eager to test it out whenever we shall have a calmer moment,” Silvia joined in.

  “Well, you girls have it much easier to quantify the change. It’s not that simple for us, Summoners. Though, Tina’s case shouldn’t be that hard either since she specializes in personal offensive rather than relying on her familiars to fight,” Grea added. “Anyway, I do feel much healthier, I guess. Being a True Dragon’s mate is no joke. Not to mention one that technically works like two.”

  “I see. I’m glad to hear that. How does each of you feel after I regained the lost half, then? Including you two too, of course,” Asterios asked, turning to Miria and Selene.

  Everyone exchanged glances and they all turned to the panthergirl, who was stuffing herself with the food they had ordered, wolfing through it like it was supposed to be her last meal. Noticing their stares, Miria understood that they were intending for her to begin and she hastily swallowed whatever she had amassed in her mouth with a loud gulp.

  “I feel great, Master. There was this intense surge of energy that washed over me while you were gone and my physique got enhanced by a lot. It was enough for me to fully draw out the full strength of my bloodline, as you have seen. It’s incredible. There are only two elders in our tribe who can do that and I don’t think it’s as powerful as mine,” she replied with a massive, sunny grin.

  Asterios smiled back at her and ruffled through Miria’s black hair, caressing her soft ears as she returned to the feast laid down in front of them.

  “As for me, my Lord, I experienced a massive spike in my spiritual energy, which immediately pushed me to ten tails, as you have seen too,” Selene continued after her.

  “Ah, right! You became a big fox! Are you a goddess now?” Miria paused once more to stare at her friend in awe.

  Selene chuckled softly with a gentle smile. “I don’t know. It seems like the part about our very distant ancestor, most likely progenitor, being at least a nine-tailed mystical fox beast is somewhat true, just like the belief that you will be able to turn into one at that stage. I have a lot to learn about that transformation but I do feel much stronger now. My external circuits might play a role in it too. You might have missed it during the battle but I’m sure that they glowed under my fur, covering much more of my body than before.”

  “Lerisse and Ronye are going to die from shock.” Asterios shook his head and noticed the impish smirk growing on Selene’s luscious lips.

  After a short round of laughter, the girls turned to Tina and the blue-haired Summoner girl blushed faintly.

  “As Grea said, our changes won’t be as apparent, but I can sense the difference, and so can my familiars. I have no doubt that our techniques became much more efficient. I feel like we can go for much more complex combinations and fusions. Just like Selene mentioned, we will need some time to experiment on that since I don’t think even Professor is able to aid us at this level,” she said and shared a nod with Grea.

  “All of us will have to rediscover our limits,” Silvia spoke after her. “Until recently, I was certain that I could only imitate Father with his most iconic spells, but after the events inside the Core Chamber, my potential seems to have greatly expanded. True Sun’s bloodline benefited a lot from us becoming one when you had only one Dragon’s Heart, but with two, I can’t yet fathom its potency. One thing is for sure, matching my father is no longer just a dream. With your help, I might even actually surpass him.”

  Since Grea had already shared her thoughts on the topic before they’d even begun, the gazes fell onto Bryn.

  “I’m fairly new to this entire… bond… thing. Therefore, I’m still in the process of learning about how it affects my performance. I can tell how much of a positive impact receiving Master’s affection has on me already. It might be a little tough to capture the recent changes too. It’s all a bit overwhelming at this moment,” the Valkyrie explained.

  “All is good. I just wanted to know your general thoughts on this. There’s no need to try extremely hard to put your thoughts and experiences into words just yet. We can all agree that your magic has become stronger, for sure.” Asterios smiled warmly and reached out to brush his fingers over the top of Bryn’s hand.

  “Yep. And while we certainly have grown stronger, I think there’s one person who literally exploded in front of our eyes.” Grea grinned at him while waggling her eyebrows.

  “That’s right! You are now a real Dragon, Master!” Miria bounced on her seat with pure joy.

  “I must say, that certainly was a sight to behold.” Silvia showed a gentle smile while Tina nodded to her words.

  Asteris chuckled. “I guess it was. I’m in the same boat as Miria, Selene, and the rest of you. I cannot fathom the extent of things that I can do in that massive form of mine. Well, I do have an inkling of an idea, but it will surely be tough without a teacher. My alter ego was right about one thing. I was brought up as a human, not a True Dragon. With my memories additionally sealed, I’m like a newborn kitten stepping into the territory of mature, experienced tigers. It won’t be easy to catch up.”

  “According to Red’s instructions, you at least possess the bare minimum, right?” Tina glanced at him with a caring gaze. “He told us to come here, surely to regain your removed source, before we try to approach any other Dragons. I agree that you might need some guidance, though. What are the chances that we will stumble on a True Dragon that’s both not hostile and willing to teach you about your lineage?”

  “I think we might have higher chances of tracking down Red and Kaguya if they are still alive,” Selene commented.

  They all nodded to her words.

  “Will that be our next goal? Finding Master’s real parents? So that I can punch that horrible woman right in the face?” Miria raised her gaze up from her plate and looked at Asterios intently.

  He snorted and scratched behind her chin. “If no one has any other ideas, we might as well. After we wrap all the things up in Bryn’s realm, of course. We could set out on a new adventure together, to look for all their hideouts and discover what they hid in them. It does sound like fun, doesn’t it?”

  Miria beamed at him as her black eyes sparkled with excitement. Her tail danced wildly behind her back as she nodded her head multiple times in quick succession. The other ladies laughed heartily at her enthusiasm, bringing an adorable, rosy flush onto Miria’s gentle cheeks.

  “Maybe the miraculous device will give us a new hint. There’s a chance that it’s now able to interfere with the seal on your memories, my Lord. They can’t stay locked up forever,” Selene suggested. “But, in case it doesn’t work, I swear I will do whatever it takes to destroy that vile seal Kaguya and Red placed on your mind as I cooperate with Grea’s father. I will use all means necessary to surpass her and take it down by force if I have to. With you by my side, I am confident that it won’t take long until that happens.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it. I really do. It means a lot, especially from someone whom I love dearly.” Asterios smiled at her kindly, bringing a rare trace of a blush onto Selene’s usually composed expression.

  “I would do anything for my Soul Mate. Words aren’t capable of conveying how much I love you, my Lord. Even actions might not be strong enough. But, fortunately, you can feel it right through my heart thanks to our blessed connection.” She picked Ast’s hand up and pressed it to her chest as her single, bushy tail wagged mesmerizingly behind her back.

  “So cheeky!” Miria strongly set her plate back on the metal table and grabbed Ast’s other hand, mirroring her motion. “You aren’t the only one who would do anything for Master! My heart belongs to him too!”

  “Girls, girls, girls. I admire your enthusiasm, but you are doing it all wrong. He can’t feel your heart properly like that. You first need to remove all the obstructions, just like this.” Grea clicked her tongue while waving her finger at them and began unpinning her top.

  Before she progressed too far, Asterios quickly withdrew his hands and locked Grea’s wrists together.

  “Behave.” He squinted at her.

  She nibbled on her bottom lip. “What if I don’t want to?”

  He moved one palm to her cheeks and cupped them up firmly. “No Dragon riding for you, then. A month should be enough to teach you manners.”

  “Fuck. You always make such strong points.” She bit on her lip even harder, briefly dropping her gaze to Ast’s crotch for a split second.

  He smirked and leaned in to leave a chaste peck on her lips, drawing out a satisfied hum from the impish demon lady. He released her wrists and cheeks before moving away.

  “I’ll be a good girl, then,” Grea whispered with a gaze full of desire. “Surely, if there’s punishment, there has to be a reward too, right?”

  He shook his head and spared her no more of his attention. “In any way, we strayed off a bit. There’s one more person we haven’t heard from yet.”

  Right on cue, shadows crept onto the table from all directions and gathered in the very middle, taking the shape of a big, black raven with pure purple eyes.

  “Any change for you, Umbra?” Asterios asked curiously.

  ~Quite a significant one, Master.~ He nodded his beak. ~To begin with, when I’m here, it’s almost as if the curse has no effect on me with how powerful your sources are. I did not expect to experience that feeling this soon. I’m currently concealing most of my presence not to cause unnecessary uneasiness amongst the innocent bystanders, but when the time is right, I’m fairly sure I can go pretty much all out in this realm.~

  “The evil parrot is finally ready to take over the world?” Grea snickered to herself.

  “I’m glad to hear that, really.” Asterios smiled at him. “Your assistance in fights with overwhelmingly strong enemies will certainly be invaluable now. An ancient entity such as yourself certainly is no joke.”

  ~I will definitely be able to do much more now. The speed of my transfers will naturally rise significantly too. And that’s also something I would like to discuss with you, Master,~ Umbra replied.

  “What is it?” Asterios raised a brow at the shadowy bird.

  ~Your affinity with darkness and shadows rose exponentially, Master. I dare to assume that it’s the effect of you possessing the Dragon’s Heart of a black True Dragon. I should not only be able to transfer you as fast as I can transfer myself, but you might even be able to learn that movement,~ Umbra explained.