Reawakening: Primordial Dragon with Limitless Mana
Chapter 43: Strange occurence

Chapter 43: Strange occurence

"How did it go?" Hades asked quietly, standing before Graham’s grave.

Rinne stood beside him, her hand gently clasped in his.

"They didn’t suspect anything," she replied, her voice calm but edged with lingering irritation. "And I barely stopped myself from slapping your brother."

Hades let out a faint breath of frustration. "Did he do something?"

His grip on her hand tightened, almost instinctively.

Rinne shrugged, her expression unimpressed. "Tried to flirt. Typical, really. But he backed off quickly after getting warned by his sister."

Hades sighed. "Figures."

A brief silence passed between them, the air heavy but calm, as they both stared at the gravestone in front of them.

Then Rinne broke the silence.

"How did it go with Thalia?"

Hades exhaled deeply. "Better than I ever imagined," he said, a soft smile pulling at his lips. "She was angry... but she didn’t push me away."

Rinne’s lips curved as well. "Didn’t I tell you? It would go well."

Hades nodded slowly. "She’s... strong. Stronger than I could ever be. I saw how close she was to her brother. And yet... she never once blamed me. She told me Graham died protecting the second person she cares about the most."

At those words, Rinne leaned her head on his shoulder, her voice tender. "True. I can’t be more thankful to Graham either."

Hades took a deep breath, eyes fixed on the gravestone. His chest stirred with a flood of emotions—grief, guilt, gratitude, love.

He stepped a little closer, voice low but steady.

"See you on the other side, brother... Wait for me."

....

Not long after, they decided to have dinner at a nearby inn.

They were likely staying the night here, since Rinne had instructed Lady Quintessa—through the letter slipped into her hand—to meet Hades at the graveyard around midnight.

It was a risky move.

If Count Trevon discovered that his wife had secretly met with the disowned son of the family, things could become extremely difficult for her.

Although the Count deeply loved his wife, his hatred for Hades burned even deeper. That was why Hades didn’t want his mother to take any unnecessary risks—not for his sake.

To avoid drawing attention, Hades wore a hood that concealed most of his face and hair.

After all, nearly everyone in this town recognized him—especially those who had lived here for years.

Before becoming an adventurer at the age of fourteen, Hades had cycled through several odd jobs.

He’d worked as a porter, a server, a cleaner, a collector, and even a garbage picker.

His family never offered him a single coin. Not once. He had been fending for himself since he was six.

But his quick learning made him stand out even at a young age. It wasn’t long before he was polishing shoes in the marketplace—earning whatever he could to survive.

So yes, unless he wanted to be recognized—and risk word reaching Count Trevon—Hades had to remain hidden.

He kept his hood low as they settled into a quiet corner of the inn.

"Yes, that’s it. Thank you," Rinne said, placing their order before sitting back.

Her gaze drifted around the inn. Familiar woodwork, warm lighting, the quiet clatter of dishes—it brought a subtle ache to her chest.

This... brings back memories.

She exhaled softly, her eyes soon finding Hades.

He was staring at the table, brows slightly furrowed, clearly lost in thought.

"Hmm? Something on your mind?" she asked gently.

Hades leaned back in his chair, rubbing his fingers together before answering, "Back in the cave... when I was fighting that dragon, something strange happened."

Rinne’s heart tensed at the mention. She didn’t want him dwelling on that day. But avoiding it wouldn’t help either.

So she asked, "What did you see?"

Hades took a slow, deep breath.

"As I told you... I was already at my limit. That Duke-rank’s breath—just the pressure alone—it was overwhelming. I wasn’t ready for flames of that level."

Rinne’s hand instinctively reached for his. She squeezed it lightly.

But Hades gave a small shake of his head. "I’m not belittling myself. I knew I wasn’t strong enough yet. I accepted that."

His voice dropped lower.

"It’s just... what happened next completely shocked me."

Rinne remained silent, brows slightly raised in curiosity.

Hades leaned forward, voice low. "Suddenly... the dragon stopped. Not because it was tired. But because it was scared."

Rinne’s eyes widened. "Scared? Of what?" she asked, confused. No one else had been in the cave. It was just Hades.

He had even asked the voice inside him—the one that had awakened something strange in him—if it had anything to do with it. But the reply had been a simple, emotionless "No."

"...It’s strange," Rinne admitted after a moment, her voice soft, "but thanks to whatever it was, you made it out alive."

A small smile tugged at her lips—one of quiet relief.

Hades nodded slowly. "Indeed."

Not long after, the waitress arrived, balancing a large tray of food.

She laid out the spread before them—meat roasted in thick sauce, warm bread, a bowl of savory soup, lightly sautéed vegetables, two mugs of ale, and a generous slice of apple pie for dessert.

"You ordered a lot," Hades said, blinking at the feast. "But... well, I might just finish everything."

He chuckled, rubbing his hands before tearing a piece of bread, dipping it into the meat sauce, and taking a hearty bite.

"Mmm..." he hummed, a nostalgic smile creeping in. "This brings back so many memories."

Rinne agreed inwardly as she also chewed on the fried vegetables.

The atmosphere around them was peaceful.

Never-ending conversation, delicious food, and the comfort of home.

Truly, Hades would miss all of this.

....

After finishing dinner, they decided to check into the inn and rest for a while.

There was still some time left before midnight, and rather than aimlessly wandering around, they chose to take shelter and wait it out in peace.

Hades stood near the reception, leaning against the wall as Rinne handled the room booking.

While waiting, he whispered inwardly to the system,

’I don’t feel drunk at all...’

{Your endurance stat nullifies all forms of poison and curse effects.}

Hades let out a sigh.

Right... As he grew stronger, even human pleasures would begin to slip away from him.

He leaned back, letting his eyes fall shut for a moment.

But then—his body tensed.

The voice inside him stirred, urgent and cold.

[There is a dragon in the vicinity.]

A chill rushed down his spine. His eyes snapped open as he scanned the area around him.

Nothing. No commotion. No screams. No signs of chaos in the town.

’Where?’

[I felt its presence... but it vanished instantly.]

Hades clenched his jaw, his thoughts racing.

Was someone watching me? Or just passing by?

Whatever it was, he couldn’t afford to take chances.

He would remain vigilant—until the very moment he left this town.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.