Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 26: The Legend

Chapter 26: The Legend

The sudden appearance of Ahspid made the women fall silent, creating a somewhat uncomfortable atmosphere inside the reading room.

The mage, clearly disappointed by such a cold and unenthusiastic greeting, leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms in front of his chest. His sparkling purple eyes slowly glided over each woman, one by one, like a predator examining which prey he wanted to attack first.

"Will you look at that... He has more jewellry on him every day than on our lady..."

Safie murmured those words under her breath, but Aideen’s keen hearing still caught them. Bella, too, looked the magus up and down with her big curious eyes and whispered,

"Indeed, he does seem to accessorize a lot. Just like a woman."

Unfazed by the maids’ judgmental remarks, Ahspid quickly fixed his silver and golden rings on every single finger as if to make sure that they were visible to others. With a theatrical flair, he nearly leaped into the armchair beside Aideen, his long red earrings catching the flickering orange reflections of the fireplace.

He snapped his fingers, prompting Safie to release a short shriek as the book she had been holding soared into the air, landing seamlessly in the mage’s hands.

The man offered the startled maid a wide grin, then shifted his purple eyes to the book and read aloud,

"The Mysterious Fairytales Of The North... Ha! Boring!"

Ahspid’s booming voice reverberated through the reading room, causing all three women to flinch at the unexpected volume. The mage carelessly tossed the leather-covered book into the fire, and the room was immediately engulfed in the pungent scent of burnt leather and old paper.

Aideen widened her eyes in shock and nearly exclaimed,

"Did you just throw that book into the fire?!"

Ahspid stretched his reddish lips into another wide smile and responded with an inappropriately pleased tone,

"Your Highness... Even though our lessons in magic will only commence once His Grace is back in the castle, for whatever reason it may be, I don’t think it is wise for you to waste your time on silly childish fairytales. There is nothing worse than an idle mind, so how about we use it to learn something else instead?"

Bewildered once again, Aideen leaned slightly forward and asked,

"Something else? What does that mean?"

Ahspid leaned in as well, shortening the distance between them. His long purple hair fell over his face like curtains, and he said,

"Instead of reading the mind-numbing stories of people who never really existed, how about we learn a little more about the very same mysterious place called The North and those who actually lived here?"

"Do you possess extensive knowledge about The North?"

Safie, too, moved closer to the magus and the princess, her face beaming with excitement and curiosity. Ahspid nodded at the maid, leaned comfortably against the plush back of the armchair, and started fidgeting with his rings once again. His voice filled the reading room like a magic spell as he began,

"The North is a place shrouded in mystery and legends. Some say that it appeared even before the first humans set foot onto these lands, while others believe that it was humans who created it. However, one thing remains certain – The North is the land of nothing but death!"

"What are you even saying, Lord Ahspid? Stop it; you will scare Her Highness!"

Bella stopped knitting once again, shooting a rather stern glare at the magus who, in response, only shrugged his shoulders in a playful manner and continued,

"What is there to be scared of? Nothing can really survive in this cold apart from magic creatures, hence the morbid description! But the history of The North is truly enchanting!

A long time ago, when the world was young and the lands were uncharted, there existed a realm known as "The North." It was a land of icy beauty and unforgiving landscapes, where snow-capped mountains touched the heavens and frosty winds whispered tales of ancient magic.

At the heart of this frozen "kingdom" lived Utar, a majestic snow dragon with scales as white as the purest snow and eyes that sparkled like emeralds. Utar soared across the skies, his breath freezing the air and leaving a trail of enchantment in his wake. Yet, amidst the eternal snow, a flame ignited within his heart, a flame named Navia.

Navia, a skilled female mage with a spirit as fierce as the dragons themselves, had caught Utar’s gaze. Love blossomed between the unlikely pair, transcending the boundaries that separated their worlds. The kingdom of dragons, recognizing the strength of their bond, granted permission for Utar and Navia to unite in matrimony.

Their union marked the beginning of an era of harmony between dragons and humans. A pact was sworn, binding the two species to protect each other in times of need. As a testament to their commitment, Utar and Navia conceived a child, the first descendant of a dragon with golden and green eyes—a reflection of the union between the fire of humanity and the icy nature of the dragons.

The child inherited the powers of dragons, though they manifested less prominently. Nevertheless, this hybrid lineage brought forth an age of prosperity, where dragons and humans lived side by side in mutual respect.

However, news of the snow dragons and their unique powers reached the ears of neighboring settlements. Envious and fearful, they sought to exploit these gifts for their own gain. The peaceful coexistence turned into a time of trials as other settlements, blinded by greed and ambition, began to hunt the dragons.

Human warriors, aware of the impending danger, valiantly defended their dragon brethren. Yet, the powers bestowed upon them were not enough to withstand the relentless onslaught. Slowly, the dragons faced extinction, their once-vibrant skies now marred by the shadows of impending doom.

In a desperate bid to protect the last remaining dragon, Utar and Navia devised a plan. Navia used her formidable mage skills to seal the dragon’s powers and hid him within a secluded cave near their settlement. The seal was enchanted with ancient magic, and only a worthy descendant of their kind would be able to break it and restore the dragon’s powers.

As the dragon slept, powerless and tired, his cold breath permeated the land, freezing it over in an eternal winter. Navia, leaving behind a prophecy, spoke of a time when a worthy soul would emerge to rekindle the dragon’s flame and reclaim its powers to protect what’s important to them.

Though powerless, the very first descendant of Utar and Navia, Prince Yeven, built a kingdom near these lands and named it after his father, the Great Snow Dragon, Utar.

While The North itself remained unclaimed for centuries due to its desolate nature, it was none other than King Caleb Valentine who captured the land and proclaimed it a part of Geraldion."

Ahspid finally paused, concluding his story with a somewhat content smile gracing his reddish lips. He fixed his piercing eyes on Aideen, who remained enchanted by such an unusual tale. He waited for her reaction; however, as none followed even after several minutes of silence, the magus lost his patience and finally exclaimed,

"Do you get it now, Your Highness? You are a descendant of Utar and Navia! You are a descendant of a Snow Dragon!"