Chapter 144: Dragon Shortswords [I] The butcher’s hands trembled as he ran his palms over the slabs of meat. The veins in his forearms bulged, thick from years of cutting hide and bone, yet even his practiced grip seemed hesitant now. His fingertips traced the texture of the flesh again and again as though his senses were betraying him. Finally, his voice cracked in awe. "It feels like it was just cut... What kind of sorcery is this?" His gaze flicked from the meat to Veyra, as though expecting her to unveil some grand trick. The sparkle in his eyes, however, betrayed him — he wasn’t fearful. He was excited, like a child who had just stumbled upon treasure. "Name your price," he breathed, voice trembling. Veyra tilted her head with a sly little smirk, clearly enjoying the man’s excitement. But before she could say a word, Azel spoke. "There’s more." The butcher froze. "...More?" Azel lifted his hand, his ring pulsing faintly with a glow. With each flicker of magic, fresh bowls of meat materialized, filling the butcher’s counters. Again and again, he called them out until every table in the shop sagged under the sheer weight of it all. The butcher’s grin stretched until it looked almost manic, his eyes darting over the haul as though he’d just been handed the key to a kingdom. By the time the deal was struck and they left the shop, Azel and Veyra each carried heavy pouches that clinked faintly with wealth. Azel who was about to store them became curious and cracked one pouch open. The interior shimmered with an icy light. Instead of the warm gleam of gold, what met his eyes were coins of pure blue, their surfaces glowing faintly like frozen crystal. The cold emanating from them kissed his fingers. His brows rose. "...Blue coins?" Veyra glanced sideways, her lips curving upward knowingly. "Those are called Ares here," she explained. "I don’t know the name of the currency in the Empire, but this is what we trade by. A lot of Ares can buy you a reasonable house too." Azel hummed thoughtfully. ’Coincidence? The main world currency had been called Ares too.’ His eyes narrowed faintly. ’Nah. Plot convenience... it has to be.’ Behind them, Feng trailed with his cloth bags clutched to his chest, his every step heavy but determined. He said nothing, but his gaze lingered on his master with a quiet reverence. ’Master has power... and women... I truly am blessed to have such a heavenly master.’ His fingers dug into the cloth straps of the bags as his heart swelled. The blue flame he had managed earlier was proof enough that life was already changing. Now, seeing wealth exchange hands as easily as breathing, Feng felt resolve kindle deep within him. ’I need to get stronger. I should try to break through the first realm when we get home.’ [Bond Level: 1 → 100%] ’Eh? That’s too fast.’ Azel’s head turned subtly, crimson eyes narrowing on the boy at his side. Feng walked in silence, lips pursed, clearly lost in his own thoughts. The bond had spiked unnaturally, faster than expected. Azel half-wondered if the fool would trip while daydreaming. And right on cue, Feng stumbled, nearly collapsing under his own load. "Tch," Azel muttered under his breath. Before he could say anything, a whisper brushed his ear. "Hey." Veyra leaned close, her voice soft but edged with curiosity. "You didn’t tell me how you brought him inside." Azel blinked. Right... Edna trusted him so much she never pried about things like this. But Veyra? She was sharp, and she wasn’t afraid to dig. After all, Feng hadn’t been on the ship with them. He couldn’t just conjure up a stranger from nowhere. He sighed. "It’s one of my abilities. It allows me to summon someone once a year." "I see..." Her eyes lingered on Feng, who was still half-tripping along with the bundles. One of the former Patriarchs had an ability similar to that, he was able to summon strong warriors of the old for a time so it just solidified the fact that Azel was strong in her head. Her lips pressed into a thoughtful line as she looked at Feng. ’He’s growing stronger by the second.’ His thin bones were growing stronger, and he was gradually being filled with magic... It made her wonder where he came from. She didn’t press further. Instead, she looped her arm through Azel’s and tugged. "Alright, come on. Let’s have some fun." ... The sun had shifted lower in the sky by the time they parted ways. Veyra vanished with her usual playful spin of the wrist, her laughter fading into the snowy streets. That left Azel with Feng, the young man clutching his bundle of clothes like they were treasure. "Come," Azel said simply, his tone decisive. "I’m going to get you a weapon." Feng’s head jerked up, his eyes wide with surprise. "A... weapon?" "Mm. You’ll start fighting monsters tomorrow. Better to have the right bone in your hands." Azel’s stride was unhurried, his mind turning as he thumbed the pouch of Ares that was at his waist now. He had no intention of wasting coin, but a proper weapon was an investment. And Feng’s bond had already proven valuable. Snow crunched beneath their boots until at last they reached a familiar building — Elyon’s smithy. Azel rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. "Coming!" a voice called. When the door swung open, Azel paused. The sight before him was strange. Inside, Anya was kneeling on Elyon’s back, her palms digging into his shoulders with practiced ease. You could hear the crunch of bones shifting as she pressed down, each crack echoing through the room. Elyon’s groan of relief sounded almost too pleased. "My prince! Welcome!" Anya exclaimed, springing up like she hadn’t just been wrestling his spine into submission. Elyon staggered out of his chair, his broad frame moving with the energy of an excited child. His silver hair stuck in odd directions, his eyes bright despite the redness around them. "Come, boy!" Elyon bellowed, his deep voice filled with pride. "Let me show you the weapon you requested." Without waiting, he turned on his heel and rushed toward the inner room, Azel wondered what was it that made him so excited.