The capsule sealed shut.
Chairman Lucius’ face became serious as he watched. The playful tension disappeared, replaced by genuine concern.
"There won’t be any problems, correct?" he asked quietly.
"There won’t be. I promise," Isaac replied.
For all their quibbling, Chairman Lucius completely trusted Isaac in matters like this. Isaac had already proven himself too many times.
They stood in silence for a moment.
Then Alice spoke up. "I have to complete my physique upgrade too."
"Go ahead. Do you want to do it inside the Soulbind Pendant, or in the room?" Isaac asked.
"I’ll do it in the room upstairs. You should sit with uncle until I’m done," she replied.
She took out a potion from her spatial ring and drank it.
"That was...?" Isaac raised a brow.
"It was the potion made from the heart we recovered from the Crimson Sky Wyrm," she said, clenching her fists. "Hm. I feel like my bloodline is reacting. I’ll complete the physique upgrade now. Maybe the upgrade will help me digest it better."
She headed upstairs.
The room fell quiet.
Isaac and Chairman Lucius were left alone.
They stared at each other in silence for several seconds.
Then they both spoke at the same time.
"About Selene—"
"About Selene—"
They stopped.
"You go ahead first," Chairman Lucius said.
"No, it’s fine. Older people should get the first chance. You should speak," Isaac replied.
Chairman Lucius frowned. "You’re being unusually polite."
"I’m always polite."
"That’s debatable."
They paused again.
"You go first," Isaac said.
"No, you."
They went back and forth several times. Chairman Lucius finally sighed. Alice would return soon, and he clearly didn’t want her hearing this conversation.
So he decided to speak.
"Did you propose to Selene properly? Or is this just a casual fling?" Chairman Lucius asked.
"I proposed properly," Isaac replied without hesitation.
"And what was the reply?" Chairman Lucius asked.
Isaac simply flashed a smile.
Chairman Lucius clicked his tongue. "Don’t dodge the question. I’m serious."
Isaac leaned back slightly. "She didn’t reject me."
"That’s not the same as accepting."
"She accepted."
Chairman Lucius studied his expression for a moment, then nodded slowly. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little, but it didn’t disappear.
Then his eyes narrowed again.
"How far have you gone? Don’t tell me you have touched my daughter before marrying her?" he asked bluntly.
"That’s a bit too personal, don’t you think?" Isaac asked. After thinking for a bit, he smiled and replied. "We haven’t done anything. A kiss on the cheek was as far as we went. Selene wanted your permission and blessing first before we entered a serious relationship, and I was of the same opinion."
Chairman Lucius observed him carefully, trying to read his expression. Isaac looked calm, relaxed, and completely unbothered.
Isaac had, of course, lied.
If both of them had been of the same rank, he would have gone all the way with Selene already. The difference in their rank had slowed things down. But since he couldn’t take that step yet, he chose an answer that would make Chairman Lucius happier. After all, a good path to a peaceful future usually involved keeping the family happy.
Chairman Lucius exhaled slowly.
"Take care of her," Chairman Lucius said.
His tone softened slightly. He couldn’t ask these questions to Selene directly. His daughter would never share such personal things with him. That left only Alice and Isaac as people he could talk to.
The thought made him melancholic.
Had he failed somewhere? Had he not filled the place of Selene’s mother properly? Would Selene have shared these things more easily if her mother had been here?
His expression dimmed slightly.
"She didn’t tell you about these things because she is embarrassed. Give her time, and she will tell you everything," Isaac suddenly said.
"What?" Chairman Lucius frowned.
"Your face was saying what you were thinking, so I just answered," Isaac shrugged.
Chairman Lucius’ face scrunched up. "I’m not a woman. Stop trying to hit on me with those cheesy lines."
"Nice joke, father-in-law," Isaac poked where it hurt.
Chairman Lucius’ eye twitched, but he didn’t refute it this time.
The atmosphere relaxed slightly.
Then Isaac suddenly sensed movement outside.
Someone opened the window on the floor above.
’Alice?’ Isaac frowned.
Why did she jump out of the house?
Before he could react, a sudden flash erupted outside. The light was blinding. Isaac and Chairman Lucius both covered their eyes instinctively. Intense heat followed, washing through the area like a wave.
The air vibrated.
Mana surged violently.
After a few seconds, the light faded. The heat slowly dispersed. Isaac lowered his arm, blinking as his vision recovered. Chairman Lucius did the same.
They looked at each other, then immediately moved toward the living room window.
And froze.
A massive dragon stood outside.
Its sheer size was overwhelming. Even standing at a distance, its body dwarfed the mansion. The ground beneath its feet seemed to strain under its weight. A powerful aura radiated from it, carrying an overwhelming sense of majesty and authority.
The dragon’s scales were black. Deep, obsidian black. But when light struck them, faint golden sheens shimmered across the surface. It looked as if molten gold flowed beneath the dark scales.
Its eyes were crimson.
Large black horns curved backward from its head. Its wings stretched wide, casting a shadow across the entire area. A long, powerful tail rested behind it, occasionally shifting slightly.
Isaac stared, stunned.
He could tell this was Alice. The aura, the mana signature, the familiarity. Everything pointed to her.
But something was wrong.
’Solar Dragons are supposed to be golden. Why are her scales black?’
Confused, he asked, "Alice... is that you?"
The dragon lowered its head. Slowly, carefully, it moved closer to the window. Even that simple movement caused a heavy gust of wind.
Then a voice spoke.
[Yes.]
The sound didn’t come from the dragon’s mouth. Instead, it felt like the surrounding mana itself vibrated, speaking for their master.
[I can now transform into dragon, and—]