Proof

The night grew deeper.

Inside a room of the lord's manor.

A magic lamp glowed on the desk as the scratching sound of writing filled the air. A middle-aged man with half-grayed hair held a fountain pen, scribbling something on paper.

A moment later, his hand paused, and the pen tip drew a messy line across the page.

As if sensing something, Kaiaolen lifted his head, his gaze shifting toward the shadows. "Come out, little thief."

"Calling me a thief isn’t very nice, is it?" A figure slowly emerged from the darkness, leaning casually against a bookshelf with a smirk. "Well, well, little dragon-man."

"You dare return? Do you truly believe I can’t catch you?" Kaiaolen’s voice turned icy as an oppressive aura burst forth, his eyes gradually darkening into crimson—dragon’s eyes.

The terrifying pressure would have forced any fourth-tier warrior to their knees, but Ye Chuan merely flicked his wrist, unfazed.

"Cut the act. We’re not enemies, are we?"

Kaiaolen stared at Ye Chuan in silence. After a few seconds, the corner of his mouth curled into a smirk, and the suffocating pressure vanished instantly.

"Interesting. What do you want to say?" He reclined in his chair, propping his chin with one hand, watching Ye Chuan with amusement.

"You know Irena isn’t a monster. Or perhaps, you’re just not entirely convinced," Ye Chuan said.

"Nonsense. The king himself issued a warrant declaring Irena a monster," Kaiaolen scoffed.

"And that’s exactly why you don’t believe it—especially after meeting her in person." Ye Chuan strode forward, pulled out a chair, and sat across from Kaiaolen with a grin.

"You suspect something’s wrong with the king, don’t you?"

Kaiaolen: "..."

"How did you figure that out?"

"From the way you held back against me. You said if it weren’t for the princess’s sake, you’d have killed me." Ye Chuan smirked.

If Kaiaolen truly believed the princess was a monster, he would’ve treated Ye Chuan the same way—not spared him for her sake.

"..." The middle-aged man’s gaze flickered with appreciation.

"Young man, what’s your name?"

"Xi Xi."

"Xi Xi? Which family?"

"The Ye family from China."

"Xi Xi... Chai Na Ye Jia? You’re not from our empire, are you?" Kaiaolen frowned slightly. At his age, he would’ve recognized any noble family name within the empire.

"No, I’m not. But that’s not the point, is it?"

"What else have you noticed?"

"Your territory—no, more accurately, there’s a monster by your side," Ye Chuan said.

Kaiaolen burst into laughter, his voice rich with amusement. "Hahaha! Fascinating. And how did you deduce that? You only just arrived in the city."

"I heard rumors that your manor frequently drafts people in your name—people who never leave. They say you’re the monster, that you devour them." Ye Chuan raised a finger.

"But since you can still transform into a dragon, and Irena insists you’re not a monster, then who’s really behind it?" He leaned forward. "If someone can act in your name while keeping you in the dark... I’d guess your butler?"

"And you’ve suspected this for a while. That’s why you detained the princess when you saw her—not to harm her, but to protect her."

"By the way, all of this is purely my own speculation." Ye Chuan leaned back in his chair.

"What if your deductions are completely wrong?" Kaiaolen asked.

Ye Chuan shrugged. "Then they’re wrong. Notice I didn’t bring the princess with me? If I’m wrong, I’ll just run for it."

"Your reasoning is amusing," Kaiaolen said. "But there’s one thing you got wrong."

"What?"

"Those monsters, after consuming someone, gain all of their victim’s abilities—including their thoughts." Kaiaolen’s eye suddenly flashed purple. "Heh heh heh."

Ye Chuan stiffened, instantly leaping back and drawing his sword.

"I’m joking." Seeing Ye Chuan’s alarmed reaction, Kaiaolen’s eye returned to normal before he burst into laughter again.

Ye Chuan: "?"

"Relax. Though the reality isn’t much better." Kaiaolen casually tore open his shirt.

A pulsating purple tumor clung to his chest, throbbing grotesquely as if alive.

"This is..."

"Who knows? After I killed one of those things, this appeared where it wounded me." Kaiaolen sighed. "It’s been draining my life force, like a parasite."

Ye Chuan stepped closer, eyeing the disgusting mass with a frown.

"Revolting."

"I agree," Kaiaolen said dryly.

"Can’t remove it?"

"I’ve tried everything—high-grade potions, rare artifacts. Nothing works." Kaiaolen ran a hand through his graying hair. "No choice but to endure."

"Let me try?" Ye Chuan offered.

"Oh? You know healing magic?"

"Not exactly. But I can give it a shot." Ye Chuan extended his hand. If this thing was energy-based, his Chaos Force might counter it.

As Ye Chuan’s dark energy seeped out, the purple tumor withered rapidly, as if scorched by herbicide.

"It’s working!"

Kaiaolen’s eyes widened in disbelief. Even a seventh-tier holy healer had failed to suppress this curse—yet this young man was neutralizing it effortlessly?

"AHHHHHH!" The tumor suddenly shrieked.

"Damn it, scared the hell out of me!" Ye Chuan flinched, then crushed it in his grip.

Kaiaolen staggered back as the suffocating weight in his chest vanished entirely.

"Good... very good!" His hand morphed into a dragon’s claw, his aura surging several times stronger than before.

Meanwhile, Ye Chuan grimaced, using Chaos Force to dissolve the sticky remnants. He hadn’t expected a lump of flesh to scream like a living thing.

Would it have kept growing, eventually consuming the dragon-man entirely?

"Probably."

Regaining his composure, Kaiaolen smiled. "Young man, take me to see the princess."

He seemed in high spirits.

"I still don’t trust you. What if you’re the real monster?" Ye Chuan raised a brow, his faith in Kaiaolen shaken after the earlier trick.

"Oh? How can I prove myself?"

"Give me some gold coins." Ye Chuan held out his palm.