When you hear of the Seven Dragons that look down upon the world, which dragon comes to mind first?

The dragon of destruction that ravages all in its path—the Shadow Dragons? Or perhaps the one that gazes into the past and future, observing all—the Time Dragons?

Well, whatever the case, dragons remain an enigma, their nature and ecology entirely unknown, a true bane to researchers. While investigating dragons, I am often asked questions such as:

"Are there really seven dragons?" "Are there only seven dragons in this world?" "Why just seven?"

These are all valid questions. No matter how much one searches, how much one pursues, even if one dedicates their entire meager lifespan, the chance of encountering a dragon is infinitesimally small.

In other words, meeting a dragon is almost impossible, and even their kin are rarely seen. Therefore, it's not strange for people to doubt their existence. In fact, I myself have never stood face-to-face with a dragon.

In my case, I only caught a brief glimpse of one soaring gracefully through the sky, and to this day, I don't even know which dragon it was. To an outsider, it might seem like a mere illusion, a delusion.

But I know what I saw.

I saw a dragon, with my own eyes, clearly!

Since that day, I have been captivated by the mystery of dragons, so much so that I have ended up writing this book. I've accumulated enough knowledge to pen such a book, and I hope to pass on even a fraction of my findings to future enthusiasts. However, much about dragons remains uncertain, so I urge you not to take everything in this book as absolute truth. Instead, I hope my work serves as a stepping stone for you to one day ridicule and disprove my claims with greater knowledge.

Now, to set aside my ramblings and answer the earlier questions: Yes, this world has exactly seven dragons, and yes, there are only seven.

How can I be so certain, despite never having seen them up close?

Because if there were an eighth dragon, the world would undoubtedly recognize its existence. Simply by being, a dragon influences the world, leading us lower beings either toward destruction or salvation. The world is not vast enough, nor are we creatures so dull, that such a being could exist unnoticed.

Thus, there are only seven dragons in this world.

As for the last question—"Why only seven?"—the answer is simple:

Because that is the perfect balance needed to maintain this world.

Various creatures resembling dragons exist, but they are merely imitations. Among monsters, there are Winged Dragons: Wyverns, and among ancient species, the Lizardmen can be found. But to compare these to dragons would be laughable. No matter how much they mimic a dragon’s form, they cannot replicate its essence.

What I mean to say is that the seven dragons that look down upon the world each have a role in controlling its fundamental principles—or so I believe.

For example, the Shadow Dragons and the Time Dragons are quite obvious. They are named after indispensable concepts of the world itself. In fact, the Dragnil Codex states that each of the Seven Dragons wields authority related to their name.

Even the labyrinths that now shake the world cannot be separated from dragons.

I believe that the labyrinths, which suddenly emerged from the depths of the world, were created by the Earth Dragon.

In the next chapter, I will discuss the relationship between the Earth Dragon and the labyrinths, based on my own theories and research.

Excerpt from "The Connection Between Dragons and the World" by Dragonologist Greible Newgate.

We had finally gained access to a book about dragons, but when I opened the first page, it was written in an unknown language, and I immediately knew we were in trouble.

Still, clinging to a sliver of hope, I checked the other two books, and to my relief, the last one was written in a language we could understand. Words cannot describe our joy at that moment.

"I'm exhausted..."

However, the book was an ancient text, and just reading a single chapter took us more than half a day.

For someone like me, who rarely reads books, and Freesia, who was in the same boat, the content was difficult to grasp. We would need to visit the library regularly to decipher the text.

────And at the same time, we need to figure out that unknown language...

"Sigh..."

With a heavy sigh, I walked down the library path, only for Freesia—who had stayed with me until the end—to suddenly stop.

"What's wrong?"

"That."

"That...?"

Tilting my head in confusion, I followed her gaze to the trees lining the road. As I focused, I saw it.

"Tch...!!"

The bushes rustled unnaturally, and I caught sight of a familiar female student hastily hiding behind a tree.

"Hah..."

The moment I saw her, I deeply regretted it. It was the wretched woman who had disappeared ever since the Labyrinth Conquest.

────I'll pretend I didn’t see her.

I quickly decided to move on, but just as I was about to walk away, she stepped forward, as if making up her mind.

Damn it, woman, I was going to let you go since you tried to hide. Why step out now?

"U-um...!"

The trembling voice, on the verge of tears, disgusted me. She might appear weak, but I knew better. Beneath that facade lurked something vile—this was the woman who had tried to kill me not once, but twice, across two lifetimes.

Even if her bloodline magic no longer worked on me, I could never afford to let my guard down around her.

"Sigh... What do you want?"

"W-why did you save me?"

I sighed again and asked what she wanted. She looked troubled as she asked her question.

Answering a question with a question, huh? Well, I suppose it's only natural. After all, she should have been exposed during the incident and received a fitting punishment—exile from the academy and imprisonment.

And yet, that fate never came to pass.

Why?

Because I deliberately kept my mouth shut. She must have realized that and came to ask me why.

Fine. I'll tolerate her intrusion this time. I had a use for her anyway.

"You're mistaken. I never intended to save you."

"...Huh???"

Ignoring her dumbfounded reaction, I continued.

"I know you were an imperial spy, just like Tylus Arnell, sent to assassinate me. And I know your master is the Shadow Dragons. Given that your attempt on my life failed, I assume the empire is about to discard you?"

"H-how do you know that!?"

Her shocked expression was almost amusing. But this was obvious.

"The reason I didn't expose you during the inquiry? Simple. You still have value to me."

"..."

"Choose. Die in the streets, or betray the empire and serve me. Become my pawn and deceive the empire."

"I-if I choose you... will I be saved? Will I not be abandoned?"

"Of course. I protect my own—even against a Dragon."

"!!"

Thus, my plan to uncover the Shadow Dragon took a step forward.

~ End of The Promotion Duel Arc ~