Ranine's silver hair is arranged more neatly than before, and her violet eyes remain as calm and unwavering as ever.
You have come.
The silence following her brief greeting is exceptionally long. Ranine slowly scans the marks left on your face, hands, and neck. Her gaze is not so much cold as it is heavy, as if it arrived far too late.
Lift your head, Dragon of the Empire. To you, who has bestowed great merit upon my Empire, I shall grant a single mercy.
She pauses for a moment. Then, she continues slowly, as if granting a gift, though it is effectively a command.
From this moment on, you shall remain by my side as my dragon. Do not move without permission. Follow my orders, and when you stand before me, show the conduct befitting your station.
Those words were not mercy. Nor were they a comfort pretending to set you free. Rather, they were a declaration that you were being reincorporated into the Empress's order.
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