SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant Chapter 473: Caelvyrn [II]

Trafalgar held Caelvyrn’s gaze for a heartbeat before stating, "I’ll go first. I possess something of importance."

That statement immediately altered the dragon’s demeanor. The mirth did not vanish altogether, but it retreated. His violet eyes sharpened, shifting into a colder and more solemn hue.

Trafalgar draped an arm over his chair and spoke without delay. "I have uncovered fresh intelligence regarding the Primordial who observed the final battle of the war."

A profound silence descended upon the room. Caelvyrn’s fingers, which had been resting casually on the chair’s armrest, fell still. "Do you?" It was not truly a question, but rather a demand for the rest of the tale.

Trafalgar gave a singular, sharp nod. "During the last Council, an event occurred. I encountered a young woman. Initially, I dismissed her as merely another eccentric hiding behind a false persona." His eyes drifted downward for a moment, caught in the recollection of Vivienne. "She approached me, however, because the Primordial was seeking me out."

Rhosyn whipped her head toward him instantly. "What?"

Caelvyrn remained motionless. "Elucidate."

Trafalgar complied by detailing the encounter during the Council. He described the girl, the initial deceptions, and how the truth eventually surfaced. He condensed the information, focusing exclusively on the pertinent facts. By the time he finished, the chamber was once again wrapped in heavy silence.

Rhosyn broke it first. "You are serious about this?"

"I am."

"The Primordial desires an audience with you?"

"Yes."

For a brief moment, she was at a loss for how to react. That was the eternal struggle of an arduous search. Decades of wrong turns, false hope, crumbling ruins, and dead-end leads had conditioned her mind to stop expecting clear results. Thus, when clarity finally arrived, it felt disconcerting. Relief sparked first, followed by skepticism, and finally a strange, gnawing tension in her chest that found no place to rest.

Rhosyn looked down momentarily before meeting his eyes again. After all this time... It should have been a source of pure comfort. In a sense, it was, yet the suddenness of it was jarring. It felt as if a door had swung open before either of them was truly prepared to face what lay beyond.

Trafalgar perceived the look on her face. "I realize it sounds preposterous," he acknowledged.

"A bit," Rhosyn muttered.

"But it is the truth. I was just as surprised. Nevertheless, fate occasionally decides to stop being cruel for a change. We were chasing the same goal."

That drew a faint, sharp breath from her. Caelvyrn remained mute for several seconds. He then reached for one of the drinks that Garrika had placed on the table, lifting it with the same languid grace he had displayed upon arrival. His motions were fluid, yet Trafalgar recognized that the dragon’s mind was working intensely.

"Are you entirely certain?" Caelvyrn asked.

"Without a doubt." Trafalgar fixed his gaze on the dragon. "The girl knew far too much. Enough to render the rest of her story credible. And the way she approached me..." He hesitated briefly before confirming, "No. I am certain."

Caelvyrn took a measured sip from his glass while Rhosyn and Trafalgar watched him intently.

"I cannot meet her immediately," Trafalgar added. "The wedding takes priority. But afterward, I have already given my word."

Caelvyrn lowered his glass slightly. "And?"

"The three of us will go together."

Rhosyn cast a glance his way, though she did not intervene. She had already gathered as much. If this path truly led toward their bloodline, neither would let the other face the unknown alone. And Caelvyrn, regardless of his true nature, was now too deeply entangled in their affairs to be excluded.

Caelvyrn reclined in his seat, the glass still in his hand. "I see."

Trafalgar appraised him for a moment before pivoting to his own questions. "My turn to inquire."

Caelvyrn turned his focus fully toward him. "Proceed."

"You offered me a warning earlier. You clearly had your own reasons, which I understand." He narrowed his eyes. "However, I want to clarify your primary objective. Is it truly about preparing for what lies ahead? The Void Creatures. The one that escaped. The possibility that the war was not the end?" Caelvyrn offered no reply, so Trafalgar pressed on. "Because if that is the truth, I can accept it. But if there is a hidden agenda, I want to hear it now." His focus never left the dragon’s face. "You know far more than you are letting on."

Caelvyrn waited a few seconds before responding. "Yes. That is among my primary objectives."

Both Trafalgar and Rhosyn held their tongues.

"I have not deceived you regarding that," Caelvyrn continued. "I have lived for an eternity. Much longer than either of you." His gaze flickered toward Rhosyn. "Significantly longer than you, little one."

Rhosyn straightened, her expression stern. "Watch it."

Caelvyrn brushed off her grievance with ease. "Over the centuries, one’s desires become simple. I seek a quiet, peaceful life. But the world rarely permits such things. The Void Creatures are not a nuisance you can simply ignore in hopes the problem vanishes. If even one has escaped, the threat persists. That alone justifies my actions."

Trafalgar continued to study him. "Is that the absolute truth?"

Caelvyrn’s eyes locked onto his. "No." He paused. "There is another motivation."

The room went eerily still as Caelvyrn placed his glass back onto the table. "The energy I detected... it emanated from an old friend of mine."

The revelation shifted the atmosphere entirely. Rhosyn spoke first. "A friend of yours?"

"Indeed."

She arched an eyebrow. "Are you certain? Because the first impression most people form of you is... difficult to articulate."

Caelvyrn regarded her without a hint of offense. "Peculiar?"

"Yes. Let’s stick with peculiar."

For the first time since he walked in, the mirth was stripped from Caelvyrn’s features. "I believed he had perished," he stated softly. "A very long time ago."

The heavy weight of his words transformed the room’s atmosphere.

Trafalgar leaned forward. "Tell us everything you know about this old friend of yours."