[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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The child… turned into a dragon.
Most adventurers might not have noticed the difference, but the sheer, overwhelming presence of dragon power was something no mere skill could ever replicate.
Sol child was undoubtedly a true dragon.
Ouranos had mistaken Shyvana for a Xenos, much like he had fixated on the so-called Vastaya and Yordles.
Little did he know—those names were nothing more than a fabrication Sol had concocted to mislead people.
Of course, Ouranos wouldn't outright expose Sol's little scheme. Instead, he had the guild conduct a formal "investigation" to verify the authenticity of these so-called Yordles and Vastaya.
Honestly, at this point, he might as well have been writing a fairy tale himself.
Still, regardless of how Sol had managed to gather such a diverse group of "Xenos," it was clear that he bore them no ill will.
And that… was precisely why Ouranos had chosen him.
He needed Sol's help.
"Not exactly, but I have encountered some unusual monsters," Sol admitted.
He was referring to Antares he had come across with Artemis.
Sol had visited the creature before, and under Ivern's careful guidance, the enormous being had settled peacefully in Valoran.
Without divine blessings, however, its ability to reproduce was slow—relying solely on Ivern's life-giving magic to sustain it.
Still, it was a steady, reliable source of income.
Once Sol had confirmed that his original plan was viable, he had paid it no further mind.
But Ouranos, of course, completely misinterpreted Sol's words.
In his eyes, Sol had all but admitted to encountering a Xenos.
"Some of the lingering obsessions of slain dungeon monsters are reborn into new entities—ones that possess both human wisdom and emotions. I call these beings Xenos," Ouranos explained.
Naturally, Sol was already well aware of this.
But to maintain appearances, he feigned interest, nodding as though he were hearing it for the first time.
His quiet, attentive demeanor seemed to put Ouranos at ease.
"So… Do you pity them?" Sol asked.
"Perhaps, Xenos are unrecognized by the world. Worse, they're actively hunted by dungeon monsters and adventurers. You should know this better than anyone—after all, isn't there one in your familia? The Dragon-Blooded Warrior?"
"You mean Shyvana?" Sol narrowed his eyes. "While her situation may be similar, she isn't the same as the Xenos you speak of."
"What do you mean?"
"It seems you've misunderstood something," Sol said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Shyvana is what you'd call a dragon-born. In essence, she's no different from elves or demi-human. She has no connection to dungeon monsters whatsoever."
Ouranos, who had been sitting comfortably on his high platform, suddenly looked taken aback.
By this point, Sol had no reason to lie.
"But that's impossible," Ouranos muttered. "The dragon form she took when fighting the child of Hermes… the sheer power she displayed… that isn't something any ordinary adventurer could possess."
"Then tell me, Ouranos—have you ever considered the possibility that Shyvana is the heir of a dragon?" Sol asked, his smirk widening. "Surely, you've seen others like her in this world?"
Ouranos stiffened.
"You mean… she's the offspring of a human and a dragon?"
He leaned forward instinctively, gripping the armrests of his chair as if to steady himself.
The thought was absurd. Ludicrous.
The size difference alone made such a union unimaginable—how could such a pairing ever produce offspring?
Yet, despite his disbelief, Ouranos found himself unwillingly drawn to the idea.
It was such an outlandish claim that it almost felt… true.
But then, another possibility struck him.
No… wait.
Sol—the Dragon God himself.
Could it be that Shyvana was actually his child?
…No. No, impossible.
A god should not be able to bear offspring.
And yet, despite himself, Ouranos couldn't shake the thought.
A storm of uncertainty raged within his mind.
"Forget it. Let's talk about those Xenos instead."
But how could he simply forget?
What Sol had just revealed was nothing short of a thunderbolt for Ouranos.
He had merely sought Sol's assistance, never expecting to stumble upon such an earth-shattering revelation.
If there was already an example like Shyvana… then were there other dragonkin out there?
And if monsters could truly interbreed with other beings, then what other demi-human races might exist beyond dragonkin?
This issue suddenly seemed far more significant than mere Xenos.
"Don't worry," Sol said, sighing as he noticed Ouranos's lingering thoughts. "The idea of monsters producing offspring with other races is nothing more than a rare accident. It's not something that can be replicated, so there's no need to dwell on it."
He had hoped to steer the conversation back to Xenos, but since Ouranos was still fixated on the topic, he added that reassurance begrudgingly.
Still, once those words left his mouth, he immediately fell silent, making no effort to clarify further.
Fortunately, Ouranos seemed somewhat reassured.
If such crossbreeds were to appear frequently, it would undoubtedly lead to chaos.
Even so, he made a mental note to keep a closer watch on Sol's familia. This man… he wasn't as straightforward as he liked to appear.
It was better to verify things personally.
"I hope to build a bridge of mutual understanding between the people of Orario and the Xenos," Ouranos finally said, his tone returning to its original purpose. "And I need your help to do it."
"A bridge?" Sol arched an eyebrow. "Honestly, I don't think mutual understanding is all that important. Wouldn't it be fine if both sides just lived their own lives separately?"
"If Xenos remained confined to the dungeon forever, I might agree with you. But I want them to be able to live under the sun as well."
"Do whatever you want," Sol shrugged. "So, what exactly are you asking me to do?"
"The time isn't right yet. I'll contact you when I need your help."
Sol scoffed, curling his lips in displeasure. "You make it sound like I'm just some hired worker you can summon at will."
"Just so you know, my help doesn't come cheap."
"This time, what happened between you and the Ishtar Familia will be overlooked."
Sol chuckled. "That's hardly enough. I was responsible for that incident to begin with—having things turn out in my favor should've been the natural outcome."
Now that Ouranos knew Shyvana wasn't a Xenos, his bargaining chip had shrunk significantly.