After Zack finished explaining everything, Roderika let out a long, thoughtful sigh.
"Hmph… So that's how it is. Professor Clarisse really is a handful. Still, she is one of the most brilliant dragon researchers on the continent."
"I never imagined she was such a big deal…"
"She's a complete dragon fanatic. Apparently, she dreamed of becoming a Dragonborn ever since she was a child. But in the end, she wasn't chosen during the Orphan Ceremony."
"If I were a mother dragon, I wouldn't hand her an orphan either," Zack muttered.
"Maybe that rejection left a deep scar on her. Still, her skills and knowledge are the real thing. For now… let's just keep an eye on her."
"Keep an eye…?"
Zack's voice trailed off, unable to hide the discomfort on his face. If it were up to him, he'd prefer to never cross paths with her again.
"Oh, right. There's something else about Ico. When you were in the forest—you mentioned running into some uninvited guests."
Zack blinked, startled. With everything that had happened since Ico's birth, he'd nearly forgotten.
That strange man who exuded danger… the girl who tried to kill him.
"Those people—who the hell were they, anyway?"
"Dazno, was it? That name doesn't sound like a real Empire surname. Probably a pseudonym. My guess? He's an agent of the Zephyros Empire. If that's true, then we're dealing with something far bigger than a single academy incident."
Zack kept his thoughts to himself, but in his mind, Roderika was anything but an average student.
"In any case, I'll report this to the Peacekeeper Bureau. Still… if he is from the Empire's military, I doubt even they'll be able to do much."
Her voice remained composed, but the quiet gravity in her tone made his stomach twist.
"But… this is just a school, right? Roshar's an academy for breeders. Why would the Empire bother targeting it?"
"That's where you're wrong," Roderika said, her eyes narrowing.
"We're not a military institution, true. Breeders don't all end up joining the Knight Corps or elite dragon troops. And originally, Lautreamont was founded under the law that dragons weren't to be used in warfare."
She paused, her voice lowering.
"But that ideal was shattered by that war."
The weight of her words hit hard.
The Megalo War.
It had happened fifty-two years ago—when, for the first time in 450 years, dragons were deployed to the battlefield.
It started when the Zephyros Empire launched a full-scale assault on the southern borders of the Alethia Kingdom. The Empire's mechanical legions, armed with terrifying firepower, decimated the Royal Knights—once hailed as the strongest mounted force on the continent—in a matter of days.
Desperate, the Alethia king secretly appealed to Steinert.
In response, the Holy Dragonborns—led by the Paladin himself—soared into battle. The dragons, who had known only peace for centuries, once again tasted blood in the skies. The Empire suffered heavy losses and was forced to retreat. A truce was signed soon after.
"But the Empire still views Roshar as more than just a school," Roderika continued. "To them, it's a dragon weapon factory. In other words, a military base. And if they plan another war… this place will be high on their list."
Zack paled.
Roderika noticed—and smiled.
"No need to panic, Zack. Think—who do you think leads Roshar's student council?"
"…You do, Roderika."
"Exactly. And I will protect this academy with everything I have. Lainn and I are not so easily shaken."
She stepped closer to him, her voice softening. Her shoulder brushed against his, the faint scent of lavender teasing his senses.
"That's why… I want you to join us."
"Me?" Zack blinked, stunned.
"Yes. You."
She leaned in, their bodies nearly touching now.
"You've never thought about joining the student council?"
"That's… impossible. All the members are Dragonborns."
"Is that so?" she whispered. "I don't recall any rule stating that. It just so happens that this year, that's how it turned out."
"But still…"
"Everyone around you calls you The Boy Who Can Ride Any Dragon."
"That's just—an exaggeration…"
"You don't need to play coy. Even I can't ride another person's Par."
Their faces were mere inches apart now. Roderika's crimson eyes shimmered with a heat that made Zack's heart pound uncontrollably.
Before he could say another word, her hand slid onto his knee.
He froze.
He could feel her body heat through the thin fabric of his pants, her touch soft yet confident. Her presence enveloped him—warm, commanding, undeniably seductive.
"To be precise… what I want, is you, Zack."
Her voice was a purr against his ear, her breath tickling his skin.
Zack's heart nearly exploded.
"Roderika…"
"Will you think about it… for me?"
"I… I don't know if I— If I join the council—"
Before he could finish, the bell rang. But this wasn't the usual chime. The sharp, repeated tolling echoed through the air, unstable and urgent.
"The emergency bell?"
Roderika's gaze snapped toward the window. In an instant, her calm composure returned as she crossed the room in two strides. Zack followed her, peeking outside. From the high windows of the council office, they had a full view of the academy grounds.
A young dragon—clearly a newborn Stradia—was rampaging across the open field. Its wings were too underdeveloped to lift its body off the ground, but its wild movements and panicked roars were causing chaos.
Roderika let out a long breath and shook her head.
"Hah… this happens every year around this time. It won't last long."
Even in the face of disaster, Roderika remained unshaken—as expected from the woman who would one day lead the next generation of Dragonborns.
A few grooms had arrived on the scene, surrounding the panicked dragon with reinforced nets.
Dragons, though highly intelligent creatures, were infamous for their volatile temperaments—especially in their youth. Even the slightest irritation could send them into a frenzy, rendering their handlers helpless. Their instincts, still wild and unshaped, made even their own riders struggle to calm them during these fits.
Fortunately, every groom at the dragon stables had undergone rigorous training to handle such crises. Just as Roderika had predicted, the situation looked like it would be resolved swiftly.
Zack, having lost interest in the minor chaos below, began to pull away from the window—
"This is bad!" Roderika's voice suddenly cracked like thunder.
"Princess Silva…!"