"Your Highness Shadowflame, what exactly are Snow Giants? They crossed through the Gate of Another World—what do they hope to take?"
Within Shadowflame Volcano, feeling the scorching heat of the magma, Russell slowly voiced the doubts in his heart.
Count Merlin had told him that the snowfields might be an enormous hunting ground, where Snow Giants hunted dragons to extract the essence of Dragon Sleep Continent. But Count Merlin could not be certain either, so Russell wanted to ask the Shadowflame Dragon himself.
"Shadowflame does not know," the Shadowflame Dragon replied.
"Even you do not know?"
"You have heard the rumor that the snowfields are the Snow Giants' hunting ground. If that truly is a hunting ground, then how could Shadowflame, as prey, know the hunter's purpose?" the Shadowflame Dragon replied calmly. "This is a mystery for you humans to solve."
The Shadowflame Dragon raised his head and gazed toward the sky above the crater.
After a moment of silence, the gurgling magical dragon language continued, "To open up warm land where life can survive—this is Shadowflame's mission... The rest will be completed by you humans: creating civilization... saving the world..."
"Creating civilization, saving the world..." Russell savored the Shadowflame Dragon's words and nodded softly.
Within the unique ecology of Dragon Sleep Continent, mighty dragons were the foundation of survival, while frail humans were the ones steering civilization.
Russell bent forward in a bow. "I understand, Your Highness Shadowflame."
"Go, then. Let Shadowflame see how far you can go... You are unlike any knight who has contracted with Shadowflame. You lack their innate bearing of the strong, and you lack their sense of responsibility to shape destiny. But you are the most interesting."
After speaking, the Shadowflame Dragon closed his eyes, once more floating his head upon the magma as