-12th day of first Winter quarter. Morning. Ragefire's estate.

Nefiru's POV-

Morning advanced in my drowsiness to sleep after an active night strolling in the forest while missing the opportunity to harass Hilda as she makes the firewood pile smaller every day until an unknown voice yells in my ears as if to wake up the dead and jolts my consciousness. The persistent voice not caring for a Dragon's rest finally got my attention then reluctantly left the dreams about flying and without opening my eyes covered under my left wing, I power up the collar and send out a signal to any bracelet in range.

"Nnngh... five more years..." I respond with the collar feeling my body could use more rest.

"Five years... just how lazy can this Dragon be!?" The voice retorted. "Anyway, get up, or I'll throw a log!" The voice threatens like Alphonse usually do.

Alphonse and his wooden alarm... I realize who might be before clearing my guilt.

"I haven't ruined any more swords for experiments since I have enough metal to mess around in the backyard..." I informed regarding the iron gate construction materials. "If this is another prank for losing money on gambling with the games I gave you then go away... I'm not in the mood!" I grumbled at the unreasonable actions hoping to be left alone now.

"Yeah, Alphonse does that to those he likes. Anyway, he gave me his bracelet after we talked earlier this morning and told me to get your attention with some meat, but I have something even better to offer." The suspicious speaker sounds confident in his proposition.

Although food would have gotten me wide awake too, that sounds interesting too... Hmm? Who's talking anyway if it's not that black haired guy? I open my eyes puzzled over his identity since it's not possible to distinguish who's sending the transmission unless confirmed visually, then remove my wing and survey the courtyard for the owner of the bracelet.

What the? I'm being haunted by a ghost! I sniffed the air after not finding the source of the voice that was coming from the base of the wood pile when it woke me up and followed the smell of piss and alcohol coming from over the wall.

"Smells of Rum and shame... Faust huh?" I asserted the source of the scent being outside the estate before getting up.

"Harsh evaluation..." He stated seemingly upset and stopped as if waiting for me to face him.

The other side of the stone wall huh? Funny how the collar can work through walls because the Mana waves go smoothly through solid objects, but getting Magic energy through this thick wall takes effort, and a lot of Mana would separate from my Spirit by the time I reach the other side. I recall the increased Magic Friction the more solid an object is which also lowers with Higher Ranks. I can only imagine energy threads bumping into atoms that produce such resistance which makes Magic very unstable at lower Ranks, but decreases with smaller Magic strings from Higher densities. Although going inside things like water or ice would be a problem also, the Water Elementals makes it easier as drilling a path while consuming Magic proportional to the medium entered and the same applies for Earth magicians who bend metal given sufficient Rank to create any shape they want. I remember the Elemental capacity to absorb and control their respective element.

Still, it feels weird and fuzzy having awareness inside a brick wall... I concluded placing my paws near the top of the wall before extending my neck over to find the man outside with his arms crossed looking at me.

"Uh... welcome human!" I greeted looking down at the green haired man from atop of the wall. "May I know what business you have with the Ragefires?" I inquired with a smirk pretending.

"Sighs..." Faust shakes his head with a depressed expression. "I know you heard only bad things about me, but if you claim to have lived other lives, then you should understand that I tried my best as a father and things were just... out of my control." He declared looking up at me.

What the fuck? Did Shaila tell him? I glare into his green eyes wondering how much he knows before looking back to see Shaila by window waving at me. Umm... stop stalking me and train magic! I wave back at her with the wing then switch my gaze to the sky and notice clouds gathering while folding it back.

The collar seems to be out of transmission range to her room, and this guy chose a weird meeting place...out of view? I analyze the situation realizing it might rain this afternoon as well.

"Haha... there's no need to react like that since Shaila wouldn't tell anyone." Faust haughtily commented after laughing at my reaction. "As a wind magician, I can listen in to the sounds of others or send my voice as far as my Magic ability range allows which is how I interrupted your beauty sleep." He chuckled revealing the method used to obtain such information.

I see... Wind magicians are capable of amplifying and transmitting sounds since I did hear a yell next to me, then that means he could have heard many of our conversations... I confirm his advantage in the conversation realizing the lack of privacy in this world. This is good to know before speaking my secrets in the middle of town thinking no one can hear me. I reaffirm the need to stay quiet even when revealing secrets to trusted people.

Ah! That's also how Mother could roar louder than Father haha... And being a wind dragon she could graciously fly while carrying big wolves too. I deduced recalling the green dragon that is no longer around.

"I figured as much since you are on the wrong side of the wall..." I declared turning to look back at him. "You are hiding from her." I determined.

"She does hate me for not paying attention to those bandits, but I'm actually leaving after having a conversation with her pet and making a deal you won't refuse..." The man in tattered brown clothes restate.

Even if she hates you, there's no reason to hide you know? I roll my eyes at the man who doesn't admit he's unable to face his daughter.

"Oh? You seem confident to buy my services, but I don't smell anything delicious, so are you perhaps planning to blackmail me?" I inquired knowing what he claims to know.

"Haha..." Faust chuckled. "I have indeed heard everything since you roared the first time at the gate guard, but this will considerably be to your benefit." He clarifies his intentions.

"...It's not like I can criticize you for that, but if you heard the commotion back when I was found out, then why didn't you do anything?" I question his lack of appearance until now.

"Hah? Who says I didn't do anything?" The green haired man uttered twisting his face with a perplexed look. "You should know how weak a creature is without magic." He scoffed hinting. "Either way I couldn't act rash after seeing Shaila so happy... as if she finally found a reason to live, and what would happen if I killed that reason in front of her? I'm not even sure she would hate me more..." He explains leaning on the wall.

Dragonshit! The ability range of High-Ranks is no joke! He could have killed me from half a block away and choose what method to do it too! Either injecting air into my bloodstream which would stop blood circulation and lose all my strength, expose my body to the vacuum like what that wolf did or simply blow up my brain while encasing Shaila in an air bubble to protect her. I shiver at my vulnerability back then.

"Yes, that would be most unfortunate, after all the trouble being born at the volcano without the right parents, jumping out to survive on my own, then became a slave before finally finding her." I sarcastically revealed.

If he knew the secret all the time and didn't plan to use it against me or tell someone else like Alphonse, then I suppose he's somewhat trustworthy. Well, as Shaila's father, it's fine if he knows some secrets, and it was about time we had a conversation since the mother sounds useless. I analyzed before deciding to reveal more secrets.

"Hmm..." Faust stays pondering for a moment, then started nodding in understanding. "Why my little girl? What is she to you? And when were you planning on telling everything to her?" He looks up at me inquiring.

Erm... what would be the best way to answer his questions with the minimum information? I ponder how to respond.

Although I'm not entirely sure she is that white wolf mate yet, the connection we have tells me is nothing simple and that dream that happens less frequent now confirmed this. I recall something else that got me curious.

Shaila can't be my Wolf-self because her soul would have probably merged with mine by now, and she just feels like someone else who is special to me, but what if he's living as a wolf somewhere in this world right now? Or if he lived in the past with Shaila again, then something happened for her to reborn as a human... His soul would also be hundreds of years old, but ultimately just a piece of mine and there are several possibilities as to what could have happened. Such as Guardians collect his memories on every death or maybe only after a certain point, store the soul piece somewhere, eat it, make copies of it then send them off to live more wolf lives without them knowing. I stop assuming things and answer Shaila's father.

"I... don't know when exactly would be the best time to tell Shaila that she was my Wolf Mate in the past, and there are more unbelievable things to say to her, but apparently, we can't speak near humans..." I rest my neck on the wall watching him open his eyes wide after my disclosure.

"Uh-huh... I believe you, but... this is really weird nonetheless." The green haired man shakes his head as if troubled. "Anyway, you should be careful when speaking secrets next time because even a Divine could peek in a conversation from really far away either accidentally or out of curiosity, and you wouldn't even notice." He informed the further decline of privacy. "Also, Shaila is a strong girl, and I liked how you handled it back on that first night when she taught you magic since it's best not to pity her." He announced before nodding.

"Understood. I'll take Shaila to the forest later and do unspeakable things to her." I declared smirking.

"OI!" The father glared up and met my teasing expression. "Hmph! She won't stay submissive forever, and one day you'll be the one to be careful seeing how obsessed she's becoming with her pet... I don't want to admit that she watches a Beast from her room almost every day as if you are her everything, and probably still doing it now. Honestly, as a father sometimes feels like I could kill someone with my jealousy alone... " He points out the girl's behavior while glaring daggers at me.

That is no surprise since Shaila was doomed to a life of loneliness while I experienced it in the wild, so we appreciate each other's company, and I'm glad my body doesn't bore her... I confirmed turning back to locate the girl's but found her elsewhere after sniffing.

"No, she's not watching me now. Shaila should be eating breakfast since her scent is stronger at the kitchen, but it's only natural she stares at me... I'm fabulous! Look at these purple-blue scales with white tips and a sheen reflection, they are well-cared for you know?" I turn my head sideways showing off the part of my snout with the least scratches.

"Riiiight..." The green-haired man rolls his green eyes looking up. "Anyway, I dare say, if you didn't appear, she probably would have continued a life acquiring many pets only to kill them right after which could earn her more nicknames in the Kingdom. Still, you did appear, and I have observed you two long enough to know you are taking advantage of my traumatized daughter, but... there isn't any individual more qualified to entrust her happiness. HOWEVER! " He sternly yelled pointing a finger up. "Remember what you are now... I forbid any lustful actions until either of you become Divine, and only after that, may the two of you do anything..." He reminded I'm no longer human. "Understood?" He seeks confirmation narrowing his eyes.

I don't really feel any lust though, and I don't intend to take things beyond teasing Shaila which is the result of remaining tendencies, but I can't abandon my human nature altogether... A wild Dragon would have made her fragile body into a snack long ago since that's my strongest desire right now, to feel her go down my throat, or maybe I'm just dying to know what it's like to eat a human. Ah! That reminds me, she's actually the only person who's been inside my mouth, so getting a taste might have left me wanting for the rest... I realized and decided to omit to mention this part.

"...I know, healthy friendship." I nodded affirming. "In any case, I don't have a hobby of making people unhappy, but I'm not sure what happiness to deliver beyond offering my body and Soul, she will have my support when necessary though. As for Shaila's body... perhaps because the combination of Dragon instincts liking her pleasant smell and the lack of touch from my previous life which is dearly missed, I want to swallow her whole..." I report my intentions.

"Bastard! You dare say that to my face...!" The upset father reproves while staring at my unblinking eyes. "Sighs... you ruined the first part about offering body and soul since that's what people say at unions here, but they don't mean it most of the time anyway." He stops looking up and leans back on the wall again. "You are having fun pushing my limits, don't you? Though I appreciate the honesty, if something goes wrong, you can survive having your belly open to take her out, and I know you want her alive after everything I heard..." He speaks of experience dissecting a dragon.

"Mm-hmm..." I nod at him. "There's no need to remind me what I am now, or what I'll become since I know where my destiny lies... I've seen it, and Shaila has the talent to follow me through my Ascension beyond Divine Rank or this lower plane of existence... which is why she'll make a great companion." I reveal my plans for his daughter.

"This is... more than what I needed to know.... Shaila a Goddess? Unthinkable!! I would scream in joy if she were just to become a Divine, but from the conversations you two had... she will stop being human which makes me a little sad as her father you know? If she becomes a Wolf and abandons the body her mother and I gave her... it feels as if my little girl will die... I can't help it but be very sad." The wind magician lowers his head depressed.

Oh? He knows what's beyond this plane or world... then again, it makes sense if you got Demigods here. I affirm his knowledge of higher beings beyond this world.

"I think the root of that feeling is her body being more related to yours than Souls, but ultimately there are conditions for it to manifest in a vessel, so perhaps only the union of parent's Souls could bring forth the current Shaila. Objectively speaking, a true descendant would be someone with an origin Soul which is when it comes into existence for the first time, but ironically, in this world should be the common people and those unable to become magicians." I explain my conjecture.

"So... you are saying we are actually related by the body and coincidentally through the soul? No loving parent would accept that, and they'd accuse you as a heretic since it would mean only commoners have actual descendants... Then again nothing would really change after knowing, my little girl won't stop being my daughter even if her soul is ancient." Faust arrives at his own conclusions.

"Well, Shaila should be very old, and now that I think about it, also older than me in body and soul! Anyway, her soul is probably much older than mine by hundreds of years, but the natural process of reincarnation causes the individual to lose most memories, though perhaps one day she'll remember her past, maybe even me..." I explain my age estimation of Shaila's Soul. "In any case, there are realms where souls are born and die because there is no recycling system so... which do you prefer?" I offer the choice of a place with high restrictions like Earth.

Nevertheless... I'm not sure how much better is the Fragment system compared to the natural reincarnation process, so I can't make a good guess at her Soul age or the age of someone with certain affinities as I previously thought. I lament the lack of information causing erroneous conclusions.

"Hmm... I see." Faust nods deliberating. "Still, I must say... the possibility of being reborn with memories is quite an enviable one, and that seems to be how you plan to achieve those heights, but how does that even work though?" He inquires on the enigma.

"Ah, that huh? ...Your soul will leave this realm once its vessel can't hold it anymore, but mine stays around and chooses another life form after paying a certain price. Although we have different Soul cycles, you will reincarnate eventually... unless of course, a creature makes a snack out of your soul." I vaguely explain before comparing.

"So, it's like a Divine Soul which can leave a body but without the enlightenment. In that case, not just Shaila, but even I would want that ability to start over." He sighed looking at the ground.

Indeed... I admit to have a way out of hardships. It's like a Savepoint since the important memories are secured already, and I could have killed myself until I'm born to the right parents like from a Divine, but I refused not to enjoy my life after all that suffering. It's an achievement, and if I were afraid of pain, then I wouldn't have asked to be born a dragon but instead, a rock or a tree in the Garden of Eden. Well, the feeling attracting me to Shaila also stopped me from committing suicide since prison time felt unbearable at first and I considered the easy way out, but I'm glad I changed my mind after the Tamer stopped. I recall my deliberation as a Dragon prisoner back in the guild beast pen.

"About that...I understand why you two want an easy way out. However, you should remember I told Shaila there's no guarantee the next Life would be better, but why do think I don't pursue a perfect life either? A life without any suffering and just pure happiness where all my desires are granted would have been a better choice right? Afterall, I too have a lifetime with remorses, and I don't know any fool who can die without regrets since even bad guys have them, but how could you define happiness without suffering?" I explain my perspective questioning his ideology.

I guess, giving up would be the same as committing suicide since our lives aren't always in our own hands and this deal he's offering might be something that will change my life... I realize the crossroad of change waiting for the man's opinion.