Alenna turned to Evan, her expression serious. "I think it's time, Hubby. Time to tell Ignis everything. He deserves to know the truth."
Evan met her gaze and nodded in agreement.
Ignis, still holding his katana, frowned in confusion. "Blood? What blood? What truth? Why are you both acting so mysteriously?"
Evan exhaled deeply, his voice measured. "Son, do you remember what I told you about never revealing your surname to anyone?"
Ignis nodded. "Yes, you said I should never tell anyone that my surname is Drakonis."
Evan's expression darkened. "That's because our surname belongs to one of the Seven God Families."
Ignis's eyes widened. "God Families?"
"You wouldn't have heard of them," Evan continued. "We never allowed you to read anything related to them. A family is only called a God Family if it has produced a god and still has at least one living demigod in power."
Ignis took a moment to absorb the information before asking, "So… you're saying I'm part of a God Family?"
Evan shook his head. "Not exactly." His voice held a tinge of bitterness. "We no longer belong to the Drakonis God Family. Your grandfather was banished, his name erased from the family tree. That means we are completely cut off—we are no longer recognized as members of the God Family."
Silence settled between them.
Ignis clenched his fists, his mind racing. If his lineage was tied to the legendary God Families, then why had they been exiled? What had his grandfather done to warrant such a severe punishment?
Ignis asked Evan the question that had been on his mind: "Why? How exactly was my grandfather banished from the family?"
Evan sighed, his expression laced with a mix of amusement and nostalgia. "Honestly, it's a bit cliché. You've read plenty of fantasy novels, right? You've probably come across those protagonists who get cast out of their noble families because of 'poor talent' or some nonsense like that."
Ignis nodded, listening intently.
"Well," Evan continued, "the same thing happened to your grandfather—at least, to an extent. By the Drakonis Family's standards, his talent was considered mediocre. But here, in the Lunar Kingdom, he would have been seen as a genius."
Ignis frowned. "Then why exile him? If he wasn't weak by normal standards, what was the real reason?"
Evan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Because talent alone wasn't enough to get someone banished from a God Family. Instead, it was a matter of duty and defiance.
"The family wanted him to marry a woman from another God Family, to establish a branch family and strengthen their influence. With their resources, he could have easily reached the rank of a Six-Star Knight, maybe even higher.
"But… while training as an adventurer, my father—your grandfather—fell in love with a civilian woman."
Ignis stiffened.
"He wanted to marry her, but he had no standing to make such demands. He was already looked down upon for his 'lack of talent,' so when he refused the arranged marriage, they gave him two choices: follow the family's wishes or be banished."
Evan paused, his voice quieter now.
"And he chose love over power. He left the Drakonis Family… and was erased from their history."
A heavy silence settled over them.
Ignis exhaled slowly, his mind reeling. His grandfather had given up the chance to be a legendary knight, to be part of an almighty bloodline—all for love.
And now, because of that choice, they were no longer part of the God Families.
But Ignis felt no resentment toward his grandfather. There was no bitterness, no frustration—only respect. His grandfather had followed his heart, choosing love over power, and Ignis could only admire him for that.
Shaking off his thoughts, he turned back to his father. "You mentioned my blood earlier. What did you mean by that?"
Evan exhaled, his gaze growing distant, as if recalling a long-buried memory. "It happened when I was fifteen, and your grandfather was thirty-seven. During one of his adventures, he stumbled upon something extraordinary—the blood of a dragon."
Ignis's eyes widened.
"Dragon blood is unique," Evan continued. "Unlike regular liquid, it doesn't mix with the environment. It stays intact, almost like a golden, squishy droplet—completely untouchable by time or decay."
Ignis listened intently, his curiosity burning.
"Your grandfather was incredibly lucky. If anyone else had been with him, a war would have broken out over that single drop. Even the God Families would have intervened for the chance to claim it." Evan let out a dry chuckle. "But fate was on his side that day. He found it alone."
Ignis could already guess where this was going, but he stayed silent, waiting for his father to continue.
"On his way back," Evan went on, "he was ambushed. A Six-Star Beast, as strong as a Six-Star Knight, attacked him. At the time, your grandfather was only a Five-Star Knight—outmatched and badly wounded."
Ignis clenched his fists. "What happened?"
"He barely escaped," Evan said, his tone grim. "Wounded and exhausted, but alive. And most importantly—he still had the dragon's blood."
Ignis felt a strange sense of anticipation coil in his chest. His grandfather had survived a battle he shouldn't have, carrying something that could change everything.
And somehow, that very blood was now tied to him.
Evan continued, his voice steady but laced with the weight of the past.
"Even though my father was banished from the Drakonis Family, he had lived among them for over twenty years. He may have lost his status, but he never lost his knowledge. He knew the secrets of the God Families, their history, their power… and most importantly, their rituals."
Ignis listened intently, his mind racing.
"In the Drakonis Family, there exists a sacred ritual—one reserved for the most promising heirs. It is performed before birth, while the child is still a fetus. Through this ritual, the blood of a legendary beast—like a dragon or a phoenix—is infused into the unborn child, drastically enhancing their potential.
"A child blessed by such a ritual would be destined for greatness. At the very least, they would reach Demi-God level in their lifetime. And if fortune favoured them, they could even inherit unique abilities from the beast whose blood they carried."
Ignis's breath hitched. A ritual that could turn someone into a legend…?
Evan nodded as if sensing his son's thoughts. "But such a ritual requires not only knowledge but preparation, precision… and luck. And my father—your grandfather—knew how to perform it."
Evan's expression darkened. "But by the time he had the dragon's blood in his possession, it was already too late for him. My mother—your grandmother—had passed away from a terminal illness. And my father… he was dying."
Silence hung in the air.
"He had been gravely wounded during that battle with the Six-Star Beast, and the injuries were too severe. The healers did what they could, but he had only a month—two at most—left to live."
Ignis swallowed hard, his chest tightening.
Evan exhaled. "He didn't have time to use the ritual so he passed it on—to me."
Ignis stiffened.
"My father taught me the ritual. And before he died, he entrusted me with the dragon's blood." Evan turned to Alenna, his gaze softening. "When you were still in the womb, after discussing it with your mother, we performed the ritual."
Ignis's entire body tensed.
So this was the truth behind his blood.
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