Abyssal Sovereignty

A strange ceiling...

The girl opened her eyes, staring at the wooden beams above as memories of her last moments before losing consciousness flooded back to her. She had encountered a dragon unlike any she had ever seen. It had taken just a single word from the dragon to bring her to her knees.

I never imagined the gap would be this wide...

She recalled the words of the other dragons—words that had spoken of power and strength, of symbols and legends.

Their reputation was well-deserved... Wait, where am I?

The girl tried to sit up but found herself unable to move. Every muscle in her body ached with an intensity she hadn’t felt in years. Her sense of pain had dulled over time, yet now, the pain was so intense that if her perception were normal, she might have blacked out from the shock alone.

"Don’t move. Your wounds haven’t healed yet."

A soft yet mature voice broke the silence. The girl shifted her gaze—the only part of her body she could still control—towards the source of the voice. A woman dressed in a simple long dress had just entered the room, carrying a tray in her hands.

The woman was striking. Her long green hair flowed down her back, and her red eyes gleamed softly. She stood about 1.6 meters tall, with a curvaceous figure accentuated by the dress's bodice, which strained against her ample chest. Her beauty was undeniable, a blend of youthful innocence and mature allure.

"I made some food. Here."

The woman set down the tray, picking up a spoon and a bowl. She scooped up some of the food and brought it to the girl’s lips.

"…"

"You need to eat to get better. Open up, ahh~"

There was a subtle hint of a threat in the woman’s gentle tone. Reluctantly, the girl opened her mouth.

The spoonful of food slid into her mouth. It was porridge, filled with bits of meat, egg, and finely chopped vegetables, perfectly cooked with flavors that harmonized beautifully.

"Mmm, if you like it, I’ll give you more."

The woman scooped another spoonful and fed it to the girl.

...

Soon, the bowl of porridge was empty. The girl, feeling somewhat revitalized, finally voiced the question that had been nagging at her.

"Why am I here?"

"If you mean why you’re in this little cabin, it’s because you were gravely injured. Of course, I had to bring you back here to heal."

It was a logical answer, but not the one the girl had hoped for.

"And you are…?"

"Did the porridge taste good?"

"It was… decent? But—"

"Good to know I haven’t lost my touch. It’s been a while since I cooked. This probably isn’t enough; I’ll make some more."

"Wait—"

Before the girl could stop her, the woman had already left the room.

"…"

What’s going on…?

The girl was utterly baffled by the series of events. She should have been unconscious—perhaps even dead—after facing that dragon. And yet, here she was, being cared for by a beautiful stranger.

She shifted her gaze around the room. The design and materials were unfamiliar, unlike anything she had seen in the place she had reached after crossing the barrier. The room was cozy, filled with cute animal figurines on shelves and various stuffed toys near the bed. The air carried a faint, pleasant scent that wasn’t related to food, particularly strong around the bed.

There’s only one possible explanation. This scent belongs to the woman who lives here. The smell has seeped into the room over time. Or maybe it’s the other way around… Either way, it doesn’t change much.

She surmised that the green-haired woman was the room’s owner. Her thoughts were interrupted when the woman returned, carrying another bowl of porridge.

"I added a few different ingredients this time. Try it."

Once more, the woman fed the girl. The flavor was slightly different but just as delicious. However, the girl’s dulled senses could only distinguish between good and bad tastes at this point.

Still, it was food—nourishment. As she ate, she felt her almost depleted magical energy slowly start to regenerate, along with her physical strength.

Noticing that the girl was eating faster, the woman sped up her feeding pace slightly, though she still maintained a reasonable rhythm.

"…There, that should do it."

The second bowl of porridge was gone, leaving the girl feeling full. Although she could have eaten more, it would have been more about consuming energy than enjoying food—a process of force-feeding, essentially.

"Who… are you?"

"Hmm? Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Farkonia, and I live here in this small house."

Farkonia’s soft smile, combined with the sunlight streaming through the window, created an almost ethereal scene. For a moment, the girl was stunned. In her limited memory, she had never encountered anything so beautiful.

But she quickly shook herself out of her reverie. There were more pressing questions.

"Where is this place?"

"My house, of course."

"That’s not what I meant."

The girl paused, then continued.

"Before I lost consciousness, I was facing a beautiful dragon. There was no one else there. Do you know why?"

At this, Farkonia’s face turned a shade of red. She fiddled with her fingers, looking away like a shy maiden.

…So, it’s true…

Seeing Farkonia’s reaction, the girl knew she had hit the mark.

"You… You’re that dragon, aren’t you?"

The girl had deliberately used the word "beautiful" to gauge a reaction, and Farkonia had walked right into it, her flustered response giving her away.

Though, to be fair, the girl did think the dragon had been quite beautiful.

"Yes… you’re right."

Farkonia turned back to face the girl, her cheeks still tinged with pink, and placed a hand on her chest.

"I’m the one the legends of the dragonkind speak of… Though I still can’t quite accept it…"

Farkonia buried her face in her hands as the redness on her face deepened, more intense than before.

To her, the legends among the dragons were like a dark history—every time she thought of them, it was pure torture.

"Alright… Sorry to keep you waiting."

Farkonia lightly patted her cheeks, trying to regain her composure.

"You must be curious about how all this happened. Let me explain…"