25.

By the time Fraco entered the cave with food basket, it's already evening. Walking slowly into the cave, he tried to grasp the infrastructure of the cave which looked calm and beautiful instead of scary.

Was it because it was like this from the start?

Or were his expectation too low because of this scary dragon's existence?

Grazing his hand on the hard rock walls, he walked slowly into the cave observing everything. His eyes caught the sight of the dangling bed. Caught up staring at it, he felt a soft hot breeze graze him, moving his gaze to look at the direction of wind, he noticed the huge dragon staring at him with her red garnet colored eyes!

Her stare made him gulp slightly, offering a small smile, "Hello dragon." He said calmly.

Fraco clearly remembered Alex's instructions, in the face of the dragon, one should maintain calm demeanor so as not to irk it.

"I'm here to see Alex." He said again.

Huffing her breath at him, she stared into his eyes, noticing how he tried to mask his fear with bravery.

Krystal: 'Good'.

Krystal cocked a brow at him, which took him aback a little. Now this was more interesting to her. Perhaps if she rose to her full length, he would lose his cool and may run far away.

Lazy as she was, she enjoyed making the humans squirm.

Alex had gotten too comfortable with her and was no longer afraid of her, she wanted someone she could scare for the fun of it. Marjun had been a nice pet to play with, but he was too stupid to be made fun of.

Krystal rose up to her full height, glaring down at Fraco. The poor man shook in fright.

"I don't mean any harm - ahh!" He screamed as Krystal grabbed him and raised him up to her gaze. Fraco was frightened. "Alex!" He yelled.

Alex chuckled from his bed where he sat, watching the drama.

"K, don't play like that! You'll scare the man away." Alex scolded lazily. Despite his warning, he was actually enjoying the show and somehow he wanted her to continue.

Krystal grunted in defeat. She placed Fraco to the ground where he stood still, afraid that any step would cause a trouble to him.

"It's okay, Fraco. You can move, she won't bite you." Alex said. "I guarantee that she is only messing with you, isn't that right K?"

Grunting, she turned her head in displeasure. After all her play toy has been snatched!

Alex chuckled again. "I didn't expect you to really take your father's advise of visiting me."

"Well... Here I am." He said. "And I got you food."

"Not fruits?" Alex asked. "You got me actual human food?"

"Yes, a lot of meats too." Fraco said, handing the basket to Alex. "My mother is one of the chefs in the inn where we met, so you must know how good this food will taste."

Alex smiled genuinely. He jumped down from his bed and snatched the basket from Fraco's hand.

"Thank you." He said. Fraco nodded, offering him a smile. He watched Alex sit on the ground and open the plate. Alex breathed in the aroma of the food. The scent spread around the cave and even Krystal wanted to have a taste of the human food. She kept staring longingly at it.

"Alex.. Alex." Fraco called, staring at Krystal. "Don't you think she wants that?"

Alex turned to find Krystal staring longingly at the food. "Aw, you want this? But you can't eat it."

Krystal emitted a low growl, indicating her displeasure with Alex's behavior and a potential threat. She exhaled smoke as a warning to him that she will burn up the food along with his hand.

"Okay okay, I'll keep some for you!" Alex said quickly, raising his hands up in surrender. "No need to get all angry."

"Wow." Fraco said. "You and her communicate so easily? Is that why Marjun got jealous?"

"What? Marjun's jealousy was rooted in different factors. Are you also going to challenge me to a duel for my position?" Alex inquired, with mouthful of eggs, cheese and meat wrapped in toasted bread.

Fraco raised his hands very quickly, taking two steps back. "I lack the bravery and courage to serve her. I don't think I can survive an hour in here, alone with her."

"She's not a mindless beast." Alex said, passing Krystal a calming glance.

"Of course not. That night proved it, the way she allowed you to calm her. If she was a mindless beast, you would have asked all of us to run to safety while you battled alone with her." Fraco said. "If you had too."

Alex smirked. "Marjun... How did he become friends with you?"

Fraco sighed. "Marjun's father and my father were friends when they were in the king's cabinet. Somehow, Neron had always been greedy, always wanting to be the only one who the king listened to."

"I'm guessing that man was your father?" Alex asked.

"Not exactly my father." Fraco answered. "Let's say, my father was a man the king would listen to, but not the only man the king listens to."

Alex nodded. "I understand. So that got Neron trying to find ways to get the king to listen to him?"

"Exactly. When the king found out what has been happening through the mouth of the other nobles, he kicked Neron out of the cabinet, and the other noble heirs stopped associating with Marjun."

"I can't comprehend why he was neglected because of his father's mistakes. 'Apple never falls far from the tree' is not always accurate." Fraco sighed

"Perhaps in Marjun's case, the apple is still on the tree." Alex said.

Alex wondered what kind of father he had.

Was his father a loved man?

Was he even known?

What about his mother? Was she someone respected, and loved by others? He sighed sharply.

Forget it… He wouldn't allow that to bother him, whoever his father was, he lived his life and perhaps… died. Now it was just him, Alex, a man with no name, and he had his own path to blaze.

"I feel lucky that I don't have a father." Alex suddenly said.

"What? Why?" Fraco asked in surprise. This statement from Alex really caught him offgaurd.

"Well because now nobody can judge or castigate me based on my father's crimes," Alex said. "Now… I have my own path to blaze."