Chapter 3 Old Friend, We Meet Again

"Finally, this useless guy is out of my daughter's life. Frida, you've really outdone yourself!" Hilda couldn't hide her excitement. She'd never liked her daughter's marriage to Alexei. Ingrid had always thought he was the one, but now that the divorce was happening, Hilda felt like a huge weight had been lifted. "We're family, it's nothing," Frida shrugged. But then her tone lowered, "But here's the thing, this guy doesn't want anything from the divorce." "Seriously? He's just letting it go?" Hilda raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "I didn't think his ego would be this big," Eric muttered, clearly unimpressed. "Well, he does want the box he brought with him back then," Frida added. "What box?" Hilda frowned, confused. "I don't know exactly, but you should probably come check it out. I'm worried he might be taking something important, and I won't be able to explain it later," Frida said, sounding a little anxious. "Frida, stall him. I'll be there with Eric right away," Hilda said quickly. "After this divorce, he's not taking anything from the Miller family!" "Right! If he tries, I'll make sure he regrets it," Frida replied. "Mom, I'll grab the car," Eric said, already heading for the door. They moved so quickly, it was like they were guarding a treasure. ***** Upstairs, Alexei's eyes scanned the rooms, the memories of the past three years lingering in every corner. He didn't go to the bedroom but made his way to the far end of the hallway to the storage room. Turning on the light, he pulled down the box from the top shelf. He blew the dust off and opened it. Inside, there weren't many items. The first thing he pulled out was a flat piece of paper. Eighteen years ago, Alexei's world fell apart. His family was caught in a disaster that left him running for his life. He fled Bleewood, hunted and desperate, until he stumbled into Lenoville. Exhausted and on the brink of collapse, he passed out in the middle of the street. That's when she appeared. A young girl with a cupcake in her hand. She didn't hesitate, just broke off pieces of it and fed them to him, saving his life. That girl was Ingrid. Since then, Alexei had kept the cupcake wrapper as a reminder of that moment. Now, holding it in his hands, he muttered, "I've paid back that kindness, there's nothing left between us." With a flick of his wrist, he tore the wrapper into shreds, the pieces fluttering to the floor like ashes. The next item he pulled from the box was a black token. Heavy and cold, it gleamed faintly under the light. A dragon was etched into its surface, sharp and fierce, as though it might leap off the token at any moment. "Old friend, we meet again," Alexei traced the intricate design with his fingertips, feeling a long-buried energy stir within him. His blood seemed to hum in response, like it recognized the token's power. This token had the power to stir the world into chaos, should it ever surface again. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. The third item was a small black cloth bag. Alexei's gaze lingered for only a moment before shifting to the last object in the box; a battered, old-fashioned phone. He plugged it in and turned it on. As soon as the screen lit up, messages began flooding in. [Dragon Lord, where are you?] [Please respond, Dragon Lord. We've been waiting for you.] The notifications kept coming. Alexei frowned, scrolling through the messages, but before he could read more, the phone started ringing. Alexei frowned. The number on the screen wasn't familiar, but he knew this phone was encrypted. Only a handful of people had access to it. After a moment's hesitation, he answered. "Dragon Healer! Finally!" The voice on the other end was breathless, almost giddy with relief. "I've been trying to reach you forever. You have no idea how many times I've called." Dragon Healer. That title dragged him back to a version of himself he hadn't thought about in years. "Who is this?" Alexei's tone was sharp, cutting through the other person's excitement. "And how did you get this number?" "I got your number from the Lord of Gapdiff," the man said quickly. The voice on the other end continued, "I'm Levi Carter from Lenoville. My dad is in critical condition. We've tried everything. Please, Dragon Healer, you're our only hope!" Alexei raised an eyebrow. Lord of Gapdiff? That had to be Arthur Turner, one of his old subordinates. After Arthur stepped away to recover from his injuries, Alexei handed Arthur a sizable sum to start over. Arthur had gone back to Gapdiff, built himself up, and eventually earned the title of Lord. And the Carter family was a big name in Lenoville. Wealth, power—they had it all. "No." The word came out sharp and cold. Alexei wasn't in the mood for this. His divorce had drained him, and all he wanted was some peace. "Wait! Please, Dragon Healer!" Levi's voice cracked. "My dad is a hero! He served the country, protected its borders, gave everything for it! He's sick because he worked himself into the ground. You're the only one who can help him!" Alexei sighed, rubbing his temple. "A good general, huh?" He thought for a moment, his tone softening slightly. "Alright, I'll take a look. But don't get your hopes up. I'm not promising anything." "Thank you, Dragon Healer! Thank you!" Levi's relief practically spilled out of the phone.