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A gust of wind interrupts Fei, and he gives in to his instinct to flee. Max goes on to meet with the Black Dragon, who would prefer to hibernate than govern his city. He was a younger son who inherited after his older brother died of a sudden illness. His advisor asks to be allowed to consider the guardianship issue for two weeks to decide whether to sign agreement. Max returns home, where everyone is preparing for a chrysanthemum festival. |
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A rumor springs up that the Howaluu are crushing prize chrysanthemums in an act of defiance against the White Dragon, so Fei investigates the problem at the restaurant of an acquaintance. Little does he know that the man is the source of the rumor, intending to draw Fei into a trap. Even more startling is that Fei's long-time friend, Liing, is the son of the Heitanyui leader, and they serve Fei's adoptive father with great respect. Fei's entire life has been manipulated to prepare him for a hidden purpose. |
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Maximilian confronts his guardian with the truth about the former Red Dragon, discovering that her identity had been kept secret so the Blue and Black Dragons wouldn't grow jealous of the close relationship between Red and White and disrupt the island's harmony. Max hadn't been a last resort--the Great Dragon had never intended to beget any heirs with his wife to begin with. That leaves Max wondering why the Red Dragon had been willing to sacrifice her future to such an arrangement. |
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Fei falls into the Heitanyui trap and is thrown in the White Dragon's dungeon. When Max comes to see him, Fei gives up completely, begging for Max to do whatever it takes to satisfy himself so they can end their relationship. He can't reveal the truth about his parentage, for it could destroy the island's harmony. He wants to get Max out of his system, because it hurts too much to think about him. When Max feels that Fei's heart doesn't race for him anymore, he leaves in silence and sets the Howaluu leader free. |
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Shueran pays a visit to the former Red Dragon. Her innocently probing questions elicit the information that the Great Dragon's widow is still keeping a chest of baby toys, though her child died in the sea before ever getting the chance to play with them. Obsessed as always with admiring beautiful things, Shueran pulls off the widow's mourning veil and is surprised by the resemblance to her husband's "dog." When Max comes to meet her, she reveals everything that she learned. |
