Transmigrated Into a Cannon Fodder Phoenix, Stuck With the Ice Dragon-Chapter 133: Side Effect

"Done? That’s it?"

I blinked hard, still finding it hard to believe.

"So it only took you two a minute to trap her somewhere unknown," I said slowly, "but you let her roam free for more than a century?"

Thalor looked at me flatly. "I didn’t let her," he said. "She never entered my territory."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

"She was moving," Thalor replied. "Constantly. Between mirrors. Between hosts."

Vivian nodded weakly. "She never stayed in one place long enough," she added. "And she never fully entered any domain."

Thalor clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed that he even had to explain.

"The rule I hate most about being a Leviathan," he said, "is that I can’t interfere unless someone crosses into my territory."

He glanced briefly at Lucian, who showed no surprise at all, then turned back to me.

"She knew that rule," Thalor continued. "That’s why she kept skimming the edges. Never stepping fully inside."

His expression darkened. "We tried many times to lure her in," he said flatly. "She never took the bait."

Then his gaze shifted toward Vivian.

"But luckily," Thalor added, irritation mixed with reluctant approval, "this not-so-bad fairy managed to drag her across the line."

Vivian lowered her head slightly, accepting neither praise nor blame.

"And once she was inside," Thalor finished, "she was mine."

The words landed heavily and the room fell into silence.

The heavy kind that presses against your ears and makes you think too much.

I swallowed the question that had been circling my mind finally pushing its way out.

"So..." I asked quietly. "Is that confinement really secure?"

Thalor looked at me, looking offended. "Yes," he said simply. "Through me."

The room stiffened.

Vivian’s expression didn’t change, but her fingers curled slightly against the floor.

"Meaning?" I asked quietly.

"Meaning," Thalor replied, unbothered, "the seal is tied to my authority. My territory. My will."

He glanced around the room, then back at me.

"She doesn’t have a door she can knock on," he continued. "No cracks. No shortcuts. No clever tricks."

My throat felt tight. "So the only way—"

"Is... if I let her out," Thalor finished. "Or if I’m dead."

The word landed heavily.

Lucian’s gaze sharpened. "That won’t happen."

Thalor snorted. "Relax. I didn’t survive this long by being careless."

But the unease wouldn’t leave me.

"What if you died?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Thalor tilted his head, studying me for a moment.

"I’m fairly certain she would die first," he said. His smirk deepened, sharp and confident.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He let out a long sigh, clearly tired of explaining.

"Your bird really is full of questions," he muttered, looking at Lucian.

Then he straightened, his tone turning blunt.

"The seal isn’t just on me," Thalor said. "It’s bound to my existence. If I fall, the space collapses with me."

My breath caught.

"She doesn’t get freed," he continued. "She gets erased along with it."

My eyes widened slightly. "That’s... final?" I asked, still had a slight doubt in me.

"Yes," Thalor replied flatly. "Which is why she won’t outlast me."

Thalor turned away, clearly done with the conversation. "I need to go back," he said. "I’m starving. All of you managed to interrupt my dinner."

He paused, then glanced over his shoulder. "Try not to summon ancient problems again anytime soon," he added dryly.

Thalor stopped in front of the mirror, the surface already rippling faintly, like calm water waiting to be disturbed.

"Are you serious?" Lucian frowned. "You’re going back through the mirror?"

Thalor glanced at him, clearly unimpressed. "Well," he said lazily, "the portal is still open. Why would I take the hard way when this goes straight home?"

Lucian’s brow twitched. "You realize mirrors are exactly how half of this mess started."

Thalor waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. Mine is under control."

He stepped halfway into the mirror, then paused again, as if remembering something.

"Oh," he added, looking back at me. "Your fairy friend should rest. That seal won’t collapse, but casting it still takes a toll."

Vivian inclined her head slightly. "I know. Thank you... Lord Thalor."

He hummed, neither accepting nor rejecting the gratitude.

"And you," Thalor said, pointing briefly at Lucian, "owe me dinner. A proper one. Not whatever this chaos was."

Lucian snorted. "Get in line."

A corner of Thalor’s mouth lifted. He raised one leg to step into the mirror—But suddenly, something spurted from his mouth.

"—Tch."

Thalor’s expression twisted. He bent forward sharply, one hand bracing against the mirror’s frame, the other clutching his side as if a sudden, vicious pain had struck him out of nowhere.

The mirror rippled violently.

"Thalor?" Lucian’s tone changed instantly.

The water beneath Thalor’s feet splashed, darkening as it spread. His breath hitched once, then twice.

"Don’t—" Thalor hissed through his teeth. "Don’t make a fuss."

Blood.

It seeped through his fingers, dark and unmistakable.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

"You’re injured," I said, panic creeping into my voice.

Thalor clicked his tongue, annoyed more than alarmed. "Side effect," he muttered. "Holding something that is corrupted tends to bite back."

Vivian stiffened. "The seal—"

"Is intact," Thalor snapped. "She’s not touching anything anymore." He straightened slowly, jaw clenched, clearly forcing himself upright.

Lucian stepped forward. "You’re not going anywhere like that."

Thalor shot him a sharp look. "And you’re not dragging me into a healer’s lecture."

The mirror behind him pulsed again, reacting to his condition.

Thalor exhaled slowly, forcing his posture straight. "I stayed longer than I should have," he admitted, irritation lacing his voice.

Lucian took a step forward. "Thalor—"

"I’m fine," Thalor cut in. He waved a hand dismissively, even though his face had gone a shade paler. "Leviathans don’t break that easily."

He glanced back at us, then added dryly, "I’ll go first."

Then, as if remembering himself, a crooked smirk tugged at his lips. "Call me," he said, "if you ever decide to throw a party."

Lucian scoffed. "You’re unbe—"

Lucian’s words were cut short.

Thalor suddenly lurched forward.

Blood splattered across the mirror in a dark spray.

"Thalor!"

His body swayed, strength leaving him all at once, and he collapsed backward before he could take another step.

The mirror rippled wildly.

Lucian moved instantly, catching him before he hit the floor. "Thalor!" he barked. "Hey—look at me!"

Thalor coughed, more blood staining his lips. His smirk was gone now, replaced by a tight, annoyed grimace.

"Tch," he muttered weakly. "That’s embarrassing."