Chapter 535
“Hold on a moment.”
At Ian’s gesture to wait, Leffin scowled in displeasure. They’d been waiting all this time—again?
Bariel’s side had been giving them the cold shoulder, complaining that Luswena was late. But in truth, they weren’t at fault. Strictly speaking, it was the other nations who had arrived early; Luswena had come right on time, entering the palace as scheduled.
From that perspective, it was Luswena who had every reason to be annoyed. How could they start the banquet before all the guests had even arrived?
Leffin fiddled with his mustache, then signaled his attendants to step back.
“I don’t know how much longer we’re supposed to wait.”
“Exactly. There’s a limit to how much dawdling we can tolerate.”
“Tsk, tsk. Even the great empire of Bariel is nothing special. With management like this, how can anything run smoothly?”
“Hey! I can hear you.”
“Let them hear it. If it starts like this, the end is obvious. Leffin, maybe we should just leave before the coronation?”
“Oh, come now. We have orders from His Highness Eldert. How can we just leave?”
“Still, this treatment is unacceptable.”
“Yes. No matter how strained the relations, war hasn’t been declared. They themselves drew the line. Luswena and Bariel are on different paths, after all.”
“Calm down. Calm down.”
Leffin shot a warning glance at the mages. Though he grumbled and complained with bravado, his eyes betrayed a genuine worry that the real mages might overhear. Fortunately, the mages were huddled together, whispering among themselves, seemingly indifferent to the others.
A low growl rumbled.
A dragon’s jaw rested atop Leffin’s head. It seemed bored from being tied up for so long. Startled, Leffin struck the dragon’s neck and belly mercilessly with his staff.
Smack!
“You insolent beast! How dare you!”
“Oh, Leffin, be careful. It’s a precious gift.”
The dragon, seemingly unfazed by the blows, continued to wear a dumbfounded expression.
The mages, still whispering among themselves, glanced over and muttered.
“Isn’t this Eldert’s way of ordering an assassination? Leffin or Muffin or whatever—are we really supposed to send this thing back alive?”
“Send it back alive. Eldert would be furious to the point of death.”
“Sounds reasonable. No need to escalate to war.”
“That arrogant mustache bastard. I want to tear it all off.”
“The dragon’s no better. Who sends back something that looks this dumb?”
“Maybe it’s just a big lizard with wings.”
“Even if that’s true for now, after the audience, the magic department will have to take responsibility. How else could other departments handle it? It’ll be deployed right after the coronation—lots of problems.”
“International treaties prevent it from being used in war, so it’s a real headache. It’s basically a giant Beric!”
“At least Beric fights.”
“Ian, what should we do?”
The mages, whispering frantically, all turned to Ian as if begging for a solution.
Ian pondered briefly before speaking.
“Even minor disturbances cannot be allowed.”
“Of course. Today is no ordinary day!”
Luswena had already made it clear that if the dragon wasn’t allowed into the banquet hall, it would be seen as a slight. So the solution was to let the dragon in, observe the proper audience procedures, and ensure safety.
“But the dragon looks a bit dopey. Wouldn’t it be fine if it just stayed still?”
“It’s not a dog. How do we know what kind of traps Luswena might have set? What if it suddenly freaks out and smashes everything? What if His Highness’s safety is compromised? That would be a nightmare.”
“In that case, we just take Muffin’s head off.”
“Leffin, Eldert is probably the one who most wants that beast dead—”
“Akorella, can its size be reduced?”
“Huh?”
Ian’s question made the mages freeze. What was he talking about? How could they shrink something that big? Everyone stared at Ian, then at Akorella. She, uncharacteristically hesitant, scratched the tip of her nose.
“There might be a potion for that.”
“…Well, there is.”
“There is? Such a thing exists? Why—why was it made?”
“It’s still experimental and can’t be used yet. It was developed for humans, and we have no idea how a dragon would react.”
“Why the hell would you make something like that?”
“Shut up, you lot! What? You think I made it to mess with Ian?”
“Wow, that’s crazy. Insane.”
The mages shook their heads in disbelief, while Ian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Bringing the dragon in personally was the best option, but if that wasn’t possible, there was no choice.
“Then we’ll proceed with a direct approach.”
“Direct approach? What’s that?”
Before anyone could grasp what he meant, Leffin, who had been beating the dragon, lost his temper and shouted.
“How much longer are we supposed to wait? If the invitation is wrong, just say so! I won’t blame you if you’re honest!”
His shouting was so loud it made heads spin.
Akorella reached for the sword at a guard’s waist with a blank expression, but the startled mages quickly intervened to calm her. Just as the atmosphere was about to spiral—
“Yes. Leave the dragon behind and enter.”
Leffin, who had been raging, turned to see who had spoken. It was Ian. His calm tone quickly silenced the Luswena delegation.
“Leave the dragon behind? Is that acceptable?”
“The magic department will take charge of moving it. It will be present during the audience, so Luswena need not worry about failing to show proper respect.”
With no experts on either side, this was a non-issue. Ian refused further questions, turned away, and the guards cleared the path.
“Ahem. Move the luggage.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Handle it carefully! These are precious items!”
Leffin barked orders irritably and ascended the stairs with his attendants. Ian, too, commanded the mages and personally took hold of the rope around the dragon’s neck. For a moment, it seemed he might move it himself, but then he handed the rope to Romandro.
“Everyone, return to your positions.”
“Yes, to positions!”
“Romandro, please escort the dragon to the rear garden. After we adjust the magic circle near the banquet hall, I will follow immediately.”
“Wait, me? Alone? With this thing?”
“Hurry up. The mages have their roles and can’t come along. They managed to bring it this far without experts, so it should be somewhat trained. Now, the portal will close! Go to the magic department one last time to confirm there are no issues!”
“Yes, Ian! I’ll fly there and back!”
“Wait a minute! Ian!”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Tada-tak!
The mages scattered, and Ian entered the banquet hall with cold composure. Only Romandro, the guards, and the dragon remained.
“W-what am I supposed to do with this?”
Romandro looked like he might cry as he asked the soldiers for help, but they avoided his gaze, refusing. They neither had permission to leave nor the courage to face the dragon.
Ssssh.
Then, a strange whimper came from behind Romandro. When he looked back, the dragon was staring down at him.
A shadow darkened as its jaw slowly opened, revealing sharp fangs dripping sticky saliva. Romandro felt dizzy and staggered.
Ah, Romandro—the loyal subject of Bariel and a humble family man—was about to die here, serving the palace, leaving behind his beloved wife and daughter…?
“What the hell? Why are you dancing here?”
“…Beric!”
At that moment, Beric appeared, firmly grabbing the side of Romandro’s swaying head. For once, he was no weakling puppy but a reliable royal guard swordsman!
Tears in his eyes, Romandro clung to Beric, who grimaced as if annoyed by the attention.
“Ugh, let go. You’re crazy, it’s disgusting.”
“This dragon… sniff I have no magic, no power… but Ian, he’s… cough…”
“Oh, dragon.”
Crack!
“…!”
Beric, as if fascinated by something, examined the dragon thoroughly before suddenly biting down hard on its neck. Wondering what it tasted like.
“I hear a commotion.”
Jin, overhearing the nobles’ chatter, gestured to Ian.
The boisterous crowd quieted, lowering their voices as they eyed the crown prince. The one leading the conversation suddenly sipped wine, postponing his remarks. This was a chance to impress the crown prince, but what use was it if he wasn’t paying attention?
“My apologies. The Luswena delegation has arrived.”
“Early, too.”
Not sarcasm, but genuine surprise. They’d expected them tomorrow or later, but the timing was almost perfect.
“They brought a dragon as a gift, but we can’t just accept it outright, so we’re handling the situation. Your Highness need not worry.”
A brief report, but it carried much meaning: Luswena’s deception, the pretense of goodwill, the cause of the disturbance. Jin stood, and the nobles hid their faces behind fans, clearly embarrassed.
“Looks like Eldert put some thought into this.”
“Yes. His actions are just like Eriphoni’s.”
“What’s the solution?”
“The best outcome would be if the dragon went on a rampage and dealt with the Luswena delegation. That way, we wouldn’t be held responsible, and we could even claim the moral high ground for having tried to unleash a ferocious beast. Beyond just handling an unwelcome guest, it would send a clear message to Luswena.”
“Is that really feasible?”
“The dragon’s temperament is far too gentle.”
Jin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“And more importantly—”
Ian glanced around at the many eyes fixed on him and Jin, then whispered,
“Because there was a ‘dragon’s sacrifice,’ we cannot make such a decision. My apologies, Your Highness.”
It was an ancient legend.
From the beginning, dragons had existed as weapons of humanity, playing a major role in the destruction of the world. But when the gods witnessed this, they stripped the dragons of their power, leaving them as they are now.
The ‘Sacred Non-Aggression Pact’ was a solemn vow among humans to honor this, and more importantly, to never again sacrifice dragons to human greed.
“I understand your point well. I too recognize the ‘dragon’s sacrifice.’ Since this is a matter that could cause ethical and diplomatic issues, I will follow your counsel.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“So, then, we only need to receive the Luswena delegation?”
“Yes. Everything is prepared.”
“Bring them in.”
At Jin’s command, Ian bowed his head and stepped back. The doors to the banquet hall swung open, and Repin and his delegation strode in with imposing confidence.
“Greetings. I am Repin, representative of the Luswena delegation. It is an honor to meet you, Crown Prince.”
“I hear you brought something quite impressive. Since Bariel and Luswena are close, it’s only natural you arrived safely.”
“…It seems the eternal blessings of Bariel are finally shining forth. The future you lead, Your Highness, is beyond anything we could dare imagine!”
As Repin knelt on one knee in greeting, the Bariel nobles murmured among themselves. Was that really a proper salute? Eternal blessings shining forth? What about before?
“Just a mustachioed upstart,” one muttered.
“What did you say?”
“Thorns from the start.”
“Elder Prince Aldert, who could not attend in person, is deeply regretful. So we have prepared this on his behalf. It is a rare treasure not found in Bariel…”
The attendants presented a box piled high with jewels and gold, but Repin only gave an awkward smile.
“This… well, the Ministry of Magic wouldn’t release it. Not just Bariel, but all the other nations are watching, so it’s quite embarrassing—”
Snap!
Before Repin could finish, Ian flicked his fingers lightly, and suddenly a lush grassy field sprang up across the banquet hall floor.
The startled crowd murmured briefly before realizing it was just a translucent illusion, not real grass.
“Your Highness, this is the dragon presented as a tribute.”
Boom.
A vivid red dragon appeared in the center of the hall. People stepped back in awe, but soon recognized it as an illusion as well—and gasped in admiration. All of this was the work of Bariel’s Minister of Magic, Ian!
Zzzzz! Zzzzz!
Ian focused intently to maintain the dragon’s form. But it didn’t last long. He noticed something strange attached to the dragon’s back.
“What’s that? On the dragon’s back?”
“Where? Huh?”
The hall buzzed with whispers as everyone pointed at the dragon’s back. Then someone recognized it and shouted,
“…Beric!”