Chapter 1111: Your Former Lord

Gawain felt utterly incapable of explaining the concept of a “pan” to Betty—after all, even the translation itself was a formidable barrier. Fortunately, the maid didn’t press the issue; she was always good at letting go of things she couldn’t quite grasp, and she had a broad, easygoing spirit.

So Gawain simply watched as Betty poured half a pot of scalding hot tea over the former Dragon God, then took what looked unmistakably like a rag and spent a long time wiping down the ancient deity’s form. This girl probably had no idea she was performing some astonishing ritual; all that was clear was how much she enjoyed the process. A happy smile never left her face, and it was obvious she’d done this countless times before…

Even the infamous blasphemer who made history was no match for Betty.jpg.

After her busy work was done, Betty left the room—there was still much to be done. Though many servants and attendants now obeyed her orders, she was used to a hectic pace and simply couldn’t sit still.

Gawain watched her go, and only after the hatch to the incubation chamber closed did he shake his head and glance at the silent golden egg beside him. “You’re quite close with Betty… Don’t you find her reckless behavior a bit offensive?”

“She has a pure heart… purer than almost any mortal I’ve ever known. I enjoy talking with her; it reminds me of the dragons from the deepest recesses of my memory… a time when many things were simpler,” Enya said softly. “As for offense… many assume that ‘gods’ care deeply about mortal offenses, but that’s a misconception. Most of the time, we don’t really mind what mortals do. The endless echoes of mortal thought grow louder and louder, drowning out all reason. What we truly want is someone to talk to us—even if they act wildly… it’s just that the rules don’t allow it.”

“So I don’t feel the least bit offended by that little girl. I cherish and enjoy everything I’m experiencing now, including her tea and her ‘cleaning’—because this freedom is something the dragons paid an unimaginably high price to obtain.”

Gawain couldn’t help but glance at Enya, who was quietly marveling inside her egg. “They only sought freedom for themselves—your survival is actually an unexpected anomaly they remain wary of.”

Enya chuckled, her voice inside the shell sounding like a retired official’s dry remark: “Don’t take things so seriously. Sometimes, a little confusion is a good thing.”

Gawain opened his mouth to reply but said nothing in the end. He looked at the golden egg before him and felt as if he were witnessing a soul finally freed after being trapped for 1.87 million years.

After the cradle is overturned, who besides the child truly gains freedom?

…

At the peak of the mountains in the far north, a howling wind swept over the snow-covered fortress and courtyard. The highest terrace of Dragon’s Rest Castle basked in the morning light, banners depicting the profile of a great dragon fluttering along the surrounding walls. Snow was swept up by the wind, drifting from the castle courtyard over the ridges and walls, floating down toward the city nestled on the mountainside below.

Huge braziers burned along the terrace’s edge, their crimson flames infused with invisible magic that kept the biting cold at bay. Melita Pernea and Duke Balogur stood side by side, gazing down at the green-tinged woods and narrow patches of plains at the mountain’s base.

“The arable land in the Holy Dragon Principality is limited, and the climate isn’t ideal for large-scale agriculture… Although with magical assistance, our grain yields have always been sufficient, the surplus we can spare each year remains too small,” Duke Balogur said gravely. “Originally, I had prepared to purchase grain from neighboring countries and increase levies… We never expected such large-scale aid from the human world. The alliance has solved more than just our food supply problems—they’ve given us hope itself…”

“Not just the human world, Your Grace,” Melita lowered her eyelids, her expression solemn. “Elves, dwarves, orcs—all the races in the alliance have contributed aid to some degree. Especially the gray elves, who have provided a vast amount of medicinal herbs… one of Talrond’s most urgently needed resources.”

Duke Balogur pondered Melita’s words, then spoke thoughtfully, “Even with medicines from the Loren continent, only part of the problem can be solved… Not all traditional remedies work on modern dragons, especially since many of our kin have long been dependent on enhancers. Those suffering from neurological side effects need more than just medicine…”

“His Majesty Gawain Cecil has considered this issue. I’ve discussed it with him—Cecil’s side will organize a medical team empowered by the Holy Light to support Talrond. Their main task is to handle cases where conventional medicine fails,” Melita explained. “Our tests show that the ‘Holy Light’ is effective on all mortal races and is especially suited for neurological treatment, mental restoration, and toxin purification. It might be a miracle cure for enhancer addiction.”

“Holy Light… the power of the Holy Light deity,” Duke Balogur’s expression grew serious. “I’ve heard of Cecil’s ‘Holy Light Church Reform Movement’ and their White Knights and warrior priestesses… Though I don’t know the technical details, it seems they’ve found a way to bypass the Holy Light god and let mortals wield the power directly? You’ve been active in the human world for many years—do you think this approach is reliable?”

Clearly, when it came to “gods,” this ancient dragon who had witnessed all the dragonkind’s rebellions was cautious and sensitive.

“The reform of the Holy Light Church is one of Cecil’s earliest attempts at ‘neutralizing gods.’ It traces back to the original ‘Rebellion Plan,’ continuing forward to the newly established ‘Divine Authority Council.’ In fact, many ideas for the council were drawn from the experience of reforming the Holy Light Church. It’s a model. Gawain Cecil hopes to extract useful parts and apply them to reform other sects,” Melita analyzed seriously. “We can’t say for sure if this path is reliable yet—it’s still in the testing phase. But so far, the Holy Light emitted by machines is indistinguishable from that invoked by priests, and the ‘Holy Light god’… has shown no reaction.”

Balogur nodded. “No reaction is the best reaction. It either means the mortals’ ‘blockade’ methods are effective, and those machines have bypassed the god’s authority, or the god behind the Holy Light is quietly cooperating with our efforts, as Gawain Cecil suggested.”

Melita gave a soft “hm,” then added, “By the way, about the ‘Talrond Commercial Development’ plan I mentioned earlier, specifically the part involving the Holy Dragon Principality…”

“You mean that massive… tourism development?” Duke Balogur couldn’t help but smile. “Setting up one of the gateways to Talrond in the Holy Dragon Principality, welcoming travelers and organized adventurer groups… The Dragonblood Council has already discussed this. We believe it will benefit Talrond and greatly boost the principality’s economy—it’s been approved.”

“That’s wonderful news,” Melita said happily. “This will strengthen the ties between Talrond and the Holy Dragon Principality.”

“Of course,” the Dragonblood Duke nodded with a smile, but then furrowed his brow with concern. “This huge commercial plan is truly astonishing. Even the Dragonblood Council marvels at Gawain Cecil’s sharp mind and unique vision. But honestly… such a massive commercial enterprise, a brand-new industry model—won’t this stir up divine authority in the commercial sector? Especially after learning the truth about the war god’s descent on the Winter Fortress battlefield, my advisors worry this plan might ‘bring down’ the god of commerce again.”

Melita’s expression froze for a moment—she hadn’t considered that angle before. After a brief pause, the blue dragon maiden shook her head. “I’m not too worried. Based on current monitoring of various sects by Cecil’s side, the god of commerce seems quite stable.”

“Stable moods in the god of commerce…” Duke Balogur’s expression was oddly amused. “That’s a description no one’s ever thought of before… but in the context of the Divine Authority Council, it fits.”

“The main cause of the war god’s uncontrolled descent was a massive conceptual shift in the domain of war—when economic warfare suddenly began affecting the lives of many ordinary people, it caused widespread ideological shock, which then influenced the currents of thought and the gods behind them,” Melita continued. “According to analyses by Cecil and Typhon afterward, this ideological upheaval mainly occurred in ‘authority domain conflicts.’ A new commercial model doesn’t cause such shocks—it deepens a domain rather than transforming one domain into another.”

The blue dragon maiden scratched her head. “Honestly, I don’t fully understand it either—they’re taking a path completely different from Talrond’s. My experience and knowledge aren’t suited to their theories. But so far, I trust Gawain’s judgment. His sensitivity and transcendent vision in the realm of gods surprise even us dragons.”

Duke Balogur laughed. “You think highly of him.”

“At first, I never imagined a human could bring so many changes to this world,” Melita said calmly. “To be honest, I haven’t spent much time with him. Seven hundred years ago, he was just a client of the Mithril Treasury. But seven centuries later… the surprises he’s given me in just a few years surpass everything I’ve experienced in two millennia among humans.”

“Civilizations change like that—long accumulations, then an explosion in a single moment. Every era is like this. Talrond’s stagnant 1.87 million years was the anomaly.”

Duke Balogur nodded thoughtfully. Just then, footsteps sounded behind them. The red-haired Dragonmark witch Asalina appeared on the terrace. “Your Grace, Lady Envoy, we’ve received a special communication from Cecil via a secure internal line.”

Balogur and Melita exchanged glances. The latter whispered in surprise, “What a coincidence—we were just talking about him…”

“We’ll go at once,” Balogur nodded to Asalina and strode toward the terrace exit. “Emperor Cecil wouldn’t contact us casually.”

Shortly after, Melita and Balogur arrived at the upper communications chamber of Dragon’s Rest Castle. Amid numerous transmission runes and amplification crystals, a magic network terminal stood out with its sleek, bright new casing, resting quietly on a platform. Above it, a holographic projection displayed an image from the capital of Cecil’s empire. This device was part of the Holy Dragon Principality and Cecil Empire’s relationship enhancement plan, an extension of Cecil’s “Magic Network Universal Promotion Plan.” It remained on standby at all times, ensuring the two capitals could communicate instantly—especially after the unexpected outbreak of the Typhon-Cecil war, its importance had become paramount.

Melita and Grant Duke Balogur approached the communication device, and the room’s door closed behind them. Once all unrelated personnel had left, Balogur nodded toward the image of High King Gawain on the screen. “Good day, Your Majesty. What’s happened?”

Gawain looked hesitant, as if weighing his words, but didn’t pause long. “It’s about the dragon egg sent from Talrond…”

Melita’s expression tightened instantly. “What about the egg?”

“Please stay calm. What I’m about to say isn’t bad news,” Gawain prefaced carefully. “What I’m about to share might be a bit shocking, but overall, the situation is positive. Are you ready?”

“We’re ready,” Balogur said gravely, locking eyes with the projection. “So, what happened to the egg?”

“It… spoke.”

Melita and Balogur exchanged stunned looks.

“It said its name is Enya,” Gawain cleared his throat, his face unusually serious. “Yes, the very same ‘Enya’ we all know. Melita, steady the Grant Duke next to you—he’s starting to sway.”

Melita quickly steadied the visibly shaken Dragonblooded Grant Duke. Balogur’s eyes widened as he stared at the communication device. After a long moment, the ancient dragon from the primordial era regained some composure. Suppressing a dizzying wave of emotions, he gently pushed Melita’s hand away and broke the silence in a calm voice: “You mean… our former deity… was hidden inside that egg all along, and now she has awakened again…”

“No,” Gawain corrected gently. “You can now refer to Enya as ‘she,’ or even call her by name, just like I do. That’s the point I want to make: overall, this is good news. She is no longer a god, nor does she share the same mental connection with the dragonkind. Her revival also confirms a theory I had—that divinity and humanity can be separated. You can breathe easier now, Grant Duke Balogur. The dragons are free, truly free. There’s no need to worry.”

Balogur studied Gawain’s expression, sensing no deception. Slowly, his breathing steadied. Then, almost instinctively, he asked, “Then… what did our deity say after awakening? No, I mean… is she alright now?”

“She seems emotionally stable,” Gawain replied, glancing to the side as if the former dragon god was within his sight. “Actually, more than stable—she’s quite cheerful.”

“What is she doing?”

“Reading the newspaper—and trying her hand at making some drinks.”

Balogur and Melita blinked in unison.

(End of chapter)