Ep 118. Long Time No See. (7)

Ep 118. Long Time No See. (7)

Ep 118. Long Time No See. (7)

“Ilias, Raizel, listen well. It’s possible that...I won’t be able to assist you two in addressing Akeia’s emperor right away.”

The two younglings returned a puzzled look to the dragonlord’s statement. And, soon enough, they would ask in unison.

“Why?”

“...There may be another enemy waiting for my arrival at Telberk. A divinity...or a similar entity. One that may pose an even greater threat to us than the Akeian emperor.”

The image of the wooden doll flashed before the dragonlord’s eyes. The best-case scenario was to think that the doll was the emperor himself – but if it weren’t, and if the doll had truly been under the control of a deity like Serenis had first assumed, then there was no harm in preparing for it. Especially if said entity were hellbent on killing the dragonkin.

Meanwhile, Ilias was still puzzled by the dragonlord’s announcement.

“...Shouldn’t we get more help then? If they’re someone like that death deity...”

“You needn’t worry about such. There is no divinity besides death that could best me in battle. What I’m more concerned with...is leaving you two to address the emperor.”

Raizel rolled her eyes at the news, turning her head to face Ilias.

“So that’s why you made Ilias stay. So I wouldn’t face him alone.”

“...That is the case, yes. And if what Eline told us is true, the empire’s army will be at Telberk as well. Raizel, as strong as you may be...you cannot handle all of it yourself.”

According to Karas, the emperor was nigh impossible to best through magic. Then, it made sense that dragons with astute physical capabilities – like Ilias – would make the most useful ally.

Raizel crossed her arms, reflecting on what would happen once they’d arrive at Telberk. She then glanced at Karas, beaming a wry smile at the professor.

“Army, huh...well, I’m sure our empire expert can handle that. And Ilias and I can wreck that emperor in the meantime.”

“Huh? Weren’t you telling me not to even think about touching the emperor?”

“...”

Raizel narrowed her eyes at the red dragon’s comment.

She’d said that, yes. But she wasn’t stupid – the emperor had brought the entire kin to their knees once. As capable as Raizel was, she knew that besting him alone was an unlikely scenario.

“...Well, you know. Since things turned out this way and all. Might as well.”

“Wait, were you actually saying that because you were worried about me?”

“...”

“Oh my god, you were, weren’t you! Aww, look at you being a good fr-“

Wack!

Ilias’ sentence came to an abrupt end as she felt a metal fist slamming over her head. She rubbed her aching skull for a moment, glaring at her silver friend thereafter.

“What was that for?!”

“Everything.”

“Why you...!”

Ilias returned the favor – or at least tried to.

Unfortunately, the red dragon’s hand ached just as much as Raizel’s head after delivering the hit.

“Ow, my hand...stupid iron head...”

“...Ha. Serves you right.”

Serenis shook her head in dismay. She wasn’t even sure whether that was in the realm of playing or fighting. Somewhere in between, probably.

Hence, instead of stopping the two, she opened her mouth to change the topic – addressing both dragons, as well as Light and Karas.

“Now, aside from all that...should you all not get some sleep? It’s quite late into the night. Get some rest while you can, I’ll remain awake.”

In fact, ‘quite late’ was an understatement. The sun was on the brink of rising outside.

However, Raizel begged to differ. As usual.

“Actually, why don’t we just head over right now?”

“...?”

Serenis blinked in confusion at the steel dragon’s proposal. When Raizel took no action to change or retract her statement, Serenis parroted the youngling for confirmation.

“...Right now?”

“Yeah. Hey birdhead, you can do that coordinate-thingy for Telberk, right?”

Karas took an additional second to register his new title before replying. His title was still an insult, but it was worth celebrating that it’d changed from ‘scum’ to ‘birdhead.’

“Oh...uh, well...I wouldn’t know the location’s exact coordinates, but I suppose I can give a rough estimate based on the map...”

Nodding her head, Raizel turned back to face Serenis.

“We’re all up anyways, might as well go before sunrise. We can sleep once we’re done.”

“Raizel, I understand you’re eager to go, but the others are...”

Serenis looked to the remaining three. Given their daily routines, she was almost certain that they’d need to sleep – especially Light.

Unfortunately(?), that was not the case.

“I’m fine.”

“...If Ilias isn’t sleeping, I’m not sleeping.”

“I’ve spent plenty of nights doing paperwork myself. One sleepless evening bothers me little.”

“...”

The dragonlord let out a small sigh. When all four looked at her with an expectant gaze, she focused her attention on the half girl.

Admittedly, Serenis didn’t even want Light to accompany them if possible. But...

“Light. Are you certain about coming with us? I can send you back to Partivine. I’m sure Ilias and Karas will be with you by evening.”

“...I’m not leaving.”

“...”

The half girl’s determined eyes locked with the dragonlord’s. Serenis contemplated on what to say to deter her from going, but Karas soon stepped in front of her, giving a reassuring smile.

“I’ll be sure to keep her safe.”

“...”

Light had experienced firsthand what leaving her family could result in. And she was clearly determined to never let it happen again.

As someone who’d abandoned her own son, Serenis couldn’t bring herself to urge the half girl to do the same. If they’d die, then they’d die with them.

Finally, Serenis spoke her final answer.

“Very well.”

✧ ✧ ✧

“Hm...”

Telberk’s fallen ramparts filled Lavnore’s vision.

He’d already been reported of the outer wall’s breakdown, so one could argue that there was nothing to be surprised about. But...

‘It didn’t collapse. Rather...’Cheêck out latest novels at novelhall.com

Soon reaching the only viable conclusion, the emperor’s lips curved into a wry smile.

“You’re that hatchling from before, aren’t you? My...long time no see. I suppose Xar was going against my orders long before I’d realized.”

“Shut it.”

Spitting out her answer, metal scales rapidly began to encase Raizel’s skin.

“Oh? Now, now. I see the dragonkin still haven’t learned their lesson.”

When the emperor wove his hand across the air, a translucent barrier rapidly expanded outwards to encase the surrounding area.

And soon enough, the metal scales across Raizel’s skin returned to their original color. Even Ilias’ horns and wings had all but disappeared.

“Wait, this is...”

“...”

Watching the two younglings in dismay, Lavnore let out an audible laughter. He provokingly stretched out his arms, inviting his enemies to attack.

“I suppose one defeat was not enough for the dragons to remember. Come – I will personally drive some humility into your skulls.”

“...Shut it!”

Raizel took a slow step backwards. She then kicked off the blackened soil to rapidly charge towards the emperor – at a speed no other dragon could even dare to replicate in their human form.

Not having expected the sudden charge, Lavnore hurriedly wove his arms in the air. Hexagonal layers of light formed between him and Raizel, beginning to encase him whole.

“S, shiel-“

“Wanna know something interesting?”

Raizel stomped the ground with a thunderous sound, halting herself inches away from the staggered emperor. One hand was rolled into an iron fist as she screamed at her enemy.

“This form hardly makes any difference for me!”

Raizel’s fist demolished the emperor’s half-casted shielding spell, burying itself into his face with a heavy crunch.

And the sound was disturbing enough to freeze Ilias in place.

“...Uh...gosh...that looks painful...”

Not having experienced the empire’s invasion first-hand, Ilias couldn’t help herself from feeling at least a tiny bit of remorse for the emperor.

Though, it wasn’t like she was planning to stop Raizel anytime soon.

✧ ✧ ✧

“Um...professor?”

“Hm? What is it, Light?”

“...Should you be this relaxed right now?”

“I don’t see any reason to be tense.”

“...Really?”

Five people had traversed through the portal: the three dragons, Karas, and Light herself. The coordinate that Karas had estimated based on Telberk’s location had incidentally led them straight into the keep’s insides, right between the outer ramparts and the inner structure.

As soon as they’d arrived, Raizel had run off somewhere claiming to smell something in the air. Ilias had busily chased after the steel dragon. Even Serenis had followed the two younglings after entrusting Karas to ‘address matters here.’

And so, Karas and Light had been left in the middle of the keep to fend for themselves. With no ability to fly like the dragons, they were doomed to be surrounded by the swarming soldiers.

“Hey, what are those? Halves?”

“Judging from their clothes, they look like mages. Probably novice recons from Asarda or the resistance.”

“They got guts droppin’ themselves in here. That, or real rotten luck...heheh.”

“Let’s get ‘em over with quick. Did you see those dragons flippin’ outta here earlier? I always wanted to taste what dragon meat was like.”

Noting the soldiers’ bloodthirsty eyes, Karas let out a tired sigh.

‘The army hasn’t changed a bit...and yet, not a single one recognizes me.’

There was nothing to be surprised about; for humans, a hundred years was enough to flip the world twice over. It was only natural that present soldiers wouldn’t recognize some commander lost in history.

But based on that precise history, Karas was relatively certain of one thing.

The empire’s soldiers couldn’t possibly pose a threat to him.

‘Though, I am a little concerned about Light...’

Wrapping one arm around his student, Karas pulled the half girl closer to his side.

“Light. Do not leave my side, no matter what.”

“...This IS a dangerous situation, isn’t it?”

Karas thought the question through for a moment.

Admittedly, it was quite a dangerous situation for Light – but saying that out loud didn’t exactly seem like a good idea.

And so, the professor simply beamed back, tapping the half girl on her back as he answered.

Well, he was trying to answer, anyways.

“Don’t worry. I’ll-“

A deafening noise drowned out the rest of the professor’s words. An enormous stone pillar had erupted forth from the ground in front of them, hitting dozens of soldiers that had been standing in its place.

But before the soldiers could even comprehend what had just happened, the mass of stone began to lightly tremble. A fireball that had been hidden within the pillar exploded outwards, causing it to rupture into hundreds of meteors that struck the surrounding vicinity.

Although Karas and Light remained unscathed through the whole ordeal, the same could not be said for Akeia’s unsuspecting soldiers.

‘Hiding a fire spell within an earth spell? That’s...’

Taken piece by piece, the spells weren’t anything complicated. It was just a large pillar, and a basic fireball.

But the manner in which they were applied was one that could hardly be found outside of extremely old texts. Other than experienced army warlocks, such applications were hardly learned, much less used.

But unlike the shocked professor, Light seemed relatively unbothered. After taking just a few moments to catch her breath from the sudden mana drain, she tugged on Karas’ coat, pulling him towards the direction Ilias had gone.

“Professor...come on. We should go after them.”

“...”

The outcomes of Felicir’s appearance still haunted the half girl like yesterday, and there was no guarantee that the same thing wouldn’t happen to her dragon sister. Hence, if this army was sided with a divinity like him – if they were Ilias’ enemies – then there was no room for compassion of any sort.

However, reasons cannot justify all outcomes.

Dozens of soldiers had been severely wounded by Light’s spell just now. Some had died from the initial strike.

Karas couldn’t tell if Light was even aware of the damage she’d just incurred; the only thing that seemed to concern the half girl right now was that her sister had disappeared from sight.

‘But if she hadn’t done so...then I would’ve done so.’

A fairer person could reasonably state Light’s faults in this moment. However, Karas was not one of them.

The least he could do was dirtying his own hands, so that his students wouldn’t have to any further.

‘If you wish, then by all means.’

After a brief nod, Karas responded to Light in kind.

“...Of course. Let’s wrap things here quickly so we can follow after her.”