Dragonlord

Ep 205. As Soon As I’m Out Of This Mess. (3)

Ep 205. As Soon As I’m Out Of This Mess. (3)

“Then, we’ll get going. Feel free to get some shut-eye – it must’ve been exhausting enough travelling here.”

“R…ight.”

After delivering a stammering answer to the elven knight from the wagon, Iris shot a glare at Patrick – who seemed all too relaxed, cross-armed and leisurely leaning against the carriage wall.

She then quickly scooted closer, her hushed voice stabbing at the mage’s ears.

“Hey! What the hell were you thinking?!”

“? Thinking what?”

“You just let Serenis get taken away like that? Are you insane? Finding Letherien by ourselves won’t accomplish anything!”

“Of course I know that. We’ll get her back. Who do you think started this trip anyways?”

“How?! You’re not just waiting for her to bust out on her own, are you?!”

“The hell are you talking about? That’s exactly what she didn’t want to do.”

Pursing his lips, Patirck then pointed back towards the airborne structure behind them with his thumb. It was steadily growing distant as the wagon continued to move – but it wasn’t that far just yet.

“You’re gonna go get her. Ms. I-can-use-portals-and-you-can’t.”

“…”

“You know it’s only going to get further, right?”

In all fairness, it was the one thing Iris boasted about most to her former coworker – and pretty much the only spell that was saving her face as the former deity of mana at this point.

Might as well put it to good use.

✧   ✧   ✧

“Well, this technically should be a detainment, but…you’re really just a guest here at Senon. Please, make yourself comfortable – you’re more than welcome to call us or look through the keep at your leisure. Though, if you could, do try not to speak to the others in detainment.”

“…Very well.”

As the knight disappeared from sight, the dragonlord glanced around the murky surroundings with a wary gaze.

‘Who knew a day would come where I’d be held captive by elves? It would’ve been unimaginable were Nodhyle still alive…’

Being an airborne structure, even the mere process of entering had been unnecessarily complicated: they first had to reach Senon’s walls, then decrpypt some shrewd runes to activate what was essentially a glorified portal device, then get examined at least twice more by a pair of gatekeepers before finally being allowed entry into the keep proper.

All that could’ve been avoided with a pair of wings.

Annd within, Sereins had found nothing quite like what she’d expected: in comparison to the Akeian war keep she’d seen in Astellion, Senon was massive in size alone, split into several levels that each rivalled the size of a city district. The innards were akin to an elaborate palace, and its occupants weren’t limited to stationed soldiers, instead filled with merchants, shopkeeps, and even children that seemed around and about.

‘…It may as well be a city of its own.’

Though, of all the places Serenis could’ve been led to, the place she’d arrived at was…

Clank!

With a metallic noise, the barred cell swung open in Serenis’ grip.

It was unmistakably a prison cell – though the knight had left it open. And even if he were to lock it, there wouldn’t be much meaning in trying to contain a dragon behind a wall of iron bars.

Of course, others around her weren’t as fortunate – and the first one to catch the dragonlord’s eye was a peculiar elf, locked right behind the cell next to hers.

“What the hell? They left your cell open?”

“Apparently I’m no different from a guest.”

“…Some guest, being escorted right into the dungeons.”

“Well…”

In all fairness, the dragonlord had spent a fair number of years sleeping right out in the open in the middle of nowhere.

At least this place had a roof.

Shrugging, Serenis then eyed the complaining elf a little more carefully.

As far as she could tell, the elf was just a small boy – barely a teenager, if that. His bleak hair and ragged skin were caked in dirt, though strangely enough, she could feel an air of authority about the boy.

“You look quite young to be imprisoned. What’s brought you here?”

“Hah. Nothing! I’m only here because I’m the prince – the only heir left to inherit Karia’s throne.”

“…What?”

“…What do you mean, what? I’m the prince. Leon Lionel. The only direct descendant to the royal family.”

Unfortunately, the clarification did little to lift the confusion in Serenis’ eyes. The two continued to exchange confused gazes, struggling to understand what the other was thinking.

Finally, Leon lifted his finger with an incredulous look, pointing at the dragonlord in disbelief.

“…Wait. Do you NOT know who I am?”

“No.”

“You’ve NEVER heard of the royal family? The Lionel monarchy?”

“I have. The puppet monarchy dancing to their deity’s whims.”

“That is NOT true!”

Despite the elf’s initial angered retort, Leon’s open mouth failed to produce any further words.

Instead, his jaws soon closed back, seemingly frustrated at his own failure to form a more elaborate response.

“…Fine, it’s kinda true. But that’s only because the current monarchy are collaterals that betrayed my father to claim the throne. He’d never concede to that madwoman.”

“Then I assume your family was removed for refusing your deity’s rule.”

“Exactly! I shouldn’t even be here. I was going to escape Karia and return to claim the throne when I was older…who knew I’d be caught at the last place possible.”

As his story went on, Leon’s gaze fell further and further down – as did his tone of voice. Serenis quietly observed the sulking elf, watching him in silence until he would finish.

Though, even when he finally did, she only really had one thing to say.

“I see.”

“…That’s all you’ve got to say?! Isn’t this where you’re moved beyond words and pledge to be my retainer?!”

“Not in a thousand years, child.”

Leon’s shoulders slumped down even further at the unexpectedly stern response. He pointlessly gripped at the bars holding him captive, glaring at the woman outside with growing anger.

“Tch…as if you’re any different. You’re being detained too, just like I am.”

“If you haven’t noticed, I am not locked as you are.”

“You still can’t leave Senon though, can you? Who knows how long they’ll keep you here. They can say one thing, then keep you here for years or decades!”

“…”

Serenis’ gaze emptily drifted off as she studied their surroundings.

In all fairness, it was a massive dungeon – unnecessarily so. The walls weren’t encrusted in marble and gold as things were elsewhere, but the iron bars and chains littered about were clearly of high quality; even the iron beams reinforcing its walls seemed much sturdier than regular steel.

None of which could hold her at bay.

As if to compensate for the quality of the materials, Senon’s interior were practically devoid of any magical influence: unlike the larger structures in Partivine, Senon seemed extremely vulnerable to the influence of magic, as if they never had to worry about such things.

Snorting, the dragnolord finally delivered her answer to Leon.

“Well…if they could, then I’d be most surprised.”

“…Why do you look so relaxed? You think you can escape whenever you want?”

“That too, yes. But…”

As Serenis briefly closed her eyes, her sibling’s last words echoed back into her mind.

- ‘We’ll be fine on our own.’

It’d been most convincing: the way he’d said those words, the curt glance he’d gave his sibling, none of which had betrayed any sense of trust whatsoever. The knights that surrounded them had been happy to believe Patrick’s words. Heck, even Iris seemed confused by her friend’s sudden change in attitude.

All the while Serenis highly, HIGHLY doubted the sincerity behind that phrase.

While Leon continued to stare at her with a demeaning gaze, a faint, comforted smile curved the dragonlord’s lips.

“I’m sure my brother will be here to take me away. Quite soon, I’d wager.’

“Ha! You’d trust your family? You’d be lucky to have him not stab you behind your back.”

“…While I’m sorry you’ve been betrayed by your family, I do trust my sibling.”

After all, Patrick was quite dependable when it came down to it.

…And if nothing else, Serenis could break out of the keep on her own accord.

After letting out a short sigh, Serenis approached Leon’s cell until the iron bars were the only thing keeping them apart. She then proceeded to sit onto the stone floors, meeting the elven prince’s eyes with an amused gaze.

“…What are you sitting down there for?”

“I don’t know when my sibling will come, so I’ve time on my hands.  I may as well listen to you in the meantime – everything you know about your governing deity.”

“And why would I do that? I get nothing in return.”

“If you wish, I can free you from your imprisonment.”

Once again, Leon’s eyes twitched in disbelief.

The woman before him didn’t exactly seem strong by any means – she was thin, lean in figure, and seemed like she hadn’t gone through a single hardship their entire life. Despite the oddities of having horns and a tail, a weird-looking half was the best Leon could describe the woman as.

Fortunately, the next few seconds quickly changed the young prince’s mind.

“…I don’t believe that. Free me first, then we’ll talk.”

“…”

As soon as he made his proposal, Serenis gripped at the bars of Leon’s cell – which brought about a derisive scoff from the elf.

“Really? Brute force? I’ll have you know, everything here were handcrafted by Letherien herself. They’re exceptionally-“

Serenis then effortlessly pulled back her arm, ripping the metal out like soft clay.

With widened eyes and a dropped jaw, Leon’s eyes darted from the ripped cell door to the nonchalant dragonlord – all the while she quietly put down the torn metals down beside her to address Leon once more.

“Exceptionally?”

“…”

After a moment of awkward silence, the elven prince loudly cleared his throat, taking a moment to find his voice once more.

“…Exceptionally trash. If I were any older, I could’ve torn them out too.”

“…”

Sure you could.