Dragonlord

Ep 206. As Soon As I’m Out Of This Mess. (4)

Ep 206. As Soon As I’m Out Of This Mess. (4)

Iris painfully gripped at her head as she stumbled out of her portal into an empty hall, her gaze darting around to first make sure that no one was nearby. Heavy breaths escaped the enforcer’s lips as she leaned against the nearest wall to steady her waning balance.

“Huff, huff…wow, times like these I really do miss having…woah!”

The sound of clacking footsteps immediately sent the enforcer hiding behind the nearest corner. She rushed into one of the open rooms while she examined the hall with a wary gaze, struggling to maintain focus.

And soon enough, a pair of elven knights came to sight – one drunk and delirious, while the other supported their half-conscious friend.

“Honestly…hicc!...We don’t even need to wage a war, do we.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If they’re keeping our people…as slaves…couldn’t we just pay for them in gold?”

“…”

“Har har…hicc!...Surely Lady Letherien could…easily. If naught else, she could…simply ask them to…return our people…”

A soft sigh escaped the sober knight as he listened to his comrade’s drunken speech.

And it wasn’t just them who’ve had this sort of conversation. Numerous knights of the royal guard had been complaining about much the same, albeit under hushed tones.

Though, at the end of the day, they weren’t the ones to make such decisions.

“…You’ve had too much to drink, Larson. Lady Letherien’s given our people far too much already. Wishing for her to solve our every problem is rather shameless.”

“Hicc…keh…maybe...”

“I’m sure she wishes for us to save our brothers and sisters with our own hands. Those who were sent to Kavir were able to rescue two already.”

“But we…lost those knights.”

“That’s…”

“Hicc!...Drang, Janine, Miltein…they didn’t deserve to go like that…to some nameless bastards…”

“…They died serving their duty. It’s every knight’s dream. We should be happy for them.”

“…”

Meanwhile, Iris balled her fists in frustration – not because of the contents of the elves’ conversation, but simply because they were approaching the room she’d hidden herself in.

It’d barely been an hour or two since they’d sent her and Patrick away. Being found again – inside Senon – was bound to cause trouble.

‘Of all the places I could’ve portal’d to, I drop myself right in front of the knights…’

Finally, the enforcer took the time to properly study the room she was in.

It seemed to be a lounge that was dedicated to the knights stationed at Senon: despite the usual furniture that would be found within a place to rest, she could also see stacks of weapons and armors littered across the room haphazardly. She could even spot a few bottles, likely containing liquor more so than water.

And while she initially found nothing useful about the room, her mind quickly changed once she laid eyes on an abandoned helm lying around.

“…Bingo.”

✧   ✧   ✧

“Alright, look.”

“…”

Serenis watched in silence as Leon used one of the broken pieces of his cell door to draw upon the dungeon floors.

Soon, a complicated diagram rested before the dragonlord: a family tree with strange names and stranger connections. A large divide existed between the two major branches, with Leon being situated at the bottom of one side.

“See up here? The throne originally belonged to the main family. We’re the direct descendants of the Lionel bloodline. The split you see here is the branch family – the collaterals that sided with Letherien to take over the throne. And later on…”

“…Mm.”

In retrospect, it was a common tale: monarchy’s heirs quarreling over the throne’s succession, with the younger sibling committing some back-handed atrocity to succeed their elder brother.

Only this time, the ‘back-handed atrocity’ involved having a literal deity on your back.

“…Things changed completely once Letherien came into the picture. Most of the main family’s members were killed, and survivors became fugitives against their will. It’s a miracle we’ve even survived this long.”

 “I’m assuming this was several centuries ago, then? What of your own parents?”

“Both dead.”

“…”

“I’m only alive because I got caught by the royal guards…if I were caught by Letherien’s black lackeys, then I’d be dead too.”

“…Shadowguards, then.”

When the dragonlord unexpectedly referred to the group’s specific name, Leon’s interest visibly perked as he raised his head, staring at Serenis with evident surprise.

“Wait, how do you know their name? You didn’t even know anything about the current monarchy.”

“I’ve met a few. Quite recently, in fact.”

“…Huh. I guess you managed to run away? People who learn about them often end up dead.”

“For what reason would I run away? Addressing a handful of elves is a trivial task.”

“…You don’t ‘address’ shadowguards, that’s ridic-“

Leon stopped himself mid-sentence as his eyes drifted off to the broken cell door lying next to him.

And, soon enough, his attention coursed back towards the woman’s hand that had bent, broken, and torn it out of its original place.

Finally, the elven prince croaked out his next question – rather reflexively at that, without giving much thought as to what he was saying.

“…What’s wrong with you?”

“…? I don’t quite understand the question.”

“You tear off Letherien’s creation like a children’s toy with one hand, and now you’re telling me fighting shadowguards is ‘trivial’? One shadowguard could easily handle three…no, five of the knights here. What kind of half ARE you?”

“…I’ve never said I was a half.”

No. That she hasn’t.

But Leon still twitched his eyes in disbelief, studying the strange woman before him from head to toe once more.

“Seriously? You’re gonna tell me that you’re NOT a half? What, did humans start growing horns and tails?”

“…”

A long sigh escaped the dragonlord’s lips. But despite her pathetic gaze, Leon still didn’t seem to understand what was wrong with his assumption.

“I am not a half, child. Nor am I a human. I am a dragonkin.”

“Dr-“

Another awkward pause followed immediately after.

Leon blinked his eyes throughout, repeating the answer over and over inside his own head. Several disturbing images came to mind that involved the word he’d just heard, most of them involving razed towns and people being eaten alive.

“…When you say ‘dragon,’ you mean…those giant winged lizards that appear in stories?”

A visible crease formed over Serenis’ hand as it was gripped it into an angered fist.

Alas, her lips were forcibly maintaining a smile. She couldn’t let a child’s words get to her.

Or well, it was getting to her, but she was refusing to let it show.

“That’s a rather poor choice of words…but yes, what you’re thinking is likely correct.”

Unfortunately, the dragonlord’s confirmation didn’t seem to help clear up anything inside Leon’s head.

“Wait, why the heck is a dragon letting herself be detained? Couldn’t you have fought back and won?”

“If I had, then this entire keep would’ve plummeted to the ground. That’s massacre, not retaliation.”

And like it or not, that massacre would’ve included Leon himself.

But the elven prince only crossed his arms with an amused expression, slowly nodding his head.

“…Huh, didn’t think dragons would care for that sort of thing. All I read was you guys burning everything and eating everyone.”

“…”

If Serenis were to one day accomplish ridding the star of divinities, next would be the writers authoring all these misleading tales about her kin.

But nevertheless, the dragonlord’s inner turmoil was soon disrupted by Leon’s laughter.

“Well, good to know that isn’t the case here, at least! If you were anything like those monsters, then I’d be super dead.”

“The kin are not monst-“

Clack!

A metallic sound quickly cut Serenis off.

When both her and Leon turned their heads to the sound’s source, a fully armored knight was standing by the dungeon entrance. They made quick strides towards the two, their gaze darting from Serenis, then to Leon, then to the boy’s torn cell door.

Realizing what the knight was looking at, the elven prince panicked in response, waving his hand in denial with a sorry look.

“…Wait, it’s not what it looks like-“

But contrary to his worries, the knight seemed to completely ignore the boy’s presence. They instead faced the dragonlord exclusively, coming to a halt right before them.

After kneeling down to meet their eye level, the knight quickly removed their helm, revealing the familiar red-haired enforcer within – still with her pointy ears disguise.

“Serenis. I’m here to take you back.”

“…Hm. I did expect that you’d be the one to come, but…that was even quicker than I’d imagined.”

“Well, I knew you were being detained. Where else would they take you beside a dungeon? And dungeons are always on the bottom floors.”

“Haha…I suppose that’s true. I’m assuming it’s time to leave, then?”

“Oh, actually…”

Finally, the enforcer spared a moment to study the elven prince.

“We need to kill some time, so it’d be best if we waited here a while longer. And…also, you are…?”

“…Leon. Direct descendant of the Lionel bloodline – heir to the Karian throne.”

“Direct descendant? You?”

Even Iris curiously tilted her head, studying the strange boy once more. Despite his worn looks, the boy did seem to retain an air of authority about him – but the rag over his body and the dirt caking his skin didn’t exactly help his argument.

And, moreover…

“…I thought the main family were all dead?”

“Wha- no we aren’t! Just because we were missing for decades doesn’t mean we’re dead!”

“Fair enough. But seeing how you are now, I’m assuming you were captured while running away.”

“…You’re an elf. Are you sure you should be talking to me like that?”

That time, Iris couldn’t help but let out an amused snort, resorting to sarcasm in her next answer.

“Well, I’m sorry, your highness. But I don’t really care for ruined monarchies.”

“…”

“And besides, I’m not an elf. This is just an illusion.”

Afterwards, Iris lightly tapped her own ears, undoing the spell that was put on them: the sharpness immediately disappeared as her ears returned to that of a regular human’s.

“…You’re a human?”

“That’s right. My name’s Iris – pleasure to make your acquaintance, little prince.”

The boy’s ridiculed gaze darted back and forth between the two strangers: a literal dragon, and a human that had somehow infiltrated Senon disguised as an elven knight.

“Ok, I’m not the one to ask, but…what the hell is a dragon and a human doing in Karia?”

“Uh…”

At first, both Iris and Serenis looked to each other – but seeing as how the dragonlord was rather reluctant on answering, Iris turned back to Leon to address his question.

“…We’re here to stop Letherien. Someone’s got to do it.”

Just like how her brother had over the centuries. Though, hopefully this would be the last time they had to deal with the maddened creator.

But Leon only snickered back at the enforcer’s answer, as if the very notion was ridiculous in of itself.

“Really? Stop a deity? I get that one of you are a dragon and all, but isn’t it a little reckless to be challenging a deity?”

“…”

Considering the number of divinities Serenis had already destroyed, the question was practically meaningless – but before Iris could inform the elven prince of such, Leon continued with his own words.

“Why don’t you two side with me instead? If you do, then we could deliver Letherien a serious blow.”

“…A serious blow?”

“Yeah. The Lionel monarchy’s kept a little secret – something that only the main family passed down. It’s something I planned to use later to bring Letherien down, but…with you two around, I think I could use it right away. How about it?”

Admittedly, Iris was quite curious what this supposed ‘secret’ was – even she wasn’t aware of what the boy could be referring to. Or of anything in Karia that could threaten a deity, for that matter.

But Serenis merely wore a faint grin as she extended her hand, petting the elven prince like one would a little child.

And he was, in all fairness, a little child.

“This isn’t a matter that a child should be concerned about.”

“Wh- are you mocking me because I’m little?! Reclaiming the throne is more important than my life!”

“Being a child is no reason to be mocked for. But it is a reason to be respected for.”

Soon, the dragonlord retreated her hand. Her faint grin grew a little more visible, deterring Leon from making further retorts as she spoke.

“I am not so weak as to require a child’s aid. Do not risk your life on such a trivial matter.”

“…This is trivial to you?”

“It is. So you need not concern yourself over it.”

“…”

The prince puffed his cheeks, anger and relief washing over his mind into a chaotic mess.

But just then, a loud noise from the ceiling echoed into the dungeons – distant clamors of numerous knights, with occasional sounds of what appeared to be firearms being used.

Curious, Serenis raised her gaze to the ceiling to notice a faint hint of mana resonating from above.

“…Is something going on upstairs?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I left a familiar up there.”

The dragonlord slowly lowered her gaze to face the red-haired enforcer – who seemed all too happy about leaving a literal monster on the floor above.

“A…familiar?”

“Yeah. Nothing serious, just a big slime.”

“…Why?”

“Because they’re hard to deal with firearms. Though, they’re laughably easy to deal with magic.”

“…”

The clamoring sounds of elven knights began to intensify upstairs – surprised gasps, clashing metals, and additional fires of what was likely Letherien’s creations. But the sounds refused to die, as if to testify the meager familiar’s survivability.

Grinning, Iris then rose to her feet, snapping her fingers to form a portal at her side.

“Well, it’s been some time, I think we’ve drawn away enough attention…and better yet, I have enough mana to do this now. Shall we?”

 With a curt nod, Serenis likewise rose to her feet – but Leon hurriedly gripped at the dragonlord’s cloth, darting eyes from her to Iris.

“W, wait! If you’re leaving, then can I…also…”

“…Ask her.”

As Serenis gestured over to the portal’s maker, Iris shrugged back at Leon, pointing at her own shimmering spell.

“If your goal is to leave Senon, then I don’t mind if you take this portal. But you’ll be on your own afterwards.”

“That’s fine! As long as I can leave this place!”

With another amused snort, the enforcer dutifully nodded back, urging for the two to go through.

“Let’s get going. Patrick’s dying to see you back safe, Serenis.”

“…So he was acting back then?”

“Oh yeah. He was nagging at me nonstop to go and get you back…you should’ve seen him.”