The next morning, the group resumed their journey after spending a day in the Ivy Territory, receiving the baron’s utmost hospitality right until the moment they set off. Afterwards, Raven visited several large and small territories on his way to the imperial castle and built up relationship with the lords.
Mia and Isla were initially awkward, but actively participated after learning of Raven’s intentions. Raymond was the most excited.
He was happy to travel with his father for the first time in his life, but even happier than his father’s fame and reputation were even greater than what he heard from the castle’s personnel.
Famous knights and even high lords looked up to his father and treated him with all their respect. It was astounding to see that everyone was eager to greet his father at the banquets, regardless of whether they were men or women.
He could not help but be extremely proud. Experiencing such things could have resulted in his arrogance, but Raymond never acted pompously or haughtily. He was intelligent, and quickly learned that true dignity could be displayed by simply smiling while standing still, just like his father.
However, there were some things he wasn’t happy with.
There was a figure next to his strongest, coolest father that even his father did not dare treat recklessly.
“Ray.”
“Hmm?”
Raven turned his head towards Soldrake.
“Little Ray is scared of me.”
“Hmm…”
At her words, he slightly turned his head.
“It cannot be helped. Raymond’s Spirit of the Dragon is still very weak. It would have been easier for him to face you if he was around Mia’s level.”
“Yeah. The little lady is pretty amazing. She was able to instinctively sense it when Ray used the Spirit of the Dragon to catch that vampire.”
After meeting her brother, Mia told him about the strange dream she had. After hearing about the dream, Raven and Soldrake concluded that the dream was a result of Mia sensing Raven’s emission of the spirit.
There were no better explanations for her dream.
“Even so, am I really scary? Originally, little Ray would have had to establish a contract with me as well.”
Soldrake tilted her head with puzzlement while peering into his eyes as if staring into a mirror. An involuntary smile crept onto Raven’s lips.
“He must be reluctant because he is young. Children have better intuition than adults, right? He must sense it instinctively. That Sol is considering him just another human.”
“Yeah.”
Soldrake nodded with honesty.
She was no longer a dragon.
In other words, her pledge with the Pendragon family was broken. Therefore, she did not view Raymond as her next companion, but in the same way she viewed other humans. Soldrake was only uninterested in anything except Raven, which contributed as well.
“I do not think it is a good thing for me to have lived so long. I’m not sure what little Ray and other humans are thinking.”
“Yeah…”
Raven concurred with a bitter smile. Her reaction was quite natural, considering that she had lived as the Queen of Dragons for countless years. Unless they were special, most humans did not live for longer than a hundred years. Such a passage of time was nothing in the eyes of dragons.
Dragons were the olden brothers of gods, and they viewed humans the same way humans viewed other animals.
Just as humans did not pay attention to flocks of sheep or cows, and just as they did not care for the names and thoughts of animals, Soldrake was uninterested in humans except Raven.
But at the same time, she was no longer completely a dragon. Nevertheless, it was strange to ask her to change her perception and values in an instant.
“You can learn things slowly, one by one. There is no need to think too deeply.”
“Yeah. Ray can teach me.”
Soldrake did not know the emotion of fear. In the same way, it was difficult for her to rely on someone else. But she trusted Raven.
She had given up her status as a dragon, and without him, the world was nothing but void itself.
“Raymond.”
“Yes, father.”
Raymond raised his head. Raymond had become accustomed to calling Raven ‘father’ when they were by themselves. The boy had been frustrated because he could not understand the conversation between his father and Raven. He felt pleased that his father was calling him.
“Are you scared of Sol?”
“Uh…”
Raymond hesitated for a moment despite Raven’s kind smile. He soon shook his head.
“Not necessarily. It’s just that… I don’t think she really likes me.”
“Hmm.”
Raven nodded. He had expected the answer.
“That is because Soldrake is not very interested in anyone except her companion. It’s not that she dislikes you.”
“Ah! So that’s what it is.”
Once his son’s expression brightened a little, Raven continued with a smile.
“Yes. Sol just has a hard time understanding the human heart. So… Right, sometimes you do not know what adults are thinking, right?”
“Yes! It happens sometimes! Mother and Her Majesty the Queen love me very much. But sometimes they make a sad face, and I do not know why.”
“I see…”
Raven’s eyes became a little sentimental. It was probably the case that the two of them were reminded of himself through Raymond.
“So what do you do when that happens?”
“Well… The two of them love me, so I try to help them somehow.”
“Yes, that’s it. You have to treat Soldrake the way you treat your mother and grandmother. Why do you think that is?”
“Lord Soldrake always protected our family! She defeated the witch with you, father!”
“That’s right. Sol spared nothing for our family, and you are the successor of Pendragon. So what should you do?”
“Yes! I will become friends with Lord Soldrake!”
“I’m proud of you.”
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It didn’t matter if others would call him a dullard. Raven held his young, but thoughtful son in a tight embrace.
“Hehe!”
Raymond laughed while digging deeper into his father’s warm arms.
“My lord, I see the imperial road.”
Raven turned his head at Isla’s words. He could see the imperial road in the distance.
The capital of the Aragon Empire.
Surrounded by a long, 80-kilometer wall, the large city with a whopping population of 500,000 people was waiting for a hero’s return after seven years.
***
“What happened? I thought the plan went completely astray?”
“There were minor inconveniences, but nothing has changed.”
“Minor inconveniences? You call Alan Pendragon a minor inconvenience… You are completely insane.”
Margrave Otto of Mirin spoke as if finding the situation ridiculous. However, his eyes remained blazing as if to gobble up the opponent.
“You should know since you’ve completed a lot of assassinations, right? You said you had the best information. Yet you still call Alan Pendragon a minor inconvenience? No, in the first place, are you actually Number 1?”
Otto emitted his spirit while glaring at his opponent.
However, the figure remained motionless in the face of the vicious spirit. His face was covered with a strange red mask, which resembled a smiling clown.
“Hmph! It seems you can hold your ground.”
Otto scoffed after withdrawing his spirit.
Lucas, his eldest son and the captain of the White Skull Knights, would be crippled by his spirit, while even his daughter, the strongest in Mirin, would become slightly nervous. For the opponent to stand his ground in a nonchalant matter proved his strength.
“It does not matter whether I am Number 1 or not. What is important is that the plan will move along smoothly, and that the request will be completely successfully, Your Excellency. Would you not agree?”
Boom!
“So when will that be? When will you successfully kidnap important figures of Pendragon and remove Elkin Isla? How will you achieve that? How, when Alan Pendragon and the Queen of Dragons is right by their side!?”
He shouted while slamming down on his armrest. Otto was usually cool-headed, but he was currently sensitive after hearing Fiona’s unexpected remarks a few days ago.
The mysterious figure’s eyes glimmered from inside the mask, and he responded in a low voice.
“Important figures of Pendragon. There are others beside the ones by Alan Pendragon’s side. Do you not think so?”
“What…?”
Otto flinched after hearing the figure’s words.
“Knight King of Valvas, Alan Pendragon, and the dragon. All of them must have arrived in the imperia lcastle by now. In other words, those three are not currently present in the Pendragon Kingdom.”
“You can’t be…”
Otto narrowed his eyes, and the clown gave a grotesque smile.
“You are very lucky. It happens that some people from the Pendragon family have just left the castle. Two of us are currently headed there.”
“…..!”
Otto became wide-eyed.
Soon, he started to chuckle.
“Hehe… Hehaha! That’s right. There are other important figures of the Pendragon family beside the ones by that damned dragon’s side. Hahaha! Amazing. Shadow Brotherhood, you certainly live up to your reputation! Hahahaha!”
Otto’s loud laughter resonated throughout the room.
***
“Grandma! Hurry up! Hurry! Mom, you too!”
“Child! You’re going to get yourself hurt.”
Contrary to her stern words, Elena was smiling. Although she had spoken in the moment to comfort her heartbroken granddaughter, there could be no falsehood in the royal family. To keep her words, she was out to attend to the nobles of the Pendragon Kingdom with Elsia.
Of course, she had no intention of visiting all the nobles.
With the king absent, Elena was essentially head of the royal family. Therefore, it would be normal for nobles to come give their greetings, rather than the other way around. It was extremely unusual for her to visit in person.
As such, Elena only planned to visit two places.
One was the largest commercial city in the Pendragon Kingdom, York Town. In terms of pure size, the city was larger than even the capital of the empire. The other was the Seyrod Territory, which was merged into the kingdom seven years ago.
She would visit the two places, and nearby nobles would have to gather. That was the law of the kingdom.
“Ehehehe!”
Elsia jumped on the carriage with the help of a maid while grinning. The transport was beautifully engraved with the symbol of the Pendragon family.
Elena gazed at her granddaughter proudly, then turned her head.
“Will you be fine by yourself? Why don’t you just come with us?”
“I will be fine, Your Majesty. I should stay back and protect this place.”
Lindsay politely bowed her head.
Raymond and Mia were absent. Even Elena, who rarely left, was leaving along with Elsia, though their journey was to be quite short.
It would not do if none of the royal family was left in the castle. As such, Lindsay decided to remain behind in Conrad Palace, which was named after herself.
“Yes. You are definitely a member of the royal family. No, you are the lady of the house. I will leave it to you.”
“Your Majesty…”
To speak one’s heart was different from thinking it.
Lindsay bowed her head deeply, feeling touched by Elena’s words.