Chapter 580: Visit to the former royal palace 4
The next day. I enjoyed myself with Dianne without thinking about it, but as you would expect from Dianne, she didn’t look tired at all even after receiving all my sexual desires, but rather she had a full expression on her face as if she had been replenished with something.
“Now I can get motivated for a while. Thank you, Andy”
“Ho. Don’t get lost in it. There’s still a lot of work to be done around here, even if you take a man or two out and start……leveling the area”
“……I’ll put more effort into the work to create a framework. I’m on the verge of being out of the organization, so it’s probably not a good idea for me to get involved too much”
Dianne said this as if it was a passing thing to say and put on a smug face. Laila and I look at each other and laugh, while Dianne looks embarrassed.
Then we took off again. Our next destination is the rocky outcrop outside the valley where Rainer sleeps……. It seems that Leila and the others are still standing there.
“Not much time has passed. They are not starving and thin”
“R, Right. I wonder if……will soften them up a bit”
“I don’t think it’s very likely. Even if Rainer is a shallow man, once they’ve decided on someone, it’s the way of dragons to show their love without reservation”
“I’m not suggesting that they switch sides”
“What then?”
“Emm……”
I’ve been thinking about it and there is no other way to convince the dragons at the Crystal Palace than to switch sides. It’s not going to end with me saying, 「They seem to have regretted it, so let’s forgive them」. Chibi Laila cowered.
“It’s a persuasion that has no answer. As long as they’re dragons, their attitude is set. There’s no way they’d cheat on you. If they were to compromise, it would be from the people of Crystal Palace……”
“I don’t think so, either”
Emma has a stern look on her face.
“Since Rainer was defeated in terms of justice and power, the only possible answer is that Shario and the others who supported him to the end should be destroyed. Even dragons have their own way of taking responsibility and settling things. Dying while protecting that is much more honorable than living an uncertain life”
“……I’m not sure I understand what you mean by honor”
I don’t know. While I want to say out loud that of course it is better to live, I also understand that living is a cul-de-sac situation. The very long life that is scorned and in which nothing can be achieved and the death with pride, having devoted oneself to one thing, albeit in defeat. Such a reversal of the value of life and death can happen. Especially for those who live to fight. For a very long time, a battle can be an unforgettable, glorious achievement. On the other hand, the humiliation of defeat is not something that can be erased by simply waiting for it to happen. In a human society with an active metabolism, the day may come when the disgrace will be forgotten and dismissed as unimportant. But in the society of dragons and elves, which is closed off by long-lived species, will the day ever come when they will be forgotten? When I think about it, the excommunication of elves and the martyrdom of dragons for the 「Contract of power」, the world of long-lived species is denser than that of human society, which is more fluid, with few changes of people and there is no escape.
“But I would expect at least a little of that. ……If you take the time to think about it, you might be able to come up with a slightly better ending than such a conventional one”
“That’s naive”
“I don’t think Rainer´s camp has the luxury of making decisions”
Neia intercedes for the two dragons, who have little to offer.
“……Well, I don’t think you have to be so definitive. Smithson-san has always promoted things that others would never have imagined possible”
“You say that, but……?”
“I don’t think it’s something to think about……”
Laila and Emma have been at it for a long time. As dragons, they probably don’t think there are any other options. ……I don’t have any concrete ideas either.
The two silver dragons by Rainer’s grave. Leyla and Shario were crouched by the grave.
“We came as promised”
As I walked forward, I saw Leyla and Shario’s eyes move and then they fell silent. Leyla hadn’t moved in a while, and she lifted her body up heavily to greet me instead.
“Welcome……you’re here, rider”
“Where’s Corti?”
“She’s nearby. She doesn’t want to talk to you”
“So she hates me. ……Well, okay”
I scratch my head. Not just Corti, but the other two also, I was their enemy. There was no reason for them to like me. Laila was still in her dragon form and Emma and Neia were waiting nearby. It was too late now, but if they tried to attack me, they were close enough to stop them.
“So……what do you think? Are you interested in coming to me?”
Shario clears her throat low. Intimidation. Well, as Laila and Emma said earlier, is martyrdom the only way to go? It’s an infuriating……blasphemy just for me to suggest solicitation, I suppose. They are absolutely right. I too am at a loss for the reality of my words. I wouldn’t accept it, would I? I thought I was going to accept it, but Leyla paused for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“About that. ……Could you please accept Corti?”
“……Eh?”
“It’s inevitable for Shario and I, but Corti……”
“Older sister!?”
The voice echoed all over the place and Corti hurriedly interrupted her from somewhere. Then she leaps out like a beast from a rocky hill a short distance away.
“What are you talking about!?”
“You shouldn’t be hanging out with us”
“That’s my line, isn’t it!? Older sister is the best……”
“It is still ludicrous that a dragon who is not even mature like you would rely on a code to martyr herself for the Lord”
“I’m not a child! The elders would have spoken up for you, since you didn’t believe in Rainer-sama……”
“I was unsure until the end, but I still chose it. As an adult dragon”
……I see. So Leyla and Corti think each other should not die. If it were just one dragon, it would be impossible, but they are sisters who think the other is not worthy of martyrdom and want each other to live.
“I’m willing to accept that”
“You shut up!”
“Corti. That’s my line. Do you think you’re in a position to intimidate me at this point in my life?”
“……!”
I silenced Corti by bluffing as best I could. Recently, I’ve gotten good at 「Pretending to be an authoritative dragon rider」. It may be a powerful thing for them, but to me it’s a forced performance.
“It’s fine to accept it. But there’s no way Corti would agree to that. I know”
“……Ah, of course”
“Corti”
Corti is overwhelmed by me, but still agrees and Leyla (in dragon form) looks at her sadly. I nod at that.
“Then you tell Corti what you have to say, Leyla”
“…………What?”
“You must force Corti to agree to obey me”
“……That”
“What the fuck are you doing……?”
“I don’t care if Corti overpowers Leyla. I’ll accept Leyla surrendering to me”
“……How far do you want to play us?”
“I’ve offered a compromise. ……Think about it for a month. I’ll be back”
“No way!”
I turn away, leaving an angry Corti and a bewildered Leyla behind. Laila sends me an illusion.
“I see. If this works……it might be an excuse to convince the people of the Palace
I nodded at Laila’s words, which were directed only at me. It would be unseemly, even from a dragon’s point of view, to leave Rainer in order to save yourself. But if you punish your sister or sister-in-law by force to save them and offer them to me, it would be a good thing for both of them. It would also give me an excuse to offer forgiveness to the one who offered it to me. The question is whether Leyla and Corti will read my intention and dare to take me up on it…….
“One month? That’s a long time”
“No need to rush”
I replied in a dignified manner to Laila’s words after she stopped talking to me privately and got ready to leave. I don’t like the idea of leaving Polka too long. I’d have to stay here for a week or so until I saw them through. It wouldn’t be good to worry them again. For now, let’s just go home.