[Alkelios’ point of view]

 Three days... Three very long and sleep deprived days... That was how long Seryanna kept me inside her room.

Although, I wasn’t one who would complain about all the passionate tumbling we did, but I was glad at least one of us knew a spell for soundproofing the room. It wasn’t the same as the barrier around the forge here, but it did the job. The spell was called [Silence] and belonged to the Darkness element. What it did was absorb all the sounds that touched the coated walls, but unfortunately it also covered the whole room in a pitch-black mantle, forcing us to use a light spell in order to see... erm details.

During these three long days, we didn’t just hump like rabbits. When we took a break, we spoke about what happened to each of us during the long months when we didn’t see each other, what we went through, what we saw, what we heard. I told Seryanna about my adventures within the Seculiar Forest and the Northern Desert. The funny moments were given priority over everything else because I wanted to see her smile and laugh, but I didn’t leave out the bad parts either. Despite my 100 Luck stat, there had been moments when I stumbled into a bit of trouble. When I first dropped into the forest, more than once I found myself running around while being chased by a mob of monsters. The only thing missing was a funny chase song.

We had no trouble with acquiring either food or water. I had plenty of supplies in my [Purse] rings and [Black Hole] skill.

In the end, Seryanna got to know everything that happened to me, and I also found out everything that happened to her. It appeared as though she Awakened not long after I left, then she went through her first change and assumed her current draconian form. The scales on her body, the tail, the wings, the horns, were all new from my point of view, but they all felt natural to her, almost as if she had them from the moment she was born.

Seryanna’s eyes were of a bright crimson, slit like those of any other Awakened draconian out there. From each side of her head, right above her ears, a pair of curved ivory horns extended backwards for about 6 centimeters. The scales on her back now spread from shoulder to shoulder and continued down over her tail. A strong pair of wings were now attached to her back, spreading with an impressive wingspan of 6.3 meters, while her tail reached a length of 1.6 meters. When we slept, she tended to wrap us in her wings and coil her tail around my waist. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get away from her.

I could have been wrong, but I also had the feeling that she had become a lot more sensual and attractive. Maybe it was her Awakening that gave her the sudden confidence, but she had no problem in using her natural beauty to entice me. Leading the dance had become possible only if she let me, otherwise the spell of her charm was broken, and that was something I wished to avoid.

To be honest, these three days felt both long and short at the same time. The reason was because we both truly enjoyed our time together. After I was brought to this world, there had been very few moments when I found myself in a state of calm and relaxation. All of them were within my lover’s arms. Just by being close to her, feeling the warmth of her embrace, being allured by her scent, being trapped in her gaze, I could forget about Earth, about the life I had until now, about the duty I had for my home planet... I could forget everything that bothered me back there and even here, in this new world. All I cared about was enjoying the moment together with Seryanna.

If someone told me that I could spend all of my days like this with her, I would have accepted no question asked, but then again... neither of us was a recluse. As much as we loved each other’s company, we couldn’t just ignore and forget about our other friends and family.

“I told his Majesty that I would keep you for two days at most, but it’s been three days now.” said Seryanna as she was putting on her armor.

“I have no regrets, besides, I’m returning tonight.” I told her with a smile as I put on a black cotton t-shirt of my own creation.

“You don’t want to ask for your own room?” she asked a bit surprised.

“Nah. I want to sleep with you, not alone.” I shrugged.

Seryanna showed me a soft smile and nodded “I as well wish to fall asleep with you in my arms.”

“By the way, you never told me about the matriarchal system of this kingdom, right?” I asked.

“I think we mentioned it a few times, but for us it was a bit self-explained.” she replied while scratching the top of her head, trying to remember.

“For me it wasn’t, although this could also explain the reason why Kataryna’s authority was so high... Although, I can’t find an explanation for why you were treated so awful if that was the case.” I told her.

“Awful? By whom?” she asked narrowing her eyes at me.

“Back when we were in Tomeron and Andromeda, the dragons there gave you a mean look.” I replied.

“Oh, that! Well, that was mostly because I was Unawakened. As I explained, Awakened dragons are treated as adults are in human society, while the others more or less as children. It’s... sort of instinctive for us.” she explained and shrugged.

“Is it wrong to think that’s bad?” I asked.

“No, most of the other species believe so as well, it’s just that this isn’t something we can change over night. It’s a part of our nature. When I Awakened, the dragons in the Seyendraugher Palace as well as those in the city began to treat me in a different way. It doesn’t mean that I forgave them, just that I sort of understand their point of view now.” she replied.

“Instinctive, you say... Well, true, I do find you more attractive now, but I also found you attractive back then, but in a human’s eyes you were dead gorgeous.” I shrugged.

“I appreciate the compliment, my love, but aren’t you going to be late? You shouldn’t keep his Majesty waiting any more.” she said with a seductive smile as she approached me.

Her hips swayed with a deadly temptation with each step she took and when she stopped in front of me, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a long, passionate kiss. When we parted lips, her feverish gaze told me she wanted more, but she was the one who pushed me back.

“You should go before three days turn to four.” she giggled and turned around.

“I think I’m starting to understand why dragons might have a matriarchal society.” I blinked surprised.

With another giggle, she looked back at me over her shoulder and said “Maybe, but I think if you ask his Majesty directly, you will receive a better answer.”

I shook my head and put on a dark-brown leather jacket.

“I’ll see you later, Seryanna!” I told her as I walked over to the door.

“Have a good day, Alkelios!” she replied.

Before I stepped out, I removed the darkness spell [Silence], returning the room to normal.

Today, I saw no reason in wearing my heavy plate armor, so I wore a pair of casual clothes: a pair of cotton pants, a black t-shirt, a leather vest, and a pair of leather army boots.

I made my way straight to the King’s room, where I was stopped by the guards. After a brief introduction, one of them knocked on the door and told his Majesty that I had arrived.

“Let him pass.” came the reply in a stern tone of voice.

“Yes, your Majesty!” replied the guard and then stepped aside.

I opened the door and walked in.

The Queen appeared to be awake and reading a book to her children, while the King was... knitting.

That’s an odd hobby for a fierce dragon king. I told myself as I tried not to stare.

“You must be the rumored Alkelios Yatagai. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am the Queen of Albeyater, Elliessara Seyendraugher. Last time, I was a bit out of it, so you will have to excuse me if I don’t hold a memory of you.” she told me in a polite tone of voice and with a small smile on her lips.

“No, it’s alright. I’m happy to see you are feeling better, your Majesty!” I smiled back and nodded.

“Hm, you really do behave like a Breakthrough-er.” she remarked while tapping her right cheek with her pointing finger two times.

I blinked surprised and tilted my head to the left in confusion.

“Why do you say so?” I asked.

“Only a Breakthrough-er would dare to act so... casually in front of me. Any other dragon would have knelt on the ground and wouldn’t even dare lift their head up unless I ordered them to do so.” she explained.

I shrugged.

“Meh. You are my friend, so acting like that to you would be considered far more disrespectful, wouldn’t it?” I asked.

“Ouch!” the King poked his finger.

The Queen blinked surprised to my words then giggled when she saw her husband trying to mend his wound.

“You are just as my Feryumstark described you, fearless, cunning, yet... very honest. Qualities you don’t normally find in either humans or dragons. And above all, you are not of this world, correct?” she asked.

“Yup.” I nodded.

“You are a fascinating man, Alkelios, but where are my manners? Please, have a seat. I was just about to finish this story. Once I am done, we can have a friendly chat.” she replied with a smile.

“Now you know why I’m knitting.” the King pointed out.

“Hush, my dear, I need to focus.” she giggled.

Feryumstark looked at me and then shrugged like it was nothing and went back to his knitting. He wasn’t making anything, just wasting his time, or maybe I was the one who wasn’t able to guess what he was making.

Since I had nothing to do, I decided to sit back and listen to the queen’s story as well.

With a calm voice, she began, while the twins listened to her with big curious eyes.

“And so... night fell upon the lands of Varkminsha. The prince, injured from his previous fight struggled between life and death, yet he had no desire to give up. Failure for him was not an option, for if he were to fail, his entire Kingdom would sooner or later fall into ruin, and his people would suffer terribly. Losing the people of his Kingdom was something he feared far more than losing the sacred treasures stashed away in the Euphorium. If fate allowed him, no... if he didn’t give up, then certainly, he would reach it before the crack of dawn. So, with one hand pressing over his injured side, he marched forward through the back alleys of the capital, leaving behind only a small trail of blood...”

The Queen was a good storyteller. The way she spoke those words pulled you in and made you listen. She brought to life the characters within the tale, and even I found myself losing track of time as I listened to the adventures of the prince and his unlikely ally. It was a somewhat fitting tale for a young Prince and Princess. It was a bright story about honor, duty, love, and the desire to save the people living in a Kingdom sentenced to doom.

She stopped reading long before the story was over, but it was a rather thick book, so it was far better to end it in a random point, for now, instead of continuing until she reached a cliffhanger. The twins also showed signs of being tired, however, before the two of them left, they turned to look at me.

“Hello...” I said a bit confused.

“Thank you for saving our mother, Great Hero!” the two made a formal bow and then showed me a bright smile.

“Although I’m not done yet, I will do my best.” I gave them a thumbs up and smiled.

They looked at each other, then back at me. “We believe in you.” they nodded.

With this, they left the room.

Looking back, I saw the King and Queen staring at me with big eyes.

“What?” I asked knitting my brow.

“Well... the twins... That was surprising.” said Feryumstark.

“What about them? They are just kids.” I shrugged.

“Ah, never mind.” he sighed and shook his head.

This being the first time I met the two, I didn’t understand why it was so shocking for their parents that they came over and thanked me. From my point of view, there was nothing amiss with what had just happened, maybe only the fact that I had yet to fully heal their mother.

Now that the Queen’s storytelling was over, the King put down his knitting needles and walked up to her bed, taking a seat in a nearby chair.

“How are you feeling, my love?” he asked her.

“I feel a bit tired, but I’m alright. I want to spend as much time as I can with the little ones.” she replied in a gentle and calm tone of voice while looking in the dragon’s eyes with a loving gaze.

Feryumstark nodded and kissed her hand.

After this sweet moment between them, he turned around and told me to come closer. I walked up to the side of the bed and pulled over a nearby chair so I could take a seat.

“Did your fiancé tell you anything about the structure of our political world?” Elliessara asked.

“Erm, shouldn’t we first talk about your well-being?” I asked scratching the back of my head.

“He does have a point.” remarked Feryumstark.

“That can wait for a bit. It’s not like he can instantly brew me the cure right away. And as far as I know, I have a few more years before this wretched poison gets me if I don’t do anything.” She smiled.

“Well... true, but...” the King tried to convince her, but she wouldn’t allow it.

Shaking her head she declined his request, and we were back to me answering her initial question.

“Erm... not much, only that you will tell me more about it.” I shrugged.

“I see. Your fiancé is a smart dragoness.” she remarked.

“Indeed, she is...” I nodded, although, it eluded me as to how she came to this conclusion from my answer.

“Now, what do you understand when I say: matriarchal society?” she asked.

“Erm... A society ruled and dominated by women, and in which men had no right whatsoever?” I replied.

“Oh my! That would be an awful one to live in.” she replied.

“Then, I guess I have the wrong definition of it.” I shrugged.

“Indeed. That one is taken a bit to the extreme. What use would there be in a society where we shun, discredit, and belittle the males?” she asked.

“Erm... I don’t know, but someone must have thought it was a good idea.” I replied.

“They were all a bunch of fools, maybe women who had no idea what a society needed in the first place.” she said shaking her head.

“Well then, what’s the right definition for a matriarchal society?” I asked.

“Ahem. If I may, I will begin with the reason why WE are a matriarchal society.” she said.

“Alright, I’m listening...” Not like I have a choice right now, and my future is also at stake here... I thought.

“In an age long past draconians had a visible difference in both height and strength when it came to the females and males of our species. The latter were smaller but stronger, while the first were larger and smarter. As we evolved and ended up forming a civilization of our own, this difference lost its meaning as countless millennia passed. The fact that we could grow stronger by absorbing the Magic Energy around us was also a very important factor in this... change.” she explained in a calm tone of voice, but her storytelling skill was felt in each articulated word and sound she made.

“Are these just rumors or actual facts?” I asked.

“Facts. Now, as I was saying, over the course of time, this difference in height and strength came to be barely noticeable in some of us. As you have clearly witnessed, Kataryna is far stronger than most dragon males in this palace. Lady Thraherkleyoseya, who is the younger sister of your fiancée, is also far stronger than her own fiancé.” she pointed out.

“Hm, that is true...”  I nodded.

“The difference in intelligence, however, remained. More than often you will notice that the females are far more intuitive and smarter than the males are. As such, it became a natural move for our ancestors to allow the dragonesses to lead, while the dragons took up arms and used their strength to protect them.” she explained.

“Wait, then you are telling me that you are the actual ruler of the country?” I asked a bit surprised.

“It’s not that simple. I am the political ruler. I have the power to declare against whom to take up arms, how to battle, and what laws to follow. But while this is true, my husband, the King, has the power to lead the armies and act as a symbol of our Kingdom’s might. On the battlefield, he is the absolute ruler, while on the throne of our Kingdom, I am.” she explained.

“But wait, if I’m not mistaken, then even your thrones are different in height. The one the King sat on was the larger one, right?” I asked.

“Yes, that is to display the fact that any act of aggression against me or this Kingdom will have to first go through him. But while he acts as my shield and sword, I am free to give any orders I desire.” she replied.

“So, one handles the politics and the other... the battlefield?” I asked scratching the back of my head.

Elliessara nodded.

“This ramification of power extends further to other duties such as appointing the Knights and dealing with insurgencies.” she explained.

“So that was why Seryanna told me that she can’t disobey the King’s orders?” I asked.

“Indeed. Feryumstark’s authority over any and all military personnel far exceeds mine, but I am nonetheless second after him. Although, I believe the trouble Draejan had caused with your fiancée is also on account of the fact that she was Unawakened. If I were to compare the situation with one in the human kingdoms, it would be the same as having a 12-year-old child suddenly declaring he is a knight. Nobody would take him seriously even if that was the actual truth, more so if it was young lady. Trust and authority would come only with age.” she explained.

“But she didn’t look like a child at all! I mean, seriously, she was FAR from anything I would even remotely consider a kid!” I shook my head.

“I understand how that can be so. While physically she had matured... her draconic side had yet to do so. We draconians take into account not the first but the latter. And technically, a draconian will never Awaken at an age when he might be confused with a child even by a human.” she explained.

“Well, it is true that I find her more attractive now for some reason...” I said scratching my head.

“It’s because she has Awakened. No doubt many dragons have become aware of her beauty now.” remarked Feryumstark.

“Should I worry?” the Queen asked.

“Hm? Of what? If there’s any dragon that tries to mess around with her, that dragoness will certainly punch him away! She has the might of her grandfather!” the King replied and laughed.

“Well...” she let out a sigh.

“I think I know what you mean by difference in intelligence.” I noted.

“Hm? What is it?” the King asked a bit confused.

“He is just exaggerating. He understood my little joke.” Elliessara smiled and gently patted the dragon on the head.

“But if this Kingdom is matriarchal, why were most of the nobles at the court male?” I asked.

“Not all nobles are married, Alkelios. Some are still single because they have not yet met the right dragoness, or they are widowed because of a past war or accident.” she said.

“Well, some of them said they were going back to their wives, so I’m guessing some of them weren’t exactly... single.” I said.

“I think I can explain this one.” said Feryumstark.

“Please do.” Elliessara nodded once.

“The dragonesses are cunning and slippery like an eel. While I don’t hold absolute political power as my wife does, I do come in second after her. As such, to my royal summon, the nobles were forced to send a representative. The dragonesses, fearing it could be some sort of trap, they sent their husbands, and those who were still single came on their own. Loosening the mouth of a dragon is far easier than that of a dragoness. After their husbands were declared as traitors, most of them fled the Kingdom, while those few we caught declared they had no fault, until they were put under a truth-telling spell.” he explained.

“So, in other words, they sacrificed their husbands in order to save their own skin?” I asked.

“Precisely.” nodded the Queen.

“But the other day, the King said that the dragons in this Kingdom became a bit too... daring?” I asked.

“You are referring to the increase in male authority within Albeyater, correct?” Elliessara asked.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“That is somewhat natural to happen. When it comes to political power within the Royal Family, first there’s me, then comes my husband, then the one we appointed as Prime Minister, which is our son, Elovius. After him, the dragonesses are the first in line and only after them come their brothers. The adopted children have no claim for the throne, and they know this very well. The dragons saw my husband and son acting on important roles and believed on their own that there was a shift in power. While they didn’t voice out their opinions, their actions spoke for them.” she explained.

“This was also why Draejan acted the way he did. His mother dotted too much on him, so she didn’t try to correct him, and his father couldn’t overstep her decision. That dragon had always been a bit of a coward if you ask me.” she let out a sigh and shook her head.

“What happened to him, anyway?” I asked.

“I believe he is recuperating after the battle with you.” replied Feryumstark.

“Well, at least he’s not dead. That’s something.” I shrugged.

I couldn’t really care about what happened to Draejan, especially after how he tried to steal Seryanna from me. To say he never stood a chance would be a bit wrong. If it wasn’t for me, he would have eventually gained control over the entirety of the Brekkar Army and ended up promoted as its general. Of this fact, I was well aware.

“Alkelios, do you have a better understanding now of what we dragons understand through a matriarchal society?” asked Feryumstark in a serious tone of voice.

“Yes, I think. A dragoness will rule the political stage, while the dragon will rule the military one. However, because of the Queen’s poisoning incident, the King was forced to take control over both stages, but the worry for his wife’s health kept him from acting out appropriately, leading to a situation where the society tended more towards a patriarchal system?” I replied.

“That is correct. Although, I highly doubt most of the representative nobles in our Kingdom would have allowed for such a thing to happen. While the Dukes do hold an impressive military or economical might, the Duchesses are the ones who handle all the important and critical matters.” he said.

“What about family matters?” I asked.

“In a typical dragon family, the dragoness will make any decision which will require planning, while the dragon will take care of any and all physical duties if his body allows him to do so. This, however, highly depends on the knowledge and experience of each of them in their respective domains. It’s unwise for either of them to thread on unknown ground unless the experience of such a thing is what they desire.” explained the Queen.

“In other words... it’s complicated and solely depends on each family, but the tendency is to leave the women do the thinking, right?” I asked.

“Yes.” they both nodded at the same time.

“Quite different from what I’m used to.” I scratched the back of my head.

“Humans have a tendency to be patriarchal rather than matriarchal, and I even heard stories of how they treat their daughters as nothing more than chess pieces in order to gain more power.” said the Queen.

“But didn’t you also marry off some of your daughters to foreign countries?” I asked curiously.

“Hahaha! Alkelios, they all married those dragons because they fell in love with them. But what one in my position fears the most is not marrying my daughters to a foreign land, but having foreign Princesses marry my sons!” declared the King with a growl.

“Humans often believe that it is the dragons they have to watch out for, but in our case, it is the dragonesses.” said Elliessara.

“There’s nothing worse to fear than a cunning Princess out to steal your son!” declared the King.

“Do not mind him, Alkelios, he is a bit... upset because he recently found out about whom the First Princess of Embryger fancies.” giggled the Queen.

“Oh... So that’s not a good thing, right?” I asked raising an eyebrow.

“On the contrary, it is. The First Princess of that Empire is not as cunning and elusive as some of her younger sisters, and the one she fancies is actually the Adopted Second Prince Kryogan, who acts as an ambassador there. If they do form a couple, then she will automatically be denied any right to the throne, and she won’t have much of an authority within the Empire. Adopted children don’t have any right for the throne, so it is the same as marrying a high noble of a foreign land.” explained the Queen.

“Well, I believe I got the gist of it now...” I said scratching the back of my head.

“Do not worry, young one, in time, you will learn the ins and outs of our Kingdom. You have a strong fiancée by your side and some rather powerful friends to guide you on your way.” said Feryumstark.

“Indeed, including Queen Elliessara here, but speaking of which, should I check your status now and see what we need for the cure?” I asked as I looked back at her.

“Well, I suppose. Please do.” she nodded and showed me a small smile.

“Show Status of Elliessara Seyendraugher.” I said and the window which only I could see appeared before me.

 

[Name]: Elliessara Seyendraugher

[Species]: Superior Draconian of the High Light

[Awakened Status]: 6 of 6 Conditions met.

[Level]: 1207

[Strength]: 1245 (6556)+1821.1

[Speed]:  540 (7868)+1918.2

[Dexterity]: 2310 (9378)+1915.4

[Magic]: 6540 (12980)+2768.8

[Luck]: 55

[Magic Excellence]: 43%+13.69%

[Current Buffs]: [Dragon Tamer] <5X Life Force and Magic Energy Absorption from kills/Learning Speed. 10% of hero’s overall stats gained while they are within 100 m of him.> 

[Wisdom of the Old One] <Buff acquired through Awakened Breakthrough. It offers the individual a new view of the world. It raised the intuition of the individual. It grants the aura of a wise individual>

[Debuffs]: [God’s Demise Poison]: <Slow acting poison that cripples the victim’s Magic Channels, slowly bringing them to crippling a death. It works especially well on those who achieved a Breakthrough. Upon death, the body is infused with magic absorbed by the poison throughout the years and turns it into a Lich with the sole purpose of eradicating all life within 600 km of its spawning location. It’s the only poison known to affect Immortals with powerful regenerative abilities. It’s said to be the poison used to kill the god that would later become the first Dark God. Remaining time until Leech transformation: 4 years 2 months 9 days 4 hours 20 minutes. Type of Leech based on current absorbed Magic Energy: Supreme Leech. [Bartender]: Requires Grand Godlike Alchemist to prepare. Cure: [Lumenos, Lumenya, and Nocturnia’s tears Potion]: Requires Grand Godlike Alchemist to prepare. Ingredients: A drop of Royal Human Blood, Elf Queen’s Tears of Joy, Baby Tooth of a Relliar Royalty, Celestium-Zaradin alloy dust infused with ancient dwarf magic, Bone Powder from the Horn of a Skeletal Wyrm, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Flame, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Ice, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Light, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Darkness, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Earth, The Powdered Scale of a Superior Draconian of the High Authority, Cure-All Plant Leafs, Enchanted Water, Orange Juice.>

 

When I read out loud the ingredients, I felt like the King and Queen were staring at me with dead fish eyes.

“And... Orange Juice... At least one thing is easily obtainable...” I pointed out and forced a smile.

“What is an orange?” asked the King.

“Huh?” I blinked surprised.

Clicking on the ingredient revealed the following information:

 

Orange juice: the juice squeezed from the fruit called Sweet Orange. The tree that produces it is a hybrid citrus result from crossing a Pomelo mother tree and a Mandarin father tree. The Human Empire Akutan uses Oranges as a sacred plant to determine the next generational ruler. The ritual involves in having the young princes and princesses attempt to grow a multi-generational sweet orange tree by using the same Pomelo and Mandarin trees provided to all of them. Cultivation and Consumption of Oranges outside of the Imperial Palace and in any other human kingdom is considered illegal and punishable by death.

 

“Oh, for the love of...” I nearly cursed.

“Sigh... Although we have the cure, to think it was in the most unobtainable locations of all...” the King shook his head.

“Well, depends on the way you look at it. Honestly speaking, I find the other ingredients to be even more troubling to obtain...” I pointed out, scratching the back of my head.

“A skilled thief could steal some oranges for us. The only thing we would have to worry about would be the backlash from the Empire. If they were to find out, an invasion would be the least of our concerns...” suggested the Queen.

“I could go there and kidnap the prince or princess who knows how to grow one?” I asked.

“You do realize that’s a terrible idea, right?” she asked narrowing her eyes at me.

“Erm... Sort of?” I tilted my head to the left.

To be honest, I found that idea to be the most... interesting and fun to do of them all.

“Indeed, what will we do with the royal afterwards?” asked Feryumstark.

“I don’t know. Trade him back for a peace treaty?” I suggested.

“That might work... I think, but there’s nothing keeping them from attacking afterwards.” pointed out Elliessara.

“Well, that’s complicated...” I nodded and crossed my arms at my chest.

“There’s also this Cure-All Plant... I had never heard of it... As for the scales of the dragons, those individuals would need to be fully Awakened.” pointed out Feryumstark.

“Ah, I think we can use some of mine in the worst-case scenario. Your Majesties have both the scale of Authority and of Light, so we would just need to find the rest.” I suggested.

“You know, I always thought that the reason people feared Superior Draconians of a High Element was because of their incredible power and ability to control their element, but I’m starting to guess that it might have also been because their scales are components of certain powerful potions like this one.” said Elliessara with a heavy sigh.

“Don’t worry, your Majesty, we’ll be sure to get the cure for it! Besides, we already have one of the ingredients!” I said and then activated the [Black Hole].

From within it, I pulled out the plant I discovered back when I first met Seryanna. It was the weird plant the herbalist thought it was worth around 30 gold coins. Its rarity made its price exceedingly high. Of course, this wasn’t the same plant, just another I had found during my travels through the Seculiar Forest. The one I found together with Seryanna had been left with Kataryna or sold off, I couldn’t remember what exactly happened to it. A lot of stuff happened since then, and I sort of forgot about it.

“This is the Cure-All plant. Hm, if I’m not mistaken you can use its leafs and petals to make a special kind of tea that should help slow down the poison’s effects. Actually, why don’t you use this one just for that? I have several of them in my storage, and I can probably find some more if I wanted to. If we give one to a good gardener or farmer, maybe he can find a way to cultivate it?” I suggested as I placed the rare plant on the table.

“I honestly don’t know what to say... Is this really alright?” Elliessara asked.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Well, this is good news then! Hahaha! But what of this Enchanted Water?” asked the King.

“That’s a special type of water processed by an Alchemist. I can make it, so no need to worry about it. Although, I guess I will have to make myself some travel plans in order to obtain the rest.” I said scratching the back of my head.

“I will immediately send my best dragonesses as ambassadors to the Elvin, Relliar, and Dwarf countries to organize a special visit from you. As for the human one, I will need to consult with Brekkar and see if we can obtain the oranges without starting another invasion... Maybe that dragoness, Kataryna might know someone?” said Feryumstark as he was already making plans in his mind.

“With the recent events that happened, I will once more take lead and advise Elovius on the matters that need to be solved immediately.” Elliessara said.

“Then what should I do?” I asked blinking surprised.

“Prepare for the upcoming tournament! You won’t be participating, but I arranged for you to have an opening spar with someone! I promise they will certainly put up a good fight!” Feryumstark laughed it out.

“Understood... wait what?” I said then tilted my head to the left.

“Since the tournament was originally organized to gather competent forces from within the Brekkar Army, I gave order the day before for this one to be changed into a tournament meant to scout powerful dragons who aspire to a military career. The opening entries aren’t restricted only to the Brekkar Army anymore. Anyone with a sword can participate, but they must not be a wanted felon or member of suspicious organizations. In regard to this, I have ordered Thraherkleyoseya Draketerus to skillfully process all of them.” explained the queen in gentle tone of voice.

“Erm... OK... I’ll do my best then.” I said with a forced smile.

“Alkelios.” Elliessara said and showed me a warm smile “Thank you for helping us... I’m happy to know that not all humans are bad. Maybe with time, we can help put an end to this tiring conflict. It is sort of a dream of mine, and you... you are living proof that I can still hope for it to come true.”

“No problem! That’s what friends do! They help each other out!” I replied in casual tone and gave her a thumbs up.

“A friend... that sounds nice...” she said with a soft smile on her face.