[Two years and three dragon months ago]

[Seryanna’s point of view]

 The Audience Room of the Emperor was supposed to be imposing, and the noble dwarfs who had gathered here to watch over this ceremony were supposed to be intimidating. The Royal Guards gave off a strength that should have frightened a simple peasant, and the stare of the Emperor himself was piercing and filled with a heavy pressure that could silence even a rowdy noble.

In such a place, I was supposed to feel humble, maybe even frightened, but there was no such thing. I, for one, felt no different than simply walking into a crowded bar. There were a few gazes which hinted of danger, but nothing I could not handle.

Compared to King Feryumstark, this dwarf’s authority feels weak, and Queen Elliessara’s presence feels far more intimidating than any of theirs. I thought as I looked from the corner of the eye at the nobles around us.

“Our presence on your lands is one of good will, your Majesty.” Princess Elleyzabelle said as she showed him an elegant smile.

“Hmph! So said many before you!” Emperor Mush’Nomv’Azer declared.

“Pardon my rudeness, your Majesty, but the dragons of Albeyater are not here to speak on their behalf.” she declared with the same polite and respectful tone in her voice.

“And where be yer men? I see only women before me!” he said and raised his chin up.

“Your Majesty, it may have been a long time since a dragon last stepped on your lands, so allow me to remind you that on the Dragon Continent, we, the dragonesses rule the countries, and the dragons defend them. However, this does not mean that we disregard a male’s ability to rule. Evidence of this is the very Prime Minister of the Albeyater Kingdom, my respectful older brother Elovius Seyendraugher.” Princess Elleyzabelle explained with a smile on her lips which didn’t betray her ability as an ambassador of our country.

What she could do with an almost natural ease, I found it difficult to imitate. To smile like she did and to allow my voice to hide my true feelings was almost impossible for me. When I got irritated, it was clear for all those around me. When I was in a good mood, it showed on my face, and so did when I was in a bad mood. For the most part, I tried to act stoic, but if my face didn’t betray me, then my tail did.

On the other hand, despite her rather young age from a dragon’s point of view, Princess Elleyzabelle displayed a mannerism which reflected not only her status but also her deep understanding of political matters.

Compared to her mother, there were still a lot of things she had yet to learn and even when picturing the two of them standing side by side, it was the Queen who would always captivate your attention. Still, if at such an age, Princess Elleyzabelle could present herself so well in front of the ruler of a foreign country, then there were only great things to expect from her in the future.

As her knights, both me and Kataryna remained on guard of our surroundings. We were to act like emotionless statues who could cut down our foes the moment we sensed killing intent aimed at our master.

“So, the men are those who wield the swords and the women handle the paperwork. Then am I to assume you came here unguarded?” the Emperor showed her a smug smile.

We’re being looked down upon. I thought.

“Of course not, your Majesty. These two are my proud Knights, and each one of them has the power to fight off against an entire army.” she said and then, with a gentle wave her hand, she pointed at me “May I introduce you to Duchess Seryanna Draketerus. Her husband is Duke Alkelios Yatagai Draketerus. She is a dragoness of my beautiful Albeyater Kingdom. In the last war, she managed to defeat by herself one of the powerful Breakthrough dragons of our enemy.” whispers began to spread among the crowd of nobles. Ignoring them, the Princess then moved her hand towards Kataryna with the same gentle flowing motion “May I introduce you to Kataryna Greorg, a Royal Knight and a powerful dragoness who fought and prevailed against multiple Breakthrough dragons.”

“I do not understand. How powerful is a Breakthrough-er. Explain.” his Majesty demanded.

“It is someone who has a Power Number over 1000. Humans often call them Awakened or Ascendants. I read in some books that at one time they were called Blessed or Evolved.”

“Hm... I see. So, they are mighty, you say. Do you believe that by coming forth with these two our nation will just bow its head to unfavorable demands?” he questioned as his gaze turned strict and piercing.

“Of course not, your Majesty. Their duty is only to act as my guards on this journey. If you or anyone else intends to bring me harm, they will act accordingly. Nonetheless, our intention here is not to turn the Trindania Empire into our enemy but into an ally.” she explained without showing any signs of feeling pressured or intimidated.

Emperor Mush’Nomv’Azer leaned back on his thrown and closed his eyes for a moment. He appeared to be deep in thought as wrinkles formed on his forehead. Meanwhile, the nobles were whispering among themselves, and their opinions varied from simple curiosity to downright disapproval of our presence within these walls.

No matter what was whispered in the background, we remained silent and waited patiently for his Majesty to continue the conversation. This dwarf, however, was no fool and even I could tell that these negotiations would be quite difficult to reach a favorable end. We were offering something the Emperor had promised to his people, a connection with the outside world, but he also had to heed the words of the nobles who helped him take the crown.

With our presence on the Trindania Continent, things were probably moving faster than he had initially anticipated.

When Emperor Mush’Nomv’Azer oppened his eyes, he looked straight at us. There was an unwavering determination shown on his face, and a wave of authority released from his presence.

“While I see your presence within my Empire as a favorable one, as an opportunity for our future, we dwarfs are still grounded in our traditions. When it came for me to accept the human heroes as part of my people, I did so without batting an eye for their help in my ascendance to the throne was clear for anyone to see. The dragons, however, have never been welcomed to step on our lands. Our trade is minimal at best, and there had been many instances of outcasts being smuggled on your ships and taken out of the Empire. As for the last Royal to step within these halls, that was a Relliar King over 200 years ago. He came with a request of war, which the King at that time rejected.”

“I understand, your Majesty. Then what can we do to earn the acceptance of the Trindania Empire?” Princess Elleyzabelle asked.

“My acceptance? Nothing. However, most of the nobles here do not see you with favorable eyes. Their subjects will no doubt be the same. As for the more traditionally bound dwarfs, they will demand immediately to send you away. It is them you need to earn the acceptance of.” he declared.

“And how will we do that?” she asked without losing her composure for even one split of a second.

“I can only think of one thing. No other foreigner has dared to accept this path though...” he said as he rubbed his beard and closed his eyes.

“Your Majesty, are you talking about...” one of the nobles dared to speak up in surprise.

“Yes.” he replied with a nod and then looked at us. “You three will go through the Nundaba Ritual also known as the Ritual of Acceptance. Through it, you will be considered as one of us, a dwarf. This by no means requires that you give up on your home country. The Nundaba Ritual since ancient times has been used to test out the loyalty of a dwarf as well as their connection to our gods. If our deities accept you, we the dwarfs can only oblige to their will.” he explained.

“May I hear the details of this ritual?” Princess Elleyzabelle asked narrowing her eyes.

This was the first sign of emotion she had shown, and the impact of it caused the Emperor to falter.

“Erm... Yes. Ahem! The Nundaba Ritual requires all those who wish to participate to be brought to the Temple Courtyard. There, they will each choose the God in whose temple they will take the test. As a Princess of Albeyater, however, we cannot ask you to do the same. You will be dressed in the same traditional garbs as the other two and will stand on the Soul Platform until your two Knights have completed their ritual, if they will at all.”

“Your Highness, we can’t leave your side... Something like that...” I objected immediately.

“Sir Draketerus, I understand your concern, however, there are others who can act as my guards while you go through your trial. I believe that Sir Shellar, Sir Van, Sir Attrakus, and Sir Narnyesall will suffice. Besides, I believe that we can trust the good Emperor Mush’Nomv’Azer to provide us with the appropriate protection.” she said and then looked towards his Majesty.

“Of course! I won’t show any mercy to those who dare disturb this sacred ritual! Have I made myself clear?” he raised his voice as he cast a cold glance over all the nobles within the room.

“Of course, your Majesty!” several of them bowed their heads.

“I will send my best men to guard them as a sign of my loyalty!” another declared.

“Me too! Of course, I won’t do anything to stain the name of his Majesty!”

They all gave their approval, but then I heard a strange whisper: “It’s not like anyone expects them to pass those sorts of trials. It’s too shameful for women, after all.”

Emperor Mush’Nomv’Azer stood up straight. He picked up his battle axe and then raised it above his head.

With a strong and commanding voice, loud enough to be heard throughout the entire Audience Room, he shouted “Then so be it! I declare that these three shall go through the Nundaba Ritual at once!”

The dwarfs raised cheers for their Emperor. Not all of them appeared to be pleased with this, and we were still confused as to what this strange ritual would ask of us.

Once the dwarfs calmed down, the Emperor looked towards the crowd and ordered “High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark, please escort our esteemed guests to the Temple Courtyard and prepare them for the Nundaba Ritual.”

“As you wish, your Majesty!” a dwarf wearing a pure-white robe stepped forward and bowed before him.

He had a long white braided beard, and he carried around his neck a large necklace made out of monster teeth, all of them infused with Magic Energy. With his calm and gentle smile, you wouldn’t feel as though this dwarf could pose a danger, but my instinct was telling me that he was probably one of the most powerful individuals present here.

With a slow pace, he approached us and then made a small bow.

“My name is Klen’Ashin’Tark. I am the High Priest in this city, and a representative of all the Temples. Please, allow me to guide you to our place of prayer. This way.” he then walked ahead of us.

“I wish you luck, dragonesses!” said the Emperor.

“Thank you, your Majesty. We won’t disappoint you.” Princess Elleyzabelle said as he nodded once and then left after the High Priest.

I made a bow towards the Emperor and then followed after them. Kataryna nodded once, and our four knights made a bow at the waist.

As soon as we stepped out of the Audience Room, Tanarotte approached Kataryna with a big smile on her lips.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to protect the Princess!” she declared.

“I’m more worried about you trying to sneak inside the temple and trying to take a peek at me.” Kataryna said with a grumble as she narrowed her eyes at her.

“Keh! How did you figure out my plan?!” the dragoness was shocked to the bone.

“Maybe before we start this Nundaba Ritual or whatever, we should hold a funeral for you? You know, just in case.” asked Kataryna with a twitch in her right cheek.

“Do not worry, Sir Kataryna, all of our temples are guarded by strong warriors, and the chambers in which you will pray can only be opened by a trusted priest who has been chosen by yours truly. If anyone dares to open the door without my approval, the other priests will certainly hear it and take action immediately.” the dwarf priest told us.

Right when I wanted to comment on the possibility of an assassination on the Princess, she looked up at me and then said “I know what you want to say, Seryanna, but this is a risk I am willing to take if it will mean bringing our two nations closer.”

The determination in her eyes shined like a bright star. Nothing I would have said would have made her change her mind. Besides, unless something really dangerous happened, interrupting or refusing to participate in this test would put a stain on the Emperor’s trust on us and the entire draconian kind.

“I will follow your orders.” I said.

“Good. Now, High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark, what do we have to do exactly?” she asked.

“That is simple. You will choose a God or Spirit of your desire and then stay within the Room of Prayer for three whole days. An hourglass will be used to measure the time. You will have the duty of turning it upside down once the sand has poured down completely. At the drop of the first grain of sand, you will be given a book of prayers for that specific entity. You will have the duty to read it once per day. If you do not know how to read, we will task one of our acolytes to read it for you and then listen to you repeat it.” he explained while looking forward.

“We’ll have to do this for three days without sleep?” I asked.

“Yes. Now, do you wish to hear the name of all of our guardian Gods and Spirits?”

“There will be no need to. Kataryna, you pick the God of Earth, and Seryanna, you pick the God of Fire. I will have no choice but to stay in the middle of the Soul Platform, but I believe those two are the most compatible with your elements.” Princess Elleyzabelle said.

“God of Earth? Isn’t there one of ice?” Kataryna asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Of ice? No. Ice is just water turned cold. Why would there be a God of Ice? The God of Fire controls the temperature of all things. He is whom we pray to so that our blades will heat up in the forge and then properly cool down in the water.” High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark explained with great zeal in the tone of his voice, almost as if he was trying to convince us of how great the deity he was worshiping was.

“Exactly. Besides, I do believe that the God of Earth will suit you just nicely. High Priest, will you be kind enough to tell my Knights what they are to expect inside those two temples?” the Princess asked him in a polite tone of voice.

“Of course! Within the Room of Prayer of the God of Fire, temperatures will rise and fall every hour, sometimes rising to almost unbearable values. Many dwarfs were forced to leave the Room of Prayer within hours of entering it. As for the Room of Prayer of the God of Earth, you will be subjected to the eerie silence of old abandoned caves. The shift of earth will be the only song you will hear besides your beating heart and gasping breath. A human once dared to stay within that chamber for more than a day and then came out completely insane. The poor man was screaming about going back to some weird place called ‘Japan’ to become something weird called a ‘corporate slave’.” he shook his head and offered a silent prayer to that individual.

“He must have been a human hero.” I said.

“Well, none of us dwarfs really bothered with him very much. He was a weird fellow who claimed he will one day rule the world and have a harem at his disposal. Too bad he was impotent in the head.” he shook his head and offered him another silent prayer.

“That sounds interesting. What do you mean impotent in the head?” Kataryna asked with a smirk on her lips.

“Well, the story goes like this. Not long after the human heroes appeared, a beautiful dwarf maiden fell in love with him for some weird reason known only by the spirits, but he did not touch her even when she threw herself at him naked. His body reacted, but his mind did not seem to understand the concept of ‘sexual pleasure between a man and a woman’. In the end she kicked him in his manhood and went to find somebody else to fall in love with. The poor man, not understanding what happened, he came to seek for my help, and I told him to use one of the Prayer Rooms.”

“Hahaha! So funny!” laughed Kataryna.

“Hm? Alkelios almost ended up like that as well...” I furrowed my brow.

“No, my friend, that guy would have NEVER ended up like that. First of all, unlike the insane fellow the High Priest told us about, Alkelios was quite attracted to you from the very beginning. He just had a bit too much stress that piled up on his shoulders. That’s all.” she shrugged.

“Oh? You know of someone who went through a similar predicament?” the High Priest looked at us with big curious eyes.

“Similar, maybe...” I nodded. “But he got over it.”

“How did he get over it? May I know?”

“We had a long, nice chat about how he saw things AFTER I beat the living daylight out of him!” Kataryna replied with a laugh.

“You beat him up?” the priest did not expect such an answer.

“Until he calmed down, yes. Otherwise, he would not have listened to me.”

“If not for her, I doubt I would have been able to do anything to help my husband get out of that predicament.” I said.

“I believe it depends on the individual, though. It is far more important to get them in a state in which they can listen to what you have to say and then make a choice without the fears that might tie them down.” Princess Elleyzabelle offered her opinion on the matter.

“This is indeed quite fascinating, and it doesn’t appear as though either of you are worried about spending three days in the Room of Prayer.” the High Priest remarked.

“What is there to worry about?” Kataryna scoffed.

“I agree. We have nothing to fear.” I nodded.

We continued to exchange idle words as we made our way through the narrow and sometimes twisted streets of the dwarf capital Exaver. Along the way, we gathered numerous curious stares, among which, the children appeared to be the most excited about seeing us.

We were a rare sight for them.

But what brought up this unusual situation was the fact that High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark was a dwarf who preferred to mingle with the common folk rather than remain only in high class circles. While some nobles might have glared at him for telling the guest of the Emperor to walk all the way to the Temple Courtyard, we certainly didn’t mind it. The Princess even pointed out that what this dwarf was doing was a smart thing. By gaining the favor of the common folk, it became very difficult for his enemies among the nobility to try and take his life or coerce him into doing something he might have disapproved of.

High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark was a smart dwarf who not only cared for himself but also for those around him. From what I could see, he was the type you could not come to hate and at the same time couldn’t afford to have as your enemy. If this dwarf ended up approving us, then the negotiations with the Trindania Empire would proceed smoother.

The Temple Courtyard had in the middle a three meters tall circular platform. From on top of it, the High Priest would usually perform his ceremonies, which involved all the deities they worshiped. From my perspective, it was just a big slab of stone cut into a perfect circle with rounded edges, nothing more and nothing else. I could not feel any sort of divine energy emanating from it, nor could I see what was so special about it, but religion and cult had their own special way of making one believe that even the most insignificant of things held great value.

The temples themselves were all facing with the front door at the Soul Platform. They had been constructed in a semicircle. From the left to the right, they were arranged like this: Temple of the Spirits of Liquids; Temple of the Spirits of Metals; Temple of the God of Earth; Temple of the God of Fire; Temple of the Spirits of Jewels; and Temple of the Spirits of Nature.

When we arrived at the Temple Courtyard, I was remembered of the temples back on the Dragon Continent. They were big enough to make even a dragon feel at home, with tall arches and impressive columns decorated with sculpted scenes of myths and legends. It made me feel as though I had stepped into another city, one ruled by giants rather than dwarfs, and it was more so impressive when you were reminded of how close to the ground the ceilings of their homes were.

Massive stone doors welcomed us at the entrance of each temple alongside a pair of robust dwarf guards. While they tried to look intimidating, they were far below our Power Number. At most, I could only see them as noisy alarms in case something happened, but definitely not a force to be reckoned with.

“Sir Seryanna, Sir Kataryna, an acolyte will arrive shortly to escort you to the Room of Prayer of your chosen temple. There, you will be taught how to properly pronounce the words of our prayers. As for your Highness, please allow me to escort you to my office. I will personally help you with the prayers. Once your togas arrive, the acolytes will leave, and a priestess will help you change.” the High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark explained with a calm look on his face.

“Toga?” I asked furrowing my brow.

“That is the name we use for this peculiar garb. It’s a roughly semicircular cloth draped around the shoulders and around the body. Every dwarf has a ceremonial toga for various rituals, but since you have just arrived on this continent and are not well accustomed with our rituals, I will not expect you to have one in your size, so I will send someone to prepare one for you. There is no need for measurements to be taken, just knowing your height and build is enough.” he explained in a calm tone of voice.

“So, in other words, we’ll first wait in our rooms until the toga arrives and then the ritual will begin?” Princess Elleyzabelle asked.

“Indeed.” he nodded. “While the togas are being prepared, all three of you will be taught the way to pray properly.” he showed us a smile.

“I understand. Then, please lead the way.” Princess Elleyzabelle said with a courteous smile.

The office of the High Priest was located in the space between the Temple of the God of Fire and the Temple of the God of Earth. It was a big, spacious room with a small window at the back showing a view of a beautiful flower garden. The High Priest’s wife was the one who took care of them.

Not long after we were brought inside, two acolytes arrived to guide me and Kataryna to our respective rooms. Although reluctant, I followed her Highness’ order and parted ways with her. I would see her only at the end of the ritual, three days from now.

The Room of Prayer for the Temple of the God of Fire was right at the back of the temple and as soon as I stepped inside, I felt a wave of heat washing over my armor. The acolyte found it unbearable at first and needed a moment to adjust, but I had no problems with it. Within my armor, the temperature was no higher than that of a river during a hot summer day.

The room itself was circular in shape and within it were a lot of Magic Crystals enchanted with fire spells that raised the temperatures around them. The floor was surrounded by a lava moat, and the only way to go across it other than jumping or flying was by using a stone bridge which the acolyte conjured with his magic.

When I stepped in the center of this room, I looked up and saw the clear blue sky. It was as if I was gazing up from within a volcano, the temperature seemed to match as well.

“Lady Seryanna, this is the Room of Prayer of the God of Fire. I will now instruct you in how to use this Prayer Book. Is it alright if we begin now?” the dwarf asked as he showed me a wry smile.

He appeared to be a young adult by the way he looked, but his smile was forced. No doubt he would have preferred to be anywhere else other than inside this huge cooking pot. His garments were getting wet, and he had a bit of difficulty breathing here, while I did not even start to sweat.

“Let’s begin.” I nodded.

“Wonderful!” the man smiled and then conjured up two stone stumps which we could use as chairs.

The moment he opened that book of his, I furrowed my brow. Although I could read the characters thanks to the Blessing of the Goddess Amber that enveloped this entire continent, I could not understand the words themselves. To me they meant nothing and sounded like a bunch of gibberish.

“Let us begin, this part is: Myo Sho Fu Mon. It means ‘the profound law’. And this is Myoho renge kyo, the wonderful law of the lotus sutra.” he explained.

“Hm? This part... is... Sho Buh Chi E. Jin Jin Mu Ryo. Go Chi E Mon. Nange Nan Nyu?” I asked.

“Yes, but you pronounced Bu’ as Buh, that is incorrect. Here, when you see this sign, you pronounce it like this...” he explained.

One and a half hour later, I managed to understand most of the weird symbols and their pronunciation. The priest tried to explain their meaning as well, but I found the idea of stagnant enlightenment or conditioned enlightenment as somewhat illogical. I did not tell him this, though, for I didn’t wish to cause any trouble.

“Only by reading this every day and every night can a disciple one day learn to surpass his own limits and conquer the lives which his soul brings into this world. The mental state one achieves at this point is called an Enlightened One.” he explained in his zealous way.

“Are there any Enlightened Ones on this continent?” I asked curiously.

“Yes.” he nodded with a smile. “They are powerful warriors who follow the teachings of the Gods and honor the word of our Emperor.” he bowed his head.

So... a Breakthrough-er? It is indeed a fact that they see the world with different eyes, but I would not go so far as to say they have reached some sort of spiritual zenith. At least, I do not think any of them have... I thought as I looked back at the book.

“Maybe this is just a simple guide? A story which could help you learn and understand the world better rather than give you a word-by-word law which you need to obey.” I wondered out loud.

“Hm... those are wise words, Lady Seryanna, but I fear that they are deceitful. The words of religion must be obeyed not doubted!” he declared with a happy smile.

Obeyed? That was the only word thought that popped in my mind when I heard him.

The obsession towards following a certain doctrine was present both in religion but also in state politics. As for those who belonged to the army, it was part of their lives. We all had to obey the Queen and the King.

I left this thought be and focused instead on the days of prayer that were to come.

When the toga arrived, I was surprised by how thin the material was. It was similar to spider silk, but it lacked its resistance, and I felt no Magic Energy coming from it. Even so, I highly doubted it was something a commoner could buy. From what I saw while walking all the way here from the Palace, the most common fabric was linen, followed by animal skins. There were no places where they could harvest cotton or forest where they could raise spiders.

Import was out of the question as well, so maybe they had some other ways to produce this silk?

Putting on the toga was a bit difficult for me, so I asked one of the priestesses at the temple to help me out. My wings and tail were in the way and made it rather difficult for her, but in the end she managed somehow to wrap it around me. My back was bare, and the allure I gave off while wearing it made me wonder how much I would have excited Alkelios with it. If I struck a more seductive pose and maybe gave him a wink, then he would have picked me up in his arms and took me to our bedroom.

“Starting now, you will stay here for the following three days. If at any time you wish to give up, just pour your Magic Energy into this enchanted polished rock. It will let us know, and we will come to pick you up.” she said as she handed me the stone.

I looked at it curiously and wondered if it acted like a beacon for them.

“Thank you, but there won’t be any use for it.” I told her and wanted to give it back, but she stopped me.

“It’s part of the Nundaba Ritual, milady.” she said quickly and lifted her palms up.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Now, once I close the door behind me, the ritual will begin. I wish you luck, Sir Seryanna.” the priestesses made a polite bow and then walked out of the room.

Before she closed the door, she pulled back the bridge, cutting access to the other side.

I did not see an hourglass when I came inside, so I assumed that they must have one outside. In here, the high temperatures could have damaged it.

Without anything else left for me to do, I sat down on the ground and began to chant the weird prayer I was given.

Just as the High Priest said, the temperature went up during the first hour and continued to rise for the next four hours until it stabilized. It was so hot now that water evaporated when it was poured on the ground and started to boil within moments if left in a bucket. For me, it was just a bit warm.

I was a Superior Draconian of the High Flame with a Power Number over 850. There was no way I would allow myself to succumb to temperatures just a little above boiling water. It was ridiculous!

After another three hours had passed, the temperature went up again, and by the end of the second day, I was already starting to sweat. I was sitting in the middle of an oven.

Just a bit more... just one more day... I thought as I focused on the prayer.

The temperature was not that unbearable, but there was something in this place that combined with the prayer drained me of my energy. It weakened me and made me feel as though I was in some sort of trance. Maybe exhaustion was taking its toll on me?

It was at this time when I heard the door to this Room of Prayer open.

 

[Mush’Nomv’Azer’s point of view]

[Right after Princess Elleyzabelle’s group left the Audience Room]

 These strangers were truly impressive. They did not flinch when they stood in front of me nor wavered when they felt the oppressive killing intent of my guards. Maybe it was so weak for them that they did not even bother to notice it?

The Princess was also something else. The way she carried herself and looked into my eyes was akin to a Queen who ruled over countless kingdoms and across vast seas. I felt the sort of strength within her which I had always dreamed of seeing within a true ruler. Sadly, it appeared as though I did not possess such a strength myself.

“Your Majesty, are you sure about this Nundaba Ritual?” one of the nobles asked me.

It was a young tribe leader from the far South.

“Certain? Why shouldn’t I? These strangers, although they came not long after our time of great turmoil, they bring about good omen!” I nodded and rubbed my beard.

If I could open a new trading route with the Dragon Continent, maybe I could do the same with the Relliar Continent. Our economy would grow, and the dwarfs would stop being known as recluses. If I then managed to bring back the outcasts, I could enrich the knowledge of the dwarfs with information gathered from outside.

The old rulers feared contact with the other species, but I embraced it. As my wife often said “An isolated state had no hope for growth for it rejected any change that may come, be it from within or outside.”

While I pondered about this, I noticed that my old friend, Andu’Yang’Ores, the most prominent blacksmith in our country was muttering something under his beard.

“Ores, my friend. What troubles you?” I asked him.

“Your Majesty, their armors and weapons, have ya notice’em?” he asked.

“Hm? What about them? They were fancy and well built, indeed. Probably an old heirloom?” I wondered.

“I doubt it. Even as isolated as Trindania used to be, I would still have heard of’em, your Majesty. The weapons appeared to be made of multiple moving parts just like the armors, but by the Spirits, I have no idea how they were bound together or how they work. As for Magic Enchantments, let us just say we were lucky they didn’t decide to test’em on us.” he shook his head.

“Lucky? What do you mean?” I furrowed my brow.

Whenever Andu’Yang’Ores was serious about something, especially when it came to blacksmithing, his accent tended to slip.

“Your Majesty, no offense, but they make our Godlike items look like nothing more than simple toys when compared to’em. Whoever made’em had a terrifying blacksmithing skill!” he declared.

“Is that so? Hm...” I said as looked towards the door and rubbed my beard.

This news was troubling on one side and interesting on the other. If the dragons possessed such marvels of craftsmanship, then it was far better for the dwarfs to ally with them than end up fighting against them.

The Nundaba Ritual had one more part about it which was never told to those who participated in it. Basically, after the first and second day had passed, the Emperor could step within the Room of Prayer and ask the one inside a few questions, but not something that would pull them out of their trance. It was forbidden to do so.

Although I was not allowed to stay in more than a couple of minutes, within that time, I had to determine whether they were friends or foes. If they were the latter, after coming out exhausted from that place, we could easily finish them off.

The first to interrogate was Sir Seryanna.

On the morning of the third day, I put on an armor enchanted with spells that would help me survive the high temperatures inside.

“Your Majesty, for what it’s worth, I don’t believe they are evil or ill intended toward our nation.” said High Priest Klen’Ashin’Tark.

“If they have your backing as well, then there’s nothing to worry about! Kuhahaha!” I laughed and then stepped in front of the sturdy stone door.

One of the priests cast a spell on it, and the door slowly started to open.

I stepped inside and jumped over the molten river. The temperatures here were so high it made my beard sweat. The enchants were barely hanging on.

Oi! Oi! Isn’t this a bit too much? I thought as I saw the boiling lava in the moat.

“Your Majesty?” the dragoness asked with a weak voice.

“Yes. That’s me. Part of the Nundaba Ritual is a small chat with me. It needed to be kept a secret, but there’s nothing to worry about.” I said with a smile as I approached her.

“I see...” she replied.

Despite the incredibly high temperatures here, she was still hanging in there. The sweat on her body soaked the toga completely and made it highly transparent. Her red scales were visible through the thin fabric and made it hard for me not to lay eyes on her. The way she looked at me with those flushed cheeks and tired gaze only added to her charm. It was like having a seductress trying to tempt me, or rather a snake.

“I will be quick, so as to not disturb you. I wish to ask what you think about the dwarf empire.” I told her.

“The dwarf empire... Trindania... It is far away, strange... yet beautiful. It is weak and simple, but... the people don’t seem to be against your rule. They accepted you. They are happy... I like that.” she replied with absolute brute honesty.

I was not expecting such an answer... I thought.

Normally, a foreigner would have tried to flatter me in any way they could, to raise their own value in my eyes. This dragoness, however, did not seem to care about that, she expressed her honest and to the point opinion.

I already had a good impression of her.

“Then, can you tell me if there are any Human Heroes on your continent?” I asked since I had heard from my wife that the God-like being told them that the Dragon Continent was very scary and dangerous for them.

“Yes... my husband and another... They fought against each other, terrible battle... My husband won, but I killed the other Human Hero.” she said as she struggled to breathe because of the heat.

“You killed him... why?” I asked.

“He was evil... even by a Human Hero’s standards. He tried to bring chaos to Albeyater.”

“I see... Then, what do you feel about Alkelios?” I asked curious about how such different species could be together.

This question was more of a personal curiosity of mine because of my wife.

“I love him.” she replied as simple as possible.

“The fact that he’s a human doesn’t bother you?” I asked.

“Me? At the beginning but then it passed. Alkelios, on the other hand, was bothered by it for a while. Human Heroes have... different morals, beliefs... and common sense.” she explained.

“Different morals, beliefs, and common sense. Interesting. Where is he now?”

“I don’t know... The other Human Hero... he said he sent him away through time and space. I’m waiting for him. He’s my husband, the dragon I love...”

There was something that surprised me when she said those words. Sir Seryanna didn’t see this Alkelios fellow as a human as much as she did a dragon. For a proud and powerful dragoness like her to see this human with such high regard impressed me.

“Thank you, Sir Seryanna. I will leave you to it.” I said as I moved towards the door.

“Why did I answer so easily?” she asked.

“You are tired, and this place... it’s not a good place to lie, you know?” I replied with a wry smile.

As I got out of the room, I was touched by the cool air from outside.

“Your Majesty, how was it?” I was questioned by the High Priest.

“It was interesting... I got what I wanted from her, so I will move on to Sir Kataryna.” I nodded.

The other dragoness was in the Room of Prayer in the Temple of the God of Earth. Just as the name suggested, it was a room where a believer could connect themselves to the element of this god.

For this place, my regular armor was good enough. Once I got changed, I stepped inside.

Tall stalagmites and stalactites welcomed me with a choir of drops of water. An endless echo bounced off the stone walls. The pressure of the air here was strange, but the temperature was at normal values.

There, at the center of the room, I saw the silver-scaled dragoness reading the prayer to the God of Earth. It did not look like two days had passed for her. The toga she was wearing captivated her natural beauty, but it was kept clean, undisturbed.

“Sir Kataryna?” I asked.

My voice echoed with a loud ringing that forced me to cover my ears.

Bloody bats on a turquoise sandwich! I cursed as I clenched my jaw and waited for the sound to vanish.

“Ssh. Here, the sound is so loud you can hear your heartbeat.” the dragoness told me, yet her voice barely echoed.

“I... I’ll try.” even when whispering it felt very loud.

“Why are you here?” she asked as she closed the book and looked into my eyes with a cold gaze that froze my very soul.

I gulped “It’s part of the Nundaba Ritual. I must visit you all as the acting ruler of Trindania.” I said.

“I see. Very well.” she nodded.

“So... a question. What do you think of our continent so far?”

“Of this place? Hm... weak, boring, slightly dangerous? It isn’t that bad. Maybe... maybe not?” she said and then shrugged.

Just like the other dragoness, this one was also completely honest with me.

“Then... what do you think of Alkelios?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Seryanna’s husband? I love him.” I she replied bluntly.

“What?” I blinked surprised.

This was another answer I had not expected and nearly raised my voice because of it.

“Erm... You love him? As in a friend?”

“As a lover. I want to carry his egg.”

“Erm...” the brutal honesty of this dragoness put me at a loss of words.

“This love, however, I cannot share it... He belongs to Seryanna. Me... I’m just passing by.” she showed me a wry smile.

The sound of her voice was filled with a strange sadness. It made me feel pity.

Is she not confident that she would receive this love in return? I wondered and then I remembered something my wife asked me when I was unsure of whether or not I should ask her to marry me.

“Sir Kataryna, you say you love this man, correct?”

“Yes.” she nodded.

“Then, what are you afraid to lose if you choose to share your love with him?”

“Afraid to lose? I...” she stopped and looked down, she furrowed her brow.

“Do you think Sir Seryanna will push you away? Do you think he won’t love you back?” I asked.

“I...” she looked at me as if she was in a trance.

Maybe up until now she never thought about this. If she didn’t partake in this Nandaba Ritual she most likely would have never thought about it either. I told myself as I rubbed my beard.

“Maybe it’s their friendship altogether?” I asked.

She shook her head.

“No... I’m afraid to lose my love for my past lover.” she replied.

Oh boy... that’s again... unexpected. I thought.

“Would your past lover have wanted to see you alone for the rest of your life while keeping his love in your heart? I’m not saying to forget him, but no man would wish for his lover to remain alone after they passed away. At least, no man who is worthy of being called a man. I ain’t afraid to allow my wife to find happiness after I am long gone. Sure, I wish to be mourned, but I prefer her smile rather than her tears.” I said with a smile.

Sir Kataryna took in every word that I said, but I could not tell if it made a difference or not. So far, I gathered that these dragonesses were not bad folk. They definitely kept their words and focused on the ritual without trying to cheat or anything. This state of mind of theirs was the proof of that.

“Just think about what I said, maybe it’ll help you. Unfortunately, I can’t stay for any longer.” I said and then walked to the door.

The fact that they held a Human Hero in such a high regard also showed that we as dwarfs might not end up being oppressed by them if given the chance. We look quite similar to humans, and there are many Human Heroes among us now. I would not want to sign an agreement through which I gained the favor of the dragons but had to abandon the favor of my own people.

After I stepped out of the room, a priest closed the door behind me, and the High Priest walked up to me.

“How was it, your Majesty?” he asked.

I showed him a smile and then replied “They followed the ritual as promised. They do not belittle our Empire and they do not lift it in high regard. They hold the same worries as us dwarfs do, and for what it may be worth, I cannot see them as foes.”

“That’s wonderful news, your Majesty!” he nodded and then showed me a smile.

“When I came here, I saw her Highness sitting on the Soul Platform and chanting the prayer faithfully. Has she stopped?” I asked.

“No.” he shook his head.

“Alright, then I won’t bother her. I will return to the Palace now.” I nodded.

“Is it alright not to question her as well?” he asked me.

“Yes. The Nundaba Ritual tests her endurance and pride as a noble. A selfish fellow would not have agreed to go with it until the end, and someone like that would have no place at my negotiations table. Even if the subjects are good, if the leader is worthless, the whole group will fail.” I said with a nod.

“It is as you say, your Majesty.” the High Priest bowed before me.

After speaking with those two, I ended up being even more curious about this Alkelios fellow. Maybe sometime in the future, I would get to meet this Human Hero who captured the hearts of two powerful dragonesses.

The most difficult part of the Nundaba Ritual was now over and even if they did not last the entire third day, they could still be considered as having passed. Nonetheless, it would be wise if I did not tell the other tribe leaders what questions I asked those two. They would have seen them as foolish, but it did not matter what they wanted to find out from them, it mattered what I wanted to find out for them, and that was the fact that they were not the monsters many made them out to be.