Nolan arrived at the training ground of the Stormveil Castle barracks, with Trina and Dolores following behind him. Lansseax and Florissax were also nearby.
Their eyes all turned in the same direction. At the center of the training ground, one large figure and one small figure were glaring at each other, clearly up to something.
Not far in front of Nolan, Nepheli stood facing an unfamiliar red Ancient Dragon.
Nepheli had originally followed Vyke on the campaign against Redmane Castle. Now that they had wiped out the last of the Redmanes' resistance, all of Caelid had fallen into Nolan's hands.
So Nepheli had returned ahead of him, leaving Vyke there for the moment to handle the aftermath.
"What's going on with them?" Nolan stared blankly at the furious woman and dragon. He had only just returned and still had no idea what had happened.
He looked over and saw Nepheli gripping her Greataxe tightly, while the red Ancient Dragon bared its fangs and claws with a vicious look.
Seeing this, Lansseax smiled with obvious delight at the trouble. "They had a fight, obviously."
Judging by her eager expression, she was clearly ready to enjoy the show.
A fight? This did not look like a fight. It looked like they were about to rip each other's heads off.
Nolan was speechless. How did a simple argument turn into a clash between a top-tier champion and an Ancient Dragon?
"Actually, this does have a little to do with Your Majesty," Florissax said after a moment's hesitation. "But the main reason is still Sethlin. That child really is difficult to rein in."
At that, Nolan more or less understood.
Had he done something to offend this young lady of the Ancient Dragon clan? He had never known Miss Sethlin in either life. The only thing connecting them was the invitation from the Ancient Dragon Lord.
"She really does have quite the temper." The corners of Nolan's mouth lifted in a faint smile.
Placidusax himself had not even set a time for their meeting yet, but this little Dragon Lady was already getting impatient.
Florissax sighed helplessly. Looking after children was truly exhausting for a dragon.
"At first, she was only grumbling a little. Who would have thought she would end up arguing with Lady Nepheli? And after that... somehow, they just started fighting."
"I know. When they were arguing, I think I heard things like 'muscle woman' and 'stupid idiot,'" Lansseax said excitedly.
Nolan understood at once. From body to brain, that was already a personal attack. And since Nepheli came from a barbarian background and could be rather hot-blooded at times, it was only natural they had started fighting.
That said, in Nolan's eyes, none of those were flaws.
Although Nepheli's muscular lines were clear, her proportions were excellent. And when the two of them were alone late at night, her simple, earnest side had a charm of its own.
Just then, a thunderous dragon roar echoed through the city.
"What Fire Knight? Watch me burn you to ash today, you barbarian woman!"
The voice was accompanied by footsteps that shook the ground.
Nolan looked up and saw Sethlin rising from the training ground. This young Ancient Dragon had an impressive presence.
Its scales were a bright, fire-burned red, the bony spines along its back stood like spears, and its four spread wings blotted out the sky, casting a heavy shadow.
In the Ancient Dragon's eyes, furious lightning seemed to leap and flicker. It opened its great jaws, and an orange-red glow began gathering deep in its throat, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
As the light gathered, the surrounding air heated sharply in an instant, as if it were about to ignite.
Yet in the face of this astonishing sight, the Fire Knights showed little concern.
It was not only because they trusted Nepheli's strength, but also because they believed that even an Ancient Dragon could never break through the Stormveil Castle of today.
At present, the strongest among the Fire Knights was Vyke. On the path of a top-tier champion, he had already reached the end. To put it in a more fantastical way, he was at top-tier Great Perfection.
Nepheli, Dolores, and Eleonora were slightly behind him, but they were still within the top tier.
And even if Nolan had not returned, Borealis was watching the duel from the city walls.
Flying Dragons were widely known to be none too bright, but at the very least, they could still tell who their Lord was, who was one of their own, and who was an enemy.
Even if Nepheli and the Fire Knights were no match for Sethlin, Borealis would not stand by and watch Nepheli come to harm.
The legendary Flying Dragon would teach Sethlin what a legend truly was.
Not every Ancient Dragon was Placidusax, and not every Flying Dragon was some two- or three-meter-long little minnow.
The fireball from the Ancient Dragon's mouth engulfed Nepheli. Everyone could see a pillar of flame rising from the spot where she had been standing.
"So much for a Fire Knight," Sethlin said, bursting into laughter filled with contempt and mockery. "Looks like your Lord of Cinder is all empty reputation too."
After saying that, she glanced into the pillar of fire as if checking Nepheli's condition.
Her words were domineering, but she had no real intention of killing anyone. She had held back with that strike. A human champion definitely would not die from it.
"Little one, don't get too carried away with youthful arrogance."
Nolan's voice was not loud, but it came from within the pillar of fire.
With a sweep of his hand, Nolan scattered the pillar of flame outright.
"If you're not arrogant, are you even young..." The Ancient Dragon's movements clearly froze.
Its enormous head slowly turned toward the source of the voice, and its already narrow vertical pupils contracted into thin slits.
"Nolan?" A trace of surprise entered Sethlin's voice. She had seen Nolan's statue in Stormveil Castle, so she recognized him at a glance.
"Are you afraid?" Nolan raised an eyebrow, feeling that something was not quite right. This Ancient Dragon seemed a little different from what he had imagined.
Sethlinsax let out a roar, sweeping up the nearby sand and gravel.
"A mere human? I... I'm not afraid!" Sethlinsax forced on a fierce look and roared at Nolan. "I only heard you were a powerful champion, and the thought of trampling you has me a little excited!"
Ever since she was born, Sethlinsax had lived in Farum Azula and had never left.
She had never seen Nolan, but she had seen Bayle, and she knew that he had died at the hands of the human-dragon standing before her.
But the pride of an Ancient Dragon told her she could not back down.
He was just a crippled Bayle. If he could kill him, why couldn't I?
Although Sethlinsax thought this, her words did not carry much confidence once she said them aloud.
Another one with a stubborn mouth.
A kindly smile appeared on Nolan's face, as if he were full of goodwill toward the young Ancient Dragon before him.
"Very well. You want to trample me, don't you?" Nolan's voice was gentle and warm, like a kind elder patiently guiding a junior. "Then I'll make sure you enjoy yourself this time."
The moment Melina and the others saw that expression, they knew he was about to bully someone again.
"Your Majesty Nolan..." Florissax had just been about to step forward and offer a few words of advice when Lansseax stopped her.
"That little Sethlin has been spoiled rotten. Since that old fool Placidusax won't discipline her, it's just as well to let Nolan teach her a lesson."
Florissax hesitated, but still nodded.
Even so, a strange feeling suddenly rose in her heart.
Lansseax could actually call His Majesty Nolan by his name. Were the two of them really that close?
***
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