Within the maze of twisting caverns, the Ancient Flame Dragon pressed forward.
"Sephis-sama, we're here."
The Ancient Flame Dragon's voice carried a touch of flattery, heavy with eagerness to please. Remembering what had happened not long ago, he couldn't help feeling fired up.
I really did latch onto the right thigh.
Sephis lifted his head. What greeted him was an astonishing stretch of buildings.
They had arrived at the abandoned Dwarven Royal Capital.
One man and one dragon stepped inside, but after only a few paces, they stopped.
Not far ahead, a fierce-looking host of Quagoa came rushing over, their numbers likely in the tens of thousands.
At the sight, the Ancient Flame Dragon breathed out a wave of heat, firelight already gathering in his mouth.
Facing tens of thousands of Quagoa, he didn't flinch. If anything, he looked eager, as though itching to prove himself.
He understood this was a perfect chance to show his worth.
"Wait."
Just as he was about to start slaughtering them, Sephis's voice cut in, and the Ancient Flame Dragon froze mid-motion.
Sephis jumped down from the dragon's back and looked toward the Quagoa army, or rather, the Quagoa at the very front.
That one was holding a pure white pair of underpants high overhead, waving it like a flag.
"We surrender!"
"My lord, please accept the loyalty of us Quagoa!"
Pe Riyuro, Quagoa King.
The one who had unified eight Quagoa tribes, a figure hailed as an unprecedented hero-king in Quagoa history.
Now he frantically waved his white flag, shouting in a hurry as he ran.
He hurried up to Sephis. This Beastman King, whose strength had surpassed the Realm of Heroes, didn't hesitate for even a moment before dropping into a sliding kneel.
It was his way of showing absolute sincerity.
Behind him, the Quagoa host followed suit, kneeling in waves.
The Quagoa King was humble to the point of groveling, with none of a ruler's imposing presence.
He wasn't stupid. The one before him was strong enough to fight a True Dragon Lord.
After witnessing that scene from afar not long ago, the Quagoa King was left with nothing but fear. If he angered this being, a few spells would be enough to erase his sixty-thousand-strong army in an instant.
He understood what a True Dragon Lord meant better than most. After all, the Quagoa had served the White Dragon Lord for years.
A True Dragon Lord was an existence that could casually wipe out an entire nation.
As the king of the Quagoa, he couldn't afford to gamble.
Sephis looked over the Quagoa kneeling all around him and said nothing. Nearby, the Ancient Flame Dragon lay low, obediently keeping still.
The area fell silent, so quiet it felt like you could hear everyone's heartbeat.
Cold sweat dripped from the Quagoa King's brow. With every second that passed, his unease grew sharper.
He was terrified this being might refuse their surrender and simply destroy the Quagoa.
He had seen it clearly. The other was a Dragonoid, and dragons were infamous for their volatile tempers.
With that thought gnawing at him, the Quagoa Beastman King, praised as a heroic wise king, was so tense he could barely breathe.
At the same time, Sephis was thinking as well.
The Quagoa offering submission didn't surprise him. The commotion earlier had been loud enough, and it was only natural the local Quagoa would have noticed.
What he was weighing now was whether to accept their loyalty.
"Hmm… Demiurge once said that the Supreme Ones intend to found a nation — a true Kingdom."
Demiurge's impassioned speech flickered through his mind, and Sephis made his decision.
He looked at the Quagoa King and spoke calmly.
"Take me to the White Dragon Lord."
The moment he heard that, the Quagoa King nearly collapsed with relief.
He understood. This meant his loyalty had been accepted.
It also meant the Quagoa had stepped back from the edge of annihilation.
"Please rest assured, Sephis-sama. I've had people watching the White Dragon Lord the whole time. He's in the castle right now."
"This way, Sephis-sama. I'll lead you."
The Quagoa King nodded rapidly as he spoke.
Given why Sephis had come here, the first thing he'd thought of was the White Dragon Lord.
Only that Dragon Lord could draw someone like this.
So he had long since dispatched large numbers of Quagoa to hide in the shadows, surrounding Frost Dragon Castle from all sides.
"Mm."
And so, with the Beastman King guiding the way, Sephis strolled along at an unhurried pace, casually taking in the sights as though he were walking through his own home.
...
Inside Frost Dragon Castle.
The White Dragon Lord paced back and forth.
Anxious.
That was the only way to describe his mood right now.
"No. I have to get out of here. I'll head to the Argland Council State and lie low for a while."
The moment he recalled his earlier act of courting death, the White Dragon Lord made up his mind. He couldn't stay here any longer.
His life came first.
Yes, the castle was comfortable. Yes, the Quagoa served him well. Yes, there were dwarven treasures that couldn't be moved. Yes… yes…
He shook his head violently.
No. He couldn't think about it anymore.
If he kept thinking about it, he would only feel worse.
"Have you packed everything?"
He looked to the side at his dragon consorts and children.
By normal dragon standards, offspring were driven from the nest at around one year old. The White Dragon Lord was an outlier.
Compared to most of his kind, he was practically a winner in life. He had three wives.
In this era, when dragons were scarce, a White Dragon Lord with three wives was naturally the envy of many dragons.
After all, even most True Dragon Lords were still single.
"It's all packed, Father."
A chubby dragon wearing glasses spoke up, a massive bundle strapped to his back and stuffed full of treasures and books.
The other dragons were the same, each carrying bundles of varying sizes. All of it was the White Dragon Lord's prized collection.
After confirming nothing had been left behind, the White Dragon Lord and his family prepared to flee.
"A brand new life, here I come!"
Just as he was fantasizing about his future, a figure slipped silently through the castle gates.
[Lightning Dragon]
Thunder exploded.
The White Dragon Lord, who had been grinning moments ago, stiffened as lightning coursed through him. His body convulsed violently.
"If I really let you leave, I'd be in quite a bit of trouble."
Sephis walked toward the White Dragon Lord and his family, a hint of surprise in his eyes at the sheer number of dragons present.
Behind him, the Ancient Flame Dragon and the Quagoa moved in, surrounding the White Dragon Lord's family completely.
Charred black, the White Dragon Lord struggled back to his feet, his face filled with despair.
What sin had he committed?
How had this monster actually followed him here?
He deeply regretted it now. Why had he bothered organizing his treasures? Wouldn't it have been better to just run?
At the same time, he shot a resentful glare at the Quagoa King nearby.
So you're the one who brought this monster here.
The Quagoa King merely smiled, feeling unusually refreshed.
"Father, I'm scared!"
Surrounded by hostile Quagoa, the chubby dragon trembled in fear.
"Shut up. Don't speak."
The White Dragon Lord snapped at him. Though he often found his foolish son irritating, he still shifted his body to shield him.
Sephis paused at the sight.
Whether it was an illusion or not, the White Dragon Lord felt that Sephis's gaze had softened slightly.
"You've come looking for this little dragon. May I ask what for?"
The White Dragon Lord took a deep breath and lowered his proud head.
When you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head.
"I've come to invite you. Would you accompany me on a trip?"
[What kind of invitation is that?]
The White Dragon Lord nearly cursed out loud. Couldn't he phrase it more politely? It wasn't like he wouldn't listen.
"This little dragon has no objections."
"About… my family…"
Though grumbling inwardly, the White Dragon Lord remained respectful on the surface. He glanced back at the dragons behind him, speaking with some difficulty.
"Bring them along. Don't worry. You won't come to harm," Sephis said.
Though these frost dragons weren't particularly high level, and might not even be a match for the Ancient Flame Dragon, they were still dragons. They had value.
Demiurge would likely be quite pleased. It would provide more experimental data.
Of course, that was under the premise that their lives would be protected.
If his earlier promise to spare the White Dragon Lord had been because of the Brightness Dragon Lord, then this time, it was his own decision.
"As you command."
Knowing he had no right to refuse, the White Dragon Lord nodded stiffly and silently prayed.
Sephis opened a Gate, preparing to leave together with the frost dragon family and the Ancient Flame Dragon.
Before departing, he gave a few instructions, ordering the Quagoa to guard the place until his return.
After all, this location still held a vast amount of treasure left behind by the Dwarven King two hundred years ago, enough to significantly replenish The Great Tomb of Nazarick's reserves.