Chapter 63: The Ancient Dragon Council
Calling herself the "Truth Holder" felt a bit cringe.
Nevertheless, it wasn't a wrong statement.
She held the truth to Ethan's disappearance since >Nuwan< was in her hands.
And she knew that current Euclid wasn't the type to bother to explain anything that doesn't interest him.
She also knew for a fact that her role there was crucial.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
In the lavish hallway, all the Elves she met bowed down to her after looking so surprised as she walked by. Behind her, Kyrios and Netzer tailed along like loyal puppies.
"I want to know what happened to Eucee after I fainted. Keep it brief." After a long time, she switched back to Elven Sign language. Using it felt the most comfortable when interacting with Netzer.
"He was exhausted from battle when we treated him. Lady Agyris took care of him as his guardian and his parents came back the following day to see him. Things twisted after that. EESOP asked for mission reports and GDC asked for an investigation. Everyone's reports were different. But Lord Euclid's one was the most vague and suspicious. After another day, Lord of House Benowitz suddenly requested a trial, claiming Lord Euclid had harmed that good-for-nothing brat Ethan."
The report ended.
"Ridiculous." was all Kyriaki had to mutter under her breath.
"It's not even funny. When Miss Levana tried to defend our Eucee, The head of House Benowitz cut her off saying her testaments are not trustworthy since she was in a bad relationship with this Ethan." Kyrios pouted as if he was personally wronged by Lord Benowitz.
"Hah! Trying to use logic against dragons now, are we?" Kyriaki scoffed. "The saying 'Like father like son' is totally true."
"Yeah…if he had openly shown his dissatisfaction towards Miss Levana, we'd have pulled the trial for another week or so, but his reasoning was very clear and logical."
"Right.. no one cares about the emotional and physical abuse that useless trash caused her. We are dragons after all."
"It's sad. I don't understand why we have to always be rational."
"I forgot you are an exception. But Rio, that's how cold the world is. You must adapt, or else you might find yourself deeply hurt." Kyriaki stretched her hand out and patted Kyrios' head, not stopping for a moment as they walked.
As the silky golden threads of hair slipped between her tiny fingers, Kyriaki again glanced at Netzer.
"What's Eucee's reaction?"
"He's just saying he killed Ethan because that brat was trash. And there's no further explanation. He has completely changed after he came back."
Saying that, Netzer shuddered. Kyriaki paused for the first time, her face puzzled for a moment before she burst out laughing.
The clear, dreamy laughter speared out of the hallway like a beautiful melody.
"That's so like him." She said, looking at the massive golden door.
The Elven guards on either side of the door bowed down to them with dignity. The twins nodded, acknowledging their presence.
With a still lingering smile, Kyriaki glanced at the tightly shut door. The soundproofing was so excellent that she couldn't hear even the tiniest sound.
She thought of the gorgeous psychopath she wished to punch. Thinking of him suddenly reminded her of the strange phenomena that happened right after the intense battle that day.
She could feel that exact same strange pull welcoming her even before seeing his face.
She was sure of it, this has something to do with Euclid.
"Announce our presence." She commanded with a poker face. Her thoughts were nowhere to be seen on her face.
Boom!
The two elves slammed their spears on the floor and the door started slowly opening.
"His Highness the Prince Kyrios and Her Highness the Crown Princess Kyriaki are entering!"
Bam!
As the door fully opened, Kyriaki confidently walked inside the room.
The first thing that caught her eyes was the interior.
Designed like a court room from a fantasy setting, it was shaped like a cylinder, looking every bit of a lavish architecture style. The jury was upstairs as if it was an opera hall, looking down below. And the participants were sitting around in the circular seat arrangement.
The victim and the witnesses were one a stage one step below the defendant.
Only the defendant stood at the middle of it all, surrounded by a wooden fence commonly found in court rooms. Though those woods were far from common. Named Harro, the wood was known for its mana restraining and gravity manipulation properties. A perfect material to restrain a dragon just enough for other people to feel they are getting the upper hand. Though it did little to nothing for a dragon in reality.
Kyriaki swept her gaze leisurely, taking a clear look at the space she entered. The awkward and bewildered silence was not her business.
Her gaze first moved to the jury above.
ADC.
The Ancient Dragon Council.
To understand what it was, one had to first know what an "Ancient Dragon" is.
All dragons that had reached their 5th growth pace are referred to as Ancient Dragons. To reach the 5th growth pace, a dragon has to live over 10,000 years, which is half their average lifespan.
Once they reach the title of "Ancient Dragon" they were usually released from most of their duties, only deployed on wars or spy missions on other planes.
They were also the only dragons that had the authority to cross dimensions.
Anyhow, when they become an ancient dragon, they naturally join "The Ancient Dragon Council". The only place where all the Ancient Dragons in the world gather. A place full of the most powerful beings in the universe, which was respected by even the Dragon monarch.
Kyriaki glanced at the various colored dragons in various forms.
Most of them were in comfortable human forms. But some were in animal forms, and various types of other races.
There was one dragon that looked like a pelican. Some other dragon appeared with the look of a cotton jellyfish. And there was also a one who had taken the form of a lesser fairy of spring.
To humans, it might look absurd, even insulting. But to a dragon with a massive form, this was convenient.
Everyone has their own preference, after all.
Kyriaki's gaze, full of dignity and elegance lowered as she glanced at Levana.
〘Riaaaaaa!!! Save meeeeee!!!〙
Levana was looking at her with teary eyes, her mouth pouted adorably. It was as if she had seen her savior. Both her body and mind are screaming to be saved. Erik sat beside her with his usual mischievous grin.
On the opposite of them stood a tall and handsome Dark Elf, a carbon copy of Ethan if looked closely. He looked anxious, not daring to meet her eyes. He fidgeted with his cold fingers, head deeply bowed.
Kyriaki finally landed her golden eyes on the person she walked there for.
She calmly took a quick look at him.
It was really funny to see a five year old looking boy, handcuffed, standing as if he was bored to death in a court room. His charming and handsome features aside, he looked outright disrespectful.
The most hilarious thing was the fact that his eyes weren't even fixed on anyone inside the court.
He was busily moving his fingers, playing with his usual Rubik's cube like nothing in the world mattered. Yes, not even the toy he was playing with. That was how bored and utterly indifferent he looked.
And that was also why it looked more insulting, like rubbing salt in eyes.
Kyriaki held back her laugh as she slowly closed their distance.
As usual, ocean blue and yellow diamond colors met mid-air.
After making eye contact, the strange pull she felt earlier grew stronger.
'What's this?' Kyriaki broke eye contact first.
She felt astonished for two reasons.
First; the strange pull she was feeling.
Second; his head was empty.
Acusmade to the chaotic mind of Dragons, she never thought she'd met one with this kind of free-of-thought situation.
He seemed truly bored, both physically and mentally. To the point he had even stopped thinking.
She looked at him again. The moment their eyes met, an unexpected view unfolded before them; Their wrists glowed golden, connecting them together with a beautiful thread. Since they knew what it was, both of them glanced at their wrists simultaneously.
Their faces never changed their expressions.
Silence stretched out too long.
First to move was none other than the defendant; Euclid.
〘She's finally awake. No remaining injuries, I suppose?〙
〘Looks exhausted though. Should I invite her to tea?〙
〘It's hard to read her. I wonder what's on her mind〙
〘Hmmm…did she came running to save me?〙
〘That's cute〙
〘What would she do? I'm curious〙
His inner voice smoothly flowed out, as if a broken machine had miraculously started working.
Kyriaki was momentarily stunned by the flood of thoughts, very similar in color to her three idiots. Over half of his thoughts were about her. How could she not be surprised by that?
"Glad to see you, Ria. How have you been?" The Rubik's cube on his hand vanished. Euclid lifted the thread-bound hand and tapped where his heart was and smiled faintly.
"Yeah, same as usual." Kyriaki gave him a nod with her polite tone and broke eye contact. She didn't want to hear his silly thoughts anymore.
"Got anything to say to the judge and the jury?" Her gaze fell on the council members again.
"Hmm…" Euclid followed her lead. Then for the first time, he opened his mouth with a playful glint in his otherwise cold eyes.
"Your Honor, in my defense…" He said. The entire chamber fell silent as if they were holding their breath to listen to his next words. "You wouldn't get it."
The breathless silence turned to annoyed silence in a second. Though Erik and Levana nodded their heads from the side as if they agreed, no one paid attention.
"You had to be there, Your Honor." Euclid said with mock-seriousness.
Kyriaki swallowed the urge to laugh as she steaded her breath. If he said that in front of a judge from earth like a Gen-Z kid, she wondered what'd have happened.
Maybe he'd have gone viral on the internet for that simple line. With tags like #TheSasOfNewGeneration #TheSlayerOfDefence #ChildOfJustice? Or so on.
Kyriaki blinked twice to shake off her silly thoughts before paying attention to sour-faced dragons.
"Hmmm…" She hummed. There was no change of expression.
However, realizing her feelings, Netzer stepped forward, looking directly at the imposing dragons as if it was nothing.
"Pay respect to The Pride of Dragons!"
Although still boyish, his voice was smooth and clear, filled with loyalty and responsibility. No unnecessary arrogance was there.
The council didn't complain. They all knelt and bowed their heads with the perfect grace of a dragon.
""We greet The Pride of Dragons, Crown Princess Kyriaki."" With one voice they greeted her with utmost respect.
Then, the pelican stepped forward.
—I am Astrape Melina Asterios, The president of The Ancient Dragon Council and the Judge of this court—
Sound lengths of a female in her thirties followed.
Kyriaki looked at her with her lifted head.
Although called a pelican, the usual white and black feathers were nowhere to be seen. They were replaced by Silver and Lilac colors. Kyriaki already knew this dragon named Astrape.
She was the Professor teaching Universal Law at EESOP.
"An honor to meet you, Judge Astrape." Kyriaki bowed. Acknowledging her as not as a professor but as the Judge of this court that held the trial in the palm of her hand.
Seemingly pleased with her calm and polite demeanour, Astrape nodded her pelican head.
—The honor is all mine—
"So?," A calm question followed.
Astrape tilted her head as if to ask; what it is?
"What's the end result?" Asked Kyriaki.
—Pardon?—
"The final disposition of this trial."
—Ah—
"No need to go into details, Your Honor. Just give me the verdict. There must be a punishment you prepared, isn't that right?" she spoke as if she already knew the results, asking for their final conclusion.
—Yes, as you wish, Your Highness— Astrape blinked her bird eyes and flapped her wings twice, coming closer. Then she looked down at Euclid.
There was no favor or hostility in her eyes.
Dragons were said to love their kin, but not when they commit crimes.
Naturality was a given in a situation like this.
—We've come to the conclusion that due to the perpetrator Euclid Zale Agyris admitting to murder, he is to be banished from the EESOP program for 30 years. He would be confined in the King's Palace for the same amount of time and be forced to wear the suppression bracelet—
"I see."
30 years of confinement and banishment was nothing to a dragon. If only it didn't come with the suppression bracelet, that is.
Wearing a suppression bracelet meant sealing away one's core. Which lead to inability of ranking up or learning weapon arts or spells. Not that any hatchling would take it seriously, since dragons were born lazy.
However, the feeling of being suppressed feels like being under water with sandbags tied to one's limbs. Feeling it continuously for 30 years would be madness.
"Well, cancel it." Kyriaki pondered for a moment before ordering nonchalantly.
—I beg your pardon?—
"I said cancel the punishment."
—Your Royal Highness, forgive my insolence. But I cannot agree with your command. Please give me reasonable evidence to cancel our final verdict. Otherwise, we'll have to bring this matter straight to His Majesty—
Flustered, Astrape flapped her wings.
"Woah…woah…" seeing her, Kyriaki raised both of her hands in mock surrender and smiled gently. There was a hint of playfulness in that baby face.
"No need to bring dad into this." She grinned. And…
Snap! Swish!
Several drones flew out of her smartwatch inventory.
Woosh!
And a necklace with a thin chain and an eye-shaped pendant appeared on her hand.
"Wh-what the-"
—Th-that!—
"Oh my!"
"Is there evidence in those drones?"
—I guess so—
—And isn't that >Nuwan
"So >Nuwan< is also acting as evidence? Interesting."
Whispers filled the court room. Even some ancient dragons engaged in whispered conversations with entertained eyes.
—Your Royal Highness, may I inquire? Is that all evidence to cancel our final verdict?—
"That's right…" Kyriaki smiled gently, then she slowly turned her head, making eye contact with the dazed lord Benowitz. "I wonder if this might be enough to convince House Benowitz, though."
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