Kurt couldn’t properly grasp the situation, but he reacted quickly. He naturally accepted the greeting of the five magicians and soon noticed there was a person missing. Austen’s guardian, Mujak, who had been arrested for unauthorized entry and kidnapping, was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Mujak?”
Theo responded, “Is it okay to explain that with the report?”
“Hmm, okay. Rather…” Kurt glanced at Aquilo behind Theo. Kurt was much more worried about the dragon who had suddenly appeared. There was a flash of light, as though she felt his glance. It was enough to make people blink a few times.
“… Uh!”
The crowd reflexively closed their eyes and opened them again. An impressive-looking woman with sea-colored hair stood in the spot where the dragon had been. There were horns coming from her head, and her fluorescent eyes showed that she was different from humans. Despite her bewitching appearance, she gave off an oppressive feeling.
In this silence, Aquilo slightly bent her knees. “It is nice to meet you, king of Meltor. I am Aquilo of the blue clan, daughter of Surmidon and Asophos.”
This was the moment when the historical tyrant, the sea dragon, met the ruler of Meltor Kingdom. The people present realized the seriousness of this meeting and gulped as the air filled with tension. How would the king of Meltor respond to this greeting?
However, Kurt’s answer was quite ordinary. “The current king, Kurt Turai von Meltor, welcomes your visit. I heard a lot about you from Lord Theo.”
Aquilo gave a bewitching smile. “Hrmm, is that so? Boy, you talked about me?”
“Yes, I was able to pass through our crisis safely thanks to you.”
“That’s a common thing.” ｂｏ𝚟𝚕.
Theo’s answer seemed the right thing to say as the atmosphere loosened up.
Kurt smiled, “Let’s talk about the story inside. It seems that there are many things to talk about.”
“Then… I will follow Your Majesty’s will.”
Aquilo nodded, and Kurt led everyone into the royal palace. Their new location wasn’t the meeting hall but the reception room used for occasional guests. Kurt III took his seat, while Blundell and Orta stood on either side of his chair. Even if there was no chance of winning, their role as escorts was to block the slightest possibility of Aquilo attacking Kurt.
Once both Aquilo and Veronica were seated, Kurt naturally turned toward Theo. Veronica was the one in charge of the mission, but she was preoccupied by a staring contest with Aquilo.
“Quattro’s Captain, please report.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Theo responded.
Where should I start?
The memories of a few days ago were engraved in Theo’s head. Defeating Mercurius and entering the laboratory, receiving compensation from Paragranum…
Yes, he would start from there.
***
Theo turned to Aquilo. “Before I ask for my favor, I have to check something first.”
“To check something?”
“Yes, I have to check whether something is possible for you. I’m not trying to insult you, I’m just really curious.”
Aquilo was puzzled. He should know better than anyone else. After all, they had fought together. Theo should’ve already understood her abilities. If she wanted to, she could break down a city or two, or even cause floods and tsunamis. Yet there was something he wasn’t certain whether she could do?
She cocked her head as Theo spoke quietly, “Is it possible to revive a river on a national scale?”
The blue dragon was famous for being cunning. Aquilo raised her eyebrows as she guessed his intentions. “… Boy, are you trying to use me as negotiation material?”
She was correct. Theo shrugged as he nodded. Desertio’s death meant the desertification phenomenon would disappear, but it was another story to restore the water which had dried up over the centuries. The drought would disappear, but there was no future for a land which had been completely exhausted. Austen wouldn’t have an opportunity to recover, and they would perish. However, what if Aquilo assisted in the recovery?
A high elf couldn’t surpass a dragon when it came to their attributes. When it came to the supply of water, Aquilo was more effective than a high elf.
She thought about Theo’s question for a while before answering. “It is possible. Are you talking about the Pilar River? I won’t be able to restore it to its original state, but I can turn it back around ten years.”
Mujak trembled. “T-That means!”
A miracle he had never expected was being considered right before him. They were discussing the restoration of the Pilar River, Austen’s lifeblood! Now that the drought was gone, there would be no further problems if the river was restored. Maybe this would become Austen’s golden age.
Mujak was thrilled, falling to both knees and bowing his head. “Sir Theo! How should I repay this favor?! The Sultan will greatly repay you for your help!”
Theo shook his head. “Thank you, but it isn’t certain yet.”
“What?”
Theo replied, “Aquilo has to agree to this favor.”
Mujak turned to Aquilo with a desperate expression. If the dragon refused Theo’s favor, this golden opportunity in front of him would disappear without a trace.
However, Aquilo just laughed at Theo’s uncertainty. “Well, I don’t care. I’m in need of a new lair because of you. It’s the middle of the desert, but it should be okay if it is the Pilar River.”
“T-That means you agree?” Mujak asked.
“Instead, I have several conditions.” Aquilo smiled at the anxious Mujak and raised her fingers one by one. “First, a residence to my satisfaction must be built. Secondly, what happens after the recovery is irrelevant to me. Thirdly, publicize my name through the country and make me the guardian dragon.”
Mujak coughed. “Cough! Well, if that is all…”
Aquilo raised one more finger. “There is one last thing.”
The third condition for the Sultan fanatics of Austen was a little annoying, but there was nothing wrong with treating her as a divine being. Mujak was prepared to nod, but Aquilo added a fourth condition.
“Apart from the boy’s favor, I will charge a price every time you borrow my power. If the payment is ever overdue, I will cancel the agreement and leave.”
Mujak protested, “No, that’s a little too much!”
She shrugged. “If you think so, then don’t pay. In my view, the desert isn’t a very attractive place.”
It was literally an unfair contract. Mujak’s protests fell on deaf ears. Generally speaking, this request was a favor to Theo, and anything else was a bonus. It meant they needed to pay separately for anything else. Austen might owe Meltor, but they needed to make a separate deal with Aquilo.
After all, Austen was the only one with something to lose, not the dragon. In the end, Mujak had to grudgingly agree to deliver the proposal to the Sultan.
***
“Kuk.” Kurt let out a small sound of laughter that he couldn’t repress.
Mujak, the old fox of the desert, had suffered such a humiliation. The Sultan fanatics would face difficult circumstances in the future. The Janissaries had never had Austen itself held hostage.
Kurt tacitly acknowledged their plight and praised the person in front of him, “As always, your achievements are beyond my expectations. Now, Meltor has completely taken the lead in an alliance with Austen…”
Austen wouldn’t reject the offer. Kurt didn’t know if the Sultan was foolish or naive, but he had heard that the Sultan of this era was quite smart. It was hard to imagine anything more significant than the restoration of the Pilar River.
With this, we have taken the upper hand.
The Austen Kingdom had long been a country that intersected with the Northern powers since it was located a little bit south of the border. It was only after passing through the Sipoto wilderness that one would enter Austen’s territory. As such, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it was a territory which could be taken if Andras or Meltor wanted to.
However, for centuries, none of the Northern powers had invaded Austen. It wasn’t because Austen was too strong or because the Northern powers couldn’t afford it. The drought, which had plagued Austen for centuries, was the enemy that had fended off the Northern powers. It wasn’t easy to grow crops in Austen, and there were no roads or ports which could be used as trade routes. There was simply no profit in capturing such a territory.
The culture of worshiping the Sultan also played a part in fending off the Northern powers. Austen was seen as a country that couldn’t be colonized, was impossible to manage, and was on the verge of destruction.
… But from now on, that will change.
Andras didn’t know about the removal of the drought, and the value of Austen had just surged.
After restoring the river and removing the threat of desertification, Austen was no longer a helpless spectator. If they had a little time and support, Austen was a variable which could become a strong ally. They could obtain a strategic advantage if Meltor marched through Austen, unlike the guarded borders in the North.
All of this was due to one man, Theodore Miller. If it hadn’t been for the sea dragon, Aquilo, it wouldn’t have been possible to gain leverage over Austen or end the drought.
Kurt scanned Theo up and down with gratified eyes and called out, “Quattro’s Captain.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If you wish for something, then tell me. You can even ask for a national treasure.”
Simultaneously, the eyes of everyone present widened. The number of people who had been awarded a national treasure since Meltor’s founding barely reached the double digits. Additionally, the two or three who had received two or more were legends. Now, Theo was being treated like those legends? It was unexpected, even for Kurt who always awarded achievements fairly.
However, Theo’s answer was even more surprising. “Your Majesty is very generous, but can I save that wish for later?”
“Why? I am feeling very good today. Maybe I’ll change my mind, and you will miss your chance.”
It felt like a test, but Theo just smiled. “Right now, I want to concentrate on myself. I was taught Sorcery by the Red Tower Master, and I feel like I got a clue on this journey.”
“I see.” A satisfied smile appeared on Kurt’s face. “I like your attitude. I will take care of the procedures so that your training isn’t hindered. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”
It wasn’t a lie. Theo looked at his left hand as he bowed. It was true that he had received enlightenment from Veronica’s teachings and that he wanted to focus on something before receiving a national treasure.
Alchemist Paracelsus’s original book, the Fairy’s Book…
Eating it had finally unlocked Gluttony’s fifth seal. At stage 5, Superbia had been able to overpower an adult dragon. Theo was certainly looking forward to the result. In his mind, Gluttony’s information window was counting the seconds down one by one.
[Unsealing of stage 5… (3 hours 35 minutes and 12 seconds remaining)]