“What sign are you talking about?”
“Does Lord Kael remember when I said that Drakthar is much stronger than he thinks?”
Veylara suddenly questioned.
“I do.”
“It is because they have Dragons.”
“Huh…?”
Kael’s expression changed.
“They have… Dragons?”
“Indeed.”
Veylara nodded.
“These Dragons are what ensure Drakthar’s greatness, protecting these lands from all threats.”
“Why didn’t I know about it? None of the history books mentioned the existence of Dragons.”
Kael frowned.
After all, he had been looking into Dragons all this while and didn’t find much.
“Dragons are Drakthar’s trump cards. They keep their existence hidden. Even Elira and Arlan don’t know about it. Only the leaders of the Three Founding Houses, the Drakthar Royalty, and the higher-ups of other nations know of their existence.”
Kael’s frown deepened at those words.
This… didn’t make sense.
Yes, he understood the feeling of keeping a secret trump card, but…
If the enemies already knew about it, what was the point of hiding it from the rest? At that point, they might as well come forward and reveal the existence of the Dragons, cementing themselves as the absolute power.
Veylara could also see what Kael was thinking, so she continued,
“It is also a matter of shame.”
“A matter of shame?”
Kael’s frown deepened.
“Mythical Beasts are different from normal Bonds. Unlike normal Beasts, Mythical Beasts choose their Tamers on their own.
While Drakthar may have Dragons, for the last three generations, none of Drakthar Royalty has been able to form a Bond with any of the Dragons.
The Dragonborns have been… Dragonless.”
Kael narrowed his eyes at those words.
“The Dragons Drakthar has are all Bonds of the previous Dragonborns. These Dragons might be the protectors of the land, but they are not loyal to the current Dragonborns.
As for the children of these Dragons, they simply decided to grow without a Tamer, suggesting that none of Drakthar Royalty was worthy of forming a Bond with them.
It is a matter of great shame for the Dragonborns, who claim to be the strongest power of Nerathis.
So they removed the presence of Dragons from history and kept the Dragons they had as trump cards, not to be revealed unless they were pushed into a desperate situation.”
“Can I… not trust any of the history books I read here…?”
Kael muttered with a deep frown on his face. First, it was regarding the Princess and now it’s the Dragons.
Just how many times were these people going to change history?
“It is a matter of reputation, Lord Kael.
The Dragonborns, or any other force in power, would do anything to protect their reputation. There have been cases where even the Stormhold history has been altered.”
“So what you are saying is that reading history books is pointless.”
“Those books are accurate to some extent. For someone like you, who does not understand this world, they are not worthless.
Even when you find out that what you have been reading is a lie, in a way, that only deepens your understanding of the world even further.”
Veylara answered intelligently.
“I guess you aren’t wrong…”
Kael nodded in understanding.
“I was glad I could help.”
Veylara nodded back. Her tone was much different than before. The amusement in her voice was replaced with one filled with respect.
Something that bothered Kael quite a lot.
“Also, can you stand up?
I still do not understand this swearing business.
The only swearing I know is cursing someone.”
“…”
Veylara didn’t know how to react to those words. In the end, she stood up like Kael had asked her to, her head, however, still remained low.
“…Why would you even swear allegiance to me? Because I bonded with a Dragon?”
“It is not you who bonded with a Dragon, Lord Kael.”
Veylara was very quick to answer, and as Kael frowned at her words, she continued,
“As I said before, Dragons choose their Tamers on their own.
It wasn’t a coincidence that no one else in Mistwale was able to even sense the Dragon’s Egg despite it being there for who knows how long.
You were the one who found it and bonded with Lady Cirri the moment you got there.
It happened because Lady Cirri chose you.”
Kael stared at Cirri and frowned.
‘This little thing chose me?’
He wondered.
Cirri, who saw him staring at her, looked back and mirrored his expression.
An absolutely adorable frown appeared on her face. Then, mirroring her father even further, she used her little paws to rub Kael’s cheeks and—
“Kyaaaa~”
She smiled brightly.
Yep, the Dragon didn’t care about the ongoing conversation one bit.
She was in her own world.
“…”
Kael, whose cheeks were being pressed inwardly, sat still, letting his daughter do anything she wanted.
Veylara completely ignored her Lord’s condition and continued,
“Dragons are the symbol of absolute authority. Before, the ones who had this authority were the Dragonborns, and now, it is the Hero.
Therefore, I swore mine and my House’s allegiance to you.”
It was a simple answer.
“Isn’t it too reckless of a move?”
Kael questioned.
“Trusting a Dragon’s instincts?”
Veylara smiled at those words.
“Trusting a baby Dragon’s instincts.”
Kael corrected.
“I’d rather trust a baby Dragon’s instincts than Lord Feraos.”
It was an answer that made Kael raise his eyebrow, and Veylara quickly explained her thought process.
“Lord Feraos’s existence can be questioned.
A Dragon’s cannot.”
“…”
Kael turned silent.
He couldn’t refute those words.
Soon, however, another question appeared in his head.
“Are you saying that the instant I reveal Cirri, every power in Nerathis would swear allegiance to me?”
“No.”
Veylara shook her head.
“The existence of Dragons has been hidden by the Royal Family. Only the three Drakthar Houses know about them and their significance, and I cannot say with certainty that the other two Houses would swear their allegiance like I did.
What I can say, however, is that the moment Lord Kael reveals Lady Cirri’s existence, the political scenario of the entirety of Nerathis will change. Your position as the Hero will be strengthened, you will attract more allies, and at the same time, your enemies will get desperate and might do something reckless.
There will be chaos.”
“All because of… one Dragon…?”
“All because of one Dragon.”
Veylara nodded, and Kael blinked, somewhat overwhelmed.
If all of this was happening because he revealed the existence of one Dragon…
What would happen if people found out that he had…
Two.