The palace gates slowly creaked open with a resounding thud, revealing a vast entrance adorned with pillars sculpted with intricate draconic details.
The crest of the Dragon King's Kingdom was engraved into the polished marble, gleaming under the light streaming through the stained-glass windows.
Eidar and Rygar advanced, guided by a group of guards clad in ornate gold and blue armor.
The floor was covered by a scarlet carpet embroidered with golden threads, while the ceiling displayed frescoes depicting ancient kings and their conquests.
As they walked through the palace corridors, Rygar observed his surroundings keenly.
The walls were decorated with luxurious tapestries and banners portraying dragons in majestic poses.
The stained-glass windows cast vibrant hues across the floor and walls, creating a spectacle of light and shadow with each step.
Outside, the inner gardens were an awe-inspiring sight. Flowering trees with reddish and golden petals contrasted with the vibrant green of ticulously pruned shrubs.
Small artificial lakes reflected the clear sky, while dragon-shaped fountains poured crystal-clear water into marble basins. The air was filled with a soft fragrance of exotic flowers, and butterflies danced around the flowerbeds.
Maids dressed in discreetly colored gowns moved silently, tending to the gardens and carrying trays of fruits and tea.
Guards patrolled strategically, always vigilant, each carrying a longsword at their waist. The discipline was evident; none of them appeared relaxed, even in the presence of an esteed visitor.
As they advanced, Rygar noticed that the security around them grew increasingly intense. He could feel the guards' watchful gazes asuring his presence, analyzing every step he took.
But he was not concerned—honestly, few things could worry him with his current strength.
At last, they were led to an inner garden, surrounded by columns of black marble.
A carved stone vault provided shade, and at the center, seated with a tranquil air, was Leonard Kingdragon, the 32nd king of the Dragon King's Kingdom.
The monarch wore a tunic adorned with draconic symbols embroidered in gold. His graying hair and deep eyes gave him an aura of experience and power.
Beside the king, Rygar imdiately sensed a powerful presence.
A knight in full black armor stood motionless like a statue, his posture impeccable and his aura intimidating. His face was obscured beneath his black helt.
Without a doubt, he was a warrior on par with the one Rygar had fought the previous day—the North King. Rygar did not know who he was, but he assud this must be the "Black Lion," renowned throughout the Dragon King's Kingdom according to Gertan.
Around the garden, a circle of guards remained alert, each displaying the rigid and disciplined stance of advanced warriors.
Rygar analyzed the setting and thought that at least this was not the Throne Room, which, in his opinion, served only as a futile attempt to bolster the king's prestige and intimidate guests.
In the garden, formality was reduced, making interactions more fluid.
Finally, their gazes t.
Leonard Kingdragon set his teacup down on the stone table beside him and lifted his eyes to Rygar with a subtle smile. His voice, hoarse with age, carried a tone of contemplation and experience:
"It is a pleasure to et you, Leader of the Iron Legion, Rygar Adoldia."
Rygar did not kneel, nor did he allow Eidar to do so.
He held the king's gaze, firm and unwavering.
"Likewise, King Leonard."
The monarch did not outwardly seem to mind, but with his keen senses, Rygar clearly perceived his slight displeasure.
There was no hostility, only a subtle annoyance—sothing only Rygar's sharp perception could detect.
The environnt was filled with important figures. Nobles, ministers, and advisors were present. The rigidly poised knight beside the king frowned, his expression growing stern.
"You are in the presence of King Leonard Kingdragon! Kneel and show respect," the knight ordered harshly, but before he could finish, the king raised a hand.
"It's fine, Donor," Leonard said, his voice controlled and serene.
Rygar scanned the garden with his sharp gaze and used his Magic Eye to analyze everything around him. He saw no one particularly dangerous, but two figures caught his attention.
One was a burly man with a nonchalant deanor, yet with an oddly nacing presence.
The other was a refined-looking individual positioned close to the king, clearly soone of great importance.
Rygar's instincts imdiately sent him a warning about these two people. Sothing was off about them. A sense of threat and hidden hostility, perceptible only to his sharp instincts.
One of the knights stepped forward, initiating the formalities:
"Rygar Adoldia! You are in the presence of King Leonard Kingdragon, Pri Minister Yaylol Wisebond, First Advisor—"
Rygar quickly lost interest.
His patience for empty ceremonies was limited, and as he embraced more of his beastly body's instincts, he cared less and less for nobility, courtesy, or anything of the sort.
Every second wasted on introductions heightened his irritation. When the knight made to continue, Rygar interrupted him without hesitation:
"King Leonard, I am not here to drink tea and chat. I am here for two things: a mutually beneficial alliance between the Iron Legion and the Dragon King's Kingdom, and access to high-level magic!"
His voice was authoritative, resonating throughout the inner garden. The tension in the air beca palpable.
The knight beside the king, Donor, exuded a murderous intent upon hearing Rygar's tone.
His body leaned forward slightly, as if ready to draw his sword.
In response, Rygar rely grinned fiercely, baring his teeth slightly as a low growl escaped his throat. The howling magic began to vibrate around him, a silent warning of his own thirst for battle.
It was then that Minister Yaylol Wisebond stood up.
His smile was calm, almost friendly, but his eyes told a different story. Rygar already knew this man was hostile toward him, so why was he stopping a fight?
"If the Leader of the Iron Legion does not like formal procedures, then there's no need to say more! Let's get straight to the point!" said Yaylol in a friendly tone, as if he were genuinely interested in facilitating the negotiations.
Rygar narrowed his eyes.
This man was clearly against him.
So why did he seem willing to help?
Was he trying to deceive him?
Or... did he really think Rygar wouldn't see through his true intentions?
Little did Rygar know that many had already warned the Minister about the Iron Legion leader's ability to read people's intentions and distinguish truth from lies.
But Yaylol, who had spent his entire life manipulating and deceiving everyone without ever being discovered, was confident that he could fool him nonetheless, just as he had done with all the other fools who claid to be good at detecting lies.
Against Rygar, however, this was a grave mistake.
The minister gave a calculated smile before continuing:
"Let's discuss how the Legion can collaborate with our prosperous kingdom!"
The King, seated on his throne, showed genuine interest, his sharp eyes evaluating every word spoken.
The other politicians around maintained rigid postures, waiting for Minister Yaylol to speak.
"Skipping all the bureaucracy, let's talk directly about how the Dragon King Kingdom could help you and your Legion!"
Rygar observed him closely, amused.
He didn't know exactly why Hitogami advised him not to kill this man, but sothing inside him told him that this advice would be ignored.
Part of him was almost excited—after all, even though he distrusted Hitogami, he had still ended up involuntarily following his 'advice.' It gave him the feeling that he was losing so kind of invisible battle.
Even though he had been cautious in the process, it still bothered him.
Doing the exact opposite of what that fraud god said was precisely what he wanted—as long as it was convenient, of course.
But before anything else, he wanted to see the minister put on his manipulation show to uncover any possible traps. What was his plan?
As Yaylol spoke, servants entered the hall, serving tea to everyone present. He then began his proposal:
"I believe we can benefit in three main ways. First, we can offer resources and weaponry. Our lands are vast, and we dominate almost the entire South of the Central Continent, which gives us access to many rare resources. I know that many dwarves have joined the Legion, and now that you are just beginning, you will certainly need quality weaponry and raw materials. Instead of continuing to loot criminals for supplies..."
He made a dramatic pause before proceeding:
"Another point would be the opportunity to establish a rcenary headquarters in the capital, gaining access to the North God Style Dojo for mass training. The Leader of the Iron Legion is certainly busy, and I believe he does not spend all his ti training his subordinates. This would greatly reduce the difficulty of finding suitable instructors!"
His eyes glead slightly, a hidden desire in his expression.
"Besides, I know that the Legion places great importance on its mages... I've heard that so of your mages can cast magic without incantations!"
Rygar remained calm, just listening.
"In regard to that, we can offer knowledge! Your master is Verdia Solarion, and I am sure she has taught you many high-level spells, but nothing compares to the library of one of the oldest kingdoms in existence."
Rygar watched the minister's performance with growing interest.
This man was good. Very good. His feigned desire seed genuine, his emotions perfectly controlled.
He manipulated even the slightest reactions of his body to make his lies more convincing. Even the rhythm of his heartbeat matched the tone of the conversation—sothing that would have deceived even experienced people in detecting deception.
If it weren't for the constant sense of danger Rygar felt emanating from him, due to his sixth sense, he might have believed his words.
This planted a seed in Rygar's mind. It ant that, as long as a person harbored no malicious intent toward him, they could theoretically lie to him—they would just have to be very good at it.
However, Rygar still didn't understand what the minister's true goal was.
Keeping his hearing sharp, he filtered the sounds of the city in the distance.
There was no sound of battle or any suspicious movent coming from there.
His eyes slid to the only man who could pose an imdiate threat in the room—the black-armored guard beside the King. But the warrior remained motionless, observing everything with seriousness.
Then, Yaylol played his final card:
"Thirdly, there are the connections and the possibility of the Iron Legion actually becoming a legitimate kingdom!"
The statent took Rygar by surprise.
"A legitimate kingdom?" He repeated, not hiding his reaction.
The King seed pleased with his surprise, and Yaylol continued with a triumphant tone:
"Indeed, it was our King's vision that led us to suggest such a thing! As far as I know, Lord Rygar, you do not have a wife yet, correct?"
Rygar imdiately thought of Ghislaine and responded, his voice firm:
"I don't, but it won't be long."
Yaylol smiled, as if he had already expected this answer.
"Well, there's no problem in having more than one wife. Besides, the other leaders of the Legion could also marry mbers of the nobility or even mbers of the royal family of the Dragon King Kingdom! Our long-term goal is for the Legion to stabilize the entire Great Forest area and form a new independent Kingdom under the Dragon King Kingdom!"
The impact of the minister's words was imdiate. Even Eidar was shocked, and many of the nobles, who apparently had not been inford of this proposal, exchanged glances among themselves. The King, on the other hand, seed completely satisfied with the reaction.
Rygar remained silent for a few seconds, his thoughts racing. He had never considered this possibility.
Why not? He wondered. Was it feasible? Was it sothing he desired? As he pondered the suggestion, sothing inside him grew—a fire he could not ignore.
He opened a fierce smile and then said slowly:
"I have no plans to take other wives for now, and let's put this kingdom talk aside for the ti being."
His words ca out firm, but his mind was already treading another path. He had never thought about it before, but now that the idea had been planted, he couldn't stop considering the countless possibilities.
If he decided to follow this path, one thing was certain—he would never be a subordinate kingdom.
And sothing even clearer—he did not want to be King for too long.
That would be too much trouble.
The more he reflected on the matter, the more questions arose. What did it an to create a kingdom? What kind of structure would he need? How would this affect the Legion? Could this be an obstacle to his goals or an unexpected advantage?
The minister had played an intriguing piece on the board.
And Rygar needed to decide how he would play it.
Rygar leaned slightly forward, keeping a sharp gaze on the minister, his voice carrying a subtle warning tone:
"You talked a lot about the advantages the Dragon King Kingdom can offer us, but you also suggested that we would beco a subordinate kingdom. Let remind you—the Iron Legion doesn't need this to get started. This is a relationship of cooperation, don't forget that."
The room grew tense.
So nobles widened their eyes and exchanged glances, while the minister furrowed his brows, his previously unshakable calm showing signs of cracking.
He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, the king raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I understand your point. So tell , what advantages can the Legion offer us?" The king's voice carried genuine interest.
Rygar smiled inwardly.
"As you yourself said, our magical knowledge is not as vast as yours, but we have chantless magic."
The mont those words were spoken, the eyes of the king, the minister, and all the nobles glead. Rygar suppressed a chuckle.
Of course, chantless magic was of imnse interest—not to ntion its effects on a King-level magician, who would beco a walking weapon of mass destruction. Even advanced magicians would benefit trendously.
In fact, Rygar believed that an advanced magician could fight and defeat a warrior of the sa level.
Rygar planned to spread this knowledge eventually, but only when he beca so strong that he wouldn't need to worry about mundane matters.
And even then, only to his allies.
Though he knew that knowledge was easy to leak once shared, he had only taught selected individuals within his ranks.
He continued, "I also intend to establish new mariti routes. Instead of rely crossing the straits, we will sail directly across the open sea."
The shock was imdiate. The hall fell silent for a mont before murmurs began to spread.
Everyone knew the dangers of the ocean—infested with terrifying monsters and plagued by violent storms. The idea seed absurd. But Rygar saw it as a revolution and an opportunity to pioneer this exploration.
"Beyond that, of course, is our individual strength. Not to ntion myself—already a North King at just 11 years old—the Legion is growing rapidly, filled with talent, and will soon beco a military powerhouse."
He paused, looking at everyone. "Finally, just as you can take advantage of the resources of the southern Central Continent, we have the entire Great Forest. And beyond that... the depths of the ocean!"
A noble stood up, outraged.
"Absurd! How would we explore the ocean depths?!"
Rygar simply responded in a cold tone, "I have a thod."
He tossed a piece of the Kraken's magic stone onto the floor. "This is just a fragnt of a magic stone from a single monster. I believe you can imagine its size just from this piece..."
The hall fell into absolute silence.
One of the nobles, apparently a magician, approached and analyzed the fragnt. The atmosphere grew tense as he stood up and gravely stated, "It is indeed the magic stone of a beast..."
Everyone held their breath. Hardly anyone present was ignorant of what that ant. If this was only a fragnt, how large was the full stone? And what kind of creature possessed such a magic stone?!
This was even larger than the magic stones from the Dragon Kings that Ornthorn had hunted years ago!
As the weight of his words and the implications of accessing the ocean depths settled in, the minister glanced around, about to speak. But once again, the king raised a hand and took the floor.
"Leader of the Iron Legion... did you know that I t with Ornthorn a few days ago?"
Rygar was slightly confused.
The king continued, "I went to ask for his opinion about you—about your strength, your character. You see, I know many things, but I'm not particularly skilled in combat. And who better to understand a warrior than another warrior, right?"
The king paused and then asked, "Do you know what he said about you after I told him everything I knew?"
Rygar raised an eyebrow, curious. He hadn't expected Ornthorn to say anything about him. The Dragon Hunter hadn't seed particularly friendly toward him.
"What?"
The king descended the steps, walking slowly toward him. His voice echoed through the garden:
"He told that there are three things that make soone a true 'talent' in this world."
He raised one finger. "The first is power—military, magical, physical, any kind of power. If you have power, you can go far, as long as you have so luck."
He raised a second finger. "The second is wisdom—because even a strong warrior can be manipulated and controlled for his entire life if he is a fool, just as he can die without purpose in the gas of the powerful."
Then he raised a third finger. "But the third elent... you cannot be born with it, but you can inherit it. It is an attribute that must be acquired during life. That is ambition."
The king's eyes glead, and his voice grew lower and more intense:
"Many tis, ambition alone can compensate for the lack of the other two and drive a person to the top."
He stopped right in front of Rygar, his piercing gaze analyzing him.
"After I told him about you—your strength, your deeds, and your actions—Ornthorn concluded that you are the most talented person born since the era of the Seven Heroes who defeated the Demon God Laplace."
Rygar was surprised. Did the Dragon Hunter really hold him in such high regard? He didn't know what to say.
The king smiled.
"Today, I was able to confirm part of that, and I am satisfied in making this bet. I believe that both the Legion and the Dragon King's Kingdom will benefit greatly from this alliance in the future."
Rygar thought, Well, I am indeed extrely talented, but I also had the advantage of reincarnation... but they don't need to know that.
He took a deep breath, then stood up. He walked up to the king and extended his hand.
"Then, King Leonard, may this be a prosperous and lasting alliance."
All the nobles stood up, and Eidar did the sa. The minister clapped, but Rygar felt his nace intensify. Sothing was moving in the shadows. He pondered.
Now, should I kill this minister directly? Or let him reveal the source of his confidence to avoid future troubleso thorns?
After thinking for a few monts, he decided, No, I just agreed to the alliance. If I kill him now, besides creating unnecessary distrust, whoever is helping him from the shadows could escape and beco a problem.
He looked at the king and smiled.
"Now... where is the magic?"
The king and most of the nobles burst into laughter. Eidar ran a hand over his face, letting out an exasperated sigh.
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