Chapter 51: #FreeSovereign
[Dragon’s Authroity] didn’t proc, so Koga posed no challenge, no danger, no struggle. He didn’t give off the intent, and I was too busy listening that I didn’t sense for any other mana signatures around me. Everything else faded into the background as it should.
I saw Sultan sitting at the end of the long table, where he sat last time when he deduced I was a dragon. He didn’t directly look at me. Koga, who was standing at this side, arms crossed, didn’t entirely either.
He placed his glass of wine on the table, but didn’t directly say anything, because why would he? I got caught eavesdropping. I knew I should’ve raised my sneak levels just a tad bit more...
The golden staff he had leaned against the table, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but it gave off a weird signature. Didn’t feel familiar or normal, but I brushed it off. I have bigger fish to fry here.
"Tell me," Sultan begins.
"How much did you hear." He doesn’t say it like a question, no. A statement, as if he already knows the answer. Just waiting on me to see if I tell the truth or not. Because, then again, I have nothing more to lose.
Jonah and I did suspect that Sultan could possibly...but...what are the chances?
Who am I kidding.
The chances are as high as a guaranteed gacha pull.
I nod. "Everything. You see me as a tool, right? I’m hurt, Sultan. I thought we had better standing."
He laughs dryly at my mockery. Doesn’t look mad, just eerily calm. Yeah, that has to be. He must already know how he wants to play this out.
"I should’ve known that there were clear levels to this. I underestimated you, Ryuuzen. I never thought that in this day of age, my position, my power, and my influence would be at jeopardy."
I break out a smile, "You would think I’m challenging you? Please. We can move on. Forget about this."
He looks at me. Stares. Gazes hard and long.
"You’re smarter than that, Ryuuzen." He says.
"You’re simply far too dangerous to be kept alive."
"Are you implying you want my head on a platter next?" I shoot back instantly. He slowly shakes his head.
"I wish we could come to an agreement, of course. Not asking you to turn a blind eye, but a sole agreement. You’ve already helped me so far in the early runs of the elections—"
He gets caught off by the tip of my tail slamming on the table. The utensils, glass bottles, plates, and decorations jolt slightly.
"Blind eye? Sultan I’ve come to learn more about you than I would like to admit, honestly." I say, then my eyes go to Koga.
"You too. I can’t believe you would aide for a man like this. Jonah told me a lot, you know. That Sultan is a scheming senator."
Koga’s face sharpens at my insults. He doesn’t waver not once.
"Face it. Nobody has had the adequate power to bring to light on all the things you two have done," I say. Koga is a part of this too, seeing how he is complicit in what most of what Sultan did.
"The list goes on for so long I don’t even know where to start. But just know, once this gets started, you can say goodbye to the election."
Sultan raised his hand, "Of course."
That reaction caught me off guard just slightly. He seemed to laugh, almost. Then, grabbed his staff.
He hit it twice against the floor. The bottom of the staff. A call to attention it seemed like. Then, his eyes gradually widened before narrowing down at me.
"...I see. Ryuuzen. You’ve made your decision. Very well." Sultan says. I stand up from the chair I was sitting on, and was about to leave.
The sound of a sword being drawn piqued my interest, as well as [Dragon’s Authority]. Looking towards that direction, Koga held a curved blade in his gloved hand.
"You take one more step, and you’re finished."
I fully turned my attention towards the both of them, now. One threat from Koga of all people was the last thing I needed to hear. Never thought he had it in him, though.
It didn’t look like he was being brainwashed either, no, so this was all him. All free will.
I slowly nod, and then raise my hands and shrug my shoulders.
"C’mon. Fight here? Seriously?"
I look around. Guards placed routinely in the dining room. Usually, there would be maids. But there was no funny business going on here.
Sultan anticipated it, most likely. Ever since I shot down his [Ghost Spire]. He knew he wouldn’t come out of this clean no matter what.
He needed all the help he could get. And if, by somehow I’m defeated, could stretch the story however he wanted to the people of Aurea Islands.
Well, that’s saying if I am truly in a position where I’m cornered. But, really, no.
I’ve never been cornered before.
And when I have, I’ve always made sure to get myself out of it.
"I’m a Dragon, and I could blow this entire estate away like a very big, bad, wolf." I tell them all. Looking individually at them.
Sultan clears, and coughs his throat.
"Dark Silver Dragonoid."
I slowly look towards him. Slight shock and confusion on my face.
I...no.
I never told him that.
I told him I was a Dragon.
I didn’t tell him I was a Dragonoid, much less a Dark Silver one.
So...then that means...
"You know, Ryuuzen. When you’re not the only dragon on the islands, it’s easy to confuse your kind entirely." He says.
"Great thing you aren’t."
He claps his hand twice, then calls out.
"Knight!"
At first, no one appears. But, the double doors behind him slowly descend into the ground opening.
My eyes widened as they could.
[Dragon’s Authority] proc’s once. Then again. And again and again and again. The humming sensation in my horns won’t stop.
It can’t stop.
This mana signature that I confused for mine...wasn’t. It felt so close to mine that I couldn’t tell the different.
And yet, I couldn’t decide the answer all along.
That it was another dragon.
Just like me.