Ch. 411: Chapter 411-420

Chapter 411 The Day Of Ruin

The Half-Elf firmly chose No after he had regained his composure. Although it might be possible for him to injure and possibly destroy one of the heads of the Monster of Ruin, he didn't dare to take the risk.

A Calamity-Ranked Monster that couldn't even be defeated by a dozen Saints working together was something he didn't want to antagonize.

Although the rewards were great, the possibility of being hunted down by such a creature would become his living nightmare.

He would rather not offend such a monster, and be thankful that his life was spared. However, he still felt that the tragedy that was happening around him could have been avoided if he only had the courage to speak his mind.

Just as the Half-Elf was feeling depressed, a surprisingly kind and understanding voice reached his ears.

"Don't blame yourself, boy," the black-robed dwarf said. "The moment Teju Jagua's seals were broken, this was this Barony's inevitable fate. No one could have saved them. Especially not a little Apostle like you, nor the Two Saints that stand at the pinnacle of this Kingdom. Also, don't feel sad. The people of this town didn't die for naught. Their deaths will serve a grander purpose."

The black-robed man snapped his fingers a second time.

The blaze that had engulfed the entire city suddenly disappeared, leaving only black smoke rising up in the air.

Suddenly, the sound of something crumbling and chattering reached Lux's ears, making him look behind him at the city, which had now been charred to ruins.

At first, he wasn't able to see anything due to the black smoke in his surroundings. But after several minutes, he felt them.

Lux felt his entire body tingle, as if he was being electrocuted because he didn't expect to see something like this in his life.

Skeletons… that numbered in the hundreds of thousands, rose up from the rubble.

Skeletons of adults, skeletons of children, and even skeletons that were so small that Lux could only think of them as the skeletons of babies all started to rise up from where they died, as they answered their new Master's summons.

"N-Necromancer," Lux stuttered as he stared at the Skeleton Army that had risen up from the ashes of Dunspear City.

"Right," the black-robed man replied in a teasing tone. "A Necromancer, just like you, boy."

Lux slowly turned his head to look at the black-robed man, whose face was still hidden by the black robe he was wearing.

He hadn't been able to notice it right away because the Seven-Headed Dog's presence was too overwhelming that he couldn't focus on anything else.

But now that things had calmed down a bit, he was able to observe the black-robed person more, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"Saint…" Lux muttered. "You are a Saint."

A gust of wind blew away the hood covering the Necromancer's face, showing Lux a middle-aged Dwarf with silver hair, and eyes that were as red as blood.

Lux knew that there were other Necromancers in the World, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect that the first Necromancer that he would meet in his life was a bonafide Saint, whose eyes looked down on him with great interest, making the Half-Elf's heart beat wildly inside his chest.

Fear slowly started to rise from the very depths of his soul.

"Since we've already met, how about you tell me your name?" the middle-aged Dwarf said. "But, before you do that, take off that mask covering your face. I want to see what you really look like. A while ago, Teju Jagua said that you are a Half-Elf, but all I see is a chubby Human.

"I'm sure you have your reasons for hiding your identity, but you don't have to worry anymore. Aside from you, us, and those two dwarfs over there, there will be no one else who could see you. Now, take it off."

Lux was very tempted to retort with, "What if I don't want to do it?" but he didn't dare to do such a thing.

In front of overwhelming strength, the only thing he could do was try his best to avoid provoking them.

The Half-Elf took off the Mask of the Thousand Faces, allowing the middle-aged Dwarf, Dora, as well as the Seven-Headed Dog, to see what he really looked like.

"My name is Lux," Lux said. "Lux Von Kaizer."

The thought of using his Master's name crossed his mind again, but he had a feeling that the Saint in front of him could tell if he was lying or not, so he answered truthfully.

"Hmmm. Judging by your looks, you are still in your mid-teens… maybe around sixteen to eighteen, but not more than twenty," the middle-aged Dwarf said as he rubbed his chin. "Very well. I'll allow you to live, Lux. Also…"

The middle-aged Dwarf shifted his gaze at Millie who was holding Princess Anastasia in her arms.

"You are the Third Princess of this Kingdom?" the middle-aged Dwarf asked.

Princess Anastasia's body shuddered uncontrollably as the Necromancer shifted his gaze to her. After personally witnessing how the entirety of Dunspear City was wiped out in a matter of seconds, she finally understood why the Calamity-Ranked Monster was sealed—it was because of its destructive capabilities.

"Poor child, you're too scared to answer me?" the middle-aged Dwarf said softly. "Very well. When you see your father, tell him this, Memento Mori will be taking the Creature of Ruin. However, he doesn't have to worry about his kingdom being destroyed. Even though we are Necromancers, we value life more than others."

The middle-aged Dwarf then smiled before continuing his declaration. "Our goal is for both the living and the dead to live in peace. So, make sure to tell your father to forget this incident, and we can part ways without any hard feelings. Do you understand?"

Princess Anastasia forced herself to nod her head. Although she didn't know if the Necromancer was telling the truth or not, this was not for her to decide, but for her father.

Seeing the adorable Dwarf nod her head in understanding, the Necromancer chuckled before patting the back of his Black Eagle.

"If Fate wills it, we'll meet again Lux," the middle-aged dwarf said. "Until then, make sure you become an outstanding Necromancer. I look forward to seeing how much you've grown the next time we meet. Let's go, Teju Jagua."

"""Yes, Master."""

The Black Eagle rose to the sky, and the giant Seven-Headed Monster of Ruin walked away.

Right behind it, the Skeletons that numbered in hundreds of thousands followed, making Princess Anastasia bury her face in Millie's chest, unable to handle the gruesome sight.

Cai and Keane had also seen the incident from a distance and decided to stay away from the city until the Monster of Ruin left for their own safety.

In the end, those who were at the scene were taken to the capital city of Aeronwen by the members of the Order of the Griffin, who were late to arrive.

The members of the Order, including Millie's Master, were tasked to track the Princess down using an artifact that could locate the Princess' Pendant.

But after realizing that they were tricked by their opponents, they hurried towards Dunspear City. They believed that they could find clues about the Princess's whereabouts along the way.

When they saw the dense black smoke that was rising in the distance, they knew that something had gone terribly wrong. Unfortunately, it was already too late when they arrived.

The Necromancer was long gone, and the Monster of Ruin was nowhere in sight.

A day later, news of Dunspear City being destroyed spread throughout the surrounding lands. However, no one knew what caused it.

In the end, the Dwarf King, Uther Von Gweliven, mobilized his secret agents to erase all traces of the Teju Jagua's footprints from the scene, preventing anyone from knowing what had happened.

The official statement of the King was that a meteor had fallen from the sky and landed on Dunspear City.

Naturally, the members of the Griffin worked hand in hand to create the scenario that the King had announced, making the populace calm down.

Aside from a select number of people, no one was told what truly happened, burying the real story of the tragedy that went down in the history books as the Day of Ruin.

 

Chapter 412 You Forgot Or You Wanted To Forget

Princess Anastasia woke up early and impatiently walked down the hallways of the Royal Palace.

"Princess, it's still too early," Millie yawned as she followed behind the Princess who hadn't had breakfast yet. "I think he is still sleeping."

"Millie, remember this," Princess Anastasia said as she walked briskly in the hallway. "The early bird gets the early worm. If I don't act now, the worm might get snatched from me."

"Uhh… I don't really understand, but if Her Highness says so, then it must be true," Millie stifled another yawn as she followed behind the adorable Dwarf who was so energetic early in the morning.

After returning to the Capital, the five of them went to meet with the King, who was very happy to see that his daughter was safe. However, since there were other people around, he acted like how a King should act and listened to Lux's tale about how the Princess was saved and what caused the destruction of Dunspear City.

Aside from the King, there were six more people inside the room who listened to his narration.

After his report ended, the King once again thanked him for saving the Princess and promised to give him an adequate reward.

Lux was exhausted both physically and emotionally, so he excused himself to get proper rest.

The chase to save the princess, as well as the pressure he endured when he faced the Seven-Headed Dog and the Necromancer, took a toll on his body.

If not for the fact that the King had personally called for him, he would have gone to sleep the moment he arrived at the Royal Palace.

"Good morning, Sir Lucien!" Princess Anastasia greeted as she unceremoniously opened the door without even knocking.

Seeing that no one was in the living room, she headed straight to the bedroom, where Lux slept soundly.

The Half-Elf was sleeping face down, still wearing the clothes he had on yesterday. The funny thing was that he was still wearing his shoes, which made Princess Anastasia and Millie assume that, the moment Lux entered the bedroom, he went to sleep right away.

He must be so tired that he could not even be bothered to change his clothes or remove his shoes.

Eiko was also sleeping on the pillow beside Lux's head.

Just like her Papa, she was also very exhausted and didn't even stir when Princess Anastasia barged inside their room.

To Millie's surprise, the first thing that Princess Anastasia did was take Lux's shoes off of his feet before sitting down on the bed to look at the Half-Elf's face.

The Princess didn't like touching dirty things, yet she didn't even hesitate to remove Lux's shoes which were quite dirty.

"His sleeping face is quite handsome, don't you think so, Millie?"

"M-Maybe a little?"

"Poor thing, he looks really exhausted," Princess Anastasia said softly as she brushed away a lock of hair that covered the Half-Elf's face. "I must give him a proper reward for saving me."

Millie blinked once then twice before a realization hit her.

'C-Could it be?!' Millie wasn't a dense person, but she didn't know if what she was thinking was correct.

(A/N: M-Masaka?!)

The fact that Princess Anastasia seemed to be quite interested in Lux didn't surprise her. However, she only thought that the Princess only wanted to make the Half-Elf one of her retainers, just like her.

However, after seeing her affectionate gaze, the green-haired Dwarf finally connected the dots, making her look at the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven in disbelief.

"Princess, do you like Lux?" Millie asked.

Princess Anastasia didn't answer right and continued to look at the Half-Elf's sleeping face.

A few minutes later, she shifted her gaze toward her loyal retainer and nodded her head.

"Yes," Princess Anastasia replied. "I like him."

Millie pinched the bridge of her nose before asking the Princess another question.

"You like him—as in you want to poach him to become your retainer, right?" Millie inquired.

The princess shook her head before giving the sleeping Half-Elf a side-long glance.

"Although I would be happy if he becomes my retainer, I don't think he will accept my invitation," Princess Anastasia said with a smile. "Yes. Millie. I like him. If possible, I want to make him my fiance."

The corner of the green-haired Dwarf's lips twitched after hearing Princess Anastasia's reply. For a brief moment, she imagined Lux being tied to a chair with a gagged mouth as the Princess dragged him to a temple to have a shotgun marriage.

As if reading Millie's thoughts, Princess Anastasia puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

"How rude," Princess Anastasia pouted. "I'm not that kind of lady. Do you think that I would force someone to marry me by tying them up with a rope? Just what kind of Princess do you think I am?"

"The type that will use any means within her power to get what she wants?" Millie replied without batting an eye.

"Is that what I am like in your mind?"

"A little."

Princess Anastasia once again pouted before looking at the sleeping Half-Elf beside her.

"I know that it is next to impossible," Princess Anastasia stated. "I'm sure that father will not allow it. But, even so, I can't lie about my own feelings."

Millie walked towards the Princess and crossed her arms over her chest.

"But you only met him a few days ago," Millie commented. "You don't even know what he is like."

Princess Anastasia smiled and nodded her head.

"You are right, but can't you see that baby Slime over there?" Princess Anastasia asked as she pointed at the sleeping Eiko beside Lux. "For him to care about this little one means he is inherently a good person. Even if he does bad things, I believe that he will have a good reason to do so."

"Princess, I didn't believe this phrase before, but I believe it now. Love is blind."

"Perhaps."

Princess Anastasia didn't deny or affirm Millie's statement because she understood that what she might be feeling right now was gratitude instead of love.

However, she believed that if she was given more time and got to know Lux a little more, then the feelings that had started to grow inside her heart would definitely bear fruit in the not-so-distant future.

—-----

"I can't believe that we fell for Twilight Rain's trick," a Dwarf with silver hair said as he gnashed his teeth in anger.

"Albert, it's not your fault," Nikola stated. "The enemy is just too shrewd with their methods, preventing us from knowing right away that we were sent on a wild goose chase."

"Fortunately, that boy, Lux was there," Galileo commented. "Isn't that right, Charles?"

The Dwarf, who was wearing spectacles, snorted. "At least he didn't waste the blood of the Jade World Dragon that I procured to fake his death."

The four men who were in the same room with the King of Gweliven were none other than four of the members of the Order of the Griffin.

The silver-haired dwarf who seemed to be in his early twenties was Albert Tesla.

He was an S-Ranker and held the second highest authority within the Order that served directly under the King.

Albert was also Millie's Master, and he arrived in Dunspear City after it was destroyed by the Monster of Ruin.

(A/N: I'm sure that the majority of you have already forgotten these characters. In order to refresh your memories, feel free to re-read Chapter 189 up to Chapter 217.)

Uther Von Gweliven, the King of the Dwarven Kingdom of Gweliven, sighed as he pressed his hands together.

"I am truly grateful for Lux's help in saving my daughter," Uther said. "And I will reward him handsomely for it. However, we have bigger problems at the moment. After hearing Millie's report, I fear that the peace we now have will shatter once that Monster of Ruin makes its move."

A profound silence descended inside the room because all of them knew the severity of the situation.

"If we can believe the Necromancer's words, then our Kingdom might be spared from the calamity," Nikola commented. "Memento Mori hasn't made any moves over the past decade. I almost forgot that they existed."

Charles snorted after hearing Nikola's comment. "You forgot or you wanted to forget? Those Necromancers might have been busy amassing their Undead Army in the years that they didn't make their appearance."

Albert nodded his agreement and made his opinion known as well.

"I believe that it is only a matter of time before we hear from them again," Albert said. "For now, we should inform Those TWO, just in case. Also, Twilight Rain is still active. We shouldn't let our guard down."

King Uther nodded his head because he too agreed with Albert's view.

"For now, cover all the traces left behind by the Monster of Ruin," Uther ordered. "Since those who know of its existence are currently with us, Twilight Rain will also be in the dark about what happened. Be sure to be discreet and leave nothing behind."

The members of the Order all bowed to the King before leaving the room to carry out the mission that their King had given them.

When he was the only one left in the room, King Uther sighed before closing his eyes.

"The first Mythical Guild in the World has appeared, and now, the Monster of Ruin has been released from its imprisonment," King Uther muttered. "Could this be a coincidence?"

The king didn't know the answer to this question, but he hoped beyond hope that, whatever plans the organization, Memento Mori, was going to execute, they would do it far from his kingdom and allow his people, who had suffered over the years, to regain a semblance of peace that they rightfully deserved.

 

 

Chapter 413 I Feel Like I’m Forgetting Something

"Uh… what are the two of you doing?" Lux asked the Princess, who was tugging on his pants with the help of her retainer, Millie.

Truth be told, he had just woken up a moment ago because he instinctively felt that something wasn't right.

The moment he opened his eyes, he found the adorable Princess and Millie holding his pants, which had been pulled down to his knees.

"T-This is now what you think, Sir Lux," Princess Anastasia stuttered. "Y-You fell asleep while wearing your clothes, so I was just helping you remove them so you could sleep comfortably! E-Explain it to him properly, Millie!"

The green-haired Dwarf sighed before glaring at the Half-Elf.

"Oi, the princess was very worried that you were not comfortable wearing these rugged clothes in your sleep, so she decided to remove them," Millie said. "Don't get the wrong idea, okay? We're just helping you because you helped us back in Dunspear City."

Lux blinked once then twice before the memories of what happened several hours ago started to play in his head.

He vaguely remembered entering his room and landing face first on the bed to sleep due to how tired he was.

"Ah… I see. So that's what happened," Lux finally connected the dots before looking at the blushing Princess, whose eyes were glued at the lower half of his body.

In truth, the reason she tried to remove the red-headed teenager's clothes was out of curiosity.

She wanted to know what the difference between Half-Elves and Dwarves was, but before she could succeed in her mission, the Half-Elf woke up, preventing her from taking a good look at his body.

'Are Dwarves really this daring?' Lux thought as he pulled his pants back up. 'Fortunately, I was wearing swim shorts underneath. If not, the princess might have gotten the shock of her life.'

Since he didn't have the time to change clothes after rescuing the Princess from the Rankers of Twilight Rain, Lux was still wearing the same clothes he wore back then.

After considering the possibility of a sea battle, the Half-Elf put on swimming shorts in advance, allowing him to maneuver in the water better should the need arise.

"What time is it?" Lux asked as he stifled a yawn. "I still feel exhausted."

Princess Anastasia, who had now recovered a bit of her composure, answered with a flushed face.

"It's just past seven, Sir Lux," Princess Anastasia replied. "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

The Princess had a hopeful look on her face, which made Millie, who was standing beside her, sigh in her heart. Clearly, the Princess wanted to spend more time with the Half-Elf, who might leave the capital city at any given moment.

"If possible, I'd like to take a bath first," Lux said.

Now that he thought about it, he'd actually gone to meet the king in his traveler's clothes, which were covered with filth.

"T-Then you can use the Royal Bathhouse!" Princess Anastasia proposed. "Should I send maidservants to help you take a bath? They are very good at scrubbing bodies."

"Thank you, but I'll pass," Lux replied. "Does this room have a private bathtub? I'd like to soak my body in the water for a while."

Millie nodded. "The guest room is equipped with the best amenities. Please, enjoy your bath. Princess, let's go. I'm sure that His Majesty would like to have breakfast with you."

Princess Anastasia gave the Half-Elf one last glance before nodding her head. However, before she left the room, she made Lux promise that he would eat lunch with her.

Since there was nothing wrong with her offer, the Half-Elf agreed, making the adorable Princess' mood lighten once again.

Half a minute later, Lux sighed in pleasure as he soaked his body in the bathtub.

Eiko was happily swimming in the water because the bathtub was spacious enough to fit three people.

After Princess Anastasia left the room, the baby Slime also woke up and joined her Papa in taking a bath.

She had mostly recovered from the fright she experienced after facing the Creature of Ruin several hours ago.

Her Papa didn't know that while he was talking with the middle-aged Necromancer, the baby Slime's body was frozen stiff, paralyzed with fear, unable to move or even utter a word.

She had faced many strong Monsters and people in the past, but the Monster of Ruin was on a whole new level, making her instincts as a Monster rise to the surface.

Lux only found out what happened to Eiko later on, and he spent some time coaxing the baby Slime until she calmed down.

"Are you feeling better now, Eiko?" Lux asked the baby Slime that was swimming in circles in front of him.

"Pa!" Eiko replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Pa!"

Lux knew that Eiko had a strong personality, but he was still worried that the Monster of Ruin had left a mark in her heart, traumatizing her for life.

Seeing that she was back to her lively self, the Half-Elf was able to breathe a sigh of relief before closing his eyes to recall the face of the middle-aged Necromancer.

For some reason, he had a very strong feeling that he would meet him again sometime in the future.

"Memento Mori and the Monster of Ruin," Lux muttered. "I hope that I don't see them anytime soon."

Now that the Half-Elf was able to lift the Curse of Ruin from his body, he could focus on building his Guild Headquarters using the money that Nevreal had promised him.

Having a base for his guild was a crucial step for its expansion, so Lux wanted to finish that first before he reunited with Colette and the others.

When they meet, he would apologize for not telling them about his plan of faking his death to prevent the Dark Guild, Twilight Rain, from targeting him repeatedly.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," Lux crossed his arms over his chest as he tried to find the source of the uneasy feeling that was nagging at the back of his mind.

Half a minute later, he opened his eyes because he remembered that he and Eiko were not the only ones brought to the Royal Palace.

Cai and Keane were brought there as well, and knowing how much of a troublemaker the Boar was, Lux felt that he had to prevent it from saying something that might offend the Royal Family that would have it blacklisted from the Dwarven Kingdom of Gweliven.

 

 

Chapter 414 Can I Ask For Anything?

Royal Dining Area…

"Even though they were powerful, I didn't back away and faced those powerful Rankers from Twilight Rain with a fearless gaze… Um, are you not eating that pancake? If so, can I have it?"

Cai, who was narrating its story of bravery, was currently dining with the Dwarf King, Queen, his other wives, and his children, who were currently in the Royal Palace.

"Of course, Cai," Princess Anastasia replied with a smile. "You can have it."

The Dwarf Princess unceremoniously handed her plate of pancakes to the Boar that was eating across from her.

The corner of the Dwarf King's lips twitched because he was half-regretting inviting the boar to join them for breakfast as a way to repay it for its help in saving his daughter.

Cai ate with gusto before continuing its tale.

"Where was I? Oh yeah! I was facing off against that Ranker with reddish-brown hair, who had taken the Princess captive," Cai said with a solemn look on its face. "Truth be told, I was so scared that I wanted to run away, but in that situation, I just couldn't leave the princess behind and escape. I thought that since the Dwarves took great care of me in Leaf Village, I needed to repay the favor.

"Unfortunately, I was too weak. Instead of saving the Princess, I was beaten black and blue by those Rankers, and was kidnapped by them as well. Fortunately, My Daddy saved me and the rest is history. Um… are there any more pancakes? I got so engrossed in my story that I didn't notice that I ate them all."

Keane, who was seated beside Cai, kept his silence and pretended that he didn't know who the shameless Boar was.

He found it quite surprising that the Boar treated the Royal Family so casually as it fearlessly chatted with them as though they were its long time friends.

Robin, who was also present at the dining table, also pretended that he didn't know the boar and ate with an elegance befitting a member of the Royal Family.

After hearing Nevreal's report, Robin felt worried about his sister's safety and tasked his retainer to do everything in his power to help with the rescue operations.

Although they were all competitors for the position of Crown Prince or Crown Princess, that didn't change the fact that the members of the Royal Family truly cared for each other.

"On behalf of my family, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to you, Cai and Keane," King Uther said. "Without your help, the Dark Guild might have succeeded in their evil plans. Tell me, what do you want as a reward? As long as it is within my ability, I will grant it without fail."

Cai quieted down and looked at King Uther with sparkling eyes.

Keane, who knew how shameless that Boar could be, immediately tensed because he had a feeling that Cai would ask for something very unreasonable.

"Can I ask for anything?" Cai inquired.

"Yes," King Uther replied. "As long as I can grant it, I will give it to you."

Cai, who felt that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, decided to go all out. However, before it could voice its wish, Lux arrived at the scene and cut it off with his words.

"Ten Million Gold Coins!"

The King, as well as the rest of the Royal Family, shifted their attention to the Half-Elf who was panting for breath. His hair was still wet, and it was quite obvious that he had just gotten out of the bath.

After remembering that the troublemaker, Cai, was also in the Royal Palace, the Half-Elf hurriedly left the room and sprinted toward the Dining Area to prevent it from doing something that would put them all in jeopardy.

However, when he realized that the King was asking Cai what it for a reward, the Half-Elf immediately shouted the first thing that came to his mind, to prevent the Boar from speaking up.

"Okay," King Uther nodded. "As a reward for everything you have done for the Kingdom, I will reward you with ten million gold coins."

Cai, who had lost the opportunity to tell the Dwarf King that it wanted a Legendary Item, stood rooted in place.

Lux sent the Boar a message using their Guild Chat, telling it not to say anything or he would kick it out of the Guild.

Fearing that its future prospects were on the line, the shameless Boar had no choice but to cry crocodile tears and bid its wish for a Legendary Item goodbye.

—----

"How shameless can you get?" Keane looked at the boar who was still crying crocodile tears in the corner of the room in disdain. "You actually wanted to ask for a Legendary Item? Don't you know that those are like National Treasures?"

"But, Little Swordy, he told me that I can ask for anything I wanted," Cai replied.

"That's because the King was being polite and considerate. That doesn't mean that you can get away with asking for just anything!"

"Booo hooo! If only I'd known that the King of this country was a cheapskate, I would have asked for money instead!"

While Keane was nagging at the Boar for being shameless, they heard a knock on the door, which made them stop their conversation.

"It is me, Robin," Robin announced his presence. "Can I come in?"

Lux gave Cai a warning gaze before opening the door to let his employer enter the room.

Just like he expected, Nevreal came with Robin. The middle-aged dwarf smiled and patted Lux in the waist and told him that even though what happened to the Wolfpine Barony was regrettable, Robin still managed to get some Merit Points because Lux was temporarily under his employ when the incident happened.

"You've done well," Nevreal said. "As promised, I will pay for the creation of your Guild Headquarters. How much is it?"

Lux smiled and whispered the amount that he needed in the middle-aged Dwarf's ear.

A moment later, loud noises, the sound of several things breaking, and profane curses were heard inside the guest room, making the guards that were stationed outside its doors wonder what was currently happening inside.

The Royal Guards weren't aware that Robin, Cai, and Keane were all doing their best to hold the middle-aged Dwarf in order to keep him from chopping the shameless Half-Elf to pieces with the War Axe that he was currently holding with both hands.

 

Chapter 415 It’s Just Puppy Love

"Please keep my identity a secret," Robin said after he opened the door, about to leave the guest's bedroom that Lux was currently staying in. "I don't want Colette and the others to know."

Lux nodded. "Very well. Just make sure that you don't involve them in your schemes, or else…"

The Half-Elf gave Robin the "I'll beat the crap out of you" gaze, which made the latter smile.

"I admit that when I first approached them, I had ulterior motives," Robin stated. "But after spending some time with them, I know that they are good people. Don't worry, I'll do things in moderation."

Robin didn't wait for Lux's reply before leaving the room.

Nevreal, who was escorting Robin, gave Lux one last glare before closing the door behind him.

Due to the agreement that he had with the Half-Elf, the poor dwarf had no choice but to fork over ten million gold coins, which was almost half of his entire life savings.

In order to pacify the middle-aged Dwarf, Lux promised that he would assist Robin one more time, free of charge, as long as the request wasn't unreasonable.

Only after the Half-Elf had made his promise did Nevreal calm down.

While ten million gold coins was nothing in the eyes of the Royal Family, for Nevreal who had lived a frugal life, he felt as if he had been robbed in broad daylight.

Even so, after hearing Millie's report, Nevreal knew that Lux's help would be beneficial in the future.

"Are you sure he won't hack you to pieces while you are sleeping?" Cai wondered after Nevreal and Robin left the room. "I can tell that he's holding a grudge against you."

Lux shrugged because he knew that Nevreal wouldn't really hurt him. Although he felt a bit guilty for not being specific about the amount he wanted from him, it was still the Dwarf's fault for not asking how much it would cost him to build the Half-Elf's Guild Headquarters.

"Still, twenty million gold coins… that's a lot," Cai said as it scooted beside Lux and nudged his body with its head. "Mind if I borrow a few million? I promise I will put them to good use."

Lux ignored the shameless Boar as he sat on the couch. He then opened his Soul Book to look at the facilities that he could buy with the extra ten million gold that he got from King Uther, which he would receive when morning came.

'I don't have enough money on hand,' Lux sighed internally after seeing the cost of the Smithy, the Bestiary, the Alchemy Shop, as well as the other facilities that could be installed inside his Guild Headquarters.

—---------

< Guild Facilities >

Smithy - 5,000,000 Gold Coins

Bestiary - 5,000,000 Gold Coins

Alchemy Shop - 5,000,000 Gold Coins

XXX - XXX

XXX - XXX

XXX - XXX

XXX - XXX

XXX - XXX

Teleportation Gate - 10,000,000 Gold Coins

—---------

If possible, Lux wanted to have the Smithy, Bestiary, Alchemy Shop, as well as the Teleportation Gate, installed in his Guild Headquarters. However, with the limited funds he had, it was simply impossible.

Because of this, Lux was deliberating whether he should build the Smithy or the Bestiary first. If he built the Smithy first, his Master, Randolph, could start crafting his guild members' weapons, armor, and other miscellaneous items that they might need.

The Bestiary, on the other hand, would allow his guild to tame Mounts that each member could use.

For the time being, Lux didn't have much of a problem when it came to mounts. He already had Jed, as well as the other Wargs he received from the Dungeon of Dominion. The reason he was tempted to get the Bestiary was that he wanted to tame Beasts that could fly.

Bedivere was a Dragon Knight, so he had the ability to tame flying beasts, especially young Dragons. If Lux's members all had Dragons as their mounts, wouldn't that be awesome?

There were three types of Dragon Species.

They were the Dragons, like the one Bedivere used as a mount.

There were also Elder Dragons, which were more powerful than regular dragons. The weakest Rank of an Elder Dragon was the Argonaut Rank.

Lastly, there were the Ancient Dragons, whose numbers were very few, but all of them were Calamity Rank.

Of course, there was one more Dragon, and it was none other than the Dragon King.

The Supreme leader of all Dragons, whose Rank stood at the highest rank in the world of Elysium.

Even amongst Demigods, there were only a handful of individuals who could match its strength.

Truth be told, Lux was feeling anxious. He could only build his Guild Headquarters in the floating city of Karshvar Draconis.

After checking its information in the Elysium Compendium, the Half-Elf found out that a race that was half dragon and half human called DragonBorns also lived on that floating island.

The majority of them had bodies entirely covered with dragon scales, while others only had scales on some parts of their bodies.

There were also several who didn't have any scales on their bodies, and the only distinguishing features that made them recognizable as Dragon Borns were the two dragon horns on their heads and the Dragon Wings on their backs.

They were a proud race, but they never shied away from meeting people of other races. They were extremely powerful and, similar to Lux, they could use Dragon Breath anytime they wanted.

'The Dragon King is also there,' Lux scratched his head due to anxiety. 'I wonder what kind of treatment we will get if we suddenly appear unannounced in their Domain? Would they immediately think we are hostile individuals and attack us?'

The Half-Elf shuddered at the thought of being surrounded and attacked simultaneously by Dragon Borns, Dragons, Elder Dragons, and Ancient Dragons.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Lux said through gritted teeth. "I'll just wing it when I get there."

Cai, who was lying on the carpet, glanced at Lux with a confused look on its face.

"Wing what?" Cai asked. "Are you going somewhere?"

Keane, who was seated on the couch opposite Lux's and cleaning his sword, glanced at the Boar in disdain.

"Didn't you know that he's going to look for a place to build our Guild Headquarters tomorrow?" Keane asked. "Or were you not listening when he said it?"

Cai's eyes sparkled after hearing that their Guild Headquarters was finally going to be built. It began to pester Lux, repeatedly asking if it could come with him to see the Floating Island of Karshvar Draconis.

Although they knew the location where their Guild would be stationed, they had no idea what kind of place it was.

The only thing that Lux's Guild Members knew was that it was a floating island, and it was floating somewhere in the skies of Elysium.

"Once the Guild is built, you guys can go there as well," Lux pushed the Boar's face away from him. "Also, Cai, when you go there, be sure to behave, okay? We don't know what kind of reception we will get from its inhabitants."

"What do you think of me? Some kind of problem child?" Cai replied. "Relax, I'm sure that I'll get along with the people on that floating island just fine."

""I doubt it.""

Lux and Keane spoke up at the same time, making the two of them chuckle because both of them knew what Cai was like.

The Boar, who was oblivious to what its two friends were thinking, was already looking forward to seeing their Guild Headquarters.

It was very tempted to return to Solais and brag to its Grandpa about its new Guild, but after being repeatedly warned by Lux and Keane, the Boar reluctantly pushed aside its plan for the time being.

—------

The next day…

"Lux, once again, I sincerely thank you for your timely rescue of my daughter, not as a king, but as a father," King Uther said. "If not for you, I'm sure that Twilight Rain would have asked for an exorbitant ransom for her safe return—one that might take them one step closer to causing strife to my kingdom."

Princess Anastasia, who was also in the throne room, gazed at Lux with a smile on her face. After everything that happened, she realized that the Kingdom of Gweliven was really not as peaceful as it looked on the surface.

Terrorists organizations were moving in the shadows, causing strife among its populace, in addition to the hidden dangers, like the Monster of Ruin, whose whereabouts were still unknown.

The Princess learned a lot from her experience, and because of this, she decided to dedicate more time studying how to become a better ruler and remain in the capital for the time being.

"Sir Lux, if you ever need my help, feel free to come and visit me," Princess Anastasia stated. "The favor for saving my life, I will always remember it. No matter what situation or dangers you are facing, as long as I can lend you my assistance, do not hesitate to look for me at any given time."

Lux smiled at the adorable Princess whose face turned a rosy shade after seeing his smile.

"Thank you, Your Majesty and Your Highness for the rewards and favors that you bestow upon me." Lux bowed his head respectfully. "Although I was not born in the Kingdom of Gweliven, I treat this Kingdom as my second home. If there comes a time when its safety is in danger, I will be there to lend my hand and ensure that this land would not fall into the wrong hands."

King Uther nodded his head in satisfaction because he liked the subtle promise that was contained in Lux's message.

"Safe journey, Lux Von Kaizer, and may the Earth Goddess always hold you in her bosom," King Uther said. "Anastasia, please escort Lux to the Royal Teleportation Gate."

"Yes, Father! I mean, Yes, Your Majesty," Princess Anastasia hastily corrected herself after hearing her father's order.

She then boldly walked towards Lux and grabbed his hand, dragging him away from the throne room, making the King of the Dwarves chuckle despite himself.

"Dear, you're being mischievous," the Queen, who was seated beside King Uther said with a smile. "You already know that she somehow developed a crush on her Savior, and yet you still tease her like this."

Uther glanced at his wife and rested his hand over hers. "It's just puppy love. It will go away as she gets older."

The Queen rolled her eyes at her husband, but she didn't make any comments.

How could she possibly tell the King that he was also her puppy love?

Yet the two of them ended up getting married and were blessed with children, whose fates would help shape the Dwarven Kingdom in ways that neither of them could imagine.

 

 

Chapter 416 The Greatest Problem Of Heaven’s Gate

The Teleportation Gate inside the Royal Palace had access to all the teleportation Gates located in the territories of the Kingdom.

Because of this, Lux, Cai, and Keane were able to instantly teleport to the Stronghold of Norria, and their arrival surprised its commander, Thoram.

"What a tragedy…" Thoram sighed after hearing Lux's story about what had happened in the Wolfpine Barony. "If not for you, I would still be in the dark about what happened in Dunspear City. The Royal Family must have given a gag order, preventing those who knew about the incident from speaking about it."

Lux nodded. "The King didn't mention anything to me, so I guess he might have forgotten about it. Even so, I would appreciate it if you didn't spread the news, Commander. Right now, the public is not ready to know about the existence of the Creature of Ruin."

Thoram wholeheartedly agreed with Lux and promised to keep the information to himself. A moment later, the Dwarf Commander chuckled before giving the Half-Elf a thumbs up.

"Yesterday, Nevreal talked to me and said that you robbed him of his money." Thoram smirked. "Is this true?"

"Yes," Lux replied. "But, I'll make it up to him in the future. The funds that I got from him and His Majesty is barely enough to build our Headquarters and add a few other guild facilities. In this regard, I would like to have a second opinion about what you think would be the better option for our guild."

Lux told Thoram about his plan, and the Dwarf Commander listened without interrupting him. Only after the Half-Elf finished his explanation did the Dwarf give his opinion on the matter.

"Right now, we're not in a hurry to gather Guild Members," Thoram stated. "The fewer who know about this secret, the better. Naturally, you have the right to recruit whoever you want to recruit, and I am confident that you will take great care to only bring trustworthy people into our guild. As for the Guild Facilities you want to build, may I offer a suggestion?"

Lux nodded his head and waited for Thoram to give his expert opinion on the matter.

"First, as much as I want to have a Dragon Mount, it will be best if we put this on hold," Thoram said as he raised his index finger.

"The moment we are seen with these powerful mounts, people will wonder where and how we got them. Dragons are very rare in the Kingdom of Gweliven. In fact, there are only two people who have Dragon Mounts in this kingdom. One is a Saint, and the other is the General of the Armed Forces.

"If we add Bedivere in the equation, then we have three. Now, do you understand what will happen if a sudden influx of Dragon Riders appears out of nowhere? This is simply asking for trouble. Sure, we might look good on our Dragon Mounts, but we won't be able to enjoy it for long, especially if the King orders an investigation."

Cai, who was also in the room, was heartbroken. It also wanted to have a Dragon Mount so badly. Now that Thoram had said that adding the Bestiary would spell trouble, the Boar bitterly wept at the corner of the room. It could no longer have a Dragon that it could use to brag to its family and friends.

Thoram then raised a second finger, voicing his second suggestion.

"Having a smithy is good and all because it gives us good weapons and armor. However, it is far too early for us to even need that," Thoram explained. "I'm sure that when the smithy is built, you will ask Randolph to manage it, right?"

Lux nodded because that was his initial plan.

"Randolph is good and can even craft Mythical Level Equipments, but that takes a lot of time and resources," Thoram continued his explanation. "Also, a blacksmith can only work if he has something to work on. We will need to gather a lot of resources if we want to create high quality weapons and armors that can be used by our members.

"But, like I said, since we are keeping our Guild a secret for the time being, there is no immediate need to craft a lot of weapons and armors. Besides, Randolph is busy repairing and crafting weapons for the Elysians and Foreigners that come to Leaf Village. A single Blacksmith is simply not enough to work on many commissions at once."

The Half-Elf felt as if his horizons had been broadened after hearing the Commander's words. Right now, the majority of the weapons and armors that they owned could be found in dungeons and treasure chests.

Boss Monsters usually dropped these rare items, so it would just be easier to hunt them, rather than have Randolph craft a weapon for them. Also, even if he didn't build the Guild Smithy, Randolph could still work in his own Smithy for the time being, while their members were still so few.

Thoram nodded his head in satisfaction because he could see that Lux could now see the bigger picture. Because of this, he decided to give his recommendation for which Guild Facility that the Half-Elf needed to build in order to enhance the quality of life of his Guild Members.

"Lux, what is the greatest problem in our Guild right now?" Thoram asked. "What is the thing that limits us from building the things we want?"

Lux didn't bat an eye and answered Thoram's question without skipping a beat. "It's money."

The Half-Elf added, "If we have money, we won't even have a problem in choosing which guild facilities to build."

Thoram nodded. "That's right. So, since lack of money is our problem, what is the solution?"

The Dwarf Commander smiled as he looked at the red-headed teenager whose eyes widened in shock.

"We need to make money," Lux answered. "A lot of money."

"That's right," Thoram stated. "I don't know what kind of place Karshvar Draconis is, but if we want our Guild to expand, we need money. I suggest you build the Alchemy Shop first and buy an Advanced Alchemy Recipe Book, and give it to Annie. Laura and Livia are now her Disciples, and they are learning the art of Alchemy.

"Compared to Randolph who only has you as his Apprentice, Annie has it better because she has two more people helping her. Also, Bedivere's wife, Lilia, has some background in making medicines. If Heidi also joins, then we have one Master Alchemist, One Veteran Alchemist, and three Apprentices.

"As long as they study hard, Annie can advance to Grandmaster Alchemist, allowing her to craft powerful pills, potions, and medicines that we can sell to earn money. You already know that pills, potions, and medicines are all consumables, right? It means that it doesn't matter how many we make. People will buy them because of demand. So, I suggest you build the Alchemy Shop first and buy an Advanced Alchemy Recipe Book."

Thoram paused for a bit before rummaging through his drawer. After grabbing an old scroll, he then handed it to Lux, which the latter accepted with great curiosity.

"That is a deed for a small lot in the capital city," Thoram explained. "It may not be much, but that is the land that my parents gave to me before they retired to the countryside. My dad was a baker, so he bought a piece of land on the third busiest street in the capital using his life savings.

"We were able to live comfortably back in the day, but after I joined the military, and became a Commander, I told them that they no longer need to work and that they should live a quiet and peaceful life in our hometown. They agreed, so they left me the deed of our land, but since I'm too busy here, I have no time to use that plot of land for business."

Lux opened the scroll and read its contents before shifting his gaze back to Thoram, who seemed to be reminiscing about his childhood.

"Thank you, Commander," Lux said before giving Thoram a respectful bow.

"Don't thank me. This is for our guild. Make sure to hire a good manager who has a knack for business. Let them deal with these things, so you can focus on other stuff."

"Mmm."

Now that the first of the guild facilities had been decided on, Thoram then raised a third finger, to tell Lux the best way to use the remaining funds they had.

"For now, we will use the remaining gold for investment," Thoram stated. "If we can find another good source of income, we can invest in that. Talk to Keelan before you leave for Karshvar Draconis. That person is more business-minded than I am. Ask him to help you find good locations to open up a store.

"We can use the money to open up more store branches. The beginning phase is going to require us to fork out some money, but once we gain customers, the money will come back to us tenfold. If we are lucky, it might not even take us a year to build the other guild facilities with the funds we will gain through our Guild Stores."

Thoram and Lux discussed a lot of things before the Half-Elf went to look for the Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild, Keelan, who was more than happy to assist Lux in making money for their Guild.

After the rescue operation with the Princess, Keelan, as well as the Adventurers who joined the rescue mission, were handsomely rewarded by the King. Because of this, Keelan gained a good reputation among his peers.

The two Rankers that had assisted Lux and Millie in fighting against Twilight Rain also voiced their willingness to work with them again in the future.

For Keelan, building up his network allowed him to gain some leverage in other things, which was quite useful for the expansion of their upcoming business.

After everything had been settled, Lux, Cai, and Keane traveled to Leaf Village to rest for a day.

The Half-Elf was the only one that could travel to the Floating Island at the moment, so the others would have to wait until their Guild Headquarters had been built before they could see for themselves just what kind of place the Floating Island, which was ruled by the Dragon King himself, was like.

 

Chapter 417 The Stuff Of Legends

​ "You bastard! You gave my name to a Ranker that was out to kill you!" Randolph hollered as soon as he saw Lux come inside his Smithy.

The Half-Elf had no choice but to apologize to the raging Dwarf who already raised his Adamantium Hammer, which he used to forge weapons and armor, and was about to smack his shameless Disciple silly with it.

"Sorry, Master," Lux said with an apologetic look. "I was facing off against a Ranker. How could I possibly use my name? What if he looked for me just to kill me?"

"You damned brat! If that's the case, then why did you give him my name? Did you even think about the fact that the Ranker could search for my name and come to kill me?"

"Relax, Master. I already have everything figured out. Even if he found you, how can a Ranker mistake you for a chubby Human? My Master is so handsome and so awesome that a Ranker would even apologize to you for mistaken identity."

"... You do have a point." Randolph had no choice but to accept Lux's logic because he really wouldn't pass as a chubby Human teenager.

With his good looks, wouldn't it be an injustice for him to be mistaken for Lux's chubby persona?

After calming his Master, Lux asked him to come with him to the Village Head's house to discuss the plans he had for their Guild.

When everyone was gathered, he mentioned Thoram's proposal to first open a General Store and sell consumable items like pills, potions, and medicines to the public in order to raise funds for building their Guild Facilities.

Grandma Annie's ears perked up when she heard that Lux would buy an Advanced Alchemist Recipe Book so that she could craft higher quality pills, potions, and medicines that they could sell. Also, Keelan had promised to look for suppliers that would provide her with the raw materials for her work.

The remaining funds in Lux's possession would be used to purchase the raw materials because the General Store would need capital before it could take off.

"This is a good plan," Cedwyn said as he rubbed his beard. "It will also raise the quality of the items that we can sell in our village. As you may already know, Leaf Village is on the very outskirts of the Kingdom of Gweliven. You can even say that it is its farthest outpost in the Southern end of the Kingdom.

"The village was founded to be used as a base for Dwarves sent to explore the Savage Lands farther South. If we can raise the quality of goods we sell here, it is not impossible for our Village to send our own expedition team to explore the Savage Lands. Right now, the only active explorers in those parts are Cadmus (Draconian Kobold) and Sid.

"Since the village is now a safe haven from Monsters thanks to the Guardian Crystal, this is also a good opportunity to venture Southwards, and maybe, this will also pave the path for our Village to become a Town."

The Elders of Leaf Village nodded their heads in agreement because they also wanted to see their Village grow and prosper. Since they couldn't actively recruit members for their Guild at the moment, that didn't mean that they couldn't expand their scope of operations, allowing their brand to be known throughout the Kingdom.

"Everyone, I will now go to Karshvar Draconis to build our Guild Headquarters," Lux said. "When it is finished, all of you will be able to instantly teleport there once every three days, but I have something very important to tell all of you."

Everyone inside the Village Head's house were members of his Guild, so he didn't hold back and told them everything he had learned about the floating Island.

When they heard that it was actually the Legendary City where the Dragon King himself lived, Cedwyn, and the Elders of the Leaf Village, felt their legs turn into jelly, making it hard for them to remain standing.

"The Dragon King…" Randolph's eyes twinkled. "It is said that weapons and armor that are forged with Dragon Fire would have a Mythical Rank at its bare minimum. I wonder if I can go there to train as an apprentice to one of their Blacksmiths…"

"That is a good idea," Grandma Annie said. "The highest Rank a craftsman can attain in this Kingdom is the Grandmaster Rank. There were rumors that there were Mythical Ranked and Legendary Ranked Alchemists that existed in the past, but since no one has seen them, they just became the stuff of legends."

Randolph and Grandma Annie could feel their blood boiling at the possibility of advancing their rank to the next stage after studying in the Legendary City of the Dragon King.

"Since we will be visiting an unknown land, it will be wise for us to be on our best behavior," Lux stated. "First impressions last, so we must make them look at us favorably when we go there."

Cai, who was also inside the room, narrowed its eyes as it gazed at the red-headed teenager.

"That's right. You should make sure that they look at us favorably," Cai said. "If it was me, I'm sure that I'd become best buddies with them in less than a minute. It's quite unfortunate that only you can go there."

Lux rolled his eyes at the Boar who was talking a bunch of nonsense. The only way that it would become best buddies with the Dragons was when they saw the Boar as food.

Since Lux would be gone for a few days, Cai and Keane decided to return to Solais for the time being and return to the Rowan Tribe.

Cai wanted to know if its Grandpa had succeeded in creating a cure using the White Lotus that would be used to treat those who were infected with the Purple Plague.

Holding the Dragon Token in his hand, Lux and Eiko bid everyone goodbye before they were bathed in a radiant light.

A second later, the Half-Elf and the Baby Slime appeared in what seemed to be a temple that was overlooking a majestic city where Dragons flew in the sky, making the Half-Elf take a deep breath due to how surreal it was.

"So, this is Karshvar Draconis," Lux muttered as he gazed at the Legendary City, where his Guild's first steps would finally begin.

 

Chapter 418 Troublemaker Meets Troublemaker [Part 1]

"So, this is Karshvar Draconis."

Lux couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A floating city in the sky, and all of its inhabitants had dragon blood flowing in their veins. Lux knew that being able to step into an SSS-Ranked Kingdom wasn't a simple task.

Usually, these Kingdoms didn't allow just any random stranger to enter their Domain, but due to the Half-Elf's circumstances, he was able to reach the fabled city of the Dragons through the power of the Dragon Token that Keoza had given him.

"It has been hundreds of years since I last saw this place."

A familiar voice reached Lux's ears, as the Dragon Token in his hand glowed faintly.

"Keoza?" The Half-Elf took a closer look at the Dragon Token in his hand. "There are a lot of things I want to ask you."

After the Crystal Dragon gave him the Dragon Token, the Grotto of the Forbidden Guardian was destroyed completely, leaving nothing behind.

The Half-Elf thought that he wouldn't see the Crystal Dragon again, but to his surprise, the Dragon that he could summon using the Dragon Token was none other than Keoza itself.

Also, there was an incident where Keoza materialized by itself without being summoned when Lux's Abyssal Powers had gone out of control.

Lastly, the Dragon Token, which he used to create a Guild, had unknowingly given him an unexpected surprise, granting him the one and only Mythical Guild in the world.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but I don't plan on answering any of them," Keoza replied. "If you want your questions to be answered, do your best to meet the Dragon King. Depending on his mood, he might answer your questions or… you can become his lunch."

Keoza chuckled and not long after that, the Dragon Token stopped glowing.

No matter how much Lux called out to the Crystal Dragon, no one answered him, making him sigh helplessly.

"Well, I guess I'll go to the city first," Lux muttered as he gazed at the city in the distance.

However, before he could even take three steps from where he stood, dozens of Dragons roared in the sky and flew in his direction, making the Half-Elf wonder if they came to welcome him to their city.

Unfortunately, the warm welcome he envisioned didn't happen and, soon, the Half-Elf found himself surrounded by not only Dragons, but DragonBorns, who wielded spears that were pointed in his direction.

"Who are you and how did you come to the Sacred Land of the Dragons?" a DragonBorn, whose entire body was covered in blue Dragon Scales, asked.

Lux observed the DragonBorn, and almost choked when he appraised the blue armor that the latter was wearing.

—----------

< Frozen Flame >

Dragon-Forged Armor

Rarity: Legendary

– An Armor made from the scales of an Elder Blue Dragon that grants the wearer immunity to extreme cold, and cold weather conditions.

+500 to all stats

100% Resistance to Ice Element

100% Mana Regeneration

100% Health Regeneration

100% Stamina Regeneration

30% Magical Resistance to all kinds of Magic.

—----------

This was the first time he had seen Legendary Armor and he almost started to drool after seeing the information that appeared in front of him.

The Half-Elf was gazing so intently at the DragonBorn Captain, which made the Dragons, including the DragonBorn Captain, look at Lux in a weird manner.

"Are you deaf, Half-Elf?" the Dragon Born Captain shouted. "Answer my question!"

The loud shout broke Lux out of his daze and he remembered that he was in a very delicate situation.

"My name is Lux Von Kaizer, and I was brought here by this token," Lux replied as he showed the Dragon Token in his hand to the DragonBorn Captain, who seemed to be the one in command of the dozens of Dragons, and DragonBorns, who currently encircled him.

The Captain frowned as he approached Lux and snatched the Dragon Token in his hand to give it a better look. However, after he saw the runes embedded on its surface, as well as the faint imprint left in it, the DragonBorn Captain almost dropped the token in his hand.

"I-Impossible!" the DragonBorn Captain gasped as he scrutinized the Dragon Token in his hand. After taking a second look and confirming that he wasn't seeing wrongly, the DragonBorn Captain signaled his guards to come closer.

"Take this suspicious person to the barracks, while I go to the Palace," the DragonBorn Captain ordered before glaring at Lux. "If I find out that you stole this thing, I will make sure that you will rot in our prison, Half-Elf. Men, take him away!"

At first, Lux wanted to resist but after realizing that the dozens of DragonBorns surrounding him were all Rankers, all attempts of resistance vanished without a trace.

Eiko, who was perched on top of Lux's head, glared at the DragonBorns as they tied up her Papa.

The DragonBorns ignored her because, in their eyes, a lowly Slime wasn't a threat. Because of this, Eiko wasn't separated from the Half-Elf and both of them were taken to the barracks, located inside the city, to await the Dragon Born Captain's return to decide their fate.

—----------

Dragon King's Royal Palace…

The King of all Dragons, who had taken a humanoid form, sat on his golden throne, as he listened to the report of the Captain of the Guards that he had stationed near the Temple.

"Where is this Half-Elf?" the Dragon King asked with an amused expression on his face.

"Your Majesty, he is currently being detained in the Barracks," the Guard Captain reported. "Should we imprison him for stealing His Majesty's Token, or should we execute him right away?"

The Dragon King glanced at the Dragon Token in his hand and flipped it over, and over again, as if wondering what orders he should give the Guard Captain.

The token was the personal insignia of the Dragon King, and it was the emblem he created after succeeding the throne from the previous Dragon King.

'Keoza, even now you refuse to show yourself in front of me,' The Dragon King held the token firmly in his hand as if willing the Crystal Dragon, to explain why he made such a decision.

Several minutes of silence passed, as the Dragon King pondered what to do with the Half-Elf that had inherited Keoza's will.

He already expected that the one that was bestowed the Dragon Token would appear sooner or later, so he sent a special unit to watch over the Temple's location.

The Dragon King had given them strict orders not to kill whoever appeared in the temple, regardless of their race, and capture them alive.

The Guard Captain remained kneeling on the ground as he waited for the Dragon King's orders. For them, being in the presence of the Dragon King was an honor, so he didn't mind waiting, until the Half-Elf's fate was decided.

"Cethus, come," the Dragon King ordered.

Immediately, a DragonBorn with black scales covering his entire body appeared and knelt before him.

"Return this token to the Half-Elf, and take him to the Outer Reaches. He is here to build a Guild Headquarters, so let him do as he wishes," the Dragon King said. "From now on, your job is to supervise him. Do not interfere with what he does, and simply report it to me. However, if he does anything suspicious, you are free to apprehend him, and punish him in any way that you please. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Cethus replied. "I will not let you down!"

The Guard Captain who was kneeling behind Cetus was surprised that the Dragon King had assigned the most notorious member of the Royal Guard to supervise the Half-Elf in their custody.

The Guard Captain almost pitied the Half-Elf because Cethus was like a ticking time bomb. If not for the fact that Cethus' grandmother had faithfully served the Dragon King when he was still fighting for the right of succession, the arrogant troublemaker would have long been kicked out of Arshvar Draconis, and banished to the mortal lands forever.

'Although you made your choice, that doesn't mean that I will agree with it,' the Dragon King said telepathically to the Dragon Token before tossing it towards the black-scaled DragonBorn, who caught it with one hand. 'Unless he earns the right to stand in my presence, he will forever stay in the Outer Reaches. Let's see if Fate smiles favorably upon him.'

Cethus bowed to the Dragon King and left the throne room alongside the Guard Captain who had ordered Lux's detainment.

However, before the two DragonBorns exited the throne room, Keoza's faint voice reached the Dragon King's ears.

'He doesn't need your acceptance. In time, you will understand that as well.'

After giving those parting words, the gates of the throne room closed, leaving the Dragon King with a solemn expression, which had not appeared on his face for the last several hundred years.

 

Chapter 419 Troublemaker Meets Troublemaker [Part 2]

"Pa!"

"It's fine, Eiko. Nothing bad will happen to us."

"Pa!"

Lux assured the baby Slime, who was now on his shoulder, that everything was going to be fine. After they were taken to the barracks, he was locked inside a room with two DragonBorns watching over him.

The Half-Elf tried to ask the two guards several questions, but they didn't answer him.

They just looked at him in disdain, which angered Eiko, making her call the two Guards "F*ckers" which amused Lux. However, since he was teaching the baby Slime to not use curse words, he reprimanded her and asked her to apologize to their Guards.

However, instead of apologizing, Eiko only stuck out her tongue to the two Guards, and glared back at them.

Lux had already thought of the possibility of something like this happening. The Elysium Compendium had informed him that the Dragons and the DragonBorn were very proud individuals.

Although not all of them look down on other races, they still thought of themselves as superior, and those who lived on the land below were not their equals.

Again, not all DragonBorns thought like this, but the majority of them did, making the Half-Elf sigh in his heart.

After waiting for more than an hour, the door finally opened and the Captain of the Guards, whom Lux had met before, appeared.

"Unchain him," the Captain ordered.

Immediately, one of the Guards moved to remove the chains that bound Lux's hands and backed away obediently.

"So, this is the Half-Elf who will be under my supervision from now on."

An arrogant voice reached Lux's ears, making him shift his attention to the black-scaled DragonBorn that had followed the Guard Captain inside the room where he was detained.

"As expected of a Half-breed, you are ugly," Cethus said with a smug expression on his face.

Lux, who had just been called ugly, didn't react because he knew that this wasn't true.

A quarter of the ladies his age in Wildgarde Stronghold had a crush on him, so why would he believe the words of an ugly lizard, who told him that he doesn't look good?

Eiko, on the other hand, wasn't pleased with having her Papa called ugly, so she immediately spat a blob of water at the DragonBorn's face, soaking it completely.

The Guard Captain and the two Guards, who knew of Cethus' background almost laughed out loud, but thanks to their discipline, they managed to reign it in.

However, Cethus, who was quite sensitive about how others viewed him, was angered by the baby Slime's disrespect, and was about to slap it to oblivion when the Dragon Token in his hand suddenly became too hot to hold, making him cry out in shock before he dropped it on the ground.

The Dragon Token then rolled harmlessly towards Lux's feet, stopping only when it hit his shoe.

Since the token belonged to him, the Half-Elf picked it up and stored it inside his personal storage before shifting his gaze to the black-scaled DragonBorn, who was glaring at him.

"Listen well, Half-Elf. I am the Great Cethus," Cethus declared. "The Dragon King has assigned me to become your supervisor. If you even do anything funny, I have been given full authority to give you any punishment that I see fit."

The "Great" Cethus, whose rank was only in the middle of the Initiate Rank, pounded his chest proudly before looking at Lux smugly.

"Do you have any questions?" Cethus asked.

Lux nodded and asked the question that was on his mind. "What is going to happen to me? Did the Dragon King say anything?"

"Good question." Cethus smiled. "For now, nothing will happen to you, so you can thank the Dragon King's benevolence for it. As for what His Majesty said, I am to take you to the Outer Reaches, where Humans, and other races, are allowed to live side by side with Dragonkind. They are the people who have been granted special privileges by the Dragon King himself, so make sure to get along with them."

Cethus then smirked before saying the rest of his speech.

"After all, lowly birds of the same feather, always flock together."

The black-scaled DragonBorn laughed loudly as he placed his hands over his waist. The guards on the other hand just looked at him with a fed up expression, informing Lux that Cethus wasn't well liked by everyone.

"Ugly F*cke–"

Eiko wasn't able to finish her words because Lux immediately covered her lips.

For some reason, the black-scaled DragonBorn was annoying the baby slime, which rarely happened because Eiko was someone who liked to get along with others.

Perhaps, she sensed that Cethus was a bad egg, so she didn't want to be around him that much.

Cethus, who was oblivious of the baby slime's contempt, waved his hand and asked Lux to follow him.

Since he had no other choice, the Half-Elf decided to just follow for now, and see what kind of place the Outer Reaches was.

He just hoped that wherever that place was, it would still be on the Floating Island. His Guild Headquarters could only be built in Karshvar Draconis, so anywhere else was bad news for him.

"Ah, before I forget, can you fly?" Cethus asked as he eyed the Half-Elf with a teasing gaze. "If not then I can have one of the Dragons carry you if you ask nicely."

Lux smiled before equipping the Favonius Legacy, which allowed him to fly in the sky.

Cethus was surprised when he saw that the Half-Elf was covered in green armor. However, after sensing that the armor's rank was only at the Mythical Rank the black-scaled DragonBorn chuckled internally.

In his eyes, Mythical Ranked Gear was as good as trash. His armor and weapon, that he had inherited from his Grandmother, were all Legendary Ranked. Because of this, he had long disdained Mythical Equipment, which those who lived on land treated as their family heirlooms.

"Follow me," Cethus said as he spread the Dragon Wings behind his back proudly. "Make sure to not get left behind."

Without another word, Cethus flapped his wings and immediately shot into the air like a cannonball.

He then glanced behind him, thinking that the Half-Elf would be unable to match his speed, but to his surprise, Lux was only a few meters away from him, despite the fact that he was flying faster than usual.

"Not bad, Half-Elf," Cethus said.

The DragonBorn could still increase his speed, but he decided to not show his full strength to the Half-Elf, whom he decided to turn into a lackey.

For DragonBorns, having subordinates of their own showed that they had the ability to lead people.

Among the members of the Royal Guard, which Cethus was part of, he was the only one who didn't have subordinates serving him.

Since he was notorious in the Dragon Capital, no one wanted to work under him, making him a disgrace among those who served the Dragon King.

However, Cethus believed that, as long as he could do something good, he would earn the Dragon King's approval, and the people's opinion of him would change.

Because of this, he was quite happy that he was given the opportunity to carry out a mission for his King.

After seeing Lux, he decided to make the Half-Elf his first underling. He thought that as long as he showed the red-headed teenager how strong, and awesome he was, the Half-Elf would come to admire him.

What he didn't know was that the person he wanted to become an Underling, was someone that didn't want to be bossed around by other people as well.

If Cethus was a bonafide troublemaker then Lux was someone who attracted trouble wherever he went. In short, the Half-Elf was a troublemaker in his own way.

The Dragon King initially thought that making Cethus Lux's supervisor would make the Half-Elf suffer and force him to leave the Dragon Kingdom on his own accord.

However, he didn't know that the Half-Elf was born a different kind of breed.

This meeting of the two troublemakers, who were currently being treated as an eyesore in their own Domains, would give birth to a series of consequences that even the Dragon King wasn't able to foresee.

Although the future was uncertain, Lux was still quite optimistic, even with the challenges ahead.

After all, no matter where the black-scaled DragonBorn was going to take him, he had people who believed in him, and people that would help him deal with the problems that Cethus, and the other DragonBorns, would throw in his direction.

 

Chapter 420 Mom, Just What Kind Of Madman Is This?!

Lux thought that the Floating Island, Karshvar Draconis, was just a single floating island that was as big as a city.

However, after he and Cethus used several teleportation gates in order to reach the Outer Reaches, he realized that he was greatly mistaken.

​ Karshvar Draconis wasn't just a single island.

It was a group of floating Islands, and when combined together, they were as large as a Kingdom.

The Floating Island, which was located at the center of the formation, was the Main Island where the Dragon King lived.

The name of the Capital City of the Dragon King was called Rex Lapis, and it was where the majority of the DragonBorns, Elder Dragons, as well as a few Ancient Dragons lived.

The floating islands surrounding it were categorized by the type of Dragon that lived in each of them.

Blue Dragons, Red Dragons, Green Dragons, Earth Dragons, Black Dragons, and the other Dragon Species, which some mortals were unable to see due to how rare they were.

If one were to describe Karshvar Draconis as a whole, it was like a Kingdom that stood above the world, overseeing the affairs of those who lived on land.

Finally, after several hours of travel, Lux and Cethus arrived at the Outer Reaches.

To the Half-Elf's surprise, the Outer Reaches was a thriving city filled with people of different races.

Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Elves, Beastkins, Demons, as well as other races that Lux hadn't seen before.

The Outer Reaches were composed of three Floating Islands. The middle island, the biggest of the three, was the center of commerce. This was where the people of other races actively traded with the DragonBorns, as well as the Dragons.

Seeing the look of amazement on the Half-Elf's face, Cethus smirked, thinking that Lux was a country bumpkin who was seeing a thriving city for the first time.

"This is the Outer Reaches, and the Dragon King said that you will be staying here for the time being," Cethus explained. "If I heard correctly, you are going to build your Guild Headquarters, right? I was given the deed to the land where you will be building your base of operations. Come and follow me."

Cethus flapped his wings as he flew to the third island, which was the smallest of the three and seemed deserted.

He explained that the Floating Island was simply referred to as "The Pit", which confused the Half-Elf.

Lux thought that he would be able to build his Headquarters in the Main City of the Outer Reaches which was called Pygmalion. However, Cethus was flying in a different direction, which gave him a very bad feeling.

A few minutes later, the black-scaled Dragon Born landed on a desolate mountainside.

There was nothing special about it aside from the fact that there was a mile-wide crater in the center of the mountains, as if they had been punched by the clawed fist of a gigantic dragon.

The thing that made Lux frown was the smell that was coming from the crater.

One glance was enough for him to know that the crater was used as the dump site for the trash, as well as other wastes, of the City of Pygmalion.

He finally understood why the third island was simply referred to as The Pit.

It was literally a pit where garbage was thrown until it piled up like a mountain.

"Here is the deed granted by the Dragon King," Cethus said as he tossed a scroll towards Lux, which the latter caught with both hands. "From now on, this mountain range belongs to you. You are free to do as you wish with it. However, you are not allowed to build anything outside of it."

The black-scaled Dragon Born was laughing inside his heart because Lux's expression was priceless.

When he first heard the Dragon King's orders, he thought that his King was being generous by giving the Half-Elf a piece of land where he could build his Guild Headquarters. However, after finding out the exact location of where that land was located, Cethus roared in laughter because the land that had been awarded to Lux was similar to a cesspool.

Cethus was even looking forward to seeing what the Half-Elf would do to deal with the garbage that had piled up in the crater, which smelled of rotten eggs and manure.

The longer Lux looked at the crater, the deeper the frown on his face became. Finally, after ten minutes, he glanced at the black-scaled DragonBorn to confirm whether this was really the place that was awarded to him by the Dragon King.

"The Dragon King's orders are absolute," Cethus replied. "Even I cannot defy them. Since he has given this land to you, everything in it belongs to you as well. Well, if you ask me, it is a very fitting arrangement. Isn't it only natural for garbage to be thrown into the same place?"

The black-scaled DragonBorn laughed out loud, giving Lux the strong urge to smack him. However, since the latter was stronger than him, he had no choice but to bottle up his anger as he stared at the land that was bestowed upon him by the Dragon King.

As if to make matters worse, a dozen dragons flew past them, dropping more garbage into the crater before flying back to the City of Pygmalion.

They even gave a side-long glance at Lux and Cethus, wondering what the two of them were doing at the garbage dump together.

"Earlier, you said that this Mountain Range now belongs to me, right?" Lux asked.

Cethus nodded. "Yes. Everything in it belongs to you as well."

"That trash also belongs to me, right?" Lux pointed at the crater that almost made him want to puke.

Cethus smirked. "Yes."

"Okay." Lux nodded before flying towards the City of Pygmalion.

Cethus thought that Lux had been heartbroken due to the circumstances he found himself in. As the Half-Elf's supervisor, it was his task to give the Dragon King a regular report on what the Half-Elf was doing, so he wondered if Lux was planning to give up and leave the Outer Reaches and go back to the Lower Realm.

(A/N: starting today, I will refer to the lands below the sky as the Lower Realm for now. This is also the term used by the DragonBorn to refer to the land under their Domain.)

It didn't take long before the Half-Elf landed on the City Wall of the City of Pygmalion.

The first thing he did was summon his Doppelgangers and pressed his hands together. He also asked Eiko to help her, and the baby slime also summoned her two Doppelgangers and coordinated with her Papa.

"Skeleton Make…," Lux said. "Megaphone!"

Cethus' eyes widened when he saw the weird looking thing that appeared in front of him. He had never seen a Megaphone before and wondered what it was for.

However, his question was answered right away as soon as Lux shouted on it, magnifying his voice hundreds of times.

"I came here to announce a Decree from the Dragon King!" Lux shouted.

His voice spread across the entire city, making its citizens pause whatever they were doing. A Decree from the Dragon King was the ultimate Law in Karshvar Draconis, and no one in their right mind would dare to defy it.

"My name is Lux and, starting today, The Pit belongs to me!" Lux announced. "Anyone who throws their garbage in here will be fined one hundred thousand gold coins. It doesn't matter if it's just fish bones, egg shells, or anything else. The moment you throw something, you will be breaking the decree of the Dragon King. Not only will you be paying a fine, you will also be subjected to Capital Punishment!"

The citizens who heard it were shocked silly because this was the first time they were hearing such a decree.

Even Cethus, who was standing beside Lux, was looking at the Half-Elf while the corner of his lips twitched like crazy.

He didn't expect that the Half-Elf would make such a declaration, and even used the name of the Dragon King to send an ultimatum to the City of Pygmalion.

'Mom, just what kind of madman is this?!' Cethus thought as he stared at the Madlad who was threatening the entire City of Pygmalion using the Dragon King's order as a base.

However, although the Half-Elf sounded silly, his words were facts and were irrefutable.

The Dragon King had decreed that from this day onwards, The Pit belonged to the Half-Elf, and he was free to do whatever he wanted with it.

After speaking a bunch of threats and bullsh*t, the Half-Elf packed up and left the City of Pygmalion to return to the mountainside that was now under his name.

After hearing Lux's declaration, the Mayor of Pygmalion hastily went to the Capital City in order to ask the Dragon King for an audience in order to confirm if he really sent out a decree that would punish anyone that threw their garbage in the mountainous region that now belonged to Lux.

—---

Dragon King Royal Palace…

"Your Majesty, is it true?" a red-scaled DragonBorn asked while kneeling before the throne of the Dragon King. "Did you really send out such a decree?"

The corner of the Dragon King's lips twitched after hearing the Mayor's report. At first, he wanted to refute it, but after remembering the exact words that he had given Cethus, he finally understood that the Half-Elf had twisted his declaration in a way that would benefit him.

'How bold of you, Half-Elf,' the Dragon King thought as he contemplated what to do with the current situation. 'But, since you dared to use my name in this manner, I need to make you understand how silly you are into thinking that you can get away with this farce.'

The Dragon King smiled evilly as a plan appeared inside his head. Since Lux dared to use his name lightly, he would make sure that the Half-Elf would pay dearly for his wrongdoing.