Chapter 75
The Elder Dragon Ar.
Though she had a somewhat timid demeanor, she still held pride as a dragon.
As the pinnacle of all beings on earth, she bore a sense of pride and duty as an entity that embraced all things.
This resolve remained unshaken even as other clans oppressed her
and even after the demons’ invasion.
However, lately, she had been feeling it.
A dragon, called the harmonizer of all things and an immortal being.
But, was a dragon, after all, just a mere creature within nature, subject to its ebb and flow?
The Dragon King, whom she believed could never fall, had collapsed.
In the aftermath, countless dragons met their deaths,
and they ultimately failed to protect their kingdom.
The past few months had shown her that, no matter how magnificent a dragon was, its power had clear limits.
This realization had sown seeds of despair within her,
and even her unshakable pride had cracked deeply.
Dragons were not invincible,
and she felt, painfully, that they, too, were frail beings swayed by circumstances.
However, now that this time of despair had passed,
she was witnessing something.
A being that easily surpassed the limits of her frail kind.
A god.
Not simply an immortal with great power.
But one with generosity worthy of reverence,
and power that could be called omnipotent without fault.
And now,
she was seeing it.
The countless beings present before her.
Not only the elves, but even some dragons.
So many beings, bowing their heads to him.
“Ooh… O mighty one…”
“We thank you for saving us.”
Elves and dragons offering sincere worship.
Just moments ago, they had faced death and despair,
and now, at the edge of hell, they gave thanks to the one who saved them.
Tears fell from their eyes as they bowed their heads.
Some even brought offerings for the dragons.
Some brought gold, some brought food and livestock.
But,
Seraphim gently but firmly refused their offerings.
[The offerings you bring to me are not treasures. Clothe those among you who are naked, feed the hungry, and give drink to the thirsty. That will be your true offering to me, and a reflection of your sincerity.]
“Ah…”
“How could he say such words…”
“Incredible… That such a generous being exists…”
# We understand. If that is your will.
A declaration so generous and merciful beyond compare.
To give something in return for aid received was a natural response.
This was a concept that dragons, too, shared, as did Ba’al, who once ruled over humans.
However, unlike them, Seraphim asked for no compensation for himself,
but requested that it be used for the many others… for those suffering around them.
A declaration that evoked the heart of a parent devoted to their child.
His compassionate words deepened the respect and devotion of those present towards Seraphim.
Especially now, as the throne of their former king, Zaus, the ‘God’ of Dragons, lay vacant.
In a time of spiritual wandering,
Seraphim’s appearance—stronger and more generous than ever—captured their hearts.
And this reality
was no different for Ar, who had stayed by Seraphim’s side closer than anyone here.
Though she still held daughterly love for her father,
he was now gone, and she, too, had lost someone to rely on.
To her, Seraphim was no longer a foreign ruler she served out of respect,
but someone she truly wanted to follow and serve.
In heart… and, if needed, in body.
As she watched Seraphim, surrounded by the respect and admiration of the elves and dragons, offering them comfort, Ar’s eyes sparkled.
At that moment…
# Ahem… Seraphim? Lord Aten is seeking you. He wishes to discuss an important matter regarding the future.
With a slightly awkward tone, Arakane spoke up.
[I understand. I will go once things here are settled.]
# It is… a pressing matter. You must come immediately.
[…Understood.]
Though reluctant at Arakane’s stiff tone, Seraphim complied.
Leaving behind the disappointed onlookers, he began to move with Arakane, and Ar followed in his steps.
# Arakane, what could be so urgent? I thought there was still time before the meeting.
# …I apologize. I don’t know the details either… I am simply following Lord Aten’s orders.
#…
Though Arakane said this, his tone felt uneasy, as if something was troubling him.
Ar felt dissatisfied but decided to follow him without a word.
After all, she didn’t have the power to defy Aten’s words either.
***
# What do you mean by that?
# Why are you so agitated? Don’t make a fuss, and keep your mouth shut.
# But, Sister Aten!
# I told you to be silent. Say one more word, and I will have you banished from this place.
# Tsk…
At Aten’s words, Ar had no choice but to keep quiet.
However, even though she was forced to be silent due to the command, she couldn’t help but feel strong opposition to the contents of the meeting so far.
The meeting had started with words of gratitude toward Seraphim.
But the subsequent discussion made no sense to Ar at all.
They asked Seraphim not to participate in any battles unless specifically requested.
Ostensibly, it was out of consideration to let him rest after the recent battle, but to Ar, this felt both foolish and insulting to Seraphim.
‘They’re trying to exclude Seraphim, the strongest force, when there are still many demons left? What is this nonsense…’
As she grew increasingly frustrated and furious over Aten’s seemingly foolish actions,
the goddess Isiris, who was nearby, spoke to her in a calm voice.
{You seem very upset. Let’s step outside for a moment to cool down.}
# Huh…? Oh… y-yes.
Isiris spoke in a tone that was hard to refuse,
leaving Ar with a reluctant feeling as she followed her out of the council room.
Once they had reached a deserted area outside,
Isiris began to speak to Ar in a gentle voice.
{Thank you for standing up for us. But if you get too worked up, it might create trouble for Seraphim.}
# …I’m sorry…
Ar’s intention was to support Seraphim, but as Isiris pointed out, she had spoken and acted recklessly without the right to voice her opinion.
But beyond that, she still couldn’t fully accept the current situation.
# But… from my perspective, it’s simply impossible to understand. Why would she do something so foolish? Sister Aten, who always talks about minimizing our people’s sacrifices, why would she…?
It was hard to believe it was simply out of dislike for Seraphim.
Setting aside her unease about him, putting personal feelings ahead of a serious matter didn’t seem like Aten at all.
Seeing the frustration and questions in Ar’s eyes,
Isiris quietly gave her an answer.
{It’s probably because of anxiety… the fear of what might come after this war.}
# What? What do you mean by that?
{Think back to the situation you just witnessed. If you recall it once more, you might understand.}
With these words, Isiris began to calmly interpret the situation.
In the recent battle, Seraphim had shown overwhelming power, annihilating foes deemed unstoppable disasters.
In that single encounter,
many elves within this fortress, and even some dragons, had become followers of Seraphim.
Their fierce devotion was so strong that it overshadowed even the name of Zaus, who was presumed to be gone from this world.
And this result would likely repeat itself in future battles.
Just by moving, Seraphim caused the demons and dark races who had oppressed them to fall in droves.
On top of that, despite all his good deeds, he demanded nothing in return, only spreading words of pure kindness that anyone would nod along to.
If this situation kept repeating, then, just as in Spartan Fortress, the elves suffering under the demons and dark races elsewhere, and the captive dragons, would naturally come to follow Seraphim.
If so, by the time all the demons and dark races were driven out of this land, the Elven Kingdom would be filled with Seraphim’s followers.
There was a risk that the foundation of this country, based on the loyalty and obedience of the elves to the dragons, would be severely shaken.
# Hmm…
{Religion is a very important tool for governance. I, too, understand this well, having ruled over humans for ages. They’re desperate not to lose it.}
# …I understand… But… isn’t that only possible if we win? Sister’s actions feel unstable at this moment.
{…Well, I suppose they have their own ideas. For now, all we can do is hope it works out for them.}
With a bitter smile, Isiris gently patted Ar’s head.
Though Isiris had started treating her with this level of casual affection beyond that of a mere sister-in-law,
Ar accepted it without much resistance.
After all, except for her mother, who had fled to the north, there were few who cared for her in this way…
—
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