Chapter 264 (1/2)

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Chapter 264 – The Young White Drakon Awakens

Lavia and Paula remained behind in a second-cla.s.s inn near the harbor. Hikaru left once his Mana Detection sensed Gorja had arrived at the port. Ever since the attack, the girls refrained from going out as much as possible. Good thing, too, as Paula took some time before she got over her cold.

「Ah.」

Early afternoon. Paula was enjoying her after-meal tea, when she noticed something.

「Lavichan, looks like Drake's awake.」

「Really?」

The white drakon, who'd been asleep for a while now, groaned while laying on the blanket in the basket. Drake blinked his eyes open.

「How are you feeling, Drake?」

『F-Fine… Where are we?』

「In an inn far from where we were last time, I guess? Do you remember? You swallowed a dragon stone whole and then slept for days.」

『Yes… It feels like I had a long dream.』

Drake's voice was raspy, so Lavia poured water from a jug onto a plate and handed it to the drakon. He plunged onto it, drinking it all up as he became soaked.

「Are you okay? Do you want something to eat?」Lavia asked.

『I'm hungry, but…』Drake used his nose to sniff around, as though trying to pick up the scent of something that was gone.『Where's Hikaru?』

「He went out for a bit. He should be back later. Why?」

『Hmm… I smell something bad. Something evil…』

Drake wasn't his usual goofy self. He appeared to be desperate.

『I dreamed about drakons.』he muttered to himself.『I have to go.』

This is one tiresome negotiation, Hikaru thought. He was in the audience room—hidden with Stealth, of course—inside the Supreme Leader's residence, the same room that Gorja was in last time. Patricia and Gorja sat facing each other.

「Dream Maker now has sovereignty over the island of Dew Roke.」

「Heh. Good one. You stole our island and are now using it as a bargaining chip. The people of the Ruined Continent sure are barbaric.」

「Say what you want. If you don't accept our terms, you will never get back your island. I heard many of the people have families here on the continent. I doubt they'll be happy.」

Gorja had someone with him this time, Deena the secretary. They proceeded with the negotiations carefully, whispering to each other along the way. Despite arriving with dejected faces, they were headstrong in discussing their terms.

The negotiation was simple. Gorja proposed to share half of control over Dew Roke's to Vireocean. In exchange, they wanted a Healer.

Patricia, on the other hand, couldn't take a weak stance, or else the nation would flame her. She already lost to the enemy once. She wanted Dew Roke to be returned to her fully. On top of that, she would seek further concessions and demand compensation for damages.

「We don't mind if these negotiations dragged on.」Patricia said.「But what about you guys who came from afar? Don't you want to return to your homeland soon?」

The Supreme Leader hinted that she knew of their circ.u.mstances. Gorja wore an unpleasant look, but that was within expectations.

「You're the one who lent us the Healer.」Gorja said.「You also destroyed one of our s.h.i.+ps! We're trying to be nice too!」

「Destroyed a s.h.i.+p? I don't know what you're talking about.」

「That's ridiculous! That man named Silver Face kidnapped Deena here and then destroyed our s.h.i.+p. Fortunately there were no casualties, but the financial loss is enormous. We're saying we'll ignore that.」

No casualties? Hikaru was surprised. He thought a few dozen would die, that he would kill them. And he was prepared for that. But it would seem that the soldiers of Dream Maker were more skilled than he expected.

Patricia laughed.「You're a funny one. Deena is here with you. If she was kidnapped, why would she be here?」

「Silver Face brought her back.」

「How can you call it kidnapping when he returned her?」

「Now, listen—」

「If Silver Face indeed destroyed a whole s.h.i.+p alone, we can send him to fight for us. I'm sure we can win then.」