Chapter 29: Dragon Guests (1/2)
“You are certain, Manling Victor?” Vainqueur asked, upon looking at the strawberry cake, which his lackey had moved in front of the fairy crystals. “This seems like a waste of good food.”
“Positive,” his Doer of the Thing said. “Come on, try.”
“[Lesser Demonbane]!” Vainqueur cast the exorcism spell with his finger, a ray of light hitting the cake. While the food remained unharmed, a dark, crimson aura escaped it, letting out a terrible scream.
You have exorcised: Demon Strawberry Cake.
“It worked, Manling Victor!” His very first spell! “I am a wizard!”
The dragon had spent days in his cave, practicing the spells that Corpseling Jules taught him. Since Vainqueur never bothered to learn how to read manling language, he had the corpseling teach him how to read scrolls and grimoires.
The dragon picked it up very quickly. Vainqueur could have sworn it took him years to learn to speak his minions’ primitive tongue, centuries ago.
“It should work well against Brandon Maure,” his lackey said. “His enhancements make him dangerous, but if Your Majesty hits his demonslayer weakness with exorcisms, they should dispel them.”
“Then I eat him,” Vainqueur nodded in agreement.
“My turn then…” The minion raised his scythe like a staff. “[Death Candle].”
A tiny spirit made of bluish, ghostly flames appeared above the cake, like a candle. It stared at Manling Victor with two yellow spots of eyes without a word. “Nice. I can use the scythe to spellcast. Must be that [Scythe Lord] perk.”
“Minion, my guests cannot eat ghosts,” Vainqueur pointed out, the flame spirit looking at him next. “You should learn to summon demons, like tasty Malfy.”
“One tier at a time, Your Majesty.”
“Have you found a way to break the fairy crystal curse?” Vainqueur asked, looking at his beautiful trapped maidens. “While they make for great decoration, we dragons prefer talking, singing princesses to stuffed ones.”
“Unfortunately, nobody in Murmurin has powerful enough magic to shatter them. Malfy said his company may have the necessary tools, but he must ask his executives. Charlene also informed me King Roland Gardemagne will come personally to, I quote, ‘Recover his niece, meet with the self-proclaimed Emperor of Murmurin, and grant unto him a boon for his service.’ I think he will bring stronger sorcerers with him, maybe Kia.”
“Self-proclaimed nothing!” Vainqueur contested angrily. “I am Emperor!”
Your [Emperor] Class is no longer recognized.
Your [Emperor] Class will be unrecognized until you defeat: Brandon Maure.
“He already should have,” Manling Victor replied. “Kia must have damaged his flying fortress enough to delay him. I promoted every able-bodied minion I could find, asked everyone to prepare for a siege, bought weapons from Malfy—”
“Bought?” Vainqueur glared at his minion, horrified. His lackey couldn’t be desperate enough to embezzle his treasure!
“With my own money,” Victor reassured his master, although it still shocked the dragon. “All of this to say, I wouldn’t worry about Maure coming. The only question is, when, and with how many soldiers.”
“How many steaks,” the dragon corrected him. Vainqueur almost wished for that moth to come on his Bragging Day, so he could stylishly smash him before his brethren. Almost.
Someone frantically struck the vault’s doorbell, causing Vainqueur and Victor to look at the gate. “Open!” The spells set by his spellcaster minions causing the vault’s door to widen and reveal the Kobold Rangers.
“Birds, Your Majesty!” Red the Kobold said, panicked. “Big birds in the sky!”
“Birds?” Manling Victor panicked. “Maure has a fleet?”
“More than one!” Blue panicked as well. “Half a dozen with great wings and breathing smoke!”
“Minion, those are not iron birds,” Vainqueur clarified, energized. “They are here! Prepare the appetizers!”
Manling Victor started to panic. “But, but, but they should have arrived tomorrow!”
“Ah, yes, I forgot to inform you that, unlike your kind, dragons are smart enough to be early when a feast is involved, so they can eat the best parts ahead of the competition.”
“Is Your Majesty subtly implying my kind is mentally challenged?” Manling Victor tried to defend his kind’s nonexistent honor. “We humans have ten intelligence on average, more than most species.”
Pfft, no way, Vainqueur started at nine.
…
Nine.
The average manling started at ten?
…
“Menu,” Vainqueur spoke up, his voice ice cold. “Show me my original intelligence score, before I gained the Class system.”
Pre-class INT score: 8.
...
“Your Majesty? Why are you twitching? You’re scaring me.”
“Menu,” Vainqueur repeated, this time his voice more ominous. “What is my correct score?”
Pre-class INT score: 8.
“Better,” Vainqueur said, happy with the higher number. “We will welcome the first guests at once, so that I may smugly showcase my superior might and unrivaled intellect. Kobolds!”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Tell the other minions to prepare the snacks. Hurry!” The kobolds scampered off, Vainqueur closing the door’s vault behind them. “Minion Victor, remember what I told you. You shall second all of my boasts, not speak unless addressed by a dragon first, and you will repeat that I am good, smart, and wealthy every time I am mentioned.”
“Your Majesty, I have been meaning to ask, could we please avoid mentioning classes and levels?”
“Minion, I have rediscovered this ancient dragon system,” Vainqueur reminded his Doer of the Thing. “Why wouldn’t I brag about it?”
“Because other dragons will compete with you over treasure if they learn to access it.”
Oh, he was worried about his master’s safety and long-term dominance. Adorable. “Good, that will keep me sharp,” Vainqueur replied, embracing the challenge. “It would do no good for my reputation if I was the strongest of my kind because they are all weak; does anyone boasts about being the best manling? Or the best troll? No, because nobody wants to be the best manling. Everyone wants to be the best dragon because dragons are awesome.”
“But your greed—”
“Minion, while there is nothing greater than my hoard, I will brag fairly. Silence invites accusations of fraud, and I shall prove that I earned my wealth. Finally, without this system, I would not have had the power to cure the curse of the evil Furibon, who had to be destroyed. Other dragons must know in case the lich is ever released from his seal.”
Manling Victor put his hand on his face. “I knew this day would come…”
“Of course, I told you,” Vainqueur replied, before making use of that [Dungeon Owner] Perk of his. With a thought, he teleported atop the highest of his castle’s tower, under the bright sun.
Vainqueur glanced at his territory, finding that his minions had finished refurbishing the castle as he commanded, even adding a stone crown to the tallest tower. Perfect.
“MINION!” Vainqueur summoned his chief of staff at his side, before giving a majestuous roar as his manling almost fell from the tower.
Above, six dragons answered with roars of their own, the flock descending to nest on the various towers’ roofs; the minions staffing the castle stopped briefly to look at them through the windows, and Vainqueur didn’t chastise them for it. Being in his company was already an honor, more of his kind was an overdose to their senses.