The loss of their army is a lethal blow to the Dajhir Kingdom. Many resources had been invested in this war, the cost of living had increased with this sole purpose. Now, seeing everything has failed, uncertainty resides in the kingdom.
Carriages flood all cities attempting to escape the looming disaster, with the lords of each city trying to stop them without success.
And then comes the day everyone feared, the joint army of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom and the dragon kingdom enter the city. All citizens take shelter in their homes, both doors and windows closed with no one daring to peek through the cracks.
Contrary to expectations, the joint army continues its march in silence and without causing chaos, day after day, city by city, until they reach the capital of the Dajhir Kingdom, Brizna Insigne City.
That same day, the king along with his prime minister abdicate their positions, with the king’s son inheriting his position and the second elected in the previous election becoming the next prime minister.
“So the son himself sent his father and the prime minister to the gallows, eh…”
Lawrence listens to the story from Queen Reminiscent Euphony and smiles knowing how the old monarchy attempts a new beginning by assassinating those who incited the war.
“Yes, they also signed a treaty to remedy all the damage caused to the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom. At the same time--”
“They have agreed to become a vassal state of your kingdom. You should be happier, Queen Reminiscent Euphony, your kingdom has achieved a lot after the victory.”
Reminiscent Euphony doesn’t know how to respond, how to continue with her next words, so she decides to be direct.
“Is it right that my kingdom reaps all the benefits? Your name has spread throughout the kingdom, but besides that, you haven’t gained anything. How did this war benefit you?”
“You forget that the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom belongs to me, all that is yours is mine.”
The queen shivers unconsciously under the gaze of that man, yet she clenches her fists and expresses her thoughts. “You're using us as a front, against whom? Against what?”
“That's none of your concern.”
“Not knowing could bring worse consequences!”
Lawrence blinks curiously after seeing how this newly crowned queen raises her voice to him. As she realizes this, she regains her composure.
“Esteemed ranker, someone has to be the rational voice. If you wish for me to lead the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom, I must anticipate future threats. I have exceeded my responsibilities and I apologize, but staying silent is not something I will do.”
Lawrence only smiles, but that is also his only response.
“That thing I asked you for, do you have it with you?”
“Yes.”
Queen Reminiscent Euphony knows when to advance and when to retreat, responding as if the previous discussion had not happened. To Lawrence’s question, she retrieves a book from her storage ring and hands it to him.
“This is the magic formation that the Dajhir Kingdom used to seal spaces.”
“Denial Domain…”
Lawrence opens the spellbook and frowns at the knowledge within. He, as a hunter from the Divine Plane, hoped to understand a magic formation created on the Inferior Plane. Even when it is not his forte, his current level should be sufficient to discern its range.
But this assertion is not entirely accurate.
“You’ve done well, Queen Reminiscent Euphony. You will be rewarded…”
His next words would be unexpected to her.
“You may marry that fiancé of yours.”
“Eh?”
To her surprise, Lawrence simply waves her away with a move of his hand.
“Thank you for your generosity, esteemed ranker. I take my leave.”
As Queen Reminiscent Euphony exits the throne room, Lawrence casually tosses the spellbook into the air, and then suddenly a woman catches it. Her current expression makes Lawrence smile.
She sighs and returns to the main subject.
“You're giving her illusions.” Serene Will looks towards the entrance and says: “The poor thing really believes she has gained a bit of happiness.”
"You know that women without talent don't interest me, I'm just playing around with her a bit."
"If it's just that, it's fine, but don't overdo it. She's still a queen."
"It will just be a game, that's all. In a few years, I won't even remember her name."
Serene Will shakes her head and turns her attention to the book in her hands. Like Lawrence, she is surprised to realize how deep this magic formation is. It will require some research before it can be fully understood, but that in itself is inconceivable, how could a magic formation from the Inferior Plane be so unfathomable?
“Absolute Prominence…”
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Lawrence’s words interrupt her thoughts.
“Has she reached the necessary level to go collect their shadows?”
The corpses from this war, he would not overlook them. Not when they are goods that could make a difference in future wars.
“She has only reached level 287. Compressing her level has been harder than we thought, her original level was too small to be compressed like ours, but for now, that should be sufficient for this occasion. Moreover, she will not only collect their shadows…”
Lawrence understands her meaning and nods with a smile on his face.
Serene Will continues reading the spellbook until she finishes reading the last page. Her surprise does not fade despite this, on the contrary, it increases. She fears that if this magic formation is reconstructed to the standards of the Divine Plane, few rankers will be capable of understanding it.
Even she herself does not feel confident about being able to achieve this in the near future.
“Someone has to improve this magic formation, we need to find an expert in the field, otherwise reconstructing it will be useless if we cannot use it.”
Lawrence furrows his brows, “So it wasn’t just me…”
“This magic has an extraordinary origin, if it weren’t because the Dajhir Kingdom lost its records, we would be able to trace its origin. It is surprising they were able to optimize it to this level through generations, but this magic formation has reached its limit, only an expert would be able to give it a new life.”
Both sigh at the dilemma. They have the source but not the manpower, if they had the latter, why would they have struggled so much to acquire the first? After their brief reading, they understand why the Dajhir Kingdom could not use it in the war even when this magic formation was their trump card, because it requires time, prior preparations.
And even so, this magic formation is one they deeply desire.
Subsequently, Coldness Divine arrives to evaluate the content of the spellbook, but unlike Serene Will and Lawrence, she seems to have found the answer to the dilemma. The only problem would be the cost of achieving it.
‘If it's about her then…’ In silence, Coldness Divine thinks about how to communicate this to the others.
For a moment she feels the gaze of Serene Will positioned on her. She clicks her tongue upon realizing this, since, if this woman plans to read her mind, Coldness Divine will reveal the facts before she--
“Everyone!”
But the words of Sky Petal interrupt her train of thought.
“Celestial Firmament is moving!”
Lawrence rises from his seat with a serious look on his face. “That stupid dragon... Damn it! Why did it have to be you?”
The three women in the throne room watch silently Lawrence's attitude, knowing what will happen. Because it was this same man who asked them to watch over Celestial Firmament.
“Entertain him.”
He doesn’t wait for their responses, he creates a Dimensional Rift and disappears from the place. His destination, the Divine Plane.
All of them fly toward the mountain that the dragon modified as his home, but which today he leaves in haste, spreading his wings and flying in an unknown direction. He had never done such a thing, he does not move unless something has happened. And if that something has to do with what happened in the Inferior Plane…
“Why are you leaving without saying goodbye?”
“Coldness Divine…”
Coldness Divine stops in front of him with a kind smile, but whose aura emanates from her body, encircling the gigantic dragon and preventing his progress.
“I see you've broken your promise.”
She looks at Celestial Firmament and realizes he has returned to his original size, a shape he promised to Lawrence to reduce due to the havoc it causes.
“…”
In silence, Celestial Firmament looks at Coldness Divine and then at the two women waiting at a distance. He is not stupid, he knows what they are planning.
“Wait here until he arrives.”
“Coldness Divine, this is your land. Why do you allow a stranger to meddle in it?”
Coldness Divine's gentle smile doesn't leave her face, but in her eyes, a fraction of her true feelings can be seen.
“This is just a small misunderstanding Celestial Firmament, Lawrence will clarify it and answer your concerns.”
“That will not happen, if rivers could go backwards, there would be no sea.”
“The hand exists to craft, nothing in this world would exist, it would make no sense.”
Only a dragon can understand another, the words that Lawrence so hates from Celestial Firmament only Coldness Divine is capable of elucidating. Because his words imply much more, very few are capable of understanding part of their real meaning.
This strange conversation does not continue for long, just enough for a man to appear at the place.
“Lawrence…”
“Celestial Firmament, accompany me.”
His words may be spoken with respect, but they are no different from an order. Coldness Divine controls the aura she has retained Celestial Firmament with and forces him to move toward a Dimensional Rift. Lawrence is the first to enter and then follows Celestial Firmament.
Once both have crossed the Dimensional Rift, it closes and only three women remain. Except for Sky Petal, the others return to the mansion.
At the same time, on the outskirts of Agares City, Divine Plane.
Lawrence looks at Celestial Firmament, trying to understand why everything has ended this way. It would be fine if this ancient dragon had continued with his lazy life, staying in his cave and receiving him as a guest from time to time.
It is not so, this damn dragon has decided to act.
“What is your purpose Celestial Firmament? What reason did you have for leaving your home?”
“Home… Be honest Lawrence, did you really believe that was my home?”
“Don’t start again. Answer my question.”
They have known each other not just from yesterday or today, but for a long time. Lawrence knows that answering one of his questions is equivalent to falling into his game, he has no time for this, not now.
“I have been evaluating you all this time.”
Celestial Firmament has the look of that time, the first time they met.
“If there's anything I regret, it's having placed my trust in someone who didn't deserve it.”
His long lifespan has allowed him to experience many things, both small and large, important and insignificant. So much time has passed since the first time he opened his eyes to this world that he understands that the desires of a being, no matter how small, are part of a higher will. Perhaps not directly, they may have been influenced in some way, but no matter how many variables there are, the outcome remains.
“You are my biggest mistake and I want to rectify it.”
“Celestial Firmament, that I--”
His words are interrupted.
“You showed your intentions by interfering in their war, you are the evil. If you are not eradicated soon, you will destroy everything if it means having it in your hands. Your greed knows no bounds, you are willing to do anything. Just look what you've done.”
Celestial Firmament points around and roars, but still no one responds.
“You and I know why you've brought me to the Divine Plane... You plan to kill me!”
“…”
For once Lawrence does not try to respond, he watches silently the dragon in front of him. As the seconds pass, he clenches his fists and teeth trying to remedy the situation.
“Don’t do this to me Celestial Firmament, you and I are friends.”
“We never were Lawrence.”
But his response has put an end point, it's impossible to go back.
“I see.”
Lawrence’s expression does not change despite having given this simple response, but above Celestial Firmament a great wave of mana begins to form, resulting in the creation of a giant golden hand.
“You can be proud, I didn’t think your death would hurt me so much.”
Without mercy, the hand extends its finger and crushes Celestial Firmament like an insect. The same magic he once learned from him, Lawrence uses it to kill him.
Celestial Firmament tries to resist, but times have changed. Lawrence is not that hunter who once had a simple level number. No matter that both possess the same affinity, the same quality, concentration, nothing could stop the intention or perhaps... the ambition of this vile man.
Once the hand disappears, only remains of what once was a dragon are left.
Celestial Firmament has died.
“…”
Lawrence approaches him and stores his corpse in his storage ring.
“I’ll find you a good place to bury you.”
