chapter 128
* * *
Philip was pretty smart, but his predictability was limited.
If he thoughtlessly helped the evil dragon Negev, the butterfly effect that action would bring could come in a way he could never have predicted.
If a variable that could not be solved with Philip’s ability appeared, everything was over. That’s why he needed help, and the only one who could help him in the current situation was Freevia.
“… I don’t even know what I’m hearing now. It’s surprising that the damn strong girl lost, but what? You’re going to help her put her back in the Grand Duke’s seat? out of my mind… It’s not like that, so I’m saying it from the bottom of my heart.”
Freevia, who was studying the golden apple in the middle of it, widened her eyes as if she was dumbfounded. The reason she didn’t arrest or kill Philip right now was because her intellect took precedence over her emotions.
She had heard of the dragon Negev’s weakness from Philip before, and if that was true, Philip’s words of helping the dragon weren’t crazy at all.
“Son. do you know If any dragon other than me listened to you, you would have to suffer forever, neither dying nor living.”
“I know. Miss Freevia. I know that well, so I told Privia-sama. But that’s it. She must maintain her position as Grand Duke of the Demon Realm. If a necromancer like Pandemon gathers power in that position, mankind will surely perish.”
“That’s true, but why the hell do you care about that? I admit that you’re a pretty bratty guy, but you haven’t fully grown up yet. It’s just that it’s still not an area that you can overcome with your abilities. You’re smart, so you’ll understand what I’m saying, right?”
“… Could it be that I don’t know that? I know it, but I have to do it, so I’m not doing this.”
‘So it’s more of a problem.’
Philip wouldn’t be fooling around with this. Pribia wasn’t stupid enough to ignore a fact she didn’t want to believe, just for that reason.
However, if Philip had been a little less close to her, she would have pulled out her memories after binding her with a dragon instead of believing what he said.
However, instead of doing so, Pribia praised Philip with a very, very troubled expression.
“okay… Umm… It was good that you came to me without doing anything wrong. If I had acted without thinking, even if you were the heir to the Moonlight Sword, you would have been killed by my own people. that… Yes, but… … .”
What Philip brought was not an ordinary job. It could be said that it was a very important event for her as a dragon.
Besides, the important thing was that there was nothing wrong with Philip’s words.
Suffering from a serious internal conflict, Privia closed her eyes tightly and made up her mind.
“… This isn’t something I can decide on my own. As your guardian and member of the dragon clan, I must report this matter to the Lord. If that happens, you will have to attend the road meeting with me.”
‘I can’t believe the day will come when I see a road meeting being called because of a single human… .’
Privia stuck out her tongue, and Philip thought for a moment before asking a question.
“By lord meeting, do you mean the meeting hosted by the dragon lord?”
“okay. This is because there is a rule that the first planner must participate. There, even I can’t help you, and you have to stand your ground in front of dozens of dragons. Only when your opinion is accepted at the meeting will there be a justification for helping you directly.”
Just hearing it made me choke. To offer an opinion that can openly touch their heart among powerful beings who can kill you with the flick of a finger.
But Philip had no choice. For things to work out, the dragons had to condone Philip’s actions.
“It can’t be helped.”
Privia turned her worried gaze to Philip.
“Is it really necessary? I don’t even know what will happen to you when things go wrong.”
Philip was moved by Privia’s attitude. I was a little proud of the fact that the good impressions I had done so far were not in vain.
“please. Freevia.”
“… Then wait a minute.”
When Philip said that after making up her mind, Privia closed her eyes and focused on something for a moment, then sighed and snapped her fingers a few seconds later.
“The Lord has called a meeting. Do you want to follow me?”
As the work suddenly proceeded without time to prepare anything, Philip asked with his eyes wide open, quite embarrassed.
“So fast?”
“My people already know that I look after you. I can’t lie, so I had to report it right away to avoid suspicion that I’d matched you. That’s all I can help with, so you have to figure out what’s left.”
“… driving me crazy. All right.”
Philip followed Privia into the portal like a cow being led to a slaughterhouse.
* * *
As soon as he reached the stone room through the portal, Philip felt his body shrink.
It was an ordinary stone chamber, but the people inside it were by no means ordinary.
Looking around, I saw beautiful men and women sitting around a round table, like some noble, non-human race.
‘… Are these all dragons?’
It was a situation that even the shy Philip could not help but be afraid of.
[That person is the one that Privia cares so much for.]
[It’s rare among humans, but it doesn’t seem like a dragon is thirsty.]
[It’s the object of a vow that has appeared for the first time in a thousand years, so it should look pretty. Privia is now at an age to have eggs, so I understand.]
The dragons who had polymorphed into humans were chattering with dragon words. Philip felt dizzy just listening to the chatter.
‘… Why do you hear me?’
At that time, Privia, who was standing in front of Philip, burst into anger.
[really! Why are you so mischievous when you’re all old?]
Apparently, Privia didn’t have much of a say in this place. Her tone and voice were like that of a new female employee grumbling at her older boss.
A young man, probably a red dragon, clicked his tongue and muttered.
[Tsk tsk, the guy who was so charming just five hundred years ago has grown a little bit older and has become a bit picky. Baby, you’ll know when you’re my age. It’s rare to find something so interesting at this age.]
[When are you talking about enemies? If you’re going to keep teasing me like that, I’ll just go back.]
[Arthur. If you do, the Lord will strike a bell.]
‘… Dragons aren’t that different from humans. I want to stop listening anyway.’
Philip was in pain with a nosebleed. It was clear that he could hear the dragon words because he had risen infinitely close to an Aura Master, but Philip, who still maintained the level of human spirit, consumed a lot of mental power just by interpreting the dragon words.
“Eck. That person will be ruined. Hey guys, now let’s talk it out loud. Thanks to that human, I haven’t seen your face in a long time, what would it be like if I died suddenly?”
“I see.”
“You are right.”
After confirming Philip’s condition, the dragons concluded an agreement with each other. Soon after, a middle-aged man who was sitting in the seat of honor stood up from his seat.
Philip instinctively knew he was a Dragon Lord. He stared at Philip, for there was an indescribable pressure in his gaze.
My heart felt like it would explode just by looking into his eyes. As Philip put his hand to his chest to catch his breath, the middle-aged blonde’s solemn expression suddenly changed.
“What are you so nervous about? Be at ease. It’s the first time I’ve brought humans here, so I don’t know what to do. Would you like a glass of water?”
It was a friendly and relaxed attitude.
“ah… no. it’s okay.”
Philip, who had finally regained his composure, politely declined.
“The meeting I host is not so formal even though it is a meeting. Because we don’t have to be formal. So you don’t have to think too hard. It’s because the information he needs has already been delivered to him anyway.”
The other dragons added word by word to the Lord’s words.
“For a human being, he is very immature. How did you think of that?”
“I mean. The bowl is different from coming up with the idea to help the Grand Duke of Demon World, who killed his own people countless times.”
The strange atmosphere around it was very hospitable. Philip and even Privia looked at each other with their eyes wide open as if they were dumbfounded.
‘How did this happen?’
―I don’t know either… ?
As Philip conveyed his intentions with his eyes, the flames of Privia returned.
The dragons Philip knew were not like that. He was a strict and radical protector of the continent, and an enforcer who judged those who disturbed the balance.
However, when faced with the exchange of good wishes in a light atmosphere, like an old small business meeting, Philip couldn’t help but feel cognitive dissonance.
Dragon Road.
Odrias, the only gold dragon of this era, smiled as he watched Philip’s reaction.
“Looks like you don’t know what this means. It’s simple. Could we not have thought you did? I just thought about it because I couldn’t directly help the evil dragon Negev like you. In the midst of that, how nice would it be to see a human willing to act directly?”
At Rod’s explanation, Philip only then realized the true nature of this atmosphere.
‘… That’s right. That’s right.’
It was a story that he was not the only one who felt more comfortable with the evil dragon, Negev. Dragons should also be much easier to deal with with Negev, who was originally a dragon.
There was no way that they, who were wise, could not have thought of Philip.
It’s just that they couldn’t help the Negev directly.
Directly helping Negev, a demonic being, was a violation of the ‘oath’ with the demons.
Philip, who knew the contents of the ‘oath’, could only nod his head.
“He must be planning to help the Negev by disguising himself as a demon. Let it be. I’ll show you how, all you have to do is act. If you need anything, ask for it through Privia. I will support anything.”
Privia, who was listening quietly at the time, asked as if she was dumbfounded.
“road! If that’s the case, why did you call the meeting? I thought it was something serious because they told me to get together right away… .”
Gold Dragon Odrias replied with a chuckle.
“I wanted to see you as a cheap human like a child. Freevia. But now that I see it, I don’t see you as a child.”
Freevia tilted her head.
“… What do you mean?”
“I didn’t know. baby.”
“Don’t call me that way. I am past the age of being called that.”
As Privia grumbled, the blue dragon sitting near her clicked her tongue.
“Now look at the mannerisms of a girl who is a little over two thousand years old. yo boy The moment you came out of the eggshell is still good in my eyes, but to a load like the sky… !”
Watching the skits performed by the mighty beings, Philip blinked and thought.
‘I was scared for no reason.’