NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The news of the Royal Knights’ victory sent shockwaves through the Alliance.
It was only natural.
They had deemed the Royal Knights expendable and cut off all support.
Now, they were paying the price.
The Royal Knights were currently protecting only three nations: the Dwarf Kingdom, the Human Kingdom, and the 12 Tribes.This was because these three were the only ones who had provided support.
It hadn’t been a problem before.
Monsters, though a nuisance, could be dealt with by mobilizing national resources.
Even lower-ranking demons could be subdued with some effort.
However, the real problem lay with the Blood Demons and True Demons that followed.
Unlike the lowly demons, Blood Demons and True Demons possessed formidable power.
Countless races and nations had been destroyed or absorbed, unable to withstand even a single Blood Demon.
Yet, the Royal Knights had just repelled a True Demon.
Naturally, the Royal Knights’ reputation soared.
If Blood Demons and True Demons invaded, the other races wouldn’t be protected without the Royal Knights.
A shift even occurred among the races themselves.
The Dwarf Kingdom and the 12 Tribes initiated peace talks and signed an agreement.
A fact everyone seemed to have forgotten…
Dwarves and beastmen had a notoriously bad relationship, even engaging in territorial disputes.
But with the Royal Knights’ mediation, they had reached a peace agreement and signed multiple treaties.
“The beastmen and dwarves have joined forces?”
“Damn it… this puts us in a difficult position.”
“We need to negotiate with the dwarves right now…”
The dwarves and beastmen’s alliance wasn’t just an isolated incident.
It was a disaster for those who had exploited their rivalry for their own gain.
With the Human Kingdom joining the alliance, a new power bloc, led by the three nations and the Royal Knights, had emerged within the Alliance.
The first to react was the Human Kingdom.
Using his position as the Royal Knights’ patron, the king persuaded other races and secured advantages for himself.
The demons, having suffered significant losses, were unlikely to make any immediate moves, but the Alliance, unaware of this, feared imminent action.
The king exploited this fear.
Thanks to his shrewd maneuvering, the Human Kingdom reaped benefits that far exceeded its investment in the Royal Knights.
Like it or not, change was coming.
Two races, once sworn enemies, had reconciled.
Other races, sensing the shift, started to adapt.
The intricate web of relationships, built over centuries, began to transform.
And it was undeniable that the Royal Knights and their new commander were at the center of it all.
The commander, who had rebuilt the Royal Knights in just one year and proven their strength…
“Perhaps the king knew what he was doing when he recommended him as commander.”
“Investigate the Royal Knights’ commander immediately!”
“We need to bring him to our side, by any means necessary!”
Now, the other races were scrambling to improve their relations with the Royal Knights and gather information on the commander.
It was only natural.
The king, who had foreseen this, wouldn’t have missed such an opportunity but the real challenge lay in the next steps.
Not everyone would accept the commander.
Some would surely oppose him.
For example, the elves were openly refusing to support the Royal Knights and even calling for the commander’s resignation.
It was a reckless move, but not entirely hopeless.
The elves would likely become the center of a new coalition, uniting races that harbored resentment towards the Royal Knights or harbored their own ambitions.
‘This is the perfect opportunity to gain an advantage. And I need to think about my next move.’
Thanks to the commander he had appointed, the king had gained more than he could have imagined but he had no intention of monopolizing it.
The important thing was the position of the Alliance.
And now, a new alliance, centered around the Human Kingdom, was about to be formed.
He wasn’t foolish enough to miss out on a grand opportunity for a few coins.
The winds of change were blowing, slowly but surely.
Within Lionheart Fortress, there was an office specifically designated for the commander.
It was located right behind the reception room, purely for efficiency.
And now, Yuren, acting commander, sat at the commander’s desk, handling the workload.
For the first three days, everyone stayed by the commander’s side, but eventually, he convinced them he needed to work.
So, they reluctantly left.
The problem was, Yuren was the only one who could handle the commander’s duties.
Other members could leave once their work was done, but…
Yuren had too much to do.
She let out an uncharacteristic sigh as she thought to herself.
She had been able to manage it all without difficulty in the past…
But lately, time seemed to crawl whenever she worked.
She knew the reason.
It was because she wasn’t with the commander.
Because he wasn’t by her side.
“…This is ridiculous. What am I thinking…?”
Her thoughts had long crossed the line of ridiculous, but at least she was self-aware.
It was just that she couldn’t stand the sight of herself.
In truth, Yuren hadn’t expected this to happen.
She was a dragon.
To dragons, all other races were equal.
To be blunt, she found them all rather cute.
There were some eccentric dragons who fell in love with other races, but even their feelings were far from genuine.
After all, no one could match a dragon’s eternal lifespan.
Elves came close, but even they eventually perished, while dragons lived on.
So, how could they possibly feel love for other races?
It was ironic that dragons were called the “Benevolent Race.” But perhaps, simply by choosing not to rule over others with their power, they deserved that title.
But lately, even Yuren’s emotions had begun to crack.
She felt a surge of unpleasantness, even irritation, whenever she saw the women flocking around the commander.
“I didn’t used to feel this way…”
“What are you thinking about?”
“C-Commander!? How did you…?!”
Yuren jumped up in surprise at the commander’s voice from beside her.
He stood there, holding a tray with two steaming cups of tea.
He placed the tray on the desk and handed her a cup.
Yuren carefully took the cup and said,
“Didn’t they say you needed absolute rest?”
“I am injured, but not that badly.”
“I-Is that so? I don’t know much about humans.”
“Right, you’re a dragon.”
Yuren nodded.
Though her heart had ruptured and she almost died, the fact that she didn’t die instantly from a broken heart proved the dragon’s resilience.
Moreover, the Dragon Heart, the source of her power, was slowly healing.
Perhaps in a few years, she would naturally regain the strength of her prime.
But no one questioned it.
After all, she was a dragon.
The strongest race on earth, known as the Benevolent Race.
That was what dragons were.
Compared to them, humans were infinitely fragile.
Even a small wound could be fatal if left untreated.
Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t understand each other.
But even so, Yuren wanted to know more about this human, this commander.
After much deliberation, Yuren finally voiced the question that had been on her mind.
“Y-You can go back now. It’s fine.”
It wasn’t what she truly felt.
She wanted him to stay a little longer but she desperately hid her true feelings.
She was ashamed, but there was something she wanted to hear directly from him.
“Hmm? Seems like you’re doing better than I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was just worried.”
“Worried… worried.”
This human, so much weaker than her, was worried about her.
Some dragons might feel offended, but Yuren didn’t.
Instead, she felt a warmth emanating from those words.
A feeling as if he were embracing her.
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› This text was ripped off from arcanetranslations.com.
› Please only read it on the official website.
); }
Was it the warmth of the teacup in her hand?
Yuren couldn’t tell.
“There you are.”
“Cluna?!”
“…”
“You need to rest. Come, let’s go back.”
Their happiness was short-lived.
Cluna appeared, glaring at the commander.
If Yuren had been her usual self, she would have let the commander go.
That was how dragons were.
They could afford to be endlessly generous.
They would eventually regain what they lost as time passed but for some reason, Yuren found herself saying,
“Didn’t the commander say he didn’t want to go?”
She didn’t want to give him to anyone else this time.
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[Translator Notes]
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