Chapter 70: A Feast of Politics and Dragons

The Pope observed Theodore and Theresia.

Honestly, the Pope was quite curious about Theodore. Back when Theodore had been severely injured, the church had, naturally, taken the opportunity to conduct an operation focused primarily on treatment, with research as a secondary objective.

Initially, they had assumed Theodore was a bloodline possessor similar to the barbarians. However, after examination, it was discovered that less than 1% of Theodore’s current genes were human.

The remaining 99% belonged to an unknown race. (The Giant race had been extinct for too long; no actual documented records of its existence remained after the Human Unified Empire).

This unknown race possessed a physique comparable to dragons and an amount of magic power no weaker than a dragon’s. All the researchers were ecstatic at the time.

Yet, what troubled the researchers was the almost perfect nature of this Giant race’s genes, comparable to that of dragons. Such excessive perfection meant that any slight alteration would lead to a complete collapse.

In-depth research would require a significant amount of time and various kinds of experiments. Unfortunately, Theodore woke up just three days later, despite researchers estimating that such severe injuries should have left him unconscious for at least a month.

His recovery ability was exceptional, even without the dragons’ hard scales. Thus, the Pope immediately halted the research.

He also had the individuals who attempted to inject Theodore with large doses of sleeping draughts secretly locked away. After learning that this matter was connected to Dragon Island, further research was out of the question, unless they wished to completely erase all traces of Theodore and his companions from their records.

Considering that Theodore and Theresia were both at the Holy Light Church’s headquarters, it wasn’t impossible to wipe the slate clean.

The problem was that they didn’t know why Theodore and Theresia had appeared at the Holy Light Church’s weapon testing grounds, nor did they know if the Dragon Race was aware of the whereabouts of these individuals.

Even if they didn’t know, the Pope had reason to believe the Dragon Race was frantically searching for them. This was because next to Theodore lay a sleeping beauty, Theresia, a black dragon.

It was widely known that dragons were an endangered species, and black dragons were among the most critically endangered. Even if this wasn’t a living dragon, or even a black dragon, the Dragon Race would still come to investigate, with compensation not being an optional offer.

Since the establishment of the Continental Council, the Dragon Race had put forward a regulation: as one of the member races, dragon corpses deserved respect and peaceful rest, rather than being dismembered, shattered, and used as weapons, armor, or other materials.

The examples they cited were quite reasonable. They argued that other three races, as highly intelligent beings, would never use the bodies of their own kind for such purposes. Such an act would be considered heretical, so why should dragons be an exception?

Thus, the regulation passed without incident. From then on, the Dragon Race began to reclaim dragon corpses, expecting a certain amount of compensation.

If the other races were uncooperative, it would signify that they didn’t respect the Council and its founding four races. A decade or so later, the elite adult dragon corps would come knocking, so it was best to remember that this was a demand, not a request.

Only a few major powers could truly contend with the Dragon Race, and those few were all members of the Council. Therefore, unless the Holy Light Church believed it could overthrow the Council, it was best to respect certain taboos.

Especially since the Holy Light Church had already made a foolish mistake during the Unified Empire era. Otherwise, their archenemy, the Aral Empire, would be laughing in their dreams.

Consequently, the Holy Light Church generously granted Theodore, Theresia, and the others their freedom and properly settled them. However, it was impossible for the church not to be curious about the Dragon Race.

Regrettably, Theodore remained tight-lipped, and no useful information could be extracted from him. The church had initially thought that since Theodore could return to his normal human size and form, they might be able to persuade him to stay or something similar.

However, after some probing, they found him elusive. He was either busy looking after dragons or on his way to look after them, so their efforts ultimately proved fruitless.

Perhaps, with this opportunity, the Holy Light Church could further advance its relationship with the Aral Empire and Dragon Island. Moria had stayed with the church for centuries, not for the sake of the church itself, but because the Pope at the time was a close friend of Moria’s.

After that Pope passed away, Moria returned to Dragon Island and never contacted the church again. However, it wasn’t as though the Holy Light Church and the Dragon Race’s relationship hadn’t improved; recovering from animosity to a normal state could be considered an improvement, couldn’t it?

The Pope then shifted his gaze to the next person.

Next was Lola, though the little head beside her kept sending soft chuckles towards Reinhard.

Alicia sat beside Lola.

Lola suddenly startled awake, still looking around hesitantly.

Seeing this, the Pope reminded her, “Lola, you must also pay more attention to your health. That’s wonderful. Why don’t you go back and rest after dinner?”

Lola, sporting two dark circles under her eyes, said, “Thank you for your concern, Your Holiness, but I must continue to dedicate myself to my research.”

“It’s not good for an elf to work themselves to the point of collapsing.”

The Pope shook his head.

The elf said, “If you collapse, your mother has instructed me to find someone to take you away. Then I’d have no one to explain it to.”

“Ah? Take me away? No, I won’t go. I want to stay here. This place is full of such adorable (and easily tricked) elves!” Lola declared vigorously, laughing.

The smile on the Pope’s face deepened.

“As long as your mother agrees, of course you can stay, for as long as you wish.”

Lola’s eyes lit up. She truly loved this place. The people of the Holy See were kind, there were abundant materials, and so many laboratories for her research.

This was simply a legendary sanctuary! “I’ve decided. This afternoon, I’ll write an application. I’ll apply to stay for a hundred years first.”

If the Pope knew Lola’s plan, he would undoubtedly prioritize her training. Lola, if not the next Pope, would at least be groomed for the role of a Saintess.

****

Next, the Pope looked at Aesop, who was meticulously peeling and savoring his meal.

“Aesop, thank you for your trouble today. You were responsible for preparing the dishes for this banquet.”

Aesop shook his head like a rattle-drum, quickly replying, “No trouble at all. The ingredients provided by the Holy See are not only fresh, but many of them I’ve seen for the first time. When I touched them with my hands, the feeling… wow~”

Aesop looked utterly enraptured. He was so engrossed in the ingredients that he almost mistook them for the Pope.

But even so, whether the Pope was the approver or not, in his sect, he had guided countless priests, from the lowest apprentices upwards.

The Pope chuckled, teasing, “You’re too obsessed. You’ve stolen all the work from the Holy See’s chefs. It’s so shameful I should have them disqualified from making the Holy Communion, ha ha ha!”

Aesop gave an awkward laugh.

It was mainly because he had, for the first time in his life, access to the highest-grade kitchenware, the latest equipment, and top-tier ingredients. Once he started cooking, he simply couldn’t stop.

While the church chefs were also highly skilled, in Aesop’s opinion, they focused too much on achieving a balance of color, aroma, and taste. He truly wanted to showcase his skills to his peers at this banquet and inspire them.

However, it seemed he had caused some misunderstandings. “I will try to be more restrained.”

The Pope nodded. Aesop’s bloodline was quite rare, and it didn’t seem to be normally inherited. Theoretically, Aesop’s bloodline implied that either his mother or father belonged to another race.

However, the presence of a father from this particular race was unusual. While the human genetic template wasn’t omnipotent, it wasn’t completely incompatible with every race either.

Therefore, some extreme individuals, in their quest to acquire the bloodline powers of species with reproductive isolation, would conduct inhumane experiments. The survival rate of these experiments was extremely low. Yet, Aesop had survived, a testament to his resilience.

The Pope turned his gaze to Alicia, who was elegantly eating pastries beside Aesop.

“Alicia, is your father doing better now?”

Alicia was the princess of the barbarian tribes, and the Pope had some dealings with the Barbarian King.

Alicia put down her fork, giving the Pope a clear smile, and softly said, “Thank you for sending the priest. Honestly, I never thought you’d be able to persuade him to accept treatment for his illness.”

‘He always said he relied on his ‘face’ to get by, but I guess even he couldn’t hold out forever. But the Pope isn’t someone who just sits in his office every day. He has a unique religious belief, and his heart has become incredibly resilient. It’s good as long as he’s happy. But don’t complain to me that you always steal their jobs and make them unemployed.’

“Ha ha ha!”

The Holy See’s kitchen indeed offered the highest-grade ingredients he had ever encountered in his life. ‘Don’t even mention your headaches; I also listened. When are you preparing to return?’ The Pope’s eyes darkened as he suggestively glanced at Aesop, saying, ‘Remember to call me then.’

Alicia’s elegance was more genuine and natural than Theresia’s temporary disguise. It was ingrained in her bones. She demurely said, regarding the quantity, “You won’t have to wait long, Your Holiness. You must come then.”

At this moment, only Larkin was left among the ‘unlucky’ team members. From the moment his teammates were questioned one by one, Larkin knew his fate was sealed; he, too, would be called upon to speak.

Therefore, his current expression was one of profound peace. Yes, peace, the kind that comes from having already seen through the mundane world and accepted life and death.

In this state, Larkin felt that his entire spirit had been sublimated; he had become fearless. “Larkin, you look like a devout ascetic of the church, as if you’ve returned from a successful cultivation. It seems your time studying at the church has benefited you greatly. If your father knew, he would surely be very pleased.”

The Pope’s light remark instantly pulled Larkin from the clouds back to hell. ‘Don’t spout nonsense! He didn’t! If his father heard this, he wouldn’t just be disowned; he’d be completely erased from the family tree!’

The Pope looked at Larkin, who was suddenly trembling as if he’d been thrown into an arctic glacier, and chuckled, “Larkin, you don’t need to be so nervous. While your father and I have some minor ideological differences, we wouldn’t extend that disagreement to the next generation.”

Larkin forced a smile and said, “Of course, I believe in your uprightness, Your Holiness. The Holy See has also felt your goodwill.”

Before Larkin could truly relax, the Pope casually threw out a crucial question: “Are you like your father described you? Idle, ignorant of state affairs, and so on.”

Larkin stammered, “…Uh, well, personally, I’m not very familiar with His Majesty’s assessment of the City of Light.”

The Pope maintained his smile and said, “Indeed. The Emperor has been very busy with state affairs since his ascension and has never visited here. This has always been my regret. If we could sit down and talk properly, many issues might not be unresolved now.”

“Ah ha ha, my father has indeed been very busy with state affairs since his ascension. If you have time, he would certainly be very willing to visit the City of Light. Of course, the Holy See also warmly welcomes His Majesty the Pope to visit the imperial capital.”

Hmph, ‘Do you really think I’m just a naive young man? What if you dare to go to the enemy’s stronghold?’

“Really? That would be wonderful! I’ve always wanted to go, but I wasn’t sure about the Emperor’s attitude. With your words, I can rest assured.”

Larkin’s smile instantly stiffened. The Pope then added, “Then, Larkin, shall we discuss when to accompany His Majesty the Emperor to the imperial capital? What about tomorrow? Is this your true intention?”

Larkin was shocked. The Pope further explained, “Of course, if Larkin, you can persuade your father to visit the City of Light and experience its atmosphere, that would be even better. After all, your father has many misunderstandings about this place.”

Larkin, wiping cold sweat from his forehead, said, “This… that… it’s a bit difficult. However, once I return to my father’s side, I will definitely try my best to persuade him.”

“That’s fine then. We’ll persuade him together tomorrow and then I’ll pay a visit to the imperial capital.”

Larkin, who had suddenly been dragged onto a pirate ship, felt a strange sense of familiarity. ‘Why does he always get involved with others in such odd ways after leaving the imperial capital?!’

Theresia rapidly devoured the food on the table. After sleeping for an entire month and expending considerable energy during her recovery, she momentarily understood Catherine’s usual behavior.

The speed at which she emptied plates far exceeded the serving rate. Theresia’s small mouth, though not opening wide each time, moved with an elegant yet lightning-fast frequency.

Theresia swallowed without chewing. Theodore suspected she simply inhaled the small pieces of food into her stomach. If that terrifying suction were applied to a bag, it would surely be emptied.

Theresia licked her lips, still unsatisfied. The remaining dishes were too far away, and if she wanted more, she would have to break her current facade as a Holy Dragon.

She represented the dignity of the Dragon Race now, so she could only let her stomach suffer a little. ‘I have sacrificed too much for the Dragon Race.’

Theresia’s gaze flickered towards Theodore, who had just taken quite a few dishes from her. At this moment, everyone else’s attention was focused on the Pope and Larkin.

Perhaps. Theresia wiped her mouth, leaned closer to Theodore’s ear, and curiously asked, “Why isn’t Larkin Emperor yet? Could it be that his father is the Emperor? The Aral Empire’s tenth prince isn’t only from the strongest human nation, is he?”

Theresia stealthily extended her knife and fork towards Theodore’s plate. She had initially been so elegant and refined, yet now she clicked her tongue and marveled, “Are you still counting on the Old Patriarch’s arrangements? I knew that magic armor was unusual. How did you get it so smoothly?”

Theodore chuckled, “It was custom-made specifically for a Dragon Elder like you. If the Old Patriarch makes unreasonable demands, I’ll just go back and demand that from him.”

Theresia suddenly understood, staring at Theodore with amusement, “This was made by humans, what do you think?” At that moment, she swiftly retracted her knife and fork, now piled high with food. Theresia glanced at her but said nothing.

“Makes sense. Or if he refuses, I’ll just steal it from him.”

Theresia then said, “Theresia, look at this female dragon. She hasn’t even taken off her nun’s habit yet. Can a dragon like this really function without proper guidance?”

Theodore looked at her, beyond words. It was as if this ‘evil dragon’ had been plotting against his teammates from the very beginning of her elegant demeanor. Her true purpose in joining his team was actually for him and Lola.

Theodore hadn’t realized that the conversation wasn’t over. This topic was a tease, as if Theodore had offended her quite deeply this month. She hadn’t held out much hope, and Theresia smiled contentedly.

This was because the Holy Alliance and the Aral Empire put a lot of pressure on Larkin, so this helped alleviate that pressure.

Theodore’s pupils contracted. His food wouldn’t just disappear for no reason, would it?! Theresia quickly emptied the food from the knife and fork she had just extended towards Theodore’s plate. Theresia, beside him, had finished.

Theodore looked at Theresia, his face lined with dark thoughts. ‘Suddenly, it’s about me and Lola? She actually has a good impression of our great Black Dragon King?’

He saw her knife and fork neatly arranged, sitting primly at the table, her face radiating a saintly innocence that completely belied her identity as a food thief.

Theresia looked at Theresia, speechless. ‘You have such hard scales, why do you still…’

Theresia returned a sweet smile, saying, “What’s wrong, Theodore? Why aren’t you eating? Aren’t you hungry?”

“It’s nothing. However, Theresia,” Theodore said, “From now on, I will definitely work hard to make sure you’re full, full in every sense of the word.”

After arranging his own knife and fork, Theodore looked at Theresia with an equally sweet smile.

Theresia sneered inwardly, ‘Cannot even protect his own food! A loser only knows how to rage impotently. Catherine is stronger than you!’

Theodore couldn’t help but retort, “Truly unappreciative of good fortune.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Theresia decisively ended the topic, swallowing the last bite of food from Theodore’s plate. By the time the dinner party was nearing its end, Theodore…

“He’s just here to foster good relations with you, the Elf Race, and the Aral Empire, not merely for political cooperation.”

Theodore shook his head. He officially proposed to the Pope. Theodore lowered his head, preparing to enjoy the food he had painstakingly hidden.

The Pope readily agreed, stating that not only Dragon Island but all contacts would be opened. Lola had cultivated good relations; recently, the Dragon Race, Elf Race, and Aral Empire, who had long been at odds, were now called upon to establish contact with Dragon Island.

Theresia’s eyes gleamed, “Goodwill of different types is guaranteed to be maxed out!”

“Such utilitarian goodwill, this evil dragon, truly unappreciative of good fortune. I’ll give you a set, you know.”

“He’s just here to improve relations with the elves and the Aral Empire.”

However, that was for tomorrow. Today was the Holy Alliance’s annual Festival of Light, and the entire City of Light was enveloped in a celebratory atmosphere. Therefore, the Pope told them to put all thoughts aside for the day and simply enjoy the festival.

Theresia smiled contentedly, only to find that the plate, once overflowing with food, now had its smooth bottom reflecting her face. The church provided ample funds for them to spend.

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Theodore and the others accepted.

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