Chapter 29: The Contract of the Dragon Rider

“Excellent! That’s the spirit! Hahaha, the future of the Black Dragon clan rests on your shoulders now.”

The Old Patriarch clapped Theodore on the back, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he gazed at the contract. A wide grin stretched across his face, seemingly unable to close.

‘Perfect. I’ll burn this for the Dragon God in a bit.’

Theodore’s eyes widened in alarm. He had no idea what was written on that contract!

‘Why did this scene feel so familiar? Hadn’t some old geezer just pulled this trick a few days ago?’

He could already feel the power of a contract settling upon his very being. With a stiff expression, he asked, “Old Patriarch, what exactly is that contract?”

“Oh, nothing much. I just wrote down everything you just said, and then I added a few restrictive rules. After all, a contract always needs to be binding, doesn’t it?” Seeing Theodore’s duped expression, the Old Patriarch frowned and asked, “No, don’t tell me none of what you said just now was sincere.”

Having regained his composure, Theodore replied helplessly, “It was sincere, but those sincere words weren’t exactly thought through.”

The Old Patriarch waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Theodore was speechless.

‘I’m the one signing the contract, and you’re the one who tricked me. Of course, you don’t mind!’

The Old Patriarch chuckled heartily. “Usually, words that aren’t thought through are precisely what one truly wants to do. Don’t you want to get revenge on Theresia? Don’t you want to confront her and demand an explanation? Don’t you want to turn the tables and make her understand how you feel?”

“Theodore, it’s perfectly normal for a person to harbor resentment. It’s proof that one is alive. Don’t try to bury that resentment deep inside; it won’t disappear. Instead, it will accumulate, fester, and eventually become uncontrollable, until it turns into an endless feud.”

The Old Patriarch patted Theodore’s shoulder. “What are you still hesitating for? Good morals aren’t a reason for others to harm you. I’m standing behind you; I’ll help you set the boundaries. You just need to do what your heart desires. What do you say, future Dragon Rider?”

Theodore’s ears suddenly perked up. He tentatively inquired, “Can I really do that?”

“If you thought you couldn’t, you wouldn’t have accepted Theresia’s mission. As for my answer, I already gave it to you, didn’t I?” The Old Patriarch flashed a perfect salesman’s smile.

“You must think carefully. That is the only Black Dragon in the entire world. Before Black Dragons became so rare, they were renowned among our Dragon Clan for their immense power. Neither humans, elves, nor dwarves have ever had a Black Dragon as a partner.”

“Once you place a dragon saddle on Theresia, you will be the first human—no, the first Black Dragon Rider in tens of thousands of years since the Dragon Alliance. The annals of human history will dedicate an entire page to you.”

Theodore swallowed hard, his body trembling slightly. The longing in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

He cared nothing for the annals of history; he simply wanted Theresia to become his dragon!

The Old Patriarch struck while the iron was hot. “She’s a rotten dragon. You tried to soften her frozen heart with your tenderness, but she still played you. For such a hateful little beast, you must punish her severely, make her understand the cost of playing you. Only then will she genuinely open up to you. What do you think?”

Theodore nodded in profound agreement, convinced there was indeed merit to his words.

“I understand. Putting everything else aside, being played cannot stand. I will play her back!” Theodore clenched his fists, declaring his resolute intention with resounding clarity, even if it sounded a bit rotten.

But he had been played first.

“Exactly, that’s the spirit.” The Old Patriarch breathed a sigh of relief. If Theodore had backed out, he truly doubted how long they would have to wait for another being accepted by Theresia to appear.

“Since you’re not going to be a doormat, but rather a Dragon Rider at the peak of humanity, you must have the corresponding resolve to bear that weight. Theresia is incredibly powerful; her strength far exceeds her current age. This is both good and bad. Do you understand what I mean?”

Theodore frowned and nodded, saying, “You’re talking about strength that can stand shoulder to shoulder with Theresia, aren’t you?”

“Precisely. Without power, you’re like a rootless duckweed. You saw how that rotten dragon treated me, alas. If I didn’t possess enough power, would she listen to me?”

The Old Patriarch sighed heavily. “Let me show you some of the victims. Come in.”

Thirteen imposing, uniformly golden-clad young elites entered from outside. They stood in a row, like stone statues, before the Old Patriarch and Theodore.

Theodore looked at the unfamiliar men and asked, “Who are these?”

The Old Patriarch solemnly introduced them, “These are the Dragon Clan’s Thirteen Protectors!”

Theodore blinked. “The… what now?”

The Old Patriarch scratched his bald head. “Uh, Theresia came up with the title. I’m not sure what it specifically means, just that. But it’s not important; I’ve gotten used to calling them that, anyway. And these dragons have indeed been trained very effectively by Theresia.”

Theodore was now utterly bewildered. “Hmm?”

“As you know, Theresia is the last Black Dragon of our clan, and the future of the Black Dragon lineage rests on her. So, I hoped she would settle down quickly. I found thirteen young dragons, all within two hundred years of her age, for her to meet in arranged blind dates. Of course, she ultimately chose you.”

A strange sense of accomplishment swelled within Theodore. However, the Old Patriarch glanced at him and added, “Of course, you’ve been used up now, so you could say you’re all brothers in misfortune.”

Theodore’s smile instantly froze. This old dragon certainly knew how to get under one’s skin.

Depressed, Theodore looked at his ‘brothers’ and asked, “What happened to them?”

The Old Patriarch smiled at Theodore. “It’s simple. They tried to soften Theresia with warmth, and then Theresia used her fists to beat them into followers. They even became the vanguard in resisting my rule as the old dragon. Of course, I’ve since corrected them using the same methods.”

“You might not be pleased to hear this, but I brought them here as a precaution, in case you didn’t make it through. Just the thought of it made them anxiously shed scales like crazy for three days. When you successfully endured those three days, they even cried tears of joy. So, do you understand the fate of those without enough strength before Theresia?”

Theodore was speechless.

His gaze swept over each of his ‘brothers.’ The moment their eyes met, he saw gratitude, admiration, and joy.

Though these brothers hadn’t uttered a word about their experiences, everything was understood without speaking.

He suddenly gripped the Old Patriarch’s hands, stating earnestly, “Old Patriarch, I want to possess power!”

The Old Patriarch nodded in satisfaction. “Good, I admire such an ambitious young man. I believe you’ve also noticed your body is stronger than before.”

Theodore looked at his own body, nodding. “Yes, is this the key to my becoming stronger?”

The Old Patriarch shook his head. “No, this is merely a prerequisite for your upcoming enhancements. This is the true key to your strength.”

From his spatial ring, he produced a golden goblet containing golden blood, carefully placing it beside Theodore.

Theodore gazed at the golden blood, even feeling a searing heat emanating from it.

He glanced at the Old Patriarch, inquiring, “Is this… your blood?”

‘Golden Dragons possess golden blood, which is quite logical. And this blood looks as if it’s freshly drawn.’

The Old Patriarch paused for a moment, then scoffed. “You certainly dare to dream. Do you want to be the Dragon Clan’s Old Patriarch too? No, it’s not my blood. This is the blood of a Giant.”

Theodore seemed puzzled. “Giants? What Giants?”

‘The existence of Giants is currently known only to ancient races. Human records of Giants exist solely in fairy tales.’

“An ancient, now extinct race, whose individuals were as powerful as dragons.” The Old Patriarch swirled the golden blood in the cup. “And this is no ordinary blood; it belonged to the most formidable expert of the Giant race. Normally, if you were to drink… no, if you even touched it, you’d melt entirely. You wouldn’t even be qualified to drink it.”

Theodore was speechless.

The Old Patriarch offered reassurance. “Fortunately, time has solved that problem for you. Even the most powerful beings are swallowed by the torrent of time; dragons, Giants, and even gods are no exception. The vitality and power of this bowl of blood have already diminished by 99.9%. You should be able to withstand the remaining 0.1%.”

Theodore suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. “Should be?”

The Old Patriarch nodded. “Don’t worry, it won’t be any worse than those three days you spent with Theresia. Oh, you don’t remember. Never mind, you’ve endured similar pain anyway. Just think of it this way: I’m simply filling that blank part of your memory in another form.”

Theodore absolutely did not want to fill it in that way, but for the sake of his future standing in the family, and to play that rotten dragon and put a saddle on her, Theodore gritted his teeth. “Alright! If I drink this, I’ll become strong, right? When can I find Theresia?”

“Of course, it will also require absorption, digestion, tempering, and further modification of your body. But don’t worry, I’ve already arranged everything.” The Old Patriarch smiled, pointing to the Thirteen Protectors behind him.

“I told them that you are most likely Theresia’s future man. Since they can’t beat Theresia, they might as well take this opportunity to legally and reasonably return the favor on her man. Once you can fight your way out of their hands, you can go find Theresia.”

Theodore’s pupils suddenly constricted. He then noticed that the Thirteen Protectors, who had moments ago seemed like brothers, now looked at him like vengeful spirits seeking retribution.

It appeared his path to strength would not be an easy one.