Chapter 36: The Patriarch’s Scheme and Theodore’s Pursuit

The Patriarch’s office on Dragon Island was an impressive sight.

It was a colossal structure, especially when compared to human architecture, resembling an awe-inspiring mountain peak.

Its resplendent, golden architecture perfectly suited the dragons’ aesthetic tastes. Inside, every piece of furniture and structural design was meticulously crafted to accommodate their immense forms.

Humans walking through it would inevitably feel utterly insignificant, dwarfed by their surroundings.

“Patriarch, Theodore has already departed.”

The elder dragon, whom Theresia referred to as the Director of the Birth Office, was one of the six most powerful ministers in the Dragon Race. Holding a position of immense authority, he managed the dragons’ territories, farmlands, census, and taxation.

The Old Patriarch had not kept Theodore’s matter a secret from his trusted confidantes.

While initially astonished, the other dragons soon had an epiphany after a single remark from the Old Patriarch.

“Otherwise, what? How many dragon eggs could a human, with a lifespan of only a few hundred years, contribute to our race?”

Indeed, it made perfect sense.

“Besides, even preserved in the Holy Grail, that Giant’s Blood is nearing its expiration. Among all existing races, humans are the most likely to accommodate the Giant’s bloodline. Won’t it be even better to let that boy drink it, and once he matures, have him offer us several large barrels of fresher blood?”

Pure-blooded humans, compared to Dwarves, Elves, and Dragons, possessed the lowest racial stats and growth potential. It seemed they were entirely outclassed by other races in every aspect, save for their reproductive capabilities.

(Never mind creativity; when it comes to creativity, no one is more inventive than the Dwarves. The Dwarf Empire once pulled off truly monumental feats.)

Yet, pure-blooded humans possessed a unique trait absent in all other races: their exceptional bloodline compatibility.

When humans and Dwarves procreated, they bore short-statured individuals with Dwarf blood. With Elves, they produced Half-Elves carrying Elven blood. If the mother was human, enduring copulation with a dragon could even result in the birth of a Half-Dragon.

Though a dragon mother could only give birth to dragons, this compatibility was already astonishing.

Bloodlines among other races harbored an inherent rift, making coexistence impossible. Not only could they not produce offspring, but even embryonic cells were incapable of forming.

The Dragon Race had once researched this phenomenon, concluding that human bloodlines were incredibly primitive, retaining their initial, unevolved state.

Just as when the world was born, the bloodlines of all races began from the same starting line. These were the original bloodlines. Later, influenced by environmental factors, divine intervention, and the organisms’ own traits, these primitive bloodlines began to evolve and change.

They branched out like a tree, growing vigorously in their respective directions, evolving their own unique characteristics and forms. Among them, the Dragon and Giant races evolved into the most robust and perfect forms.

Humans, however, were the exact opposite. Their bloodlines seemed to have not evolved at all, or perhaps only developed a negligible fraction.

Thus, humans retained the potential to develop into any branch.

While they have now nearly lost the ability to self-evolve into other branches, this very trait allowed humans to develop into other branches through external factors.

It was like a basin of clear water: drip any color of ink into it, and it would quickly be dyed that color. But if the water itself already had another color, re-dyeing it would be exceedingly difficult.

In short, the Patriarch’s explanation had all the dragon ministers exclaiming his brilliance.

The Old Patriarch lifted his draconic head, gazing at his minister. “Leopold, you seem quite pleased,” he remarked.

If Leopold had previously held any reservations about Theodore, the young man, now infused with Giant’s Blood, had become his darling treasure. He gesticulated wildly as he exclaimed, “Of course, Old Patriarch! This could very well lead to the rebirth of the Giant Dragon Knight, a terrifying existence long thought lost since the Dragon-Giant Alliance!”

The Old Patriarch stroked his beard. “Indeed, a Giant Dragon Knight. The world has likely forgotten this dreadful existence. We dared not attempt it before, but now we finally have the means to pass on the Giant’s Blood.”

Leopold excitedly inquired, “Should we offer Theodore more support? Perhaps funding or intelligence?”

The Old Patriarch shook his head. “No, I’ve already provided him with ample starting capital. There will be no further free provisions unless absolutely necessary.”

Leopold asked, puzzled, “Aren’t we supposed to advance his relationship with Theresia?”

The Old Patriarch, with a seasoned expression, replied, “Their relationship is already intimate enough. Otherwise, why would Theresia directly erase three years of Theodore’s memories? It was precisely because of her reluctance to part that she sought a clean break. Too much interference would only make Theresia perceive Theodore as a puppet manipulated by us, causing unnecessary rejection.”

“Given their strength and intelligence, they don’t require excessive attention from us. Besides, a couple’s feelings warm up much faster when they share hardships. After all these years with me, why do you still not understand?”

Leopold spoke with admiration, “Truly, my foresight pales in comparison to yours, Old Patriarch. It’s no wonder you lead us as Patriarch, guiding us to such glory.”

The Old Patriarch leaned back in his chair, thoroughly pleased, his dragon tail flicking with self-satisfaction. His demeanor was uncannily similar to Theresia’s when she got carried away; it was clear he had indeed raised her.

“I’ve instilled Theodore with an overwhelming desire for revenge. Just watch, he will never let go of Theresia. This is no longer merely a matter of romantic affection, hahahaha!”

****

The Montoire Teleportation Array.

As a structure capable of achieving ultra-long-distance teleportation in an extremely short time, it was, to be honest, not frequently used.

While it offered speed, high security, and strong practicality, its price was exorbitantly steep. Each teleportation consumed vast amounts of magic, and its daily upkeep, repairs, and maintenance made the array a veritable gold-devouring beast.

Consequently, in human nations, only the most crucial towns boasted such a facility. Montoire, the City of Labyrinths, was naturally one of them.

The teleportation array glowed once more after several tens of days. A brawny man, over two meters tall, stepped out of the array—this man was Theodore.

Just as dragons could assume human forms, Theodore could also compress his physique, though two meters was his absolute limit.

“Esteemed guest, welcome to Montoire. I am your receptionist. If you require, I can…”

Before Theodore could even acclimate to his surroundings, a neatly dressed receptionist swiftly approached, introducing himself and detailing the various convenient services he could provide. After all, in human society, those who could afford to use a teleportation array were either wealthy or noble. If the guest was a stranger, it could bring significant revenue and connections to the teleportation center.

“I wish to inquire about the whereabouts of a… person.”

Having lived among dragons for too long, Theodore nearly said ‘dragon.’ According to his intelligence, Theresia was currently disguised as a human, having become a renowned labyrinth explorer.

The attendant immediately responded, “Our information network spans all of Montoire. Simply provide a small service fee for whoever you wish to find, and we will promptly deliver all available intelligence on that person.”

“Money is not an issue.” Theodore had already received a substantial amount of funds from the Patriarch for his mission to ‘conquer’ Theresia. These funds, ironically, had been extorted by the Old Patriarch from Theresia herself.

Using Theresia’s own money to pursue Theresia—tsk, the double pleasure of getting something for free.

“That person has a nickname: ‘The Most Wicked Dragon.’ They should be quite famous in Montoire.”

Theodore felt helpless about the title. However, to humans, the more ‘dragon’ was in one’s title, the less they believed that person was an actual dragon. A title with ‘dragon’ usually served to proclaim one’s power was no less than a dragon’s.

A genuine dragon wouldn’t bother with such an unnecessary flourish; wouldn’t a title like ‘Fourth Scourge’ be far more imposing?

“Ah, that esteemed individual!” The attendant paused, then quickly replied, “They are a prominent figure in Montoire, a strong explorer who has led teams to conquer the 99th floor of the labyrinth. They are the focus of attention for all major organizations.”

The attendant finished speaking and then paused, waiting. Only after Theodore placed a handful of gold coins onto the attendant’s tray did the attendant break into a sweet smile. “Please wait in the VIP area, I will fetch the information you require immediately.”

After savoring a glass of fine wine in the VIP lounge, the attendant hurried back, bringing the news Theodore desired. He spoke with a hint of excitement.

“The Most Wicked Dragon, along with their exploration team, departed for the 100th floor of the labyrinth at 8 AM this morning. Based on their previous two expeditions, they should return to the surface in about four months.”

Theodore frowned slightly. He was more than seven hours behind.

“If I were to enter the labyrinth now, how long would it take to catch up to them, given the fastest labyrinth exploration speed you know of?”

“Ah?” The attendant was initially taken aback, then looked at Theodore’s imposing physique, assuming he was another helper hired by The Most Wicked Dragon for the labyrinth, albeit a late one.

“If it had been six hours ago, it would likely take only a day, as the labyrinth’s monsters and traps wouldn’t have reset yet. Now, however, it’s difficult to estimate, as we don’t know how long The Most Wicked Dragon’s team will spend on each floor.”

Two choices lay before Theodore: either continue waiting in Montoire or pursue Theresia’s exploration team.

If he was only seven hours behind, and if he could surpass Theresia’s team in the initial breakthroughs, he might reach the floors already cleared by Theresia before the reset time. At that point, the main concern would be residual traps, and their progress speed would significantly increase.

Theodore conveyed his requirements to the attendant: “I need to catch up to The Most Wicked Dragon as quickly as possible.”

“Your proposed plan is theoretically feasible. However, The Most Wicked Dragon has already hired away the best explorers. Catching up before the reset time will not be easy.”

“Money is not an issue. Find me the most experienced labyrinth explorers still available in Montoire; I want to conduct interviews. Of course, if your agency feels its capabilities are insufficient, I believe there are others in Montoire willing to take on this task.”

Having money certainly gave one a strong voice. Theodore profoundly understood this, and the attendant immediately replied, “Please allow me to communicate with my superiors.”

Theodore didn’t have to wait long. The agency agreed to his request and promised to gather the most elite adventurers currently in Montoire within an hour for Theodore to screen. He then dismissed those who tried to lower the mission requirements, clearly only there to earn some easy gold.

Ultimately, an adventurer named Aesop, a pugilist named Alicia, a purple-haired mature magic user named Samuel, and a very wealthy young noble named Larkin entered Theodore’s view.

After listening to Theodore describe the mission requirements, these four showed unwavering determination, with no hint of hesitation. The burning fighting spirit in their eyes reminded Theodore of his own desire for revenge against Theresia.

Theodore leaned forward, hands clasped into fists before him, and spoke in a deep voice, “If you don’t mind, I need to ask for your reasons for undertaking this task. This mission will not be easy; we must explore the labyrinth at an extremely rapid pace, and the accompanying risks will be far greater than a normal expedition.”