Chapter 94: The Holy Dragon’s Departure and the Lingering Disputes

Alicia and Aesop had no means of communication; the barbarian tribes possessed no communication crystals, nor did they have anyone capable of using them. As for Aesop, he no longer had anyone worth communicating with.

Yet, they were far from idle. To truly revolutionize the barbarians’ way of life, they first had to surmount the formidable obstacles posed by Alicia’s elders.

While the fundamental strategy of conquering their palates with Aesop’s exquisite cuisine had been established, its practical implementation proved anything but simple.

After all, this was not an anime where food could magically ‘burst clothes’ or be ‘drugged’ for instant conquest. The path to winning over the barbarians through gastronomy was long and arduous, demanding years of persistent effort.

Alicia understood this perfectly, having already prepared herself for a protracted struggle. As for whether Aesop had fully grasped the scope, Alicia blindly guessed he likely hadn’t quite realized it.

But that was perfectly fine. As Aesop’s fiancée, she would meticulously handle all these trivial matters for him. Aesop merely needed to focus on devising ever more enticing culinary delights.

Everyone had a bright future ahead, and that was truly a wonderful thing.

****

Neither Lola’s blatant probes nor Larkin’s fervent requests for the ‘Dragon’s Title’ had any bearing on the arrangements Theresia and Theodore had made for the coming month.

Take, for instance, Theresia’s application to become a Holy Dragon.

Unable to fully believe that a black dragon could be so smoothly ‘coaxed’ into serving as a Holy Dragon, the Pope, for once, allowed his thoughts to wander, even going so far as to summon Alicia for a detailed psychological analysis of Theresia.

Theresia knew the Pope had misunderstood, yet she felt that openly admitting her desire to be a Holy Dragon was, in some ways, rather shameless.

It was one thing to be shameless in front of acquaintances, the dying, or the dead; it was an entirely different matter to be so before strangers.

Thus began Theresia’s month-long, drawn-out negotiation with the Church, which, in its brevity, finally exploded.

Finally, on the day before their departure, Alicia, having spent a month as a messenger, herded Theresia and the Pope into an office. She locked the door, then resolved the world’s problems with just two sentences.

“Theresia, the Church wishes for you to become a Holy Dragon. Do you accept?”

“Uh, Alicia, you know I am a black dragon. My ancestors committed numerous heinous acts, but I am not like those dragons who sought their own demise.”

“Excellent, Your Holiness. Theresia has agreed to become the Holy Dragon,” Alicia interjected, her voice devoid of emotion.

“Theresia agreed?” the Pope asked, taken aback.

“How about we hold the Holy Dragon coronation ceremony this afternoon?” Alicia continued, ignoring the Pope and addressing Theresia directly.

“So suddenly?” Theresia inquired, surprised.

“Unless, Theresia, you wish to change tomorrow’s itinerary. Do you?” Alicia pressed on, her expression unwavering.

“Uh, no, that won’t be necessary,” Theresia replied.

‘Changing it would be inconvenient.’

“Very well. The ceremony will be held at two o’clock this afternoon in the Plaza of Light. Let us begin preparations now. The specific arrangements are as follows, Your Eminence, please take note.”

Alicia issued her instructions to the Pope with powerful authority.

“Oh, oh, alright!” The Pope hastily searched for paper and a pen.

“Theresia, your arrangements are also included. Please note them down as well.”

Theresia, too, followed in the Pope’s footsteps.

Subsequently, under the formidable leadership of Lady Alicia, Theresia became a Holy Dragon on the day before her departure.

Joyous congratulations echoed throughout the land, and the Holy City rejoiced.

****

Then, the very next day, the esteemed Holy Dragon was scheduled to leave.

Before the teleportation array, the Pope and other dignitaries had specifically gathered to bid farewell to Theresia and her companions.

Such a grand send-off left everyone feeling overwhelmed and flattered. Moreover, each group present displayed a distinct personality.

“And now, I present the Unrequited Love Group!”

Alicia embraced Theresia tightly, her eyes brimming with reluctance.

“Theresia, you’ve only just become a Holy Dragon. Are you truly not planning to stay a little longer? We could work hard together!”

While yesterday’s Alicia had been terrifyingly dragon-like, today’s Alicia had reverted to her usual self—a stunning beauty radiating immense warmth and healing energy. Being held so tightly by such a gentle soul was incredibly comforting, far more pleasant than being hugged by Theodore!

Yet, upon hearing Alicia’s words, Theresia shivered involuntarily.

Throughout the past month, while Theresia had been exhausted by the constant back-and-forth with the Pope, their daily negotiations were brief, lasting only about ten minutes. This short duration was more than enough to send the Pope’s imagination soaring for an entire day.

Initially, Theresia had spent the rest of her time sparring with Aturu.

It was then that she truly grasped the terrifying power of those at the pinnacle of strength. As a newly adult black dragon, she was thoroughly thrashed. If she had to describe it, it was like a child who had just learned to run encountering an eighteen-year-old street thug.

She could inflict some damage, but only a minuscule amount.

In her desperation, Theresia then turned to Alicia for help.

Indeed, Alicia wouldn’t relentlessly push her to endure more beatings, nor would she scold her for swinging her dragon tail like a fawn or pawing the ground with her dragon claws.

She would even offer warm words of concern and comforting hugs.

But!

This was absolutely no reason to make her work overtime from four in the morning until ten at night, seven days a week!

Witnessing Alicia, who, despite enduring a hellish work schedule, remained abnormally energetic—even believing she could push harder and carve out more time from sleep—Theresia even began to suspect that Alicia was the true dragon.

On Aturu’s training ground, Theresia could at least confidently abandon Theodore to his solitary plight. But with Alicia, whenever Theresia attempted to sneak away, the saintess would invariably appear before her at the most opportune moment, her back radiating a golden holy light, and her irresistible smile would draw Theresia right back.

With a forced smile, Theresia said, “While I truly wish I could stay longer, the Old Patriarch’s mission is urgent. I genuinely cannot afford to delay even a moment.”

Alicia expressed her understanding and said with anticipation, “Mm-hmm, you absolutely must come again next time!”

“Next time, for sure!” Theresia promised earnestly, mentally resolving that ‘next time’ would be when she met Alicia at her grave. A Holy Dragon’s duty was to spread its radiance abroad, not to be cooped up in an office!

Meanwhile, a bruised and battered Theodore gripped Aturu’s hand tightly, asking with profound reluctance, “Teacher, are you truly not coming with us? I promise there are even stronger dragons there for you to ‘touch.'”

Aturu forcefully pried Theodore’s hand away. He never wanted to be a teacher a second time in his life.

Theodore was not foolish; he learned quickly and was incredibly diligent. However, for Aturu, he was perhaps a little *too* diligent.

With the boundless energy of his giant heritage, Theodore would arrive at three in the morning to demand training, sometimes keeping Aturu at it until ten at night.

If it were merely simple sparring, Aturu would have been quite pleased.

But Theodore was clearly not there just to be beaten. Just as Aturu was getting into the swing of things, Theodore would call a halt to ask how certain techniques were executed, why a particular attack was made, or how Aturu had anticipated his next move.

For Aturu, it was like being on the verge of, well, you know, *that*, only to be abruptly stopped with a ‘whoosh.’ He never wanted to teach another disciple again.

“No,” Aturu began, wanting to say he couldn’t act without the Pope’s orders, but realizing the Pope might not side with him, he changed tack. “I have a premonition that I am about to achieve a breakthrough. For a long time, I will need to seek my own opportunity. We can discuss it again once I find it.”

His friend, Albert, glanced at Aturu. ‘If you keep breaking through, what will be left of you?’ he thought. However, Aturu had been tormented for a month, and Albert decided it was best not to add fuel to the fire, choosing to remain silent.

So, were there any farewells marked by mutual eagerness?

Yes!

Lola and the researchers from the institute clasped their hands together tightly.

The reluctance and lingering affection in their eyes needed no words to express.

Despite Lola blowing up the laboratory every three days, she had indeed introduced groundbreaking elven technology. In the eyes of the researchers, those explosions were merely necessary losses for technological advancement.

After all, it wasn’t their money!

The Pope himself had declared that he would reimburse all losses caused by Lola in the laboratory!

It wouldn’t be deducted from their research funds!

The researchers had not felt such freedom in a long time; every expense was covered by the Pope. But now Lola was leaving, and, predictably, this perk would be canceled starting today.

They would once again return to their lives of meager resources and austerity.

The Pope, on the other hand, let out a long sigh of relief. During the month Lola was present, Albert had appeared every few days with huge stacks of bills and a grim expression, seeking him out. His difficult days were finally over.

‘Speaking of which, if I can perform exceptionally well in diplomacy during the upcoming imperial visit and ease the tension with the Aral Empire slightly, perhaps the research budget could be increased a little?’

Thinking this, the Pope was filled with renewed determination for his upcoming journey to the Empire.

****

And now, for the third group: the Tense Standoff Group.

Even at this moment of departure, Larkin and the assembled bishops, along with Aesop and the Church’s chefs, had not ceased their debates for a single moment. After receiving profound enlightenment from his father, Larkin’s previous doubts about the Empire’s truth vanished, and his combat effectiveness instantly soared to twenty thousand.

He was utterly transformed from the previous month; ‘Before my father’s guidance, I was timid; after my father’s endorsement, I struck with full force.’

The bishops, meanwhile, felt that their month of diligent effort had sown a seed in Larkin’s heart, one that, with their continued cultivation, would surely blossom and shine.

Therefore, even now, they tirelessly continued their arguments with Larkin.

On the other side, the Holy Light Church’s team of chefs, whose culinary philosophies and styles differed from Aesop’s, were engaged in a fierce cooking showdown.

Indeed, to determine a victor, they had even brought their magical cooking utensils and ingredients to the teleportation hall. With a palpable air of rivalry, they cooked right up until their departure, attempting to conquer each other with their dishes.

Alicia, upholding the principles of fairness and impartiality, served as their judge.

Though entangled in a web of grievances and bonds, time waited for no one; they still had to part ways.

The group stepped onto the teleportation array together, preparing to leave.

As the light of the teleportation array flashed, Theresia and her companions vanished from the grand hall.

And at this moment, the Clown, observing the scene from afar through a magic mirror, revealed a triumphant smile, certain of victory.

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