Chapter 2: The Highest Council That Never Closes

"Sakray, get lost! Stay three meters away from me!" Lancaster waved his hand in disgust.

Damn it, who said dragons were a noble race? Screw that.

This blue dragon was nauseatingly clingy, as slimy as an amoeba.

"How could I do that?" Sakray grasped Lancaster's hand with a look of bliss, placing his other hand over his heart.

"Your Majesty, you are my everything, my breath, my heartbeat. If I'm that far away from you, I will immediately follow Tal. How could you be so cruel? Oh~~ my dear Queen!"

For the first time, Lancaster regretted using the forbidden spell... now he couldn't use any magic at all.

However... his strength was slowly returning.

Without hesitation, he elbowed Sakray's face hard. "Then go die!"

As expected from a dragon, his skin was so tough that Lancaster's hand hurt.

Without even glancing at the man squatting on the ground holding his nose, Lancaster quickened his pace.

"Oh~~ my dear Queen, you're so ruthless." The next second, the man was already beside him.

"Does your hand hurt?" The previous moment's heartbreak instantly turned into deep affection. "My dear Queen?"

Could shape-shifting be a dragon's special skill too? The most comprehensive Fabris Flora and Fauna Almanac must have missed something!

Or maybe this dumb dragon beside him just embodied all the impossible traits?

"As long as your claws don't touch me, I'm perfectly fine."

"Oh~~ my Queen, you can command me to conquer a country or defeat an army, but please don't make me leave your side!"

"For the last time," Lancaster snarled, turning to glare at Sakray, "don't call me Queen."

"Yes, yes, my dear Majesty!" Sakray obediently complied.

"You scoundrel!" A bright ball of light slowly formed in Lancaster's hand. "Go see Tal!"

"Wow, little Lanlan, you're so cruel, hitting me with a lightning orb!" Although Sakray feigned panic and wailed, the lightning orb didn't harm him at all.

That was a mid-to-high-level light magic spell. As expected, it still wasn't enough?

Forget it, Lancaster shook his head.

"What's wrong, my dear Queen? Don't give up so easily." Sakray leaned in close, his hot breath on Lancaster's ear, stirring an odd sensation.

"Get lost!" A huge stone hammer appeared out of nowhere and smashed into Sakray's head, stars dancing before his eyes.

Without a word, he collapsed.

Lancaster dusted off his hands. "Hmph, thinking you can take me on? You're way too early for that!"

"Oh~~ my dear Queen, you're so amazing!" The man lying on the ground had hearts in his eyes.

"Go die!" A big footprint was stamped mercilessly on his face.

"So, where are we headed now?" The man and the dragon had already left the outskirts and entered the borders of the largest city in the Free City, Lolita.

"Obviously to get that bounty from those old fossils," Lancaster rolled his eyes at him.

The Free City didn't operate under an imperial system like other countries. Its structure was extremely loose, with representatives from various guilds selecting a fixed number of members to form the Highest Council as a governing body.

Although there was the rare occurrence of a 700-year-old elder, most of the representatives were over 1,200 years old. Lancaster didn't feel wrong in calling them old geezers.

The two reached the city center of Lolita, where a shabby white building proudly stood among the increasingly luxurious surroundings.

This was the location of the Highest Council.

Lancaster walked up to the bulletin board in front and tore off the most tattered sheet, the writing so faded that only the word Buchilis could barely be made out.

The two pushed open the door and walked in, only to be greeted by a sign.

"Closed for today!" It hung in the hall.

"Bastards, isn't the Free City's Highest Council supposed to be open year-round? How dare they disgrace the 7-ELEVEN sign above their heads? They even claim it's the most famous trademark in the Free City! I'm going to report them to the consumer association!"

Sakray looked up and stumbled.

He chuckled bitterly and tugged at the seemingly enraged Lancaster. "My dear Queen, we can come back tomorrow. Let's go find a place to eat and stay."

"No!" Lancaster shook off his hand. "How are we supposed to eat without that money?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Lancaster knew he had slipped. He awkwardly glanced at Sakray, forcing a couple of dry laughs.

"You don't have any money on you?" Sakray looked at him in disbelief.

Lancaster nodded.

"Not even enough for a meal?"

Another nod.

"Not even a brin?"

Might as well go all in, "Not a single brin, not even a lulin, what about it?" Note: 1 brin = 100 lulin.

"Good heavens, then why did you rush into Lolita? Didn't you see the sign at the city gate? No one with less than 100 brins in assets can enter! Oh~~ my dear Queen, you are truly brave!"

By the end, Sakray's face was filled with admiration once again.

"So what? I'll have 10,000 brins soon!" Lancaster raised his head proudly.

"But right now?"

Silence.

"Never mind, let's go!" Sakray grabbed his hand and started walking toward the door.

"Wait, we haven't gotten the money yet!"

"Let's go, let's go." Sakray half-dragged and half-pulled Lancaster out of the Highest Council's door.