26 Cerulean Dragon, Aqua

The "Elder" Dragon arrived at the front gate of the capital and slowly landed, making a small earthquake despite its efforts to be gentle. He lifted his massive claw up too his back and gently set the two women down with extraordinary care.

The capital of Alvestine, Inasron, was leagues above a fortress style city like Kassio. While Kassio was meant for protection and functionality, Inasron was leaning more towards grandeur and beauty.

The entire city was on an elevated hill so it towered over the surroundings valleys and plateaus.

Inasron's Royal District, the smallest section in the very center, has a unique mountain formation in between a "C" and "U" shape, seperating it from the rest of the city while making the buildings more noticeable on the mountain side. The palace was built into the inner-back of the mountain formation while taking up the most space in the Royal District.

The rest of the city was lavish with a golden-age atmosphere. Even the Common District structures were overly tall and extravagant, making the city look magical and ancient.

Near the gate stood a group of three people, the one in front looked calm while the other two looked grim and ashen. In the front of the group was a young man in an elaborate golden mage style robe and gelled back brown hair, perfectly matching his arrogant demeanor. He was the A~grade being the Empire decided to send because he was one of the few not occupied with duties. The two jumpy guys behind him were skilled negotiators of the Empire.

The golden robed mage was a youth in his early twenties named Jarred. He had the record for reaching the A~grade the fastest in the human race. This made him believe he was genuinely the most talented individual to ever live in the Empire. He became an A~grade around a hundred years earlier them even the Emperor himself!

"Don't look so nervous! They may have tamed a rather large dragon, but their no match for me."

"Please act appropriately and politely Lord Jarred! You weren't alive during the war so you don't know how terrifying Elder Dragons can be!! We can't have one of your incidents happen again..."

"Haha, just let me do all the talking. I'll get rid of them and bring peace back to the capital if they try anything funny!"

The negotiator's pleas fell on deaf ears as they walked forward to confront the people that got off of the dragon's hand.

One of the girls was wearing heavy full body black armor so her figure wasn't apparent, but the girl with the blue dress was stunning and her ass in particular was well defined. Jarred licked his lips as he stared at her, although she was a little flat for his taste, he was already having fantasies about feeling her up in bed.

Jarred spoke first in a odd tone, "What brings you ladies here on this fine day~?"

The negotiators were mortified by his tone and were about to reprimand him.

"I wish to participate in the auction I heard was being held today, I've been really bored lately," There was obvious disgust in her tone when Maya noticed his advances on her. She didn't even need to use her acting skills.

The negotiators freaked out when they heard her annoyance and one of them quickly changed the topic, "If you don't mind me asking what we shall call you m'ladies?"

"Just refer to me as Cerulean Dragon or Aqua for short. This guard is unimportant so don't mind her."

"Miss Aqua, from where might you have come?"

"Hmm, you have quite a lot of questions huh? I've been here for a while but I'm initially from across the Void Chasm.

I came here on important business from my superiors but I wanted to take a break. Perhaps participate in something interesting."

Currently, the thought of even getting near the shattered continents Void Chasm was nothing short of suicide. If the knowledge of crossing the Void Chasm was to be obtained by any one country or group, then they could gain unimaginable benefits while getting far ahead of the other major powers.

Kyren made Maya say this because it made her origins seem unfathomable and mysterious, which he wanted. It also created the illusion that the power backing her up was overwhelming and vast.

"You-You've come from across the Void Chasm!?!" They couldn't deny her ridiculous sounding claim because she just rode in on a dragon! If she was capable of that, then why couldn't she conquer the void?

"Believe it or not, it's all the same to me. I'm just here to have a good time..." Maya sounded as though she was quite disinterested in the fact that she supposedly came from somewhere past the publicly declared no-man's land, almost as though it was common fact that had no reason to be denied.

She seemed to honestly want to get out and alleviate some of her boredom with something trivial. Her perfect acting skills made her feel as though she had status that was above even the Empire itself.

Acting high and mighty was easy for her 'cause of her previous status in the Merfolk City.

"If you wanted to have some fun, I could help you out there~" Jarred's interest in Aqua was growing and he wanted a piece of her. His gaze felt like he had x-ray vision as he continued to look at her from top to bottom.

"Tch, the Empire sends such a horny and vulgar dog out to meet me? All of you are shockingly insincere..."

Jarred's face became extremely ugly and twisted, "Why you little bit—"

*Snap*

*BOOOOMMMMM*

Maya snapped her fingers and a colossal purple claw smashed into the ground where Jarred used to be, narrowly crushing him to death. He had far to little time to react despite being an A~grade that was capable of obliterating entire mountains.

The dragon slowly and menacingly withdrew its claw from the ground where a crater/hole now was while sending out a stifling killing intent. It said in a deep and thundering voice, "Watch your tongue human!! You're in the presence of her eminence!"

<You have discovered the proficiency, [Intimidation].>

Horror was now plastered onto the trios faces as a being of great power and potential such as Jarred, nearly vanished from existence in a single hit.

"Next time, you don't get warning. If this keeps happening... pray to your gods that I let this backwater country off lightly with absolute destruction..."

Great terror grew in the negotiators hearts as they sprang into action. One apologized and bowed to Maya while the other dragged the dazed and shuddering Jarred off to a distance, scolding him harshly despite his higher status than his.

"Can I go to the auction now? Or do you plan to keep questioning me and test my patience?"

"Of course we may go, but.... what about the dragon?"

"Oh him?" Maya turned around and looked up at the towering beast and said in a petite and cute voice, "Sit boy!"

The massive dragon plopped down and lowered its head in a kowtow position. The subservient aura it emitted was extremely loyal and obedient. It acted as though it was in the presence of a god.

The sudden personality change of the domineering dragon flabbergasted the humans present.

Maya patted its snout and it wagged it's tail like an excited puppy, creating a small whirlwind in the process, "Good boy, now stay. I'll be back in a bit, after I check this place out."

"Yes your excellency, I shall wait here for your return."

The jaws of all the people on the wall and in the throne room dropped as they watched the ginormous "puppy" curl up into a ball and prepare to nap.

"Shall we go?"

"Y-Ye-Yes!"

.....

The capitals auction house was a massive building in the Noble District that was considered a monument to its people. Outside were some bouncers that only let the rich, famous and influential in.

An imperial carriage arrived at the front step and out came Maya, Rayna, and the two negotiators. Jarred was to stay near Kyren in case anything happened, plus they didn't want him to offend Maya again.

The bouncers immediately let them through and an attendant came up to them, gesturing to follow her.

Maya said in a casual tone, "I'd like to sell somethings... so lead me to a private room to discuss the terms."

Everyone was surprised but they didn't question her motive. They arrived in a very luxurious meeting room and waited for an appraiser to arrive.

Since they were waiting, one of the negotiators decided to probe her for information with extreme caution. Even with the dragon not present, he couldn't help but feel immense fear for the completely unknown Cerulean Dragon.

"Lady Aqua, earlier you mentioned a 'superior' and I was wondering if you're from some country or organization I know of?"

"We are a secret for a reason. It's just not our time to come out of the woods.... yet."

"So what's this 'superiors' like? Is he or she the one who tamed that dragon?"

Maya's indifferent vibe up until now turned into one of great admiration. Even the guard behind heaved a longing sigh when she thought of this 'superior.'

"Oh, he's the greatest being to ever exist! He will become a shining star that this world will not be able to ignore!" Again, she didn't need to act because these were her genuine feelings.

"Yo-You hold this being in high regards?"

"But of course!! He is the one who single handily subdued that beautiful dragon just for me!"

"S-Sin-Single handily?!"

Maya was now in full fan girl mode, stunning everyone except the also fan girling body guard. What kind of absolute monster could possibly subdue that beast out there, just to gift it to a pretty lady?

Not even an S~grade legend could make such a creature submit without its death. They concluded that he was somewhere in the fabled Transcendent Realm.

"You said you were here on an assignment earlier? Do you mind enlightening me?"

Her face went back to normal as an irritated air permeated off of her, "One of my young ran away and I came here to search for it. But to no avail that little rascal still elude me...."

"Young? Perhaps the Empire could be of assistance?"

"Hmmm, alright if you can handle it. A Youngling Void Dragon escaped somewhere near the mountains near Kassio but its hiding abilities are abnormally strong so even I find it difficult to track it with my resources."

"I would have to check with the higher ups but that sounds like something doable," the negotiator was ecstatic! The sooner that dragon was found, the sooner these monsters would leave the continent! He didn't even notice the part about it being of the void element due to his internal excitement.

"Also, if there's any information on any unrelated draconic presences in this Empire, please inform me."

The negotiator immediately sent out an order for any and all recorded whereabouts and data on dragons within the continent of Irona. He requested that it be given to him by the end of the auction.

If this hidden organization rids the Empire of the dragon menaces that lurk around the continent, it would be of immense help. It would usually take countless lives and resources just to get rid of an Adult Dragon, much less the more powerful ones that reside throughout the world.