26 Chapter 26

As a dragon, Bahamut found himself in an unusual predicament. He was clueless about the intricacies of dragon mating, and much to his surprise, his former troublemaker, Diaval, had somehow managed to seduce Moon. The sight of Diaval displaying dominance over Moon, with flared wings and persistent growls, left Bahamut perplexed at first, and he chose to ignore it.

It wasn't until Moon laid eggs that Bahamut finally realized what had transpired. Moon and Diaval had mated. As a parent, Bahamut couldn't help but feel a strange pang of jealousy, an emotion he wasn't quite accustomed to. He contemplated the idea of mating with a female dragon to gain the experience, as he believed it was part of his dragon existence.

The only potential female dragon he knew was Sapphire, but Bahamut hesitated because he viewed all his dragons as his own children. Then, a different idea sparked in his mind – visiting Valyria again. Perhaps there, he might find more dragons like himself, providing a solution to his newfound curiosity.

Bahamut contemplated the idea of visiting Valyria, but the thought of leaving Elia and her children behind amidst the constant assassination attempts quickly quashed that plan. It was simply too risky. The pressing matter at hand was Rhaenys, who was now of marriageable age in this world's standards. Bahamut couldn't help but chuckle at the irony – he had made her too strong for her own good.

Bahamut had a potential match in mind, the successor of the old general under the Emperor's command. He possessed a magnetic charisma and a promising future. Furthermore, his father's men were likely to remain loyal to him after his father's retirement. The challenge, however, was persuading Rhaenys to agree to the suggestion. As a colossal dragon, Bahamut couldn't resort to blackmail, saying, "Agree, or I'll burn you." She would likely burst into laughter if he tried that approach. Over time, Bahamut had grown surprisingly soft when it came to his beloved companions.

But Bahamut was pleasantly surprised when Rhaenys didn't oppose his arrangement. Instead, she accepted it gracefully, reminding him that he had never asked her for anything before, so how could she possibly disagree with him? Her words filled Bahamut with a newfound sense of joy and energy. He swiftly summoned his servants to herald the old general and his only surviving son, Sun Tzu, for an audience.

As they stood before Bahamut, he outlined his proposal. Both the old general and Sun Tzu were elated and readily agreed, their faces beaming with happiness. Sun Tzu, in particular, was thrilled with the match. Rhaenys was considered a rare beauty in Yi Ti, and her foreign allure had captivated the hearts of many high-class noblemen in Yin City.

During this time, Bahamut delved into Sun Tzu's memories to ensure that there were no hidden flaws or bad sides to his character. To his pleasant surprise, the old general had raised his child very well. The potential union seemed promising.

The preparations for Rhaenys' marriage continued, and Bahamut was determined to move forward with the arrangement. However, Elia expressed her disagreement with Bahamut's decision, feeling that her opinion should have been considered before deciding on her daughter's marriage. But before her protests could escalate, Rhaenys herself silenced her mother.

The wedding day arrived, and a grand and luxurious reception was held, far more elaborate than Elia's second marriage. The event drew a large crowd, and a magnificent golden podium was erected for Bahamut to watch Rhaenys' ceremony.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor, who had remained secluded within the castle for a long time, emerged. In the past, the Emperor had asked Bahamut to marry Elia as his concubine, but Bahamut had disagreed, choosing instead to marry her and her daughter to those who served him. This refusal had stirred the Emperor's anger. Despite his old age and affliction with disease, he still lusted after women, especially when they were as special and rare as Elia and Rhaenys. This situation also made him ponder allowing Bahamut to leave Yi Ti, seeing Bahamut's disobedience as a challenge to his authority.