VOLUME 13: CHAPTER 11

Since his hair might attract needless attention, Lark decided to change its color. Using a simple illusion spell, the color of his hair and eyes changed to black – one of the most common hair colors in the Republic.

Although a skilled mage would be able to see through this illusion, such people normally didn't roam the places where Lark wished to go.

And even if he did encounter a skilled mage, they needed to focus on Lark's appearance if they wished to see through the illusion spell completely.

The spell should be enough for him to enjoy his stroll without his identity being discovered.

"Hm?"

Lark was about to undo his concealment spell when he noticed several presences nearby observing the Nasty Bucket.

"They even sent observers, huh?"

A total of three people.

All of them seemed professionals, considering the fact that Lark noticed them only after he went out of the inn.

One of them was acting as the assistant of a florist in the shop across the street, one was selling newspapers to passersby, and the remaining one – the only person who seemed to know how to handle mana – was hiding near the antique store.

Sending people to spy on delegates was a risky move on the part of the Republic. If discovered, this could be easily used as casus belli to start a war against them.

If it were Emperor Sylvius who discovered this, he would have probably ordered his men to capture those people. And during the assembly in the next few days, he would use this as a card in negotiations.

On the other hand, Lark didn't take offense at this move of the Republic. If they'd swapped positions, he would have probably done the same, too.

It was only natural to be wary of an army you've met for the first time.

Seeing that the three didn't seem specialized in combat, Lark surmised that their goal was only to observe and not attack the members of the Coalition Army.

And besides, even if they wished to harm the people inside the Nasty Bucket, what could they do?

Even if they excluded the Dragons resting on the upper floors, the Lord Knight was currently guarding the entrance to the tavern.

Attacking the place was no different from suicide.

"Time to go."

After casting one last look at the Nasty Bucket, Lark started strolling the capital of the Republic. After reaching a safe distance, he undid his concealment spell.

***

Snow was piling up nicely when Lark arrived at the Central Plaza. Despite the weather, the entire place was bustling with life.

Stalls were seen here and there, and several events were going on concurrently.

The scent of grilled meat and freshly baked pastries wafted through the air.

Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, filled the streets, embracing winter's arrival. Steam came out of people's mouths whenever they spoke.

"Hey, did you hear? They said Dragons appeared near the eastern gate!"

"Yeah, my brother is one of the soldiers stationed there!"

"Dragons? I heard it's a seven-headed monster, though?"

As expected, news of the Coalition Army's arrival had already spread throughout the capital even though not even a full day had passed.

The views of the citizens were split: Some dismissed it as mere rumors, some welcomed it, saying it was about time someone overthrew the corrupt officials of the Republic, while there were those who were horrified and even started contemplating running away from Quraso.

There were speculations on how the army arrived here and what their purpose was, but most of them couldn't be more far from the truth.

"I heard Zenith were the ones who brought that army here? Maybe they're trying to overthrow the government?"

"Treason? I wouldn't be surprised, considering the personality of those damn explorers."

"This country is doomed."

"I still don't understand why Black Arm is able to roam freely. Those psychopaths killed too many people, and the government does nothing to control them."

"That's what the Explorers Guild is for…."

"Hahaha! Those guys from the guild are useless! They always turn a blind eye whenever an incident involves a plantinum-ranked explorer!"

Lark even started hearing gossip regarding the explorers of the Republic.

Although the members of Zenith seemed decent people, it appeared that the general populace did not hold them in high regard.

Well, it was to be expected. Unlike the mercenaries and the soldiers, the explorers moved solely for their own benefit. They did not contribute much when it came to the security of the city.

"Last call for the tournament!"

After buying skewered meat from a nearby stall, Lark heard the shouts of a tournament organizer.

Looking at the banner the organizer was holding, it seemed to be a tabletop strategy game Lark was familiar with.

"Hayangji?"

Lark recognized it.

It was the most popular strategy game in the Kingdom of Lukas.

Lark didn't expect to see this game here. Moreover, a lot of people had gathered to participate in the tournament. From a glance, there were at least thirty people participating.

He'd played the game several times with former King Alvis and Mokuva before. He could win against former King Alvis most of the time, but he'd never won against Mokuva even once.

Surprisingly, he lost even against Big Mona a couple of times.

Were those three really good at the game, or was he simply bad at it?

Lark wanted to find out.

Using this tournament, he could finally measure his skills in hayangji against other people.

Lark approached the man who seemed to be one of the organizers and said, "How do I sign up?"

Seeing Lark, the organizer was visibly thrilled.

"Ohhhh, a new face! I haven't seen you before, mister!"

The organizer looked like the kind of guy who would enthusiastically talk for hours if Lark asked him about the rules of Hayangji.

"Well, no matter! Hahaha! The tournament is sponsored by executives of the Hayangji Movement, so signing up is free!"

It was an odd-sounding name for an organization, but Lark decided not to comment on it. Just by the name alone, it was probably composed of people who were very passionate about the game.

The organizer started talking about the tournament rules.

According to him, each match had a time limit of fifteen minutes. It was a lot shorter than what Lark was accustomed to, since some games could last over an hour, but the time limit must have been set in place to avoid prolonged matches.

The grand prize was two gold coins and a hayangji set.

It was a chump change to Lark, but it should be a fortune to others.

Lark's first match was against a middle-aged man who seemed to be a merchant based on his attire.

Maybe because most of the participants were passionate about hayangji, they were all respectful to their opponents, even to newcomers like Lark.

"A new face? Interesting. Good sir, I'll let you pick the map."

There were five available maps to play in Hayangi: the Sunrise Valley, the Desolated Oasis, the Imperial Order, the Mountains and Rivers, and the Green Plains.

Each map had a different topography and terrain, which gave rise to different variations of tactics in the game. It was among the reasons why hayangji was so popular in the Kingdom of Lukas.

There was a common saying: 'Even if man's fate is already decided by the heavens, they still can never have the same hayangji match.'

Lark chose Mountains and Rivers.

Standing at a table, the two of them looked at the large map filled with numerous wooden pieces representing armies, supplies, and cities.

"It's my first time seeing you here," said the merchant. "Hayangji is a beautiful game. No matter the result, I hope you will continue playing. Are you from Quraso?"

"No, mister," said Lark. "I'm from another city."

"Is that so? You chose the wrong date to come to the capital. I heard that an army is waiting outside currently, and no one knows when they'll start attacking us."

Word of mouth greatly skewed the rumors, causing unnecessary fear and panic in everyone.

Some people firmly believed that the Coalition Army came here to conquer the Republic.

"Well, let's not talk about the depressing stuff. Let's start."

The game went on.

Through his conversation with the merchant, Lark learned that this tournament was held monthly, and majority of the participants were the same people every time.

Maybe he should hold a similar tournament in the Kingdom of Lukas?

Lark put this idea to the back of his mind.

"Trebuchet to Area 35."

The merchant skillfully moved his pieces, strategically positioning them to pincer Lark's soldiers before they could even move past the river.

Caught in a pinch, Lark immediately abandoned his initial strategy. He disbanded the cavalry and recalled them near his city, before reforming them into numerous smaller units.

Lark captured the villages at the foot of the mountain, and using them as a gathering point, he started to slowly advance into the enemy territory.

"Your turn," said Lark, smiling.

"Haha! I didn't expect you to be quite skilled at this game!"

The merchant was visibly thrilled after finding out that Lark was quite the opponent.

The game went on, and after nearly a hundred turns, it ended with the merchant's loss.

"Ohh? Isn't Radrik the fourth runner up last month? He lost in the first round?"

"That newcomer is good!"

"Haha! Let's see how he'll fare in his next matches!"

Lark quickly gained popularity after defeating the merchant. It turned out that the opponent he'd defeated was one of the veterans of tournament.

"I'll be your opponent!"

Lark's next match was against a city guard. The map chosen this time was the Green Plains. Choosing this map always end in a quick game, and soon, the match was finished after just ten minutes.

"Ohh! He won again!"

"He's reached the quarterfinals!"

After defeating his first two opponents, Lark realized that he wasn't that bad at the game. Big Mona and Mokuva were simply too good at it.

Soon, Lark's winning streak in the tournament ended.

After defeating the city guard, the last month's champion ended up being Lark's opponent, and he lost horribly.

The old man was so good in hayangji that Lark wasn't sure if even Mokuva Boris could defeat him.

"I learned a lot today, Sir," said Lark to the old man.

The old man smiled broadly. "We all learn each day as we play hayangji. I hope to see you again at next month's tournament. Even if a blizzard comes, we'll all still be here, playing."

It was a ridiculous claim, but the old man seemed serious about it, seeing his gaze.

After losing in hayangji, Lark continued exploring the Central Plaza.

He ate all of the delicacies he set his eyes on, entering stores every now and then.

"Arm wrestling competition! Fifty silvers if you defeat our champion!"

Lark even encountered scam competitions where the champion was using mana to overpower his opponents despite the restrictions.

Lark had no intention of interfering with their way of living, so he just let them be. He also saw several kids pickpocketing a passing merchant, but he pretended not to notice.

He'd already decided to use this day to enjoy and relax. He had no intention of meddling with the locals.

Just like that, after looking around the city a bit more, Lark returned to the tavern his men were staying at.

***

While Lark was away, enjoying his city stroll, Agnus received a mental transmission from Blackie.

The seven-headed creature must have been really desperate, as it put quite a lot of mana to make sure the message reached the recipient.

"That damn Scylla!"

Agnus was pissed when he received the Scylla's message, ordering him to come to the eastern gates immediately and meet with him.

When Agnus was about to leave his room, his father, who was at the next room, talked to him through mental transmission.

"Agnus, what are you up to this time?"

"F-Father?"

Agnus made sure to move as inconspicuously as possible, but as expected of the leader of the Ancient Fire Dragons, he was discovered immediately.

"Did that snake call for you? Hah! He probably asked you to teach him polymorph."

"How…."

Vulcan clicked his tongue. "I expected this to happen when that damn snake said it'll learn polymorph so it can accompany King Lark."

"If Father does not wish for me to teach the Scylla the technique…," said Agnus carefully.

"No, that's not it," said Vulcan. "You can go. I merely asked since I want to confirm my suspicions."

"W-What?"

Although Agnus couldn't see his father, he felt that Vulcan was grinning right now.

"Listen, Agnus," said Vulcan. "A Dragon and a Scylla have vastly different constitutions. Just because that stupid snake wants to learn polymorph doesn't mean it's possible. Just go and teach that stupid Scylla how to use polymorph. When you come back, describe to me in detail the look of despair on its face once it realizes that it can't learn the technique of our race."

Hearing this, Agnus' face visibly brightened.

That's right.

So what if the Scylla wished to learn polymorph?

Just because it wished to learn the technique didn't mean it would be possible.

There was a reason why throughout the centuries, only Dragons were known of capable of the spell.

As far as they knew, there had never been any records of a Scylla polymorphing into a human.

"Hehehe."

A sinister laugh escaped Agnus' lips.

He couldn't wait to see the look of despair on the Scylla's face once it learned it didn't have the constitution to learn the technique!

"I'm going out, father!"

Excitedly, Agnus went out of the inn and flew toward the direction of the eastern gate.

"Hm?"

Of course, he also noticed the people observing their group. And unlike Lark, he didn't take kindly to their actions.

"Foolish worms."

Agnus cast simple threads of fire from his fingertips, accurately striking the observers sent by the Republic.

"Aaaah!"

"H-Help!"

"W-What happened? Someone's body suddenly caught fire!"

The observers desperately tried extinguishing the fire spell by rolling on the snow-covered ground, but it proved futile. A Dragon's fire spell was far harder to extinguish than your regular fire.

"This is why I dislike humans," uttered Agnus. "Learn your place, mortals."

Without even bothering to look if the observers had died, Agnus flew toward the direction where the Coalition Army was currently camping at.

After flying for several minutes, Agnus arrived at the camp of the Coalition Army.

The soldiers had already pitched tents, and a simple barrier protecting them from the cold winter had been erected by the dwarves and elven mages.

"You sure took your time, lizard."

The Scylla was already in a bad mood by the time Agnus arrived.

"There were observers from the Republic," said Agnus. "And I had to take care of them before coming here…."

"Enough, we don't want to hear your excuses!"

The eyes of the Scylla glowed.

"As a punishment, we command you as your master! Crawl and bark like a dog!"

Since Lark wasn't here, the Scylla felt unstoppable. It could do whatever it wanted on Agnus since the hatchling was its slave currently.

"That's too unreasonable!" protested Agnus.

"Do you plan on going back on your Oath!"

Agnus gritted his teeth. He inwardly thought, 'Just you wait! Once I start teaching you polymorph! I'll engrave the look of despair on your face in my mind forever!'

Following the Scylla's command, Agnus went down on his knees and started barking like a mutt.

He couldn't do anything, since his Oath as a Dragon was more important to him than his pride and life.

"Arf! Arf! Arf!"

"Louder!"

"Arf! Arf! Arf!"

Several dwarves who saw this spectacle fainted.

"…Good heavens!"

"G-Great Guardian Deity!"

Some even started pulling out their weapons, ready to charge at the seven-headed creature the moment they received the order from Agnus.

But the order to attack Blackie never came.

"Kekeke! This is nice!"

"Vulcan isn't here, so let's make full use of this stupid lizard!"

"I understand now why humans keep dogs as pets."

"How fun!"

"Kakaka! Cute, little puppy!"

"That's enough."

After hearing the words of the third head, Agnus rose to his feet. He was gnashing his teeth from fury.

It was the consequence of his arrogance back then. Agnus really regretted agreeing to that bet.

"We'll grant you the honor to teach us polymorph. Be grateful, hatchling."

It wasn't even a request or an order, and this served to infuriate Agnus even further.

Agnus remembered the teachings of his father back in his younger years. According to Vulcan, polymorph twists the muscles, bones, vessels, and organs in unimaginable ways.

It was practically a spell that forcefully shrinks the components of the user's body, enabling them to take on a humanoid shape.

Since the Scylla had seven heads, even if it succeeded in compressing its vital parts, achieving polymorph completely should be impossible.

If things went wrong, the Scylla might even die due to the sheer incompatibility with the spell.

It was akin to asking a goat to learn the fireball spell of a human.

"Hehehe."

"What are you laughing about, lizard?"

The Scylla squinted as it carefully observed Agnus' expression.

Agnus faked a cough. "Kuhum. It's nothing."

"Tsk. Stupid hatchling. Stop dallying. God Evander will be surely pleased once he sees us in our polymorphed state. We can accompany him anywhere once we learn the spell. Now, teach us."

Agnus tried his best to stop his lips from curling upward.

"Yes. I can't really explain everything, but I can show you slowly."

With snow still falling from the sky, Agnus started teaching Blackie the polymorph spell of the Ancient Fire Dragons.