Humanity's Highest Form of Happiness

Time frame: wartime

When Crown Prince Navarro Pynsia, Queen Oda, and King Reinald arrived, they were disappointed to hear that King Valdemar had already returned to Metaena on his dragon, Rersiat.

They had hoped to meet with him to discuss important matters concerning their kingdoms.

Queen Oda couldn't help but feel uneasy when she heard that King Valdemar had returned to Metaena on his own.

She had also recently received information that the King had taken an interest in her stepdaughter, Princess Sophia, and this made her even more anxious.

Her anxiety was somewhat alleviated when she heard that Sophia had saved Ragnar, the adopted son of King Valdemar and also the commander of the Gamaaloth forces, during a recent battle.

As Queen Oda considered the situation further, she began to worry that Sophia's involvement in the politics and warfare of Cescil was casting a shadow over the role of Crown Prince Navarro Pynsia.

After all, it was he who was destined to become the kingdom's future king, not Sophia.

The Queen knew that it was important for Prince Navarro Pynsia to step up and take on a more prominent role in the kingdom's affairs, both to establish his own leadership credentials and to ensure that Sophia did not become too powerful or dominant.

But let alone being discussed, Prince Navarro himself had not yet sobered up from the effects of his drunkenness. He kept vomiting on the train.

Before King Valdemar returned to Metaena, Rersiat, the male dragon, visited Ymat, his wife, who had lost her appetite due to the fact that she had not seen her son Qedren for a long time. Rersiat knew that Ymat was struggling with the separation, so he went to offer comfort.

As Rersiat approached Ymat, he nuzzled his snout against Ymat's cheek and gently rubbed his neck against Ymat's neck. The two dragons had been together for many years.

"Do Dragons recognize the concept of monogamy?" Sophia asked Ragnar, who only stared at her with astonishment.

"Monogamy. The concept of pairing up with only one person for life." Sophia explained.

Ragnar suddenly remembered that Gamaaloth used to hold a ritual when their dragons were paired. A kind of celebration of the bond between the two dragons.

"Oh." Ragnar suddenly said.

Sophia, Uzana, and Adeline turned their heads together.

"So that's what marriage is like." He muttered.

"Yes?" Sophia now asked back.

"Rersiat, although he is a lazy dragon, he is favored by many female dragons in Gamaaloth. But he was only loyal to Ymat for his entire life. He never wanted to marry another dragoness. Though Ymat is rarely at home, she travels with me for territorial defense and war." Ragnar explained. "Is that what you mean by marriage, Sophia?"

Sophia smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, my lord."

"Dragons only have one mate in their very, very long lives." Uzana said. "Somehow they never get bored. I heard that humans are not like dragons. They get bored quickly. So they marry many women at once and reportedly keep several other mistresses as well."

"Humans of precisely the male gender, my lord." Adeline replied with a cynical look.

Uzana laughed. "I will be able to choose many girls at once in Everkeep after the war is over. Imagine how many Gamaaloth babies I will produce." He said with a happy smile.

Sophia couldn't help but grin as she looked at Uzana. She knew from experience that he was a bit more difficult to persuade than his older brother.

Uzana's mind was very free-spirited and often unconventional, which often led to interesting and unexpected ideas.

In contrast, despite his intimidating appearance, Ragnar was more straightforward and pure. Sophia admired both brothers' unique qualities, and she found it exciting to influence them.

She had discovered the soft spot in his heart that made him receptive to her ideas. With Ragnar, Sophia had learned to appeal to his sense of duty and honor, and he always took his words seriously.

With Uzana, she knew that she would have to approach things from a different angle. Uzana was not the type of person who would accept something that was explained to him.

He was the kind of person who would always question, resist, and argue. She looked over at Adeline, standing with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.

Sophia decided to hand Uzana over to Adeline. Sophia was confident that Adeline would find a way to get through to Uzana.

"Why? You can't accept? Hm? Hm? Hm?" Uzana challenged. "Continuing the bloodline is the primary duty of mankind. The more offspring, the better!"

Adeline recoiled at the man's words, feeling her blood pressure rise. She believed that procreation was a natural and important part of human life, but to make it the sole purpose of women's existence was absurd. "No wonder the women of Gamaaloth are short-lived. I too would rather die than live a lifetime with you!"

"Ah, really? I serve women well. How long will you live anyway? Ragnar said women can actually live on after giving birth."

"Long enough to watch you go from the useless young man you are now to the useless old man you will be in the future!" Adeline replied sharply, which Uzana only laughed at.

Adeline chose to say goodbye because she was annoyed with Uzana. "Excuse me, My Lady, I take my leave to do other work. I'm about to die standing up if I have to keep chatting with Uzana."

"Okay." Sophia nodded while holding back laughter.

"Hey, that means after you give birth, you're still alive, so you can get impregnated again! Do you think you'll be able to give birth ten times? If you can give me ten children, I'll consider not cutting your tongue when I choose you as my bride."

Adeline tried to hide her irritation as Uzana chased after her, still trying to get a reaction. Adeline had always tried to be a master of keeping her cool, but Uzana's persistence was starting to wear on her.

She could feel her anger rising, her body tense with the desire to lash out. Uzana, however, seemed unfazed, continuing with his taunting in a playful and teasing manner.

Adeline's tolerance for Uzana's antics was already thin, and with every step Uzana took, it seemed as though Adeline's anger was about to boil over.

Sophia watched the scene unfold with a small smile, knowing that despite their differences, Uzana and Adeline were a surprisingly good match.

The way they pushed each other's buttons was almost like a dance, a finely-tuned game that only the two of them could play.

As she continued to observe, Sophia couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth in her chest, knowing that her sister may find her true love.

However, Adeline had always dreamed of a quiet life in the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

She longed for simplicity, for a peaceful existence where she could live life on her own terms.

The truth was Adeline's struggles had been a constant in her life. She had fought tooth and nail for everything she had, never resting in her fight for what was right.

And yet, amidst all the chaos and turmoil, she still yearned for something more. Something simple. Something pure.

Sophia watched silently as Ragnar gazed upon Rersiat and Ymat, the two dragons coiled around his neck.

She marveled at the tenderness with which they touched each other, the love that seemed to flow between them like a gentle breeze.

Even as Ragnar watched them with a quiet intensity, his eyes fixed on their sinuous forms, Sophia couldn't help but sense a deep longing within him.

A sense of yearning for the companionship and loyalty that Rersiat and Ymat had shown him. As she continued to watch, Sophia couldn't help but wonder if such a bond was truly possible for humans.

A connection was so pure, so unbreakable that it could withstand the test of time itself. And yet, as she thought about it more, Sophia realized that maybe it was possible.

That maybe, just maybe, there was someone out there who could offer the kind of devotion and love that Rersiat and Ymat gave to each other.

"They are beautiful."

"Yes, My Lord. Your dragons are indeed beautiful creatures."

"Marriage is also a beautiful concept."

"Yes, my lord, marriage is beautiful. Always being by the side of the one we love for the rest of our lives is humanity's highest form of happiness."

Sophia's smile widened as she realized she had finally managed to sway Ragnar to her point of view.

She watched with satisfaction as he looked at her with newfound admiration, impressed by her eloquent words.

With a sense of amusement, Sophia couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride at how easily she could manipulate those around her.

But as she thought about it more, she realized that what she had said was true.

The beauty of marriage.

To spend a lifetime with the one that you love is the greatest happiness a human could attain. And in her own way, Sophia had managed to communicate that truth to Ragnar.

Sophia felt a rush of heat rise to her cheeks as Ragnar's gaze locked with hers. She found herself entranced by the deep, vibrant colors that swirled within his eyes, like a beautiful canvas brought to life.

She couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind his piercing stare.

Was its appreciation?

Admiration?

Or perhaps something else entirely?

His eyes were like pools of bright, shimmering water, their depths captivating Sophia in a way that she couldn't quite explain.

She found herself lost in the intricate patterns and colors that swirled within them as if they held the secrets of the universe within their depths.

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