Talk About Bad Timing

It was past afternoon, and inside the forest, the chirping of birds could easily be heard. The sunlight was low, casting a dim, dappled light through the trees, hinting at an approaching rainstorm. In Dreadhaven, the village of Scarlett, two distinct groups had formed. Each group was at least a hundred meters away from the other. The first group consisted of children, playing energetically with their new pet, a dragon named Morgass. The second group was made up of adults, including Scarlett, Yumi, and others, preparing for the imminent war.

"Why are you so lazy, Morgass? We played for only six hours," came the innocent and delicate voice of a small demon kid. The voice, so sweet and calming, belonged to Evadne Emberwing. Despite his appearance—with delicate features and small horns that could be mistaken for a girl's—Evadne was indeed a boy.

Besides him were many other children, all engrossed in playing with Morgass. The dragon lay on the ground, utterly exhausted, while the children poked his face with sticks, trying to rouse him.

"Yeah, you're right, Ed! No one can be that lazy!" chimed in one of the goblin kids, his voice full of mischief.

"Yeah! Yeah! Get up, get up!" another child added, their voices blending into a chorus of playful demands.

Morgass, on the other hand, was at his wit's end. "Do they even know how long six hours is? They made me a horse, throwing sticks and making me retrieve them... and... and..." he sobbed inwardly, overwhelmed by their endless energy. The children's high spirits were just too much for Morgass, but he had no choice. The contract bound him to obey Evadne's every command.

But Suddenly, Morgass's face curled into a grin, exposing his sharp teeth. "How about we play a new kind of game, Master Ed?" he suggested with a respectful tone.

"A new game?" Evadne asked, scratching his head in puzzlement.

"Yeah! How about we arm wrestle?" Morgass proposed, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Arm wrestling? Sure, that sounds fun!" Evadne chuckled, liking the idea. But Morgass had something more in mind to make it even more exciting.

"But this will be no ordinary arm wrestle," he began, his voice taking on a more sinister tone. "We'll also bet on it. That way, there will be more pressure and thrill, making it way more exciting and thrilling. Imagine your heart racing, wondering who will win," he said, looking at the kids with a sly smile.

The others' eyes widened in astonishment. It was like a competition game on television, the suspense of who would win adding to the excitement. How could kids resist such an enticing proposition?

"Yeah! Let's do that. But what should I bet?" Evadne asked innocently.

Morgass's smile widened even further, seeing his plan coming to fruition. "I am bound by contract, but I am no ordinary creature to sit and do nothing. I am the mighty dragon Morgass," he thought, laughing sinisterly in his heart. "There are many ways to break this contract, and the biggest loophole in this contract is that the authority rests with this kid Evadne. I'll make him bet that if I win, I'll be free. And then, I'll beat him without mercy. How could a kid possibly think of beating a dragon? There's no chance for him," he laughed more and more internally.

"How about you bet that if I win, I'll be free, and if I lose, I'll do whatever you want without any complaints? Play as much as you want, whenever you want. How does that sound?" he asked with a charming smile.

After hearing this, all of them jumped in excitement. "Okay then, deal!" Evadne said, accepting the offer.

"Yay! Ed, go get him!" one female kid cheered, encouraging him.

The stage was set, and the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. The children gathered around, their eyes wide with anticipation. Morgass positioned himself, his massive arm on the ground, ready for the challenge. Evadne, small in comparison, placed his arm against Morgass's, determination etched on his young face.

The contrast between the dragon and the boy was stark, yet the enthusiasm of the children made it seem like a fair contest. Morgass's muscles rippled under his scales, while Evadne's smaller arm trembled slightly. Despite the disparity, Evadne's spirit was unyielding.

"Ready?" Morgass asked, his voice dripping with confidence.

"Ready!" Evadne replied, his eyes shining with resolve.

"Go!" Morgass shouted, and the match began.

**Bam!**

The cheers of the children grew louder and louder, smiles plastered on their faces as they watched the contest. But there was someone in shock—the great Morgass. His eyes widened in disbelief, veins bulging. His half body was in the air, and the hand he had used to wrestle with Evadne was smashed into the ground.

The ground was filled with cracks from the crashing impact that Evadne made while slamming Morgass's hand down. There was no doubt that Evadne had won.

"I-I lost?" Morgass thought in bewilderment. He was in shock, unable to comprehend how he had been defeated. "How? I put all my strength into it, and I was defeated in less than a second. I literally stood no chance," he thought, the moment feeling like a trauma to him.

Dragons are prideful creatures, but Morgass had been beaten by Scarlett and now overpowered by a kid, making his remaining pride vanish. He started mumbling to himself, his eyes darkened with the weight of his defeat. Morgass dwelled into depression from losing to a child.

At this moment, he was caught by an overwhelming inferiority complex.

"I'm so weak, a lazy man, a piece of shit, lazy, lazy, lazy... weak... weak... weak!" He mumbled nonstop, even as smoke started pouring from his mouth.

Meanwhile, about a hundred meters away, a group of adults had gathered, waiting for news from the dark-elves. It had been more than a week since Kroenen left for his village, and the anticipation was palpable. To pass the time, they decided to entertain themselves, turning their attention to a makeshift show.

The villagers encircled the performance area, and in the center was Yumi, demonstrating her dance steps. She moved gracefully, a fan of idols herself, executing the final move with elegance before bowing in gratitude. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, some even shouting her name.

Yumi smiled, pleased with their response.

"Wow, that was unique and amazing! What kind of dance was that?" Xao asked, his curiosity piqued.

Yumi scratched her head, a bit embarrassed. "It was an idol dance. Your mistress Scarlett might know it too," she said casually. However, her words were misunderstood. Instead of taking it as a possibility, everyone assumed Scarlett was an expert in this dance style.

Within seconds, the cheers shifted towards Scarlett, taking her by surprise.

"We want to see Scarlett-sama's dance!" one of the villagers shouted. The chant grew louder and more enthusiastic.

Scarlett, sitting in her usual wooden chair, felt a wave of nervousness wash over her. Her lips curled into an uneasy smile. "Me? Dance? I actually don't—" She was about to explain that she had never seen or performed an idol dance in her life.

But before she could finish, another voice cut through the cheers. "Yeah! I wanna see my wife dance too!" It was Reiza, her smile unwavering and her excitement palpable.

"Damn, I can't look uncool in front of my wife. What should I do? If I refuse now, she might be disappointed in me!" Scarlett thought, her mind racing with anxiety. Backing out wasn't an option anymore.

Scarlett stood up from her chair, her presence commanding immediate silence. "Okay, okay... but I'll only do one move," she declared, her voice heavy with the weight of the moment. The villagers' impatience grew, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.

Scarlett took a deep breath and stepped into the center. The weight of everyone's expectations bore down on her, but she glanced at Reiza, whose beam of encouragement and love gave her the resolve she needed. With determination, Scarlett decided to give it her all.

She placed one hand on her head and the other on her belly, then began to move her legs. It seemed as though she was about to walk forward, but instead, she glided backward smoothly. The villagers' eyes widened in shock, their mouths agape in astonishment. It was like magic to them.

What Scarlett was doing was none other than Michael Jackson's iconic moonwalk. To the villagers, however, it appeared to be an otherworldly, unknown magic.

As she moved gracefully, with her last step, she came to a halt. The moment her moonwalk ended, the previously silent crowd burst into cheers, their excitement palpable.

"How did you do that?" was the unanimous question on everyone's lips.

"I should have expected that from her!" Yumi thought to herself. She seemed slightly disappointed but not entirely surprised. She had anticipated that Scarlett might only know unconventional dances like this.

"What kind of magic was that?" Li Feng asked, bewildered.

"Hehehe... it's called the moonwalk!" Scarlett said, brushing her nose with pride. She hadn't expected such a shocked reaction from everyone.

"Moonwalk? Do people on the moon walk like this?" Xao asked, clearly misunderstanding the name.

"Is that so? How do they even use swords if they walk like this?" Li Feng snorted, adding to the confusion.

"What are you all saying? No one walks like that! It's just the name!" Scarlett said, laughing. She couldn't help but chuckle at their childishness.

"Woof...woof...I can do it too!" a loud voice came from an enormous wolf with smooth blue fur and a horn just above his nose. It was none other than Doomthunder. He had been watching the performance with the rest of the villagers. Before anyone could stop him, he moved his large body in front of everyone. To their surprise, he began to imitate Scarlett's steps.

With remarkable agility, Doomthunder performed the moonwalk on his four legs. The crowd erupted into even louder cheers, astonished by the sight.

"Wow! Amazing! How did he do that with four legs?" Scarlett thought, impressed by Doomthunder's unexpected talent.

The villagers' excitement and amazement filled the air, their spirits lifted by the impromptu performances. For a moment, the worries of the impending war were forgotten, replaced by joy and camaraderie. Scarlett and Doomthunder's moonwalks became a memorable highlight, bringing the community closer together in these uncertain times.

But their happy moments didn't last long as a sudden voice cut through the air, "Huff...huff...Hurry, we have no time!" As the voice echoed, a figure materialized beside Scarlett. No one had sensed his approach except for a few individuals.

The man had dark skin and a handsome face with pointy ears. Despite being a Dark-Elf, he wore a military uniform. It was none other than Augustus, also known as Karl Ruprecht Kroenen. Though his face remained impassive, the exhaustion in his expression was evident.

"What happened?" Scarlett asked him directly, having already sensed his presence.

"The attack began sooner than expected, and somehow they already know all of our locations. Dark Elves specialize in hiding while fighting. If they're exposed, they are nothing but small fry!" he said with a concerned voice.

"We have no time. I don't think we even have a few hours left. I already have the coordinates. Just use teleportation," he said, exhaling deeply to regain his composure.

The news took everyone by surprise. Li Feng clenched his fists, ready for revenge. The others' expressions shifted to ones of determination, each of them prepared for battle. But Scarlett remained expressionless, seemingly indifferent. She yawned heavily and poked a finger inside her ear. "Yawn...I don't wanna go," she said nonchalantly. A hush fell over everyone present at Scarlett's sudden declaration.

Even Kroenen was caught off guard. "What do you mean you don't wanna go?" he questioned, his voice rising in frustration.

"You haven't made any contracts yet," Scarlett replied, her gaze drifting away as if the conversation bored her.

The tension in the air was palpable. Kroenen's eyes widened in disbelief, and he took a step closer to Scarlett. "This is not the time for contracts! We are under attack. Lives are at stake! Tch...fine, let's do it, but hurry."

"Hehehe..." Scarlett laughed sinisterly and, using her magic, she conjured an old, ragged book out of thin air. "Here, sign it!" she said, handing it to Kroenen.

Without hesitation, Kroenen grabbed the book and signed it without reading a single word. As his signature completed the contract, his body began to glow. The next second, his soul was pulled from his body and drawn into Scarlett's, while a large amount of mana flowed from Scarlett into Kroenen. Bewildered, he asked, "What did you write in the contract?"

Scarlett avoided eye contact, her gaze darting around as she replied hesitantly, "What did I write? I don't know what you're talking about. Aren't you in a hurry?" she said, changing the subject.

The contract's content was clear:

1. Host A (Kroenen) will make a pact with Host B (Scarlett).

2. Host A will give his loyalty and work for Host B for all of his life. In return, Host B will help Host A with all her might.

3. Host B can make any changes to the contract at any time.

With this contract, Scarlett now had full control over Kroenen. He had signed it in his hurry without reading it, and now he could do nothing but obey her. Not that he cared at the moment; there was no point in dwelling on his small mistake. "Okay, let's go!" he said, brushing off the details of the contract.

Scarlett nodded, her demeanor shifting to one of focused determination. She began casting the teleportation spell, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. The villagers watched in awe as a shimmering portal started to form.

"Everyone, get ready!" Scarlett commanded, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. The villagers gathered their weapons and supplies, their faces set with resolve. Amog the croud, Yumi was also there, Although she had no offensive skill but she sure had knowledge in swordmanship and magic, She was more than strong enough to go on battlefield and if something does happens, Scarlett will be there too.

As her gaze darted around the crowd, ensuring everyone was present, it landed on Rin, Reiza's brother. Despite his huge muscles and muscular build, his personality was gentle. He disliked fighting and had no experience in it. Scarlett wondered why he was even there. "Hey Rin, you don't like to fight, right? Why are you going?" she asked.

"His presence is very crucial," Xao interjected, explaining. "Rin has a unique skill—Die Hard. It grants many abilities, and one of them is that as long as Rin is alive and within a range of two kilometers, the weapons made by him will not break no matter what. Reiza's battle axe is also made by him!" she explained. It was clearly a very useful ability; if he entered the battle, then his comrades' weapons and armor would remain unbreakable. There was no doubt about its usefulness.

Scarlett smiled, impressed, and turned to face Rin, giving him a thumbs-up. "You sure are working hard. Thanks!" she said.

Rin blushed at the compliment and started scratching his head nervously. "I should be the one thanking you. Because of you, I grew hair on my bald head... hahaha," he chuckled.

After that, her gaze dropped on Seirra, who was standing a little apart from the crowd. "Hey Seirra, you're not going?" she questioned.

"N-no, I'm not into fighting as well," Seirra said with a smile.

Scarlett nodded. "Well, that's a shame then!" she sighed, but she wasn't going to force anyone. She knew she alone was enough for most battles.

"Umm... what about me?" A man said. Despite his heavy voice, he looked full of youth, but he was actually the oldest goblin there. It was none other than Elder Semiath.

"Too bad, you opened your mouth. You are on town duty now. Help Seirra with her work," she said, crushing all of Semiath's expectations of going to war.

Semiath's face fell, but he nodded obediently. "Understood," he said, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Here, I brought Master Ed," came a sorrowful voice, filled with depression. It was a young man with red hair—Morgass, the dragon. With him was Evadne Emberwing, ready to go to the battlefield too.

Morgass handed Evadne over to Scarlett and bowed his head in sadness. "I'm lazy... a piece of shit... I'm weak... weak... weak... weak..." His inferiority complex hadn't gone away yet.

"What's with him?" Scarlett thought but didn't dwell on it. Li Feng, noticing Evadne, asked, "Why are you bringing a kid?"

"Don't worry, he's strong enough. I'm not making him engage in battle. He'll stay with Morgass and observe the battlefield from afar. He's at the age where he should know what an actual battlefield looks like," she said, leaving no room for further discussion.

Scarlett then started chanting in her mind. A large, mysterious circle appeared on the ground, followed by another in mid-air, and another above. It was like the circles were forming new layers one after another.

To use teleportation, a large amount of mana was required, and teleporting more than 2,500 people was beyond human capability. But Scarlett was not human; for her, this was a piece of cake. However, there was a second condition: to teleport, one must have memories of the destination or have its coordinates. Thankfully, Kroenen had the coordinates, so it wouldn't be a problem.

As she chanted, the air around them started to hum with energy. All their bodies began to glow, and the circles spun faster, creating a mesmerizing display of light. Evadne clung to Morgass, his eyes wide with awe and excitement.

Scarlett's voice was steady, her concentration unwavering. The power she wielded was immense, and she could feel the weight of the villagers' expectations on her shoulders. But she was confident, resolute.

"Ready?" she asked, her voice echoing through the air.

The villagers nodded, their expressions a mix of fear and determination. They knew what lay ahead, and they were prepared to face it together.

With a final surge of energy, the teleportation spell activated. The circles of light enveloped them, lifting them gently off the ground. For a moment, everything was silent and still. Then, with a flash, they disappeared, leaving the village empty and quiet.

...

MEANWHILE AT THE ROYAL PALACE OF DARWITZ :

In the grand luxury mansion, or rather, royal palace, a young man in his prime stood in a particular room. He had golden-black hair and a pale, handsome face. Clad in sturdy golden armor, he was ready to depart. Moving towards the door, he sheathed his unique sword. Just as he was about to leave, a voice came from behind him.

"Master Lórien, are you sure you want to go with just eight other students?"

It was his personal maid, a devoted attendant to Lórien, the prince and future king of Darwitz. Lórien turned back with a determined smile, his eyes shining with confidence.

"Yes! I personally trained them; they are more than enough. Besides, I'll try to avoid fighting as much as possible," he said, his voice steady and resolute.

He turned back towards the imposing door, his determination unwavering. "As per my responsibility, I'll make sure to rescue Yumi Yamamoto, no matter what!" His declaration was filled with brilliant determination, making even the maid smile. She admired his resolve and bravery.

The prince left the room, his presence commanding and assured. The mission of rescuing Yumi was now his burden, especially since no potent warrior was present at Dreadhaven. The timing couldn't have been worse for Scarlett, who was unaware of the unfolding events. Talk about bad timing.