Chapter 25

Over the course of nine years, Bahamut's influence continued to grow, surpassing even that of the aging Emperor who was slowly being consumed by a disease—cancer. The Emperor's negligence of his duties had left the affairs of the realm largely in the hands of his subjects. While the Emperor remained in power in name, the reality was quite different. Bahamut had become the true power behind the throne, and this knowledge had spread throughout the land, from peasants to high officials.

With Emperor's waning influence, people from all walks of life began to treat Bahamut with the utmost respect. His wisdom and power were no longer a secret and had become common knowledge. After the war, generals under the Emperor's command frequently visited Bahamut, seeking his guidance and counsel.

One particular general, Chang Jin, fell in love with Elia, which worried them as they feared Bahamut wouldn't approve. However, when they finally gathered the courage to approach Bahamut with their love, they were surprised when he not only agreed but also welcomed Chang Jin into their family. With this union, Aegon and Rhaenys gained a stepfather.

From another perspective, it was beneficial as having a war-experienced general bound to Bahamut through marriage to Elia brought additional strength to their side. Over nine years, Bahamut had trained young men's to serve him, as people flocked to become part of the legendary black dragon's retinue. Even though they couldn't become soldiers, serving a legendary dragon was an honor in itself to them.

At present, Bahamut had trained a force of around 12,000 men, ranging in age from 17 to 32. This number didn't include the men loyal to Warlords who pledged their allegiance to Bahamut instead of the Emperor, as they held a deep resentment for the current ruler. With these added allies, Bahamut commanded more than 35,000 strong men.

During this time, there were numerous assassination attempts on Rhaenys, Aegon, and Elia, primarily driven by those who saw Bahamut placing great importance on them. Fortunately, none of these attempts succeeded as Bahamut had keen senses and sharp vision that covered a vast area. Those with nefarious intentions never managed to escape the fiery consequences, and curses directed at them proved futile.

After these nine years, Aegon had grown into a mature teenager at the age of 14. He displayed exceptional proficiency both in combat with a sword and in his studies, earning praise from scholars and martial masters alike. Aegon had even gathered his own group of followers, forming a personal retinue. Yet, what he coveted most was a single word of approval from Bahamut. Every time he accomplished something, he would eagerly approach Bahamut, seeking validation for his achievements. And every time, Bahamut didn't disappoint, offering words of praise and encouragement.

Aegon had evolved into the ideal person who could potentially rule the Seven Kingdoms wisely and justly. He consistently impressed Bahamut with his achievements, displaying all the qualities of a capable ruler. Bahamut even had Aegon attend council meetings of the realm, even though this was quite unconventional for a child of his age. This was an opportunity for him to learn and gather wisdom for his future role as a leader.

However, Aegon wasn't exempt from Bahamut's discipline. The dragon would employ strict punishments if Aegon made mistakes, ensuring that he learned from his errors. But Aegon thrived under Bahamut's guidance, continuing to excel and prove himself as a future king.

Rhaenys was a different story. As a woman, she might not possess the physical strength of men, but she more than made up for it with her agility, technique, and sword-wielding prowess. She had demonstrated her resilience by castrating men who approached her with ill intentions. Whenever she found herself in trouble, she would humbly approach Bahamut, seeking his support and protection.

Rhaenys was known for her sharp tongue, a strong-willed nature that Bahamut admired in her. She was more determined to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms, as she had endured humiliation as a young girl, barely escaping death with Bahamut's help. This experience had forged a special bond between her and Bahamut, whom she saw as a fatherly figure, perhaps even more so than the person her mother had married recently.

The former young dragons had now grown into majestic adult dragons, surpassing 60 feet in size, which was considerably larger than Drogon from the series. Aegon was initially insistent on having Bahamut as his dragon partner, but Bahamut firmly rejected the idea, guiding Aegon to choose another dragon, Igneel, as the one best suited for a ruler.

The four dragons had become imposing and more ferocious in appearance than Bahamut, despite his tremendous size. They were indeed a formidable sight.

To Bahamut's delight, Moon had recently laid her first clutches of eggs. These eggs were all black, a striking contrast to her typical silver color. However, they had yet to hatch.

Notice:[ In a royal decree from the King of Dragons, Bahamut, the ever-greedy dragon roared, demanding, "Where are my precious power stones? And why, oh why, haven't you rated the Fan-fic? Don't give me a reason to send my fiery companions after you. Leave a sparkling review and save yourself from... well, you know, more dragon-related drama!" ]