Chapter 689: Dragon's Majesty

On the other side, when Xia Duo arrived at Niya's location, he did not find any outsiders present. It seemed Niya had not allowed Rodney Lord to enter the Tower of Time. "Didn't you say Rodney Lord was coming to visit? Why didn't you let him in?"

However, after Xia Duo asked, Niya did not answer immediately. Instead, she looked at him with astonishment, her tone rising significantly, "Has your bloodline awakened again?"

Hmm? Xia Duo's heart stirred. Could it be that this bloodline awakening had some external manifestations? He hadn't paid attention to these before, but just now in the Tilake Research Lab, Tilake's expression had seemed a bit off.

Thinking of this, Xia Duo couldn't help but ask in return, "How did you know? Is something wrong?"

As he spoke, he even raised his arm and rolled up his sleeve, seemingly wanting to see if any anomalies like dragon scales had appeared on his body. However, he actually did discover something unusual.

But before he could examine it closely, Niya stated her discovery, "You can't tell from the outside, but the change in temperament is very obvious. The moment I saw you just now, it felt like I was looking at a teacher."

"……"

Xia Duo's face darkened. Was that a compliment? He didn't want to become like a woman. Thinking this, he didn't care about being in front of Niya and immediately summoned a water mirror to observe himself.

This water mirror was not very clear, but it was enough for Xia Duo to see his current appearance—

Star-like eyes and sword-shaped brows, a high nose and thin lips. Because he had been very busy lately, his hair had grown to his shoulders, but thanks to his good looks and the Wisdom headband worn on his forehead, he didn't look sloppy at all; instead, it added a touch of dashing spirit.

He wore a deep red Mage Robe, paired with a silver sash at his waist, changing the serious and rigid style of traditional Netheril robes and becoming full of vitality.

On his feet were a pair of processed light-gray Dragon Skin Boots. They looked unremarkable, but Xia Duo knew that in terms of rarity, the Dragon Skin Boots on his feet were likely the hardest piece of equipment to obtain in his entire outfit, aside from the 【Pioneer Scepter】.

However, even wearing the very rare Dragon Skin Boots, Xia Duo didn't see how he looked like a Princess. He looked left and right, but just couldn't see it.

His performance made Niya unable to help but cover her mouth and giggle, then she immediately returned to a serious expression, looking at Xia Duo as if thinking about what to say, and finally said, "You don't look like it now!"

"……"

Was she playing with him? Xia Duo dismissively dispelled the water mirror, about to ask about the serious matter of Rodney Lord's intentions, but a thought suddenly occurred to him.

To verify his idea, Xia Duo gathered his emotions, his face turned stern, and looking at Niya, he said severely, "Have you finished reading the books I told you to?"

He knew that even after receiving the mission to return to the Territory to settle the Elf, Niya's teacher had still assigned her many academic tasks, including reading a certain number of designated books.

As far as Xia Duo knew, Niya hadn't been able to complete the tasks well these days. The Territory, the Tower of Time, and even Xia Duo himself, many things would disturb her, unlike when she was at Giles Tower, where she could be fully immersed.

Just after Xia Duo finished that questioning sentence, Niya stared at him blankly, like a child who had done something wrong, unable to even speak clearly, just repeating, "You, you—I, I—"

Could it really be that?

Xia Duo was thoughtful, so he adjusted his state of mind and gradually restrained his emotions. Only then did Niya seem to come back to her senses, patting her chest with one hand while reaching out with the other to grab the teacup on the desk beside her.

After she took a few large gulps of tea, she looked at Xia Duo with a strange expression and murmured, "It's too similar. How did you do that?"

But Xia Duo did not answer directly, instead asking suggestively, "Is it like the Dragon Fear in the dragon Illusion during the Snow Melting Competition before?"

This was Xia Duo's guess, but he wasn't entirely sure. After all, the dragons from his hometown and the dragons here were still quite different.

The former started from a natural image and had mythological origins, becoming divine by the time it reached later generations, while the latter was just a big lizard with wings. If one were to translate it professionally, the two would have no connection at all.

And Niya's words seemed to verify some of Xia Duo's guesses. She thought seriously for a moment before weighing her words and saying in Elvish, "A bit like it, but the difference is also very obvious. Dragon Fear is simple and crude, a very barbaric form of Xiling Liliang, but the dignified temperament you displayed can make people submit from the bottom of their hearts."

As she spoke, as if to verify her words, she reached out and pulled a small, strangely shaped Amulet emitting a Magic Aura from under the collar of her robe: "This is a mind Amulet, somewhat similar to your 【Pioneer Scepter】. If it had been Dragon Fear just now, even if I couldn't be completely immune, it would have been greatly weakened, and wouldn't have caused me to feel Stun."

Hearing Niya's description, Xia Duo was almost certain of his guess. It was indeed somewhat similar to Dragon Fear, but clearly different.

After all, he hadn't felt any Xiling Liliang at all; it was purely using temperament supplemented by appearance, movements, and voice to produce a similar effect of Stun.

If the target were a blind and deaf person, this ability might not work.

Because it was related to his bloodline, Xia Duo named this ability 【Dragon's Majesty】.

In his hometown, many religious figures would specifically practice one or more "Majesty Arts" to increase their affinity, persuasiveness, or what is called charisma.

There were no supernatural factors in this. If viewed from the perspective of modern people, it was probably a means of image packaging! Xia Duo's 【Dragon's Majesty】 was like an upgraded version of this "Majesty Art," already possessing certain supernatural attributes. Now it seemed that even a mind Amulet couldn't block it; it really was a strange art!

At this point, Xia Duo's original dissatisfaction with this bloodline awakening finally had an outlet; it was finally not a useless thing.

……

"Xia Duo, do it again!"

Hearing Niya's almost coquettish voice, Xia Duo only felt his scalp tingle. He had never seen Niya act like this before. However, doing it again was definitely not possible. If Majesty could be performed at will, it wouldn't be called Majesty, but rather a loss of dignity.

But since Niya was rarely acting so coquettish, a flat refusal was also inappropriate. Xia Duo hurriedly changed the subject, "Didn't you say Rodney Lord was coming to visit? Did he say why? Why didn't you let him in?"

At this moment, Niya also realized that she seemed to have forgotten the important business, and couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Xia Duo could learn about it slowly, but the important business was already pressing right before them.

(End of chapter)