Vol 7. Chapter 35: Ciallo~ (∠・ω<)

Inside the Wind Dragon Clan’s treasury, one red and one green figure stood side by side before a massive stone gate.

On the gate, intricate swirling runes shimmered with ancient magic. To open it, a special activation spell was required—one that only the reigning Wind Dragon King would know.

Valendna stood with hands on hips, putting on a grand air.

"Alright, Isha. Chant the incantation with me."

Isha folded her arms across her chest, the expression on her ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) face like a parent dealing with an overactive child.

"Valendna... you do realize that the magic system on the Samail Continent doesn’t require chanting or incantations, right?"

"Life needs ritual!" Valendna clenched her tiny fists in defiant righteousness.

Isha had no way of winning against this childlike nonsense—and she really needed the Emerald Dragon’s Tears for the test. With a sigh, she relented.

"Okay~~ fine~~ what’s the incantation?"

"Valendna is cute~ Valendna is pretty~ Valendna is the cutest Dragon Queen in the whole wide world~"

"..."

Honestly, if her brother-in-law had stormed the Wind Dragon territory back when he was still serving in that Phantom Dragon unit, it might have been the doom of dragonkind. He’d probably assume all dragons were like Valendna.

"Valendna is cute, Valendna is pretty, Valendna is the cutest Dragon King~"

Isha repeated the ridiculous chant, a resigned tone laced with indulgent fondness in her voice.

"That enough?"

"Nope! You’re missing the most important line!"

"What is it?"

Valendna closed one eye, raised a peace sign next to her cheek, lifted her leg slightly, and struck a pose—

"Ciallo~

Isha: ?

"Come on, Isha~ Say the line and the treasure vault will open~" Valendna urged.

If not for the necessity of passing this test, Isha would never have spoken such an idiotic incantation or done such a ridiculous pose.

And now here she was: standing in position, mimicking Valendna’s exact stance—bent knee, wink, peace sign.

A several-hundred-year-old dragon queen doing this—she was paying for all her years of teasing others for entertainment.

"Ciallo~

"Yesss~ Isha, you’re the best!"

Isha immediately dropped her arms and legs, letting out a silent sigh of relief.

Finally done.

Valendna activated the vault’s unlocking spell, and the stone doors slowly opened.

Isha, of course, had her own treasury. Every dragon king did. So she wasn’t all that impressed by the contents of Valendna’s vault.

The two walked in and made their way to the central crystal pedestal where the Emerald Dragon’s Tears were housed.

Inside were four pieces in total.

Valendna unlocked the crystal and took all four in her hands.

Then she hesitated... and put one back.

Then hesitated again... and put another back.

In the end, the young Wind Dragon Queen stood there holding one in each hand, her expression suddenly serious as she glared at Isha.

"You have to promise me, Isha—you’ll treat them well!"

"..."

Isha had to restrain herself from blurting out that they’d be returned in a few days anyway. But with the competition rules in place, she couldn’t reveal that.

"I understand, Valendna." Isha nodded solemnly. "I’ll take good care of your dragon tears."

Honestly, the two of them sounded less like they were negotiating and more like someone entrusting their kids to a friend.

Isha reached out to take the Tears from Valendna, but the girl suddenly pulled them back.

Isha raised a brow. She knew Valendna wasn’t backing out, so she asked gently,

"What’s wrong?"

"I can’t just give them away like this. It’d be too easy for you."

Despite her goofiness and childlike personality, the Wind Dragon Queen still had her sharp edges.

She wasn’t the type to make a losing deal.

"Come on, I thought we were close enough that you’d give me a freebie."

Isha smiled teasingly. "So? What do you want?"

"A proper trade, of course. That’s basic negotiation."

Isha had no intention of taking the Tears without offering something in return.

Valendna thought for a moment.

"Our Wind Dragon Clan is short on heavy weaponry—the kind used in major wars. Can you send me some?"

Isha turned slightly and pointed with her thumb to a corner of the vault.

Stored there were several heavy cannons.

"If I’m not mistaken, those are wind-element cannons, aren’t they?"

Wind-element cannons were particularly dangerous. Thanks to the speed and fluidity of wind magic, the shells they fired were nearly impossible to intercept.

"Ehhh..."

Seeing that her weaponry excuse had failed, Valendna quickly changed tactics.

"Oh! Then give me some sparkly jewelry! The really blingbling kind!"

Isha blinked.

"Jewelry? We just walked past half your vault, and it’s packed with necklaces, gemstones, bracelets—every single one of them blingbling."

Valendna clenched her fists and stomped her foot.

"Aahhh! You’re standing in my treasure vault—how am I supposed to play poor when you’re literally surrounded by treasure, Isha!"

Of course, Isha wasn’t being stingy.

She just knew Valendna didn’t really care about any of that.

She was waiting—waiting for this silly girl to say what she actually wanted.

After a moment of silent eye contact, Valendna’s usual playfulness faded.

In a soft, pouty voice, she finally spoke.

"Okay... Actually, there is something I want..."

Of course.

Isha smiled. "Go ahead. I’m listening."

Valendna rubbed her palms together nervously, hesitated, then finally said,

"Next month... will you have time? I want you to come with me to—"

"Sure."

Valendna blinked in shock.

"B-but I haven’t even said where I want you to go yet. How can you say yes?"

Isha gently smiled and reached out to pat her cheek.

"You helped me out so much. No matter where you want me to go, I’ll say yes."

Valendna proudly scrunched her nose and puffed up her modest chest.

"Hmph! We are the strongest allies in the whole dragon race! This little favor is nothing!"

"Then give me one more Tear."

"Who are you? I don’t know you. Get out of my vault!"

——

——

Clear skies. Twilight hanging low.

Claudia gently placed the four pieces of Emerald Dragon’s Tears from Talanta Dimosee into an ornate wooden box.

"Thank you very much, Tower Lord."

"No need for thanks, Claudia."

Dimosee glanced down at the treasure chest beside her. Inside were rare herbs and ancient spell tomes... Of course, these were only "rare" to most of the dragon world. To the Sea Dragon Clan, they were more like ingredients for liquor brewing. So if anyone had truly negotiated in this round, it was Claudia.

"But I still don’t quite understand," Dimosee said. "Has the Sea Dragon Clan's homeland been destroyed too?"

"Emerald Dragon’s Tears can revive dead land," Claudia explained. "They're the fastest way to restore a clan after war."

"But your territory is practically impenetrable. You shouldn’t need to worry about invasion or destruction."

Which meant Dimosee couldn’t understand why Claudia needed so many.

"I can’t say just yet, Tower Lord," Claudia replied calmly. "But I’ll send you a letter in a few days."

Clutching the wooden box of dragon tears, she bowed slightly.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

"Alright. Take care."

Claudia turned to go.

But before she could take more than a few steps, she heard the Tower Lord call out again.

"Wait a moment, Claudia."

She paused and turned back.

"Yes?"

Dimosee walked toward her slowly. They stood face to face—neither speaking at first.

Claudia's eyes remained cool, unreadable.

But in the subtle tension between them, she sensed something in Dimosee’s expression... a hint of suggestion?

Eventually, Claudia broke the silence.

"You already know about the academy, don’t you?"

The Tower Lord nodded.

"My ties with the academy are... unique. During Olette’s tenure, I made quite a few friends on the board. It’s not strange that I’d catch wind of things now and then... But don’t worry. Our transaction is complete. I won’t tell anyone what we just discussed. You’re not violating the rules."

Claudia pressed her lips together. She hadn’t broken any rules voluntarily, but still...

"You don’t seem like the type to bring up something you know is off-limits without a reason. Why say it at all?"

Dimosee smiled faintly.

"Because I can see it. Around the Silver Dragon Prince, many unexpected things have begun to form—Ultimate Fear, Shadow, the Void. Your Sea Dragon Clan can’t remain in hiding anymore. And with your father Poseidon’s return, you’ll be pulled back into the larger dragon world whether you like it or not. And your ascension is still far off. So in the meantime... I assume you’re trying to build your own network of allies and resources."

Claudia paused. Then nodded.

"You’re right. Entering the vice principal race wasn’t just my father’s idea. I wanted to come too."

"Do you have confidence in winning?" Dimosee asked.

Claudia was silent for over thirty seconds. At last, she lowered her eyes and shook her head.

"There’s a very strong opponent. And the final round is his specialty—combat. Honestly, I’m not confident."

Dimosee smiled.

"Then I think I can guess who it is."

"The process matters most, Claudia."

"I know, Tower Lord."

"Then go forward. Keep doing your best."

Claudia nodded and said softly:

"Farewell."

"Take care."