[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl":3,"chapter-the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-chapter-24":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Dragon Lord's Aide Wants to Quit [BL]",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1530234,1987,"Chapter 24: Political Crisis?","the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-chapter-24",24,"\u003Cp>Spell political crisis?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kidnapped Dragon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was exactly what they had with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley stood inside the Ministry lobby, surrounded by professionals in sharp black-and-white uniforms—wearing jeans, a faded sweatshirt, and shoes that squeaked with every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stuck out like an unpaid intern at a funeral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This should’ve been his day off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no. He had to go and play hero in a back alley, and now here he was. Filing a statement. Chaperoning a dragon while writing a report he hadn’t even emotionally recovered from yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed. Really, if anyone was to blame, it was himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you really have to interfere, Hale?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Yeah. He did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if it had been Liam getting dragged into a dumpster by shady merfolk, he would’ve wanted someone to step in, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, if that not-so-baby-dragon had any real fighting ability, he wouldn’t have taken that gut punch so cleanly. Riley had never met a dragon who willingly let someone hit them without vaporizing the room out of spite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young or old, dragons were not known for their patience when punched. Hell, they don’t even have the patience to exist next to other beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So now, because he’d done a little of this and that, here they were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the Ministry. On the way to Kael’s office. And the silence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awkward as hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Practically just as awkward and tense as when the dragon lord arrived at his usual cafe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley knew bringing the kid straight to his house would’ve been faster and more comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he also valued his furniture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So instead, they went back to the café.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a public space, neutral territory. Somewhere the kid couldn’t throw a tantrum large enough to start fires without gaining a crowd and possibly an arrest record. And more importantly, Riley didn’t want a repeat of what happened the last time someone with a flair for dramatics stepped into his apartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mina had only just cleaned the place. The last thing he needed was a scorched sofa and an unpaid bill for claw marks on the tile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the kid was still glaring at him like Riley had personally insulted his whole family line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Riley looked at him, the teen was sitting there—hooded eyes sharp, posture tense, nostrils practically flaring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a cat. A very angry, magical cat whose hackles were permanently raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sipped his coffee and debated whether it was worth investigating in advance. Though at best he needed a name. A file. A single sentence to explain why a small dragon had been found by the trash behind a corner store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tapped on the screen of his phone and looked over. \"Let’s start simple. Name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried again, voice even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright. If you’re under a spell or something, blink for yes. If your voice is hurt, nod. If you’re just pretending, congratulations, you’re doing a great job.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragonling stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, sharply— \"Insolence!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley didn’t react. He blinked once, slowly, and set his coffee down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah,\" he said dryly. \"So he does speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy’s glare intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sighed, already reevaluating every life choice that led him here. \"Listen, apologies, my lord. But right now, we have to be realistic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured around them, to the cafe, to the lack of guards, to the cold coffee in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Between the two of us, you’re in the tighter spot. If we don’t clear up a few things, you’ll have more to worry about than just a grumpy aide with a phone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kid straightened immediately. Like someone pressed the Mini-Kael button.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t take kindly to threats.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s great. I’m not threatening you,\" Riley said calmly. \"I’m informing you. Ministry protocol. Also known as my actual job. Which I am still doing even after the Dragon Lord personally told me to take a vacation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled, thin and pointed. It wasn’t friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So unless you feel like explaining this all to a council without knowing your rights, I suggest you start remembering how you ended up beside a dumpster. After all, an escaped youngling isn’t something I could help you with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragonling didn’t respond. He turned his head away instead, looking very offended for someone caught mid-kidnapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sighed again and leaned back in his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s when it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air in the café shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clinking of mugs stopped. The music faded into background noise. Conversations dropped mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other patrons were staring behind him. Pale-faced. Nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\" he mumbled, turning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael Dravaryn, walking toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poised. Sharp-eyed. Terrifying. A black coat trailing behind him like the shadow of judgment itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh. It’s just him,Riley thought, already moving to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kid beside him shot up like a soldier at a surprise inspection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Dravaryn,\" the teen greeted stiffly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael didn’t even glance at Riley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Explain yourself,\" he said, voice like low thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kid flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley looked around the room. They’d tucked themselves into a side alcove, but Kael’s presence was like a broadcast signal. Half the café was frozen in place, unsure whether to run or bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir,\" Riley said quietly, \"maybe we move this somewhere more private?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael didn’t answer. He simply turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley gestured toward the exit. \"Come on, catboy,\" he muttered. \"Time to go get judged.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the Ministry, inside Kael’s office, Riley had officially resigned himself to his fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d tried. He really had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that they were here? There was no way to save this kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael sat behind his desk, the air around him still charged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragonling—finally identified as Orien Vathros—sat stiff as stone, clearly trying not to breathe too loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now,\" Kael said slowly, eyes glowing faintly, \"Orien Vathros. Explain yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"U-uncle,\" the boy stammered. \"I... I really have no idea how I got there...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced toward Riley, visibly unsure if a human should be listening to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley gave a short shrug as Kael said, \"He’s under oath. So talk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orien looked down. \"...I see...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated, then said, \"What I know is... after I woke up... I couldn’t transform anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael’s eyes narrowed. The room pulsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1035,"2026-06-06T06:06:55.419Z",1,"novelbin.me","0d0b84f11f8284de4a7743fbddac4b2da7752049e39de9ca1a0777e567d7e032","the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-chapter-25","the-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-chapter-23",406,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-lord-s-aide-wants-to-quit-bl-cover.jpg"]