Chapter 326: The Dragon Princess's Tragedy Continues
Early the next morning, I bid farewell to this straightforward Barbarian buddy and began fulfilling my obligation, wandering around the Paper Mill. Actually, there wasn't much to it; occasionally, a few Mob would appear, but the Patrol Soldiers could quickly handle them. Although it's better to be safe than sorry, I still felt Akara was being overly cautious.
Unconsciously, I had already wandered into the Dense Forest. Looking at the time, it was already afternoon. As long as the guards taking over arrived tomorrow morning, my Quest would be completed. Easy, truly the easiest Quest I had ever undertaken. In my leisure time, looking at the Vines hanging down from the Trees, I couldn't help but feel a little itchy – playing Tarzan here would be quite exhilarating.
"Ah~~ah~~"
Swinging from one Tree Vine to another, I roared with excitement like a bull. This was the passion of a Man yearning for self-liberation, something Ordinary People wouldn't understand.
Speaking of which, where am I now?
When I was almost tired of playing, I leaped onto a Tree Branch, kicked off a Bucket-thick Giant Python hanging on it, and then crushed a Fist-sized Green Venomous Spider hidden among the Green Leaves, preparing to Sneak attack me – the Primeval Forest is actually full of Crisis everywhere. Kids with insufficient Strength should never wander in recklessly to court death.
So, when I leaped to the top of the Tree and surveyed my Surroundings, I finally confirmed that I had left the patrol Route. To be precise, I was lost again.
Why "again"? Please Figure Out for yourself.
Therefore, a sentence should be added just now: The Primeval Forest is extremely vast, and kids with a poor Sense of Direction should never wander in recklessly to court death.
Just as I was buried in thought, wondering whether to go left or right, or simply use a Town Portal Scroll to Flash away, risking being mocked by the Old Drunkard and the others, a beast's roar in the distance suddenly made my body tremble: Could it be the legendary Protagonist Event?
I stood on the Tree Branch with interest, waiting for the gradually approaching beast roar. Hmph, I had already dealt with the Angelic Beast, the Boss of the entire Misty Forest. What else was there to fear?
About a minute later, as the roar grew louder, the Thicket ahead rustled, and a Golden Figure suddenly darted out. Before I could see what it was, a Wild Boar-type Demon Beast weighing at least a ton, chasing closely behind the Figure, leaped out of the Thicket. The half-meter long Tusks on either side of its mouth were incredibly sharp. Panting heavily, it scraped the ground a few times with its right foreleg and charged towards the Golden Figure ahead, roaring repeatedly.
Interesting, I naturally wouldn't miss this Good Show. I quickly leaped among the Tree Branches, chasing after them. With the Mid-air Advantage, I quickly caught up to the two chasing Figures. Upon seeing them, I couldn't help but laugh.
Look at what I saw? I'm talking about the Golden Figure being chased and fleeing in a sorry state ahead. It was actually a Pekingese Dog. That's right, about a foot tall, with a fluffy Body and round, rolling Eyes. Apart from its long Ears that hung close to the ground like a Rabbit's, and its strangely Golden fur, it was no different from an Ordinary Pekingese Dog. And chasing behind it was a giant Wild Boar Demon Beast dozens of times its size.
"Whoosh—"
The Wild Boar Demon Beast's Tusks flashed with a Blue Light, and a silent Wind Blade Slash towards the Golden Pekingese Dog fleeing in a sorry state. I exclaimed. Even if I were to intervene now, it would be too late. At this critical Moment, that strangely furred Pekingese Dog, whether by sheer Luck or intentionally, suddenly tilted its Body. It actually stumbled and dodged the Attack, then darted left and right, playing hide-and-seek with the Wild Boar Demon Beast.
Seeing the Pekingese Dog's cunning Figure, I couldn't help but praise it. Using the description Method of high-end Game Player, this was a Stream of Consciousness Expert with extremely lewd Movement! Several times, the Pekingese Dog dodged the Wild Boar Demon Beast's Critical Strike by a hair's breadth, making me wonder if its Luck was heaven-defying or if it was deliberately hiding its Strength. Looking at its sorry Appearance, it didn't seem like it was hiding its Strength! It wouldn't abuse itself like this, right?
Unable to Figure Out the reason, and gradually losing interest in the chase below, I yawned and jumped down from the Tree, landing right between the Pekingese Dog and the Wild Boar Demon Beast.
Oh, this Wild Boar brother was also a true iron-blooded Man. Seeing me suddenly appear in front of it, it didn't panic or stop (actually, it was too late to stop even if it wanted to). It just charged straight at me, seemingly intending to take me and the Pekingese Dog out in one go.
Oh dear, cherish Life, stay away from speeding. Don't you know that exceeding 70 yards can kill people? I shook my Head. A Long Saber appeared out of thin air in my hand. I pointed the Blade at the Wild Boar Demon Beast, stuck it in the ground, then supported myself on the hilt with one hand and lightly leaped up. The Wild Boar Demon Beast just watched helplessly as it crashed onto the Blade.
"Hiss—"
After charging past the Blade, the Wild Boar Demon Beast continued running blankly. After running a full twenty meters away, a thin spray of Blood suddenly erupted from its Body. From the center of its nose to its buttocks, it was neatly split into two halves. Its Innards spilled out, and Blood sprayed all over the ground.
At this moment, I had just pulled the Long Saber out of the ground in Mid-air, landed with a Somersault, wiped the Blood off the Blade, and put it away gently. Hmm, difficulty coefficient ten, score one hundred.
Where's the Pekingese Dog? I looked left and right and finally found it hiding behind a Tree, peeking out its small Golden Head, Scrying at me with its rolling Eyes. How interesting. I didn't expect a Dog to be able to make such a human-like Movement. I immediately became happy.
"Good boy, come here."
I walked over with light Footsteps. The Little Pekingese Dog seemed to know I had no Hostility and didn't run away, allowing me to pet its Head.
It was fluffy, indeed very cute. Its fur was very dirty; it should be even cuter after being washed. I might as well take it back as a Pet for my Beloved Daughters, I continued to fantasize while petting the Little Dog's Head.
However, according to the plot in Novels, shouldn't this Dog be the Youngster of some Divine Beast, with no Strength in the beginning but a big burst in the later stages? After scanning the Pekingese Dog's entire Body again, I couldn't help but shake my Head and face Reality – this weak Little Guy. A Divine Beast? You've read too many Novels.
Just then, this Dead Dog, which had been acting cute, actually took advantage of my inattention and bit my Finger hard. Damn, it's bleeding.
Little did I know, Leona was also feeling depressed at this moment. How could she, the dignified Dragon Princess, fall to such an Extent/Point? It was all that Dead Fat Dragon, that smelly Fat Dragon. When she got back, she would definitely pull out all his Beard.
And at this moment, out of Helplessness, and even more afraid of continuing to live under the Shame of being pursued by Crawlers she had never even bothered to look at before, the Dragon Princess decided to endure the humiliation. First, she would sign a Master-Servant Contract with this Human in front of her. Of course, she would be the Master. This Contract, unique to the Royal Family of the Dragon Race, was extremely overbearing. It didn't require Mana, nor did it require the other party's agreement. It could be unilaterally established with just a drop of Blood. However, as the Initiator of the Contract, her Soul Strength had to be far superior to the other party's.
Tch, although her Body and Strength were gone, her Soul was still there. Could it be that the dignified Dragon Princess's Soul Strength would be surpassed by a Human?
However, it was truly a great Shame. Perhaps she was the first user after this Contract was created – with the Strength and Arrogance of Dragons, they would never deign to form a Contract with Creatures of low Strength, not even a Master-Slave Contract, let alone the Royal Family. The Dragon Race was aloof; they didn't need Servants.
Hmph hmph, consider it an Honor. You will be The Princess's Servant from now on. As long as you Protect and serve The Princess well, when The Princess recovers her Strength, she will definitely Repay you well. If you can make The Princess happy and cry out wanting to stay by The Princess's side, then building a small Cave in The Princess's Royal Chamber is not impossible.
From this, it can be seen that Leona was actually a Little Princess with a kind heart. Even towards her Servants, she viewed them with a Stance of Equivalent Exchange rather than Plunder. Given the Dragon Race's Arrogance, which was almost Abnormal in Personality, being able to consider the other party like this was extremely rare.
Next, as long as she recited the Incantation in Dragon Race Spell, The Princess could escape her current Hardship. Thus, our Princess Leona began solemnly chanting the Dragon Race Spell.
"Woof woof woof woof woof woof..."
Cute Little Dog sounds.
"Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof..."
Pitiable Little Dog Wails.
Leona's Eyes went dark, and she felt a wave of dizziness – she was a Dog now, she couldn't even speak, how could she recite any Incantation?
Her Body swayed, but Leona finally steadied her Mind and sighed. It seemed that finding a Servant for Protection was also impossible.
But thankfully, although this Incantation would have a Side Effect if it failed, the Condition for the Side Effect was that the other party's Soul Strength was not less than one-third of her own. Otherwise...
Leona tilted her Head, recalling the content of the Book. Uh... she remembered it was Contract Backlash, Master-Servant Position Inversion. That was close, so close. Fortunately, she chose a weak Human. In Leona's Mind, how could the Soul of a weak Human possibly reach one-third of hers?
However, at this moment, Leona's Soul suddenly trembled, as if shackles had been placed upon it. A thought instantly flashed through her Mind: Contract – established.
Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? —!!!
What was I doing while the Dragon Princess was talking to herself? Originally, I wanted to make this ignorant stupid Dog into a delicious Dog Meat Soup to Nourish my Body, but the Little Ghost, who was In a Dream, suddenly woke up and fused with me.
Little Guy, what are you doing? I asked curiously. It's not like we're Shapeshifting, why the sudden whim to play Fusion? However, I didn't resist the comfortable Feeling of Soul merging.
So, for a moment, I forgot to deal with that stupid Dog first.
"Xiao Fan, your Soul Fluctuation just now was too strong, it woke me up," the Little Ghost complained.
"Soul Fluctuation? I didn't feel anything."
"Because even your Soul has a Slow Reaction," the Little Ghost didn't hesitate to retort.
"Anyway, although I don't know What Will Happen, it's better to calm down a bit."
The Dragon Princess's Tragedy thus occurred. A certain person's Soul Strength was indeed less than one-third of hers, or even one-tenth, but she didn't know that there was another Soul inside that had completely materialized into a Spirit Saintess. Let alone one-third, it was very likely more than enough.
After the Little Ghost felt my Soul Fluctuation stabilize, she dissolved the Fusion State, stretched, and like a cute little curled-up squirrel, entered dreamland again. At this moment, I suddenly remembered that stupid Dog. Seeing it still standing there foolishly, I didn't hesitate to use a Hand Blade to Stun it. Should I stew it or boil it? Grabbing its long Ears like I would a Rabbit, I was somewhat indecisive, feeling that both flavors would be good. However, before that...
Looking left and right at the Depths of the Jungle where the sky was gradually darkening – I should first solve the problem of being lost.
What I didn't know was that tens of thousands of kilometers away in the Dragon Race Forbidden Land, two Boss-level figures were arguing over me.
"Lowly Human. How dare he Enslave the Dragon Princess? I will kill him and tear him into Ten Thousand Pieces." Fix, the White Dragon Elder, who had seen Leona's Encounter clearly through the Crystal Ball, roared and was about to rush out, but was grabbed by Hadi, the Dragon King.
"Hadi, has your Dead Fat Dragon Brain Flooded? Do you know the current Situation? Your Beloved Daughter, the dignified Dragon Princess, has actually become someone else's Servant!!!"
"I know. Is there anything wrong with that?" Hadi, the Dragon King, dressed simply, said slowly.
"Of course not, the dignified Dragon Race..."
"Fix, it seems you've been confused by those Pedantic Theories," Hadi sighed, interrupting Fix.
"Our Dragon Race is indeed the most Arrogant Race, but do you know the source of our Arrogance?"
"Of course, it comes from our Soul and our Unyielding Spirit."
"Everything you said is correct, but you've overlooked the most important point, and that is our Strength. I am Arrogant precisely because we have Powerful Strength. This is the Capital of our Arrogance, the source of our Confidence."
"Are you saying that without Strength, we will lose our Arrogance? This is simply like drawing an Equal Sign between Love and Money. Are you Confused, Hadi?"
"Of course not, our Arrogance will not disappear because of the loss of Strength. But without Strength, our Arrogance will become Worthless, and in the Eyes of others, we will be like Clowns. Money cannot buy Love, but at the same time, Love cannot buy Money. Love cannot be eaten as food, and Money is also a Necessary Condition to Consolidate Love," Hadi said coldly.
"Face Reality. Others recognize our Arrogance because we have Powerful Strength. Without the maintenance of Strength, our Dragon Race is just a group of self-absorbed Clowns in the Eyes of others, nothing more."
"This..."
Fix clenched his Fist. He wanted to Refute, but he couldn't say anything. Perhaps this was why Annelise chose him instead of himself. Most of the Dragon Race would only immerse themselves in their self-constructed World. Only he – Dragon King Hadi – could always view everything in the world with a Calmness Gaze.
"Therefore, I don't think there's anything wrong with Leona, who has lost her Strength, becoming the Servant of a Human Adventurer with Strength. This World is like this, The Weak are Prey to the Strong. Our Dragon Race cannot escape this Rule."
Seeing the frown still on his Old Friend's face, Hadi smiled.
"Don't worry, Fix. I can Dissolve this Contract at any Time. After all, she is my Daughter."
Hearing Hadi say this, Fix finally breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could relax, he became agitated again: "Oh, damn it, that damned Human is planning to eat Leona! How can I be at ease?"
"It's okay, it's okay," Hadi continued to laugh loudly.
"This is a Contract unique to our Royal Family, and it naturally has its peculiarities. After signing the Contract, regardless of the Master-Servant relationship, non-Dragon Race individuals will develop a certain closeness towards the Dragon Race. That Kid is just saying that. I think his Personality, being tough-mouthed but soft-hearted, is somewhat similar to Leona's."
"I hope so. Anyway, as soon as I find that Kid preparing Boiled Water, I will immediately Blast him into Dust," Fix said, stroking his Beard. His red Eyes stared straight at the Crystal Ball, his sharp Gaze seemingly wanting to pierce the person reflected inside. There wasn't a trace of the White Dragon Elder's Refined Appearance left.
"Then you watch for me. I'll take a Nap."
Hadi patted Fix's Shoulder, stretched, and walked towards the Royal Chamber in the Depths of the Cave.
"You Bastard, do you really not care about your Daughter at all?" Fix grumbled, looking at Hadi's Back View. He then turned his Gaze back to the Crystal Ball, seemingly intending to All-weather Monitoring twenty-four hours a day.
However, Fix didn't notice that after turning the Corner, the Lazy Smile on Hadi's face was quickly replaced by a face full of Sighs. With a Flash/Dart, he appeared in his Room. After hesitating for a while, he placed his hand on a Wall. A moment later, the Stone Wall turned into Void. Hadi respectfully stepped into the Void. The Scene of the Room behind him immediately disappeared, replaced by boundless Darkness.
In this Darkness, a pair of red Giant Eyes opened above Hadi's Head. The endless Authority and Pressure emanating from them made even Hadi, the Dragon King, break out in Cold Sweat.
"Hadi, is something wrong?"
The authoritative Voice filling the entire Void Space echoed in Hadi's Ears.
"Yes, Supreme Dragon Emperor Lord. I still don't understand what the Meaning is in letting Leona go out. Seeing her Encounter, as a Father, I truly cannot ignore it."
"Has Leona Encountered someone?"
"Yes, Supreme Dragon Emperor Lord, an Ordinary Human."
"Human? Is there anything special about him?"
"I can't tell. His Strength is weak, but his Soul Strength is surprisingly Powerful, enough to cause Leona's Royal Family Contract Backlash."
"Oh? Is that so?"
The red Giant Eyes lightly swept over Hadi. Hadi felt as if his Body had been seen through. A drop of Cold Sweat dripped uncontrollably from his forehead.
"I don't know either," the pair of red Giant Eyes replied leisurely after a long time.
"Father God's Thoughts are not something we can Figure Out. I have only seen a Single Point of the Path."
"..."
"Don't worry. Although I don't know the Future, I can guarantee that Leona will definitely not be in danger."
"Thank you, Supreme Dragon Emperor Lord."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Hadi felt the pair of Giant Eyes above slowly close, knowing it was time to leave.
After Hadi left, a heavy Sigh came from the Void after a long time.
Father God, why did you abandon us? Hmph, Angel Race, Hell Race, do you really think you are worthy of fighting with Father God? You don't know death!
That Moment is approaching. What Will Happen to this Act?