64. Dragon Lady's Fear, Xiling's Vow
Inside the room, on the table, a mountain of documents piled high. Xiling sat in a high-backed chair, clutching a ballpoint pen that looked out of place in the Lands Between. The tip of the pen traced across the rough parchment, firmly ticking the end of a lengthy report on the distribution of supplies for the reconstruction of Stromhill City.
"Haa..."
Xiling sighed deeply, pushing the ticked report onto the small pile of processed documents on the corner of the table. But even so...
Xiling's eyes swept across the other side, where an even larger number of unprocessed documents awaited him.
Looking at the pile of unprocessed documents on the table, Xiling felt a headache coming on. The reconstruction of the royal capital, the upcoming celebration, the arrangement and distribution for various races, the issue of food cultivation, the cultists who refused to join the Silver Rule and continued to hunt the people, and all sorts of other matters that would require the management of the restoration of order all came to Xiling's attention.
Just as Xiling rubbed his brow and was about to pick up the next document, a steady voice echoed from the other end of the long table.
"King" Radagon temporarily put down his quill. The documents before him were neatly stacked, and his processing speed was clearly much faster than Xiling's.
"If you're not used to these trivial documents, you can leave them to me and the others. You should focus more on upholding the law and guiding the overall situation."
"Agreed," a cold voice followed. It was Ranni who sat on Xiling's other side.
She didn't even look up, as four deft hands simultaneously processed three different documents with astonishing efficiency.
Xiling wasn't the only one in the room, processing these documents.
There were Radagon, Ranni, Placidusax, Rennala, and several other people from the Royal Capital who had also handled this kind of work.
Xiling shook his head at Radagon's words.
"Tomorrow is the celebration. An extra person means more effort. Let's get this done as soon as possible."
Ranni finally stopped writing, looked up, and looked at Xiling calmly.
"There are some documents that need reviewing, and there's no rush to get them done right now. Why are you so anxious?"
"Because if I get it done by tomorrow, I'll be gone," Xiling muttered to himself. Then Xiling smiled at Ranni.
"Of course, because I'm a king who cares about everyone." With that, Xiling returned to his busy work.
Ranni stared at Xiling silently for a few seconds, but ultimately, without further questioning, she returned to her efficient work. Multi-threaded office work.
Everyone witnessed it, but said nothing more, continuing to work on their own tasks. After all, the workload was indeed quite heavy.
But everyone was no ordinary person, and reading ten lines at a glance was no problem. After a day of hard work, the pile of documents began to disappear rapidly.
Night.
"Haa~~"
A long, drawn-out sigh of relief echoed through the empty palace corridors.
Xiling stood in front of the huge arched stone window and stretched unrefinedly, his bones crackling softly.
Xiling gently pounded his aching neck and shoulders, muttering to himself with a mixture of resignation and relief, "Hah—finally done... I'm more accustomed to fighting than editing and reviewing these files... But thankfully, I finished it all today! And you won't have to do it anymore."
Xiling raised his head contentedly, gazing at the enormous moon, unique to the Lands Between, embedded in the night sky.
The Lands Between's moon was enormous and beautiful. Except for the first time he camped with the group, he'd been in such a rush that he hadn't really gotten a good look at it.
"Next time," Xiling said, a smile playing on his face.
"I'll definitely find another place to camp with everyone, and enjoy the view at leisure..."
Xiling turned to leave, but just then, as if sensing something, he glanced back.
In the shadows, where the moonlight couldn't fully illuminate them, Placidusax stood silently, making no sound, her golden eyes fixed on Xiling.
Clad in white, Placidusax silently appeared behind him, gazing at Xiling.
"Placidusax? What's wrong? You need me for something?" Xiling asked doubtfully.
Placidusax didn't answer immediately. She took silent steps out of the shadows, stopping only in front of Xiling. Then, a cold voice echoed through the corridor:
"You seem... anxious."
Placidusax's golden eyes fixed on Xiling's.
"Why? Can you tell me about it?"
"So that's your question." Xiling rubbed his neck and smiled.
"Didn't I tell you? I'm just an agent. After tomorrow, I'll no longer be the King. Today's work is my last work, so I'm a little anxious."
Placidusax stared directly at Xiling's smiling face, as if she could see through him.
Placidusax's blunt gaze caused Xiling's previously cheerful expression to slowly turn awkward.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Placidusax watched Xiling silently before she slowly spoke:
"Because you're lying."
"Or rather, you haven't told the whole story... yet."
"Ah!" Xiling was stunned.
At that moment, Placidusax made an unexpected move. Her delicate face inched closer to Xiling without warning!
Her small nostrils twitched slightly, as if catching some invisible scent in the air, or perhaps carefully sniffing out the lingering scent of Xiling!
This sudden approach caused Xiling to instinctively take a step back.
But this retreat seemed to instantly ignite a certain curiosity in Placidusax's nature.
Xiling's resistance sparked a hint of...interest in this ancient being?
Rather than retreat, she took a step forward! In the moonlight, she was like a beast locked on its target. Step by step, slowly but surely, she cornered Xiling. Even the moonlight barely reached the shadows, and a cold voice echoed:
"Do you know?" Placidusax's golden eyes focused intently on Xiling's face.
"We ancient dragons, from birth, can discern the rhythms of all things in our blood."
Placidusax reached out and lightly pressed a hand against Xiling's chest, staring directly into his eyes.
"My eyes can see the rhythms of all living things. Joy, anger, sadness... and lies—these things are clear to me."
"Like before, you were clearly hiding something. I'm curious."
Placidusax tilted her head slightly.
"What else... have you not said?"
Xiling looked at Placidusax so closely with a curious expression on her beautiful face.
"That's a long story."
Xiling took two steps to the side, out of Placidusax's way, and Placidusax's gaze remained fixed on Xiling.
Xiling looked at the other party's inquiring gaze and wondered, "Are dragons really that curious?"
After a moment's reflection, Xiling decided to tell him something.
"After tomorrow, my tenure as acting king will end, and I'll also be leaving the Lands Between. Yeah, that's it."
With that, Xiling turned without hesitation.
He felt he had made his point clear.
And straightforward.
However, the moment Xiling turned, a strange, uneasy feeling crept up his spine.
The air seemed thick and heavy, no longer like a flowing gas, but more like some kind of charged gel. A fine, dense tingling sensation spread across his exposed skin, like countless tiny needles of static electricity gently pricking him. Even stranger, a subtle yet piercing crackling... hissing... sound lingered in the air.
"No, tingling, numb, there's still this sound? Could it be!"
Xiling turned sharply—
A few steps behind him, Placidusax remained standing, but the expression on her face had vanished. Her golden pupils lost their focus, slightly dilated, staring blankly ahead, reflecting nothing but a blank and empty space.
Horrifying lightning raced through her body, yet she seemed oblivious, her lips muttering something.
Xiling could clearly hear her words, but they weren't words at all, but rather the whisper of an ancient dragon.
"Leave the Lands Between?"
"Leave here?"
"Leave... Wu!"
Xiling's words—those few words he'd thought were clear and straightforward—reverberated, clashing, and burning in Placidusax's mind!
Leave?
No! Indescribable pain and a cold, empty feeling instantly gripped her heart, and then, an unprecedented, pure, and violent emotion erupted! It wasn't sadness, it wasn't loss, it was anger!
What...are you joking?
What did he think of her?
A mere passerby who could casually announce his itinerary and wave goodbye?
She was the king of the Ancient Dragon Clan!
The former supreme ruler of the Lands Between!
An entity revered by all!
And yet, this supreme being willingly submitted to a single person.
This was the most incredible decision of her long life, yet also the most unquestionable.
She lowered her proud head, willingly submitting to a single person the absolute power and dignity of the Ancient Dragon King.
Just one person!
But what did he mean? That flat tone, that retreating figure, that nonchalant departure from the Lands Between.
Did the other party want to—abandon her?
Did he see her submission and devotion as something he could easily give up?
Was she going to be abandoned once again?
It was like a cycle cursed by fate!
Memories of abandonment flooded her mind—a lonely roar echoed in the void... That deep, unbearable resentment once again overwhelmed her.
Just like before!
No!
Absolutely not!
"That Placidusax, are you okay?" Xiling spoke with some concern, wondering if something had happened to the other person.
At Xiling's call, Placidusax suddenly raised her head.
At that moment, the massive moon in the sky seemed to be covered by dark clouds.
Darkness enveloped the earth.
Also, it obscured the figures of the two.
Just as Xiling was about to step forward to investigate, he paused as a heavy pressure, like a substantial mountain, erupted from the seemingly tiny human body in front of him!
Those golden eyes, no longer inquisitive or inquisitive, had now completely transformed into lava-like amber pupils, like a wounded beast in the darkness.
"What's going on?"
Feeling Xiling instinctively frowned at the overwhelming pressure, but made no other move. In his perception, this pressure wasn't a precursor to an attack.
It was more like a loss of control, a terrifying beast concentrating all its power within a human form, its essence completely uncontrollable due to its turbulent emotions, inadvertently revealing a tiny glimpse of its overwhelming might.
Amidst this heart-stopping darkness and pressure, the figure moved.
One step—
Two steps—
Three steps—
Placidusax stepped before Xiling. Even with her tiny frame, she now gave the impression of a terrifying ancient dragon. However, Xiling remained motionless. He didn't retreat, didn't defend himself, and didn't even gather his strength. He just stood there, staring into those dragon eyes blazing with molten gold flames.
This silent gaze became the straw that finally broke the camel's back in Placidusax's heart.
At that moment, the anger dissipated, replaced by unease and a feeling of grievance.
In this suffocating stalemate, a cold, slightly trembling hand reached out from the darkness. Slowly, with an almost humble hesitation, it gently, yet with unwavering determination, grasped Xiling's hand.
"Don't abandon me..."
As that broken prayer fell, afterward, the world was reduced to a harsh, monotonous crackling.
Lightning traced the spot where their skin touched, wrapping around Xiling's arms and shoulders.
Xiling could sense the frenzy and restlessness of that power, but he didn't let go...
Xiling stared at the figure, seemingly pleading.
Is that so... because she'd been abandoned before, she feared being abandoned again...
Because, in that moment of despair, I reached out and gave her a ray of light...that's why I hold such a special place in her heart?
If that's the case...
"I think I said something really harsh." This realization crystallized in Xiling's mind.
No response came. Xiling's silence, like an icy tide, gradually drowned the faint flame in Placidusax's heart.
As expected...was she finally going to be abandoned?
But at that moment, the hand she had held, which she had been passively accepting, suddenly felt a surge of force! It wasn't a struggle, but a return to the grip!
Placidusax raised her head, and what met her eyes was a pair of eyes filled with apology.
"I'm sorry, I think I said something really harsh."
Xiling stared directly into Placidusax's dragon eyes.
"I'm definitely leaving," Xiling reiterated, but then abruptly changed the subject.
"But I didn't say I wouldn't come back!"
Placidusax seemed unresponsive, staring blankly at Xiling.
And then...
Xiling's face broke into a reassuring smile, and his eyes held an unprecedented seriousness. He seemed to be making a vow, a promise:
"I will not abandon you."
"I will not abandon anyone who needs me."
"Placidusax, this is my vow to you, and to those who need me."
At that moment...
As if echoing the weight of this promise, the dark clouds obscuring the bright moon parted! A cold moonlight, like a silver veil, instantly poured down, gently enveloping the entire landscape and clearly illuminating the two figures. The turbulent thunder and lightning in the air subsided considerably, leaving only tiny flashes of lightning dancing and flickering between the two of them.
"Really?" Placidusax asked, as if to confirm Xiling's words.
Even though her heart had already made its choice.
Xiling looked at the inquiring expression on her face, her once serious expression vanishing, replaced by... a smile.
"I was kidding~"
"Huh?!"
Placidusax froze instantly, her expression shifting from inquiring to utter astonishment and bewilderment.
"Pfft...Hahaha!"
Looking at Placidusax's stunned face,
Xiling could no longer hold back and burst into laughter, his laughter remarkably clear under the returning tranquil moonlight.
"You don't really believe that, do you? Haha!"
However, his laughter quickly died at the sudden change in the other person's expression.
Placidusax's face darkened completely.
The suffocating, terrifying pressure from earlier had vanished without a trace. It meant she had returned to her normal state, but...
The molten-gold dragon eyes returned to golden and stared fixedly at Xiling. What surged within them was no longer anger or sadness, but a kind of... calmness after being teased.
Looking directly into those calm eyes, a bad premonition washed over Xiling.
He seemed... to have gotten too far on his teasing!
The next second,
Xiling and Placidusax leaped into action simultaneously.
Xiling spun, silver-white magic enveloping him as he entered sprint mode.
Lightning swirled around her, and Placidusax instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning.
Under the cold moonlight, a thrilling chase unfolded across the palace.
Silver-white magic and red thunder leaped across the palace.
Until a shrill wail echoed.
Finally, the chase was over.
——
——
A/N [Author Note]:
You thought she was a fair-skinned, beautiful, long-legged, aloof, and majestic dragon girl?
In reality, she was an autistic dragon girl!
The dragon lady is so pitiful, afraid of being abandoned again.