“Owwwwww! What was that for?!”
“For pretending like you’re my dad! Got a problem with that?!”
“I take it back, you’re nothing like Reej. She didn’t constantly resort to violence like you do.”
“Okay, that settles it. Today’s the day you die. I’ll make you relive all the injuries you’ve suffered in your life.”
“Stop it, you moron!” Oscar shouted, wrapping his wires around Meiru and dragging her away before she killed Baharl.
Miledi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed in apology, saying, “I’m terribly sorry about Meru-nee, Your Majesty.”
She was addressing the man at the head of the table. He had dark golden hair and eyes, and looked to be as old as Grice. And though he was thinner than Grice, he carried himself with the bearing of a king. That being said, he wasn’t the kind of ruler that demanded subservience from those in his presence. People simply felt overawed upon seeing him, like hikers looking up at a tall mountain and marveling at the majesty of nature.
This man was, of course, the king of the Dragon Kingdom, Tragdi Augis Astlan. He smiled gently at Miledi and replied, “No worries, Lady Miledi.”
His voice was as gentle as his expression, and it naturally put people at ease.
“If anything, I’m a little jealous of Baharl. My daughter doesn’t even give me the time of day.”
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I am not this man’s daugh—”
“Meru-nee, stay,” Miledi said, turning to Meiru with an even more terrifying smile than the one she’d given Baharl.
“Y-You’re scaring me, Miledi-chan,” Meiru replied meekly. While Meiru had technically addressed Tragdi by his title, she’d spoken to him like she would anyone else. The pirate queen really didn’t kneel to anyone.
Tragdi let out a booming laugh, and Miledi breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he was open-minded enough to not mind Meiru’s disrespect.
Everyone took their seats, and Oscar and Miledi gave Karg and Salus respectively somewhat embarrassed glares. Meiru sniffed dismissively and glared at Baharl with a lot more outright hostility. The three old men simply looked away, refusing to meet their children’s gazes...and all the while, Tragdi laughed even harder.
“By the way, where is Laus-dono?” he asked, casting his gaze over Miledi and the others. He didn’t ask after Lyutillis, since Salus had already told him she’d be a little late.
“He’s probably with his family,” Miledi replied.
“Hmm... I see.”
Laus’s family had been among the people that had been on the Melusine when the Liberators had made their escape. They’d been given a mansion on the outskirts of the city, and Laus was still in the middle of hashing things out with them. Or rather, still in the middle of trying to persuade them.
They still hated the Liberators and the dragonmen, and Laus’s words didn’t seem to be getting through to them. Kaime and Selm at least were willing to take walks with Laus and eat meals with him, but it was still hard to tell if their minds had actually changed at all.
Naturally, the dragonmen were keeping an eye on Laus’s family, and Tragdi knew all the details about Laus’s struggles, which was why he looked down sadly.
“We’re extremely thankful that you allowed them into the capital, Your Majesty,” Miledi said.
“What, you mean two kids and two women who can’t fight? I would have to be a heartless monster to refuse them entry,” Tragdi answered with a sad smile as the maids started serving lunch.
Kaime and Selm had both been forced to wear artifact bracelets enchanted with Core Seal, so their apostleified strength was sealed away as well. For the moment, they really were just two regular kids.
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Tragdi lifted his goblet and said, “All right, let’s eat.”
For some time, everyone focused on their meal and all heavy topics were avoided. The food wasn’t the kind of lavish fare that was served at nobles’ parties on the mainland. But while it was simple, it tasted delicious and warmed everyone to the core. Both the food and the entire composition of the capital spoke volumes about the dragonmen’s character.
As they ate, Miledi occasionally snuck glances at Tragdi. She had come to the Dragon Kingdom once before, three years ago, though back then, it had been by pure coincidence. She’d been searching for somewhere to build a new village for the Liberators and had coincidentally passed over the region the dragonmen patrolled. They’d been quite surprised to discover a human girl who had mastered the skies better than them. Then, after a few twists and turns, Miledi and the dragonmen had become friends, and she’d been invited to the palace.
Back then, it felt like she’d walked into a fairy tale. Dragonmen had been a race from legends, and the church had of course painted them as pure evil. But of course, Miledi had quickly learned that they were nothing like what the church said, and so, she inevitably invited them to join the Liberators. However, they refused, stating that the Liberators weren’t yet strong enough to convince the Dragon Kingdom to make their move. Moreover, they’d said, “Besides, to the world, we’re the ‘evil’ dragonmen.”
While Miledi reminisced about the past, Salus and Tragdi chatted amicably with each other, ironically about the exact topic that Miledi was reminiscing about.
“Oh, yes. I heard from Miledi that at the time, you refused our invitation because we lacked strength.”
Dragonmen occupied a slightly different niche in the church’s religious canon than the similarly supposedly evil demons. They weren’t a concrete foe that needed to be defeated, nor did any of the human kingdoms have any real history with them. In a way, they were a symbol of more abstract evil. Had they joined forces with Miledi in the past, everyone would have likely denounced her ideals, saying, “See, she’s joined forces with those wicked dragonmen, the root of all evil!”