If they’d joined forces with her back in the day, Miledi would have lost her chance to convey her desires to everyone. But now that the world’s faith in Ehit was wavering, things were different.
“Were we not interested in rethinking that alliance, we would not have invited you here,” Tragdi admitted to Salus. “Your resolve is admirable, and your drive for revolution worthy of respect.”
Tragdi had said the exact same thing to Miledi three years ago, and while he’d meant it back then too, this time those words weren’t a dismissal.
“Your Majesty...thank you so much,” Miledi replied with a smile. Oscar and the others smiled as well, while Salus and the old men breathed sighs of relief.
“The Liberators are the world’s only hope of freeing the people from Ehit’s tyrannical rule.”
Smiling in return, Tragdi said, “Incidentally, you don’t need to worry about the fact that you said, ‘I’ll make you my pet!’ the first time we met anymore.”
Everyone at the table spit out their drinks. No one had known about that embarrassing moment in Miledi’s past.
“M-Miledi?! Did you really say that?!”
“H-H-H-Hang on, Van-chan! I’ve got a good explanation!”
“Miledi, I’m not sure we can be friends anymore...”
“O-kun?! Not you too!”
“Hey, Miledi-chan. Didn’t you just scold me for being rude to the king? And now this?”
“What kind of horrible person would say something like that?”
“Meru-nee, Nacchan, listen to meeeeee!” Miledi shouted, and the sadistic dragon king watched the resulting chaos with a grin.
Grice sighed and said, “Your Majesty, please don’t tease them too much.”
“I’m just having a little fun. Besides, Miledi’s been so subdued since she arrived. Wouldn’t you agree she’s much better like this? Besides, it’s not like I lied about anything.”
“She only said that because you met her in your transformed state to keep the existence of dragonmen a secret and acted like a mindless monster the whole time.”
“Ho ho, I see now. Thank goodness, I was worried our Miledi had a secret fetish she’d been hiding from everyone,” Salus said with a sigh of relief.
Just then, the door that Meiru had kicked open, which had only just been repaired, was once again roughly flung open. A woman with the same color hair and eyes as Tragdi walked through it. She had waist-length hair and a sharp gaze that she leveled at Miledi and the others.
“How long are you guys planning to stay here?” she asked in a cold voice.
Tragdi gave her a stern look and said, “Shival, there’s no need to be rude. Apologize.”
“I’m sorry, father, but you seemed to be having a grand old time in here, and I think if you have time to be fooling around, you should get out and start your revolution already. The longer you stay here, the more likely it is that our nation gets caught up in this war.”
Shival spoke to Tragdi without any respect, which wasn’t too surprising, since she was his daughter.
Tragdi shook his head and replied, “Everyone knows how much you care about our people...and honestly, I’m glad you’re putting them first as well. However, that exclusionary stance is not something I can approve of as a dragonman. How many times have I told you now?”
“Says the man ruling over a nation that’s hiding away from everyone else.”
“We’re only hiding here to avoid plunging the continent into chaos. Surely you must see that.”
“Well, right now, you’re harboring the group that just plunged the world into chaos.”
“Shival,” Tragdi muttered, narrowing his eyes dangerously as the air crackled with tension.
Before an argument could break out, Miledi hurriedly said, “I’m sorry we were so noisy. As soon as your scholars are done investigating the archives, we’ll leave, so—”
“I’ve been worried this might happen since you showed up three years ago,” Shival said as she glared angrily at Miledi.
“Huh?”
“If your visit here brings tragedy to our nation, I’ll make you pay dearly!”
“That’s enough! Get out!” Tragdi shouted.
“Father, why won’t you understand?! What do some lofty ideals matter now?! Aren’t the lives of our brethren more important?!”
It was obvious Shival and Tragdi had had this argument countless times already, enough times even that there was no need to rehash it in front of guests.
Tragdi let out a long sigh and said, “I’m sorry, Grice, but can you escort her out?”
“Of course. Come on, Princess.”
“I don’t need an escort!” Shival said, glaring at Tragdi through teary eyes. She then turned and stalked off. Grice bowed to the table, then walked out behind her.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I know this is going to sound like an excuse, but...she wasn’t always like this. It was the death of her mother that changed her.”
Tragdi gave a simple explanation of what had happened. Apparently, humans had killed his wife, Shival’s mother. Humans that the dragonmen had rescued from certain death, no less. It had been the dragonmen’s lofty ideals that had invited this danger into their home, and young Shival’s curiosity that had been the trigger for the tragedy. Ever since, Shival had become an extremist who was willing to do anything to protect the lives of her brethren...and only her brethren.
The pain in Tragdi’s voice as he recounted the tale made it clear that he felt as though he’d failed as a husband and a father, not just as a king.
“Your Majesty...” Miledi said in a gentle voice, and Tragdi smiled wanly at her.
“Onee-samaaaaaa! Your beloved Lyu has finally arrived! Please, step on me!”
Just then, Lyutillis burst into the room, her perverted nature on full display. Everyone else froze, while Lyutillis stood there, her arms raised high.
“I-I simply wanted to be punished for arriving late...” Lyutillis said, trailing off.
“Can you believe she’s the ruler of a nation just like you, King Tragdi?” Oscar asked in a disbelieving voice.