Reincarnated as a Dragon – The path of the Dragon God

“Nicely done, my dear husband!” Sarynn cheered and chuckled loudly as she and the other girls finished listening to Henry’s recount of the negotiation that had just taken place with the humans this afternoon.

“As expected of you, honey,” Yula purred as she squirmed on Henry’s lap and in his embrace like a kitten.

“A very contrived diplomacy there,” Rayne remarked.

“Diplomacy, nonetheless,” Henry retorted with a smirk.

“They agree with your conditions?” Chloe asked.

“They had to since they didn’t wish to see my wrath.”

“I’m surprised the princess didn’t get offended and just outright commanded her army to attack you and the Lavans,” Rayne added.

“The princess won’t,” Alayne said. “Unlike her brother, the king, she’s very meticulous and cunning. She would have been the king if she was a man.”

“You know the princess?”

“Not personally but she’s famous amongst the common folk. She mingles with the commoners, or so that’s how the rumour goes. She doesn’t want the throne but many wish she does. Unfortunately, the laws of the kingdom favour men and only men can hold a regnant position.”

Yula and Chloe shared a knowing look as they both came from the twenty-first century of modern Earth.

“Is she trustworthy?” Henry questioned.

“That’s difficult to say. She’s known for being shrewdly hostile against her brother and his faction.”

“What else is she known for?”

“She’s known for having many enemies in court. There were whispers about how she gets rid of her enemies through… very underhanded and clever means but she takes care of her friends well.”

Henry briefly recalled how she had one of her retinue killed right on the spot. He couldn’t help but agree with the former part.

“People even went as far as saying she has more love for the kingdom than her own family. Some even believed she killed her own father, the previous king. Regardless, I bet her brother sent her here in hopes of having her take the blame should the negotiation fall off in order to get rid of her.”

“Interesting but… I don’t care about her backstory. I just want to know her character. Can she be trusted in upholding a bargain?”

“You’re not her family or affiliated with the royal court, so I say she can be trusted.”

“A rebellious and eccentric princess,” Yula mused. “Caught another girl’s fancy, didn’t you, Henry?”

“Just what exactly do you take me for, Yula?”

Yula shrugged. “I say she’s looking for a strong and reliable ally according to your recount and Alayne’s story. You meet her criteria.”

“She definitely knows I’m strong but how would she know I’m reliable?”

Yula tittered. “Women have a way of knowing things, you know?”

“She’s not looking for an ally. She’s looking for a pawn and I have no intention of being one. This agreement is as far as our relationship would go.”

“The night’s still young, Henry. Who knows what could happen?”

Henry rolled his eyes.

“What’s the agreement?” Rayne inquired.

“I will help them deal with Vishara and in exchange, they will stop bothering the Lavans and return to their previous business relationship. Simple as that.”

“Why don’t you just forbid them from dealing with Ulrum entirely?” Chloe asked.

“I did make that demand but… their king would not allow it. They said this was an order from the king, no matter how the negotiation fared, they could not agree to the complete severance from Ulrum’s affairs. They said the king threatened to have all the soldiers hanged if it ended in such a way.”

“You took pity on the soldiers then?”

“I didn’t. It’s not due to pity that made me compromise. If I insisted, a war would have surely broken out right there and then. The soldiers would have nothing to lose if I insisted on a complete severance. Although I don’t doubt our chances of victory, the expense would be too grave. This is the middle point we arrived upon.”

“So, you’ll be leaving for the human lands by tomorrow?” Sarynn asked.

“Unfortunately, yes, I am.”

Yula sighed. “Just when I thought we could have some time to ourselves…” she sulked.

“Such is life, my dear. You want peace and prosperity, you have to work for it.”

“More like you have to patch up holes that someone else made,” Yula scoffed, her gaze slightly veering to Rayne.

“I’m partly at fault too for not stopping Vishara when I had the chance to,” Henry said. “I knew she was volatile but… I never expected that she would become this big of a headache.”

Yula glared at Rayne. “Look what you've done, Rayne.”

“Huh?” Rayne frowned in confusion.

“You made Henry all gloomy.”

Rayne’s frown deepened. She looked at Henry for assistance but she didn’t get one.

“She’s right,” Henry said. “You’re the one who’s mainly responsible for this. Which is why you're coming along.”

“What?” Rayne blurted out.

“Why do you sound so surprised? When you shit, you bury it. Be thankful that you’re not burying this big pile of shit alone.”

“But what can I offer? I’ll just be a burden if we’re going up against Vishara.”

Henry chuckled and stroked his fingers along Rayne’s face. “My clemency isn’t free or cheap. You have a huge debt. This is your opportunity to clear most of it.”

“May I tag along too?” Yula gleefully asked with her hand raised as if she was in a classroom.

“No, you can’t. You’ll… stand out too much in more ways than one.”

Yula pouted.

“And I won’t stand out?” Rayne asked.

“You can be a dazzling beacon but you’re still coming with me.”

Rayne tutted.

“I’ll come along,” Alayne put forward.

“Naturally. I’ll be needing your guidance.”

“You can expect more from me, Henry.”

“I definitely will.” Henry then turned to Chloe. “What about you, Chloe? What do you want to do?”

“As much as I like to stay, I have to go back. I have work.”

Henry smiled. “Then I shall send you home before dawn.”

“Hey…”

“Yes?”

“Drop by sometime… whenever you’re free, okay?”

“I will, Chloe.”

A smile bloomed on Chloe’s face.

“And what about you, Sarynn?”

“I’ll stay,” she answered promptly. “Being amongst humans is too much for me.”

“Then, everything’s settled. We’ll set out at dawn after I send Chloe back.”

****

The next day came as swift as an arrow.

Henry arrived at the appointed place after he had sent Chloe back to her world. Although he had flown here, he did not reveal his true form. He flew low and in his humanoid Dragon form, avoiding the inquisitive gazes of the humans. He shifted back to his human form once he reached the Lavan’s territory.

The meet-up point was at the foot of a hill, just outside the pass between two small hills that marked the end of the Lavan’s territory. From here on, it was considered neutral grounds, but the humans no doubt saw these lands as theirs.

Henry came to the campsite of the princess and her entourage without being accompanied by a single Lavan, though he did inform Iluna beforehand when he passed through her homeland.

When Henry emerged from the pass, the gathered soldiers immediately straightened their backs and hardened their gazes. Henry noted the soldiers were half the number of yesterday.

The princess appeared from her tent and trotted up to Henry after she was informed of his arrival by her handmaidens, whom Henry didn’t see any yesterday.

It was clear that the handmaidens had been hiding amongst the band of soldiers or they were soldiers while doubling as the princess’ maids and bodyguards. The Slayers that stood by her side yesterday were just a means to intimidate the other party.

“Lord Henry, a pleasant morning to you,” the princess greeted with a half-kneel. “You are right on time.”

Henry smiled curtly in response. “Your forces are half the number they were yesterday. What happened?”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about them, Lord Henry. They went to scout ahead. These lands are filled with all manners of danger, after all.”

“Hmm.”

The princess’ gaze gleamed with fascination when she glanced at the girls standing behind Henry. “And who are these two? A human and a… Snow Elf?”

Rayne tutted inwardly but she didn’t bother to hide her displeasure.

“Greetings, Your Highness. My name’s Alayne. I am an adventurer hailing from the Argon Kingdom.”

“An adventurer?” The princess narrowed her eyes. “Why are you here? Ulrum forbids the entry of even the adventurers.”

“That’s—”

“It’s a complicated story,” Henry interjected. “All you need to know is that she’s not here on her own accord and she has not violated any rules or agreement in my books.”

“So, she’s acquitted.”

“No, she’s not.”

The princess raised an eyebrow.

“She had done no wrong in the first place. She doesn’t need to be acquitted of anything.”

“If the overlord of Ulrum says so,” the princess said with a smile and a bow.

Henry groaned softly.

“Am I mistaken? The Priestess of Luveria told me so.”

“You’re not mistaken. I just don’t like that title.”

The princess tittered and her gaze steered towards Rayne. “And who is this, forgive me for saying so, belligerent lady?”

“A snow elf,” Rayne grumbled in response.

“She’s Rayne and she’s a Zeva.”

“Ah, an offshoot of those bloodlust demons.”

Rayne cast a sidelong glare. “What did you say?”

The maids behind the princess immediately assumed their battle stances when they perceived Rayne’s hostility.

“Calm down.” Henry hit Rayne lightly on the head.

Rayne snorted and stood down.

The maids did the same after the princess dismissed them with a wave of her hand. “Pardon my language, Lord Henry. It just came naturally. As you already know, my people are plagued by the nefarious exploits of a vampire.”

“If you’re truly so worried, then why haven’t set off already?”

“Haste is no guarantee of efficiency and good results, Lord Henry. My men and the horses need to be thoroughly prepared for the return journey. The paths are treacherous. It may not be as treacherous as Ulrum, but the woods are scattered with dangerous beasts and opportunistic… people.”

“Bandits?”

“It will be wonderful if they are the only opportunists out there.”

“Hmm…” Henry stared.

“We will set off in an hour, Lord Henry.”

“An hour and not a minute more.”

“Of course, Lord Henry,” the princess bade gratefully and retreated to her tent all the while relaying orders to her maids and a few officers.

Henry and his companions also retreated to their own corner which was under a large tree. From under the shade, Henry fixed his eyes on the whole scene. The only one that he couldn’t keep in his sight was the princess, who was staying in her tent. With the bustling noises and clangour in the background, he couldn’t eavesdrop on her either with his heightened sense of hearing.

“She’s charming,” Rayne sneered as she joined Henry in scrutinising the soldiers.

“Scheming,” Henry added. “But charming, indeed.”

“It’s unsettling how she’s barely questioning anything. One would even think she’s very trusting of you, Master.”

“She’s desperate. She may not show it but I can smell her desperation. The negotiation may not have ended the way the king desired, but it did end in a favourable way for her.”

“How very fortunate of her.”

Henry sighed. “We will be inevitably dragged into their politics whether we like it or not.”

“And you will just let them drag you into the mess of their own making?”

Henry chuckled. “Of course, not.”

“Why is she stalling?” Alayne asked. “And the soldiers… they looked apprehensive. Did you do something to make them so fearful?”

“They are fearful but not towards Master,” Rayne said.

“The princess said she sent half of her forces to scout ahead but who would send half of their current standing army just to scout the path ahead?”

“You think she’s lying?”

“Most definitely. Why would anyone reveal all of their cards to a person they barely know? Especially if the person isn’t from a friendly faction.”

“The princess is also afraid, not just her soldiers,” Rayne said. “But towards who?”

“Who else? Her brother, of course. The king. No doubt our journey will be riddled with obstacles laid by the king.”