“Admirer?”
Upon hearing Erin’s sigh, Rhode twitched his brow.
“During this period?”
“Yes, it is precisely due to this period. Sigh… What a headache.”
Facing Rhode’s doubt, Erin spread her arms apart helplessly and explained to him. The cause that started everything was her brother, the former Dark Dragon, Ion. Although he was killed by Rhode and Erin, he left behind quite a few troubles. Among them, the one that gave Erin the biggest headache was the Dragon Cemetery of the night wyverns.
For Erin and Rhode, the trouble Ion caused didn’t really have much to do with them per se. Ion had only gone mad after being influenced by Chao. Even if he had taken the Dark Dragon’s status as a dragon soul heir by less than honorable means, it had been his own doing. Erin was a complete outsider. But it didn’t look that way to the night wyverns. Both Erin and Ion were a family, anyway, and as far as the night wyverns were concerned, it was a matter created by them. Moreover, the fact that Ion actually took the ancestors’ corpses and sold them to Chaos enraged the night wyverns further. Although Ion was dead and Erin had solemnly apologized to the night wyverns, in the words of Earth, what was the point of having police around if an apology would suffice?
The dragon race had always taken the issue of corpses very seriously, not to mention the fact that Ion sold them to Chaos, and among them were many ancestors of the night wyverns. It was impossible to put the matter to an end with just an apology. So even though Erin apologized to the other dragon races, she didn’t receive any favorable responses. And because of that, she was unable to mobilize the night wyverns at all. Even though she had now become the true Dark Dragon, where she had all the power to make the night wyverns, who were her dependents, do things for her, if she really did that… The night wyverns would definitely revolt. That was why until now, the night wyverns hadn’t participated in the war in the slightest.
Of course, it wasn’t that Erin hadn’t told them about the consequences of the Chaos invasion, but with this kind of conflict, the night wyverns naturally refused to believe her words. Ion had already lied to them once in the past, so who knew if the younger sister would follow her big brother’s lead and trick and send them into their deaths? That was why Erin had no choice but to put the night wyverns aside for the time being and let them be. Right now, Erin would count her lucky stars as long as the night wyverns didn’t mess things up for her. She was also not expecting much of them to help anymore.
And it was in this situation that Kolt launched his pursuit of Erin. On a normal day, he wouldn’t dare to do so. But things were different now. Ion had sort of ruined their family’s credibility, and Erin couldn’t come up with anything trustworthy and reliable to reassure the night wyverns, so they finally decided to strongly support Kolt. This way, if Erin accepted Kolt’s pursuit and both of them got married, it would be considered as Erin’s proof of allegiance for the night wyverns and they would be relieved with this Dark Dragon.
It wasn’t surprising that the night wyverns thought of it this way. As Rhode’s and Erin’s interactions were private, or rather really secretive, where only Angelina more or less knew (whether Lydia knew was another matter), Erin was still single in the eyes of outsiders. So it didn’t seem like a big deal for Kolt to chase her. Of course, Kolt didn’t do it to gain power because even if he married her, he wouldn’t be able to become the Country of Darkness’s ruler. But he didn’t care about that as night wyverns themselves were of the same tradition.
In the dragon race, it was the task of the male wyverns to build nests, store treasures, and whatnot. They had to work hard to hone their fighting skills, build a larger and more ornate lair, and store more wealth, which was the only way to attract the opposite sex. And in the dragon race, females were always the strongest, and males couldn’t match them in any way (Ion wouldn’t be able to defeat Erin without the dragon soul power). That was why even if they got married, they would simply be storing up wealth in the nest and bringing up kids, while external affairs were managed by females. So Kolt didn’t care if he gained any power or not in return because in the dragon race, males didn’t have much power and status to begin with…
“Tsk, how boring.”
After hearing Erin’s narration, Rhode finally understood the whole story and the reason why even though she became the Dark Dragon, there was not a single night wyvern on the battlefield fighting against Chaos. Even though there were only a small number of night wyverns, they were still really powerful. The twin dragons had dispatched the rule wyverns into battle. With Erin’s personality, she couldn’t possibly stand idly by. And now, Rhode finally learned that it wasn’t that Erin didn’t want to, but that she simply couldn’t summon the night wyverns.
It was actually really simple to resolve this matter. As long as Rhode announced to Kolt that Erin was his woman, the matter would be settled. No matter what, night wyverns were just night wyverns, who definitely knew to retreat and not steal the Void Dragon’s woman.
But… Rhode couldn’t do that now.
If it were any other woman, he would just open his mouth and say it. But Erin was different; she was the Dark Dragon. And if Rhode declared in public that she was his woman, he was certain that in a few days’ time, this news would spread throughout the entire Dragon Soul Continent. By that time, the higher-ups of various territories would likely be concerned and he would get into a lot of trouble. Because Erin wasn’t the only one in his harem. If he were to announce it in public, apart from Anne who didn’t care about anything, the other discreet young ladies like Canary, Marlene, and Lize would inevitably feel depressed or something.
It was certain that if Rhode announced the news, most people on both sides would want them to get married soon. But that was never going to happen for him, not to mention the fact that it involved a first come, first served basis for the other women in his harem. If he didn’t announce this news to his harem first, but announced that Erin was his woman directly to the entire Dragon Soul Continent, it was bound to be a recipe for disaster. He had already seen the consequences of almost picking the wrong route once with Lapis, and he wasn’t prepared to experience it again. Not to mention, as much as he liked Erin, she was definitely not the first in line in terms of ranking.
In his mind, his younger sister was always his top priority. If he really wanted to get married, surely it would be a wedding between him and his younger sister before everyone else. Of course, the best thing to do would be to simply hold a mass wedding and everyone would just show up together. But now that Chaos was here… With Rhode and his harem busy fighting Chaos, they didn’t have time for one. According to him, it was best to wait until the Dragon Soul Continent had transmigrated into the solar system. After everything settled down, he would then take care of these bothersome issues. In any case, these young ladies had followed him for a long time, so credit had to be given where it was due. The weddings must also be grand, which would show his attitude and sincerity.
Rhode initially decided to bring his harem back home and marry them after this war… But why did this flag seem so red?
Of course, Erin was aware of his troubles, so she never thought of bringing this out in the open. Moreover, they didn’t have the luxury of time for that either. The Country of Darkness was in ruins, and aside from the fact that its citizens were more obedient than the Country of Light’s, Erin had no less trouble than Lydia. Even though Lydia wasn’t popular with the people, it wasn’t easy for the people to rebel since most of their powerful beings were dead. But things were different on Erin’s side. The undead creatures that sensed that something was wrong and survived until now were all converted human spirits. It wasn’t that easy to make them willingly do things for Erin. It was also too late for her to get a headache now, so where even was the time for her to gloss things over?
According to Erin, Kolt was pretty stubborn, where he wouldn’t leave until he met her almost every day, leaving her with quite a headache. What was worse was that if he didn’t see her, he wouldn’t cause trouble, but would stand outside the city and wait without saying a word. But no matter what, the Moon City was still Erin’s city, so how appropriate would it look for a man to wait outside her city all day? Without a choice, Erin had to find time to meet and entertain him a little. On the other hand, that guy was also somewhat tactful. As soon as he saw Erin, he would say his goodbyes and leave soon after, which left her completely speechless.
“Hmph, what a boring trick.”
Upon hearing Erin’s complaint, Rhode let out a snort. Erin might not understand it, but Rhode clearly knew what was going on. It seemed like this guy named Kolt was a real piece of work. The method he used to chase Erin might seem stupid and inconspicuous, but it was obvious to Rhode, who had read the minds of numerous women. Sometimes, it was such clumsy and sloppy methods that worked best. Didn’t Erin meet him helplessly without a choice? Although it was just a routine meeting that happened every day, it would become a habit over time and as soon as that guy disappeared all of a sudden, it might capture her attention. It wasn’t an issue of whether Erin was worried about him, but was more about her instinctive response as a living creature. If this continued, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t get away with it someday.
It was a pity that even though this method might be useful on others, it was meaningless against Rhode’s woman. The number of women around him was enough to form a platoon. He was the master of attracting women’s attention and winning their hearts.
How dare this Kolt teach his grandmother how to suck eggs!
At this thought, the corners of Rhode’s mouth perked up to reveal a gentle smile.
“So what are your plans, Erin?”
“What else can I do? I will just meet with him and send him away like before. Sigh, if it weren’t for the sake of his mother, who is the matriarch of the dragon race, I would think that Lydia’s idea of hitting him with a stick isn’t that terrible…”
… That archangel sure is dangerous, from every aspect.
Of course, as a matter of fact, Rhode actually agreed with Lydia’s suggestion. But now… He had a better idea.
“Alright, Erin, go and meet with him then. By the way, keep him here for a cup of tea this time. I’ll be right back.”
“Huh? Okay then… Mr. Rhode.”
Facing Rhode’s response, Erin was obviously really surprised. She didn’t expect him to keep Kolt around. Frankly, she felt a little nervous. She knew that Rhode had a ruthless temperament. Although she would be glad to see his plans happen if Kolt was just an ordinary person, he was the son of the matriarch, after all. Even though male wyverns had no high status in the family, Kolt’s mother held a pretty decent position among the night wyverns. If Erin were to let Rhode kill Kolt off, the situation would be considered best if the night wyverns didn’t rebel in the slightest…
That was why Erin felt nervous when she heard Rhode’s response. But as to what he was up to, she didn’t pursue further. She knew that he was a calm and smart man. He must have already analyzed the pros and cons from what she said, and presumably wouldn’t do something that hot-headed. That was why she didn’t say anything and simply nodded in agreement. Upon seeing her reaction, Rhode nodded in pleasure, reached out his hand, and gently patted Erin’s shoulder.
“Alright, head over there now, I’ll be right back… Angelina, get me one of the finest guest rooms!”
“Ah. Okay. Please follow me, Master.”
Angelina, who was also baffled by his order, locked eyes with Erin in confusion. Eventually, she nodded in agreement, left the study with Rhode, and headed deeper into the hallway. While Erin was puzzled as to what exactly Rhode was up to, she knew it wasn’t nice to have a guest waiting outside, which was why she put the questions aside for the moment and headed down the other side of the hallway.
When Erin arrived at the parlor, the first thing she witnessed was Kolt seated on the sofa. This young man who belonged to the same dragon race as her immediately put on an enthusiastic smile after seeing her. Then, he stood up and bowed respectfully.
“Greetings, Your Majesty Erin. I’m so sorry to bother you while you’re busy…”
“It’s fine, Mr. Kolt.”
Upon hearing his speech, Erin criticized in her mind since he came everyday despite knowing that she was busy. However, even though she was displeased, she still showed a gentle smile as though nothing happened.
“Although I am busy with my affairs due to the arrival of Chaos, I can still afford to spare some time.”
With some subtle sarcasm in her words, Erin sat down on the master seat. It wasn’t until Erin sat down that Kolt also sat respectfully across from her. One had to admit that although Kolt was an annoying pest, he didn’t come to pester Erin with nothing. Although both of them were in their human form rather than dragon form, Kolt’s human form wasn’t ugly and could even count as handsome. With his robust posture, he even looked a bit like a general who had experienced many battles.
Technically, they didn’t really have much to talk about. In the past, Erin always wandered in front of him casually and left without even a greeting. On the other hand, Kolt was also quite interesting. He felt satisfied as long as he saw her, and he didn’t ask for anything more. And today, after learning from the maids that Erin actually invited him to have tea together, he was elated.
It seems like my pursuits have finally moved this young lady!
However, Kolt wasn’t aware of Rhode’s arrival. After all, the latter always kept a low profile and there was no one welcoming him to this city with fanfare. Angelina was the only one who welcomed him, and even if she had bumped into several servants in the Moon City along the way, they didn’t know of Rhode’s true identity. That was why Kolt was also unaware that the Void Dragon was actually here. Otherwise, he couldn’t have possibly stayed here looking so undisturbed.
Even though it was a simple tea session, Kolt was a pain in the butt for Erin, which was why she listened and responded with perfunctory courtesy to his nonsense. Although she seemed to be listening earnestly on the surface, she was actually quite puzzled as to what Rhode was planning to do. After all, it seemed to her like no matter how much Rhode intervened in the matter, nothing good would come of it with his tall identity. But it was also rather interesting to see that confident side of him. At the same time, she felt a little anxious waiting for the show to begin, to see what exactly he was going to do about this troublemaker.
Knock knock knock.
As wild thoughts ran through Erin’s mind, someone knocked on the door. Upon hearing the knocking, Erin arranged her thoughts and said.
“Please come in.”
Along with her words, the door to the parlor squeaked as it opened, and Angelina showed up before her. She swept a glance at Kolt, before bowing respectfully to Erin.
“Your Majesty Erin, sorry for the long wait. Miss Elizabeth has arrived.”
Miss Elizabeth? Who’s that?
Upon hearing Angelina’s words, Erin was astonished. But fortunately, her expression remained unchanged as she said with a soft smile.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time and thought she wasn’t coming. Please invite her in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty Erin.”
After hearing Erin’s reply, Angelina smiled, turned around, and made a gesture of invitation respectfully.
“Please come in, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Sorry for the wait, Erin.”
In the sound of an ethereal, soft, and beautiful voice, an attractive young girl with pitch-black, long hair and donned in a pitch-black dress walked into the parlor.
