VBNWDW - Chapter 66
Chapter 66
"Metis, I want…"
"No!"
The orange orb of the sun sank toward the horizon, casting a soft glow on the stone-built city walls. On the bustling streets, vendors hawked their wares at the top of their lungs.
Mo Wen stared blankly at the scene before her. The bags she was carrying dug into her hands, a sharp reminder that this was not a dream.
It had all started after she helped Teacher Cadmon carry Ivo to the lounge. Once she saw that Ivo was awake, she had left the royal palace.
Running late, Mo Wen hurried through the streets, turning left and right until she entered a small alley. Just as she was about to press forward, a hand tapped her on the shoulder from behind.
Her body tensed instantly, but before she could react, she heard a familiar voice.
"Mo Wen, it's me."
Your Majesty.
Mo Wen turned around, bewildered, only to see the queen she had sworn allegiance to standing a step away, smiling at her.
Perhaps for this outing, Her Majesty had changed into a linen dress. A lock of her golden hair, usually pinned up, had fallen loose, but it couldn't hide the pearl earring dangling from her earlobe. She looked noble and gentle, like a goddess from an ancient mural.
However, Mo Wen's gaze couldn't help but drift to the person beside her.
The companion holding the Queen's hand had silver hair and golden eyes, her features deep-set and stunningly beautiful. Despite her lazy demeanor, she exuded an aura that sent an inexplicable shiver down one's spine. It was a primal human instinct, a warning mechanism relied upon to evade danger in ancient times, long before city-states were ever built.
Mo Wen instinctively took a step back, a cold sweat instantly breaking out and soaking her clothes.
It wasn't until Her Majesty seemed to realize something and tugged on her companion's hand that the woman looked away, allowing Mo Wen to breathe a little easier.
She managed to speak, her voice filled with confusion. "Your Majesty?"
By rights, the Queen was not allowed to go out alone without sufficient protection. She should have been surrounded by layers of soldiers to prevent a sudden assassination attempt from another kingdom.
Metis offered no explanation, only smiling. "The two of us wanted to go for a stroll, but we don't know where the liveliest place in Anthelia is. So, we were hoping for your help."
The Black Dragon beside her pursed her lips. It was true they didn't know the way, but with her abilities, a single scan would have revealed the most prosperous street. This was just one of Metis's excuses.
Mo Wen thought the same. Her eyes darted to the woman beside the Queen before quickly looking away. She was tactful enough not to ask about the woman's identity and simply said, "It is my honor to serve you."
And so, at Her Majesty's request, she led them to the market specializing in jewelry. She watched as they went in and out of every single shop, starting from the first one on the street, and her hands filled with more and more bags.
At first, Mo Wen intended to pay for the Queen's purchases and stepped forward to do so several times.
Metis was about to refuse, but the Black Dragon grabbed her wrist, forcing her to watch as the foolish knight stood bravely before them. Mo Wen's once-straight back gradually began to stoop as her wallet was emptied.
She was completely out of money.
After all, she was still a child under her family's protection with a limited monthly allowance. It was only because she usually spent very little and rarely went out that she had managed to save enough for the first few purchases. But even a decade's worth of savings couldn't withstand this.
Fortunately, Her Majesty was not one to exploit her subjects. She stopped Mo Wen's attempt to buy on her family's credit and soothed the young knight's embarrassment with gentle words. Mo Wen then dutifully fell in line behind them, carrying the bags.
Rubies, sapphires, chrysoberyl cat's eyes, and faceted tourmalines.
The young knight, who had been raised in a diligent family atmosphere and had always focused on her training, had never seen so many gems in her life.
But the woman beside Her Majesty was still not satisfied. When her gilded eyes looked at the display counters, they shone brighter than the jewels themselves, as if she wanted to buy everything.
And not only did Her Majesty not stop her, she even helped her choose, then turned to pay.
Mo Wen took a deep breath, feeling that if this continued, the national treasury would be completely emptied. Oh, right. The treasury had been controlled by the Council families for centuries; there were probably more rats in it than gold coins.
The thought made Mo Wen's heart ache even more.
But she didn't step forward to stop them. Even a fool could guess the woman's identity. There was only one race with such an extreme passion for shiny things. Mo Wen had even helped her mother arrange the mountains of gold and gems for the summoning ritual.
But!
Why did this dragon keep stealing kisses from Her Majesty!
She kissed her when looking at gems, kissed her while they walked hand-in-hand, and even snuck in a kiss when she turned her head to speak.
Others might not have seen it, but Mo Wen, standing right behind them, saw it all clearly, plainly. She could even see the provocative glances the Black Dragon occasionally shot her way.
The once-innocent and pure young knight forced a smile, feeling as if she had become part of their performance, much like how her own mother and mom would flirt in front of her.
Yes, in the Roy Kingdom, same-sex love was also blessed. After all, their first queen had been carried off by an adult female dragon. The only complaint the populace had was that the dragon was already twelve hundred years old, which was a bit too old compared to the first queen.
But with the first queen leading the way, the kingdom was naturally very tolerant of such matters. Just as with Mo Wen's parents, both of whom were women, no one thought it was wrong.
The only concern was that same-sex couples could only have children if one partner reached the rank of Magister.
Clearly, Mo Wen's parents had not yet reached that standard, or they wouldn't have been suppressed by the Council families to such an extent. Mo Wen had been adopted from her mother's sister and raised as the next head of the family.
As for the scene at the beginning, it happened because the Black Dragon, having temporarily bought enough gems, finally had the conscience to take the Queen to eat.
Anthelia had a large population, and migrants had brought all sorts of food to the imperial city, setting down roots as street vendors. Even nobles with private chefs often frequented these stalls, which had become a major feature of the city.
Therefore, Mo Wen was much more familiar with this area than the last. She immediately recommended foods she thought were delicious. Her Majesty and the Black Dragon accepted them all and gave them high praise, except for…
A small stall selling grilled fish.
Or rather, the Black Dragon repeatedly tried to buy it, while Metis did her utmost to stop her.
The reason was simple: the fish was sprinkled with strong liquor during the grilling process.
Mo Wen, who had strongly recommended it, was completely baffled. She couldn't understand why, since the amount of alcohol was so negligible that even a toddler could handle it, let alone a dragon.
But Her Majesty's face was cold, and she didn't nod along with the Black Dragon's every whim as she had before.
"One bite, just one bite," Yueqing said, blinking her eyes in an attempt to look obedient and trustworthy.
She unconsciously swung the hand holding Metis's. If it weren't an inappropriate time to let out her tail, she would have definitely performed a puppy-like tail wag for Metis.
"No," Metis said, her attitude firm. As she spoke, she raised her hand and popped a peeled chestnut into the dragon's mouth. "This is delicious too. Eat this."
The allure of alcohol to a dragon was no less than that of sparkling gems. Yueqing took a deep breath, made a decision, and then immediately regretted it. "Just one bite," she pleaded pitifully. "It won't do any harm."
Metis remained unmoved. If ordinary fruit wine could knock a dragon out for days, what would hard liquor do?
She was resolute in her refusal, even pulling Yueqing forward.
Following behind, Mo Wen watched as the woman who had just been so intimidating kept looking back, her gaze fixed on the grilled fish stall with a longing that was even more regretful than when she had failed to buy out an entire jewelry store.
She couldn't help but think of the scene at home between her mother and her mom. No matter how powerful a knight her mother was, when she did something wrong, she still had to kneel and massage her wife's legs.
To put it colloquially,
She was completely henpecked.
Just as the three of them were getting farther and farther from the stall, and Mo Wen thought the dragon had given up the struggle, Yueqing suddenly spoke. "Hey, that little girl you were holding this afternoon is here."
Both of them instinctively turned their heads and saw the thin, cold girl standing in front of the grilled fish stall. The raging flames illuminated her face but didn't taint it with the slightest hint of worldliness, as if she were detached from mortal affairs.
Mo Wen inexplicably straightened her back, her fatigue hidden beneath a veneer of humility. Her medium-length red hair lifted with the wind and then fell again.
"If an underage kid like her can eat it, why can't I?" the Black Dragon grumbled defiantly, not yet giving up on her craving for the grilled fish.
The two of them froze. Metis subconsciously asked, "Underage?"
The age on Ivo's file was nineteen. How could she be underage?
"Yeah."
Yueqing tilted her head to look at the Queen. With a flash in her eyes, she understood everything. She clicked her tongue and continued, "She's a human who's not even done growing. Her bones haven't fully set."
"I was just thinking this little knight is quite ruthless. Among us dragons, we're not allowed to lay a hand on cubs. Otherwise, we're punished by having all our gold and gems confiscated."
For the Dragon Clan, that was indeed an extremely severe and terrifying punishment.
The knight beside them averted her eyes, her expression stiffening.
Metis glanced sideways. She didn't believe for a second that a certain dragon hadn't noticed Mo Wen had held back, using only magical means to attack. Ivo had fainted because she had tried to summon magic far beyond her own strength and had collapsed from exhaustion.
She just didn't understand why, ever since they were in the alley, the Black Dragon had been intentionally and unintentionally targeting Mo Wen.
Although she was usually mischievous, she was a good-tempered dragon. A few gold coins were enough to appease her. But just now, when Mo Wen was nearly broke, the dragon had still deliberately teased her.
It was as if they were mortal enemies.
As Metis pondered this with downcast eyes, Mo Wen misunderstood her silence and explained in a low voice, "I'm not too clear on the matter. After all, Ivo and her biological mother wandered outside for a long time. After being brought back to the family, she never really stood out…"
Perhaps because of what the dragon had said earlier, the young knight felt a pang of guilt and couldn't help but add, "She probably didn't do it on purpose. The current head of the Iliana Family is known for favoring her own kin. The other direct descendants must have been different, which is what forced Ivo to agree."
The matter wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. The selection requirements for the royal guard had always stipulated that candidates must be of a similar age to the monarch, with a maximum difference of two years. The Iliana Family had clearly violated this rule.
"Well, well, the little one brought a couple of tagalongs with her. Look at them, skulking back there," Yueqing said, raising an eyebrow.
Following her gaze, they saw two people in the distance pretending to be casual, but their eyes kept darting toward Ivo.
Mo Wen took a look and immediately said, "That's Caius and Leif. Don't they follow Orion around all day? What are they doing here…"
She paused, frowning. "A few days ago, both of them lost to Ivo. They were furious about it for a long time."
The Black Dragon beside her immediately interjected, "And then they saw the knight knock her out, so they figured she must be weak and unable to fight back, and rushed over to give her a beating."
Her deliberately strange tone confirmed Metis's earlier suspicion. Mo Wen must have offended this dragon at some point.
Hearing this, Mo Wen's face turned pale. She subconsciously gripped the sword at her waist, looking as if she was about to charge over and help.
Meanwhile, the oblivious Ivo took the wrapped grilled fish and started walking into the crowd.
Caius and Leif immediately followed.
Mo Wen started to move, then remembered the Queen beside her and said, torn, "Your Majesty…"
Metis just smiled and said, "Let's go."
The dragon beside her snorted, took Metis's hand, and followed. The jeweled earrings, bought with Mo Wen's money, swayed in her hair.
Mo Wen twitched her lips, then saw Her Majesty and the dragon walk right up to Ivo's side.
So obvious!
Her eyes widened. She instinctively glanced at Caius and Leif, only to find that they didn't seem to see them at all, as if the two women weren't there.
The young knight couldn't help but recall what had happened earlier. Not only had the city's residents, who had all seen the Queen before, not reacted, but even with their stunning looks, not a single passerby had spared them a second glance. Even the jewelers had treated them like ordinary customers.
Mo Wen's heart skipped a beat. She gained a deeper understanding of the dragon's power and quickly ran forward to catch up.
Perhaps because she was now paying close attention, as she ran up behind the Queen, she finally noticed the space around her blur for an instant. The next moment, she, like the Queen and her companion, was hidden in another dimension.
Night deepened, and a crescent moon hung in the sky. Ivo walked briskly, as if rushing home.
She left the main road, made a few turns, and wound her way into a deserted alley, her lone shadow stretching out on the ground.
Caius and Leif, who had been following for a long time, finally quickened their pace. As they raised their hands, staves were already in their grips, their mouths opening to chant a spell.
Mo Wen, hidden beside Ivo, immediately turned, squared her shoulders, and pulled her right leg back into a defensive lunge.
But before the young knight could play the hero, Yueqing kicked out, sending Mo Wen stumbling straight into Ivo. The grilled fish fell to the ground.
At the same time, Caius and Leif's vision blurred. It felt as if they had been clubbed from behind. With a grunt, they collapsed, and a gust of fire element swept past, leaving an inconspicuous scorch mark on the wall.
Then, a tail covered in inky scales quickly retracted into the darkness of the alley.
When Metis, still holding her hand, looked up again, they were already in another alley. Her expression showed no surprise, as if it had all been planned.
And the only one who knew nothing, Ivo, after managing to steady herself, turned to look at the embarrassed knight. Her dark eyes were as calm as ever, but she remained silent.
"I, I…" Mo Wen turned her head in a daze, only to see that the other two were gone. But the spot where she'd been kicked still throbbed with a dull pain, telling her it hadn't been a dream.
Mo Wen gritted her teeth and turned back. "I was trying to help you. Do you believe me?"
Ivo glanced at the two unconscious figures on the ground, then at the knight gripping her sword, and slowly shook her head.
Mo Wen grew anxious. "I really was trying to help you…"
A calm, flat voice interrupted her explanation. "Then you can pay for my grilled fish."
"Huh?"
In the other alley, the Queen was pressed against a red brick wall by the Black Dragon.
Cool moonlight fell like gauze, draping them in a soft glow.
Being shorter than her companion, Metis was forced onto her tiptoes, her back against the wall. Her tilted chin was taut, revealing the faint blue veins beneath her skin.
"Slower…" Metis said, pushing against her as she frowned slightly.
Yueqing pressed against her, bending slightly to envelop her in an embrace. Her thin lips were against Metis's, their edges glistening with moisture.
Hearing Metis's words, she mumbled in dissatisfaction, "...My reward."
Clearly, the act of knocking out the two boys and then using wind magic to deliberately disturb the scene had been at Her Majesty's request. And as soon as the Black Dragon had finished, she had eagerly begun to demand her payment.
Metis didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She reached up and tugged on the end of the dragon's hair, intending to stop her, but was only pressed closer, her breath stolen away.
Her spine against the cold brick wall tried to pull her back to her senses, but the dragon before her was domineering, imperiously pulling Metis down with her.
The sound of rustling footsteps came from the other end of the dark alley. It was probably commoners heading home after finishing their shopping, their laughter echoing down the lane.
Metis grew a little nervous and couldn't help but open her eyes to look.
The Black Dragon noticed immediately. She raised a hand to cover Metis's eyes and reminded her with displeasure, "Metis, pay attention."
"You've made a lot of mistakes today. If you don't focus, I'm going to get angry."
Completely unaware of what she had done wrong, Metis paused, then took the initiative to peck the corner of her companion's mouth. "What did I do wrong?" she asked softly.
Other matters were important, but none were as urgent as placating the dragon.
The dragon draped over her grumbled twice, then deliberately bit her lip, leaving a faint indentation.
Metis let her inflict her punishment, raising a hand to stroke her back soothingly.
Only then was the Black Dragon slightly satisfied. She muttered, "You promised to take me out to have fun, but you ended up bringing someone else along."
Metis finally understood why this dragon had been targeting Mo Wen the entire time.
Her eyes curved into crescents as she chuckled. "So it's my fault?"
Yueqing hummed twice, then nodded.
The next second, a voice that was utterly tempting to a dragon sounded. "Then how about I compensate you a little extra…"
Yueqing's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.
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