“Good morning, Princess,” I greeted when Lydia finally stirred. She sighed then pressed her whole body against my side.
“I don’t want to get up,” she complained and I laughed.
“I’ll figure out a way to make everyone happy,” I promised while stroking her hair. I had plenty of time to think while Lydia slept and that was the conclusion I came up with. I couldn’t abandon Rebecca, but I couldn’t tear myself away from Lydia or Anna. At least, not anymore. Was it stupid? Probably. Was it impossible? Probably. Did I care? Fuck no.
“How greedy. And I thought I was the one with dragon’s blood.” She purred then mounted me and I lost myself in her body.
Charisma is fucking great.
Business often followed quickly after pleasure. Soon enough, Lidya, Anna, Idyia, and I were all mounted upon the finest horses the royal garrisons could muster. We marched with the army up to the castle gates and met with no resistance. Hasting was the lynchpin of the entire rebellion and now that I was here to fulfill Renalis’ obligations to the Alliance, there was no political reason to stand against Lydia. My exploits finally caught real fire. No one wanted to go up against a Hero and I suggested Idyia ride with us unmasked. I figured some nobles closest to Hasting knew of the Dark Elf’s appearance and to see the 5th Level Assassin subservient to the Princess was all it took for them to give up any further ambitions for now.
Lydia ordered all nobles present in the capital city to gather in the royal courtyard under pain of death and after a few hours, I stood alongside her while a clergyman of Bahamut held up a Divination Orb. Lydia motioned for me to touch it, so I placed my palm on the Orb. My Status was suddenly projected over the Orb and expanded so that it could be read from afar. Cries of disbelief, outrage, and awe echoed throughout the courtyard. I immediately retracted my hand to conceal what I still could. Information was power, and I had no idea who or what could be watching.
Even Lydia looked relieved. I guess a part of her didn’t fully believe me even after she read my mind. But seeing it confirmed more conventionally seemed to finally banish any lingering doubt.
“Ranger Levin has bravely volunteered to be my champion. Our nation’s quota is met. Nay, it is surpassed by leaps and bounds. Renalis shall enter a new age of fame and prosperity!”
Lydia’s proclamation was followed by a wave of shouts and cheers. I spied several looks of relief - with a Hero to fill the quota, it meant their sons and daughters would be exempted from service for the foreseeable future. The two of us descended from the balcony and into the king’s audience chamber, where the highest ranked nobles and court officials were standing. Anna was patiently waiting by the throne. In front of her was the royal crown of Renalis, set upon a golden pedestal.
The temperature around Lydia increased and forced everyone except those with a high Constitution to give her a wide berth. I stood my ground next to her but I had to hold back the instinctive urge to flinch away from the heat she was generating. Vibrant, red accents graced her golden hair as it fell out of the tight bun she kept it in while out and about. Her hair whipped around her like countless, angry snakes, then a pair of dragon wings with golden scales burst from her back. It ripped through her clothing and left her torso barely covered. But she still advanced toward the throne, without a hint of shame or hesitation.
Now that is fucking hot.
I followed after and stood next to Anna.
Anna solemnly approached the throne, with the crown held over Lydia’s head, looking like the royal retainer she truly was. She reverently placed it upon Lydia’s head and I felt the whole venue hold their breath.
“The King is dead. Long live the Queen!” Anna announced, her voice was so loud it almost broke.
There was no reply.
“Long live the Queen!” I declared with a smile, shattering the painful silence. I didn’t care about the stares and glares the noble shot at me. There were only two people in this entire room worth giving a damn about. The chant was soon echoed throughout the whole realm.
Lydia finally gave me a smile no longer tinged with sadness.
The transition back to the royal family was smooth. The coup only lasted two weeks at most - not long enough for any real bureaucratic change to take root. That meant after Lydia reclaimed the throne, the path of least resistance was to just submit to old leadership. To quell any potential issues, my presence was never too far off. The entire capital city was abuzz with the news of Renalis’ new golden age and her christened Hero. The coup was so short-lived it didn’t even make it to the ears of the lower class and any hope of the general populace learning about it was killed when my Class was announced to the public. Anna was handling the investigations into Lord Hasting’s supporters to ensure they didn’t coalesce into a new problem.
Meanwhile, Lydia wanted to follow up on her promise to me as soon as possible.
“So I can pick anything?”
Lydia and I were standing in front of the national treasury. It only opened when someone of royal blood commanded it to do so and was one of the reasons Hasting was desperate enough to send all ten of his Barghests to retrieve Lydia. He was gambling on the riches within this vault.
“Yes, Levin. You can pick anything. I promised you my full support, did I not?”
“You never gave me those mental defense lessons.”
“But I liked reading your thoughts.”
“I think I'll sleep in Anna's room tonight.” My lips pulled back into thin lines.
“Come now, tactically speaking, unrestricted telepathic communication is nearly unparalleled. Move. Shoot. Communicate. Kill. Right?”
“Stop. Jesus Christ, it sounds so bad coming from you!”
I retreated into the vault as soon as it opened. I was immediately taken by the large nest-shaped altar at the center of the vault where a torso-sized egg lay, halfway buried in shimmering Magic Crystals. The vault’s other contents were neatly stacked along the walls and around the altar. But it was obvious the egg was the most important thing in this room.
Lydia took my hand and dragged me away from the egg and back to the reason why I came. I leaped at the chance to play with magic items, my inner child exploding out with glee. Lydia patiently explained what the items were while I poked and prodded everything that caught my eye. But I didn’t have anything like an infinite inventory, so I could only take what I could carry. The first item I wanted to take was a magic quiver that provided nothing but endless arrows so long as I had the MP to support it.
Normally, it wouldn’t be worth much, but it was the perfect match for Select Fire. After that, I went for typical admin stuff, much to Lydia’s chagrin.
“I don’t know how to use a sword, so the laser-sword is definitely out,” I denied when Lydia tried offering me a very familiar-looking bladeless hilt. I didn’t want to accidentally cut off my arms and legs. She was really pushing for that Spellblade image.
“Does this really produce infinite fresh water?!” I picked up a small metal flask and shook it vigorously like a baby with a rattle.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Only while you have Mana, yes. You can even drink it.”
“Holy shit, do you have any idea how amazing that is?!”
“I am in shock and awe. Now this sword should improve your Heroic image-
“Does it make coffee? How about alcohol?”
Lydia rolled her eyes and tried to force the laser-sword into my hands but I shook her off.
“On second thought, infinite potable water is enough. Fuck camelbacks.”
I eventually settled on a Reflex Dagger, a Cloak of Invisibility, a Flask of Flowing Water, a Bottomless Duffle Bag, and the Quiver of Infinite Arrows. According to Lydia, the only item of real value was the Cloak. It was among the most powerful items in the entire room. But I would have to constantly recharge my MP to use any of them, and that meant Magic Crystals, of which I had absolutely none.
“So how does all this equipment compare to everyone else?”
“Very few people have access to a nation’s treasury, even one as small as mine, Levin. Though you focused on less powerful items, I see the pragmatism of your selection. You’re prioritizing survival over victory.”
“Can’t win if I’m dead, Lydia.”
“A fair point. Now, are you finished raiding my country’s coffers?”
“Almost, but what’s with that egg on the altar?” I asked, turning my attention to the very center of the treasury. Lydia looped one arm around mine and guided me up to the altar to get a closer look.
“This is the last Dragon Egg of Renalis,” I could feel the pride building through her whole body with each word. “My ancestors were dragonkin and the Dragonheart Aspect has been passed down our line for generations. The egg is petrified to preserve as a symbol of my house, so it will never break-”
The egg cracked and Lydia fainted immediately. But I reacted easily and caught her thanks to my high Dexterity. A blinking Menu alert tore my gaze away from Lydia.
«You have obtained a Subclass: Dragon Rider.»
«You have gained the Dragon Tamer Skill.»
Status
Subclass
Dragon Rider
Skills
Dragon Tamer (Special)
The user can designate one willing creature with a draconic Aspect to be their familiar.
Source: God of Righteous Dragons, Dragon-king Bahamut; Devotion (Unique), Communication and Tracking (Unique)
While Lydia lay in my arms, I watched more and more hairline fractures appear all over the petrified egg. The stone cracked and fell away like a peanut shell to reveal a much smaller, golden egg within.
It shook violently. I glanced up at the ceiling.
“Seras, are you watching? What’s the deal? Why is this happening? How much of this did you plan?” A combination Skill appearing out of thin air? I’d rather have it rain 5.56.
It made me wonder how much control Seras had over me. My Status and Menu suddenly felt like shackles. I still couldn’t even change the font. It still had that flowery, frilly script in neon blue. None of that was my choice in aesthetics. That was Seras’ influence. If my Status developed according to my experiences and my whims, then why was she so fucking prevalent?
“Levin?” Lydia’s voice forced me out of my downward spiral into frustration and anger. I caressed her cheek and instinctively checked her for any bruises. “You truly are blessed.” But I could hear religious zeal creep higher with her every word and instantly disliked where this was going.
“I spoke to the Dragon-King Bahamut! He granted you a boon in exchange for saving the Renalis bloodline. I have no idea what blessing he bestowed but-”
“Your God forced a Subclass on me.”
I felt wronged and violated - like when Seras stole Rebecca’s appearance straight out of my memories and wore her skin like some kind of dress to make me feel better about dying.
“Truly?” Lydia used my body as a brace and managed to pull herself onto her feet. “Such a gift should be celebrated, Levin. It is akin to gaining another Aspect. We should tell Anna. She will arrange for a feast in the name of Bahamut’s wisdom and benevolence. You must attend and offer the first prayer, Levin!”
“This thing is hatching.” I interrupted Lydia’s fervor and pointed at the shaking egg. Bahamut’s intervention may have been graciously accepted by Lydia and the people of this world, but I despised anyone taking my freedom away from me in such a unilateral and incomprehensible fashion. Culture shock. Immaturity. Dunning-Kruger bias. I didn’t care how stupid or ungrateful I sounded. An awesome and powerful being like the Dragon-king Bahamut, God of Righteous Dragons could at least spare a second to ask for my opinion before splicing my soul in accordance with his design.
At least Seras offered a deal in exchange for my servitude, however deceitful, one-sided, and infuriating the presentation of it was. On second thought, fuck the gods.
“Do you hate the Gods that much, Levin?” Lydia’s voice was brittle and apologetic. Was my body language so obviously combative she knew something was wrong? Or was I just being an asshole and projecting my dislike of Seras against the whole slew of gods in this world? It was probably some mix of all of that and more.
“That’s a complicated question, Lydia. But I don’t need to read your mind to answer the next one: no I don’t hate you for your faith. Just don’t ask me to participate in it.”
“I can respect that.”
The conversation died between us. We stood in silence as the hatchling slowly broke free from the egg. Despite my misgivings over the reason behind the dragon’s birth, I could not fault the baby dragon for being born. Lydia looked surprised when I stepped forward to gather the dragon in my arms and wrapped it in the Cloak of Invisibility, reducing one of the most expensive items in Renalis to a swaddling cloth. The baby cooed gently and I slowly rocked it back and forth in my arms.
“How beautiful.”
I looked up from the baby as Lydia approached. She looked mesmerized and her demeanor was completely different.
“The dragon?” I asked and angled my arms a bit to give Lydia a better look. “It is pretty cute if you close one eye.”
“No, it’s your smile, Levin.”
“Huh? I’m smiling?”
“It’s the most beautiful smile I’ve seen grace your face since we’ve met.”
“We’ve known each other for two weeks, Lydia. Why are you waxing so much poetic out of nowhere?” I tried to chew on my tongue and stretch my jaw. What smile was she talking about?
“Think nothing of it. It’s all the more exquisite that you don’t know. What will you name her?”
“Her? You know it’s female?”
“I can sense its gender. If you say Rebecca, I will slap you.”
“Well, there goes that idea.”
“Levin, Bahamut preserve me, I will burn every single hair off your skull if you give her an uninspired name.”
“Jesus Christ, you’re serious. Uh-” I went through every single joke name; every single mythological, video game, tabletop, and anime reference ran through my head.
“I changed my mind. I’ll burn all your hair off.”
“No wait, wait, wait! What about Renala?”
“I’m torn between killing you out of spite or praising you for reviving the name of my ancestor.”
“S-so, is that a yes?”
“I approve, begrudgingly, Levin.”
“So you won’t kill me.”
“I didn’t say that.”
I sighed. “What do you want?”
“You will offer a toast to Bahamut at the feast I am now starting to plan. My nation must celebrate the first birth of a gold dragon on Renalian soil in over 5,000 years.”
“Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t force me to participate in your customs?”
“I am your Queen, Levin. And soon to be your wife. I can change my mind. Besides, I know you will participate even if you don’t like the idea.”
“What makes you so sure? W-wait, go back one sentence. Wife?”
“Because it will mean celebrating Renala’s birth. And you are a man of compromise. Your dislike over the Gods is not something you wish to break our relationship over.”
“I get it. I get it. I was being an asshole.”
“Self-awareness is key to development. And I plan on developing you into a functional member of my family and kingdom.”
“Can we start with the mental defense lessons? Anna isn’t as good at it as you are, right?”
“I’ll schedule a meeting or two at some point. I’ll be busy planning the festivities.”
I garbled a reply instead of digging myself deeper into this hole. I could never win against Rebecca and Lydia was just as feisty. We walked out of the vault together and Lydia guided us to the throne room to announce the birth of Renala, the gold dragon of Renalis.
Oh, Jesus. Renalis? Renala? Shit, that name sucked. I’m sorry, Renala.
I tried to hug the dragon tighter to apologize. The hatchling just snuggled against my chest. I watched the heralds all gather the local town criers to spread the news. And with this, I turned my attention back to Lydia who smiled broadly in return.
“Your rule is secure now. The return of the prodigal princess begets a new golden age for the kingdom. It’s something straight out of a fairytale.”
“Indeed. And it’s all thanks to you, Levin.”
“Don’t worry about it. Friends don’t count favors. And you and I are more than that.”
“Indeed, we are. No matter what happens now, please know you will always be my closest friend.”
I cracked a smile. “That means more to me than all the treasure in the vault. Except for the flask. The flask is pretty tough to beat.”
“I think a toast and a prayer will be necessary to properly emphasize how gracious Bahamut was for also granting your-”
“Oh, look at the time. I have a date with Anna.” I retreated with Renala in my arms, although Lydia’s voice chased me down the hall.