"Wait, there's still the induction ceremony for the knights," Lina reminds us.

"Oh…" Ciel mumbles and purses her lips in embarrassment.

The canvasses covering the Shell are released, revealing our portraits in gold, then the crowd cheers again, and the music grows louder.

"Too late," I comment with a wry smile.

Poosh approaches us from behind and lowers her head respectfully. "I apologize, my Lords, but I've overheard you just now. May I suggest something?" She politely asks.

She's being a bit more formal than usual, which isn't unexpected considering what just happened, so I just let it slide and decide to hear her out, "What is it?"

She raises her head energetically, making the fluffy wool on her collarbones bounce softly, then she unleashes a shining smile upon my heart. "We can make this ceremony into something special with just a little help from the bards."

The musicians finish their song, then shift into something more mild and solemn. It's a softer melody that's energetic enough to make the commoners want to shake their bodies on the spot instead of gluing to one another to dance, allowing them to watch the Ceremony.

Then all the bards chant in sync, their cheeky tone masking the seriousness of the moment, "♪ Enomosa Ludoe, your name calls the freshness of aloe. Your beauty dazzles me, but stay your sword, don't give that glare, for I'm not your enemy~…! ♪"

Enomosa's alluring gaze remains steady on me as she advances along the raised walkway. Having both Yunia and her sit on me would be amazing, but I have to be careful with my predatory instincts when it comes to my subordinates, so I keep the horny dragon in check.

She stops before me and kneels, keeping her head held low in respect.

The music stops for a beat, and only the drums continue, giving me the cue to shout, "Are you ready to serve me?!"

"With all my heart!" She follows on the next beat.

"Another one comes under his tree! Smell the flowers and spread the pollen, bumblebee!"

Enomosa receives the sprout of a silver flower so that she may plant it in her garden to mark her home as a place under my protection. This specific flower is forbidden to be planted at any other home unrelated to our clan since it's part of our heraldry now.

She folds one of her long ears as a show of respect, and stores the sprout in her [Item Box], then she walks back, and the next knight comes in.

"♪ Palo Orir, hear him roar and puff your chest full of air. Your smile is a [Spirit Light], and your 'sword' is a [Thunder Strike], but both sides fear your call, for your 'sword' pierces all~…! ♪"

The annoyingly handsome man comes up to us in his shining armor, and I need Yunia's help to maintain a mask of officiousness on my face so that I don't frown. The dragon inside of me wants to have a 'sword'-measuring contest with him, but that would be way too gay for me.

I also don't let the girls talk to him, so I force myself to stand again and ask for the pledge.

"With all my heart!" He shouts right on cue, and my asshole puckers from his grin. He's got a bit of a "gay aura" like Rande, just turned up to eleven.

For the next knights, I let the girls handle it.

"♪ Azador Curol, the evildoers will lick his maul. His beard is bloody, for he has no qualms, he's a man of study, who can squash you against the wall. ♪"

The experienced knight seems composed, but he looks a bit stiffer than usual, so I'm led to believe that he doesn't like too much attention.

"♪ Klein Foerster, you're humble yet you could be the biggest boaster. You're quick and silent, and though nobody thinks you'd be violent, everyone better watch out, because you can easily make an army rout. ♪"

Hana smirks as Klein advances down the walkway with completely robotic movements. Knowing her, she's probably so stressed out right now that she won't even remember this part of the ceremony.

After the rest of the twenty-odd knights give their pledge, each having their own personal verse sung by the bards, we retire to our balcony up on the outside of the Shell and join the rest of the Lords so that the banquet can begin.

The balcony has been greatly elongated to fit four long rectangular tables. The first table has been raised to be slightly higher than the others, and that's where we sit, with everyone lined up on one side of it, Confiel and Fram Varze along with their wives seated at the edges in positions of honor due to their closeness to us, and the subordinate Heart Lords on the other side; the second table holds the rest of the Crown Lords; the third table holds the Root Lords; and the fourth table holds the High Officers and the town's aristocracy, such as the mayor, a few chosen town nobles, Teresina, the captain of the Townsguard, and the General.

The seating arrangements are a game in and of itself that we're fortunately not playing right now, otherwise, our seating would've been much more spread out and complicated. None of us really feel like "making connections," and the mood doesn't allow for it with the seriousness of the Reniandisabis and the divine intervention still clouding our minds.

I feel a modicum of interest in the General, though. He's the one who commands the Buscuadores, and not only do they make up half of the Expeditionary Division, they're also the most well-trained and well-equipped troops we have. He reports directly to the Elder Council, so he's the one person here who has actual power over us, making his reaction to the creation of our dynasty the only one that has any real immediate impact on us.

It's funny that he's been placed at the fourth table, but he isn't nobility, he's just someone with a very high [Battlefield Perception].

As I observe the General, I notice that Teresina keeps glancing at me. Though I'd enjoy it if the gilf was interested in my draconic weapon, I know that she wants to speak with me about something else.

The meal is rather quiet in comparison to the lively party going on right now down in the town. Crown Lord Fram actually manages to have a casual conversation with the twins, but everyone else here has a more restrained degree of enthusiasm.

For Lina and me, this is just fine, but Roxanne, Hana, and Osaria won't let the mood continue to wallow in this stiff atmosphere. After a few pointers from Yunia transmitted through [Bind], the girls find plenty of inspiration to draw upon and manage to strike up a conversation with Iril and the Mendecassa sisters.

Ciel decides to help them out and uses her "Charisma" to ease the other Lords and help them relax, then Aoi joins in, her blunt boisterousness still quite noticeable even in her human form, and she helps liven up the mood.

Silvano is loud like Hana, allowing me to hear him from afar, but from the content of his conversation, he enjoys the act of teasing, like Roxanne. It seems that he has a bit of a polarizing personality.

Ira and his wife are quietly sitting near the middle of the table, trying to not draw any attention to themselves. He has removed his armor, but his clothes are still stained red with his own blood.

I calmly eat my own meal, relaxing my muscles and resting my body in my special chair, which has been modified by Almaria to fit my new shape. It even has an adjustable footrest, which is pretty amazing for my heavy legs.

None of us asked her to do that, but she realized that I wanted more comfortable furniture and took up the task on her own initiative. I'm very happy that we hired her.

Krysta's not-spinach quiche is heavenly, though the creamy not-broccoli with cheese curds is a real competitor for the top position. The meat is in a category of its own, though, as it has been cooked in bacon fat, making it deadly both to my heart and stomach.

"I'm impressed that you have such dexterity with your… claws, my Lord," Rador Iqueza comments softly.

I raise my eyes towards the strong-jawed elf and think for a moment, then I snort softly and respond with the same tone, "Indeed, they're very inconvenient, and my draconic side won't even let me sand down the edges, but, fortunately, I have an alternative to them."

I lay my claws on my lap and create two tentacles that I use to grab my knife and fork. The sudden use of a spell draws some worried eyes, but they quickly become confused as they watch the tentacles move.

"What… how…?" Rador mumbles in confusion with a tinge of horror in his tone. It seems that he isn't cultured in the ways of the tentacle.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

A small smile blooms on my face as I explain, "It's a skill I've developed. This is called [Soul Manipulation], and it allows me to 'bend' my soul as I wish, though it needs a [Solidify] spell to make it physical."

His wife suddenly hums out loud in understanding, "Ahh~…! That's what all the commotion with [Spirit Magic] was about," Erpente is a runway-worthy beauty, and it's pleasing to my tired eyes to look at her, and not in a netori-like way.

I raise an eyebrow at her sudden outburst but don't comment on it. "So, the word of it has spread to Ostoum?"

Now Rador is the one who snorts humorously. "To the whole of the empire, no doubt. I'm sure that the sudden rise in magical instant messages is due to the Chimeras," he assuredly states.

"I've heard that a caravan full of mages is approaching Ostoum," Iril suddenly joins in with a casual remark and looks towards Ira.

"Yes… they're currently at Ostodos," Evera meekly adds and immediately goes back to focusing on her meal.

Iril nods and turns his youthful smirk towards me. "There's also another crossing the delta, and I think there are even mages from Sommerinsel. Escanso's mage population will certainly bloom soon." Then he raises his mug in a toast and starts chugging it down.

Hana breaks off from her conversation with the Mendecassa sisters and asks excitedly, "Ooh~, are there merfolk among them?"

Since his mouth is occupied, one of his wives politely answers in his stead, "Certainly. We've seen Sirens, Lamias, and a few Thalanthro." Then the young Lady lets out a tasteful giggle. "I must admit that the Sirens are very good singers, though they lack the correct timbre for elven songs."

"Surprisingly, the Thalanthro can easily sing anything with a near perfect pitch," Yunia suddenly blurts out. The Lords turn a curious look towards her since they don't know of her xenophilia, but Iril's Lady seems to show some reserved approval with her shy nods to her in response.

"Well, the Thalanthro have an even worse timbre since their throats are so different from ours," Iril's second Lady joins in.

"But they can still add some interesting flair to the songs," Yunia retorts.

The second Lady gently frowns in thought and gracefully takes a sip from her goblet before answering, "Eh… I still want to listen to something decidedly elven."

Yunia's tone is spiced with a dash of annoyance. "If you don't want a non-elven flair to the songs, then why are you listening to the Thalanthro?"

The Lady seems to get tripped up by those words, and her mind is unable to continue the conversation for a moment, then she smirks smugly like a typical snobbish elf as she comes up with a surprisingly philosophical response, "I had to experience it first before I could form my opinion of their singing."

"But their native songs also sound too 'odd' to our ears, too," the first Lady chimes in.

Yunia was prepared for this argument, so she immediately counters, "Have you ever heard them sing while underwater? That's how their songs are meant to be performed, so it's expected that they'd sound different on land. It's not like the acoustics or timbre are 'wrong,' it's simply a completely different thing underwater."

"You make a good point," the first Lady concedes and smiles bemusedly.

The three of them start a rather philosophical conversation about how music should be enjoyed. Iril's wives aren't fighters, so they chose the path of the Lady and studied a variety of "high-brow" topics, like music theory. Yunia doesn't have the same depth as they do, but she knows very well how to argue a point, and she has my Earthling knowledge to give her an occasional boost in the conversation.

As the alcohol starts to enter our bloodstreams, the gloomy mood is fully lifted, and even Ira joins the fun.

The meal ends, then nearly everyone gets up out of their seats to dance or walk around the balcony.

Alissa stays put because she wants to help me recover, Lina doesn't want to get up, so she plays with my scales, and Yunia is also a bit tired, so she remains and recharges through the fluffiness of Alissa's tail.

Of the others at our table, only Rador remains. He slowly sips from his glass goblet, watching as his wife dances with one of the hired female entertainers.

He rests his goblet on the table and turns to me, his serious gaze forcing me out of my relaxation.

The three of us turn our heads toward him in such a synchronized way that his words get stuck in his throat for a moment before he finally asks, "Will you be sharing some of your skills, my Lord…? Or will they remain secrets of your dynasty?" Then his mouth moves wordlessly for a second as he realizes something important. "Actually, should we start calling you 'your Highness,' instead? Apologies for the many questions."

Alissa's hand grabs my jewels and massages them, giving me a jolt of pleasure that wakes me up and helps me answer, "My Blessing compels me to share it, so my legacy to my children will be something else."

Yunia immediately continues for me since I'm too tired to articulate my answer, "On the matter of titles, Lord is fine for now. We haven't been formally recognized by any authority yet, so we don't want to annoy the Tribunal by assuming the title of 'Highness' just yet."

Rador seems a bit disconcerted, his eyes flickering between Yunia and me, but he hides it almost perfectly. "You've been 'adopted' by the royals, then?" He asks, his voice aiming at neither of us in particular.

Just to mess with him, Alissa is the one to answer, "No. We're replacing them, in fact. Arreira has become disappointed in the old royalty and has disowned them, giving their titles to us, instead."

Rador glances at her then swallows heavily and tensely asks, "And how will the royals in hiding respond to that?"

I smile innocently and calmly reply, "Unfavorably, of course. We'll be making claims to a lot of their inheritance."

He leans forward, and I see a bead of sweat form on his forehead. "My Lords… are we to expect war?"

I chuckle softly, but it's Yunia who answers in a matter-of-fact tone, "If the royals make war, it'll be a holy one, for they're suspected of being heretics, and as you've seen, we're very close to the Gods."

He doesn't seem phased and continues without wasting a breath, "It'll still spell trouble and unrest for the High Forest. We have to prepare, but I have no idea how long it'll take for them to make their move."

Lina now speaks, giving him her best monotone, "Yes, we'll have to prepare, but it'll take a long time since our claims to their inheritance have to be processed by the Tribunal before they'll even hear about it."

And I give him the follow-up punch, "Unless someone gives them an early warning." Then I give a draconic stare to impart the seriousness of my words.

His face becomes stiff and stony, then he lowers his head respectfully and obediently responds, "I shall not speak a word, my Lord, but I worry greatly for the stability of the High Forest. I expect that the Elder Council allowed you to have Lord Yulania as a Blood Slave so that her presence will keep unrest to a minimum."

Unrest from you, specifically.

"Has her presence really changed how others have reacted to our ascension to power?" I retort, containing my flippancy.

Rador's face stiffens in anxiety, and he keeps his head down in shame.

I'm not done, and I give him one last lambasting, "The Council deposed Mavel specifically to allow change in the High Forest. After this Divine Intervention, as you're all calling it, if the Council moves to stop me, then they're just as foolish as Mavel was, and he'd have been pointlessly killed, but I won't let that happen to the father of my wife-to-be."

Yunia remains unmoving, also concealing her feelings with a stony mask, then Alissa grabs her hand to comfort her. Though she doesn't really need it, she appreciates how much we care for her.

"I understand, my Lord. I only wish for our safety," Rador agrees with a flat, obedient tone.

"Then you'll need to fight for it."

He finally raises his head to look at us. "I will, my Lord," he pleads, but I sense his tone wavering, then a silence falls over us for a moment, and Rador excuses himself, "I'll be joining my wife, my Lords."

I nod gently, and he walks away, finally leaving us in peace.

"I also need a distraction," Yunia tiredly comments as she gets up, then goes after Roxanne to dance.

Now I get the quiet time I really wanted with Alissa and Lina. I use the tip of my tail to wrap around Alissa's, and both of the girls hug my claws tightly, allowing me to extend long, slimy tentacles along their legs so that I can absorb their cuteness and recharge my batteries.

While acting domineering is a bit fun for me, I'm still an introverted dragon, so it's tiring to keep it up. The girls help me with it a lot by giving me the confidence necessary to act like this, but I have my limits.

Then Teresina approaches us, and I groan internally.

She climbs up the steps to our table, then falls down onto her knee before us and folds one of her long ears with a hand in respect.

"Your Majesties, may I speak with you?" She begs with a frighteningly kind tone. It does not suit her.

"You may, and we're still Lords," Alissa politely responds for me.

Teresina stands up again with a little effort, then a maid appears with a chair for her, which she gladly accepts.

She doesn't even wait for a moment and immediately asks the question, "I want to talk about… Lord Aoi. I want to know how you did it." It seems that some habits die hard.

"I can't talk about it. That will be a royal secret," I tersely respond.

"But your Blessing-…"

Alissa interrupts her, "Is precisely what prevents him from revealing this secret. There are times when knowledge must be hidden until the public is ready. This is one of those times."

Her mouth twitches with contained anger, so I toss her a bone, "But know that we will share it when the time is right and we've found a way to reproduce it without revealing our secrets."

She breathes in deeply to keep her cool, and the awfully polite tone returns, "I understand, my Lords… but may we at least know the nature of her 'conversion'? As far as I know, Lord Aoi was merely a 'tamable' dragon, and no tracker has reported anything different about her soul."

Now, this is Alissa's specialty, so she's the one to answer, "Only because we didn't allow anyone with such skills to get close to her. Her soul's transformation still isn't complete yet, but I've noticed that it's very different from when we first met her."

"So it was [Alteration Magic]?"

I shake my head and decide to reveal just a small bit to her, "No. I connected our souls, and the 'cracks' were filled in on their own."

Teresina's eyes suddenly go wide. "Ah, of course! The soul's adaptability! I never imagined that it could be used that way!" She exclaims in amazement.

"A 'tamable' monster is merely a 'broken' aberrant," Lina.

Connecting us through [Bind] basically "fixed" Aoi's broken soul, like some sort of stem cell therapy.

Teresina turns to me, and now her gentle tone doesn't sound forced. "Did you follow in Kaka Haere's footsteps?" She earnestly asks.

"Who?" I hum in confusion.

Ciel appears beside Teresina and joins the conversation at the perfect moment, "Ah, that one. Kaka's story is a warning against paranoia. They'd discovered non-aggressive, 'tamable' monsters, but they were shunned by the priests due to fear of heretical magic… and because they were caught making love…" She cringes softly.

"Yes, the Volnosht Rebellion in Bestiaram of the fifty-third millennium," Lina sagely adds.

Teresina nods, slightly impressed with Lina's precise knowledge. "They say there was something else that was special among Kaka's monsters, a sort of 'intelligence,' but records are vague. Perhaps you did something similar?" She speculates.

"She's a breeder-type, so we didn't have to give her intelligence; just a system," Ciel clarifies.

Teresina thinks for a second, then raises an eyebrow at me, and her tone becomes serious. "The right person, at the right place, at the right time. Now I see why the Gods watch over you… and why the heretics might've attacked."

"I believe there's more to their motivations than just that, but I'd like to be proven wrong," Ciel affirms.

Teresina nods and hums in agreement. "Hm, yes. I expected the Monster King to make a resurgence, not the heretics getting involved." Then she turns to Ciel. "By the way, Lord Ciel, I believe some of your former comrades are in town because of you. A Templar named Kyora."

Ciel nearly chokes on her spit. "What?!" She squeaks.