Simon was acting as a psychologist right now. This was after he entered the inner chamber where Camille rested, and began to hear her complains about the dwarves. What seemed to irk her was the lack of interest from their part towards the surface, as she never saw them exploring the surrounding areas, with one or two exceptions each decade.
She started to tell him how at first she thought they would be like the dwarfs she often saw outside, valiant and intrepid warriors that were skilled in many craftsmanship's. She met them during the times she often went around disguising herself as an adventurer and exploring different places in the continent.
Thus when she first saw them, all she could think about was living like a queen, with them as her subjects.
Then she started to talk about her illusions about them and how disappointed she was through all these years when the dwarves didn't treat her with the care she wanted when they signed their agreement.
Agreement that, for Simon surprise, made her the current Queen of the mountain and the surrounding forest.
With her continue rambling about her desilussion about them, he tried to rationalize with her, something that he often could do. However, his efforts met no avail, as she was in a surprisingly irrational state, were she could only think about herself.
Yes, he was hearing the complaint of a narcissist being. Discovering a new side of her.
He was pretending to understand her with simple nods, as he was drawing on the floor a dog with dirt. It was his old pet 'Moon'. A pretty dumb one if he had to say.
"Those monkeys! They dare to send someone TWO WEEKS LATER. What if something happened to me? Weren't they the ones who said they would be my fist and would carry my will? I didn't complain to them before as I was ashamed to tell them that a noble human was speaking shit about me... well it's not like I expected them to fight my battles but it annoys me that someone doesn't hold his words, more so knowing that they let those adventurers reach this place! Couldn't they patrol around like they did in the first years? WHY DO I NEED THEM IF THEY AREN'T USEFUL!?" With a high-pitched voice, Camille was fuming on rage as she complained about her subjects.
This was how he spent at least a few hours. He was so bored that he was able to enter into an illuminated state where he was ascending his thoughts. Where he found himself being able to accept that he was a man of culture.
Camille was oblivious to Simon ascension to a higher being as she continued to complain about the dwarves' uselessness.
"THEY DRAINED THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN, AND NOW THERE'S THOUSANDS OF THEM LIVING INSIDE, CAREFREE OF ANY DANGER THAT COULD HUNT ME, I PROTECTED THEM FOR SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT ROTATIONS, FOR WHAT? TO RECEIVE NOTHING BUT SMALL GROUPS PRETENDING TO CARE ABOUT MY WELLBEING AND MASKING THEIR CONTEMPT AND UNWILLINGNESS TO SERVE ME?" At the end of her words, Camille voice cracked at bit, but went unnoticed by Simon.
But what did she noticed is that he wasn't paying her attention as he kept his eyes closed while there was something going under his pants as it appeared to be a tent.
A wave of fury began to spread through her body at the sight of it, it was enough that he was being unrespectful towards her by no paying attention to their conversation. But this?
Sure enough, she became angry, but it started to recede as she began to remember that Simon was a normal human, and that it has been a few weeks since he started to live with her.
She did know that humans were beings that followed their instinct, as race that lived a shorter life-span than most of the races. When she ventured to their cities she did saw how much they needed to relieve their basic urges. But still, even if she knows this, looking at him like that makes her feel uncomfortable and a little bit annoyed.
"Hey, you." She talked to him mentally, waking him up from his state.
As he started to look around, and see Camille hostile glare towards himself, he asked her "Yes? What is it?" With a nervous smile.
She pointed her large claw towards his lower body as she said "Take care of that and come here again afterwards, I decided I'm going to make use of you at least." Finishing her words, she started to retrieve her perception around him, making her unable to see whatever he would do in the next minutes.
However, Simon stayed on his place, dumbfounded, as he didn't understood what's going on. Although he knew what she was referring to, it was uncomfortable to walk outside when she was in front of him.
"Didn't you hear me? Go and do something about your tent, is uncomfortable being near you while you are in that state." Camille said once again and with a flick of her claws. Simon appeared outside.
Simon's face had a wry smile plastered on it, as he chuckle and said to himself.
"it's not like it's my fault after all, it's been a few days since I appeared here " Knowing that she could hear him he tried to cool down his head. He felt uncomfortable knowing that she would know if he relieved himself.
'I need to find a way later to do something about my sexual pent up, but sure it helps a lot being here, I didn't even think about it before this moment.' He thought.
His head was filled with different kind of things, and most of the time, he was around Camille or aware of her presence around him watching over for any danger.
Camille didn't hear any strange sound from him after a few minutes, and although it was somewhat awkward, she asked him "Aren't you done yet? If you did, then tell me so I can bring you back."
He smiled sightly hearing what she said, maybe it was how naive she can be sometimes but he noticed that she seems to overlook common sense.
Simon made sure that everything was fine, adjusting his little friend and glancing over for any kind of misleading information within his body, and said loud.
"Yes, I'm okay, you can take me there." As soon as he finished he appeared in front of the gigantic body of Camille, she looked at him as if she were searching for something.
"Well... now that you are more clever head, after hearing what I say, what you think about working for me? I've seen your pitiful struggle to make some things, and we both know you can put a foot outside without dying in the way-" Camille was interrupted when Simon cut her with his words.
"Hold on there Daenerys Targaryen, what makes you sure that I'll die on my way out of this place?" He asked her while raising his brows, although he knew that he could be crushed to death by any sort of beast outside, it didn't meant that he was helpless!
Deep down, the flames of hope were still burning brightly. He didn't discarded the possibilities that maybe, like those Isekai or transmigrated characters, something special was within his body, waiting for the moment to wake in the right moment.
"Simon, I, myself saw your condition. You won't be able to gather mana nor train your body, I'm not even sure if you can survive a week without receiving a regeneration spell. And in the case that you may be able to get outside my forest, there's the thing that not many could cast on you a regenerative spell of my current skill. Let's not even talk about that many won't be able to scan your body at the right time for keeping you alive. So tell me, am I wrong? Would you let me continue what I was saying?" She coldly asked to him, but seeing him raising his hand, she let him talk.
"That's not going to happen, also I'm quite sure that I'm able to use magic, probably you don't have the required knowledge to see through my special body nor how to make me learn to use it." Simon closed his eyes and he put both of his arms in front of him, assuming a cocky posture.
'Yes, there's no way that I'll be unable to use magic or something like in those stories, I am probably a special entity or some sort. Though is a pity that I didn't choose something better when the God asked me, well I wasn't my fault anyway.' Desperately trying to hold onto his hope after hearing her words, he tried to assure himself.
Camille looked at him with a cold gaze and with disdain. She thought he was a fool for lying himself.
'But he does seem to believe what he said.'
"If you are that sure, why is so that you have stayed here with me in the first place? I remember you said to me that If you ever go to any human town or city you would have been easily bullied..." She teased him.
Simon's expression twitched a little as he heard her. But he still maintained his appearance as he answered her.
"That's true because at this moment I'm unable to do anything on my own, but that's doesn't mean that I'll be the same in the future."
Camille contained her laugh while she also acknowledged what he said, mages often cherish special bodies and unique abilities, still, she asked him in a teasing tone.
"Why are you so sure that you have a special body? I am a dragon that surpassed most of the knowledge that any normal Mage has in this world, there are few exceptions, but I am pretty sure that they would have said the same to you. Why you are being so stubborn and don't want to accept my goodwill? It's not so Bad working under me, isn't?"
She was truly intrigued by him, she often heard him talking in manners that surpassed most of the wise people she has met in her life, although he has some problems with his personality as she saw him being absent-minded during times. The way he carried himself during their talks, his way of seeing many things, doesn't lead her think that he's a dumb person trying to hold onto something.
His knowledge most of the time reached the same that some Mages often have, and it made her remember the old-man in robes she met when young.
When she finished Simon facade falls down, and with a long sigh, he said to her.
"I want to believe that I am not trash, I have a... bad experience previously in my life, so I thought this could be a good chance to start all over again with something at my favor, but now that you said that, I'm starting to think otherwise." There was a glint of hope in his eyes when he talked.
"How about this? I will stay here and help you with whatever you want that is in my capabilities, I saw that you have a problems regarding those dwarves and your current 'Kingdom' management, maybe I could help you with this, in exchange, I only ask for help to see if you could do something with my body or help me wake my magic channels. How is it?" When he finished his words, he hold his breath and looked at her with bright eyes filled with hope.
She looked at him and began to laugh. She thought he would say something different.
"At least you have more guts now, to think that you would dare to negotiate with me!" When she said the latter her eyes squinted.
"But yes, I accept it anyways. However, I must warn you that it is better for you to not have any hope about being able to get you some sort of magic channels, your body is different from any human here so I'm sure that you won't be able to wield any kind of magic nor receive any kind of blessing from greater beings." While hearing the latter, Simon shoulders fell a little bit in discouragement. " It would be a better idea for you to start to think in other ways to have strength, your race is pretty good at creating things. and also adapting, although I'm not sure of the latter in your case." She nodded at him.
Humans were mostly know for their creativity, something that they shared with dwarves. As a race that is somewhat lacking in other aspects, they made sure to cover their faults with equipment or machines, only in some cases did they surpassed other races, as the other perk of the race, adaptiveness, could kick off.
This is the case with an Empire in the heart of the Midlands, where a powerful and advanced human empire rule among the orcs and demonkind.
Orcs in this world were one of the most powerful race. They have a robust and powerful body that outmatched every other race. This allows them to have incredible stamina and an explosive force that makes them a nightmare on the battlefield.
Added this, with their cruel and harsh society, that killed any weak being, made every individual a capable warrior.
While the Demonkind were gifted greatly in mana control department, with some branches in their midst that could reach same levels of strength as the orcs.
It could be seen by this the amount of power that the empire could held to rule among those two powerful races, more so in a place like the Midlands, a large piece of land filled with wars and despair in every place.
But this was information for another time.
Camille watched him carefully. He was much different from the humans she had seen, he was tinnier and a little bit smaller than the smallest adult human she'd seen. But by any means he looked like a crippled or disabled person.
His physique was lean and alethic, the muscles around his body were build by some sort of work. Not something that a crippled could do.
So she thought that maybe he could have different capabilities than the others, this is why she said that to him.
"There are plenty of resources in this mountain that you can make use of it, there's also those monkeys that could help you with whatever you may need, although I don't want to treat with them, I can pass some orders to them if it needed. Anyways, if you need my help, feel free to tell me as I have plenty of free time." With a nonchalantly tone on her voice she said to him, as she moved her body in a comfortable position.
Simon has been watching her all this time looking for a good time to start a barrage of questions, so when he saw her relaxing he began.
"Well, there are a few things I want to ask you. For example, since when did you become a Queen? Having some dwarfs pledging loyalty does not mean that you are a ruler you know?"
Camille started to regret not having beaten him when he ignored her outburst before. But she tried to calmly answer him.
"You really are good at ignoring people as I see. Answering you, every Dragon that owns or claims a domain is acknowledged as a King or Queen, but it's not common that other races support them nor acknowledge their claim. We are often hunted down due to this, as no ruler want a being like us claiming rulership between their lands, more knowing our abilities and the influence we could have among other races. Although I'm sure none knows that I'm actually a Queen since, you known, those monkeys never bothered to move their asses out of the mountain. But yes, by my own right and by having some Svaltars pledging me loyalty means that I'm a ruler." She said to him cockily.
"Also every feral beast, beast kind, and other tribes living in the surrounding area of the mountain and the forest has acknowledged me as their ruler by staying under my domain and protection." She raised her head up as she was feeling prideful by her own right.
But Simon didn't think that there isn't anything to being pride upon. As he saw she was a poor dragon living in a barren mountain, without any contact with another living being, and with subjects that didn't wanted to deal with her. Thus, this was much different than the image of a Dragon Queen that he has in his head.
"Camille, you see, there is a famous quote where I came from said by a man, it says like this 'Any man who must say, I am the king, is no true king'
...you can apply this for you..." He said with a low voice.
Camille's body froze up. Simon's words hit hard to her as she began to think about what he said.
She stayed for a minute like that as her tail began to move in erratic ways as she said.
"It's not my fault that I live in this way, I don't know how to act according to how others expect me. I tried to learn by going outside and living among you all, but it was futile, I-I ended up more confused about all that" Her voice tone reached a high-pitch, as she started to look down at the floor. " I know that maybe I'm not that magnificent as other Dragons, or those old geezers in the Island, so please be gentle with me okay?... I've been trying.." Camille's mood completely changed as she said to him in an almost pleading tone.
However just a second later, her eyes opened wide.
She noticed her behavior and began to feel embarrassed about it 'Why I keep opening up myself like that to him?'
She didn't know if she began to trust him, but they often talk about about how she feels about something, and this was due to Simon lead during their conversations.
Simon wasn't surprised by her behavior, as he knew beforehand that she seemed to be suffer anxiety while being insecure about herself, summed up with low self-esteem.
Also living a lonely life in a mountain probably make it worse for her, or at least is what he seems to think.
He didn't know when it happens but he began to look after her in this matter, he tried sometimes to be supportive towards her when they talked about her view of her own self.
'She deserves more than living in this way, maybe one day I could make her a Coronation that could fit her. ' He chuckle while thinking about it, as he knew that Camille maybe needed some sort of approbation, not by others, but by herself.
With a gentle smile and a soft tone, he said to her.
"I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just remarking you so you take it into account for the future. Also, see this as gratitude for letting me stay here and didn't kick me out, but I will try for you to make you feel like a Queen here."
Camille's tail began to calm as she heard him. He often said things that make her calm down a lot when she found herself stressed or being anxious. So hearing him saying that draw a smile on her reptile face.
"Thank you, Simon."
Simon giggled and show a reverence posture as he said.
"You are welcome, Queen of monkeys."