By the time Marjun realized what he had done, everyone's gaze was already focused on him. His breathing turned irregular at the unwanted attention.
'Why did he just yell out like that?' he berated himself internally.
Alex wasn't fazed at all by his words. His face still held that iconic smirk that said everything was still in his control.
"A lie?" The King asked. "What is the lie?"
Marjun stuttered. He didn't understand the King's question. He couldn't figure out if the King was supporting this peasant or if he wasn't.
"Marjun, tell me what the lie is. Which of the things he said are lies?"
"The dragon, she doesn't care about those things. I mean, she lives in a cave. She could mine those things herself. And.. she didn't even like Alex's disturbance."
Alex's smirk vanished from his face.
He needs to do something, if not… his sumptuous rewards, his gold, diamonds… they would slip away!
"My King–" Alex was interrupted.
"My King!" A guard's loud shout gathered everyone's attention. "The Chimeras have returned! The villagers are crowding the palace!!"
The news shook everyone, making them feel at a loss.
Sighing, He turned to look at Alex. "Alex, if you can get that beast to handle these chimeras, I will grant your requests!"
Marjun scowled. This man was tricky, he could do anything!
"My King, Alex can risk his life to chase those chimeras to get the reward," Marjun added slyly.
"You all can watch from the tower how we will defeat them," Alex responded to Marjun's sly plan. "Oh, and My King, please permit me to borrow one of your horses. I need to get to the hills quickly!"
Before the King could say a word, Alex stormed off, displeasing him. After all, Alex was nothing but a lowly peasant.
The King glanced at Marjun and then at Neron, who has been quiet during the entire conversation. "Let's hope that some good output will be generated from this," He said.
Even if his words sounded as if he was hoping for something good to happen at this grave time, his words carried a hidden threat. The King left the place not before giving them a last glance.
Pulling Marjun by ear, Neron dragged him out of the palace.
"Marjun!!" He called out loudly, giving him a warning that his father was displeased with his earlier actions and words.
"What's the meaning of all the rubbish you spat in front of the King? We are trying to reinstate into the king's cabinet! But… you... You almost tried to ruin it!!" Neron's chest heaved up and down in fury at his stupid son.
"Just Pray, Marjun. Just pray! Pray that something positive comes out of this situation! If some opposite reaction comes… I swear your punishment will not be lighter!" Saying Neron walked away from the palace. Getting on the horse, he started moving toward the dragon. He needs to take things into his hands at least from now on!
Marjun's face contorted in a deep scowl after being berated by his father. He was already mad, after being played by Alex, who was nothing but a poor peasant. A poor peasant should be a poor peasant, not someone who could manipulate him, a noble one!
How dare he!!
A mere peasant!
And very well… like the cherry on the top, his father was warning him with punishment!
Can his day and time get any worse than this?!
Alex arrived back at the cave only to find Krystal pooping again!
He had to deal with those greedy and sly nobles outside the cave and inside the cave he had to deal with this lazy beast.
He sighed.
He got work before he could attend to the village's problem.
"Krystal! We have more pressing needs! How can you still be pooing, you haven't even eaten anything in the past two days!" he asked in a slightly agitating voice, as he tried to suppress his emotions.
Snorting at him, Krystal returned to lying in her usual position. Alex groaned. He took a wooden trowel and a flat board and began to clean her stinky poop.
Once he was done, he took it into the tunnel in the cave where he had gathered a little soil and planted a fruit seed. If he was going to be living with her, he had to eat.
While placing the poo carefully into the dug ground, he heard someone arrive at the cave. Holding his small dagger, he walked stealthily to the outer cave, only to find Marjun. The man was trying to wake Krystal and have the whole reward for himself. Alex narrowed his eyes. The dragon wasn't even asleep. Why was he there?
"Desperate now are we?" He asked, coming out from the inner cave. Marjun was still a little frightened. A disdainful scowl made its way onto his not-so-attractive face, finding it was Alex but not the beast.
"What was the meaning of the stunt you pulled before the king?" Marjun demanded.
"Stunt? I should be asking you that. You sly son of a ... I wouldn't insult your mother because I didn't know her." He said with a careless expression on his face.
Veins popped on his head in fury at the mention of his mother. Even if he did not know her, it was his sore spot.
Yet! This peasant dared to bring it up to insult him!
If not for the dragon, Marjun would have killed for real!
Alex couldn't care less about Marjun's emotions or thoughts. Right now, Marjun was the least of his concerns! He has to take advantage of the current chaos in his village.
"Also, that is not how you wake a sleeping dragon," Alex said with a smirk. He walked over to Krystal and patted her eyelids. They were cold but gradually became warm under his hand. "You have to pat her like this."
Marjun moved back a little. He was sore and afraid. "How.. how can you touch that mindless Beasty creature?!" He demanded fiercely.
'The hell!! If that's the way to wake it up… I can't do it!' he thought.
Krystal growled, awake. She hated being called mindless or a beast. Her eyes fixated on Marjun.
Marjun shook visibly when Krystal rose to her full size, he screamed and ran away in fear almost wetting his pants, making Alex chuckle at his cowardice.
"Come on, let's go and scare some chimeras. Marjun is even afraid of humans so scaring him away doesn't count." Alex said. Krystal whimpered.
She crawled out of the cave and shook her body absorbing the natural sunlight in its full glory. Alex mounted her back when she spread out her wings.
As they took out into the sky, Alex felt exhilarated. The feeling of being able to fly in the sky, and see everything that was on the ground gave him a different kind of thrill. He directed her to the location of the farmlands where chimeras were attacking.
He could see the Chimaeras, destroying the crops on the farm. They were trying to dig the ground and nobody knew what they were searching for.
Krystal wooshed down to the center of the farmland, making chimeras pause their activities. Standing at her full length, Krystal roared loudly.
Her roar contained dominance and power, shaking those measly chimeras in fear. Her roar caused other animals to roar as well.
Seeing the chimeras still not leaving, Krystal puffed out smoke as a warning from her nose and mouth to warn them, that they had to face the consequences if they didn't leave this place. When the chimeras saw the smoke being puffed out from the dragon they began to retreat.
Krystal chased them to the plains to burn them. Alex held on tightly to her horns to prevent himself from falling.
After being grilled by Krystal's dragon fire, the chimeras looked like nothing but a lump of grilled meat to her. Drooling at the sight of 'delicious' food, she jumped at them to eat.
"You can't eat that disgus—" even before Alex could finish his words, she started having her meal. He watched in disgust as she ate her 'meal'.
"No wonder you don't eat, and yet you poo," Alex muttered. "How can all these fit into one stomach?"
Krystal did not respond to him, she was focused on having her rare meal and didn't spare Alex any attention until she was done.
"Can we go back now? I have to return the King's horse." Alex said. Krystal licked her nose before giving a light grunt.
Climbing upon her back, they together flew back to the hillside. Once landed, they heard the sounds of cheers and applause from the crowds. Krystal grunted at the number of people before her.
"Alex, you have done noble!" The king praised. "You have appeased the dragon to save us! She saved us! Everyone bow to our dragon lady!"
The villagers bowed to Krystal at once. That made her eyes twinkle in delight, which didn't go unnoticed by Alex.
"As a token of appreciation, we brought these gifts for you." The king said.
He gestured to his guards and they took out two leather pouches made from animal skin. From the way they were being carried, Alex could tell that they contained heavy materials, making him jealous. What would he get? He had risked his life for waking the dragon too!
Marjun on the other hand was jealous for a different reason.