"Lord Galakrond?" Nimue's voice, soft yet firm, drew Drake back from his distraction. "Please enlighten me about the history of this city and its current condition. I've been adrift in the starry sea's unknown realms for more years than I can count. Had it not been for the call from the main continent, I might have continued to wander the endless cosmos, oblivious to the present state of the main continent."
Drake deepened his voice, aiming for a tone of gravitas. One lie begets a cascade of others, and now that everyone believed him to be an ancient demi-god dragon, he had to play the part just right. He didn't need to come off as a stubborn old dragon; he could afford to seem lively on occasion, to give the impression of a dragon with a youthful spirit.
Yet, he couldn't afford to show panic or alarm, as that would raise suspicions. No matter the turmoil within, he had to project utmost calm on the surface.
Though he lacked experience with transmigration or reincarnation, Drake had read enough novels to know better than to act foolishly. Transmigrators and reincarnators must maintain composure, for only fools court trouble in unfamiliar worlds.
Having been acknowledged as a 'demi-god,' Drake had gained a basic understanding of this world, including its numerous planes. Beyond the well-known planes were countless unknown ones, scattered like stars across the endless cosmic sea. A misstep could mean getting lost without a way back to the main continent, lost until death.
His explanation was flawless; even gods could lose their way in the starry sea, always ensuring they had coordinates for their return. For him, a 'demi-god,' to get lost was perfectly normal.
Nimue felt a shiver down her spine as she listened to Drake. Her and the queen's suspicions were correct; this primordial dragon, thought extinct, must have been lost in the cosmic sea, only to be drawn back by the queen's summoning of a legendary creature.
This dragon must have been incredibly fortunate to survive the 'Lost History,' a period even Nimue barely understood, only mentioned in passing by the queen. The dragon likely slumbered through the call of the Dragon God, avoiding the greatest disaster the cosmos had ever seen and living to this day.
The disaster was scarcely recorded, known only through scattered fragments. Those aware of that history understood that the catastrophe nearly wiped out all life in the Saint Soren world, with countless known and unknown deities falling. Before such an unspeakable calamity, even gods struggled to survive.
Pushing these thoughts aside, Nimue began to recount the current state of the main continent to Drake. Her voice was crisp and melodious, blending the ethereal beauty of the elves with the resilience of a warrior. Her voice was so enchanting that Drake felt he could listen to her indefinitely.
Through Nimue's briefing, Drake gained a general understanding of the main continent's situation. It was vast, divided by the endless Soren Mountains, which split the land into eastern and western regions and gave the world and continent their names.
The empire and the church dominated the west, while the east was home to the human United Kingdom and orcish nations. Humans and orcs were the most active races, constantly vying for control. Dwarves and elves were secondary, unable to compete for dominance but still strong enough to ensure their survival. Lesser races like gnolls and goblins lived in areas beyond the full control of humans and orcs.
Drake listened most intently to the description of the Dragon Kingdom in the northeast, a unique realm where dragons served as protectors under a pact with humans. Though not extensive in territory, the presence of dragons deterred most from provocation.
Drake had no desire to encounter other dragons. His greatest asset was the godly core, derived from the Dragon God worshipped by dragons. Who knew if they had means to detect its misuse? His transformation into a demi-god dragon was time-limited and consumed divine energy. If he depleted the godly core, he would be powerless against the world's many formidable beings.
The city, now renamed Dragon City by Drake, sat at the Soren Mountains' pass, serving as a hub connecting the east and west of the continent. Though not precisely at the continent's center, it was connected to the largest powers, making it a central focus.
'I've inadvertently placed myself at the center of everyone's attention...'
Drake felt a headache coming on. Why had he set the permanent locator here of all places?
He had wanted to avoid the world's focus, to hide away as a fledgling dragon, bullying weaker creatures until he could emerge as a god. But now, he had no choice but to step into the limelight. At least he wasn't being hunted like other unfortunate transmigrators, forced to turn the tables at critical moments.
The information about his sweeping of the church's forces as a demi-god dragon would soon reach all the powers of the main continent. And with his territory at the center of many powerful forces, Drake felt there was only one way to describe his situation:
The world's focus is on you!