The silver-haired Elf stepped forward slightly as the colossal dark green Dragon landed beside the pavilion like a meteor. Just as the woman opened her mouth to speak, the Dragon's ear-splitting laughter echoed once more.
"Hahaha! My dear sisters… Finally, I've found you, Eimme. A month of coming here every day was worth it." The words spilling from the Dragon's mouth were hard to decipher, but the tone carried obvious arrogance and sarcasm. His blue eyes practically sparkled. They weren't actually glowing, but anyone who faced him would swear they were.
Emu was visibly irritated. She and Luther had personally tended to the backyard of Eimme's castle. The fact that the meticulous garden she worked so hard on was ruined by this stupid Dragon naturally annoyed her.
"Hey! Dumb brother! What do you think you're doing?! You've ruined the grass!" The blonde, blue-eyed maid shouted. Parts of her body began to glow faintly, a sign she was transitioning into her original form.
A hand appeared on her back, placed there to calm her. It belonged to an Elf.
"Hahaha! Sorry, sorry, my sweet little sister!" the Dragon cried out. Despite his words, his voice was brimming with joy and excitement. Clearly, he wasn't actually really sorry.
"Brother, can you at least conceal your magic? The people here are struggling because of you—" Eimme cut off mid-sentence as she turned her head toward Cladia and saw the three humans lying unconscious on the ground. Luther, Cladia, and Loise were all sprawled out.
Eimme covered her face with her hand, clearly experiencing both embarrassment and frustration. The mere thought of something happening to Cladia was enough to drive her mad. However, knowing the woman was just unconscious allowed her to regain control over her anger.
"So? Why are you here?"
"I just came to see my little sister." His gaze shifted slowly to Cladia, who was slumped over the table. "Is she the one who's bewitched you?"
This time, it was the Elf's turn to get angry. The blue-eyed maid tried to calm her but failed. The woman had already drawn her sword and swung it at the massive Dragon. Of course, the sword itself didn't reach the Dragon, but the air it cut produced two-dimensional black slashes that surged toward him.
There were two slashes in total. As they approached, the Dragon made a move as if to dodge, a deception Eimme didn't catch. She attacked the space she thought he would move into, but she was wrong. The Dragon hadn't moved.
Instead of dodging, he took the black slashes head-on. His scales showed no signs of cuts or damage whatsoever. Suddenly, a massive hammer appeared behind Eimme. It wasn't an ordinary hammer; it moved with incredible speed and was partially transparent.
Just as the hammer was about to strike Eimme's back, she managed to deflect the attack with her sword at the last moment. The force propelled her forward.
The Dragon suddenly appeared behind Eimme, his mouth stretched wide open as if it would tear. A glow formed inside his mouth, the hallmark of a Dragon's most famous ability—fire breath.
Blue flames engulfed the Elf entirely, rendering her invisible within the blaze. But with another swing of her sword, the flames vanished instantly.
Emu, who had been watching the fight, initially felt worried but now watched with a relaxed expression. How long had it been since they last played like this?
Yes, this was a game. Although it started with the Elf's anger, both were now enjoying the fight and wanted more.
The battle had been going on for about five minutes. The Elf launched relentless attacks, and the Dragon countered every time.
They had started to go overboard. Their fight had grown destructive, causing damage to the surroundings. Emu decided it was time to put an end to this and did just that. She teleported above the Dragon's head and used Body Magic to enhance her physical strength. With all her might, she punched the Dragon on the head.
The Dragon was stunned. It was obvious he wasn't seriously hurt, but he was clearly in pain. "Hey!? What was that for, Emulie?!"
"You've destroyed the surroundings; that's enough!" The woman sighed. "Eimme, what's gotten into you? Also, stop fighting and help me carry the unconscious ones inside." The maid's voice was authoritative.
Eimme was out of breath, yet her skin showed no signs of sweat. Elves didn't sweat; they lacked sweat glands. In fact, the main reason Eimme had shifted into her Elf form was to avoid perspiration. She assumed she'd get tired and sweat in the forest and didn't want to appear that way in front of Cladia.
After she sheathed her sword, Eimme lightly tapped the massive Dragon's foot with a genuine smile on her face. The gesture wasn't meant to harm.
The Dragon's body began to shimmer as it transformed into a human form. He became a 180 cm tall, well-built man. His skin was pale, almost devoid of color, as if all the blood had been drained from it. His dark blue, messy hair was so deep in color that most mistook it for black unless the sunlight hit it just right.
His clothing was extravagant. His wealth was evident at a glance. His suit was adorned with golden embroidery and dragon motifs, absurdly ostentatious to the point it could almost glow in the dark. His hands were covered in rings, mostly silver, with some gold. His wrists bore numerous gold bracelets that sparkled.
"Eogus, help us. Carry Luther on your back. Let's bring them inside."
"There's no need to be so harsh with me, Emi darling."
The man grumbled but eventually agreed to help. He carried Luther's massive frame effortlessly, while Emu lifted Loise into her arms.
The Giant had been watching all of this in shock. Everything had happened so suddenly and with such prominence that he had been almost entirely forgotten. Although he was used to being in the background due to his quiet and unsocial nature, being ignored despite his enormous size was new to him.
"I-is there anything I can do to help?" the Giant asked nervously. How strong were these people around him? Their power levels were absurd.
"Ah, Aorion, you… just stay here," Eimme said, clearly unable to think of a task for him. Moreover, Emu didn't want the Giant wandering around the garden too much, so it was better for him to stay put. Eimme had noticed Emu's thoughts. "Just wait here for now. We'll be back soon."
***
The ruby-eyed woman slowly opened her eyes, the dim light of dawn painting soft hues across the room. Her temples throbbed lightly, and the weight of lethargy clung to her like a stubborn shadow, as though she'd been pulled from an impossibly deep slumber. The faint rustling of leaves outside mingled with the lingering warmth of the silken sheets, grounding her senses as she blinked away the haze. It was a disorienting sensation.
Sunlight was just beginning to stream through the windows. It was dawn. She got out of bed, completely naked. This didn't surprise her; she had grown accustomed to sleeping this way lately. Eimme never left her alone. What surprised her was Eimme's absence. It was hard to believe the woman had woken up early. While Eimme was undoubtedly strong and capable, she wasn't exactly disciplined or diligent. She had never seen her wake up early before.
After taking a shower, she covered herself with a bath towel and began to walk around the room. Eimme's room was absurdly large, as she usually stayed in her original form here. The bed had only been added after Cladia arrived.
There was a door leading from Eimme's room to a smaller, adjacent one. Eimme often used this room for private discussions with her staff. Due to the enormous size of her original form, even her smallest movements would shake the people she spoke to.
Cladia decided to check the room. It was silent, but that was normal. The room was made soundproof with circle magic.
She gently opened the door. Inside was Eimme, but she wasn't alone. There was a man with her whom Cladia didn't recognize. Eimme's face lit up when she noticed Cladia but quickly fell as she realized the situation. She moved swiftly toward her, but her fear had already come true. Her brother, Eogus, had already approached Cladia. His speed was absurd.
The man gracefully took Cladia's hands. He was undeniably handsome, and even in such an absurd situation, he managed to make his actions seem natural.
"Ah, you must be Lady Cladia. Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful lady." The man gently kissed her hand before stepping back.
"I am the Great Dragon Eogus, also known as The King," he said, glancing at Eimme before turning back to Cladia. "Eimme's older brother and head of the family. It seems there's something between you and my sister… I've come to speak with you."