Chapter 15:

Onwards!

So I ate the Dragon Lord, and as it turns out... you are what you eat.


ADVENTURERS HERE ARE NO JOKE.

My story came as a shock to the girls, as expected. But in a matter of minutes, they not only collected themselves, but also came up with a plan to get back at the guys who had ambushed them.

Cerys praised me to no end for keeping a low profile, saying operational security would be the key to bring down the Cult. By the looks of it, the Cult has infiltrated the Adventurer’s Guild, and most likely other power brokers as well. Even the King fell victim to them, so we cannot underestimate their reach.

We’re acting under the assumption they could have eyes and ears anywhere, and for that reason, a wild card like me is their bane. The Cult should have no idea I’ve sided with the Rose’s Thorns, which will toss their strength estimate out the window.

As an A-Rank party, the Thorns are known to be capable, but they wouldn’t be a threat to the Cult on their own. Unless, of course, the Dread Dragon just so happened to be with them…

So, we’ll let the Cult think lightly of us.

We’ll downplay our hand, while the Thorns train me into a sharp blade, and we’ll gather every piece of intelligence needed to track them down. Then, when the time is ripe to strike… we will smite them.

With the Cult gone, the girls will get their revenge, the Kingdom will be secure, and I won’t be in danger anymore. After all, the Cult of Croxas were the safekeepers of the Dread Dragon, and stealing its power has turned us into sworn enemies.

I’ll never rest easy as long as the Cult is around, so they have to go. And well, they also tried to kill the girls right in front of my eyes… so even to me, it’s personal.

With that, my alliance with the Rose’s Thorns has been consolidated, and we’ve set off from the Forbidden Forest towards the kingdom’s capital: the city of Sylphadim.

* * *

“Cerys, it’s not fair!” Xana pouted, puffing her cheeks. “You’ve carried him the whole way! It’s my turn, damn it!”

“Nuh-uh. You’ll have to wait until we get to town,” Cerys denied her with poise and dignity. Despite her friend’s objections, she had no intention of handing me over.

And then there was me, fully in the nude, riding on Cerys’ shoulder.

In my raven form, of course.

“He’s mine!” the catgirl yelled. “I called dibs on him before we even met!”

That’s a bold thing to say. Though she did mention something about praying to Faydan for a boyfriend, so it’s probably related.

“That might be the case,” Cerys started, “but we never agreed to anything. John is too important to us, so we can’t have you monopolize him. Besides, you can’t cloak him.”

Xana bared her fangs at her friend.

“So you want a piece of him, too?” she asked, her hair on end.

“I don’t know,” Cerys replied, pondering. “It’s too early to tell, but Faydan did send him to us, so I’d be a fool not to consider it. That said, I don’t see why you’re so upset about it. Polygamy is the norm in your tribe, isn’t it?”

Oof. It’s getting hot in here.

“It is,” Xana conceded, “but the pecking order is paramount. I claimed him first, so I get priority. Once I’m done with him, you can have second servings.”

Hnng! My heart!

“Very well,” Cerys agreed. “If it comes down to it, I’ll take second. But I’m still not handing him to you until we reach the city.”

“Why not!?” Xana cried out.

“Because I’m cloaking his magic,” Cerys replied. “We’ll pass him through the checkpoint as my familiar, remember? Then we need to buy clothes and equipment.”

“Grrrr…” Xana grumbled, struggling to quell her rage.

A while ago, we came up with the plan to disguise me as Cerys’ summon. I haven’t learned how to conceal my magic yet, so Cerys will cover for me, and I’ll stay in raven form inside the city until I’m able to blend in.

Afterwards, we left the forest, and Cerys teleported us close to the capital. The city itself is warded against teleportation spells, so you can’t go in unless you use an authorized teleportation circle. Some of these are handled by the Adventurer’s Guild, and the Thorns do have permission to use them, but we decided against it. We don’t know who the spy in the Guild may be, so we’ll avoid the headquarters for now.

“Xana,” Amelia addressed her, a stern look on her face. “I know it’s the season for you, and you’re looking to settle down, but I’ll ask you not to get pregnant this year. Even if it’s with John.”

“What!?” Xana exclaimed. “Are you also after him!?”

“Perish the thought,” Amelia denied. “My heart isn’t beholden to crass impulses. I’m asking this because you’ll be knocked out of commission, if you get pregnant now. You’d have to retire from our party, right when we need you the most.”

That’s a fair argument. Fighting the Cult with a baby in the belly wouldn’t do.

“But I’m getting old…” Xana pleaded, her eyes tearing up before turning to me. “John, you won’t leave me if I turn into a hag, right? You’ll always love me, right?”

How can I answer that?

Uh…

“Ka-kaw! Ka-kaw!” I cried.

I’m a crow, remember?

Hold on, I’ve got telepathy. Stupid me.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said, forming a connection to Xana’s mind.

“Whoa!” she jumped in surprise. “Was that you, John?”

Seems she didn’t expect the voice in her head.

“That’s me,” I replied. “I’ll stay right by your side; there’s no need to rush.”

Unlike the villagers I tried with before, Xana didn’t oppose me, so I ended up making a deeper link than I intended. Through it, I could feel Xana’s emotions flow into me… and man, they’re so strong she’s making me want to cry.

I don’t know if my heart is too jaded, or if Xana herself is a ball of emotions, but her feelings are crashing into me like a tidal wave. In them, all I see is an unfathomable yearning for acceptance, for safety, for a place to belong.

She wants all of this from me, and in turn, she wishes to cherish and love me as if I were the greatest treasure on the face of the world.

“Do you mean it?” she asked with bated breath. “Do you really, really mean it?”

Her feelings shone as bright as the sun. I can barely keep up the link.

“I mean it,” I replied.

How could I possibly refuse?

I know we just met, but the catgirl’s love is blazing.

I couldn’t turn her away, even if I wanted to. And well… I don’t.

Back on Earth, I dreamed of feeling love like this, but could never find it. Rejections, failed dates, even outright ghosting. I became cold and distant over the years, and my life was reduced to nothing more than meeting my basic needs.

But now in Krysterios, with Xana by my side, I might be able to build all the things I failed to in my old life. Even with the whole mess about the dragon, and the Cult, and anything else that life throws at us… it might not be so bad after all.

“YAY!!” Xana burst out, jumping at Cerys.

I didn’t form a link with her and Amelia, so they had no idea what was going on.

“Waah!” Cerys yelped, as Xana tackled her and snatched me from her shoulder.

And then—

“Ka-kaw! Ka-kaw!” I cried in agony, getting crushed in Xana’s arms. I’m glad the catgirl is happy, but… I think my vision is starting to fade.

Dragonkitty
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Thor Than
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