I know I'm not supposed to be here. Sultan never said anything directly to me. Not ever since I shot down his [Ghost Spire]. Which…means he already knows. He knows that I know things aren't the way they're supposed to be.
I arrived in Royalia, the best part of it. Right before Sultan's estate. The guards noticed me, but didn't say anything, didn't keep me out. Didn't look at me in any other way, either. Not necessarily weird…but something to keep track of.
Moving over, the door already opened for me. Entering the grand palace, and I already have a feeling this might be my last time.
There was no one there. As quiet as it could ever be. But I sensed Sultan, Koga was somewhere else, but Sultan was absolutely the top priority. He wasn't in the dining room, that was fact.
Then, my eyes laid on the long ascending stairways. He had to be in one of those rooms. His mana signature was elevated, that's how I know. Taking the steps up there, the guards didn't bat an eye. As if this was all natural.
I looked to the left, a long hallway with rooms, dead end. Then to the right, same thing, but the mana signature was coming from there…alongside another one. I shake my head. Am I sure I'm not confusing that for mine?
I shifted my footsteps, each step I took making sure to stand right on my toes, never the heel. I couldn't even hear the sound of my bootsteps anymore on the royal wooden floor. That's how silent I was, and still moving at great pace. Something like that shouldn't happen physically as a human.
No, wait. I'm no longer human. I'm a Dark Dragonoid, things like these probably make sense, don't they?
I heard the chatter from one room, and slowly came across it. Even so much as crouching down to hear the conversation. My pointed ears flicked, twitched twice…before a voice slowly came into my ears.
"...and that's what I was going to mention, too. I couldn't have done this without his help." The tone was…different, less charismatic, but still Sultan all the way around. I knew it was him. I'm surprised I could even hear that.
I couldn't imagine what was going on by the other side of the room, walking, the sound of glass clinking, it's a whole lot more to it than I could hear.
Walking in is a possibility…but then that would just disrupt everything, wouldn't it? Yeah, it would. No clear shot there.
Looks like my best chance is just to sit out here and wait.
"…oh, him? We'll discuss it. We were already due for a discussion anyways. I'm sure he'll come to find around what my true intentions are, anyways."
"It's still such a shame, though. I was entirely betting on the Brotherhood to at least take out Lucen, I assumed. But I didn't accurately account for it."
Eh-what?
Lucen?
What does he have to do with this? No, that's a stupid question. Of course he has something to do with this. He's quite literally Sultan's first, last, and direct competitor.
His connections with the Brotherhood are barely noticeable, and it was never like they were on good standing. He just made it seem that eventually their own goals would be motivated against them.
And then, he would want to direct it towards Lucen! Sultan is far more cunning than I thought he was. But still, I continue to eavesdrop. I don't think they've noticed me yet at all.
"Because, that's honestly the thing. My knowledge about dragons only goes so far as it can. Twice, this city has shaken, and twice, it was caused by Ryuuzen. It's not a case of improper mana control, it's a case of ferocity."
"Sometimes, even I forget that us humans, elves, beasthumans, and any other were never the top tier of the food chain. We might've all remained on the same plane, but there was always someone greater than us."
"But…you want to know how I see this genuinely? That maybe…I'm starting to see it differently. The Dragon Sovereigns have never been see after the Dark Age, but numerous prophecies and texts have stated for them to eventually awaken. When? I don't know."
"I just…still, can't wrap my head around it. A dragon considerably and coincidentally named Ryuuzen Valeflame, the same as the Sovereign of Calamity, appears at Aurea Islands. Over time, I used to think that he was just named after him."
There's a dramatic pause, silence. I don't think of anything else. I only listen.
"But the way he carried himself, his speech, his gestures. None of it spoke to me as a…dragon from the Golden Age. The Dark Age ended over ten-thousand years ago. And just today, confirmed that he isn't what I think he is."
"You may already know, but the skill that my family had learned from the Sovereign of War, the scroll that contained ancient magic inside the catacombs of that dragon, I used it to monitor Ryuuzen."
There was mumbling, someone else was speaking. But I couldn't make it out.
"…yes. Ryuuzen did indeed was able to sense it and shut it down. Which only proves to me that…that…" He trails. Sultan's words are being spoken like he won't believe the next sentence.
"…that he isn't named after Ryuuzen Valeflame." Sultan says.
"He is him."
My tail twitched, Sultan deduced that I was the Sovereign of Calamity just off of that alone. This also tells me that Sultan never came into contact with the other Sovereign, just found their grave filled with treasure and hoarded it.
Which…makes perfect sense as to why he admires the two so much. He's infatuated with them, er, us I guess.
But now…because Sultan now believes I'm the dragon everyone thinks I am…
…he never sounded nervous about it. Not timid. Not afraid. Not even scared. Exasperated? Astonished? None of those words fit him.
It was instead…an eerie calm. Reminded me of Vaniti in a way, but with way more offputting sense to it. You could just feel the ulterior motive.
Because if I known Sultan, then I would truly know he would find a way to make the best out of this situation.
I could hear him laugh greatly. A hearty laugh.
"…what…? Don't believe me? I know, it sounds far-fetch'd. If that isn't the case, then I would assume that this might be a case of reincarnation."
"Either way, however. He's under my power. Only I control Ryuuzen. Because the truth of the matter is quite simple, if I had to be honest."
"He who controls Ryuuzen, controls the world." Sultan delivers. His tone strict and final, foreboding in more ways than one.
I lookd down at my hands. He repeats himself, maybe trying to convince this is some sound doctrine to whoever he was speaking with. But, if I had to be honest?
Me hearing that I'm just a pawn in Sultan's head is…honestly what I expected. Of course he thinks he can control me.
I've heard enough. I stand up from my crouching position and slowly turn around, not thinking I would find anywhere there but—
Shit.
Koga.