With the issue of being too big for the door solved, we quickly made our way inside. It was, as I expected, a velvet carpet that covered the floor. A corridor too thin for a dragon to walk. Paintings adorned the castle walls of our larger forms.
Who he got to paint them, I did not know.
It reminded me of some of the homes of the clients I had. Except it wasn't overly pompous, jewelry was absent, and displays were missing. Had the mutt acquired them, I wouldn't doubt they would be here. Jewelry had no place in this realm. It was so primitive, I doubted there were any other kingdoms.
The fact that the castle was basically built for humans wasn't even what concerned me; no, it also wasn't the fact that my little sister was wolfing down the soup like an animal. Her hand gripping the crudely made spoon like a sword. The way she slurped the food loudly after she finished.
It was the fact that the back of my head rested on pillows or something soft like pillows. Odd right? A pillow at a dining table.
My feet that didn't reach the floor swung freely in the air while my butt, sat on something soft, perhaps softer than a cushion.
I didn't dare to look back.
I had made that mistake before. What greeted my gaze was a dazed smile, and eyes so wide I could mistake them for a full moon.
Her silver eyes trembled, her expression screaming.
Too cute.
It wasn't an overexaggeration. She repeatedly muttered under her breath 'too cute.'
The authoritative wolf, who had scolded her very father like he was a stranger. Now was babying me.
How did such a thing happen? I would have asked the same question.
When we made our way to the dining table, she touched her lip and stared at me when I went to sit.
She said that wouldn't do, and a half-crazed smile erupted from her lips. It would stain the dignity of a king to sit on something so uncomfortable as a wooden chair. Those were her words verbatim. The words seemed to make sense, so I allowed her to set my seat, and I foolishly believed her; well, I had until I saw her creepy smile.
She lifted me up and sat me on her lap, her soft hands stroking my hair, while whispering in my ear to call her big sister.
I, Bahamut, the Dragon god.
This was when I raised my fist, and transformed, roaring that I am a dragon king and will not be treated this way.
"Here comes the Magic Ship." Her long, slender arm moved through the air, mimicking a magic ship, a silver spoon in her hand.
Where had she learned such humiliating things? I thought to myself as I chewed the barley and cilantro.
The well-made soup tasted delicious; it had a certain burn going down your throat that gave it a special tang.
She practically swooned as I ate my food, the corners of her lips curving upwards, as they folded. The dimples on her cheeks became more prominent as her eyes curved along with her smile. Her long lashes fluttering, like a butterfly's wings, her dainty hand moving upwards to cover her mouth.
I could only sigh in resignation and give up the notion of sleeping on a nice warm bed; this form was too dangerous.
Even with the protest of her father, who was now reduced to a whimpering mess, after trying to make her stop.
My eyes turned to glance.
He looked dejected as he stirred the soup with sunken eyes and hollow cheeks.
His forehead creased as he worked up the courage to speak, but with a pointed glare from his daughter, he set his spoon down and closed his mouth, like a fish gasping for air.
Serves that mutt right. It was his fault; I was like this to begin with.
I also wanted to glare, but no matter what I did in this form, it was perceived as adorable, and if it wasn't received as cute, I didn't want to be the final nail in the coffin.
Although the lousy mutt kind of deserved it.
Because no matter how much I showed how displeased I was, her only response was to praise me.
"Delicious, another!" Tiamat patted her stomach as she slammed the bowl down on the table, a burp escaping her lips. Her usually noble-like persona was nowhere to be found. Her lips began to crease as a small canine poked out. Her golden eyes shining, as she held a fork in her hand and demanded another soup.
The servants of the castle, who were part of the deer clan we rescued from the false Mir, happily cleaned the table and grabbed their bowls, hurrying to the kitchen.
Leah sat at the table, her hands folded, her posture perfect. A smile that could make a crying baby stop was on her face. Her long, wavy, brown, and auburn hair reached her waist. While her dress looked too well-made to be done by 'summons'. A bone circlet was around her forehead with a singular grey gem in the middle.
If I didn't know she was a bear, I would have mistaken her for a noble. Well, technically, she was a noble.
Her lips parted gently as she spoke.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, my Lord." It wasn't mere platitude; the way she spoke felt genuine. How did that bastard Niles get such a good wife? I glared at the middle-aged oaf, who was feasting on soup as well. His bushy eyebrow raised as he looked at me in confusion, and then shrugged while continuing to eat.
Tiamat replied.
[Yes, I have been dreaming about this soup.] She nodded happily to herself repeatedly.
[Royal Chief.] She declared, her eyes screamed that she would not take no for an answer. So, I humored her.
[I concur.]
"My lord, if that is what you desire." She bowed her head.
With that, she was appointed as a royal chief.
Another servant came and brought forth another bowl of soup. Tiamat began to happily eat again.
Just like how Luna viewed me as cute, I subconsciously smiled at how adorable my sister was.
Seeing as the room was quiet, I judged it as the perfect time to address my vassals.
I reached forth for my goblet of juice. My butt dug into her thighs as I tried my best to reach for the goblet, which was placed too far away.
Damn these short human hands.
Noticing my struggle, her long hand went and grabbed the goblet, her soft fingers brushing against mine as she handed it to me.
I kept my composure and thanked her.
Why didn't I just use mana to grab it? Without thinking too much
I banged the fork against the goblet.
The silver spoon ringing against the cup echoed in the chamber.
All eyes fell on me, and I began to speak in a domineering voice.
Or so I hoped.
Yet, much like my form was juvenile, so was my voice.
[I commend you all for this glorious gift, a round of applause for all of you.]
It was unusual for a king to sit at the table with his vassals, but this was an unusual kingdom.
They all clapped and cheered, and even my sister stopped eating and applauded.
They raised their cups and drank.
[Prime Minister Hathor] His lips curved ever so slightly from the title.
[Is there anything you desire?]
His slouched shoulders straightened, and his sunken eyes became still. He sat up on his seat and leaned forward. It was the most serious I had ever seen him, only second to when he swore allegiance.
"My wife." At his words, my chair moved. Or rather, Luna straightened up, and her hand, which was held around my waist, began to tremble.
And her other arm on my shoulder tightened.
He inhaled a sigh. His eyes glanced at Luna and then locked on mine. His hands, which were held together, began to fiddle with each other.
"News of her has reached me from the otherworld." Her hands began to dig into my skin, as if she were holding on for dear life. "If my lord permits, may I search for her?" He looked at me with expectant eyes. The corner of his lips was trembling, and he tried his best to appear calm, but his shaking eyes gave away his nervousness.
'Please.' A small whisper was heard from behind my back.
I didn't need her to beg. I didn't even think this was something that needed to be asked.
[This hardly counts as a reward. I will not impede your search.]
He was about to thank me, but I held up my hand to stop him. His lips, which were pressed thin, began to curve downward. How long had he waited to hear news of his wife? I did not know the story, so I could not even begin to understand how he felt.
The pressure of a missing wife, the pressure of leading your clan to new lands, only to be met by a harsher, stronger wolf.
All he asks is for a search party?
What would I have done in his shoes? A pit in my stomach began to grow.
No, this was not enough.
[Dedicate a number of our forces to find news of your wife. I have an agent in the other world. Perhaps she can also help.] Although I said that, I had no way to contact her. But hope is as much a dangerous thing as it is a beacon of good.
"Than-"
[Do not thank me, this is not your reward, I will personally arrange for it.] He nodded with a solemn look. His heavy eyes had a new shine to them, a seed of greater devotion. He clenched his fist and sighed. Like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. He instantly de-aged by a couple of years.
I nodded.
Luna's hand, which was trembling, steadied, and her hand that tightened on my shoulder loosened.
She began to thank me in whispers.
I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, stopping her from giving thanks.
No matter how brave she seemed, as a person without parents, I understood. Unlike me, they were still alive and had been present in her life.
And she, who was barely an adult, who was alive when both had been together, must have longed for her mother more than she led on.
At least I know I longed for them until I found them.
[Niles.]
"Yes, boss?" His smoke-like eyes stared into mine, and his expression was neither pleased nor displeased.
His arms rested on the table, an obvious show of his lack of manners, a stark contrast to his wife's elegant appearance.
His words were curt, but I didn't mind. His wife more than made up for it. I doubted he had much to do with the infrastructure, but when Hathor showed me around, he told me Niles had a hand in the military.
Even if they failed in the fight against the Mir, I never expected them to defeat it.
[Your eye.] He instinctively touched the faded scar.
He frowned.
"My Ey-?"
[Does it throb?] I interrupted him. He opened his mouth, but I continued without waiting. [Does your blood boil at the thought that the beast still lives?] His face started to become red, his bushy eyebrows furrowing, while his fog, like eyes sparked as they narrowed.
[Does it anger you that the beast who killed your master lives? Your friend, your brother?] He rolled his shoulders, his finger digging into the wood.
Yes digging.
His foot tapped on the floor irregularly as the air lowered in temperature. His grinding teeth were loud enough to be mistaken for something else.
Perhaps his rising anger even reached here, as Luna tensed.
[Does your heart beat, does rage cloud your mind?]
"Yes." He growled with gritted teeth.
[Do you desire revenge?] Did I sound more like a devil than a Dragon?
"Yes." He roared as he slammed his fist on the table, and it collapsed under his strike. Tiamat, reacting quickly, grabbed her bowl of soup.
Thankfully, it was two tables, and his strike didn't reach my food.
[Then it shall be.]
His wife placed a hand on his shoulder, the fire in his eyes quelled, but a smile made its way to his lips.
"Thank you, my lord." I nodded and moved on to Leah, who was soothing her husband, who was now riled up.
Now she was the hardest person at this table to reward, unlike Niles, I didn't know what to give her, and unlike Hathor, she hadn't done enough for me to bend over backwards.
[What is it you desire?] Yet I didn't care, I wasn't stingy enough to not give her anything.
She warmly smiled and spoke.
"Nothing."
[Then we will hold onto it for now.]
[Although this kingdom has no name, and I have not yet received a crown, I, the Dragon King, confer upon all those who are in this room the roles of Dukes.]
They smiled and cheered, and all raised their cups and drank.
After a while of trivial talk, we retired. I was introduced to my bedroom. Thankfully, the mutt accounted for our dragon bodies and made it huge.
I let go of the transformation and became a dragon once more. The uncomfortable feeling faded, and my muscles relaxed.
The thought of the warm and soft bed faded. What if that wolf sneaks into my bedroom at night?
Yes, dragon form was the best.
I shuddered at the thought.
My sister joined me in my bedroom, her reason being that she didn't want me to feel lonely.
I humored her and wrapped my wing around her as we slept.
[Goodnight]
[Goodnight, brother]
Once more, we slumbered into the realm of dreams.