Chapter 35: When A Dragon Begs

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: When A Dragon Begs

Inside Dragnil’s Tavern.

​The busy morning shift was finally drawing to a close, and every guest in the dining hall was preparing to leave for their respective jobs.

​But suddenly, a deafening crash shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

​Bang!

​The heavy main doors to the tavern were violently kicked open by a squad of towering Dragonoots.

​Dragonoots were a terrifying draconic sub-species whose thick scales and elongated snouts heavily resembled bipedal crocodiles. They could never be underestimated. They radiated a deeply menacing aura, boasting a powerful bloodline lineage that ranked just below the true elites.

​Krono silently recalled the strict hierarchy of this world: Commoners, Dragonoids, Dragonoots, Noble Dragons, Royal Dragons, and finally, Imperial Dragons.

​The squad of eight intruders were heavily draped in expensive leather armor and gripped long, deadly spears. However, the most dangerous threat was not the crocodile-like brutes.

​Standing at the very front of the formation was a Noble Dragon. His facial features looked completely human, handsome and arrogantly refined. But the pair of sharply curved, glowing golden horns resting on his head told a completely different story.

With their menacing arrival, the loud chatter of the tavern died instantly. The burly dragonoid mercenaries who had been laughing and eating just moments ago now lowered their heads in genuine terror, completely refusing to make eye contact with the intruders.

But whispers didn’t stop.

​"Gods have mercy, that is Lord Malakor. He is the third son of the ruling Baron. What is a Noble Dragon doing all the way down in the commoner districts?"

​Lord Malakor walked confidently into the center of the room.

He waved a perfectly manicured hand in front of his face, looking absolutely disgusted by the smell of cheap ale and commoner food.

He then turned his eyes at Dragnil’s sweaty face, looking absolutely disgusted.

​"Dragnil, I am entirely sick of seeing this disgusting shack ruining the aesthetic of my streets. You are shutting down. Today."

​Hearing him, Dragnil stepped out from behind the cooking counter in panic.

"My Lord, I have paid all my district taxes perfectly on time. You have no legal ground to suddenly close my tavern."

​"Tch. I am a Noble. I can do whatever I please, you filthy low-born lizard," Malakor laughed cruelly.

​Behind him, the towering Dragonoot guards slammed the heavy butts of their spears against the floorboards, creating a unified, threatening thud that made the terrified customers more afraid.

Malakor flashed a wicked smile.

​"Your low class business ends here, Dragnil. I have decided it will serve a much better purpose as a high-end brothel for our upper class. So start packing your pots and pans. You have exactly one hour to vacate the premises before my guards burn this trash to the ground."

After delivering his arrogant threat, the Noble Dragon turned to leave. But suddenly, his sharp gaze caught a glimpse of Krono standing quietly in the corner of the room.

​Krono instantly tensed. He had been trying to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible to avoid drawing the patrol’s attention.

​It seemed his luck had finally run out.

​"You..." Malakor pointed a perfectly manicured finger directly at the boy. "Who are you?"

​Dragnil cursed under his breath. "Young lord, he is merely a distant nephew of mine. I brought him here to help with my business."

​Malakor’s cruel grin widened. "No, no, no. I am going to hear it from his own mouth. Tell me, little mongrel. Who are you?"

​Facing the Noble’s condescending attitude, a dark fire of pure anger ignited within Krono’s chest.

​But he forced it down. With terrifying control, the Ultimate Devourer perfectly mimicked the frightened expression of a normal, helpless seven-year-old child.

​"I... Me? I am Krono, young lord," he stammered out. "What can I do for you?"

​Wearing that same arrogant grin, Malakor slowly walked over until he was looming right in front of the seemingly trembling boy.

​Then, moving with the deceptive grace of a gentle breeze, the Noble Dragon reached down and effortlessly plucked the pair of fake horns right off Krono’s skull.

​Krono’s heart skipped a beat.

​Dragnil started shaking.

Holding the black props up, Malakor sneered.

​"What is this? A pathetic human pretending to be a dragon? How utterly amusing!"

"Ohoho, young lord, you are incredibly sharp! How did you manage to see through his disguise so quickly?" a towering Dragonoot guard asked, with an obvious mix of bootlicking.

Malakor scoffed,

​"Tch. I am a Noble Dragon. I can sense the purity of dragon blood from miles away. A cheap prop like this could never deceive me."

​"Terrific, young lord! You are truly worthy to be the next Lord of our Clan," another guard praised loudly.

​The rest of the squad quickly followed suit, each barking out their own desperate words of flattery.

​But Malakor was not the type to be completely distracted by cheap praise. His golden eyes gleamed with a cruel ambition.

​"Cease your mindless ramblings, you mutts! Go. Tie up this filthy human boy and that giant traitor. Humans and demons are the eternal enemies of our kind. Giving one of them shelter is a severe crime punishable by death."

​The Noble Dragon smiled broadly, clearly picturing his own impending glory.

"Both of them will be executed as a public example at the City Lord’s Square. Once their heads roll, my name will be recognized and respected throughout the entirety of Rodrag City!"

Krono did not bother looking at the arrogant noble anymore. Instead, he changed his cold gaze towards Dragnil, genuinely curious to see exactly how the tavern owner would react to this crisis.

​Would the hulking chef immediately distance himself to save his own skin? Or would he drop to the floor and start begging for his life?

​From across the tense room, Dragnil saw the blank stare in Krono’s crimson eyes and completely misinterpreted it as a terrified, helpless glance.

​The poor boy was silently begging to be saved. That is what the chef truly believed.

​Without a single second of hesitation, the massive dragonoid stepped forward and dropped heavily to his knees right in front of Lord Malakor.

​"Please, spare him, my lord. He is just an innocent child. He is not an enemy of dragonkind. I beg you to show mercy."

​The Dragonoot guards gasped in absolute shock.

​"What? A proud dragon begging for the life of a filthy human child? This is completely unprecedented!" one guard shouted.

​"No, this is absolute foolishness!" another spat in sheer disgust.