Chapter 179: Meeting with the Clan Leader 2

A large cave.

Julian lifted his head and looked at the entrance before him with mild interest.

The cave was located in one of the Qiezhuran mountains, and it was large enough for a full-grown Dragon to enter without difficulty.

Of course, after several days in the Dragon World, Julian had grown used to absurdly large structures like this.

But that didn’t mean he had stopped admiring them.

’...So the Clan Leader lives here?’

Julian had earlier imagined a palace or something similar. But thinking about it again, since they were Dragons, living in a cave actually sounded fairly natural.

"Please follow me, Lord Julian."

Garph walked ahead, leading Julian and the others into the cave.

Once inside, Julian found an extremely spacious corridor.

Giant stone pillars stood on both sides, while light from large lanterns illuminated dark stone walls decorated with golden carvings.

The ceiling of the corridor was so high that Julian felt a Dragon could fly through it without folding its wings.

’...Woah.’

He looked around with admiration.

It seemed the Clan Leader’s residence really was different from the ordinary buildings he had seen before.

Monk was no less astonished.

"Boss... This place is huge!"

"...Yeah."

"If Monk lived here, Monk could get lost!"

Julian glanced at the rabbit girl.

He felt that was very likely.

But there was no reason to bring it up now.

After walking for a while, they finally arrived before a large black door, with a golden metal frame and two carved Dragon heads at its center.

Garph stopped there.

"Lord Julian, Lady Cleenah is waiting for you inside."

Julian nodded.

"Alright."

"However, if you don’t mind, I hope this meeting can be held without too many people."

"...Oh?"

Julian glanced at Monk and Lumi beside him.

That wasn’t really a big problem.

After all, he had no intention of bringing his entire group to speak with the Clan Leader either.

But when Julian tried to put Felicya down from his arms...

"..."

Felicya only tightened her hold, as if refusing to be put down.

Julian stopped.

’...Fine.’

It seemed Felicya had no intention of letting go.

Garph, who saw this, simply nodded.

"It’s no problem, Lord Julian. You may bring the girl with you."

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, Monk immediately looked a little restless.

"B-boss, Monk has to wait here?"

"Yes. With Garph."

"Eeh..."

Monk glanced at the old Dragon.

Garph returned her gaze with a friendly smile.

"There’s no need to worry. You will be safe with me."

"...Okay!"

Monk quickly nodded, but her face was clearly pale and sweating.

The rabbit girl was trying to look unafraid.

As for Lumi, the fox seemed rather displeased to learn that it had to wait too.

But after Julian asked it to stay with Monk, it finally obeyed.

"...Hmph. Lumi will wait."

"Good."

Julian then turned back to the large door before him.

’...Alright, let’s see.’

Garph opened the door, and Julian stepped inside with Felicya.

***

A very spacious hall.

That was Julian’s first impression upon entering the chamber.

Great pillars stood along both sides of the hall, supporting a high ceiling decorated with golden carvings.

Crystal chandeliers gave off a soft light, while a red carpet stretched straight from the entrance to the innermost part of the room.

Along that carpet, Dragon statues stood in rows, each in a different pose.

Some spread their wings, some coiled their bodies, and a few seemed to be raising their heads as if roaring.

’...This place is truly magnificent.’

Julian looked at everything for a few moments.

But something at the far end of the hall soon caught his attention.

There, a large bed sat on a tiered platform, with a thin white cloth hanging down and covering its inside.

And behind that cloth, a small shadow could be seen.

"...?"

Julian was a little confused.

Wasn’t he supposed to be meeting the Clan Leader of the Qiezhuran?

Why did the figure behind that cloth look so small?

’...Maybe it’s just the distance?’

Julian couldn’t be sure.

After all, he couldn’t see that figure’s appearance clearly.

But he had no intention of questioning it.

After walking closer, Julian stopped at a reasonably polite distance, then bowed his head slightly.

"Greetings, Lady Cleenah. I am Julian Clair. Thank you for being willing to meet me."

For a while, there was no answer.

Then, the small shadow behind the cloth moved slowly.

"Julian Clair..."

A gentle voice was heard.

The voice was different from the mature one Julian had heard during the festival announcement. This time it sounded lighter, though it still had a fairly calm tone.

"There’s no need to be so formal. I was the one who asked Garph to bring you here."

"...Oh."

Julian nodded.

"In that case, thank you for the invitation."

"It’s no trouble."

The shadow behind the cloth turned slightly.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cleenah, the current Clan Leader of the Qiezhuran. I have heard a few things about you from Garph."

Julian fell silent for a moment.

’...Garph has already told her about me?’

He was a little curious about what exactly the old Dragon had said.

But before he could think about it further, Cleenah spoke again.

"I hope you haven’t had too much difficulty while you’ve been here."

"No, Elder Garph has helped me a great deal."

"I’m glad."

Cleenah smiled faintly behind the cloth.

She could hear that Julian wasn’t lying.

Of course, that ability was nothing unfamiliar to her.

Since long ago, Cleenah had been able to tell whether someone’s words were a lie or not.

But her abilities were actually not limited to that.

Her eyes could see all kinds of things that ordinary eyes could not.

Including something deep within living beings.

The soul.

Cleenah lowered her head slightly.

Honestly, she was very curious about the human standing before her.

Garph had told her that this person was the Master of the Primordial Dragon. And although that story sounded hard to believe, Cleenah knew that Garph wasn’t lying.

But how could a human have a relationship like that?

’...May I take a look?’

Cleenah considered it for a moment.

Then, at last, she used the power of her eyes.

The white bandage covering her eyes stayed in place. But her sight was no longer directed at Julian’s physical appearance.

It was directed at something inside him.

’...Oh?’

At first, Cleenah found nothing she could immediately understand.

But as she tried to look deeper into Julian’s soul, she suddenly found something.

A pair of eyes.

Glowing red eyes with vertical pupils, adorned with extremely fine golden lines.

And those two eyes were staring back at her.

"...!"

Cleenah’s body froze at once.

She immediately pulled her sight back, her breathing growing a little ragged.

’...What was that?’

Cleenah didn’t understand what she had just seen.

But that gaze was clearly not something ordinary.

In fact, for a moment, she felt her whole body under a pressure that was hard to explain.

Cleenah gripped the hem of her clothes tightly.

She was about to open her mouth to ask Julian about it.

But before she could say a single word...

Something changed.

"...?"

Cleenah fell silent.

No sound could be heard from outside the hall.

Even the white cloth that had been swaying gently had stopped in place.

Cleenah raised her head slightly.

She realized something at once.

Time had stopped.

And strangely, she could still move.

’...How is that possible?’

Cleenah had never experienced anything like this before.

She tried to look at Julian, who stood outside the white cloth, but he didn’t move at all.

Then, the sound of footsteps was heard.

Cleenah immediately turned her attention.

On the red carpet, a woman was walking toward where she was.

The woman had long green hair that reached her waist, with pale skin and a beautiful face that looked so gentle.

A simple green dress covered her body, while small green horns could be seen on her head.

And what caught Cleenah’s attention most were her eyes.

Red eyes with vertical pupils and golden lines.

Exactly like what she had just seen inside Julian’s soul.

"...!"

Cleenah understood something at once.

Before the woman could say anything, Cleenah quickly climbed down from her seat and knelt in deep respect.

"I-I greet the Primordial Dragon!"

The woman stopped in her tracks.

"...Huh?"

She blinked several times.

Then, folding her arms, she looked at the little girl kneeling before her.

"Why did you kneel right away like that? Get up, quickly!"

"B-but, Milady..."

"No buts! I said get up!"

Cleenah flinched slightly.

She finally tried to stand, using her cane to help support her body.

But before she could manage it, the green-haired woman had already come closer and was helping her.

"Ugh, why are you pushing yourself like that? Your body looks so fragile."

"I-I’m sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing!?"

"..."

Cleenah fell silent.

She had no idea how to react.

After all, the figure before her was the Primordial Dragon she had only known through history.

A being that even Lady Clyne had revered so deeply.

And now, that being was truly standing in front of her.

But her manner turned out to be a little different from what Cleenah had imagined.

"Hey, wait a moment."

The Primordial Dragon suddenly studied her face.

"...?"

"Why are you so small?"

"...Pardon?"

"And look at your face! You’re so adorable!"

"...Eh?"

Before Cleenah could understand those words, both of the Primordial Dragon’s hands were already touching her cheeks.

"Wow! So soft!"

"...!"

Cleenah froze.

The woman smiled broadly, then began to stroke both of her cheeks with great interest.

"How can the current leader of the Qiezhuran be this cute? Huh? I can hardly believe it!"

"Mi-Milady..."

"What? You don’t like it?"

"I-it’s not that..."

Cleenah grew even more confused.

She had prepared herself to receive all kinds of questions or reprimands from that legendary figure.

After all, why else would the Primordial Dragon suddenly appear just to meet her?

But in reality...

The woman was stroking her face as if she had found something incredibly adorable.

’...What should I do?’

Cleenah didn’t know.

And what was even stranger, she could even hear the Primordial Dragon laughing softly with delight.

"Ah, you’re really so cute!"

After a while, the woman finally let go of her cheeks.

Cleenah lowered her head slightly, still trying to understand what had just happened.

But beneath her confusion, she also felt a joy that was hard to hide.

The Primordial Dragon was truly still alive.

The figure she had only known through history was now right in front of her.

"Alright, alright. So, what’s your name?"

Cleenah quickly lifted her head.

"C-Cleenah, Milady."

"Cleenah?"

The woman repeated her name several times.

"Hmm... A good name! So, you’re the one leading the Qiezhuran now?"

"That’s right, Milady."

"I see..."

The Primordial Dragon nodded.

She looked at Cleenah again, from her small horns to the white bandage covering her eyes.

"In that case, Cleenah..."

"Yes, Milady?"

A sweet smile suddenly appeared on the woman’s face.

But this time, her gaze looked a little different.

"There’s something I’m curious about."

Cleenah straightened her body at once.

"Please ask, Milady."

The Primordial Dragon tilted her head slightly.

"How did you come to have the Eyes of Essence?"