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Dragons’ Cry Genesis (Part 11)
“Welcome back, Your Highness.”
I gave my wives a kiss on their cheeks: “Thank you, Lucia, Nier. It’s good to be back.”
I was in a bad mood after parting with Ling Yue and Liu Yue, but once I returned home to see Nier and Lucia waiting for me, I found myself in high spirits again. After all, I was technically home again. Nobody would be unhappy about returning home.
My two wives walked on my right and left side. As we walked to the Imperial Palace, I asked, “Did anything happen while I was away? If nothing happened, fantastic.”
Nier responded, “Nothing happened. Everything in the Imperial Palace has remained normal. Of course, if you were here, then it would’ve been even better.”
Lucia nodded: “The girls are very well, too. Your Majesty, you don’t have any more jobs, right? I heard Freya say that you can always stay by our sides now?”
“Not quite. After all, I’ll have to go to Troy City after some time. With that said, I only need to go once every few months. I can bring you with me, too. I think that the hot spring at Troy City is very alluring, don’t you agree?”
Though they learnt I still needed to make trips away, my two wives revealed looks of relief. They were relieved to know I was going to Troy City, so they weren’t worried despite me having to go there every quarter. Troy City was only mere days from the North. Plus, the hot springs were an attraction as I said. Even elves, who were used to bathing in cold lake water, really enjoyed hot baths.
My wives could also come with me. Once our children were a little older, our entire family could make trips to Troy City to enjoy the hot spring. We could consider it a short holiday. Therefore, my wives didn’t complain, and instead, laughed. I could tell the two of them now desired those sorts of peaceful days.
I could see why my wives preferred peaceful days together. We spent more time apart than we spent together. I was supposed to be able to lead a peaceful life in the North after I conquered it, but things didn’t turn out the way I wanted. Lots of things happened. On one occasion, I almost lost my life. That incident scared my wives and moms’ souls out of their bodies. Being able to see me from then on was worth celebrating to them. Still, they were scared. That was why they were apprehensive about me leaving.
I could say that I had resolved everything. The entire continent was settling down. There wouldn’t be any more wars on the continent henceforth. My life would be more peaceful and mundane, but I was content with that. I was starting to get a little tired of life outside. After spending time with Liu Yue, I came to understand what it was that I truly desired. Spending time by Liu Yue’s side was blissful and addicting. She was a good girl, sensible and cute. She was my most beautiful asset. I wanted to forever be there with my girls, accompanying them as they grew through life. Living with my wives and kids was pure bliss. Liu Yue’s sisters weren’t as cute and good girls as she was yet, but nonetheless, watching them gradually grow up gave a sense of accomplishment, I guess.
I once wanted to become a qualified Prince. Then, I wanted to become a King who could protect those around me. In the end, I just wanted to live with my family; therefore, I wasn’t willing to venture into danger, slay dragons or do that sort of stuff again. I no longer had the courage to put all my eggs in one basket. I was content as long as I could be with my family. As for everything else, I didn’t want to think about it. My wives agreed with me on that. They were content to know I didn’t have to go anywhere else. It was good enough to stay with my family. Once a man is tired, he just needs to have a rest with his family. That’s enough.
“Ah, Your Majesty, I am glad to see you back,” stated Gerald.
When I entered the Imperial Palace, I bumped into Gerald, who was standing in the corridor. He swiftly saluted me upon seeing me. I guess he didn’t know I was coming back.
“Hello, Gerald. Is Freya close by?”
Gerald was Freya’s bodyguard, so Freya should always be seen with him, yet she wasn’t walking in the corridor. There was only one room there, which was the Imperial Palace’s archive room. Not even I was willing to entire it. Not only were there records of after I captured the North, but there were even more records from the earliest days of the North. The documents were stacked and collected in a disordered fashion. That gave the assumption that anthropoids didn’t think about organising files. I still had yet to organise the files. It was also very stuffy in there, so I virtually never went there.
“Yes,” Gerald answered with a nod. “Princess Freya is in the archives room. Oh, right, please wait a moment, I shall call her. I am sure she will be very happy to see you.”
Freya should’ve received news that I’d be back, so I was somewhat surprised that she didn’t come straight to me. Perhaps there was urgent business. I didn’t mind her not coming to welcome me. I looked at the archive room and said, “Is there something urgent? Freya has it hard.”
Gerald felt somewhat torn. He replied, “I do not think it is classified as work, but rather… Princess Freya’s personal interest? Recently, she… How shall I put it? She has been slightly odd… Ah, she is different from the past, though. How shall I put it? Princess Freya has developed an interest in dragons all of a sudden. She comes here to find all sorts of information, including children’s books, whenever she has time. I do not understand why she is searching for them, either. She did not have this interest a few days ago. It is as if she has been possessed recently…”
I nodded. That was nothing bad, was it? Trying to learn more about dragons wasn’t stepping out of line. After all, we had a dragon with us. It was surprising for Freya to suddenly have an interest in dragons. Furthermore, if there was a problem, she could just ask Dragon Mom. Also, I, coincidentally, was interested in dragons, as well, at the time. With that said, I didn’t think we’re interested in them for the same reason. It was still good news to me, nonetheless. If Freya was also interested in dragons, she could help me locate the dragons in the North.
While we were speaking, Freya struggled to drag a stack of books out from the archives room. Gerald quickly went to grab the files. Freya let out a breath of relief, and then she wiped her forehead of sweat. She gave me a smile when she saw me: “Welcome back, Onii-sama. Did you have fun on your trip this time?”
“It was all right; however, I’m more interested in you. Freya, what are you doing?”
“Me?” Freya smiled with embarrassment” “I am searching for information connected to dragons. After all, we have a dragon in the palace now. I want to further my knowledge of this race that we have no knowledge of. Perhaps it could deepen my relationship with Queen Sylvanas. There is very little information on dragons here in the North, though. This is fifty years’ worth of information on dragons. There is so minimal that it is pitiful. In spite of dragons living in the elven lands, they cannot change their habitat. After all, according to children’s books, dragons truly do exist in the North.”
Freya was seriously too smart. I thought I was the only one who discovered it. I never imagined Freya, who didn’t know much about Dragon Mom, had already realised it and began to look into it.
Freya picked up the top file without too much thought: “There are no records of dragons in the Imperial Palace here in the North. Maybe it is because the North does not believe in the existence of dragons. I, however, have managed to find some clues. These are reports on huge beasts in the North. There seems to be reports every year. I have picked out reports which sound close to descriptions of dragons, for example, reports of beasts soaring the skies, enormous bodies and scales. Ostensibly, the North did not go and concern themselves with the sightings. I assume they deemed the sightings to be too far away, and thereby unrelated to the Imperial Palace.”
“Are there any reports that reported such things appearing in the north? I don’t know the exact location, but I do know that it should be northwest.”
“Unfortunately, Your Majesty, I have already surmised that was the case. These reports are all from the northwest direction, and they are somewhat repetitive. Multiple locations made identical visual reports. Perhaps that means that dragons can migrate. It sure is nice to have wings. You can go anywhere you please with them.”
“Mm…”
I wanted to brag, but Freya didn’t give me the chance to. I had only been out for a few days, yet Freya had learnt as much as I already had.
“The only repeated report I have seen was from Emir Village. They send the same report every year, but I surmise that it was considered a prank, thus ignored. I have tried to locate Emir Village on the map, but the village does not exist on the current map. Could we have drowned it?  The dragons would probably have changed their living place, though. They should be fine with it.”
“Yeah. What’s the reason for your sudden curiosity, Freya? Could it be that you want to find them?”
Freya smiled: “That depends on how you consider it. You see, we were able to obtain so much gold with just one cave. Now what if there was a second or third cave? If you think that we can establish a friendship with dragons, they are potential trade partners. But if they are the type of wild beast we cannot communicate with, then the existence of such powerful wild beasts will be a threat to our development, agreed?”
“You want to kill them?”
“Of course not. I dare not decide that at my own discretion. That is why I will ask you. Your Majesty, what do you think? Is the dragon race truly our friend, or are they a foe who may threaten us?”