CHAPTER 442: CHAPTER 264: TAKEN THE BAIT (PART 2)

"Settle the score? If he doesn’t know what we’ve done, who would he settle it with? This whole affair was initiated by the High Elves and their Gloomy Lyre. If anyone’s to blame, it’s those long-eared ones. What do we Metal Dragons have to do with it?"

"What do you mean?" Sebriz vaguely guessed the other’s idea, yet still found it unreliable.

"Haven’t you guessed already, my dear friend?"

The Brass Dragon grinned, swishing his tail as he spoke to the elf Otis, who stood with a vacant look in his eyes, "We could completely disguise ourselves as High Elves and pin the whole affair on them. After the deed is done, we could take the treasures we’ve sold, escape to another plane, and then, right before we set off, I could publish this tale in my new memoir, crediting you as the co-author. How does that sound?"

He continued, "Remember, David Uthos has never faced defeat since stepping into the public eye. If our deeds cause him to fail in his attack on the Vitali Empire, amidst the cheers of the masses, we might just achieve legendary status."

Seeing Sebriz finally silent and seemingly tempted, Fulatimir whispered like a devil, "What are you hesitating for, my friend! The Platinum Dragon God might have already fallen! The Metal Dragons, and even Dragon Island, are destined to decline and may even face a great dragon war. If we don’t take this chance to make a score and run, we might not have such an opportunity in the future!"

In the end, it was this point that moved Sebriz.

However, what truly touched the Silver Dragon was not the chance for a respectable escape, but rather the opportunity to touch the door of legend.

Did he, Sebriz, need treasures to travel the planes? A mere "It’s time for Dragon Food, brothers!" was enough for him to traverse foreign planes. What? Hunt for his own food? Wouldn’t that waste the charm that could even make a Succubus kneel and fawn over him?

But Fulatimir was right about one thing: with the faith in the Platinum Dragon God lost, the Metal Dragons were in peril. Only by seizing every possible opportunity to achieve legendary status could they perhaps do something for Dragon Island, their long-lost home, in the face of the inevitable turmoil.

Thinking this, he lifted his head and took a deep look at his Brass Dragon friend. "Perhaps you’re right, my friend. It is time for us to do something."

Even if it was just a chance to hinder the war efforts of that Red Dragon, David Uthos, it seemed it could somewhat alleviate the potential crises facing Dragon Island. Even if he was a prodigal, when faced with matters of great importance, he knew how to distinguish right from wrong and prioritize.

"That’s the fearless ’Desert Dancer’ Sebriz I know!"

The two Metal Dragons, each with their own agenda, rose to their feet and touched heads. Their tails slapped together in mid-air, and the alliance was thus formed by tacit agreement.

Then, before the astonished elf Otis, they transformed into two High Elves.

Although Otis had earplugs in the entire time and couldn’t clearly hear what the Metal Dragons were CLACKING on about, seeing this scene, how could he not realize the dragons’ intention to shift the blame onto the elves? His mind was suddenly filled with one terrifying thought: They won’t silence me, will they?!

With the addition of these two young Metal Dragons in disguise, the Gloomy Lyre’s plan to hit Luwalden’s support lines for the frontline dragons and the supply networks besieging the Capital of Vitali proceeded as if divinely assisted.

In less than half a month, this "three-elf" team, now including the Metal Dragons, successfully pulled off more than thirty heists.

They plundered resources including food, siege equipment, alchemical potions, and church divine scrolls—over a hundred cartloads in total—filling an entire valley temporarily used to store the loot.

Such an impressive record astounded even the High Elves who had organized the strike.

The only thing they couldn’t understand was: where were the looted supplies?

When they finally managed to make contact, through a painstaking series of one-way channels, with Otis—the former elven naval officer who was trying to join their organization—what they received was a "trade proposal."

Damn it! To openly demand money for battlefield spoils! And for such an exorbitant sum! If they still didn’t realize what had happened, they might as well scoop out their own brains.

「 」

Meanwhile, far away in the Port of Wallens, David was spending time with his daughter while perfunctorily dealing with his sister. When Nifadora, who had been busy for some time, returned to their nest swishing her long tail at him, he knew instantly that someone had taken the bait.

And most likely, it was a big fish.

However, Nifadora’s words shocked him. "The bait was potent, and the net cast too wide," she said. "It seems we’ve also snared a group of Metal Dragons."

"Huh? Metal Dragons?" This was something David hadn’t anticipated at all.

After all, with the connection to Bahamut’s pillar of faith lost, the Metal Dragons had long been in total disarray.

One could only imagine what kind of individuals would have the leisure to get involved in such matters at a time like this.

"Are you certain?" David asked.

Nifadora chuckled, a hint of taunting in her voice. "In just half a month, over thirty transport teams raided in one region. Though their methods varied, not a single person died. Who else but those Metal Dragons, do you think, could pull off such a preposterous thing?"

"Indeed..." David chuckled, amused.

That truly was something only Metal Dragons would do. Though their methods were a bit crude, their moral scruples were clearly on full display.

Though both were of a good alignment, this marked the most significant difference between High Elves and Metal Dragons.

The "goodness" of most High Elves was confined to a specific, self-defined circle, and even then, it came with considerable leeway.

In David’s assessment, they were the epitome of extreme selfishness, yet they still considered themselves paragons of virtue.

Thus, in the eyes of those High Elves, if you were a soldier helping the Chromatic Dragons’ puppet regime transport war materials to invade other countries, you deserved to die. They wouldn’t hesitate to nock an arrow and take a life, not even batting an eye.

Metal Dragons were different. They might operate by their own set of principles, perhaps not always caring much for the feelings or thoughts of other intelligent life. However, when they had the power to choose, they would at least try to avoid the senseless slaughter of innocent lives.

After all, at least half of those transporting materials were farmers forcibly conscripted by Nobles. Why kill them for no reason?

Perhaps Sebriz and Fulatimir, who had outsmarted themselves, never anticipated their presence would be exposed so quickly, and in such a "stupid" manner.

"Do we need to find a way to clear them out first?" Nifadora asked.

In her opinion, although David was a Red Dragon, he ultimately had half Silver Dragon bloodline. At the very least, he ought to show Lady Attilicia some respect. As she saw it, the two Metal Dragons involved were primarily after wealth.

But David rebutted directly, "No. The High Elves certainly won’t let go of such a large cache of supplies. They might have already sensed something. Taking unnecessary actions now could easily alert the enemy."

David paused, tapping his claw. "Since they’re already caught in the net, let’s just capture them all first and deal with it then."

"But... Dragon Island..." Nifadora was worried. With faith in Bahamut disrupted, at such a sensitive time, this kind of unnecessary misunderstanding could easily lead the Metal Dragons to misjudge the situation.

If this sparked a conflict between the Chromatic Dragons and the Metal Dragons, it would be far too costly.

David, however, simply swished his tail. "What’s there to fear? If Metal Dragons can disguise themselves as Elves to meddle in our affairs, can’t I disguise myself as a Metal Dragon to stir up trouble on their Dragon Island? Relax, I know those guys too well. They can’t make too big a wave."

He certainly hadn’t forgotten his dragon father planned to take him back to Dragon Island. Perfect, this could all be resolved at once.

"Have Alianna and the others stake out the area around those goods beforehand. Wait for the High Elves to walk into the trap."

"Then, we’ll catch them all in one go."