Chapter : 91

Yan Yunqing was truly stunned this time.

I had thought that in this belated reunion, there would be retainers who questioned my disappearance, retainers who chose betrayal and turned their blades on me, and also retainers who would rationally wait for my explanation...

But none of this happened with Divik. He just silently, solemnly, offered his loyalty anew, just like how the dragon race first pledged their loyalty to the Demon King.

Time seemed to stand still, and for a moment, it was terrifyingly quiet.

I didn't know if it was my imagination, but I vaguely felt a dampness on the back of my hand that was pressed against Divik's.

I slightly pulled my hand back, pinched Divik's chin, and lifted it upwards.

Divik was very obedient, raising his chin along with the force of my hand, tilting his head up to expose his entire face to my line of sight, continuing to gaze greedily at his king.

The rims of his eyes were clearly red, and a glint of something crystalline flickered in his vertical pupils.

I brushed the corner of Divik's eye with my thumb and actually found that this guy was crying...

...Crying?!

No, for real? He's actually crying?

I was a bit stunned, and for a moment, I didn't know how to react.

Divik remained in his one-knee kneeling posture, his back straight, raising his neck to cooperate with my movement.

Because of this action, his already form-fitting clothes stretched taut over the shape of his firm muscles, making me unable to resist looking away after just one glance.

...Damn it, I'm a little envious.

I released the hand pinching Divik's chin. Having confirmed Divik's loyalty, I wasn't so wary anymore.

The dragon race revered strength and wasn't one for convoluted schemes.

When they lowered their heads to show loyalty, it meant they had truly submitted.

At least I didn't have to worry about Divik suddenly lashing out and killing me.

The moment I let go, Divik subconsciously reached out and grabbed my hand, holding it tightly and refusing to let go.

Divik murmured: "My King..."

I clicked my tongue internally, picturing the pitiful look of my own puppy after it hadn't eaten for three days. I couldn't help but soften.

I casually ruffled Divik's flame-like hair. It was a bit coarse, just like the muscles all over his body, not as nice to touch as a real puppy's fur.

"Alright, get up. I never said I was leaving."

This time, I really hardened my heart and struggled out of Divik's grip. If I didn't let go, who knew how long we'd stay holding hands like this? It felt so gay, and I wasn't used to it.

I turned sideways, passed the still-kneeling Divik, and walked towards the sofa.

I casually took out a Small Red Potion and a Small Blue Potion from my backpack.

The [Healing Forbidden] debuff had disappeared, and I needed to get my health back up quickly.

Otherwise, remaining in this fragile state where I could be shattered with a single touch really made me uneasy.

Divik felt the warmth disappear from his hand. He couldn't help but reach out, but sensing that I didn't want to continue holding hands, he restrained his desire to stay close.

He didn't even bother standing up, simply crawling forward two steps on his knees to get closer to my feet.

And continued to kneel.

I sat down on the sofa and, noticing Divik kneeling at my feet, the action of drinking the Small Red Potion paused for a moment.

I averted my gaze, unable to look directly at him, and continued to raise my health.

He doesn't really think of himself as a dog, does he?

I felt a bit of a headache coming on. I raised my health to 70%, letting the remaining 30% regenerate slowly with the buff.

After organizing my thoughts, I asked Divik: "Why are you here?"

Divik was still trying hard to sniff his master's scent.

The master's new scent was a little unfamiliar, but it was alright, he would remember it soon and would be able to recognize his master accurately from now on.

Hearing my question, Divik paused for a moment, then quickly answered: "Because Isabelle wanted to investigate Mandiper."

My eyebrows raised. Right, Isabelle had also appeared in the Free City. For these siblings to appear here at the same time, there must be a reason.

To investigate Mandiper...

With a little thought, I remembered the prize for the winner of Mandiper's 'Midas Touch' competition—a Chigu Sword made from Resplendent Dragon bone.

The Resplendent Dragons were considered the royal bloodline of the dragon race.

Almost every Dragon King came from the Resplendent Dragons, and Isabelle and her brother were also from the Resplendent Dragon clan.

The dragon race had long lifespans and extremely difficult reproduction, so while they revered the strong, every dragon was also extremely protective of their own kind.

For a Chigu Sword made from Resplendent Dragon bone to suddenly appear, it seemed quite normal for Isabelle and her brother to be drawn here by this news, right?

Divik stared eagerly at me. Seeing me lost in thought, he couldn't help but speak up to attract my attention.

Not knowing what else to say, he just poured out the entire reason he and Isabelle were here.

"In the past few decades, the dragon race has suddenly been subjected to large-scale encirclements, and many of our kin have gone missing. As the Dragon King, Isabelle is investigating this matter.

We recently heard that a Chigu Sword has appeared here, and it just so happens that a cub from the Resplendent Dragon clan went missing a while ago, so Isabelle and I came here to investigate the origin of this Chigu Sword's dragon bone."

I looked at Divik, listening intently to his account. When Divik saw that my attention was back on him, his heart leaped with joy as he spilled Isabelle's plan like beans from a pod.

"Isabelle suspects that the person behind Mandiper is related to the dragons that have gone missing in recent years, and might even be one of those who are hunting down the dragon race. She wants me to confirm the origin of the Chigu Sword's dragon bone, and while I'm at it, figure out the background of the person behind Mandiper."

Divik said: "Isabelle said she hasn't found many clues about our missing kin for so many years, so for this to suddenly appear now, there must be something wrong.

So we can't alert the enemy. We'll first participate in the competition according to their objective, and strike after we find more clues."

I understood. I didn't expect the dragon race to be involved in this. This complicated things, but fortunately, Divik wouldn't be a stumbling block in my mission, and might even become one of my assets.

After all, Divik's current level wasn't low. A powerhouse at level one hundred and fifty-something could basically walk sideways on the Ailman Continent.

As long as he didn't run into the Demon King's other retainers, Divik was basically invincible.

Plus, there was Isabelle outside, whose level was no lower than Divik's, and the legendary magician Merlin. I didn't know how this little life of mine could possibly kick the bucket.

Hiss—hadn't my cheats become even more powerful? In addition to the god-mode health cheat, I now had an invincible DPS cheat!

I was very satisfied with the current situation, and even Divik looked much more pleasing to the eye.

"So have you confirmed it? The origin of that Chigu Sword's dragon bone?"

Divik shook his head, "I've been trying to get close to the Chigu Sword in the top-tier hall these past few days, but I haven't had the chance.

The glass display case holding the Chigu Sword seems to be a special alchemical item that blocks all auras, so I can't sense whether that dragon bone came from the cub that just went missing a while ago."

I caught the key point, "So you've already confirmed that it is indeed a sword made from Resplendent Dragon bone?"

This time Divik was certain. He had recognized at a glance that it was indeed made from Resplendent Dragon bone.

As a member of the same race who had personally drawn his own bones to forge weapons, Divik was extremely familiar with weapons made from Resplendent Dragon bone.

"So you need to get close to that Chigu Sword... you entered the Midas Touch competition?"

"Yes." Divik continued to nod, "Winning the final victory and obtaining that Chigu Sword is the simplest method."

I was a bit curious. I had learned various skills by cheating with help from Inuo, allowing me to quickly become a Midas Touch and have the confidence to win in the end. But on what grounds did Divik have this confidence?

Was it based on his luck from playing Blackjack on the march back then, where he would always lose so badly his face was covered in paper strips?

"What if you can't win?" I asked.

Divik answered without hesitation: "Then I'll kill the person who wins and snatch the sword to have a look."

Yan Yunqing: ...

Very good, this guy was as straightforward as ever.

I had thought that after the dragon race produced an anomaly like Isabelle with a sharp mind, she would have taught her younger brother to learn subterfuge and schemes too. But it seemed he was still that muscle-headed dragon prince.

Forget it, if this guy's brain had been even a little bit better, he wouldn't have done things like pulling out his own bones and stripping his own tendons to make leather armor and weapons for the Demon King back then.

I pressed my temples, thought for a moment, and said: "Actually, my purpose for coming here is also for the final victory."

Divik blinked, and his brain quickly formed an equation.

The King appearing in Mandiper = The King wants victory = The King wants that Chigu Sword = The King is dissatisfied that he didn't make the King a dragon bone sword back then!

Divik trembled, grabbed my hand, and urgently expressed his sincerity: "My King, don't take that sword! I will make you a new one! Use mine!"

Divik was afraid of being abandoned by his King. He grabbed my hand and pressed it directly against his own chest.

The heat that passed through the thin fabric to my fingertips made me shiver.

He looked at me fervently, as if with a single command from me, he could immediately tear open his own chest, take out a piece of bone, and forge a brand new weapon for his supreme king.

My pupils quaked. Seeing that Divik really looked like he was about to perform a heart-and-lung extraction on the spot, I nearly fell to my knees before him and hurriedly shouted for him to stop.

"I don't want your bones!"

I was at a loss for words. If the dragon race wasn't an intelligent species, but just ordinary beasts, perhaps I could still use this so-called dragon bone longsword.

But this was a damn sword made from bones that Divik had personally ripped out of his own body. It would give me psychological trauma to use it, okay?!

Every time I held the sword, I would have to recall the bloody image of Divik tearing out his own bones. I found that rather unacceptable.

Hearing my refusal, Divik's entire dragon spirit seemed to dim. "You... you'd rather have that Chigu Sword?"

Divik began to think. Would it be useful to rush over and destroy Mandiper's Chigu Sword right now? Would the King blame him for it? It didn't matter if he was blamed.

As long as the King didn't disappear again, he could pull out a few more bones to make the most beautiful sword for the King.

Compared to the King not wanting a sword made from his bones, Divik found it even more unacceptable for the King to want another dragon's bones!

Fortunately, before Divik could make a move, he heard my denial first.

"No, I didn't come for that Chigu Sword."

I refused, my head aching. I subconsciously wanted to pinch the bridge of my nose, but instead, I felt a springy, firm texture under my hand, with a delicate and warm touch.

...Fuck, my hand was still on Divik's chest!!

I stared at my hand in a daze, and uncontrollably squeezed it twice more. Hey, so big and soft—no, no, no, that wasn't me moving!

It was Divik's hand guiding mine! I was forced to squeeze Divik's chest twice more!!!

I retracted my hand as if electrocuted, my ears burning red. "Y-y-you! What are you doing!"

Divik tilted his head strangely, seemingly not understanding why the King's reaction was so strong, but he was relieved after hearing the King's explanation.

"I thought you liked to squeeze me? Just like before."

Like before how?!

I was about to retort subconsciously, but then I suddenly remembered that I really did seem to squeeze Divik often before.

At that time, the Demon King had just picked up that little wolf cub Boros and would hold him every day, petting his wolf head.

Divik wasn't happy about it, so he also turned into his dragon form, deliberately drank a Shrinking Potion, and turned into a cub to snuggle into the Demon King's arms, letting the Demon King squeeze the base of his tail.