Shuurai
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Chapter 122
🕑 Added 2025-07-28 13:17:18 +0000 UTCHey everyone! These past few days have been pretty hectic, anyways here’s the chapter. Still not fully satisfied with it, so I might tweak a few things later.
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I slipped back into our chambers quietly, but Irene was already awake. She was sitting by the window in one of those silk robes the sentinels had provided, her red hair catching the morning light as she gazed out at the crystal formations.
There was a cup of tea steaming on the small table beside her.
"You're up early," she said without turning around, though I caught the hint of a smile in her voice.
"Dragon politics," I replied, walking over to her. "Apparently we have a situation that needs handling."
She set down her teacup.
"Let me guess," she said softly, turning to face me with those gorgeous scarlet eyes, "it involves someone being unreasonable, probably powerful, and definitely stubborn?"
"How'd you know?"
A gentle blush colored her cheeks. "Because... well, that describes most of the situations you encounter," she said quietly, then added with a small, shy smile, "though you handle them all so well."
She turned to face me, and I could see the curiosity in her scarlet eyes.
"What kind of situation?" she asked, gesturing for me to sit beside her.
I settled into the chair next to hers, automatically reaching for her free hand. Her fingers were warm from the teacup, and she gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
"Someone's claimed the northern territories.”
"Who?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“A dragon named Bahamut who's been camping there for three centuries, using the protection of an artifact future me set up."
Irene's posture straightened slightly, and I watched her expression change as recognition dawned.
“You know him?”
She nodded, but there was something troubled in her scarlet eyes now. "Bahamut," she repeated slowly, her voice growing tense. "The Storm Dragon King. I... I know him..."
"We fought. About four hundred years ago, during the early days of the Dragon Civil War."
Her voice grew quieter, more hesitant. "He was one of the dragons who... who treated humans as livestock. Before the war started, when some dragons still saw humans as nothing more than food or playthings."
Well, shit. That changes things.
"A storm dragon, and one with that kind of history," she continued, almost to herself. "Those are among the most powerful of the dragon subspecies, second only to the Sky Dragons in raw magical output. But if it's the same Bahamut I knew..."
She trailed off, looking uncertain and slightly troubled.
"Yeah, Jue mentioned he was stronger than all three sentinels combined." I shrugged casually.
"Not that it matters much. I just need to go have a chat with him, see if we can work something out."
Irene gave me a look that was pure adoration mixed with gentle concern.
"A chat. With a territorial dragon who's been squatting on land for three hundred years," she repeated softly.
"What? I can be diplomatic when I want to be."
She looked down at our joined hands, a shy smile playing at her lips. "You're... very direct in your approach to problems," she said diplomatically, her voice barely above a whisper. "But that's one of the things I..." she trailed off, blushing again.
She is so cute.
She wasn't wrong about the diplomacy thing though. I did have a tendency to let my overwhelming strength do most of the talking. But this time felt different. Maybe it was the whole 'future king' thing, or maybe I was just getting tired of solving every problem with brute force.
Though to be fair, brute force has worked pretty well so far.
"Besides," Irene continued, her expression growing more serious as she set her teacup down completely, "if this is the same Bahamut I knew, this situation is more complicated than we thought."
She paused, and I could see darker memories flickering behind her eyes. Not good ones, judging by the way her jaw tightened slightly.
"Four hundred years ago, he was... ruthless. Arrogant. He saw humans as nothing more than cattle." Her voice grew quieter. "But if he's been hiding here for centuries after losing everything to Acnologia's hunt... trauma like that changes even the most powerful beings. It makes them desperate. Unpredictable."
Is she speaking about her own experiences? The years of running, hiding, never knowing if Acnologia was coming for her next. But also remembering what Bahamut was like before.
"You think I can't handle him?" I asked, genuinely curious about her assessment. It wasn't often someone questioned my ability to deal with a threat.
Irene's grip on my hand tightened, and she looked up at me with those intense scarlet eyes filled with complete faith.
"Oh, Aiden," she breathed, "you could handle anything. You're so strong, so capable..." Her voice was soft with admiration, then grew worried. "But that's not what concerns me."
She paused, looking down shyly as if gathering courage to voice her thoughts.
"I'm worried about you," she whispered. "About what happens when you have to make difficult choices. You have such a good heart, but when someone threatens what you care about..."
She didn't finish the sentence, but I understood. She'd seen what I was capable of when I got serious. Hell, she'd been on the receiving end of it once. And despite my generally laid-back attitude, when it came to protecting what was mine or keeping my promises, I could be absolutely ruthless.
"You think I'd go too far?"
"I think you're perfect," she said quietly, then blushed deeply at her own boldness. "I mean... you always try to do the right thing. But I also know that when you decide something needs to be done, nothing can stop you. If you decide this Bahamut needs to be removed..."
She trailed off, but the implication was clear. If I decided the storm dragon needed to go, there wouldn't be much left of him to regret the decision. I didn't exactly have a reputation for leaving loose ends.
She's not wrong. I don't really do half-measures. When I commit to something, I see it through to the end.
"So what do you suggest?" I asked, genuinely interested in her perspective.
She looked up at me hesitantly. "Could I... could I still come with you? I know our history isn't pleasant, but maybe that's exactly why I should be there."
I blinked, actually surprised by the suggestion. "Come with me? To face a dragon you fought four centuries ago who used to treat humans like livestock?"
She nodded.
"I know it sounds dangerous, but... I understand him in a way. We were on opposite sides of the war, but we both survived Acnologia's hunt. We both lost everything."
Her voice grew softer. "If this Bahamut has been hiding from Acnologia for centuries, he might be more willing to listen to another survivor than to you, even with all your power. Someone who understands what that kind of loss does to you."
That... actually made a lot of sense. Irene's dragon slayer magic had transformed her to the point where she could take on her dragon form at will. If anyone could relate to what Bahamut had gone through, it would be her.
"Plus," she added quietly, her voice barely audible, "maybe I could help keep you from having to... you know... if negotiations don't go well."
She wants to protect me from having to make that choice. Even though she knows I'm essentially invincible, she still wants to shield me from the moral weight of it.
I reached out and tilted her chin up so she was looking at me. "You want to keep me from becoming a monster?"
"You could never be a monster," she whispered fiercely, then immediately looked embarrassed by her vehemence. "I just... I want to help. If you'll let me."
God, how did I get so lucky?
I laughed, the sound echoing off the crystal walls. "You make me sound like some kind of walking disaster."
"You are a walking disaster," she said fondly, her thumb tracing along my cheekbone. "You're just my walking disaster."
The possessiveness in her voice sent a warm thrill through me. Even after all this time, hearing Irene claim me like that never got old. There was something I like about the way she said it, like she was marking territory.
"Alright," I said, bringing her hand up to press a kiss to her knuckles.
"My Queen it is. Think you can handle dragon diplomacy?"
She blushed prettily at the title. "I'll do my best," she said quietly, then added with shy honesty, "I've handled you, haven't I?"
"That you have," I agreed warmly. "Though I'd say we handle each other pretty well."
Her blush deepened, and she ducked her head with a small, pleased smile.
