Since that event, two years have slowly passed by.
“Y-Your Imperial Majesty...” Alfred Northlord De Saedius spoke. “Count Cyclone and Count David, they…!” magic
“Stop.” I cut him off because it was obvious what he was about to say. They had lost. In fact, they had lost a strategic location.
Grit…!
A fresh scent of blood filled my nose. I could feel pain from my lower lip. I can’t even fathom how many times I’ve bit my lower lip.
Grip!
I tightened my fist.
Crack…!
The throne’s armrest shattered just like my heart; into a million pieces.
… Just like this, so easily, both gone.
Count Cyclone and David had both been my loyal subordinates since my rebel days, but now they were dead. Even I, a cold-blooded emperor, could hardly digest this news.
But I couldn’t show it. I resisted the urge to destroy everything around me and scream my lungs out.
I was the emperor, a father to all my people, and a barrier who should protect the empire from the northern evil. I wasn’t allowed to falter. This was just work. Simply work. Merely… the death of two precious subordinates.
“Your Imperial Majesty...” Alfred continued with his report. “T-That’s… not the end… your Imperial Majesty...”
“...”
“I’m sorry to report, but, even the temporary base at Dhaulagiri...”
Suddenly, I could feel my ice-cold façade collapse.
“All 150,000 soldiers...”
“...”
“N-None of them survived...”
The Dhaulagiri temporary base was the most important strategic location of all.
“Your Imperial Majesty… the enemy...”
“Stop.”
“Y-Your Imperial Majesty...”
“I said stop.”
“However...”
“Stop!”
I blasted a roar in the tent that was so great that the whole camp shook from the echo.
…Damn it.
“Excuse yourself for now.” I told Alfred. “I don’t want to hear it anymore.”
“Your Imperial Majesty...”
“I want to rest, Alfred.”
“...!”
“It’s a tiring night.”
Defeat, defeat, death, and more defeat. Bad news back to back took a toll on my mental strength.
“Yes, your Imperial Majesty...” Alfred bowed. “Then I shall excuse myself. Please… even just for today… rest well...”
I did not reply to him.
After he had left,
“There’s no… solution...” I pondered deep into the night. “Nothing...”
The enemy was too strong. No matter if it was my army or my subordinates, absolutely nobody survived the encounter with the enemy.
“God damn it… I should have realised it then...”
Two years ago, when the mysterious disease that swept over the whole of the Nosferatu region appeared, I did not expect it to be a foreshadowing for worse things to come.
Even I could not fight against the five Agnagas, the enemies, who were beings from another world. Surrender and you will live, or die otherwise. These aliens suddenly made their appearances one day and demanded all living things bow before them.
There was no exception. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and even dragons… they wanted all to submit to them.
Of course, nobody took the five Agnagas seriously at first, including myself. Such a lame threat could not affect me, who ruled the entire continent. Humans were strong. Ever since the dragons taught us how to use mana, a few humans, including myself, had long since surpassed the limits of our species.
Magic-engineering was also extremely significant. The invention of magic-engineered cannons and engines was as groundbreaking as the discovery of mana.
Therefore, the five Agnagas’ threat was nothing but bullshit to me and the human race, that is until they managed to hunt down the ancient green dragon, Theseus.
“Phew.” I was surprised. Since when did a dragon request to form an alliance with a human? It was almost unbelievable.
“Yes, that’s right.” Emilia replied. “What we need is an alliance transcending species. Those Agnagas… we dragons can’t stop them by ourselves.”
“...!”
“Are you shocked?”
“I can’t say I’m not.”
I acknowledged Emilia’s words without question. I never thought I could hear such a humble remark from an arrogant species.
“Sad, but it’s true.”
“Is that the consensus amongst the dragons?”
“No.”
“...?”
“This is my personal judgment.”
“...”
“I, Emilia, the ancient black dragon, believe that those Agnagas are difficult to fend off, even if all the species in Pangaea combine their strengths.”
“That’s why you requested an alliance from me – the emperor?”
“Yes.”
“What do the other dragons think?”
“Actually… most of them do not recognize the severity of the situation. Many dragons believe that Theseus, the ancient green dragon, was killed due to his negligence and overly gentle character. In fact, some dragons even wish for the Agnagas to downsize the human population.”
“...”
“It’s a pity...”
“I see… to request for an alliance despite such circumstances… then you would have to persuade the other stubborn dragons. I assume that’s not going to be easy, even as an ancient dragon.”
I had a point. Dragons were stubborn and arrogant creatures. Emilia, who visited me personally to have a tranquil conversation, was an exception.
“That’s not necessary.”
“Not necessary? What do you...”
“I only need to give a command.”
“...!”
“I don’t need to persuade anyone.”
Immediately, I could deduce Emilia’s true identity.
“Yes, that’s right.” She seemed to have read my mind. “I am the current Dragon Lord.”
“Dragon Lord…!”
“Yes. I, Emilia, the ancient black dragon, came to visit the leader of the human race to officially propose an alliance.”
“...!”
“Also...” Emilia added. “I would also like to make a personal request.”
“A personal request…?”
Something was strange. I was beginning to feel uneasy.
“Yes.”
“What kind of personal request would the Dragon Lord make...”
“In the future...”
“...?”
“In the distant future...”
“Yes?”
“Please… take care of my daughter, Desdemona, the black dragon.”
“What do you mean by take care of? Isn’t Desdemona already a fully-grown dragon? Why would I...”
“I’m not asking you to be her guardian.”
“...?”
“Please be my son-in-law.”
“S-Son-in-law? What are you...”
“In other words, be my daughter’s husband.”
Bam! For a moment, I thought I was hit by a blunt weapon on the head. I stood there dumbfounded.
What kind of bullshit was she spouting?
[1] She is speaking in a formal tone.