Respect

Thick smoke rolled toward them, filling the hall with a choking stench. Genesis looked up, her pupils dilating violently. Her lips parted, and she murmured to herself, "So that is... the Cinder Emperor." As the smoke gradually dispersed, a colossal figure was revealed atop the towering Iron Throne at the end of the steps. An immense red dragon lay coiled there at his ease. By Bahamut! What kind of dragon was that?! Genesis had never seen such a red dragon. His build was gargantuan beyond precedent, even more exaggerated than the great wyrm gold dragons of her memory. Puffs of smoke vented intermittently from the gaps between his scales. His massive draconic form was practically an undulating volcano, as though scalding magma could erupt at any moment. And that dragon aura was all the more terrifying, leaving even the experienced and worldly Genesis frozen dumbfounded in place, shivering down to the depths of her soul. A great wyrm red dragon! No, far more than just a great wyrm! Those scales gleaming with a metallic sheen, the crystals embedded in his chest, and those unique horns all attested to the beast's extraordinary nature. Though loath to admit it, she felt an urge to prostrate herself and worship him the instant she laid eyes upon the red dragon. It reminded Genesis of the clan's ancient legends—of dragons that had ignited divine sparks and ascended to immortality... High above, Cassius looked down at the visitors, a smile flickering in pale-gold pupils that burned like spheres of molten rock. "Long time no see, Olivia. Trump told me about your conduct; it seems you handled my task quite well." He paused briefly, fixing his gaze on Genesis as flames churned in his eyes. "And... this unfamiliar guest. Do you not plan on introducing yourself?" Hearing Cassius's words, Olivia nodded with a mixture of nervousness and secret delight. Only then did Genesis snap out of her shock and disarray. She tucked a stray strand of silver hair behind her ear and forced a faint smile. Then, bowing her head and lifting her skirt, she bent slightly in a standard curtsy. Suppressing the chaotic emotions in her heart, Genesis spoke in as measured and dignified a tone as possible: "Genesis, envoy of Melvold, greets Your Majesty Cassius." At her side, Olivia introduced in a hushed voice, "Genesis is my aunt, the most outstanding of our clan's current generation, and she has Grandfather's deepest trust. Grandfather specifically sent her here this time, so you can see Melvold's sincerity now, right?" "Oh?" Cassius stared intently at Genesis's shapely figure, an intrigued glint appearing in his eyes. "How interesting. This is that old fellow's daughter? No wonder she felt familiar." Genesis bristled slightly at Cassius's words. Weighing her options for a moment, she spoke up clearly: "When Olivia returned, the clan's elders were locked in debate, each clinging to their own views. It was my father who overrode all objections and brought about this cooperation. Your Majesty Cassius, forgive my bluntness, but..." "Aunt, that's enough..." Olivia tugged at Genesis's gown, urging her to soften her tone. She under no circumstances wanted Clan Melvold to become Cassius's enemy. After all, Olivia knew all too well that while Cassius might not be a purely evil dragon, his methods against his enemies were far crueler than those of any chromatic dragon. The bloody guillotines erected across the empire were the most direct proof of that. Yet as the silver dragon widely acknowledged to resemble Oszedro's youthful temperament the most—and the most stubborn of them all—Genesis was not so easily dissuaded. Ignoring Olivia's restraint, Genesis pressed on, "Toward a future ally, should you not show the most basic respect?" "Respect?" Cassius rose slowly. Using his powerful latissimus dorsi to pull his wing bones upward, he unfurled his vast wings, casting a monstrous shadow. Instantly, a near-tangible dragon aura surged like a tidal wave, sending Genesis into violent shudders. *Crack!* A crisp sound rang out. Genesis looked up in terror to see a crystal ball swirling with conjuration energy hovering in midair, its glittering fragments raining down onto the floor. The red dragon glared down at Genesis with a chilling gaze and rumbled, "Using a weakness-probing spell on an ally—is this Melvold's sincerity? Evidently, you do not respect me." "This... impossible!" "How did you discover..." Genesis went deathly pale. Her legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. That was the Truth-Seeking Crystal Ball she had borrowed from Trafalanlo, an item capable of ferreting out an enemy's weaknesses. Even an archmage would be hard-pressed to detect its presence without profound mastery of divination magic. This red dragon was clearly a savage sorcerer; how could he possibly have noticed such an exquisite spell? Cassius advanced step by step, radiating a suffocating majesty. "Truly that old fellow's flesh and blood. Arrogant, obstinate, hypocritical... Did you not bother to ask that old fellow about my spellcasting ability?" *Whoosh!* Under the crushing pressure, Genesis could no longer maintain her humanoid form. Amid a shower of sparkling magical motes, her Polymorph spell collapsed instantly. *Whimper...* A silver dragon nearly twenty meters long materialized in the hall, thrashing frantically and letting out frightened cries. Yet before the forty-five-meter red dragon, this adult silver dragon appeared pitifully small. Shivering all over, she looked like nothing more than a helpless whelp. Cassius had not even raised a claw. Merely by unleashing the aura of a progenitor dragon, he pinned the silver dragon flat against the floor. Far from standing up, she could not even lift the tip of her tail. "No, that's not..." Genesis shook her head with immense effort, her voice trembling. In centuries of draconic life, she had never encountered such a terrifying adversary. In the past, powerful foes rarely moved against her directly out of reverence for her father. Even chromatic dragons went out of their way to avoid provoking a spell-addicted wyrm silver dragon blessed by Bahamut, keeping a respectful distance. Now, for the first time, Genesis felt her life was genuinely threatened, and the pride buried deep in her heart was entirely stripped away. The silver dragon's heart pounded madly. She really might die here! And this time, not even the father she took such pride in, "Silver Wings" Oszedro, could save her! Genesis strained with all her might to raise her head. Her vision had grown blurry, but she could still make out that monstrous silhouette. A strange, unprecedented emotion welled within her. At that moment, Cassius reached Genesis. Without hesitation, he planted his enormous left foreclaw onto the silver dragon's spine, declaring coldly: "Genesis, put away your laughable little tricks. If you represent the will of Melvold, the will of that old fellow, it is hard for me not to interpret this as a provocation—or even a declaration of war." As he finished, Cassius exerted a bit more force, grinding the silver dragon ruthlessly into the floor and drawing a pained groan from her. "No..." "Wait, Cassius!" Overcoming her terror of the dragon aura, Olivia reached out with a pale face and cried out frantically. It had all unfolded far too quickly for even her to react. Olivia had never imagined that her aunt would dare act out so brazenly before Cassius—and provoke him directly to his face! The worst-case scenario she had feared was playing out. If not handled properly, Clan Melvold could very well become the empire's enemy. For Clan Melvold, and indeed for the entire metallic dragonkind, that would be an absolute diplomatic catastrophe. *Aunt...* The thought left Olivia thoroughly exhausted. In the end, it was up to her to clean up the mess caused by her aunt's self-righteous crusade.