“Sis, you’re here too.”

Before being invited to this meeting, Roswitha had been worried she might not know anyone.

Don’t be fooled by her usual icy demeanor as the Silver Dragon Queen—ever since she "married" Leon, all her deeply hidden social anxiety had been brought to light.

Other people say things like “marry a chicken, live like a chicken; marry a dog, live like a dog.” But look at her—she, the queen, married a professional social disgrace. Wasn’t becoming socially anxious just a matter of time?

Of course, there was another reason why Roswitha had become somewhat "reserved." It was because, in the past, she had to face everything solo. Internal and external crises were all resolved by her alone, with no one to rely on.

But with Leon by her side, she had someone to lean on, someone who gave her a profound sense of security.

And thus, her personality gradually developed a hint of what could only be described as the "obedient housewife" vibe.

Back to the main topic.

Isa stood up with a smile and greeted her.

“Why did it take you so long to get here?” Isa asked.

“Ah… something came up on the way, so we got held up for a bit.”

That wasn’t entirely true.

As she said this, Roswitha glanced guiltily at Leon, standing by her side.

The real reason they were late was because Leon had asked her on the way, “What’s this Dragon Kings and Queens meeting about, anyway?”

Roswitha had told him it was related to his previous battle with Constantine.

Leon then asked, “So we’re the stars of the show for this meeting, huh?”

Roswitha replied, “Well, you could put it that way.”

Leon said, “Then we should arrive last, make sure we’re the final ones to show up.”

The queen frowned. “Why?”

Leon replied confidently, “Because the protagonist always makes a grand entrance at the end. It highlights how cool and unique they are.”

Roswitha: = =

So, when they arrived at Sky City, they didn’t head straight to the venue but instead wandered around the shopping streets for a little while.

What could Roswitha do about this? She’d married herself a childish man. She just had to grit her teeth and endure him.

“Oh, oh, come on in then. We’ve been waiting for you,” Isa said with a cheerful smile.

“We’ve been waiting for you.”

As soon as those five simple words crossed Isa’s lips, General Leon’s small, vanity-filled adolescent heart was instantly satisfied.

Look at this! He knew it—the protagonist is always the last to appear!

After they took their seats, Leon scanned the gathering of dragons sitting around the long meeting table.

Roswitha had told him that this was a secret meeting of the Dragon Kings and Queens, meaning all the dragons present were Dragon Kings and Queens, right?

With a few minutes left before the official start of the meeting, Leon leaned slightly toward Roswitha, lowering his voice to whisper in her ear, “If I’d known back when I was in the army that Dragon Kings had to get together for meetings like this, it could’ve saved me a lot of trouble.”

Roswitha was about to ask, “What do you mean?”

But as she opened her mouth, she immediately guessed what this man was thinking.

Taking them out one by one was too much trouble. He would’ve relished the idea of catching all the Dragon Kings in one place and wiping them out in one go.

The queen gave him an exasperated eye-roll and lowered her own voice, “These Dragon Kings are different from the ones you fought in the past.”

Leon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “How so? Tell me more.”

Roswitha subtly nodded her chin toward the Dragon King seated across the table.

“Do you see that older Dragon King over there? That’s Odin, Thunder Dragon King. He’s Yuna’s father—Yuna, who accidentally got caught in the primordial ruins alongside Noa last time.”

“He rose to prominence more than 700 years ago. Even back then, his power already ranked him among the top of the Dragon Clan, and there were barely any in the whole clan who could match him.”

“Even the Nova Star Dragon King, Star, whom we defeated together, couldn’t compare to him.”

Star?

Leon remembered him—a Dragon King who had secretly collaborated with the Empire. When Leon and Roswitha were defending the Silver Dragon Castle for the second time, it was Star who led the initial assault.

Ultimately, Star had been so cornered that he’d resorted to self-detonating with the Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale.

Even so, Leon acknowledged Star’s strength. Among all the Dragon Kings he had fought, Star was undoubtedly one of the strongest.

But the Thunder Dragon King in front of him… he was supposedly even stronger than Star?

“You Dragon Clan folks sure know how to keep surprising me.”

Leon’s whispered conversation with Roswitha seemed to have caught Odin’s attention.

Odin directed his gaze toward the pair. His eyes held a penetrating intensity, exuding an imposing aura that demanded respect without a word of hostility.

Leon’s brows furrowed ever so slightly, but there wasn’t a shred of panic in his heart. He met Odin’s gaze head-on.

From experience, Leon knew that whenever a Dragon King stared at him with such eyes, it usually meant a fight was about to break out the very next second.

But soon enough, Odin shifted his gaze away.

“Old-timers like him are always highly vigilant.”

Roswitha whispered, “And you’re the center of attention for this meeting. So when it’s your turn to speak, be extra cautious. Saying any wrong thing might be enough to tip them off, understand?”

Back when Leon was in the Dragon Slayer Army, making speeches in meetings wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

After all, his unit was the kind that charged into the front lines. They didn’t bother with refined or formal procedures.

But during his time at the Silver Dragon Castle, he had picked up quite a few lessons in diplomacy and kingly strategy from Roswitha, learning the ways of negotiation and interaction between sovereigns.

His old preconceptions were gradually changing, and Leon was progressing in this area as well.

He nodded, “Got it.”

Drawing his gaze away from Odin, Leon’s eyes wandered to the other side of the table, where a shapely woman with blue hair caught his attention.

“Claudia is here too.”

Following his line of sight, Roswitha looked over. “Oh, she is. Perhaps it’s because Helena was also present at the ruins, so Claudia’s attendance is necessary as well.”

“But isn’t the Sea Dragon Clan’s Dragon King Poseidon? Why is Claudia here instead?”

“In the Dragon Clan, being delegated to attend clan affairs in place of the reigning Dragon King signifies the person has earned their approval. It usually implies they’re a strong candidate to become the next Dragon King or Queen.”

Roswitha explained, “Claudia certainly has the strength to claim the title of Sea Dragon Queen.”

“I see.”

Noticing the couple’s gazes, the blue-haired beauty tilted her head slightly and waved a hand at them in greeting.

The husband and wife exchanged polite nods and smiles in return.

Before long, the meeting’s host entered the room.

Standing at one side of the long table, the host rang the brass bell in front of him and announced, “Thank you all, esteemed Dragon Kings and Queens, for attending this meeting on the matter of Constantine and the Primordial Power.”

“I am a servant of the Tower Master of Twilight Tower. The Tower Master cannot appear in person, so I will be hosting this meeting in his place.”

“During the meeting, you are all free to speak your minds regarding Constantine, and no restraints will be imposed from our side.”

“I hope that a productive plan can be reached quickly to prevent further chaos and turmoil within our Dragon Clan.”

“With that, let the meeting begin.”

With his words concluded, the servant gave a slight bow and exited the room.

As the doors to the meeting room closed, the Dragon Kings and Queens seated in the room all turned their attention in unison to Leon and Roswitha.

“The Silver Dragon Queen,” an elder Dragon King spoke, his voice resonating, “of all those present, only you and your husband have had significant contact with Constantine. It was also your actions that uncovered and attempted to thwart Constantine’s theft of the Primordial Power. So, please, share your thoughts. What do you think of the current state of Constantine?”

Odin remained silent, leaving the speaking to another elder.

“There’s one clarification I must make,” Roswitha began, her tone calm and measured, exuding the dignity and poise befitting of a queen. “It’s true that my husband and I attempted to stop Constantine from stealing the Primordial Power, but in the end, we were unsuccessful. Constantine still managed to take most of the Primordial Power.”

“As for how we view the current Constantine… my husband and I believe that Constantine’s current strength exceeds that of most Dragon Kings, but it still does not reach the pinnacle level.”

“Does not reach the pinnacle level?” A younger Dragon King from among the group raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Ms. Melkevi, I’ve heard how immense the power of the Primordial Power is—it’s a force entirely different from all modern magic, one that transcends everyone’s comprehension. And yet, after acquiring such a formidable force, Constantine still doesn’t qualify as top-tier? I find that hard to believe.”

“Primordial Power, though undeniably powerful, is useless if one doesn’t know how to wield it properly.”

It wasn’t Roswitha who answered this time but rather Claudia.

Once again, everyone’s eyes shifted toward the beautiful woman sitting in the corner of the table.

There she sat with her arms crossed, her head lowered slightly, her timelessly elegant face expressionless. Surrounded by Dragon Kings and Queens, Claudia displayed no hint of apprehension or hesitation.

“Are you suggesting, Claudia, that Constantine hasn’t yet mastered the Primordial Power?” someone asked.

“No,” Claudia replied, her tone calm and unhurried. “The Primordial Power, at its core, is nothing more than a type of energy—like having a bomb in your hand. Toss it, and it causes destruction.”

“Given Constantine’s abilities, mastering the ability to throw that bomb wouldn’t be difficult for him. The hard part… is maximizing the bomb’s payload, finding ways to throw it farther, more accurately, and determining the additional effects after the explosion. Those are the real challenges.”

Hearing the words, the three members of the Melkevi family exchanged glances.

Claudia’s observation was indeed accurate.

Back when the "First Generation Amalgamation Constantine" attacked the Red Dragon Sanctuary, Roswitha inflicted effective damage on him using the purest form of Primordial Power.

Later, the technique referred to as the "Soul Judgement" they obtained from Leon's mentor turned out to be a combat skill belonging to the Primordial Power magic system.

Claudia's point was simple—it was that Constantine now possessed immense power but lacked the skill to wield it effectively.

Clumsy and useless. Nothing to worry about.

"The Princess of the Sea Dragon Clan makes a valid point. Besides, to my knowledge, Primordial Magic has long been lost. Finding a manual that records Primordial Magic is practically impossible."

The old man's tone carried an inexplicable confidence as he said this.

Such was the nature of Dragon Kings—the older they were, the more confident they became.

They lived long lives, saw much of the world, and thus were prone to thinking their understanding encompassed the entirety of the current era.

Another younger Dragon King, perhaps to curry favor with the "old leader" to leave a good impression—or perhaps truly having some experience on the matter—spoke up:

"The elder's words are correct. I, too, spent several years searching for Primordial Magic but ultimately failed. I dare say that in this day and age, Primordial Magic is truly extinct."

"Primordial Magic is Truly Extinct."

The silver dragon couple could barely suppress the urge to laugh.

"Perhaps," Claudia mused, her words threaded with ambiguity, "Primordial Magic might indeed have already... vanished from the world."

As she spoke, her gaze lingered meaningfully on Leon and Roswitha, who sat across from her.

The couple, knowing full well that the author of "Soul Judgement" was none other than Claudia herself, immediately understood her intent. She was concealing the truth about Primordial Magic.

It made sense. This meeting was specifically about Constantine; there was no reason to divulge sensitive information about her own clan.

After all, this was just a meeting, not an alliance.

Still, neither Leon nor Roswitha dared to exchange too many glances with the striking and sharp-witted sea dragoness.

What would it achieve? Have her call them out by saying, "Wow, how did my martial arts manual end up in your possession?"

Claudia wanted to keep a low profile, and Leon and Roswitha were more than happy to oblige.

The meeting moved on.

Once the discussion about Primordial Magic concluded, the group shifted its focus back to Constantine.

"Pardon me, everyone," said Morgan, the Golden Sands Dragon King, turning toward Leon. "I have a slightly off-topic question for the Silver Dragon Prince."

"What is it?" Leon asked.

"How did Constantine learn of the Primordial Ruins? We still don’t know that. But what I’d like to know is, how did you find out that Constantine was chasing after Primordial Power?"

Because my former superior used Primordial Power to turn Constantine into a stitched-up monster. Although initially designed him for conquest, he ended up creating a being that outranked its creator.

This being awakened with sentience, developed a taste for Primordial Power, and in a quest for revenge against me and my former superior, sought out the Primordial Ruins.

↑

Should I just spill the truth, my friend?

If I did, no one here would be walking away today.

"I have a unique intelligence network that makes it easy to track Constantine's movements," Leon offered instead.

"An intelligence network?" Morgan tilted his head, intrigued. "Why design such a thing?"

"Having fought Constantine twice before, I felt a sense of unease," said Leon. "Thus, I created a system to circulate and exchange intelligence as a precaution against him ambushing me again."

"Oh? Then, Silver Dragon Prince, this intelligence of yours—"

Before Morgan could finish, Isa abruptly interjected, "Hey, Morgan, isn’t it inappropriate to keep probing into the details of the Silver Dragon Clan’s secret intelligence network?"

"I—well—"

Roswitha seized the opening and struck a follow-up blow. "Moreover, it’s a safeguard system created precisely for emergencies. If you insist on picking apart its mechanisms, wouldn’t that render my husband’s efforts useless?"

Morgan froze for a moment, taken aback by the sharp comments of the two eloquent and assertive women.

Finally, he chuckled wryly and shook his head. "Fair points, both of you."

"Hmph." Isa snorted softly, then glanced at her brother-in-law Leon across from Roswitha, even giving him a sly wink.

Leon chuckled quietly to himself. Having two cunning women in the family was occasionally useful.

When it mattered, they really delivered.

The discussion carried on.

In the following hours, the Dragon Kings and Queens deliberated on how best to deal with Constantine. After a round of voting, their plan was finalized:

"We’ll dispatch a guard force to the proximity of the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan’s territory. If Constantine makes any move, we’ll be able to intervene immediately."

"After applying sustained pressure on Constantine for some time, we’ll tighten the encirclement until we force him out into the open."

"In the meantime, everyone should do whatever they can to gather any remaining information about Primordial Power. Once we confront Constantine, we’ll work to extract all the Primordial Power he possesses."

"Does anyone have anything to add?"

Slowly, Leon raised his hand. "What happens to the Primordial Power after we retrieve it from Constantine?"

"Well, we’d use it for just purposes, of course."

"Just... purposes?" Leon repeated the words, turning them over in his mind.

The term itself was fine;

What concerned him was the person speaking it.

It wasn’t that Leon harbored a bias or prejudice against the Dragon Clan, but that such immense power would be hard for anyone to use solely for "just purposes." Could those vying for it truly be trusted?

"Silver Dragon Prince," one of the frequently outspoken senior Dragon Kings inquired, "do you have an alternative suggestion?"

Leon pondered for a moment, then turned to Roswitha.

Roswitha gave him a small nod, silently encouraging him to say what he truly thought.

"I believe we should simply monitor Constantine and his territory. There’s no need to apply pressure or initiate wars."

"Wars inevitably bring devastation. But if you believe that sacrificing lives is worth it for this Primordial Power, I’ll say no more."

General Leon, when not acting brash, actually exhibited a remarkable intellect—sharp, and even with a hint of moral manipulation.

He skillfully aimed his words at the gathered Dragon Kings: a subtle, profound moral challenge.

To use the lives of their own kin to obtain a power that never belonged to them in the first place—

Did that make them pioneers?

If not—well then, all they needed to do was observe Constantine and stop resorting to convoluted tricks.

Their thoughts were so private that Leon felt he could hear them all the way from the Silver Dragon Castle.

This stance wasn’t simply ethical; it was pragmatic.

In fact, Leon harbored one additional, subjective belief:

When it came to integrity—whether in human terms or dragon terms—he oddly held more faith in Constantine than in these fellow Dragon Kings.

Noa had told him of their encounter after returning from the Far North. There, Constantine could have easily killed those students but chose not to.

Even after learning that Noa was Leon’s daughter, Constantine hadn’t sought vengeance immediately.

From this, Leon realized that while Constantine might be mad, he still had boundaries.

Because of this, Leon preferred, at least for now, to let Primordial Power stay with Constantine rather than trust it to other unfamiliar Dragon Kings.

Roswitha had taught him: all power is tied to politics.

Politics, in turn, is merely the refined packaging of those in power's private ambitions.

Ultimate power, then, is a tempting dessert, and everyone at the table wants a slice. In front of that "dessert," never trust anyone you don’t truly know—no matter how aligned your interests might seem.

"Well then..." The old Dragon King’s tone carried a certain smugness. "In light of the Silver Dragon Prince's suggestion, let’s put it to a vote. Those who support him, please raise your hands."

The elder sounded certain of the result.

After all, every Dragon King present coveted a share of Primordial Power. Agreeing to Leon’s suggestion? How absurd!

As expected, nobody raised their hand in support—aside from Roswitha, Isa, and Claudia.

"What a pity, Silver Dragon Prince. Your proposal has been rejected by the majority."

"Therefore, I hereby declare—"

But before the old man could finalize the vote, the previously silent Odin, seated calmly, leisurely raised his hand.

"I agree with Mr. Casmode’s proposal."

For a fleeting moment, the elder appeared dumbfounded, unable to hide the displeasure flashing across his face.

But the worst was yet to come.

After Odin's declaration, Morgan, the Golden Sands Dragon King, also slowly lifted his hand.

"Ah, I think Leon's got a point. Fighting and killing—what’s the point, right? Better to sit down with some tea, have a pleasant chat. You never know, Constantine might just hand over the Primordial Power voluntarily, to serve the greater good!"

One after another, more Dragon Kings—after exchanging hesitant looks—began raising their hands as well.

Compared to "a power that might not even be recoverable," gaining "a favorable impression from the old Thunder Dragon King" carried far more weight.

Soon enough, those in favor outnumbered those opposed.

Leon smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Old man, I declare that your declaration is invalid."