The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

"It seems you hold deep-seated prejudices against our old friend here." Tiamat's green dragon head appeared to particularly relish David's expression of astonishment.

This is more than just prejudice! If it hadn't been for that situation of no return, I would have stayed as far away as possible from this deceitful and malicious Spider Goddess!

Although his knowledge of Rose's secrets was limited, her comeback was astounding. After Corellon stripped her of her godhood, turned her into a 'beast,' and cast her into the most chaotic and cruel Abyssal Depths of the Multiverse, she still managed to rise again to divinity—even reclaiming the status of a mid-level deity. This alone proved just how 'ruthless' she was.

Especially since her divine portfolio included the domain of 'trickery'...

David knew his own limitations well enough, so given the choice, he would always keep his distance from such devious characters.

It was just as his mother, Pafila, used to say, "They have lived through more eons than the stars you've seen; you can't outplay them."

As powerful as his mother, Pafila, was—now a goddess herself—she wasn't a Demigod under Tiamat. In reality, her situation was little better than working for Tiamat to pay off her debts.

Now here he was, 'somehow' finding himself before the Chromatic Dragon Queen Tiamat.

He believed that even if he hadn't been involved in Yolanda's incident, this meeting would have happened sooner or later, if Tiamat wished it.

Thinking of this, a constipated-like expression appeared on David's face as he responded, "It would be good as long as Your Majesty could trust Her."

After all, I'm only responsible for an outpost mission. I'm certain that executing this task could never have been a 'me and only me' situation for her. She must have tried countless other possible solutions over these more than thirty thousand years.

"Trust her? Rose? How is that possible?" the Red Dragon head laughed with Pride and Contempt.

Before David could say anything, Tiamat finally spoke with the didactic tone of a true elder, "You are still young. As you grow, you will understand more profoundly that when you want to complete a task you cannot achieve alone, trust is never the primary consideration. David Uthos, you are indeed smart and understand this principle. However, you are constrained by the Pride and impulsiveness inherent to your Red Dragon form, often leading you to disdain such considerations. But I cannot afford that luxury. Sometimes, the more powerful one is, the more vulnerable one becomes to covetous gazes and interference. It's just as the gods can only rest easy when they see our dragon kind shackled by the Dragon Mad Lock."

"So it always comes down to interests?" Hearing the familiar refrain, David suddenly felt a wave of weariness. Although he knew all this, he was neither good at it nor fond of it. If that were the case, why not just reincarnate as a Green Dragon?

The Dragon Queen's black dragon head shook as it corrected him, "Or more accurately, it's the alignment of interests and goals, the balance of power and influence, and the assessment between risks and rewards. I know that with your temperament, you don't like to meddle with these things, and your mother also wishes for you to live more freely and joyfully. So, leave these schemes and calculations to us 'great dragons.' After you have weathered the storms of growth, a thousand years of time will naturally endow you with commensurate experience and wisdom. Now, the only remaining question is not whether you are willing to trust Rose, but...

"...whether you are willing to trust in me?"

Listening, his head feeling a bit overwhelmed, David managed a brilliant smile. "I choose to believe in my mother. She once said, 'At least our deity is trustworthy.'"

Tiamat was greatly pleased. All five pairs of eyes focused on David, giving him a deep look as she said with a smile, "A clever answer, yet pleasing to the ear. Very well, you are indeed the young dragon I favor the most among your generation."

"I am less than honored."

She clearly favors Mom Pafila the most. Even when Tiamat curses her out soundly to her face, she still looks radiant. That's the true attitude of a cherished daughter.

Jealousy

Damn! I'm just a bit envious, at most! Okay?!

"So, as a young dragon, is there anything else you wish to know?"

David pondered for a moment. There was indeed a question that had long lingered in his heart. He asked, "What I've always been puzzled by is why, despite being affected by the 'Dragon Madness' for thirty millennia, our Chromatic Dragon society has been shattered, forcing us to live in isolation, whereas the Metal Dragons, at least the Gold and Silver Dragons, still manage to maintain their social nature?"

At least to his knowledge, Blue Dragons also exhibited a degree of social behavior, though they were more like gangs of bandits claiming territory. Typically, only the dominant Blue Dragon resided in the main lair, while other nearby Blue Dragons each had their roles. These dragons only congregated to mate and reproduce during the mating season. Afterward, one dragon, likely a younger adult, would take on the responsibility of feeding the Blue Dragon hatchlings.

In this way, even with The Slaying King Star shining overhead, those young Blue Dragon hatchlings huddled at the bottom of the lair, despite their robust bodies for their age compared to other creatures, likely wouldn't be able to kill many other dragons, even if they exerted all their strength.