Chapter 242: Wiggins' Suggestion

Under the cover of night, Rhonin flew high in the sky astride Carlos, carrying Rulance with him.

Gazing down from the heavens, Castle Wushan sparkled with brilliant lights, and vast swathes of Wushan City were illuminated as well, possessing far more of the warmth and bustle of human life than the nights back in Shanlin Town.

"This dragon of yours, Carlos—its flight speed seems a bit slower compared to a griffin."

Rulance had ridden more than one griffin in his time, giving him a fair understanding of their swiftness in the air.

"Are griffins really that fast?" Rhonin asked, somewhat surprised, having assumed a true dragon would naturally outpace them.

"Most griffins belong to the element of wind, and some even master wind-attribute magic; they are born masters of the sky."

Rulance explained, "Though Carlos is similar in size to a griffin, his weight is clearly much greater, so his flight speed is naturally a bit slower. However, from the looks of it, his endurance for sustained flight should far exceed theirs."

Rhonin nodded slightly.

It appeared that Carlos and griffins each had their own strengths and weaknesses when it came to flight.

Nevertheless, his confidence in the dragon remained absolute.

Once Carlos reached the later stages of his growth, he would undoubtedly crush any griffin in the skies.

After a brief test flight, the dragon touched down once more upon the mountainside.

Dismounting from the dragon's back, Rulance looked back at Carlos, his eyes filled with undeniable envy.

Though a Meteor Knight who had broken through the gates of power possessed an unstoppable momentum, they were still bound to the earth.

To soar into the sky, one either needed a flying magical beast or had to ascend to the rank of Silver Moon.

Yet not only was advancing to a Silver Moon Knight immensely difficult, but forming a contract with a mountable flying magical beast was equally arduous.

Back when he had acquired a contract scroll, he had searched for ages, attempting numerous times to subdue dragonhawks, great condors, and giant eagles, all to no avail.

For a man who could not fly to capture a creature with such keen perception and aerial supremacy was simply too difficult.

Thus, in the end, Rulance had settled for the Thunder Wind-Chaser.

This lad Rhonin possessed a luck so absurd it made even him stir with jealousy.

Had he known sooner, he would have moved Castle Wushan over to the Northern Territory; perhaps then it would have been he who discovered Carlos’s cave.

Watching Carlos flap his wings and depart, Rulance pulled his thoughts back to the present.

"A dragon is powerful, but not yet invincible. Whether it is the magic cannons and magic spears I showed you this morning, or the Griffin Corps we just spoke of, they can all pose a threat to Carlos."

Rhonin understood this perfectly well; he was not so arrogant as to believe he could walk uncontested through the world just because he possessed a dragon.

"Aside from exercising caution on the battlefield, I advise you to keep the dragon out of the public eye as much as possible during ordinary times."

Rulance elaborated, "To my knowledge, there are no definitive records of true dragons appearing on this continent. Carlos’s existence will bound to draw everyone's attention, including certain eccentric old men who harbor an obsession with research."

As he spoke, the image of Magister Silva crossed his mind.

To cure his ailment back then, that man had performed countless experiments on his body.

Blood-drawing, ice therapy, fire roasting—he had utilized them all.

That he had survived at all was a testament to Rulance's sheer stubborn resilience.

Now that Rhonin had a dragon, the man might very well come running to study it, or even demand that Rhonin dissolve the master-servant contract so the dragon could recognize him instead.

Rhonin nodded with a grave expression.

This was the exact truth behind the saying, "An ordinary man is blameless, but possessing a treasure makes him a criminal."

"Up until now, apart from the retainers who accompany me, you are the only one who knows of Carlos’s existence. I have long since prepared myself, and I will not easily expose him to the world."

In truth, had Rulance not been so completely devoted to his well-being and entirely trustworthy, Rhonin would never have revealed the dragon's existence to him.

Rulance glanced at Rhonin, thinking to himself that the boy at least had a conscience and did not treat him as an outsider.

"You have done well; certain matters require utmost prudence and caution. A single dragon is not enough. If you wish to possess power that commands absolute reverence, you must become stronger yourself, and gather more powerful followers."

As he spoke, he remounted the Thunder Wind-Chaser and began to lead the way down the mountain.

Rhonin followed closely by his side.

Perhaps due to the encounter with the dragon, the Thunder Wind-Chaser was now exceedingly polite to Rhonin as he walked beside it, its cautious demeanor bringing an amused smile to one's lips.

"Oh, that reminds me."

Rulance seemed to recall something.

"I remember that a Chief Mage of the water element can master a spell called 'Bending Light and Folding Shadows.' It manipulates the water elements to distort the surrounding vision, thereby achieving an effect of concealment."

Rhonin's eyes lit up, immediately grasping the intent behind Rulance's words.

Carlos was known as the "Wings of Frost and Fire," mastering the twin elements of water and fire.

If he could master the spell of "Bending Light and Folding Shadows," it would significantly reduce the risk of exposure.

"It seems that among the combat techniques and magic books Grandfather gave me, this spell was not included."

The two water-attribute mages in the Northern Territory, Jenny and Irene, were far too low in rank for Rhonin to glean such knowledge through them.

Hence, Rhonin had overlooked the existence of this particular spell.

"I am no mage, why would I collect so many magic books?"

Rulance laughed and chided him, "Go take a look at the Silva Magic Chamber of Commerce; you should be able to purchase it there."

"However, from what I understand, the concealment effect of this spell has considerable limitations. First, if the movement speed is too fast, the controlled water elements cannot keep pace, which will rupture the illusion.

Secondly, those with sharp observation will notice the distortion of light and sense something amiss. And for someone of my strength, even without using my eyes, I could perceive its approach."

These two points mattered very little.

When the time came, Rhonin would simply have Carlos fly at a slower pace.

As for the second point, he did not require Carlos to become an invisible assassin; using the spell to evade the gaze of the general public was more than sufficient.

"Grandfather, you truly know so much."

"It is because you study too little."

Rulance laughed and scolded playfully, "I think you should spend less time buying knight romances and buy more useful books to read instead."

As the two descended the mountain, candles were lit along the road below, resembling rows of streetlamps.

Morst was waiting at the foot of the hill. "My Lord, Young Master, the evening banquet has been prepared. The Count and Countess are already waiting there."

Rulance was in a splendid mood. "Let us go."

The atmosphere of the evening banquet was much like that of midday. Dianne maintained her warm enthusiasm, prompting even Wiggins to tease her about her sudden change in disposition, which only earned him a stern glare from Rulance.

Wiggins gave an embarrassed smile, then raised his glass to toast Rhonin.

Setting down his goblet, he said with a smile, "To be honest, I originally thought you would wither away in Shanlin Town, but I never expected so many changes to occur after you arrived there. Sometimes I can't help but marvel that it was thanks to my keen foresight that I chose such a blessed land for you!"

Rhonin chuckled softly and returned the toast. "Father is entirely correct."

Wiggins continued, "I have nearly finished preparing the grain, weapons, and armor to be transported to Red Mountain Town today. Once everything is settled in a couple of days, the convoy will set out."

His tone shifted, looking at Rhonin with an earnest gaze. "However, we are currently lacking someone to represent me and accompany the transport vanguard to deliver greetings to the Fifth Knights stationed in the southwest. Would you be willing to make this journey on my behalf?"

Wiggins had originally been fretting over whom to send.

Sending Toru and the others would seem lacking in proper formality;

Let Breton go—he was too young;

it wasn’t until he met Ronin in the afternoon that he finally had his choice.

Ronin, of the Wu Mountain lineage, his son, the viscount of Wu Bei, a young high knight.

No one was more suited than he to represent Viggins on a journey to Red Mountain Town.

Ronin, for his part, had never imagined that coming to Wu Mountain Castle for his birthday would land him a mission.

“Red Mountain Town—I’ve never been there,” he mused, weighing whether to accept Viggins’s proposal.”

(The chapter ends.)