Reincarnated Dragon Goes to the Academy!

Chapter 205 : The Last Negotiation (2)

It was when Lucas and Ellaim were slowly approaching, hiding their presence, in case the children were being threatened.

[Is it still one person?]

[It seems to be two. But the aura of the other one is very weak compared to the other.]

Although they were opponents who could not be detected even with search magic, the fact that Hasel said this meant that they were opponents who could be dealt with sufficiently.

'Even if it's just one...'

Although he could still feel the auras of all the children, including his family, he would not be able to stand it if even one of them were to be harmed.

[I'll go in first.]

[But...]

Was it because of what Amore had said? Hasel stopped Lucas, who was about to open the door and enter.

[No.]

Lucas opened the door and entered.

"..."

As he opened the door and entered, he saw his family and the children sleeping peacefully.

"You finally..."

Lucas growled in a low voice.

"Forgive me."

It was Yastan. And next to him was a person who seemed to be Yastan's subordinate.

"Everyone is safe. I just... Lord..."

Yastan stopped speaking and cast a glance at Hasel.

It seemed that since the current lord was Hasel.

"Don't even think about making any awkward greetings and get lost right now."

It was enough that he had confirmed that they were safe. And in order to protect them, he couldn't fight here, could he?

"I came because I wanted to negotiate with you... for the last time."

At Yastan's words, Lucas snorted.

"...Negotiate? Hah."

"I put them to sleep like this because I was worried that they might get hurt if they attacked me. And I judged that there was no other place to talk to you than here."

Yastan bowed his head deeply.

"Please forgive my rudeness."

"..."

At that, the incident that had happened a thousand years ago flashed through his mind like a panorama.

The days when Yastan had come every day, crying and begging.

"Right."

At that, Hasel's eyes, who was standing next to him, widened.

"Are you serious? What kind of negotiation are you going to have with that person? Those bastards killed and used our kinsmen."

Anger was mixed in Hasel's voice.

"I know. But..."

He didn't want to leave another regret.

"Will you trust me, Hasel?"

"..."

Hasel let out a small groan without answering and then nodded his head.

"Let's move."

"Yes. I understand."

Yastan obediently agreed to Lucas's words.

'Did he really come to negotiate?'

Hasel thought, seeing that.

"Ellaim."

As he called the name of Ellaim, who was staying by his side in a spirit state, he revealed himself.

"...I greet the water spirit king."

Yastan bowed his head and greeted him.

"I'm holding back the urge to twist your neck right now, so don't say anything more and get lost."

"..."

Since the spirit world had also suffered a great blow, there was no way a nice word would come out of Ellaim's mouth.

"Will you watch over this place?"

"You're ordering me around like a subordinate."

Although Ellaim grumbled at Lucas's request, he obediently took a position next to Nella.

"Thank you."

Lucas gestured to Yastan with his chin. As if to follow him.

-Paaat!

As Lucas teleported, Yastan followed him.

***

In front of the lake where the calm water flowed, a well-matched tea table set was placed.

'It's a negotiation, after all.'

They were things that Lucas had personally taken out of his subspace.

He didn't have anywhere else to go, either. And if a fight were to break out here, no one would get hurt.

"Thank you."

Yastan waited for Lucas to sit down in the chair first and then sat down in front of him.

"Speak. What are your negotiation terms?"

"...Actually, I don't have any. I just made it up because I wanted to have a private talk with you."

Yastan smiled sadly.

"I wonder if I will ever meet the Lord again... I have imagined it several times."

He wondered what kind of nonsense this was.

"You have no intention of negotiating?"

But Lucas was already boiling with anger.

"Yes. In fact, we can't live in the demon world anymore, not here. Unless we all die, there's no way we can please you, is there?"

"..."

"The Demon God Taras has been annihilated. For us, it's as if a huge power has disappeared. If Lord Taras hadn't been there, we wouldn't have been able to confront you so early."

Honest words flowed out of Yastan's mouth.

"It's an undeniable fact that we have sinned against you, so I have no intention of making any excuses for it."

"..."

Lucas was just silently listening to his words, which were like a confession.

"But we have sinned again like this. Many of our kinsmen have died. They were the central nobles of the demon world. But... you saved the children again."

"Aren't they pitiful things caught up in the affairs of adults?"

"But... there is one thing you don't know."

Yastan looked straight into Lucas's pupils.

"What do you think will happen to their lives from now on? The lives of the children who have watched their parents die in front of their eyes."

"Do I have to know that? I just didn't want to take the lives of innocent children."

"I know. Because you were also a noble creature. But... they will be unhappy. They will live with trauma for the rest of their lives and will cower at the sound of a loud noise. They will grind their teeth when they see a mage, and they will grow hostility towards the dragons."

At that, Lucas smirked.

"A noble creature... do you think you are not? Your thoughts are absurd. Do you think you have become a god, sitting on the throne of the Demon King and playing with their lives?"

"..."

"Of course, as you say, they may be unhappy. Because they saw their parents die in front of their eyes. But that is not a reason for innocent children to lose their lives. It means that you, of all people, cannot decide how they will live."

Yastan silently bit his lower lip.

"You have no negotiation proposal... I also came here following you, so as not to make the same mistake as when I last saw you... but it's a pity."

It was when Lucas was about to get up from his seat coldly.

"For the last time... can't you forgive us?"

Lucas, who had sat down again, looked at Yastan's pupils intently.

"Yastan."

"Please, can't you forgive us just once?"

"I regret sending you away like that for the last time. Although you stole our egg and were foolishly deceived by humans, it's a fact that no one was harmed."

Yastan clenched both his fists.

"But... but why didn't you forgive us then? No, even if it wasn't forgiveness, why did you spread bad rumors to the humans and other races and make them hate us! Wasn't that a very cowardly act!?"

Yastan's eyes, who had slammed his clenched fists on the table, were filled with something similar to anger.

"Right. That's why I said I regret it. Just as it is an excessive punishment to sentence a person who has stolen a piece of bread to death, I admit that you also received an excessive punishment. But I couldn't help it."

"Why on earth! Why!!! Do you even know the years of suffering our kinsmen have gone through?! Do you know the sorrow of being stoned by a friend who was a friend just a day ago, and being pointed at by a neighbor!!!"

"..."

Lucas was not unaware of what they had been through. But it was not Lucas's intention to spread false rumors and make them hated.

It was the will of the parents whose eggs had been stolen.

'But since I didn't stop it either...'

Since he thought he was no different from an accomplice, he had no room for excuses.

"So please forgive us. We are now pitiful people with nowhere to go."

"Why don't you ask the Sirens you relied on?"

"..."

There was no word. It was the expression of a person who had been caught.

"Why. Did they betray you?"

Lucas smirked.

"..."

"Weren't they the ones who opened that great gate for you and came over here, inciting you to take revenge on us?"

"..."

"Can't you just ask them to open it again? That great gate."

Yastan hung his head low.

"Yastan. All living things are like that. Don't you think they did that to you because they needed something?"

Yastan's pupils turned to Lucas.

"What on earth could they have wanted... from us? We have no power or ability."

"They wanted the sea. Giestio is a very clever person. To the extent that he can play with a god on the palm of his hand."

"...Isn't there already a sea?"

"He wanted the whole world to become a sea."

Lucas had also been quite surprised when he had heard this story.

'You crazy bastard.'

If 'he' hadn't told him this story someday, he might have never known.

But after hearing the story, it seemed as if all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly.

Otherwise, there was no way the Sirens would have suddenly stepped up to save the demons.

"...Is that really true?"

Yastan also seemed to be quite shocked.

"Haha... it was strange. No matter how much he said he would help me and my kinsmen, it was strange that he would go that far."

"You must have lost contact with Giestio."

"..."

Although it was a simple guess, Yastan did not answer.

'Is it true?'

If so, there was no other cunning and vicious bastard. Since the demon god had been annihilated and he seemed to be of no more use, it was no different from being abandoned.

"Yastan."

"Yes."

"Too many of our kinsmen have died."

"..."

"Do you know how many have died?"

"Seven... I believe."

At that, Lucas nodded his head.

"You know exactly. Then do you know how many kinsmen are left?"

"Eight."

"Right. We lost half in this incident. How many did you lose?"

Yastan hung his head low without answering.

"We lost a third."

"Although the number is much larger, in a way, your damage is less. But a third of the kinsmen you lost a thousand years ago."

Yastan slowly nodded his head.

"Then you must have lost more than half."

Lucas's voice was calm.

"I am a body that will live a human life and then leave anyway. But you and the dragons will be different. You will live a longer life. In the meantime, you may live grinding your teeth at each other."

"I know."

"Do you have the confidence to live on this land?"

"I will endure it. Because I can't lose any more of my kinsmen..."

Lucas nodded his head.

"But... as I said, I am a body that will live a human life and then go. The current dragon lord is Hasel. He has lost his only son."

"..."

"Most of those who are left now have also lost someone. Someone they thought they would be with for at least a thousand more years, so 허무하게."

Lucas also wanted to twist Yastan's neck in front of him several times, but he had held it in.

And now, he was so pitiful. Since he couldn't tell the dead to come back, wasn't the future important?

"I will discuss this matter with the elders again. It would be good if I can persuade them... but if not, we will have to prepare to shed blood again."

As Lucas slowly got up from his seat, Yastan's eyes followed him. What was in Yastan's pupils was no longer anger or sadness.

It was hope.

The hope that he could live here again.

"And if you come back, the rumors that will circulate both inside and outside among the humans and other races will not be ignored. A story that the dragons have been defeated will circulate."

"..."

"As you said, since they are noble and have high pride, they may not be able to stand it. They may overturn all negotiations and attack you again."

"I know."

"And we will need to sort out the Siren clan. Since they have betrayed both sides."

"I know their location."

Just as Yastan was about to open his mouth to tell him their location, Lucas raised his hand and stopped him.

"I don't want to be indebted to you anymore. The debt from a thousand years ago is over with me letting you go alive today and proposing a negotiation."

If he were to receive their location from Yastan, it would become a burden on his heart if the conversation with the elders did not end well.

"...I understand."

"I'll wish you luck."

Lucas left, and Yastan, who was left there, sat quietly and looked at the lake.

"I now know why you liked this place."

The calm lake seemed to comfort his heart.

'If I can save my kinsmen by giving my life...'

Tears welled up in Yastan's eyes.

[End of Chapter]