≈ Chapter 10 ≈
“Kie? Don’t tell me…”
<She’s a much more interesting child than you, even though you were born from the same mother. But she isn’t a Possessor.>
Without realizing it, Elliott let out a sigh of relief.
The Dragon chuckled.
The wind from his snort blew a few strands of Elliott’s neatly combed hair out of place.
As he fixed them, Elliott looked at the Dragon.
It was almost the same as glaring at him.
<Keep glaring at me with those narrow eyes. Do you think I’ll get scared?>
“I would never dare think such a thing, Your Grace.”
<You may say that, but I know that tiny head of yours has thought about stabbing me in the nostril once or twice!>
The Dragon burst into laughter again as if he found it truly amusing.
Atlas struggled to hold his jacket in place as it flapped wildly from the Dragon’s breath.
Elliott didn’t move at all.
Instead, he continued speaking.
“If you know that much, then you must also know that I find Your Grace’s authority rather burdensome.”
“Please take it back.”
<No. Too troublesome.>
“…Troublesome…”
Atlas let out a groan.
More than three years ago, the Dragon had given Elliott his authority.
Originally…
It had only been to defeat the Apostles who served demons.
It wasn’t unusual for the Commander of the Blue Dragon Knights to temporarily borrow the Dragon’s power.
Back then, Elliott had used that power to wipe out the demon worshippers.
But afterward…
The Dragon fell into a deep sleep.
The authority that should have returned to him…
Remained with Elliott.
Even worse…
The moment the Dragon woke up, he pointed out the First Possessor and immediately gave Elliott another mission.
And somehow…
Even until now…
The Dragon still hadn’t taken his authority back.
“I’m troubled too.”
“At least take back the Word of Command.”
<Oh, Elliott.>
<Shouldn’t humans always be careful with their words?>
<Even then, they sometimes make mistakes.>
<Isn’t it a blessing that you have a physical restriction forcing you to always watch what you say?>
<You’ll make lots of friends that way!>
Listening to the old Dragon’s pointless joke…
Elliott wondered if he should blame his late father for never warning him that becoming Commander of the Blue Dragon Knights meant dealing with a Dragon like this.
But the Dragon didn’t give him time to think.
<Go.>
Elliott quietly bowed.
And exactly two months later…
Elliott Thessaloniki arrived in Belfast.
It was the day before Anais Fleur’s twentieth birthday.
The day…
The Thirty-Third Possessor was struck by lightning.
And…
The day Anais returned.
The capital of the Kingdom of Belfast naturally had a huge harbor.
After all…
It had been built by the Imperial Navy.
Some people even called it…
The City Where the Sun Never Sets.
From early morning…
Through the night…
Until dawn…
The streets were almost never empty.
Among them…
The Fourth Harbor was the busiest and most luxurious district.
And there…
A woman’s loud voice echoed across the street.
It was Anais from just two days earlier.
The Thirty-Third Possessor.
“Customers!”
“If you reach the Diamond Rank, money will come rolling in even while you’re sitting still!”
“Do you understand?”
“You don’t have to do anything!”
“Other people will earn money for you!”
Her voice had been amplified with magic.
It echoed across the entire street.
Every time the woman waved her hand on stage…
Her beautiful face shone brightly.
Smooth golden hair.
Flawless skin.
She looked every bit like a noble lady.
Except…
For what she was doing.
A young woman who looked barely old enough to be an adult…
Jumping around and shouting,
“You’ll make money just by sitting still!”
Normally…
Noble ladies never stood before crowds.
They never shouted.
And they certainly never talked openly about money.
Of course…
The man watching her wasn’t the type who believed women should behave a certain way.
His own proud younger sister constantly broke those kinds of expectations.
The only reason he watched her differently…
Was because he alone knew…
She was a Possessor.
“Of course, reaching Diamond Rank isn’t easy!”
“But!”
Her explanation was dazzling.
Many people had already fallen for it.
Behind her…
A tired-looking magician projected her face into the sky with illusion magic.
It was a common spell.
But an expensive one.
Even ordinary street merchants didn’t advertise this shamelessly.
Yet…
The woman ignored every judgmental stare.
She stood proudly before everyone and passionately promoted her “business.”
Elliott narrowed his eyes as he watched the woman on stage.
“Is it normal for women to run businesses in Belfast?”
Atlas, who had just taken a bite of some Belfast street food, quickly swallowed before answering.
“Not noble ladies.”
“That’s why she attracted so much attention.”
“And yet…”
“No one suspected she was a Possessor.”
“Of course they did.”
Atlas shrugged while holding his food.
“Recently, a few people finally reported her.”
When they had arrived in Belfast…
Several reports had already reached the Blue Dragon Knights.
They all claimed…
That a young lady named Anais from Belfast might be a Possessor.
Her behavior was completely different from the previous thirty-two.
But she kept doing strange things.
And her fraud had become so enormous…
That everyone was talking about it.
Now that Elliott saw it himself…
It was unbelievable.
“Why do you think it’s called Diamond Rank?”
“Or Ruby Rank?”
“Or Emerald Rank?”
“Because our precious customers shine just like jewels!”
Listening to her speech…
Elliott asked again,
“They only realized something was wrong recently?”
“They say she started with very clever scams.”
“Not many people lost money at first.”
Elliott frowned.
“Kie told me she invested in a diamond business.”
“So this…”
“Was the diamond business?”
“…Well…”
“Miss Kie has always been…”
Atlas rolled his eyes.
Then quietly stopped talking.
After all…
No one understood Elliott’s younger sister better than Elliott himself.
She only listened to what she wanted to hear.
And she acted entirely on impulse.
That was exactly why the Dragon had told Elliott to ask Kie.
The moment he heard that…
Elliott had questioned his younger sister thoroughly.
After arguing for a long time…
She finally admitted…
That she had invested an unbelievable amount of money in Belfast.
An amount anyone would find suspicious.
“Everyone!”
“Believe in Anais!”
The woman continued shouting.
Atlas muttered,
“Calling herself in the third person…”
“She definitely doesn’t seem sane.”
The crowd cheered excitedly.
The woman raised her hand high.
“And besides!”
Something about this felt ominous.
Elliott slowly raised one eyebrow.
“Even the Thessaloniki family of the Blue Dragon Knights invested a huge amount of money in this business!”
The crowd gasped in amazement.
Hearing that…
The eldest son of House Thessaloniki…
Elliott Thessaloniki…
Covered his face with one hand.
“That idiot…”
Atlas quietly stayed silent after hearing what sounded almost like a cry of despair from his unfortunate commander.
But curiosity won in the end.
“Commander…”
“How much did Miss Kie invest…?”
“…One hundred million Sing.”
“…Your monthly salary is…?”
“I can clearly see you’re only asking because you want to know my salary.”
“…Sorry?”
Still not even looking at Atlas…
Elliott answered,
“The position of Commander of the Blue Dragon Knights is honorary.”
“My monthly salary is one hundred Sing.”
“What?”
Atlas stared blankly.
“I’m getting…”
He counted on his fingers.
Then spoke with complete seriousness.
“I’ll only aim to become Deputy Commander.”
“The Deputy Commander is also an honorary position.”
“…How much?”
“Two hundred Sing.”
“The Blue Dragon Knights are insane.”
“The Deputy Commander earns twice as much as the Commander…”
“And even that’s only enough to buy two drinks.”
“I’m leaving.”
Atlas immediately turned around and pretended to walk away into the crowd.
Elliott grabbed him by the back of his collar.
“The truly insane people…”
“Are over there.”
“…That’s true.”
Atlas crossed his arms and looked back at the stage.
The woman had begun ordering her servants to hand papers to everyone.
Membership applications.
“Everyone!”
“This is an amazing opportunity!”
“Who am I?”
“I’m Anais Fleur!”
“The Queen of Belfast’s own niece!”
“The Queen’s niece…”
Elliott frowned.
Atlas laughed.
“If she keeps using the royal family’s name like that…”
“She’ll ruin their reputation too.”
“And yet they still let her continue.”
“That only means…”
“She hid it well until now.”
“But why did she suddenly start acting like an ordinary criminal?”
Atlas looked at Elliott.
“I don’t think you even needed to come personally for someone like this.”
“You don’t remember?”
“You almost paid the membership fee yourself within five minutes of arriving.”
Atlas flinched.
Elliott pulled out a money pouch and shook it.
It was the one Atlas had unconsciously taken out only ten minutes after listening to Anais’s business presentation.
Elliott had confiscated it immediately.
Atlas quietly looked away.
“I just think…”
“It’s a waste to use the Blue Dragon Knights’ glorious sword on someone like her.”
At that moment…
A servant carrying membership forms approached them.
For the first time…
A faint mocking smile appeared on Elliott’s face.
He actually agreed with Atlas a little.
“Someone like her deserves divine punishment.”
“Why doesn’t lightning strike people like that?”
The moment he finished speaking…
Everything around Elliott suddenly felt weightless.
Then…
A bolt of lightning crashed down from the clear sky.
BOOM!!
Elliott couldn’t believe his eyes.
As if by coincidence…
The lightning struck Anais directly…
The very moment she stood up on the stage.
Screams erupted everywhere.
“AAAAAH!”
“Miss!”
“My goodness!”
Elliott froze where he stood.
Unable to move.
His eyes remained fixed on the stage.
The woman who had been struck by lightning rolled her eyes back…
Then slowly collapsed onto the ground.
Her clothes were completely burned black.
Her body trembled violently.
“Call a doctor!”
“Where are the Fleur family’s maids?!”
“Miss!”
“Miss!”
The entire harbor fell into complete chaos.
Even Atlas panicked.
But…
Among everyone there…
Only Elliott stood completely motionless.
